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Greener Journal of Social Sciences
Vol. 15(1), pp. 1-10, 2025
ISSN: 2276-7800
Copyright ©2025, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.
https://gjournals.org/GJSC
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15580/gjss.2025.1.012825013
Africa International University, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya
This paper aims to discuss the topic of the transformation of culture by theology and present the key theological values, systems, and identities that comprise culture. This, through the analysis of historical and present-day scenarios, makes the way theology as an active agent propels the societal transformation and refashions the cultural discourses. To start with, the article presents a theoretical background that explains theology’s roles in offering solutions to moral and ethical issues, reforms in most organizations and institutions, and its impact on the arts. In terms of the sources that the course uses, it is deep and thorough in how it explores specific theological ideas as a means to make sense of how they have dominated societal organization and decision-making regarding what is right or wrong at certain historical periods and in specific cultures. Besides, the article explains why theology experiences difficulties in responding to pluralist and secular societies, which are current challenges in the globalized world. It also points very subtly to the possibilities of dialogue and partnership, arguing that theology might have something telling to say about the culture of the present moment. Consequent to the synergistic metodo-historical analysis, the article realizes how theology remains pertinent to interrogate the existing reality. The article argues for a more meaningful incorporation of theological discourse into cultural analysis while insisting on the development of the relationship between theology and culture. Thus, an integration of this kind may add value to the cultures, encourage others to produce changes, and immediately start ‘practising’ the answers to ethical dilemmas of the twenty-first century.
Type: Research
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DOI: 10.15580/gjss.2025.1.012825013
Accepted: 23/01/2025
Published: 31/01/2025
Keywords: Theology, Catalyst, Exploring, Culture, Transformation
*Corresponding Author
Leonard Ndzi
Email: ndzigracebaptist@gmail.com
1.1 The Relationship Between Theology and Culture
The nexus between theology and culture is a symbiotic one where people and civilizations shape each other when seeking meaning for life and existence itself. Theology assists people in understanding existence through a certain lens, while culture is a systematic way that the community perceives and responds to the world with the help of belief systems rooted in theology.[1] This interconnection can be well observed throughout history; theology not only forms culture but is formed by the culture in return.
Religious beliefs offer orientations of proper behaviors that guide the promotion of particular cultures; for instance, the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, and the Vedas are those scriptures that have influenced cultural practices, laws, authority, and society.[2] Thus, religious beliefs manifest theological theories in the form of popular customs of rituals, ceremonies, and festivals, and they help people identify themselves as members of their community.
At the same time, theology has actively participated in cultural and social processes and change. Two of the past century’s most significant civil rights movements were organized on its foundations, namely abolishing slavery and women’s right to vote and embracing equality. Social justice movements, for example, by Howard activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., found meanings for justice, love, and human dignity in theological discourse to mobilize and facilitate actualization.[3] Such possibilities stress the methodological perspective that theology also entails the capability to contribute to the development of the culture.
There is a mutual interaction between theology and culture. Culture fits and informs both theology on the one hand and culture on the other since theology itself is informed by the context in which it exists. Therefore, religious beliefs and organizations have evolved worldwide to fit the culture in various places and meet the current demand. This point of view remains relevant to present-day theories in theology, which state that it is an essential means of effecting moral and ethical changes to help humanity make better decisions and a source of inspiration for individuals and groups.
This research study seeks to establish how theology leads to change in culture. Hoping to prove the versatility of theology’s impact on cultural change, religious undertones within cultural values, organizations, and the arts will be explored. The study aims to foster an understanding of the role that theology has played or continues to play as a source of ethical norms, inspiration for social activities, and a mirror reflecting and forming cultural experiences and expressions in the arts and literature. This paper focuses on the past and present regarding theology’s role in culture. Historical cases assess theology’s contribution to the formation of educational institutions, hospitals, and charitable organizations. In contrast, from the contemporary perspective, historical cases look at theology’s impact on social justice movements, contemporary art, and literature. Both of these approaches are pursued to show that theological perspectives have retained their applicability to social problems and can contribute to advancing culture.
