"As the church in the United States seeks to fulfill the biblical mandate for unity, we are coming to the realization that we desperately need proper motivation, spiritual depth, interpersonal skills, and gracious communication in order to live into God's hope for the church" (11).
Cultural intelligence: This is not one of Howard Gardner's seven intelligences, but I sure think it needs to be.
Chapter 1: Understanding Culture
Is culture merely a human creation or is it ordained by God? (21) Fascinating question to start the conversation.
Kenneth Myers - high culture (European/Western), folk culture (African drumming, Korean fan dancing, Native American jewelry), low culture (pop culture) - reflect our social and political biases and the ability for the "high culture" to define all others.
Culture is a "shared, socially learned knowledge, and patterns of behavior." It is both human formed and it forms humans (23). Culture is foundational in social life. Passed down through generations (historical significance).
Culture may operate on 3 levels: (1) behaviors that are learned (2) ideas that reinforce beliefs and values (3) products that reinforce beliefs. Example of hardware (physical body) and software (downloaded programs that distinguish computers from one another) (24-5). Takes place on the social and individual levels.
Genesis 1:26 - made in image of God. It is interesting to me that Rah focuses on the spiritual likeness to God. I would think he would focus on the material (embracing the physical, cultural differences). However, Rah does not seem to separate the two - spiritual from physical (27).
Cultural mandate - "be fruitful and culture-fy." We are similar (imitate) God in our capacity to create.
"Our goal in cultural intelligence, therefore, is not to erase cultural differences but rather to seek ways to honor the presence of God in different cultures" (29). Missio Dei - mission is God's initiative.
Corporate Cultural Responsibility - this is awesome! Using the story of fallen Jerusalem and Jeremiah's lament, Rah notes the importance of both individual and corporate confession. Rah affirms that God promises to redeem both individuals and the corporate body (34).
Cycle of Social Construction of Reality: Externalization (of values) -> objectification institutionalization -> internalization -> Externalization (37)
In this process, the externalized values of the individual members at the beginning shape the organization. If these values are grounded in scripture, the organization will outlast the original individuals.
Ch. 2: Understanding our History
"The history of passive and complicit silence or even the outright support of slavery challenges us in the twenty-first century to consider ways to lament this period. Often, majority culture Christians are unaware of its lasting import, while African-Americans may be acutely aware of its deep-rooted impact. Given the deep wounds left by slavery, the work of racial reconciliation becomes an essential step toward multi-ethnicity and cross-cultural ministry" (52).
I have found this to be especially true at Columbia Seminary. As I reflect with my peers who are African-Americans, they share with me the cultural irrelevance that they feel. In social events of students, they have felt like an outcast. In courses, they are acutely aware of the missing stories. Most recently, in Theology class, they are frustrated that we read James Cone from the 60's instead of his more recent work. They are pulled over by police officers in Decatur (racial profiling) because they drive nicer cars and are on or near Columbia's campus. They are asked by board members and supporting community members to pour drinks for them at Columbia gatherings. I see truth in Rah's chapter on corporate confession/knowing your history because I have learned from my friends how the dominant culture (white Christians) does not take notice of "others" cultural concerns.
Boarding schools for Native American children. Genocide of culture (55).
The only way to move forward is to share our stories. Most importantly, to listen to the stories of where we (dominant Christians) have failed our neighbors. We have to hear their stories and lament our historical behavior.
Ch. 3 Church and Culture
Are we aliens (immigrant - a part of community) or strangers (removed, unwanted)?
Architecture of sanctuary: 20th c. - ceilings shaped like Noah's Ark implying that the sanctuary is where Christians could be safe from God's judgment on the world outside. 21st c. -sanctuaries built like shopping malls. Culture of consumerism takes over biblical values (68-69).
1 Peter - we are not called to be removed from the world but to be actively engaged in it (72).
Our purpose - to create God's shalom in the world.
Tower of Babel - biblical values of diversity. Seen as God's punishment or God's creation?
Christmas - pagan origins of both the symbols (holly, mistletoe, evergreen trees) and the timing (Jesus was thought to be born during the spring). Rah's message - God has taken something unholy, pagan, sinful and made it good. Redemption (79). God works through culture.
It is worthwhile to compare how Rah and Pagitt each look at the concept of culture. Obviously Rah is working on a broader and more sophisticated level, but this points out that what we think of as "culture" does not have a set definition.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can see why I think that this is an important book in the conversation here. As we become a more multiethnic and multicultural society, the churches continue to function as mono-cultural "silos" within the culture--even the church culture.
Great comments and observations from our community, too. Thank you for that.