First, I’m a novice at FR; could anyone tell me how to make a general comment not aimed at anybody in particular?
Many of the comments on this essay continue, here and at other sites, to miss my point: Culture never changes spontaneously, Culture is whatever its leaders say it is, regardless of the convictions of individuals. Culture only changes when people engage in purposeful activity designed to change it. If Christians (not the institutional church, but Christians) do not change the culture, either it will be changed by non-Christians, or it will not change.
Yes, faith in Christ is necessary. I never said it is not necessary. I said that it is not sufficient, which is a different assertion. We need to review our lecture notes from Logic 101. We need both faith in Christ and deliberate action to restore a properly ordered society, or to retake the culture, or however you wish to express it.
Another thing: Most people instinctively think that “attempting to change the culture” means “voting, lobbying government, or giving logistical support to the foregoing.” While these are important, they are not decisive. As I pointed out (perhaps too briefly) in the essay, what is needed is to defeat the rule of liberalism by publicly defeating its fundamental ideas and by placing those who reject liberalism in positions of leadership. That’s what I really mean by “attempting to change the culture,” and, rather than being an un-Christian distraction from the Christian’s real business, it bears a strong resemblance to Christian evangelism and apologetics.
Since most people have never considered the idea that this is how to win the culture war, we must constantly correct their instinctively-held understanding of how culture war is to be fought.
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I could not disagree more with every single point you make here. Culture ONLY changes spontaneously and such changes are never the result of activity consciously designed to change it. (other than preaching the Gospel). Our leaders and their fruits will always be a reflection of the culture which produced them and never the arbiters thereof. Culture is the face of the spirit which fills the majority of the individual hearts which make up the community. If it is a worldly spirit, you have a coarse and worldly culture. If it is a Godly spirit you have the contrary. In other words, culture is bottom up not top down.
Culture is not reflected by leaders or government or even institutions: a culture is found in the art, philosophy, science, architecture, military, morals and social ethic of a society. Changes in these areas are not designed (at least not by man) but are a spontaneous result of the spirit which spawned them. And we know who the spirit of the world is. We, as Christians, have to remove the spirit of the world from as many hearts as possible and replace it with the Spirit of the Word. This is not done on a macro level. It is done a person at a time by proclaiming the Gospel. Only the Gospel can change a heart like I am discussing. And only with enough hearts so changed can you change the culture. The Gospel is not only sufficient it is exclusive.
You say "what is needed is to defeat the rule of liberalism by publicly defeating its fundamental ideas and by placing those who reject liberalism in positions of leadership." I say "replace" them with what? Unregenerate people who believe in "non-liberalism" (In whatever form that takes). Where does that get you? Ungodly men make ungodly societies no matter what their ideology. And just how are you going to replace those "liberals" when they are only a reflection of the society which chose them in the first place. Trying to change our culture through changing our leaders is like a dog chasing its tail. Just as we saw with the Kingdoms of Israel, although a good leader may pop up occasionally here and there, the trajectory of a society that rejects God is downward. Just as Paul told us in Romans 1.
Give me one hundred missionaries with a heart burning to preach Jesus and I will change the culture of your community more than 1000 politicians could. Give me one thousand missionaries filled with the spirit and I will change your State more than 100,000 "leaders" could. Give me a million missionaries set apart for the gospel of God and you won't need any declarations or petitions. We'll be there already.