The study also responds positively to the significant questions of how theology relates to pluralistic and secular societies. Challenges to the theologizing of culture in the contemporary world include secularism and growth in religious plurality. Another challenge to fitting institutional religion in early twenty-first-century life is current skepticism towards it. However, these factors also consist of prospects related to innovation and participation. Religion scholarly work in secular democracies can enhance culturally sensitive approaches to intercommunity relations in multicultural populations since religious belief and practice are central to culture and human experience. Likewise, contextual theology offers an approach to apply the beliefs of the old times to practice in an easily understood need of today’s modern society by attending to societal issues such as climate change, technological ethicality, and social justice.
Thus, this study’s presence points to how theological insights should enrich the understanding of culture. Theology’s significance rises to the level of appeal to people and the promotion of substantial change by offering tools for moral thought. This exploration hopes to show that theology is anything but a stagnant or preposterous field because it continues to wield profound influence and relevance in advancing culture. This research aims to more effectively integrate theological thinking into mainstream cultural analysis, focusing on the positive impact of integration. The present continuous conversation between theology and culture has promulgated significant findings about humanity and its positive and negative experiences in a way that ensures a constant flow of exercise on theologies explaining human perceived and desired realities.
2.1 Defining Theology in a Cultural Context
Theology, in its broadest sense, analyzes the divine, human, and the world. Apart from establishing features of the divine, theological speech is also concerned with human beings, evil, and the meaning of life. In cultural terms, theology expands its horizons in a sense to incorporate the practices of religious groups and, more importantly, how these groups engage with the systems of culture.[4] This expansion takes theology from doctrinal mapping to how these beliefs are configured in and by culture.
When considered culturally, theology becomes not just a hermeneutical tool for making meaning of culture but also the ethics and practices of people about their well-being. This question includes: What would be considered acceptable as the meaning of life? Alternatively, “Where does the meaning and social coherence come from?” There is also a climax of the relationship between theology and culture, as theology is about” how” to express universal truths and values, meet a culture at a specific point, and engage it in terms of particular needs and possibilities. For example, liberation theology in the context of Latin America is theologically focused on such problems as poverty and oppression of the people.[5] In contrast, Black theology in the context of the USA is theologically concerned with the problem of racism as well as the recognition of oppressed black people’s value.
This cultural dimension, which forms part of theology, allows it to engage with societal phenomena in a lively manner as it progresses toward interdisciplinarity and inter-culture. In this way, theology impacts cultural studies by fashioning and evaluating culture, the values, norms, and structures that form the subject of human existence.
Several theoretical models are applied to explain the relation between the mentioned components of theology and cultural change. One of the most notable is H. Richard Niebuhr’s typology of Christ and Culture, which explores five models of engagement between theological traditions and cultural norms:
1. Christ Against Culture: Theology negates and combats cultural elements regarded as incompatible with divinity.
2. Christ of Culture: Theology consciously synchronizes with cultural values, advocating for things that complement the culture.
3. Christ Above Culture: Theology works on the union of cultural norms and divine truths, reflecting on the grateful harmony between the two.
4. Christ and Culture in Paradox: Thus, theology can recognize the kind of conflict, that is, the conflict of loyalty between the divine and the cultural loyalties.
5. Christ Transforming Culture: Theology perhaps aims to save and sanctify culture to point it to divine standards.
Niebuhr’s typology is still one of the most valuable approaches to distinguishing between how theology engages with cultural change and its ability to support, question, or transform cultural values.[6] Another theoretical theory is Paul Tillich’s “ultimate concern.” For Tillich, theology responds to the questions essential to human beings’ existence: questions of meaning, self, and spirit. In interacting with these “ultimate concerns,” theology impacts cultural frames of reference and the nature of values societies bear when making sense of collective experience and aspirations.[7]
Niebuhr and Tillich stress that theology should be understood as a transformative discourse that can challenge or point culture to a different course. For instance, Feminist theology continues to address patriarchy in both religious contexts and in society; for gay theology, there is resistance to homosexuality in religious beliefs and society.[8] Likewise, environmental theology concerns how humanity interacts with the physical environment and seeks to promote responsible use and sustainable utilization of resources. These theoretical presuppositions refer to the interdependence of theology and culture. Theological principles may influence culture, but culture also impacts the operation of theological thought, the applicability of which must be relevant to the modern world. In light of this, the former generalizable truths and the latter situational factors make theology a valuable tool in the yearly changes of culture.
