thursday reflection for week 1
An intriguing thought: if the church is not the place where people can connect the different lines of their lives, then they go to other venues where this connection occurs. In other words, if the church does not add continuity between the different areas or aspects of the lives of the people in its community, then the people search for this continuity in music, art, sports, or some other venue. They search for their identity with God in other areas. I agree with this statement. However, is it bad for this process to take place?
On a large scale, I see the negative effects of people searching for continuity in their lives in other places than the church. For example, if the other venues where people find this continuity replaces the role of the church, then a huge problem arises because the church falls apart. I do not see the problem with finding God and the fulfillment God offers in other things outside of the church as long as this area of fulfillment does not replace the role of church.
What is wrong with finding identity in music or art if that is where we find God and God finds us? If all truth is God's truth—coming from a Clementine perspective—then the truth that matches with God's character as displayed in the Bible should be appropriated and pursued. Especially since the Bible connects Gods character with creativity, redemption, and justice.
More importantly, the church should integrate into its service and liturgy these avenues of culture where people find their identity. This is the greater issue at hand, right?
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
tuesday reflection for week 1
In our first class gathering, Ryan briefly gave a history of the Transforming Contemporary Cultures class. Beginning with the influence of Lesslie Newbigin, William Shank began teaching this class at Fuller in order to change the Christendom mentallity that the church emodied—still embodies in most areas—at the time to a Missiological mentallity. Ryan clarified these different terms and their approaches to church in culture. In this context, Christendom is characterized as the connection between church in state in which the church receives power from and represents the state. With a Christendom mindset, the church simply invites people to come, and assumes they will come. The idea of presenting the Gospel within the context that the people live is not considered from this Christendom perspective. As a result, the church has begun to dissipate because its teachings no longer speak life into the lives of the people in its community. Consequently, the people begin to find God and spirituality in other life-giving activities. For example, many people today find a level of spirituality—whether they label this God or not—in music, social justice, and/or enjoying frosty beverages and conversation with friends. For these people, God is present and alive in these activities.
The Missiological mentallity attempts to avoid the break down of the church and its community by serving and emodying the kingdom of God in culture. Whereas the Christendom mentallity did not communicate the gospel in culture, the missiological mentallity focuses primarilly on communicating the gospel within the culture. Through this communication within culture, the demarcation between the sacred and secular realms becomes hazy, if not disappearing altogether. This breakdown of the sacred vs. secular becomes key for the church and its survival because it can now take things from culture and, through the guidance of Christ and the Holy Spirit, redeem them by turning them towards God as acts of worship. This process can be seen in many churches today through their emphasis on creativity as a part of worship.
Near the end of class, Ryan summed up the Missiological mentallity with the thoughts of the founder of the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller. Ryan said, "A person shouldn’t have to change cultures to find God. Christ coming to all cultures is the beauty of the incarnation." A beautiful statement. If this is the case, which I think it is, then what would a Buddhist Christian, Muslim Christian, Hindu Christian, African Christian etc. look like? How are the cultures of these groups saved when the people begin to follow Christ?
In our first class gathering, Ryan briefly gave a history of the Transforming Contemporary Cultures class. Beginning with the influence of Lesslie Newbigin, William Shank began teaching this class at Fuller in order to change the Christendom mentallity that the church emodied—still embodies in most areas—at the time to a Missiological mentallity. Ryan clarified these different terms and their approaches to church in culture. In this context, Christendom is characterized as the connection between church in state in which the church receives power from and represents the state. With a Christendom mindset, the church simply invites people to come, and assumes they will come. The idea of presenting the Gospel within the context that the people live is not considered from this Christendom perspective. As a result, the church has begun to dissipate because its teachings no longer speak life into the lives of the people in its community. Consequently, the people begin to find God and spirituality in other life-giving activities. For example, many people today find a level of spirituality—whether they label this God or not—in music, social justice, and/or enjoying frosty beverages and conversation with friends. For these people, God is present and alive in these activities.
The Missiological mentallity attempts to avoid the break down of the church and its community by serving and emodying the kingdom of God in culture. Whereas the Christendom mentallity did not communicate the gospel in culture, the missiological mentallity focuses primarilly on communicating the gospel within the culture. Through this communication within culture, the demarcation between the sacred and secular realms becomes hazy, if not disappearing altogether. This breakdown of the sacred vs. secular becomes key for the church and its survival because it can now take things from culture and, through the guidance of Christ and the Holy Spirit, redeem them by turning them towards God as acts of worship. This process can be seen in many churches today through their emphasis on creativity as a part of worship.
Near the end of class, Ryan summed up the Missiological mentallity with the thoughts of the founder of the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller. Ryan said, "A person shouldn’t have to change cultures to find God. Christ coming to all cultures is the beauty of the incarnation." A beautiful statement. If this is the case, which I think it is, then what would a Buddhist Christian, Muslim Christian, Hindu Christian, African Christian etc. look like? How are the cultures of these groups saved when the people begin to follow Christ?
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