MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

There may not be two more different cultural icons of the late 20th century than Woody Allen and Billy Graham. Both have enjoyed extraordinary visibility in the culture and both have addressed the culture concerning their divergent visions of reality, the existence of God, the possibility of knowledge and moral issues. Yet, in a 1969 broadcast Woody Allen television special, Allen and Graham conversed for about ten minutes about their competing worldviews (viewable at youtube.com/watch?v=ofC7vynif2o).

This session will begin by viewing this interchange between Allen and Graham. The question to be posed following the viewing of the segment will be the character of Reverend Graham’s strategy for engaging 20th century American culture. The thesis of the presenter will be that Graham utilizes what Richard Niebuhr called the “Christ Above Culture” approach. This is evident in Graham’s response to the question regarding pre-marital sex wherein he deflects the question away from himself to what he regards to be the authority of the Christian scriptures. Second, however, Graham utilizes a Natural Law engagement strategy. Natural Law theory includes the notion that the proper use of a thing can be determined by its purpose, its telos. Graham borrows from Natural Law Theory to supplement his Divine Command Theory when speaking to an audience (a culture) that he knows does not share his epistemological commitment to the authority of the Christian scriptures. One example of Graham’s use of this stratagem is when he answers the question whether Allen would make a good minister of the Christian gospel. Graham answers in the affirmative sighting Allen’s natural abilities and talents as a communicator, suggesting that the proper use of them might be in gospel ministry. Graham’s deftness in cultural engagement explains his broad popularity throughout the mid 20th century.