“The Migrated Others”: Mission as Practicing Compassionate Presence

Author(s):  
Maraike Joanna Belle Bangun

One of the popular missional consensuses in the context of migration is seeing migrants as “moving targets” for evangelism. There is an urge to respond differently realising that migrants are not merely workers for economic welfare but persons created in the image of God. To reconstruct a model of mission that is embedded in the complex reality of migration, this paper will look into the details of three narratives of Indonesian and Filipino migrants who live and attend a Charismatic church in Sabah, Malaysia. It will give insights into the process of othering and discover the quality of compassion in their lives. Based on their experiences, I argue mission as a compassionate presence provides a sound theological basis for churches to respond to the continuous othering of migrants. It invites us to rethink evangelism, not solely as winning souls for Christ, but to embody Christ by being present.

1982 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Heinrichs

One's God-concept, herein referred to as the “image of God,” is a major determinant of the quality of one's personal relationship with God. In addition, the image of God one maintains may be observed to correlate with one's capacity for relational experiences with significant others. In this article object relations theory is applied to perceptions of God. The development of object relatedness in the child is discussed and the concept of parataxic distortions in the image of God is considered within the context of biblical history and childhood development. Parataxic distortions as found in the psychotherapeutic relationship are also briefly addressed, as is the psychotherapeutic resolution of distorted God-percepts.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 260-261
Author(s):  
ALBERT S. CALLIE

To the Editor.— Singer, in his article "Sanctity of Life or Quality of Life?" (Pediatrics 1983;72:128-129) has rejected the "sanctity-of-life view"—as he defines it. He calls it "the obsolete and erroneous notion of the sanctity of all human life." He states that "the philosophical foundations of this view have been knocked asunder." He adds "We can no longer base our ethics on the idea that human beings are a special form of creation made in the image of God."


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah K. Tenai

The practice of skin lightening is prevalent amongst dark-skinned people globally. Various current studies that map this practice and that seek motivations behind the practice are examined. It is observed that through shrewd marketing, dark-skinned people are offered a promise of a better quality of life, obtained by a lighter skin, through the use of skin lighteners. In spite of the severe health risks involved, the promise is ostensibly irresistible to some dark-skinned persons. A pastoral response is offered that affirms the full personhood and complete humanity of dark-skinned people as fully human and whole in their dark skins.Keywords: Skin lightening, Dark skin, Image of God


Author(s):  
Isaac Boaheng

The issue of acceptance of euthanasia (assisted death) in the face of affirming human dignity as the preservation of the image of God in human beings is fiercely debated over the world. Different (Christian and non-Christian) ethicists hold different positions in the debate. Some of the key questions in the debate include how moral is it to legalize euthanasia in the face of the doctrine of Imago Dei? Should the quality of a person’s life overrule the sanctity of human life? This paper examines the arguments for and against the legalization of euthanasia and then considers how the doctrine of the Imago Dei should inform one’s decision to accept or reject euthanasia. With the African religio-cultural worldview as a contextual framework, the study contends that even though the preservation of physical life is not the ultimate goal of Christianity (since physical death is inevitable), human life should not be shortened deliberately for any reason. Therefore, it is morally wrong to take anybody’s life under any circumstance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dolar Yuwono

<p>This paper discusses the translation quality of quranic verses from the point of view of their sensitivity. As containing many values and ways of life the problem that the people are facing is how to understand the values that exist in, between and beyond the lines of the Quran verses. The question is whether translation and interpretation can answer it. As a matter of fact, Qur’an verses have sensitivity to be responded in the form of the translated texts. The translated texts of Qur’an can be sensitive and controversial. Several translation version of quranic verses were taken as data to see the level of their sensitivity which can be seen from some aspect: that it may be contrary (1) to the state, (2) to religion (in a broad sense to the culture), (3) to decency, and (4) to private citizens. This category leads to a concomitant quartet of grounds for censorship: sedition, blasphemy, obscenity, and libel. The word “Yaddullah” in the section of “Al fath -verse-10”, for example, from the perspective of the contextual content of the text, would have become dichotomical meaning or even multicotomical ones. The first one tends to use the foriegnization, while the second tends to use domestication. Those who defend the word “Yaddun” as “the hand” or “tangan” as its word equivalence want to make their translation original not going out of the context of Islamic teaching. They believe that those who have gone out of Islamic teaching include unbelievers (that reject faith) and idolaters. The translation of “yaddu” into “hand” or “tangan” , according to some Muslims, contains the implication that the translator has its implied lack of respect for the original text, and because of the defeatist view of the ability of the target audience which entails.On the other hand, those who have translated that word “yaddun” into “power” or “kekuasaan” think that the translation into “hand” or “tangan” will disrupt and distort the image of God (Allah) existence. They are afraid that people think God is like human being having hands, head, legs and other part of the human body. Qur’an as a God’s text which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad via the archangel Gabriel, and intended for all times and all places needs to be perceived carefully because many of its verses are still stated in the forms of general statement. They need to be translated and interpreted in a way that makes people live peacefully, not on the other way around. The deference point of view in understanding Qur’an verses must be supposed to be something that makes perspective of Muslims wide and tolerant.</p><p> </p><p> </p>


Author(s):  
Alan L. Mittleman

This chapter moves into the political and economic aspects of human nature. Given scarcity and interdependence, what sense has Judaism made of the material well-being necessary for human flourishing? What are Jewish attitudes toward prosperity, market relations, labor, and leisure? What has Judaism had to say about the political dimensions of human nature? If all humans are made in the image of God, what does that original equality imply for political order, authority, and justice? In what kinds of systems can human beings best flourish? It argues that Jewish tradition shows that we act in conformity with our nature when we elevate, improve, and sanctify it. As co-creators of the world with God, we are not just the sport of our biochemistry. We are persons who can select and choose among the traits that comprise our very own natures, cultivating some and weeding out others.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr. P. K. Kar

Gandhiji’s method of conflict resolution was based on truth and non-violence. Truth was for him the image of God. He did not believe in personal God. For Gandhi truth is God and God is truth. Life is a laboratory where experiments are carried on. That is why he named his autobiography “My Experiment with Truth”, without these experiments truth cannot be achieved. According to Gandhi, the sayings of a pure soul which possesses nonviolence, non-stealing, true speech, celibacy and non-possession is truth. The truth of Gandhiji was not confined to any country or community. In other words , his religion had no geographical limits. His patriotism was not different from the service of human beings but was its part and parcel(Mishra:102). Gandhiji developed an integral approach and perspective to the concept of life itself on the basis of experience and experiments. His ideas ,which came to be known to be his philosophy, were a part of his relentless search for truth(Iyer:270). The realization of this truth is possible only with the help of non-violence The negative concept of Ahimsa presupposes the absence of selfishness, jealousy and anger, but the positive conception of ahimsa demands the qualities of love ,liberalism, patience, resistance of injustice, and brutal force.


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