In recent years, some of the most unlikely voices have publicly acknowledged Christianity’s positive influence. Richard Dawkins, Elon Musk, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Tom Holland—figures once aligned with skepticism toward Christianity—have made striking statements affirming its cultural and moral value. Dawkins, one of the foremost critics of religion, has described himself as a “cultural Christian,” admiring the Christian ethos and traditions like hymns and carols. Similarly, Musk recently called the teachings of Jesus “good and wise.”
While these acknowledgments are surprising and even encouraging, they raise an important question: Is cultural Christianity enough? As believers, how should we respond to those who admire Christianity’s legacy but stop short of embracing the gospel?
The Good: Christianity’s Cultural Legacy
Cultural Christianity, at its best, recognizes the faith’s profound influence on the world. Holland has described how Western civilization owes much of its moral and ethical framework to Christianity. Concepts like human dignity, equality, and care for the vulnerable are rooted in Scripture. Holland has pointed out how slavery’s abolition, care for the poor, and the establishment of universal human rights all find their foundation in Christian theology.
This cultural legacy remains even in the secular West. When skeptics like Dawkins affirm that Christianity has been “fundamentally decent” compared to other belief systems, they acknowledge the fruit of a faith that has shaped societies for millennia. Such statements point to the truth that biblical teachings transcend individual belief and have the power to transform entire cultures.
In a time when secular ideologies increasingly challenge basic Christian values—like the sanctity of life, the reality of biological sex, and the institution of marriage—these acknowledgments of Christianity’s cultural influence remind us of the enduring relevance of our faith. The gospel has deeply shaped what we often take for granted in the Western world.
The Bad: Cultural Christianity’s Failure
But while cultural Christianity has merits, it ultimately falls short. Reducing Christianity to a set of values or traditions strips the gospel of its power. It acknowledges the fruit of Christian faith without embracing the root—Jesus Christ.
Scripture warns against a superficial association with faith. Writing to Timothy, Paul describes those who have “the appearance of godliness, but [deny] its power” (2 Tim. 3:5). Cultural Christianity can produce a sense of moral or social alignment with Christian values, but it can’t address the deepest human problem: sin. It offers no hope for humanity’s ultimate need for reconciliation with God.
Cultural Christianity is deeply fragile. Merely admiring Christianity’s moral framework and enjoying its traditions cannot sustain faith. When Christmas carols and ethical principles are divorced from Christ’s saving work, they lose their foundation. Christianity’s strength lies not in its cultural contributions but in the person of Jesus, who declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
The Inadequate: Cultural Christianity’s Powerlessness
Ultimately, cultural Christianity doesn’t live up to the glory of the gospel. It may admire Jesus’s teachings and appreciate the benefits of his influence on society, but it doesn’t call for repentance or personal faith. It avoids the uncomfortable truth that we’re all sinners in need of grace.
Christianity’s strength lies not in its cultural contributions but in the person of Jesus.
The gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t simply a moral or cultural framework; it’s the “power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). It confronts us with the reality of our sin and offers the hope of forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Jesus’s resurrection isn’t just a symbol of renewal; it’s the proof of his victory over sin and death, and the promise of eternal life for those who trust in him.
Cultural Christianity is also powerless to transform hearts. The faith’s moral teachings, while good, can’t change people’s desires or reconcile them to God. Only the Holy Spirit can bring about the new birth Jesus spoke of in John 3:3: “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This transformation isn’t possible through cultural affiliation but only through personal faith in Christ.
Beyond Cultural Christianity
The first time the term “Christian” is used in the Bible is in Acts 11:26: “In Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.” This name wasn’t self-chosen; it was given by outsiders to describe a group of people whose lives centered on Christ.
The believers in Antioch lived in such a way that their faith couldn’t be mistaken for a mere set of values or cultural habits. Their allegiance to Jesus shaped every aspect of their lives, setting them apart from both the Jewish and pagan communities around them. To be called a “Christian” was to be identified not just as a good person or a moral philosopher but as a wholly committed disciple of the risen Christ.
As encouraging as it is to see figures like Dawkins and Musk recognize Christianity’s value, their statements remind us of the gospel’s unique claim: Jesus didn’t come to make us cultural Christians; he came to make us new creations.
Cultural Christianity . . . may admire Jesus’s teachings and appreciate the benefits of his influence on society, but it doesn’t call for repentance or personal faith.
For Christ’s followers, cultural affirmations of Christianity present both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to avoid settling for cultural acceptance or admiration. To be a Christian isn’t to align yourself with a set of traditions or ethical teachings. It’s to belong to Christ. It’s to live as one whose life is transformed by the gospel and whose hope is rooted in Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.
The opportunity is to engage those drawn to Christianity’s cultural legacy and point them to Jesus, its ultimate source. When someone like Dawkins expresses admiration for hymns and carols, we can share how these songs celebrate the gospel. When someone like Musk praises the wisdom of Jesus’s teachings, we can explain that these teachings flow from the character of a Savior who loved us enough to die for our sins.
Let’s not settle for cultural Christianity but boldly call others to follow Jesus, the One who’s the source of all truth, goodness, and beauty. For in him—and him alone—we find life.
The Gospel Coalition