Wow - I'm already in the review portion of my program. Only a few more lessons - just 4 more summaries after this one - and I'll be done writing these lessons, and focusing on my term paper and capstone project. For those of you who have borne with me over 4 1/2 years and inconsistent timing of posts - thank you!!!!
So the next few lessons will be a brief review of major areas of study. This is the theology review. It was hard for me not to get bogged down here, as I love historical theology. At the end of the day though, God is about changing lives, and I have to keep moving to maximize preparation for ministry. I'm sure some of this will grip you and you will be able to study more in depth; there are great resources out there for all these areas of study.
Scripture. The biggest point of study relating to Scripture for this program has been the translatability of the Bible. This isn't something that we see in, for example, the Quran, where the very holiness of the text keeps it at a distance for translation purposes.
The fact that Scripture is so translatable means that Christians want Scripture if they don't already have it. And where the entire Bible is translated, errors are minimized and mission is maximized. Furthermore, Biblical confidence is closely linked to evangelistic zeal and world mission. So, as translators work toward accurate translation, they can also seek to increase Biblical confidence and evangelistic fervor.
Finally, the community of faith and Scripture are inseparable. The canon emerged, it wasn't imposed. Believers as a group learn what Scripture means and how to obey it. While we can and should study Scripture alone, it is meant to make a difference in how we relate to the "one anothers" in our lives - the other believers with whom we do life.
God and humankind. God is perfect and man is fallen. That's a simple theology of God and humankind. But the key component is not that fact, but what God did with that fact: The Incarnation. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Our transcendent, perfect, holy God is also very personal. He "translated" Himself for us to bridge the gap caused by our sin. Hallelujah!
Christ, Salvation, and the Kingdom of God. Newbigin observes that we live in the time between Jesus' exposing and disarming the powers of darkness, and His reign being fully revealed in its glory among the nations. The character of Jesus' earthly ministry is to be the character of this time. Marking by suffering and the signs of the kingdom, the Church will have a double character - suffering and victorious. Showing kingdom-level justice and love reaveals "glimpses of the kingdom". Working for the common life of our nation and world gives us a share in God's project for His world.
Eschatology, The Afterlife, and Spirit Powers. Jesus is coming back - isn't that all we need to know? Well, since so many errant movements have started around doctrines of the end-times, we need to go a little deeper than that. Gabriel Fackre points out that there really are only a few clear elements that make up the kernel of eschatology, and we are too easily distracted by the surrounding "husks". What are the major points that are very clear? Jesus will return; there will be a resurrection of the body; there is a final judgment to come; there is eternal life for both the righteous and the wicked; there is a restoration of all things. Most of our divisions are on things outside this kernel. Scripture gives us broad brushstrokes when we was outlined detail. We have to maintain a focus on purpose (mission) versus dogma about nonessentials!
The Holy Spirti, the Church, and Gifts. The gifts of the Spirit are to empower and equip believers for service. They enable us to fulfill the mission God gives us. A natural talent becomes a gift of the Spirit when it is yielded to the Holy Spirit and used by him.
These gifts are exercised within a regular, local gathering before God. Paul pictures this group as a body and as a family or household. Central to his teaching is the idea of love. Love is the sacrifice God requires that should govern all our relationships. Fellowship in the Christian context is joint participation alongside another. Historically and biblically, this has meant the exercise of the gifts of many - the entire body. Presently there is an emphasis on the gifts of the few - ministry as hierarchy who does the work for us.
A whirlwind tour to be sure. The bottom line is that we should view all our doctrinal studies through the eyes of mission - does this enhance and support our God-given mission? Don't pursue disputable topics that distract from mission.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Withdrawal and Engagement
From before the time of Christ, there have been religious groups who saw their role as standing apart from society, maintaining a pure system with minimal engagement. The Essenes in intertestamental times are thought to be such a group. While there was some positive functions - the preservation of Scriptures, for example - these groups played much less a role in daily society than groups such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, who tried to be intentionally involved in their cultures.
Other groups have always wanted a top-down structure which enforced a set of beliefs on all within their sphere of influence. The conquistadors who baptized all the natives and claimed them as believers exemplify this type of cultural "engagement".
