Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”1 Analysis The conflict arising in this case exposes deeply rooted cultural, interpersonal, and religious complexities inherent in Christian missions endeavors. The Western missionaries have been plugging away at the task of making “disciples of all nations” for over two decades, putting feet to their faith in the best way they know how, but with only minimal return for their efforts. Coming from a Baptist background, Frank and Peggy Murphy arrived on the scene amongst the Mon Buddhist and animist cultures of the Karen peoples. Upon their arrival, they set foot in a somewhat volatile pre-existing clash between Christianity and Buddhism. The challenges they now face are not unique to their own experience in cross-cultural missions, but we will be dealing with this specific case as an example of such instances in hope of prescribing a course of action that will result in the fulfillment of God’s purpose for the church as a whole: unity of faith and knowledge in Jesus Christ.2 Predating the arrival of the Murphys’ missionary team to Sangkhla Buri in the 1960s, this area of Southeast Asia had already seen strife between cultures and religions. Myanmar came under British control in the late 1880s and Christian missionaries, including Baptists, had been 1 Eph 4:13 (New International Version) 2 Matt 28:19, Eph 4:13 1 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry actively working there since the early 1800s.3 The response of Buddhists to the tenets of the Christian faith up to the point of the missionaries’ arrival was less than favorable. Characterized by defensiveness, one Sri Lankan Buddhist exemplifies this resistance by saying, “It [Christianity] holds that there is but one [path] that leads to heaven. Such a religion is necessarily uncompromising, unreasoning, aggressive and insolent.”4 This name-calling was not, however, one-sided, as some Christian missionaries accused the Burmese Buddhists of being “indifferent” or “lazy,” (which others interpreted as being the Buddhists’ preferred method of peaceful resistance to the perceived threat of an invading culture and religion). This interchange of suspicions and accusations notwithstanding, a positive dictum was gained through experience during those early years of missionary work amongst the Myanmar and Burmese Buddhists: “where respect was shown to Buddhism, respect was returned.”5 An added complexity in the mix of culture and religion in this part of the world is the practice of animism. In this religious system, everything in nature is seen as having a spiritual power or life force, which can be manipulated by certain rituals and practices in order to benefit the individual or society.6 As we have seen in our present case study, the Baptist Bible School students have used an animist myth as a basis for their evangelism to the Pwo Karen peoples. In their dramatic presentation, the snake and the dove are both given human-like cognitive and communicative capabilities, and the man must perform a bloody ritual in order to appease the snake and manipulate the circumstances in order to save his wife. This myth lent itself to evangelism by resembling the gospel account of Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice, which seemed 3 Elizabeth J. Harris, “Buddhism and the Religious Other” in Understanding Interreligious Relations, ed. David Cheetham, Douglas Pratt, and David Thomas (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), 103. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 6 Carlos G. Martin, Christianity Among the Religions of the World (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2007), 388. 2 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry an effective tool for helping the Pwo Karen relate directly the significance of the message of the Gospel to their own lives. The parallels between the animist myth and the Christian Gospel are many: the snake represents the Devil who has the whole world under his control, the woman is humanity in slavery to sin, deceived by the evil one, the man represents Christ who gave his life for our deliverance and salvation.7 Thus, the communication of the Gospel in a culturally relevant package produced marked results, even though the Sgaw Karen believers as constituting heresy denounced the package itself. The leaders of the students’ evangelistic efforts also saw fit to work through the “elders and families” of the Pwo Karen in promoting conversions, which shows their respect for the norms of the Karen culture and an effort to honor those norms in their evangelistic work. Similarities may also be seen between the Buddhist beliefs and Christianity. The expectation of the return of the fifth Buddha to “gather the faithful” to a new heavenly existence, a tenet of Threvada Buddhism, simulates the second coming of Christ as taught in Christianity.8 The Buddhists’ hope of being included in this rapture is based on earned merit, a works-based salvation. Though the Buddha himself is commonly believed in Threvada Buddhism to be only a mere man, he is nonetheless hallowed as a great teacher.9 This tradition promotes the idea that salvation can be achieved by human effort and “recognizes no divine help in this.”10 Here the beliefs of Buddhism part from the essential doctrines of Christianity, namely, that salvation and righteousness are gracious gifts of God and no man is able to attain them by merely human efforts.11 7 1 John 5:19; Rm 3:23; John 8:35; Gen 3:13; 2 Cor 11:3; Eph 2:1-2; 1 John 8:36; Titus 2:13-14; Gal 2:20 Acts 1:11 9 Martin, 118. 