1

Bible Science and Culture Integrated

How much can we borrow from the culture to make the message more relevant?

2

Dangers of Miscommunications—Syncretism

Huge Gulfs between… Bible’s Historical and cultural setting and

contemporary life Our cultural setting and target

audience’s setting Without proper understanding the

message is meaningless and irrelevant Liberals emphasize #2 Needs for both to be understood

3

Anthropological Contribution to Missions

1. Can bring understanding to cross-cultural situations ej—we have two Christmas’: Santa Claus and Jesus

without mixing2. Can provide insights into specific mission tasks

Bible Translation and language learning with minimizing can help with distribution and loss of meaning

3. Understand process of conversion including normal social changes

4. Can help Gospel be relevant to hearers5. Can help build bridges between culturally diverse

people

4

Theological Assumptions God’s Mission—to revel Himself to all mankind through

those who know Him Authoritative Scripture of God’s revelation of Truth to man

Becomes the standard of all Truth and Righteousness As God’s Word, the Bible becomes our message to the

lost Message is always giving to people in a historical-cultural

setting Christocentric understanding of Scripture in the light of Christ Ministry of the Spirit who prepares the hearts to receive the

message then brings them on to maturity The Kingdome of God is to bring everyone under His

authority The Church—to unite in community and to build up one

another The Priesthood of believers—not the responsibility of a few

5

Scientific Assumptions

Naturalistic Theories of cultural evolution--where man has evolved from so-called “primitive societies” to complex organizations, from irrational to rational, from magic to religion and science

Human experience is not a random set of events with no purpose or meaning. “Cultural Evolution” is not a reality

By 1930’s cultural evolution was not credible, rather diversity in human societies seen as self-contained, integrated systems—the unique traits are key to their survival as a society

Cultural anthropology rejected cultural evolution focusing on systems of ideas, beliefs, and symbols

Focus on assumptions that underlie cultural beliefs, individual worldviews

Must understand the explicit symbols and implicit beliefs to communicate with minimum of distortion

6

Integration of Concepts for Greater Understanding

Variety and Unity of humanity Differ in biological and psychological make-up but

have human universals Share most physiological functions, similar

psychological drives and need for social organizations

7

Integration of Concepts

Attempts at a holistic model—most are fragmented approaches Reductionism—reducing all dimensions of human life to one

type of explanation Stratigraphic approach—to holism—stacking theories on top

of each other Each model is a self-contained explanation of some part

of human life Collection of fragmentary understanding’s gathered by

various methods analysis Still do not give holistic view of humans These factors are all interrelated—fail to see starvation,

illness, ignorance, addictions are rooted in human sin

8

Stratigraphic Approach to Holism

This approaches secularizes most of our live leaving it outside theological critique

Theological ModelAnthropological Model

Sociological ModelBiological ModelPhysical Model

9

More on Integration of Concepts Missionary worldviews separates science and

religion, supernatural and natural is a Greek philosophical origin, not biblical origin

Holistic Approach—A comprehensive understanding of humans as whole beings, recognizing that our knowledge is always imperfect Each area has insights that relate to each other Culture molds peoples preferences physically Complementarily

10

An Integrated Approach to the Study of Humans

Human

Spiritual

Physical

Psychological

Social

Biological

Cultural