The Final Countdown!

Here we are.

As I look back at the nearly 300 lessons I've completed, the 8 Hebrew exams and 8 Greek exams, the 3 comprehensive exams and 3 summary papers, the 6 term papers and 2 book reviews; the ethnography; the countless mentor meetings; and the lessons I've had to write - well, I want to take a nap! Considering that during this season my husband and I became caregivers to his mom before her death; I changed jobs to one much more challenging; we moved into a different house and a different church ... I am amazed that it has all gotten done, frankly, and only 8 months behind "schedule". When people ask me how I do it I tell them I don't know - it's a God thing!

So, I have 6 months left. 6 months in which to write a Graduate Research Paper of 25-50 pages and complete a Capstone Project that addresses the major components of things I've learned over the last 4 years! Meanwhile, this represents the final teaching component of the study!

I'm biting off the whole elephant here because the final section was all review around certain themes. So I thought I would emphasize some of these thematic elements because really they summarize the entire study program I've been pursuing. So - here goes!

• Supracultural absolutes surpass the level of culture but must shared incarnationally. Contextualization, modeling, storying, and other tools are valid paths for communicating these absolutes. This includes art forms, language, ritual - all things that make up a "culture". There is no such thing as 100% identification with a culture, but intentional efforts can be made.
  
• Communication always occurs in a social context. Therefore, it is important to understand the social context to which we wish to communicate. For example, is the society face-to-face, or are other forms of communication effective. Being "all things to all people" means understanding and learns their social contexts. Learning styles are both personal and social, so it is important to grasp how socialization might affect a learning style.
  
• Decentralization and grassroots involvement are crucial for vitality. The modern "evangelical" movement in the U.S. is a good example. Loosely defined and without any specific organizational structure, evangelicals have become a significant group within Christianity. Its strength lies in its decentralization. Decentralization allows grass roots "fringe" groups to appear; this can be risky, but it can also be progressive. Often positive movement starts not at the center, but at the fringe. Thus, hierarchy can actually be counterproductive to vitality.
  
• However, people tend to conform to the voice of the majority. The fringe voice is hard to communicate. This is called "Social Momentum" and as a result, research tends to go in one direction or another for a while. This prevents clear, critical thinking about ideas with conflict with existing theories. Yet watch the fringes - that is where you will see a lot of breakthroughs. We can especially see this in scientific fields. Fringe ideas will float for a while, unable to be published, then suddenly a breakthrough happens!
  
• Change happens. It just does. Whether missionaries enter a culture or not, that culture doesn't remain static. Business will change it, or environment, or government. Therefore, missionaries bring the crucial element of love, always serving as an advocate for the people, as a partner and never a dominant benefactor. Much of missions history reflects the positive impact of missions on societies. And Christianity has historically elevated the status of women, slaves, and manual laborers.
  
• For religious change to occur successfully in a people group, indigenous involvement is crucial. There must be grassroots level adoption with leadership support. The missionary can facilitate this by an awareness of cultural forms and functions, but ultimate change will have to come from within.
  
• Translation always involves some level of interpretation, because theological assumptions and factors come into play when decisions must be made.
• Our worldview must always be dynamic. We don't possess absolutely perfect knowledge, so we have to be willing to update our worldview. Worldview is the path between faith and life. It is key because we don't change all of who we are because of faith - we retain cultural elements. So a dynamic worldview will help us sort through what is biblical and unbiblical, what is cultural and supracultural, within our worldview. Along those lines, we must roll back the blankets of prejudice that cause us to see all things from within our own cultural tradition.
  
• Christians have the opportunity to glorify God by fighting disease, whatever its source. We have the responsibility to intentionally challenge it based on the wisdom God gives us.
  
• As we face an increasingly globalized world, we have to be able to assess whether there is any connection - any unifying level that makes us mutually dependent and responsible. Is there anything beyond "every man for himself"? This is the essence of "global civilization" ... not a one-world government, but a realization that we are all made in the image of God.
  

It's been a fun ride! I appreciate your reading these brief summaries. Thanks for bearing with me!