10 Ibid. 11 Eph 2:8-9 8 3 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry Inter-racial as well as intra-racial tensions are also present in this case. The Sgaw Karen hold an elitist attitude against the Pwo Karen, referring to them as “little brothers and sisters.” This attitude is reflected in the Sgaw Karens’ resistance to accepting or seeking to assimilate the influx of new converts from the Pwo Karen into the community. Though the Sgaw Karen who objected to the new evangelistic efforts had been sitting under the experienced teaching of Pastor Wa, their response to the arrival of the new believers failed to show that they had gained the maturity necessary for fostering unity and training up the new disciples. Compounding the aspects of intra-racial tensions, there is a complex intermingling of North American, Thai, and Burmese cultures among the ministers. Peter Cheviwan is from Thailand, the Murphys and Claudia are from North America, and Pastor Wa is Burmese. Inter-racial tensions emerge between these groups as they seek to work together to accomplish the task of evangelism and building up the church. Peter evidently holds deep-seated frustrations against Claudia, stating that she has “never understood us or our work” and he seems to think that she is trying to control the situation in a “reactionary” fashion. Pastor Wa, himself of Sgaw Karen descent, has shown a bit of disinterest, if not passive animosity, towards the Pwo Karen from the beginning, neglecting to accommodate their dialect in the church services and activities. His actions, or lack thereof, have created tension with the missionaries who want to incorporate the other dialect. Peter stands in favor of the new style of evangelism, making concession for its syncretic nature, dissenting from the objections of Pastor Wa and the Sgaw Karen members of the congregation. His reasoning is that the new efforts have been remarkably successful, unlike the decades-long toiling of the North American missionaries, and that, “Any time the gospel is presented in a different cultural frame, there will be some syncretism. But that does not make it heresy.” 4 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry The complexities involved here present a tremendous challenge to this burgeoning Christian community. Many issues need to be addressed and sorted out, keeping in mind the aim of bringing about harmony and congeniality amongst the believers, wherein the “whole measure of the fullness of Christ”12 may be embodied and realized. Theological Proposal “Christianity is far greater than the Western practice of it.”13 The basic teachings of the Christian faith stand in agreement with this statement. There is one God who is the creator of the whole universe and of all the peoples who live on the earth. There is only one Savior of all humanity, the Lord Jesus Christ, who himself is divine in nature and yet took upon himself the weakness of human flesh, in order that he might give himself on the cross to ransom all of sinful humanity back to loving fellowship with God.14 If Christianity claims to be for all peoples, then a Western presentation of the practice of the faith must not be seen as necessarily superior. Thus, we must separate those elements of Christianity that are indispensable in authentic expression of the faith from the elements that are merely culture-specific. According to McGavran, cultures are comprised of “tens of thousands of components.”15 We see in Scripture that God gave a mandate to humanity to “fill the earth and subdue it.”16 But, through this process of expansion and subjugation, has humanity been able to consistently and accurately express the nature of the Creator in the cultural contexts that have emerged? Man and 12 Eph 4:13 Donald McGavran, The Clash Between Christianity and Cultures (Washington, DC: Canon Press, 1974), 36. 14 Gen 1:1; Acts 17:26; Acts 4:12; John 1:1-3; Col 1:20 15 McGavran, 38. 