Cosmopolitan Christians
You’d never learn from reading Buzzfeed articles, but the United States is filled with brilliant scientists, media gurus, or business geniuses who also love Jesus. The common perception and media often portray Christians combative, dumb and unsophisticated without access to elite institutions of power, education, and lifestyle.
In my experience and without a doubt, I have encountered a Christian or two whose intellectual capacity seemed to be lacking. Yet such anecdotal encounters don’t paint the full picture of a developing phenomenon in the United States. Something is happening in America.
In his book, Faith in the Halls of Power, D. Michael Lindsay reveals the wide spectrum of kinds of Christians in the U.S. He calls these Jesus followers Cosmopolitan Christians. Cosmopolitan Christians are a growing number of individuals in the United States who are engaged at some of the highest levels of political life, academia, the arts, entertainment, and corporate America.
Lindsay describes Cosmopolitan Christians desires:
· Desire to bring Christian principles to bear on a range of social issues
· Desire to form of public influence that is shaped by ethics and faith while also being powerful and respected.
· Desire to care for society and seek the common good
· Desire to seek to improve, grow, and cause such spheres to flourish.
Cosmopolitan Christians differentiate themselves from Populist Christians. Populist Christians depend on mass mobilization. They write and appeal to the Christian subculture market. Leadership is derived from the subculture rather than from influence among the general public.
Lindsay says that Cosmopolitan Christians are different because they travel frequently, support the arts, and live affluent lifestyles. They often have greater access to powerful institutions and the social networks inhabited by leaders from government, business, and entertainment.
Cosmopolitan Christians hope to “move the dial” because they are in a position to use their faith to influence the rest of society. Furthermore these Christians have been found to be equally as fervent in their faith. There is simply no nominalism to be found in their personal devotion. They have simply chosen to express their faith commitments differently than the populist Christian.
I like the idea of this kind of Cosmopolitan Christian. I especially like to imagine more and more Cosmopolitan Christians living here in LA, working in its institutions, and helping the city to flourish.
If you are a Christian and you like the arts, business, science, policy, politics, and entertainment, you are not alone.
Do what you love, and if possible, do it in a city or institution that needs you. Consider reading Faith in the Halls of Power. Discern where you fit as you seek to you use your talent to serve God and our country.