The nature of theology, which is segregated as the study of the divine to concern humanity, has always impacted culture. Religion provides people with ethical guidance, purpose, and an overall roadmap of the desired change in society, and it defines the principles that people embrace. By focusing on existential anxieties and justice issues, theology offers a signification system by which societies articulate and sustain their cultural norms.
3.1 Theology and Moral Frameworks
It plays a significant role in building moral or ethical bearings for one and for all through commandments laid down in religious scriptural books, religious practices, and teachings.[9] Culture can be seen in places where mass has influence, for example, where Judaeo-Christian values significantly impact Western nations’ legal and moral systems. Ten commandments are the guidelines or principles of ethics and morality that set legal standards and envisage the norms of behavior between people, the state, and God.[10] In the same way, moderate manners in speech and dress, as well as hatred, desiring the help of only the truthful and resisting temptations, have also become standards of Western culture due to the teaching of Jesus’ sermon on the mount.
As for Islamic traditions, law and theology provide integration to set up the ethical systematical structures. Islamic law, called Sharia, is based on the Quran. Hadith explains the rules of behavior in the private sphere, economic relations, and interethnic cooperation. For instance, the encouragement of zakah (alms) gives an impetus to economic justice; a ban on usury safeguards the just treatment of individuals and societies in business and political affairs.[11] Buddhism’s explanation for morality touches on compassion, mindfulness, and detachment as key aspects of moral behavior. These are the guidelines of moral personal behavior, and they state that one should abstain from wrong communication, conduct, and ways of making a living.[12] These principles define personal conduct and determine factors that define a given culture, especially Buddhism-affected societies. Like Hinduism’s dharma ‘(duty’), it similarly emphasizes the function of theology in prescribing behavioral predispositions.[13] Dharma, derived from the epic Indian scripture the Bhagavad Gita, is a call to uphold law and order by performing each person’s duty. These examples illustrate that even when thoughts are presented, a system of thoughts gives people a universal set of values that expands the community.
3.2 Ethical Imperatives in Shaping Society
On the one hand, as a discipline, theology constructs ethical paradigms, and on the other hand, it criticizes the ops society and steps for change. Here, theology is spiritual since theology is not just a theoretical production but a practice that addresses actual societal concerns for change that is positive, cultural, just, and embodied in compassion and equality. The emancipation of black people also offers another example of how theology is used in changing society. Other people who played roles in the abolitionist effort include religious leaders and theologians powered by the doctrine of the sanctity of human life.[14] Such brave men as William Wilberforce in Britain and Frederick Douglass in the United States of America used Christian arguments to coalition the people and the legislative branch into abolishing the practice.[15]
The Civil Rights Movement in the United States is another example of theology influencing culture.[16] Other leaders, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., used religious concepts with political appeals to advocate for civil rights, stating they were a Christian duty. King’s effective appeals to self-interest and self-preservation based on a Biblical narrative supported his ideas with positive ethical essences to lure and help the audiences rid the systems of racism.[17] Religious beliefs motivate modern-day concerns that tackle global problems as well. Liberation theology, which originated in Latin America in the middle of the twentieth century, is the understanding that people of God prefer the poor and support a liberation that will bring about societal changes. A part of Catholic social theory, liberation theology supports people in establishing democracy to free them from domination.[18]
Environmental theology is yet another example of how theology is ethical. Theologians use stewardship to emphasize the importance of caring for and sustaining creation. The improved perspective discourages exploitive uses of natural resources and encourages sustainability when addressing development issues; hence, it promotes a culture of adhering to environmental conservation.[19] Furthermore, the ethical moments found in theologies tend to share a connection with art and literature, forming an even more significant impact. Likely, the novel Harriet Beecher Stowe Un,cle Tom’s Cabin, or some movies of today popularizing climate change contain theological motifs, inspiring to think about moral values and act accordingly.[20] Theology remains culturally influential because of its inherent capacity to spell out ideals of proper conduct and mobilize communities toward their achievement. Its attempt to solve ageless and current problems makes the work timeless, preventing one generation’s guidance from becoming irrelevant to the next.