16 McGavran, 72; Gen 1:28 13 5 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry woman are made in God’s image,17 but the disfiguring of that image has occurred as a result of the invasion of sin and corruption into the human heart. Whereas many elements of cultural expression may be innocuous--they do not oppose in any way the nature of the Creator nor his intentions for his creation--some of them may be in contradiction. These elements may include such things as clothing styles, languages, agrarian or industrial lifestyles, and leisure activities.18 None of these elements would be necessarily in opposition to the true expression of the Christian faith or the nature of the Creator and may be preserved without alteration, possibly even celebrated.19 However, “Some components [of culture] Christianity declares are unacceptable to God and must be abandoned.”20 As Christianity advances over the face of the earth and encounters and engages various cultures in the process, distinctions must be made between the elements of those cultures that are incompatible with Christianity, and those that are simply diverse human expressions of life in community. The essence of Christianity is redemptive and transformational, thus cultural change and adjustments can be expected as the specific practices, beliefs, and expressions of those cultures are weighed against the tenets of Christianity and are assimilated into a more faithful adherence to the nature of the Creator. “As men of each culture become disciples of Christ and responsible members of his church, feeding on his Word and measuring themselves by his revelation, the culture they have inherited and are changing and transmitting moves closer to God’s will for it.”21 The Buddhist and animist religious systems are integral elements of the cultures in which they are practiced. How then may we distinguish between the elements of these religious expressions, discerning which are compatible or incompatible with Christianity? As already 17 Gen 1:27 McGavran, 40. 19 Ibid, 40-43. 20 Ibid, 41. 21 Ibid, 12. 18 6 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry stated, many commonalities may be identified between Buddhist beliefs and Christianity. In an autobiographical sketch of her years spent working among the Mon Buddhist monks in Burma, Catholic lay missionary Victoria Armour-Hileman brings to light some of these surprising similarities. She points out that Jesus said, “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets,” a saying which bears striking resemblance in meaning to a quote by the Dhammapada of Buddhism, “See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt?”22 Also remarkably similar are these two quotes, the first from Jesus and the second, again, from the Dhammapada: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you;” and, “In this world hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, ancient and inexhaustible.”23 Other New Testament scriptures come to mind which may further amplify this commonality of thought, but we must ask: Could it be that Western Christians hold much more in common with, or that they could even learn profound lessons from, people of other cultures and religions? Insofar as the teachings and practices of a culture coincide with those of Christianity, no adjustment is necessary on the recipient culture’s part. Much can be gained from respecting ancient traditions. But, if we really love our neighbor as ourselves,24 then in the midst of a task that entails delivering the earthshaking and culture-transforming revelation of God in the Gospel, we will humbly acknowledge any traces of a corrupted image of God in the other. Just as many elements of non-Christian religious thought may be compatible with the foundational teachings of Jesus, there are also those belief systems that are diametrically opposed to Christianity and cannot be preserved in a cultural paradigm that embraces Christ. As we have 22 Victoria Armour-Hileman, Singing to the Dead: A Missioner’s Life among Refugees from Burma (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2002), 45. 23 Ibid, 187. 24 Mark 12:31 7 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry seen, the animistic religious system ascribes spiritual powers and supernatural capabilities to creatures and elements in nature, and promotes the practice of rituals intended to manipulate those powers to one’s own advantage. This way of viewing creation and the Creator is discordant with Christianity, as explained by Martin: “Christians believe that humans should never attempt to manipulate God. They should rely on God and trust Him to care for them through the ups and downs of life. Rather than manipulation, Christians seek out a personal relationship with God because they believe Him to be loving and good.”25 Likewise, in Threvada Buddhism, there is an inconsistency with Christianity in the belief that one can ascend to perfection apart from divine grace. Thus, the maxims of those religious systems that diverge from the teachings of Christianity must be discarded. Those doctrines of Christianity which are indispensable and indisputable, as they constitute the essence of Christianity itself and are the foundation upon which it subsists, must necessarily take precedence and stand authoritatively over and against any in contravention. This pattern can be seen in Paul’s discourse to the Athenians in Acts 17 where, using the current religious system as a springboard into preaching the Gospel, Paul delivers a message declaring the arrival of a kingdom ruled by a God who “commands all