Ultimately, both those who withdraw and those who force engagement minimize their effectiveness in a society. The pattern that shows the most success - the pattern we even see among the early church - is a group of people whose relationship to each other and to their God impacts every aspect of life and through the resulting actions, "turn the world upside down".
Lesslie Newbigin presents the role of the Christian in Biblical engagement as beginning with opening up underlying assumptions, asking unasked questions, and probing unrecognized presuppositions. A biblically solid believer will have something solid to stand on when engaging society in such a manner. A lifestyle that is consistent with teachings, solid scholarship, authenticity, and credibility will go a long way toward significant cultural engagement.
Ultimately, we have the same contribution to make as the early church. We can provide both support and challenge, challenging toward truth. We can show the truth of the message by its impact in our lives, and demonstrative how reasonable and logical it is. We can tell our story.
Other groups have always wanted a top-down structure which enforced a set of beliefs on all within their sphere of influence. The conquistadors who baptized all the natives and claimed them as believers exemplify this type of cultural "engagement".
Ultimately, both those who withdraw and those who force engagement minimize their effectiveness in a society. The pattern that shows the most success - the pattern we even see among the early church - is a group of people whose relationship to each other and to their God impacts every aspect of life and through the resulting actions, "turn the world upside down".
Lesslie Newbigin presents the role of the Christian in Biblical engagement as beginning with opening up underlying assumptions, asking unasked questions, and probing unrecognized presuppositions. A biblically solid believer will have something solid to stand on when engaging society in such a manner. A lifestyle that is consistent with teachings, solid scholarship, authenticity, and credibility will go a long way toward significant cultural engagement.
Ultimately, we have the same contribution to make as the early church. We can provide both support and challenge, challenging toward truth. We can show the truth of the message by its impact in our lives, and demonstrative how reasonable and logical it is. We can tell our story.
Christ and Cultures
What role does faith play in a culture?
Does it merely play a private role, allowing individuals to be personally fulfilled while society hums on at an abstract secular level?
Does it define the laws and norms of the culture from the top down?
Or does it impact society at a different level - at the worldview level? When a person truly adopts all tenets of their faith ... does it make a difference in what they think and how they react? And if enough people have a changed worldview, can the society be changed? Should we hope for that? If the changes come from the grassroots level - rather than forced by government edict - can that be positive for a culture? Can it be better than "secularism".
One of the quotes that stuck out from my recent study is from teacher Corrine Armstrong: "Christ is not there to maintain evil systems." When Christ enters a heart, the kingdom of God intersects with that individual's kingdom of residence. Soon, a clash of values may ensue. That will certainly affect the individual, but it has the potential to affect society in a dramatic way if the movement reaches the tipping point with enough believers choosing to line up with Christ's kingdom.
That might sound dangerous but consider: if the Christians who served in Hitler's regime had chosen to align with Christ's kingdom rather than their earthly kingdom of residence, history could have looked very different. Radically obeying Christ would have meant, at the very least, refusing to participate in the killing of millions of people considered less than perfect. It could have led to even more radical actions, such as the overthrow of a man who came to power claiming Christian values. As Armstrong rightly argues, Christ doesn't side with evil. Allow it for a season - sure. Maintain it through the efforts of His people - no.
So if we "buy" the idea that in general it's okay, even helpful, for Christ to make a difference in a culture - how should we make the leap to making a difference in our OWN society? What elements needs to be considered in our Western, post-modern world?
* First, know where we come from. The Enlightenment contributed to a culture that values Knowledge, Reason and Progress. Technology is an outgrowth of that. We have to understand and appreciate these elements, but seek to use them responsibly.
* Know what postmodernists are looking for. Postmodernism is in many ways a cultural reaction to the failure of modernism. When Modernists embraced the industrial revolution and began to treat humankind and society as a machine, the stage was set for postmodernism. It's a logical response to a society that failed to use its knowledge to address its flaws. As a result, "postmodernists" have a distrust of systems, but long for relationship. They desire holistic approaches over ones that overspecialize and lead to 'functional silos'. It challenges existing structures and seeks to find an authority worth trusting.
