The Need for a New Kind of Culture
Cheryl Cutlip identifies an emerging community of culture creators
Dancing as a Rockette has taught me a lot: how to kick perfectly in-line with 36 other dancers, how to survive a 200 performance Christmas show season at Radio City, and how to apply red lips and lashes for that on-camera interview with Diane Sawyer. So what can a Rockette contribute to the conversation on culture? Well, I’ve been thinking about more than eye-high kicks lately. As a former Radio City Rockette and student of Westminster Theological Seminary I’d like to explain a new kind of culture that blends art and belief.
Culture is difficult to define. We hear its voice. We see its image. We feel its heartbeat. Popular thoughts and ideas run rampant on the streets enforcing its agenda. As new restaurants, art galleries, and movies hit the streets their fate falls into the hands of the public. Only the strong survive.
On the flip side is subculture. Extracted from culture are pockets of exclusive yet hidden passionate communities with more narrow ideas about life and how it’s lived. Whether The Amish or Goth, subculture exists to give identity and validity to more unique lifestyles and beliefs which allow them to thrive and exist.
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While mainstream culture and subculture move along life’s timeline a brand new kind of culture is emerging all around us. I call this supculture.
Supculture is the artistic infusion of absolute truth within an existing society.
By definition the word sup means to eat or drink in small amounts. This ideology, both excellent and passionate exists to infuse absolute truth in digestible doses. This can be done through direct display of truth within an artistic expression such as Lord of the Rings or The Matrix. It can also be done through the infusion of truth to the people within a given cultural project such as Broadway Underground or The New York City Ballet.
To better understand this new culture we need to observe the characteristics of its people. Their overarching commonality is a shared belief that we exist in a world that has a divine creator who is personal and as a result all of their life work flows out from that solid foundational position.
With this as a starting point let’s explore some of the other unique characteristics of supculture. Because of this strong belief in a personal and divine creator there is a deep affection for the church. In this case, the church is not a building or established denomination. The church is “those who call themselves believers in God through Jesus Christ.”
Though there is a trend among some within the church to simply complain or muse about the church’s treatment, or its lack of knowledge, or poor expression of art this new band of artists rejects such complaints. Those in supculture work to find solutions to problems rather than running from them. They’re willing to take on a responsible role in stewarding art when expressed in and for the church.
While many within church communities have stepped away from culture, those in supculture thrive on its heartbeat and sink deep into its daily flow. Culture is the place where voices on the street are heard, understood, and expressed. To be in the mix of culture is to sharpen one’s communication of their beliefs as well as show compassion and respect for those with whom they strongly disagree.
Let’s examine a common experience of some believing artists. In most cases these artists are expected to outlay their goods in either “The Church” or “The Culture.” If the art is to be offered within the church it needs to specifically fit the expectation of the church and serve its current needs. These needs are based on a particular style of art for a particular purpose which extends out of the particular people group being served in that particular church community. If a church is unable to utilize the skill of an artist in their midst but still has a desire to validate them, they often encourage them to go out into the culture for what is termed, “marketplace ministry.” This current phenomenon within the church makes sense as we know clearly that the Bible teaches us to be in the world but not of the world. We understand that the Bible validates working artists and that by having believer artists sprinkled throughout the marketplace; Christ is therefore impacting many arenas. Once in the marketplace, believers sometimes find themselves challenged on many levels. What started as a purpose driven assignment can become an excuse for mediocrity or a ticket to a life with less integrity than hoped. The current cultural mindset can then lead believing artists to accept less from themselves in areas of personal excellence. In contrast to this, the new flock of supculture creators are bold in their personal integrity while maintaining deep authentic friendships and business relationships with many who do not share in their own personal beliefs.
Often times the church is so far from culture that they lose sight of the very people they’ve encouraged to venture there. This creates an opportunity for working artists to live a secret life in their cultural environment but still seem to remain healthy in their church environment. This divide eventually damages those struggling to maintain their life’s call as an artist while desiring to grow and remain spiritually strong. Supculture bridges the gap for artists. It creates a place for artistic and spiritual excellence and allows both to co-exist without being pulled in one direction or the other. Many believing artists today feel a bit scysophrenic. Supculture reminds them that they are not crazy. They are called to this life of creating masterworks for the world with God’s stamp of approval.
Supculture is not merely marketplace ministry whose highest expectation is to impact others in the marketplace with truth. Supculture takes this notion a step further and longs to take the driver’s seat in the creation of new projects within the marketplace. And, while those within supculture find themselves deeply ingrained in the marketplace they are also equally ingrained within a community of believers in a local church. They flow freely and regularly from the culture to the church and usually have deep rooted friendships in both worlds. Supculture has no specific spiritual agenda. However, since passion for truth is the driving force behind its people and their projects we often see lives changed through it.
We now understand that two pillars uphold this new kind of movement: the church and the culture. Balanced between these two immovable columns is supculture resting hesitantly yet fervently on a tight rope (careful not to slip). Poised as pioneers who’ve come of age within marketplace ministry or birthed out of a short term surge of artists’ acknowledgment by the church comes this unique and powerful display of something new, something supernatural, and something we want to participate in as a way of enriching the human experience.
To help better understand supculture; let’s think about Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ. Quite noticeably, this film is infused with absolute truth. The very life of Christ is depicted through cinematography. Director Mel Gibson utilized his artistry and skill to offer the public an excellent film. Both the culture and the church had to sit up and take notice. Though I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gibson, it is my understanding that the views depicted in the film also represent his own personal beliefs. Had he created this film and opposed its beliefs the pillar of the church could have suffered a blow. However, he made it clear that he was a follower of Christ throughout the movie’s debut when asked those questions by the media. On the other hand, had he created a film infused with this kind of absolute truth without using the skill of amazing film professionals, the culture would have laughed at the notion that anyone could believe such a truth. Why? Simply put-our current culture demands quality. The message itself is often secondary to its aesthetic majesty.
Another example of supculture is the variety show Broadway Underground, which the New York Times gave rave reviews. While the content of this show doesn’t overtly convey absolute truth, those producing it strongly believe in core supculture values. Unbeknownst to the audience, before each show the entire cast circles up for prayer, and those involved attribute its success to their divine creator.
Countless other examples are popping up all over the place and it’s time to give these people and their projects a name all to themselves. The concept of supculture sounds brand new but it’s really age old. As I focus on the person of absolute truth, Jesus Christ, I see that he is the author of supculture. From the streets (culture) to the synagogue (church), Jesus bridged the gap between these two worlds. He was completely committed to culture; it’s where he chose his 12. He honored the synagogue and died to uphold its value. With hands outstretched he said; “For God did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Today’s most vibrant culture creators are those who have mastered the ability to tell the truest story in the most excellent way. Might the church and the culture celebrate these who’ve emerged and are here to stay? Now believer artists have a place to call home. It’s the new emerging supculture. Welcome! Now, let’s get to work.
For more information about Cheryl Cutlip visit www.projectdance.com
