Canaan's Rest

Variety magazine reported recently that Disney has “boy trouble.” Bill Winters believes, “They’re going to have to ditch an ideology that sneered at masculinity.”  Disney is losing the interest of Gen Z men (13-28), whom they describe as  a “lonely, gaming-obsessed group who were hampered in their formative years by COVID-19 lockdowns.”   Winters points out that Disney has part of the diagnosis correct, but the corporation needs to realize  young men have become alienated even more by an ideology that is undermining what was once celebrated by Disney.  They need to change the stories they tell. 

Winters maintains, “they’re going to have to ditch an ideology that sneered at masculinity, chivalry, righteous honor, power for noble purposes, the warrior ethos – all these things that coded as toxically male – and accepted these attitudes are actually good and necessary for any healthy society and worthy of exploring in entertainment.”   

“This ideology was obviously anti-men,” insists Winters.  There is a need to return again to tradition.  Traditional stories stick around for a reason.  One of the  moves Disney can make in Miller’s opinion is “to return to traditional storytelling.”  This means, “courageous heroes, nasty villains, and incredibly high stakes for believable characters who wrestle with timeless challenges like family, romance, revenge, redemption.”

“Gen Z males,” insists Miller, “are hungry for brotherhood and purpose.  They want demanding missions where success is deeply consequential not just for them but for the people they care about.”  Young men are looking for stories that contain these three elements, “authentic brotherhood, transcendent purpose and patriotism.”  

Miller is optimistic about the future of Disney.  But they will need to work at renewing and reviving our great institutions. But like the rest of America, Disney must be, “willing to do the hard work of renewing and reviving our greatest institutions.”  He sees Disney’s crisis as a blessing in disguise.  “Really, Disney’s ‘boy trouble‘ crisis is a gift for the company…..If Disney starts telling authentic, powerful stories that men actually want to see, they will capture a rising demographic and participate in a renewal of American culture in a way worthy of the greatest institutions.”

For a Christian the greatest story is telling the “Good News.”  Jesus came to show us a better way to live. He came to defeat the power of evil.  He calls men to radical commitment.  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).   

The Good News calls for young men to be involved in brotherhood.  There is no greater brotherhood, then a group men  committed to the cause of Christ.  Early after high school, in my surrender to Jesus, I found the need for men in my life, who  were intentional about  their walk with God.   This is still true in my 80’s.  The modeling of godly men is vital for me to stay in the fight. We are in combat together, as we rescue people from darkness. 

The Good News certainly provides a transcendent purpose. Jesus taught us to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”   I am eternally thankful for “the Good News” of Jesus and his kingdom.  I have given full allegiance to this story.  It is the same yesterday, today and forever.  It has eternal consequences. 

I have been blest to live in a country where the story of Jesus has shaped a lot of our culture.  “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news” (Is. 52:7). It is inspiring to be surrounded by men who are excited about sharing the good news in our troubled culture.   

Brad East, a professor of theology at Abilene Christian University, has become one of my favorite theologians.  I value theologians, who I can trust to be scripture centered, but yet speak clearly, in a fresh, new way the “old story” of Jesus and his love.  Recently he wrote an article for Mere Orthodoxy entitled, “Once more, church and culture.”   He begins with this statement: “The West will always carry within it its Christian past – whether as a living wellspring, a lingering shadow, a haunting ghost, or an exorcised demon – but it is indisputable that whatever the West has become, it is not what it once was, Christendom is no more.”

East believes “there is no one ‘correct’ type, posture, or model” in engaging with our present day culture. “Instead, the church has four primary modes of faithful engagement with culture.  They are inevitably overlapping and essentially non-competitive with one another.  Which mode is called for depends entirely on context and content……..typically they are all at work simultaneously…….each mode applies in every possible historical and political context: premodern and postmodern, established and disestablished, privileged and persecuted.”  Here are the four modes:

First, Resistance: The church is called to resist injustice and idolatry.  Sometimes all that it takes is sheer perseverance, while on other occasions the cost is higher. 

Second, Repentance:  The church is always and everywhere called to repent of its sins, crimes, and failures.  Judgement must begin at the house of  God (I Peter 4:17). The credibility of the gospel is rarely threatened by the church’s failures as much as by its unwillingness to admit them. 

Third, Reception: The church is always and everywhere called to receive from the world the many blessings bestowed upon it by God.

Fourth, Reform: The church is always and everywhere called to preach the gospel which is the word of God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ.  Another term for this task of proclamation is prophecy. 

East then lists six benefits he sees using  this fourfold model:

First, it does not privilege any one mode but takes for granted that context is everything.  

Second, it does not prioritize work as the primary sphere in which the church encounters a culture or makes its presence known.

Third, it does not focus on any one class or persons within the church but instead on the community as a whole

Fourth, these modes are not necessarily measurable in terms of external and tangible impact.  These forms of engagement are “modes” of life.

Fifth, there is no specific social arrangement or political regime either presupposed or generated by this proposal. It applies whether the church has power or has none.

Sixth, the proposal understands that the faithful presence of the church is a differentiated presence.  The church’s witness is measured not only by its presence to the world but also by its difference from the world.  That difference is called holiness. 

East’s proposal is his attempt to speak about the church’s place in society after Christendom.  As followers of Jesus, we each in our own context will  continue to struggle with the question of Christ and culture.   Each of East’s modes are always in play, that is, they naturally part of our lifestyle. 

For men, this proposal helps remind us of simply wanting to be humble, loving followers of Jesus.  Phil. 2:1-2 seems to fit East’s proposal, when it asks, “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit?  Are your hearts tender and compassionate?  Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. ”