Postmodern Imagination Postmodern Imagination and Mission and Mission

Session 9Session 9

JoshvaJoshva

Main Missiological ThemesMain Missiological Themes

Missiological ImaginationMissiological ImaginationLiberating Imagination Liberating Imagination Evangelical ImaginationEvangelical ImaginationReconstructive ImaginationReconstructive ImaginationCross cultural ImaginationCross cultural ImaginationTheological ImaginationTheological ImaginationEmpowered Self! Spiritual ImaginationEmpowered Self! Spiritual ImaginationHope! Imagining New World!Hope! Imagining New World!

ResourcesResources

Walter Brueggemann, The Bible and Postmodern Walter Brueggemann, The Bible and Postmodern Imagination pp.1-57Imagination pp.1-57Walter Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination…Walter Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination…J Richard Middleton and Brian J W Truth is Stranger J Richard Middleton and Brian J W Truth is Stranger than it used to be, pp.108-196.than it used to be, pp.108-196.Richard Briggs,Missiological Issues for 21st Century. Richard Briggs,Missiological Issues for 21st Century. http://www.postmission.com/articles/mississc21.pdfhttp://www.postmission.com/articles/mississc21.pdfSharon Welch Sharon Welch Sweet Dreams in America: Making Ethics Sweet Dreams in America: Making Ethics and Spirituality Workand Spirituality Work. London: Routledge, 1999. London: Routledge, 1999

Words under Question in Words under Question in postmodernpostmodern

No Truth but truthsNo Truth but truths

No Reality but mediatedNo Reality but mediated

No The Meaning but meaningsNo The Meaning but meanings

No Objective knowledge but knowledgeNo Objective knowledge but knowledge

No grandnarrative but MetanarrativesNo grandnarrative but Metanarratives

Selfs within selfSelfs within self

Issues under question in Issues under question in postmodernpostmodern

PowerPowerClaimsClaimsAuthoritarianismAuthoritarianismExclusiveExclusiveInstitutionalisedInstitutionalisedDominationDominationExploitationExploitationFalse consciousnessFalse consciousness

Reaction to ModernReaction to Modern

Suspicion of all narrativesSuspicion of all narrativesRejection of claimsRejection of claimsCounter narrativesCounter narrativesQuestion scientific methodsQuestion scientific methodsAlternative methodologiesAlternative methodologiesIsolation of truthsIsolation of truthsSelf-centred spiritualitySelf-centred spiritualityGratification for living todayGratification for living todayResistance for any compelling ideologiesResistance for any compelling ideologies

Missiological responseMissiological response

Humbling Humbling Emptying oneselfEmptying oneselfDialogue Dialogue Relating peopleRelating peopleCelebrating lifeCelebrating lifeChallengingChallengingDeconstructingDeconstructingReconstructingReconstructingBuilding communitiesBuilding communities

Missiological ImaginationMissiological Imagination

In sum, Christian mission is nothing more or In sum, Christian mission is nothing more or less than “participation in God’s existence in less than “participation in God’s existence in the world.”the world.”[46][46] It is about a respectful, It is about a respectful, dialogical crossing of cultural, religious, dialogical crossing of cultural, religious, personal, racial, class and even geographical personal, racial, class and even geographical boundaries; it is a “single but complex boundaries; it is a “single but complex reality,”reality,”[47][47] of proclamation and witness, of proclamation and witness, liturgy and contemplation, efforts at liturgy and contemplation, efforts at inculturation, participation in interreligious inculturation, participation in interreligious dialogue, commitment to justice, peace and dialogue, commitment to justice, peace and the integrity of creation, and engagement in the integrity of creation, and engagement in reconciliation.reconciliation.

BevansBevans

It is this method of practical theology--rooted It is this method of practical theology--rooted in experience and practice, nourished by the in experience and practice, nourished by the Christian Tradition and moving to a more Christian Tradition and moving to a more faithful practice in an unending spiral--that a faithful practice in an unending spiral--that a systematic theology with a “missiological systematic theology with a “missiological imagination” will employ. Theology will have imagination” will employ. Theology will have as its starting point the life of the Christian as its starting point the life of the Christian community as it strives to discern what God community as it strives to discern what God is doing in human history and how the is doing in human history and how the church might be the sign and instrument of church might be the sign and instrument of that saving presence.that saving presence.

