This is an exerpt from a letter to Diognetus in the 2nd Century describing early Christians. I thought it was a good explanation of being wholly countercultural while still looking like our culture. I wonder what it would take for someone to write a similar letter today.
“Christians are not differentiated from other people by country, language, or customs; you see, they do not live in cities or their own or speak some strange dialect, or have some peculiar lifestyle. They live in both Greek and foreign cities, wherever chance has put them. They follow local customs in clothing, food, and the other aspects of life. But at the same time, they demonstrate to us the wonderful and certainly unusual form of their own citizenship. They live in their own native lands, but as aliens: as citizens they share all things with others; but like aliens suffer all things. Every foreign country is to them as their native country, and ever native land as a foreign country. They are treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews as aliens, and presecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility."
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