men everywhere to repent.”26 In so doing, Paul jettisons the accepted religious practices of the day and authoritatively announces the necessary replacement of those systems with God’s truth in Christ. However, rather than being deemed a method of imperialism and domination of other cultures and religions, let us now lay out the true nature of Christianity and the primary goal of Christian missions in general. When asked what was the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus stated that it was to love God with everything in you, and secondly, to love your neighbor 25 26 Martin, 388. Acts 17:30 8 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry as yourself. Further, we are told that God is love, that is, love is the very essence of God, his truest expression, his greatest purpose, his very being epitomizes love itself. Then it necessarily follows that those who claim to believe in this God will submit themselves to conforming to the pattern of his character, consenting that he is the highest standard of ultimate truth and knowledge. In aiming to embody love in their daily lives, believers in Christianity’s God will seek to understand the exact nature of love. This nature is declared clearly in 1 Corinthians 13, where love is identified as an expression of patience, kindness, gentleness, truth, humility, hope, and as having supreme eternal value above all other virtues. Christian communities must, then, aim to practice this supreme virtue of love in their interactions with one another as well as their encounters with those outside of that community. In this way, culture and community show that they are being “reconciled to God,” being transformed in nature and practice into a closer semblance of God. Other scriptures explain the true expression of love as “[laying] down one’s life for one’s friends,” as “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us,” and love “does no harm to a neighbor.” This expression of God’s true nature must necessarily characterize any community identifying itself as Christian and must, then, be the ultimate aim of faith and practice within that community.27 If missionaries lose sight of this ultimate goal, their activities can degrade Christianity into a mere device of arrogant despotism. The West doesn’t hold the patent on Christianity, but as western missionaries seek to advance the kingdom of God into cultures around the world, it is imperative that the truth that is contained in the Gospel message be preserved. At its core, the Gospel is a message of love--a 27 Matt 26:36-39; 1 John 4:8; 2 Cor 5:19; 1 John 3:16; Rom 13:10 9 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry love that forgives, heals, transforms, rejoices in the truth, and a love that unifies all of humankind as one community in God.28 Prescription Though I have given here only a brief outline of some key issues at hand in this case, we may now move on to applying these concepts to specific courses of action for the individuals involved in the conflict. First, Peggy’s response to Peter’s plea for alliance must be based on the teachings of the Christian faith. As Frank’s wife, Peggy is admonished in Scripture to consider her responsibility to God, and also to her husband--as they are one flesh. In conformity to the relationship that is expressed between the Father and the Son, wives are taught to submit to their husbands as to the Lord.29 In presenting an accurate picture of the nature of God’s love to the Karen peoples, Peggy must first practice this love faithfully in her closest personal relationships. According to these scriptures, Peggy ought to consider the unity and harmony within her marriage as taking precedence over the issues in the congregation, whether or not they ever get resolved. In keeping the importance of a missionary’s personal life of devotion above that of the actual missions work, A. T. Pierson observes that, “God’s major work in a missionary is not primarily missionary work, but rather His sovereign dealing in the life of that missionary, . . . causing her to grow in grace and in the knowledge of His Son.”30 Further, since a Christian couple is a picture to the world of Christ’s love and devotion to his church,31 Peggy and Frank need to devote attention to preserving the harmony of their marriage. The actual outworking of this prescription may take the form of spending time together in serious contemplation, communication, prayer, and seeking counsel from trusted authorities (preferably those outside of 28 1 Cor 13:1-13; Eph 2:11-22, 3:6, 4:4-6 Gen 2:24; 1 Pet 3:1; 1 Cor 11:3; Eph 5:22-24, 31; Heb 5:7 30 Joy Turner Tuggy, The Missionary Wife and Her Work (Chicago: Moody Press, 1966), 41. 