Christian Mission in the Contemporary World: A Dialogue between 1 Peter and Postcolonial Critics

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-145
Author(s):  
Josiah D. Hall

Abstract The modern missions movement’s relationship with colonialism has brought to light many problems with contemporary conceptions of Christian mission. For many, the Bible often becomes, in the words of Tinyiko Sam Maluleke, the “colonial text par excellence.” This paper seeks to highlight – in dialogue with postcolonial critics – how 1 Pet 2:9–17 can instead provide the foundation for a theology of mission relevant to the contemporary context. First Peter distinctively anchors Christian mission in one’s Christian identity and clarifies how that identity transforms one’s relationship to one’s culture as well as to power structures in that culture. In doing so, 1 Peter eschews a triumphalist attitude and instead embodies values shared by theorists of postcolonial mission, namely narrativity, mutuality, and humility.

Author(s):  
Nicholas B. TORRETTA ◽  
Lizette REITSMA

Our contemporary world is organized in a modern/colonial structure. As people, professions and practices engage in cross-country Design for Sustainability (DfS), projects have the potential of sustaining or changing modern/colonial power structures. In such project relations, good intentions in working for sustainability do not directly result in liberation from modern/colonial power structures. In this paper we introduce three approaches in DfS that deal with power relations. Using a Freirean (1970) decolonial perspective, we analyse these approaches to see how they can inform DfS towards being decolonial and anti-oppressive. We conclude that steering DfS to become decolonial or colonizing is a relational issue based on the interplay between the designers’ position in the modern/colonial structure, the design approach chosen, the place and the people involved in DfS. Hence, a continuous critical reflexive practice is needed in order to prevent DfS from becoming yet another colonial tool.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert Breed

This article investigates the role that Practical Theology can play in addressing the problem of alienation amongst the people of South Africa. The investigation is conducted from the viewpoint of the biblical concept of diakonia (service work). This concept as well as the content of Practical Theology as it is found in the first letter of Peter is investigated with the purpose of elucidating the diakonia of Practical Theology with regard to alienation. Four questions are answered in the article:� What may some of the reasons why people in South Africa experience alienation be?� What significance do the results of the most recent research into the diakon word group have for the diakonia of Practical Theology?� What insight can be gained from 1 Peter into the diakonia of Practical Theology for people who may be experiencing alienation in South Africa?� What should the diakonia of Practical Theology in the light of 1 Peter be for people who experience alienation? Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article addresses the issue of alienation. This is an issue that also falls within the research field of sociology and psychology. This article wants to make a contribution from a biblical perspective using the exegesis of a New Testament letter (1 Pt) with the focus on 1 Peter 4:10 and the use of the diakon word group in the letter. The article thus also operates on the research field of New Testament Theology. The results of the exegesis are used to give guidelines for the diakonia of Practical Theology in South Africa. The article challenges the way some research in Practical Theology is done, not using the Bible as reference point, thus making the distinction between Practical Theology and sciences like sociology and psychology indistinct.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pince Parung

Abstrac: Education cannot be separated from culture. Because education occurs in society and this education is a civilizing process. This culture itself is the basis for the formation of the community's personality. The character of the Toraja people, for example, is strongly influenced by the surrounding culture. And the majority of Toraja people adhere to Christian beliefs. Christian character is a picture of Christian identity. Christian character comes from the Bible as a source of truth for every believer. Attention is needed to build Christian character in the midst of Toraja's diverse culture. How the culture in Toraja can be a forum for educating Christian character. This paper will examine Christian character education in the context of Toraja culture.


Arthur Szyk ◽  
2004 ◽  
pp. 175-186
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Ansell

This chapter marks Arthur Szyk's return to book illustrations after the war and the ways in which he created interconnections between his art and contemporary world events. In the years after the war book illustration continued to occupy a significant portion of Szyk's creative time. His next project was a series of illustrations for Pathways through the Bible, an abridged version of the Old Testament intended for young audiences. Here, again, Szyk found ways to connect his work to the recent world war. Both the author, Mortimer Cohen, and the illustrator provided dedications for the volume; Szyk's recalled his personal loss resulting from Nazi atrocities, thus connecting his art to the recent war. After exploring his work in Pathways through the Bible, the chapter also analyses his other works during the post-war period.


Theology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 112 (867) ◽  
pp. 199-207
Author(s):  
Ernst M. Conradie

This essay explores the role of interpretative strategies in biblical interpretation. It is argued that ‘doctrinal constructs’ play a crucial role in appropriating the significance of biblical texts in and for a particular contemporary context. Various such constructs typically employed for an ecological biblical hermeneutics are analysed. Suggestions are offered towards the use of more sophisticated constructs, with reference to the notions of the ‘liberation of creation’, the ‘wisdom of God’ and the ‘whole household of God’.


2011 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Horrell

1 Peter 2.4–10 is a significant passage within the letter, rich in material from the Jewish scriptures. Verse 9 is particularly significant for the construction of Christian group-identity in that it uniquely applies three words from the vocabulary of ethnic identity to the Church: γένος, ἔθνος, and λαός, widely translated as ‘race’, ‘nation’, and ‘people’. A survey of these words in pre-Christian Jewish literature (especially the LXX), in the NT, and in other early Christian literature, reveals how crucial this text in 1 Peter is to the process by which Christian identity came to be conceived in ethnoracial terms. Drawing on modern definitions of ethnic identity, and ancient evidence concerning the fluidity of ethnic identities, it becomes clear that ‘ethnic’ and ‘racial’ identities are constructed, believed, and sustained through discourse. 1 Peter, with both aggregative and oppositional modes of ethnic reasoning, makes a crucial contribution to the construction of an ethnic form of Christian identity.