DialogicalDialogical

the contemporary missiological conviction the contemporary missiological conviction about the dialogical nature of mission might about the dialogical nature of mission might point to new ways to conceive the divine point to new ways to conceive the divine perfections--like those of omnipotence and perfections--like those of omnipotence and impassibility. If God is truly a dialogical God, impassibility. If God is truly a dialogical God, vulnerability, suffering and growth can hardly vulnerability, suffering and growth can hardly be conceived as imperfect qualities. A be conceived as imperfect qualities. A “missiological imagination” might lead “missiological imagination” might lead systematic theologians to a new level of systematic theologians to a new level of dialogue with “process” or “neoclassical” dialogue with “process” or “neoclassical” approaches to God’s Mystery.approaches to God’s Mystery.

Biblical imaginationBiblical imagination

God imagines human beings as God’s God imagines human beings as God’s own image (Genesis 1)own image (Genesis 1)

Prophetic imagination – Critique and Prophetic imagination – Critique and alternative (Samuel and Saul) alternative (Samuel and Saul)

Poetical Imagination – Participation and Poetical Imagination – Participation and celebrationcelebration

Narrative Imagination – Descriptive and Narrative Imagination – Descriptive and relevancerelevance

God’s imagination of peopleGod’s imagination of people

As God’s image (Creation story)As God’s image (Creation story)

As not Uniformity but unity within diversity As not Uniformity but unity within diversity (Babel story)(Babel story)

As not dominion but to serve (Genesis 1 As not dominion but to serve (Genesis 1 and Gospel)and Gospel)

As equals not sameness (Exodus – alien)As equals not sameness (Exodus – alien)

As not gathering but Sharing resources As not gathering but Sharing resources

As one with him not merely claimAs one with him not merely claim

Examples from the OTExamples from the OT

Nathan’s Prophetic Imagination 2 Samuel Nathan’s Prophetic Imagination 2 Samuel 12:1-1412:1-14

There were two men in a certain town, There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.one rich and the other poor. … You are … You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel Israel

Nehemiah’s imagination of reconstruction of Nehemiah’s imagination of reconstruction of his countryhis country

Amos’ challenges to the priests and religious Amos’ challenges to the priests and religious leadersleaders

Bible and imaginationBible and imagination

God’s Liberating ImaginationGod’s Liberating Imagination

Human Leadership and Imagination in Human Leadership and Imagination in liberating Missionliberating Mission

People’s participation, negation and People’s participation, negation and negotiationnegotiation

Imagining destruction but invited for Imagining destruction but invited for Reconstruction (Nehemiah)Reconstruction (Nehemiah)

Imagining a New Creation and New WorldImagining a New Creation and New World

Prophetic ImaginationProphetic Imagination

by Walter Brueggemannby Walter Brueggemann

The task of prophetic ministry is to nurture, The task of prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish and evoke a consciousness and nourish and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of dominant culture around us. perception of dominant culture around us. I suggest that the dominant culture, now and in I suggest that the dominant culture, now and in every time, is grossly uncritical, cannot tolerate every time, is grossly uncritical, cannot tolerate serious and fundamental criticism, and will go to serious and fundamental criticism, and will go to great lengths to stop it. Conversely, the great lengths to stop it. Conversely, the dominant culture is a wearied culture, nearly dominant culture is a wearied culture, nearly unable to be seriously energized to new unable to be seriously energized to new promises from God. promises from God.

Moses Moses

Radical break from both the religion of the Radical break from both the religion of the static triumphalism and the politics of static triumphalism and the politics of oppression and exploitation. A. by oppression and exploitation. A. by exposing gods of power who had no exposing gods of power who had no power, mythical legitimacy of Pharaoh’s power, mythical legitimacy of Pharaoh’s social world is destroyed B. Countering the social world is destroyed B. Countering the politics of oppression with the politics of politics of oppression with the politics of justice and compassionjustice and compassion

Moses a ProphetMoses a Prophet

Moses is the prophet, and his task becomes Moses is the prophet, and his task becomes ours: to ours: to criticize and dismantlecriticize and dismantle the human royal the human royal regime, and to regime, and to energizeenergize toward the new reality toward the new reality that God wants to bring in. This new reality that God wants to bring in. This new reality existed more or less until the time of Solomon, existed more or less until the time of Solomon, when Solomon recreated within Israel the same when Solomon recreated within Israel the same conditions they experienced in Egypt: conditions they experienced in Egypt: affluenceaffluence of the ruling class at the expense of the poor, of the ruling class at the expense of the poor, oppressionoppression and enslavement, and and enslavement, and static religionstatic religion, , sanctioned and with access controlled by sanctioned and with access controlled by royalty. royalty.