* Recognize the hope and challenge. The early church succeeded in a similar milieu to postmodernism, not by plans but by a radical walk in the Spirit. We don't change our world through our church programs but by pointing to the One who can be trusted and living a life that is radically obedient to Him, even when confronting our own society. We earn the right to speak into their lives. The church serves to provide a human presence to show the love of God, and to act as the gentle conscience of society. For example, the prosperity Gospel avoids challenging entrenched socioeconomic structures. The kingdom as God intended it will love people at all socioeconomic levels and in love challenge the structures that keep people in poverty. It will raise valid questions about issues of human life while also meeting the needs of people facing difficult decisions. In short, it will provide a balance of support and challenge - a balance that research shows is essential for learning to occur.
There are no easy answers when seeking to understand how faith transforms cultures. The list of "don'ts" is easier to compile; the examples of success are harder to identify, perhaps because they occur as the yeast in dough, imperceptibly yet obvious through the result. As New Testament believers our starting point is always the same - our relationship with the living God.
Does it merely play a private role, allowing individuals to be personally fulfilled while society hums on at an abstract secular level?
Does it define the laws and norms of the culture from the top down?
Or does it impact society at a different level - at the worldview level? When a person truly adopts all tenets of their faith ... does it make a difference in what they think and how they react? And if enough people have a changed worldview, can the society be changed? Should we hope for that? If the changes come from the grassroots level - rather than forced by government edict - can that be positive for a culture? Can it be better than "secularism".
One of the quotes that stuck out from my recent study is from teacher Corrine Armstrong: "Christ is not there to maintain evil systems." When Christ enters a heart, the kingdom of God intersects with that individual's kingdom of residence. Soon, a clash of values may ensue. That will certainly affect the individual, but it has the potential to affect society in a dramatic way if the movement reaches the tipping point with enough believers choosing to line up with Christ's kingdom.
That might sound dangerous but consider: if the Christians who served in Hitler's regime had chosen to align with Christ's kingdom rather than their earthly kingdom of residence, history could have looked very different. Radically obeying Christ would have meant, at the very least, refusing to participate in the killing of millions of people considered less than perfect. It could have led to even more radical actions, such as the overthrow of a man who came to power claiming Christian values. As Armstrong rightly argues, Christ doesn't side with evil. Allow it for a season - sure. Maintain it through the efforts of His people - no.
So if we "buy" the idea that in general it's okay, even helpful, for Christ to make a difference in a culture - how should we make the leap to making a difference in our OWN society? What elements needs to be considered in our Western, post-modern world?
* First, know where we come from. The Enlightenment contributed to a culture that values Knowledge, Reason and Progress. Technology is an outgrowth of that. We have to understand and appreciate these elements, but seek to use them responsibly.
* Know what postmodernists are looking for. Postmodernism is in many ways a cultural reaction to the failure of modernism. When Modernists embraced the industrial revolution and began to treat humankind and society as a machine, the stage was set for postmodernism. It's a logical response to a society that failed to use its knowledge to address its flaws. As a result, "postmodernists" have a distrust of systems, but long for relationship. They desire holistic approaches over ones that overspecialize and lead to 'functional silos'. It challenges existing structures and seeks to find an authority worth trusting.
* Recognize the hope and challenge. The early church succeeded in a similar milieu to postmodernism, not by plans but by a radical walk in the Spirit. We don't change our world through our church programs but by pointing to the One who can be trusted and living a life that is radically obedient to Him, even when confronting our own society. We earn the right to speak into their lives. The church serves to provide a human presence to show the love of God, and to act as the gentle conscience of society. For example, the prosperity Gospel avoids challenging entrenched socioeconomic structures. The kingdom as God intended it will love people at all socioeconomic levels and in love challenge the structures that keep people in poverty. It will raise valid questions about issues of human life while also meeting the needs of people facing difficult decisions. In short, it will provide a balance of support and challenge - a balance that research shows is essential for learning to occur.
There are no easy answers when seeking to understand how faith transforms cultures. The list of "don'ts" is easier to compile; the examples of success are harder to identify, perhaps because they occur as the yeast in dough, imperceptibly yet obvious through the result. As New Testament believers our starting point is always the same - our relationship with the living God.
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