2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross Langmead

AbstractThis paper argues that reconciliation can function as an integrating metaphor (or model) for Christian mission. The mission of God is for transformed relationships in all dimensions – between humans and God, between humans, and between humans and creation. Reconciliation is all about setting things right. Used metaphorically in the theology of mission it beautifully covers and draws together a wide range of ideas which, it is argued, are simply facets of the one mission of God for reconciliation. The paper analyses the role of metaphor in theology. It considers biblical terms related to reconciliation, such as sacrificial atonement, shalom, justice and peacemaking. It then considers five dimensions of Christian mission to illustrate the integrative power of reconciliation as a governing metaphor for mission: conversion as reconciliation, international peacemaking, reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples, reconciliation between Christians and reconciliation with creation. Cet article soutient que la réconciliation peut fonctionner comme métaphore d'intégration (ou modèle) pour la mission chrétienne. Le but de la mission de Dieu est de transformer les relations dans toutes leurs dimensions – entre les êtres humains et Dieu, entre les humains eux-mêmes et entre eux et la création. Le but de la réconciliation est de tout remettre droit. Utilisée comme métaphore en théologie de la mission, elle recouvre et rassemble magnifiquement tout un éventail d'idées qui ne sont que des facettes de l'unique mission de réconciliation de Dieu, dit notre auteur. L'article analyse le rôle de la métaphore en théologie. Il examine les termes bibliques ayant trait à la réconciliation tels que le sacrifice d'expiation, le shalom, la justice, la construction de la paix. Il reprend ensuite cinq dimensions de la mission chrétienne, pour illustrer la force d'intégration de la réconciliation considérée comme métaphore de la mission : la conversion comme réconciliation, la construction de la paix internationale, la réconciliation entre les peuples indigènes et les non indigènes, la réconciliation entre chrétiens et la réconciliation avec la création. Dieser Beitrag behauptet, dass Versöhnung als eine integrierende Metapher (oder Modell) für christliche Mission funktionieren kann. Die Mission Gottes zielt auf veränderte Beziehungen in allen Bereichen – zwischen den Menschen und Gott, zwischenmenschlich und zwischen dem Menschen und der Schöpfung. Versöhnung bedeutet alle Dinge in die rechte Beziehung zu setzen. Wenn man sie metaphorisch in der Missionstheologie verwendet, schließt sie sehr schön einen weiten Bereich von Ideen ein und bringt sie zusammen, weil sie, so wird behauptet, einfach Facetten der einen Mission Gottes für Versöhnung darstellen. Der Artikel analysiert die Rolle von Metaphern in der Theologie. Er untersucht biblische Begriffe mit Bezug auf Versöhnung, wie Vergebung durch Opfer, Schalom, Gerechtigkeit, Friedensarbeit. Dann überlegt der Artikel fünf Dimensionen der christlichen Mission, um die Integrationsfähigkeiten von Versöhnung als Hauptmetapher für Mission zu beschreiben: Bekehrung als Versöhnung, internationale Friedensarbeit, Versöhnung zwischen einheimischen und nicht-einheimischen Völkern, Versöhnung unter Christen und Versöhnung mit der Schöpfung. Este artículo propone que la reconciliación puede funcionar como una metáfora (o modelo) integrante para la misión cristiana. La misión de Dios se dirige a relaciones transformadas en todas las dimensiones – entre los seres humanos y Dios, entre la gente y entre los humanos y la creación. La reconciliación tiene que ver sobre todo con articular las cosas de manera correcta. Cuando se la usa metafóricamente en la teología de la misión, ella cubre bellamente y junta una amplia gama de ideas que, según se propone, son simplemente facetas de la única misión de Dios por la reconciliación. Este artículo analiza el papel de una metáfora en teología. Considera los términos relacionados con reconciliación, como son la expiación sacrificial, shalom, justicia, hacer las paces. A continuación considera cinco dimensiones de la misión cristiana para ilustrar el poder de integración de la reconciliación como una metáfora central para la misión: la conversión como reconciliación, el trabajo internacional por la paz, la reconciliación entre pueblos indígenas y no-indígenas, la reconciliación entre cristianos y la reconciliación con la creación.


2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Tan

AbstractThis essay seeks to investigate the mission theology of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) as presented in its official documents during the past three decades of its existence and evaluate its implications. In its official documents, the FABC has proceeded on the basis that the Asian milieu, with its rich diversity and plurality of religions, cultures and philosophical worldviews require a distinctively Asian approach to the proclamation of the Gospel that is sensitive to such diversity and pluralism. To this end, this essay surveys and examines the principal aspects and foundational principles of the FABC's theology of mission. It also explores the implications of the FABC's missiological approach for meeting the challenges of the task of carrying out the Christian mission in the diverse and pluralistic Asian Sitz-im-Leben, especially the FABC's consistent insistence that the Christian mission in Asia is best carried out through a threefold dialogue with the myriad of Asian religious traditions, Asian cultures and the teeming masses of Asian poor and marginalized. It then suggests that the FABC's missiological approach is best described as missio inter gentes (mission among the nations) rather than the traditional missio ad gentes (mission to the nations), because of how the FABC perceives the issue of religious pluralism in Asia and its preferred non-confrontational dialogical approach for dealing with it.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 63-74
Author(s):  
Ewelina Kurowicka-Roman

The primary task of the teacher is to support the child in his or her overall development. The work of a teacher is also a path of Christian vocation. The article is devoted to the issue of Christian identity of early education teachers. The aim of the considerations is also to show the dimensions of such an educator’s identity. The article attempts to answer the questions: who the teacher is; and what their role and calling in the modern world is. The main goal of pedagogical activity which is the comprehensive development of the child is discussed.


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