“…there are features of every culture which are not incompatible with the lordship of Christ, and which therefore need not be threatened or discarded but rather preserved and transformed. Messenger of the gospel need to develop deep understanding of the local culture, and a genuine appreciation of it. Only then will they be able to perceive whether the resistance is to some unavoidable challenge of Jesus Christ or to some threat to the culture which, whether imaginary or real, is not necessary.” – The Lausanne Committe, The Willowbank Report
If you read my blog regularly, or talk to me about missions work and the apologetic behind it, you know that I often talk about it’s relationship with cultures. Specifically, I think it’s amazingly important to recognize two facts (that are hinted in the previous quote) regarding the Gospel’s interaction with any culture. The Gospel (not necessarily the people bringing the message, but the Gospel itself) will do two things:
- Affirm some things in that culture.
- Oppose and condemn other things in that culture.
The Gospel is a respecter of cultures, but not blindly. The Gospel may affirm our American ideal of charity, openness and honesty, but it opposes our desire for comfort, utter safety and self-sufficiency. Much ink has been spilled and electrons inconvenienced on the topic of missionaries historic insensitivity, utter disdain for and destruction of cultures – particularly those of peoples who were lower on whatever socio-political structure the current empire was enforcing; but they were overwhelmingly wrong and destroyed and distorted cultures that many would say echoed the creativity of their mutual Creator.
I’m not so sure about Strengths Finder and it’s philosophical compatibility with a Christian outlook on ability, value and personal responsibility.
I’ll keep reading and we’ll see, I guess.
Very few of you will be surprised to learn that I’m opposed to it.
So, the rundown as I can gather at this point is that the Dove Outreach Center and it’s pastor Terry Jones were/are planning a Koran burning tomorrow to “celebrate” 9/11 and to take a stand against radical Islam.
I can come up with a few reasons why this is a bad idea:
- It really does put people at risk. From the men and women in the armed services overseas to missionaries that are serving in Muslim-majority countries. It places them in harms way for what amounts to a publicity stunt.
- It does not forward the Gospel. One of the purposes of any Christian church is to bring people to a point of considering the claims of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This stunt does the opposite. Muslims who are considering their beliefs about Jesus will likely be pushed away and it fuels only more animosity toward the fail within most of the general populace that we’re trying to reach. The only people that you might please are already Christians (or at least call themselves one) – and that is grossly self-serving.
- I don’t quote Rick Warren much, but his quote on today’s topic is good, “Book burning is a cowardly act by those afraid their beliefs aren’t strong enough to attract if people are allowed a choice.” It communicates that Christianity fears other religions’ beliefs – that they might be so right that believers will be convinced away from the Gospel they have been saved through.
- [EDIT: Added at 11:18 AM] The church previously partnered with Westboro Baptist Church and agrees with them, it seems, on how to “preach the truth of the Bible.” Westboro does not preach the truth of the Bible. They are a non-Christian cult who misrepresent God and the Gospel of grace.
My last reason is communicated in a Photoshopped image that a friend of mine made:
image by John Biddle
That and how dare anyone profane the name of Terry Jones?!
