Syncretism is a word most people have never heard, so it would be hard to discuss the dangers of it without understanding its context. Let’s start with a simple example. When a couple gets married, they must merge not only their homes but their belongings as well. The wife likes pastel colors and soft materials, but the husband loves his old leather recliner. What do they do? Usually, compromise occurs when the woman decorates the living room in pastels, and the husband keeps his leather chair in his “man cave.” Everyone is happy.
Now imagine the husband is a Jew and the wife is a follower of Baal. She insists on going to the groves and high places to worship Baal, and he insists on going to the temple to worship Yahweh. Finally, the wife convinces her husband to do both. He joins in the worship of Baal, and she follows him to the temple. What’s the problem?
What Does Syncretism Mean?
In a society where religious tolerance is equated with agreement, it is a real problem. Tolerance gives people the right to worship whomever and however, they choose as long as it causes no harm to others. Agreement is saying that you think their form of worship is right. I can be tolerant of another religion without agreeing with their beliefs. Syncretism is trying to merge two divergent beliefs into one system.
According to Merriam-Webster, syncretism is “the combination of different forms of belief or practice.” The word can be applied to any system, such as politics, religion, or culture (e.g., food). What is known as fusion in the culinary world can be quite tasty, but the same is not true when discussing beliefs. There is a difference between appreciating other cultures and changing our entire belief system to fit with one contradictory to ours.
Do We See Syncretism in the Bible?
In Deuteronomy 12:29-32, God warns the Israelites that when they take possession of the Promised Land to “take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise’” (NKJV). It was a warning they did not always heed and had dire consequences, such as being taken into captivity by other nations.
The books of 1 and 2 Kings as well as 1 and 2 Chronicles contain many references to the Israelites following false gods. Second Kings 17:33-41 gives a clear example of such behavior:
“They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away… So these nations feared the Lord, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children’s children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.”
They continued in the rituals of Judaism but also carved images to worship like those of other nations.
What Does God Say about Syncretism?
This blending of beliefs is in direct disobedience to God’s laws. The Ten Commandments clearly state, “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them” (Exodus 20:3-5). Deuteronomy 4:2 also warns that nothing should be added or removed from the Word of God.
In the New Testament, John 14:6 tells us that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ. This is reinforced in Acts 4:12: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Anything that goes against the truth of Jesus Christ as the way to salvation must be refuted.
To keep Christians from being led astray by false teachers, Paul told the Thessalonians to test everything, hold on to the good, and stay away from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22) because people will turn away from the truth and follow myths (2 Timothy 4:4). As Christians we must remain of one mind and one Spirit as Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 4:4-14). He reminds them that if we remain in unity, we will not be tossed around by every religious fad or the cunning and craftiness of human schemes.
What Are Some Modern Forms of Syncretism?
Our society comprises many cultures, and sharing those cultures can be enriching; however, we must ensure that this does not overly influence our understanding of the Word of God. In modern times, society has convinced many Christians that we should take an “all paths lead to heaven” mentality even though that directly conflicts with the truth that Christ is the only means of salvation. This is a form of syncretism because the two philosophies are in direct conflict.
In an article on the dangers of syncretism, Haynes points out that we have to watch out for how culture influences churches. When the early church tried to win pagans to Christianity, they renamed pagan celebrations and added Christian symbolism and themes. A few examples are Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. Christmas trees have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, egg hunts have nothing to do with the Resurrection, and dressing up in costumes has nothing to do with the early saints. This is a form of inculturation rather than syncretism, but inculturation can lead to syncretism if we don’t pay attention to the signs.
Because America is considered a Christian nation, Christianity became part of our American identity but in name only. It became part of the American culture on the surface, but not a true relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord, which has led to a modern form of syncretism. Brister identified three phases of Christian syncretism in modern culture:
1. Nominalism is claiming to be a Christian because it is an accepted part of the culture but not truly accepting Christ as Savior and adhering to biblical doctrines in your daily life.
2. Moralism is agreeing that there are correct ways to behave and things you do or don’t do based on that belief, but not necessarily accepting Christ as Savior. It is the right thing to do.
3. Zionism is when you add patriotism to Christianity to make a God+America mindset so that some believe that to be a Christian means you must take a particular political stance.
Our spiritual lives must be based on Christ and Christ alone. There is no room for God + anything. Jesus is enough. Anything that says differently must be refuted.
Can We Affirm True Things in Other Religious Without Being Syncrestic?
While syncretism is dangerous, contextualization is a way of reaching people where they are. We can say, “All truth is God’s truth,” meaning that there are true elements in other religions that we can affirm without saying all religions are correct. For example, many Native American tribes describe a great flood like the one in Noah’s day with their own version of how humanity survived. They also have the concept of The Great Spirit, a supreme being, mixed with animistic beliefs. C.S. Lewis discusses how God has always been at work in the world, showing Himself even if the people didn’t always understand. He suggested that many pagan mythologies feature dying gods who rise again because the idea was important. Christians can use these ideas as a reference point in introducing God, Christ, and salvation.
The apostle Paul speaks on this concept in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, saying, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” He is not suggesting that we pretend to be something we are not, but to go to people where they are and use that to show them the Gospel. In Acts, when Paul is in Athens, he is asked explain the new doctrine he had been speaking about, so he says:
“. . . as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:23-24).
Using culture to help us reach the world for Christ is a great tool for witnessing; however, we can’t let culture dictate to us things that go against the truth of the Bible. Therefore, We must be grounded in the Word of God to know the truth and then be vigilant not to be led astray by society and its cultures but to be ready to speak the truth when the opportunity arises.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Bulat Silvia
Linda Lyle is a writer, teacher, knitter, and unintentional collector of cats. She has written articles for the Alabama Baptist, Open Windows, Refresh, as well as multiple novels and novellas. Her newest book, 5-Minute Prayer Plan for When Life Is Overwhelming, is set to release in October. She spins yarns on her blog The End of My Yarn at lindalyle.com.