31 Eph 5:32 29 10 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry the conflict context). As their marriage relationship is sufficiently supported and secured, Peggy and Frank may go on to address the issues of conflict within the congregation, not as separate individuals, but as a unit. Thus, Peggy’s response to Peter must not be hasty or given without consultation with her husband regarding the best course of action. As this couple endeavors to lead by example, the relationships within the believing community might then be influenced for the better when they observe this pattern of love, submission, faithfulness, prayer, and devotion to God and the Scriptures. Secondly, Peter’s responsibility here is that he must clearly distinguish between the teachings of the animistic religion and Christianity, and assure that the new converts receive sufficient education in the tenets of the Christian Scriptures. He must aim to uphold the integrity of the faith as well as the unity of the body. He might consider taking steps to train the new converts in understanding the distinctions between Buddhism, animism, and Christianity; and it must be made explicit what elements of Buddhism and the animistic tradition are incompatible with Christian doctrine. The teachings of Jesus as well as those of other Scriptures necessitate this task.32 For Peter, a dialogue with Pastor Wa and the opponents of the new evangelism is in order, where they may openly share their concerns as well as prayerfully seek God’s direction as a congregation. Remembering Jesus’ promise,33 they can depend on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to bring about harmony within the community in accordance with the truth. Peter may also, like Peggy and Frank, seek counsel and advice from trusted individuals outside of the immediate context. Peter himself needs correction in that his attempt to gain possession of Peggy and Frank’s allegiance shows negligence on his part to the pastoral aspect of his position. He seems to be putting his own enthusiasm for success and a personal sense of accomplishment 32 33 John 17; Eph 4:11-16 John 15:13 11 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry above the overall good of the community and must take a step back from a headstrong push forward, considering all in the flock worthy of equal care. After these initial steps have been taken to foster open communication and understanding amongst all of the members involved, the community may then arrive at a decision as to whether or not to allow the evangelistic team to return using their current methods. If great strides are taken to uphold the truth inherent in the doctrines of the Christian faith, making clear distinctions between them and the Buddhist and animist religions, and instituting a system of education and discipleship to secure the new followers in authentic Christianity, then the Sgaw Karen believers may be more willing to support the new evangelistic efforts and may even begin to volunteer their own time to further them. However, the animistic myths must never be presented as compatible with Christianity and, like Paul’s denunciation of the pagan religion of Athens, the evangelistic team must declare the Gospel resolutely, in effect tearing down the idols which are opposed to the rule of the kingdom God in Christ Jesus. Regardless of the initial success of any missionary effort, its lasting value may be measured by how faithfully it proclaims the message of the Gospel, and by whether or not the new disciples remain steadfast over time, worshiping the one true God to whom, one day, “every knee will bow.”34 Conclusion The difficulties facing missionaries today can be daunting. “It is incredible how much spiritual energy can be dissipated just in trying to get along peaceably on the mission field.”35 The ultimate goal inspiring missionary work is sincere: make disciples of all nations, bringing 34 Rom 14:11 35 Tuggy, 166. 12 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry all under the reign of Christ, so that God may be all in all, glorified in the unity of the church, and in our love for him and one another.36 Notwithstanding the challenges and hardships, one may be encouraged by these final words: “The Christian faith...improves all cultures which adopt it, [and] makes the richness of each culture richer.”37 36 37 Matt 28:19; 1 Cor 15:25-28; John 17 McGavran, 74 13 Sara J. Knott November 17, 2014 Case Brief for “Don’t Come Over And Help Us!” BIBM 603—Foundations of Ministry Selected Bibliography Armour-Hileman, Victoria. Singing to the Dead: A Missioner’s Life among Refugees from Burma. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2002. Harris, Elizabeth J. “Buddhism and the Religious Other” in Understanding Interreligious Relations, edited by David Cheetham, Douglas Pratt, and David Thomas. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013. Latourette, Kenneth S. Challenge and Conformity: Studies in the Interaction of Christianity and The World of Today. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1955. Martin, Carlos G. Christianity Among the Religions of the World. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2007. McGavran, Donald. The Clash Between Christianity and Cultures. Washington, DC: Canon Press, 1974. Tuggy, Joy T. The Missionary Wife and Her Work. Chicago: Moody Press, 1966. 14