Polity and culture as theological components are among the best tangible ways theological principles impact societies. From social reform to creativity, Dogmatic theology has continued to perform a fantastic function in molding and determining human experiences and providing an analysis of cultural wants and needs.
4.1 Religious Factors Affecting Institutional Change
Religious beliefs have created, shaped, and restructured crucial social organizations. For example, in medieval Europe, religious orders founded universities with the theological belief that truth has to promote society’s welfare.[21] The University of Paris and Oxford University were founded primarily with an emphasis on theological and philosophical studies. These institutions were the forerunners of the modern education system, which stressed critical thinking and formal intellectual discoveries concerning a clear moral and ethical outlook on the world.[22] For example, hospitals were established, and charitable organizations benefit from theological principles. Laying focused on health and the sick, poor, and needy, early Christian theologians soon launched the idea of hospitals with religious orders.[23] The root of many modern healthcare organizations can be traced back to medieval Europe, where the Christian enhancing Caritas, meaning charitable or sacrificial love, pioneered healthcare. Likewise, the theology of the Islamic craze in zakat brought the birth of concepts of waqfs, financial development of education, and health facilities.[24] In more current settings, theology has led to social reforms of institutions to meet societal needs in this case.[25] For example, Black theology appeared as an adequate reaction to racism in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement. Black theology, informed by Christian liberationism, advocated abolishing oppressive structures and forming liberating structures.[26] E-leaders like Martin Luther King Jr adopted religious beliefs into political activism, especially calling for justice for the oppressed as part of God’s message.
Feminist theology also influenced institutional changes, especially in the religious and secular realms.[27] Using this critical analysis of patriarchal interpretative views of the scriptures and other religious practices, feminist theologians have called for change and demanded that women be allowed to get executive roles. They achieved those changes, such as women’s ordination in many denominations in the Christian churches and societal structures on gender justice issues, among others.[28] These examples demonstrate how theology transforms systems and organizations to overcome oppressive structural relationships and establish congruency between organizational practices and ethical/moral standards. In such a context, theology plays a role of prophetic calling, which summons institutions to change capacities to meet the needs of modern societies that cannot be overshadowed by inhumanity.
Every effort is made to present theological ideas in a form and framework that is appealing and enjoyable, artistic and moral, and literary and theological. They noted that theology itself has always been the driving force behind the creation of cultural works that represent culture and respond to it. Art forms deeply inscribe religion, and theological motifs are rare in the fine arts. For instance, Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel tell the creation, original sin, and salvation story, enacting a theology of human beings about God.[29] Similar to images from the Byzantine period and early Renaissance, these works employ religious themes to illustrate theological concepts for worship and instruction. These works visually convey faith and profound theological ideas through symbols, tints, and designs.[30]
As in any civilization, theology has intertwined with literature in one way or another. Depending on the type of engagement with theology, one could mention the most influential work by Dante Alighieri.[31] Divided into Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, it is based on the vision of the medieval Christian world order but raises the problems of sin and salvation, revenge, and justice. Similarly, John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost, explores voluntarism, submission, and justification from a deeper theological perspective while also appealing to a contemporary audience.[32]
In the modern era, various media platforms offer increased opportunities for theological communication. Antecedent sacred music, including Gregorian chants and gospel hymns, has for centuries delivered theological content to various populations, promoting congregational prayer and meditation.[33] With the current technologies in fashion, like films, podcasts, and social networks, there are new opportunities to address theology. Modern movies such as The Passion of the Christ and Noah represent classical narratives in a new key: podcasts and YouTube allow representatives of theology to reach an audience in which spiritual and ethical questions are urgent.[34] Art preservation, reinterpretation, and creation are important aspects of theology. Currently, artists and writers transform theological themes by incorporating contemporary issues.[35] Fictions that target and protest against exclusionary politics incorporate ideas and concepts from liberation theology, feminist theology, and queer theology. These examples show how easily theology has moved with cultures to fit into new horizons and retain meaning in various cultures.[36]
Moreover, theology in media also faces the unique challenge of orienting culture through regulating discourse.[37] Social media, in particular, has allowed theologians to speak to the world and discuss issues such as climate change, race, and technology from a theological lens. This democratization of theological dialogue helps create awareness and actions toward matters across the realms of faith. Hence, theology persistently integrates art, literature, and media into the prevailing culture of the people. It extends beyond contemplating spirituality and establishes a connection between productivity and creativity within cultures. Institutional reform and artwork express the ability to change and reform culture as it is and present a viable approach to explaining various aspects of human life.
