More on Redeeming Culture

Mitch has posted some great comments on yesterday's post, especially his emphasis that, as Christians, our focus should be on the "main and plain" of Jesus' teaching and example. Ironically, this isn't a contradiction to "redeeming culture" -- it's actually easier to focus on the main and plain, allow each culture to form it's own unique expression of their faith in Jesus, than it is to attempt to "Christianize" the culture (a mistake made by missionaries in the past).

Here's some great quotes from "The Celtic Way of Evangelism" by George Hunter III that speak of the Celtic Church's approach to this very issue:

The "apostolic" (in the sense of the Greek word meaning "sent on mission") team would meet the people, engage them in conversation and in ministry, and look for people who appeared receptive. They would pray for sick people, and for possessed people, and they would counsel people and mediate conflicts. On at least one occasion, Patrick blessed a river and prayed for the people to catch more fish. (page 21)

A second issue was indigeneity versus cultural uniformity... Celtic Christianity had adapted to the people's culture; the Romans wanted Roman cultural forms imposed upon all churches and peoples—a policy that was alien to the Celtic movement's practice and genius. The driving issue, of course, was control. That is why it was so important, to the Romans, for everyone to do church the "Roman way." Once any society accepted Christianity, the politically dominant Roman wing of the Church insisted that the young churches organize in the Roman pattern of dioceses led by bishops and learn to worship in Latin, follow the liturgy from Rome, sing the music from Rome, etc. (page 41)

However, the continual pressure for African churches to do church in European (and American) ways has caused the rise of many "African Independent Churches", who insist on the right to do church in African ways for Africans, and who are now growing much more than the African denominations still tied to Euro-American denominations. In the Harare meeting, however, African theologians advocated more culturally African ways for Africans, claiming that worship should engage Africans emotionally as well as intellectually. They observed that many "churches have grown by embracing African forms of worship, sacred music and dance, and by moving away from styles linked with former colonial rulers." (page 46)

There's more that should be said -- and I intend to blog more on this topic -- but right now, I've got a paper to write...