Based on the short book 'Breaking Ground: The Church and Cultural Renewal' published by Theos think tank in 2021, this talk deals with the question of cultural change and the church's responsibility in culture. After surveying key dynamics of cultural change, Dr. Nathan Mladin shows how gardening and farming offer a model for the Church's cultural engagement that is theologically rooted and generative, not least by evoking a set of virtues and practices which are essential to a faithful, Christ-like effect in culture.
“The Church is, sadly, full of cultural warriors today. Its gospel witness is suffering as a result. It can only recover if it enlists and forms cultural gardeners instead of warriors: gardeners of culture who cultivate and co-create with God toward shalom and the New Creation.” Nathan Mladin
Breaking Ground: The Church and Cultural Renewal was written by Nathan Mladin in 2021 on behalf of Theos think tank, to help the church understand how it can more faithfully and fruitfully participate in cultural renewal. By exploring leading theories of cultural change, drawing out insights from case studies, and building an organic theology of cultural engagement, Nathan has crafted a crucial piece of research which we hope will spark meaningful conversations about what our role institutionally and individually might be.
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About the speaker
Dr Nathan Mladin is Senior Researcher at the Christian think tank Theos, and Visiting Lecturer at St Mellitus College, London. His current research, speaking, and writing focus on technology ethics and AI, political economy, and theology of culture. He holds a PhD in Systematic Theology from Queen’s University Belfast and is the author of several publications, including Breaking Ground (Theos, 2021), a short book on the church and cultural engagement. Nathan is married to Ligia and lives in Bow, East London. Together they worship and serve with Christ Church London–Mile End.
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