Secularism and cultural diversity present a web of challenges to contemporary theology. While these developments pose challenges for constructive theological discourse, they also present an opportunity to engage in immersion and encounter diverse belief systems. This allows the dynamics that reveal theology to remain sustainable and meaningful for modern culture.
5.1 Challenges of Theology in Modern Cultural Discourse
The emergence of secular culture is a significant concern for theology, as it increasingly views religion as a personal matter rather than a community or culture. In secular societies, theological perspectives often struggle to gain recognition or vitality.[38] The marginalization of theology can result in its dismissal as largely irrelevant in contemporary society, encompassing a range of issues from climate change and innovation to social justice. Additionally, the rejection of organized religion due to scandals, a history of maltreatment, and rigid fundamentalism can lower confidence in theological work despite its significant benefits.[39]
This is why religious pluralism further complicates the understanding of the role of theology in culture. In pluralistic societies, individuals and groups interact with various religions, each with unique beliefs and practices.[40] However, as with many other aspects of this cultural pluralization, it intensifies the challenge for theologians to express their ideas in a way that is understandable to individuals, regardless of their personal religious beliefs, without compromising their faith. For instance, Christian theology must dialogue with Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and secular humanist worldviews in a spirit of tolerance.[41]
Postmodern culture also debates the relativization of truth and the absence of objective truth, considering cultural differences and individual diversity.[42] When those who deny the existence of absolute or strong beliefs reject their doctrines, they may question the literal meaning of theology. The conflict between the explicit elaboration of theological ideas and unarticulated acceptance of relativism present in pluralistic societies sets the challenge before theologians to be syncopated and communicative.[43] Theologians need to devise strategies to overcome these challenges. Theologians have achieved this through appropriate language, academic arguments that appeal to religious and nonreligious readers, and interdisciplinary integration with sciences, philosophy, and other relevant humanities.[44] We also need to explain how the work of theologians and the concept of theology relate to themes such as technology and ethics, ethics and the environment, and global justice.
5.2 Opportunities for Theological Engagement in Multicultural Contexts
While conducting theology in pluralistic and secular societies presents challenges, it also operates within a vast realm of potential theology. Interfaith dialogue can explain the relationships between people from different faiths, as diversity is profitable in multicultural environments.[45] However, theology can facilitate open dialogue between various religions and spiritual systems, foster reconciliation to reduce conflict and suggest solutions to societal issues such as poverty, injustices, and environmental degradation. Comparatively, interreligious dialogue is most helpful regarding partnership in social justice programs. For example, why have coalitions of religious leaders from different faiths campaigned for anti-human trafficking, refugees, and environmental conservation agendas? These efforts demonstrate the ability of theology to mobilize a diverse range of individuals toward common moral and ethical goals.[46]
Contextual theology is yet another promising stream of involvement in multicultural settings. Seeking to apply theological paradigms to specific societies, cultures, and problems, contextual theology helps maintain the connection between people and God. For example, liberation theology of Latin origin is a reaction to the complex of poor and disadvantaged people.[47] Likewise, gay and lesbian theologians subvert the scriptures to argue for gender and assortative sexuality parity with conservatives.Interfaith/contextual theology develops beyond religious and immediate cultural interests and values. Theology has the potential to bring moral and perceptive perspectives to areas such as climate change, technological advancements, and ethical concerns in artificial intelligence.[48] For instance, ecological theology, which is rapidly gaining popularity, emphasizes the importance of human stewardship of the earth as a creation of God. Global environmental movements can debate this perspective, providing a theological rationale for sustainability.
