Hmmm... Interesting stuff regarding the three "loci" of theological understanding. I agree that our theological perceptions are shaped by our cultures, but I'm pretty sure God is not shaped by those perceptions. Interesting line from Charles Kraft - "theology that is perceived as irrelevant, is in fact irrelevant." Problem here - I'm not convinced God's Spirit is limited to whether someone is culturally "hip" or not. This would seem to indicate that if someone "lags" in cultural understanding, the gospel message they might bring is irrelevant. I'm not sure I believe that because ultimately, I think God is moving, despite my astute ability to articulate God culturally. That doesn't mean articulating the gospel in a culture isn't important, but Kraft's forceful phrase is over the top in my judgment.
Good, interesting argument about great theologians work always being contextual - Luther hit the culture's need for "personal relationship" with God. What is the contextual "need" of our current culture?
Incredibly powerful example of the Masai culture in Africa where water poured over the head of a woman means that she is cursed to barrenness. What does one do with that when it comes to baptism?
Bevans argues there is growing dissatisfaction with theologies that don’t give voice to people – especially marginalized people. He makes the great point that there is no more impressive argument for contextualization is there than that God became a human. I like the quote, "A gift that cannot be recognized as such is hardly a gift."
Overall, I Agree in principle with Bevans points, but it makes me nervous that, in our desire to change and be relevant, we won’t communicate an accurate picture of the unchanging One. This takes incredible creativity and trust in God to lead us.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I think Bevans' point is that God's work is always done within cultures though, while God may not be shaped by culture, we are, which makes God have to be cultural in some sense. In other words, there is no cultural-free interaction with God on our end. Even the language we "hear" and the "visions" we see God in/as is rooted within our own cultural, national and historical formations.
Post a Comment