Are You a Christian? Or Just a “Cultural Christian?”

“I call myself a cultural Christian,” said Richard Dawkins, the well known British evolutionary biologist, author, and atheist.

Cultural Christian? What’s that? You may wonder.

Dawkins further explained in a recent interview with Rachel Johnson broadcast on March 31st on LBC.

“I’m not a believer, but there is a distinction between being a believing Christian and a cultural Christian,” Dawkins noted, adding: “I love hymns and Christmas carols and I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos, and I feel that we are a Christian country in that sense.”

Similarly, Wikipedia offers this insight. “Cultural Christians are the nonreligious or non-practicing Christians who received Christian values and appreciate Christian culture.”

Although many claim to be religious and specifically a Christian, I wonder how many are just “cultural Christians?”

While three out of every four Americans identify with a specific religious faith, their church attendance leaves something to be desired. A Gallup poll, recently cited by Jim Denison found 21% of Americans claimed to attend a religious service every week; 41% say they attend at least once a month.

Denison, however, cites data which indicates church attendance is even less than what is claimed in surveys.

Devin Pope, a business school professor at the University of Chicago, studied cell phone geodata from over two million Americans to examine their behavior with respect to religion. He found that only 5 percent attended services weekly, and only 21 percent attended monthly. As an article reporting Pope’s study headlined, “People who say they go to religious services weekly are probably lying.”

All of this suggest that people see value in the moral and ethical influence of Christianity whether or not they are personally involved or committed.

Taking this thought a step further, it is possible that some who actually do attend church regularly, fail to really practice the percepts of Christ in their personal lives?

The Bible speaks of “pure and undefiled religion” which pleases God. But the same text says one’s religion is useless when he fails to practice what he professes. Specifically, the text illustrates it with failure to control our tongue (Jas. 1:26-27).

Jesus often condemned the religious leaders of his day who wore their religiosity on their sleeves. Well, more accurately on their foreheads and hands with their phylacteries (Matt. 23:5). These were strips of parchment with Bible verses enclosed in a square leather box attached to their foreheads or hands. They enlarged these boxes to be conspicuous. Jesus said they did it “to be seen by men.”

Likewise, an attitude of religiosity may compel us to attend weekly services, engage in some form of ministry, and participate in various works of the church, yet neglecting to imbibe the attitude of Christ in our daily lives. Even regular attenders may enjoy the benefits of fellowship and enjoy the culture of Christianity without completely following Christ.

Christ calls for commitment. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Jesus asks. (Lk. 6:46).

Furthermore, He reminds us from His famous Mountain Message that “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).

Cultural Christianity is obviously a contradiction in terms from a Biblical perspective. And an attitude of religiosity does equate with “pure and undefiled religion.”

Paul’s treatise to the Roman Christians challenges them, and by implication all of us with these words.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).

Are you being conformed to the culture around you? Or being transformed by Christ?

Are you truly a Christian? Or just a cultural Christian?

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman