The Perception of Contextualization – A Response to MissionShift

I am part of a group of bloggers, who received a free copy of MissionShift: Global Mission Issues in the Third Millennium, edited by David Hesselgrave and Ed Stetzer, in order to participate in a discussion on Ed Stetzer’s website.

I am responding to Paul Hiebert’s Essay entitled, “The Gospel in Human Contexts: Changing Perceptions of Contextualization.” Here is the summary of his thesis provided in MissionShift.

Thesis: The purpose of this essay is to offer some discussion of the state of “Contextualization” as a critical aspect of missions, and of the changing perceptions of contextualization among missionaries and missions scholars. Any analysis of the current status of the Christian mission in the world must take social, historical, personal, and other contexts into account, and examine the relationships between the different contexts in which the people we serve live. In this sense this essay addresses the PRESENT of what has traditionally been termed “missions.”

I am not monocultural – never was and never have been. I’m multicultural by birth: I am Canadian and I am also Korean – I’m Korean-Canadian. I agree with Hiebert when he suggests that individuals like me “are aware of cultural differences and have learned to negotiate between two worlds in daily living.” However, I disagree with him when he suggests that individuals like me “often do not stop to consciously examine these contexts, how they shape their thinking, or the deep differences between them.” Perhaps I’m different in that I am always constantly wrestling with my Korean and Canadian cultural differences – perhaps this is because I believe that I am a ligament in the Body of Christ.

Hiebert’s essay goes to strengthen my view that religion cannot be separated from culture. Well, I can’t necessarily call it “my view,” but it is a sociological view that I have personally wrestled with and agree with.

I find that in many areas, the pendulum has to swing from one end to the other for a while before we can come to a good conclusion. Hiebert introduces the different views of contextualization in his essay. He begins by explaining Minimal Contextualization on the one hand, which can be largely likened to the colonial view of Christianity where Imperialistic Christians enter other cultures and impose their “Western” views of Christianity onto others. Uncritical Contextualization was the response to Minimal Contextualization and really was on the opposite end of the spectrum, which can easily lead to syncretism. The view that is a bit more in the middle is called Critical Contextualization. If you want to learn more about these issues, I do encourage you to purchase MissionShift: Global Mission Issues in the Third Millennium, Transforming Mission by David Bosch, and Theology in the Context of World Christianity by Timothy Tennent.

Now what application does all this have with doing ministry in the 21st century?

1. Know yourself.
   1. If you haven’t yet taken the StrengthsFinder assessment, I do encourage you to purchase the book and go through the assessment. I am a Strengths Performance Coach, so I can help you understand your assessment if you contact me.
2. Know your beliefs.
   1. A great book to start off with is Knowing God by J.I. Packer. Solid solid stuff!
3. Serve and love others just as Jesus Christ did – let others see the love of God through you.
   1. Check out The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay for a great encouragement in this area.

I know this sounds a bit simplistic, and that’s the point. I believe we need to let our knowledge point to action. So get going!