Hope and prophetHope and prophet

Brueggemann notes that the traditional “liberal” Brueggemann notes that the traditional “liberal” theological position has been excellent at the theological position has been excellent at the prophetic act of criticism, but has lost any real prophetic act of criticism, but has lost any real connection with God to allow for true hope of connection with God to allow for true hope of energizing change. The best the liberal prophet energizing change. The best the liberal prophet can do is critique. The traditional “conservative” can do is critique. The traditional “conservative” theological position excels at holding on to hope theological position excels at holding on to hope of a future that energizes, but has lost any real of a future that energizes, but has lost any real distance from the dominating culture to offer a distance from the dominating culture to offer a genuine challenge to what is. The best the genuine challenge to what is. The best the conservative prophet can do is hope for heaven conservative prophet can do is hope for heaven after a burned up earth. after a burned up earth.

Hope Imagination Hope Imagination by Walter Bruggemannby Walter Bruggemann

Jeremiah (2:2,13,32; 3:19; 5:6,22) asserts an Jeremiah (2:2,13,32; 3:19; 5:6,22) asserts an incredible freedom about God so that each he incredible freedom about God so that each he speaks to God or about God, he has the speaks to God or about God, he has the amazing capacity to create a quite new scenario amazing capacity to create a quite new scenario that keeps all parties open and in jeopardy. The that keeps all parties open and in jeopardy. The poetic language of Jeremiah is an invitation to poetic language of Jeremiah is an invitation to seek for language that is passionate, dangerous seek for language that is passionate, dangerous and imaginative enough to make available the and imaginative enough to make available the passion, danger and freedom of God who passion, danger and freedom of God who summons us to God’s own conflict. summons us to God’s own conflict.

Poetic language of Jeremiah Poetic language of Jeremiah

Jeremiah’s language is free, porous and Jeremiah’s language is free, porous and impressionisticimpressionisticPoets have no advise to give people. They only Poets have no advise to give people. They only want people to see differently, to revision life. want people to see differently, to revision life. Poets speak porously. They use the kind of Poets speak porously. They use the kind of language that is not exhausted at first hearing. language that is not exhausted at first hearing. The purpose of porous language is to leave the The purpose of porous language is to leave the poem and reality to which it points open for the poem and reality to which it points open for the experience of the listener. (pp 21-25) experience of the listener. (pp 21-25) Jeremiah believes that God is able to do an Jeremiah believes that God is able to do an utterly new thing which violates our reason, our utterly new thing which violates our reason, our control and our despair. control and our despair.

Liberative ImaginationLiberative Imagination

Connor raises the issue of her race ("born of Connor raises the issue of her race ("born of white parents") and social perspective white parents") and social perspective ("entitled") while asserting that "the abomination ("entitled") while asserting that "the abomination of slavery and the ongoing implications of racism of slavery and the ongoing implications of racism could be linked to the failure of the imagination could be linked to the failure of the imagination of nonblack people who resisted seeing anyone of nonblack people who resisted seeing anyone of color like themselves." She argues that slave of color like themselves." She argues that slave narratives empower non-blacks to share in the narratives empower non-blacks to share in the experiences of the "dispossessed," allowing experiences of the "dispossessed," allowing them to imagine grace as they share in the them to imagine grace as they share in the liberation of the enslaved while actualizing their liberation of the enslaved while actualizing their own liberation from prejudice and willed own liberation from prejudice and willed ignorance. (Kimberly Rae 2000)ignorance. (Kimberly Rae 2000)

Theological Imagination Theological Imagination by Gordon D Kaufmanby Gordon D Kaufman

Theology means to analyse, critically Theology means to analyse, critically engage and reconstruct the image or engage and reconstruct the image or concept of Godconcept of God

The image of God a human construct - The image of God a human construct - developed through extrapolation of certain developed through extrapolation of certain finite metaphors and models – drawn from a finite metaphors and models – drawn from a particular human experienceparticular human experience

Christian reference points are metaphor – Christian reference points are metaphor – God’s humanenessGod’s humaneness

KaufmanKaufman

Theologian assesses Adequacy in expressing Theologian assesses Adequacy in expressing God’s absoluteness and God’s humaneness and God’s absoluteness and God’s humaneness and to reconstruct it for the contemporary contextto reconstruct it for the contemporary context

God as ultimate point of reference to God as ultimate point of reference to contemporary forms of experience and lifecontemporary forms of experience and life

Warned of idolatrous absolutization and Warned of idolatrous absolutization and dehumanization must be relativised and resisted dehumanization must be relativised and resisted in the light of that loving One who alone is in the light of that loving One who alone is absolute absolute

missionmissionRelational factor

Narrative factor

Communal factor

Process or journey factor

The Holy Spirit Factor Learning factorService factor