Furthermore, theology can provide essential insights into discussions regarding technological ethics. This implies that theological insights can influence these discussions, mainly when they link to the fundamental anthropological questions of identity, agency, and vocation. By doing so, it also demonstrates that theological discourse can address the contemporary challenges of society.[49]
They also create innovative theological opportunities for interaction with social media and digital platforms. These tools assist theologians in engaging with citizens and presenting theological perspectives on contemporary issues.[50] YouTube, social media, blogging, and podcasting allow theologians to share their opinions and be part of the conversation that transcends culture and religion. These platforms expand participation in theological discourse, enhancing the inclusive nature of the debates. Consequently, the sociopolitical and cultural circumstances of pluralistic and secularized societies require a new and more flexible way of doing theology. It is crucial to attend to skepticism and recognize the critical role of the multiplicity of voices in present cultural discussions. Therefore, liberating theology from contemporary culture can help theologians renew their interest in theology.[51] Here, theology holds the possibility for generating postcolonial change that could engender a better global experience and enrich the dynamics of contemporary existence through interfaith encounters, contextualization, and enculturation.
6.1 Summary of Key Insights
This article also draws on theology’s ability as an agent of change across cultural domains, including shaping ethics, institutions, and the arts. The establishment of universities and hospitals in the past, as well as the current movements of feminist and Black theology, demonstrate the continued ability of theology to foster ethical purposes and respond to contemporary issues. Theology is used to change and romanticize cultural messages, bringing together cultural traditions and the context-related relevance of modern culture. This is shown by the fact that it can be found in art, literature, and popular culture today. Altogether, the mentioned examples explain what theology is as an active and progressive process that intervenes in humans’ search for the genuine essence of life.
6.2 Future Directions for Theology in Cultural Studies
When postmodern cultures become post-Christian and post-metaphysical, theological findings offer the possibility of reciprocally enriching cultural studies. Shutte highlights that theology, with its moral and spiritual sensibilities that transcend religious boundaries, can contribute to the current global discourse on social justice, climate change, and biospheric and innovative self-formation.
Theology is, in every way, a living science and ready for fruitful discourse with other sciences and traditions. The strength of cooperation between different religious actors, a contextual theological approach, and constructive use of new media technologies indicate that it can provoke transformative actions. The mechanism of the mutual interplay of theology and culture helps increase understanding of the significant values and prophets within humanity.
In resolving contemporary issues, theology is a valuable tool for representing culture and charting the course of the proper moral standards. In its often self-conscious and, at other times, dynamic function, theology structurally has the potential to change in tandem with sociological developments while simultaneously providing timeless counsel for the most pressing and profound questions humans face.
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Leonard Ndzi is a passionate pastor and scholar dedicated to biblical preaching, church planting, and discipleship. He is the President and Founder of Action Disciples for Christ (2004-2016), a group devoted to supporting struggling churches and fostering genuine discipleship within local communities. Leonard also planted and led Grace Baptist Church Kakar (2005-2014) and Kongwang Baptist Church Awing (2017), emphasizing sound biblical teaching and spiritual growth.
In addition to his pastoral work, Leonard served as the International Student Coordinator at Africa International University (AIU) in 2022, providing guidance and support to international students. He holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (2022) and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies (2015) from AIU and Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary, respectively. He is a PhD candidate. He is pursuing his PhD to become a Systematic and Biblical Theology professor.
Leonard has published several scholarly articles addressing critical issues in African evangelical Christianity, including technological advancement, marriage, and the role of the Holy Spirit. He also teaches theology courses at Africa International University (AIU), blending academic excellence with his dedication to spiritual development. He is a member of the Elders Scot at Karen Community Church (KCC), Nairobi Kenya. His work reflects a deep commitment to faith, leadership, and advancing the Kingdom of God.
Ndzi, L (2025). Theology as Catalyst: Exploring Its Role in Cultural Transformation. Greener Journal of Social Sciences, 15(1): 1-10, https://doi.org/10.15580/gjss.2025.1.012825013.
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