Now, forty years after Lausanne 1974, what should be the overall assessment of its treatment of the relationship between the Gospel and human cultures? The gospel has been reduced to a number of slogansJesus died for my sins, we are saved by grace not by works, I accept Jesus as my personal savior. Evangelicals have recognized the importance of contextualization since the Lausanne Congress. These goals established the framework of the consultation and, ultimately, the drafting of the results were communicated to the public. Jesus taught the Cross of God, Copyright 2014 |All Rights Reserved. The Lausanne Movement emphasizes the need to contextualize the gospel. This raises the question: Is there a correct evangelical view of relating the Gospel to human cultures? Fourthly, there is acknowledgement that the Gospel does not presuppose the superiority of any culture to another. The First International Congress on World Evangelization ( ICOWE ), also sometimes called the Lausanne Congress or Lausanne '74, was held from 16 to 25 July 1974. Ultimately, contextualization fosters the development of Christian faith with many cultural centres. Evangelization is the greatest benefit possible to confer on any culture. [412] Tite Tinou Forming Indigenous Theologies in Toward the 21st Century in Christian Mission, by James M. Phillips and Robert T. Coote (eds) (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 248-249. So, as Stott arrived in Mexico City in January 1975 for the first meeting of the continuation committee he knew it would be an uphill battle. (John 3:5-6) The word "Trinity" is not written in any bible. Contrary to McGavrans claim, and in support of Padillas warnings, there are numerous examples of cultural superiority in the history of Protestant mission practice since the seventeenth century. Stott demanded that the Lausanne Covenants emphasis on the social implications of the gospel be reflected in the organizations ongoing work. Though agreed by the Congress as a whole, it was Stott who had the unenviable task of bringing the perspectives expressed in the Congress together in one document. For them, social concern had occupied just one paragraph of the covenant and little of the congresss discussions, whereas evangelism had dominated both. He says so many modern evangelicals lack long-term memory, which comes from having a clear Christian identity shaped by the gospel. Edward N. Gross, for example, wondered if Kraft could still be considered an evangelical since he, evidently, does not appreciate the irreconcilable differences between Christianity and anthropology. These were the key questions posed on 22 October 2021, when over 120 participants from around the world joined virtually for The Good News in a World of Fake News: Knowing the Story. Exploitation has stood under God's judgment since the days of Sinai (Exod. Trevin Wax is vice president of research and resource development at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. In January 1978, soon after the Willowbank Consultation, the journal Gospel in Context was launched. Please make sure all fields are filled out. Henry warns that the normativity of biblical theology cannot survive alongside the normativity of anthropology. Accepting the polycentric nature of Christianity may cause uneasiness for some people, nevertheless returning to a Christianity with only one cultural centre is now an impossibility. The word contextualization caused uneasiness for evangelicals, in part, because of its perceived link to theological liberalism. It is not biblical for man on earth to initiate a covenant with God in heaven like this. God's first FOUR Commandments are for His FOUR attributes on the cross. God does the gospel, and we get to announce that to other people.. It affirms social responsibility to help the oppressed yet states that social efforts cannot substitute for the preaching of the gospel to every person. We are dedicated to our historic Creeds and Confessions because we believe they are faithful to the Scriptures. A Casual Christian can be all the things that they esteem: a nice human being, a family person, religious, an exemplary citizen, a reliable employeeand never have to publicly defend or represent difficult moral or social positions or even lose much sleep over their private choices as long as they mean well and generally do their best.[4]. While many Congress participants agreed with McGavran, others distanced themselves from the ideas he expressed, especially his view that world evangelism has nothing to do with Eurican imperialism past or present. [1] One of the most influential documents in modern evangelicalism,[2] it was written at the First International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland, where it was adopted by 2,300 evangelicals in attendance. The argument is made with Creation-based Bible Interpretation (CBBI). Cherian agreed, adding, Just a few disjointed verses are not going to help you understand the genuine gospel, the culmination of a wonderful long story, of Gods plan to bring Gods redemption to the world. The cultures as they stand are incredibly varied and rich. False gospels begun in other countries quickly make their way to the megachurches of Singapore, where the main consideration for a speaker is his or her ability to draw the crowdsbig bucks, big crowds. They also explain why, in his commentary on the covenant, John Stott states that Paragraph 10 (Evangelism and Culture and paragraph eleven Education and Leadership) handle two related subjects, culture and leadership. If theres anything clear in the gospel, its that we are not the gospel and we do not do the gospel. John R. W. Stott, troubles me. %PDF-1.3 % Just like I had to learn what a real thousand-rupee note is, we need to know our four gospels really well. First, the interest in Gospel and culture seems to focus on the development of strategies for world evangelization and on imaginative pioneering methods. the same God numbered 7th day, 7th day, 7th day (777) on the 7th day of His Creation. [409] For Myers, and for many evangelicals, contextualization is useful as a method and a strategy. the same God introduced with the first six sentences of the Bible. A lot of people who identify as Bible-believing Christians in America actually dont understand the gospel, says Duncan. How on earth can men initiate a covenant with God in heaven? Fake news is widespread and powerful in a global culture where people have 24/7 access to television, radio, news websites, podcasts, messaging apps, Facebook, and Twitter, all channels through which fake news proliferates. Secondly, Lausanne 1974 did not sufficiently extend the discussion on Gospel and culture to all aspects of Christian life, including theology, as the deliberate choice of the word evangelization would have encouraged. The resulting Lausanne Covenant is a key document in the history of 20th-century evangelicalism. By the time of Lausanne, Stott had come to the conclusion that God called his people to care about society and politics as well as evangelism. Arrogant men who claim to initiate a covenant with God are guilty of deception, and insult the intelligence of any God-fearing person who knows God in heaven is not subject to the will of humans. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition and has contributed to The Washington Post, Religion News Service, World, and Christianity Today, which named him one of 33 millennials shaping the next generation of evangelicals. What's Wrong With Religion by Skye Jethani It was designed to have broad evangelical appeal. Today [1974], however, there is another form of culture Christianity that has come to dominate the world scene the American Way of Life. Indeed, these observations could have been more nuanced but they highlight an enduring problem that must be taken seriously in all discussions relative to the issue of Gospel and human cultures. Communion with Christ is what we all want more than anything else., The other way false gospels can come about, says Duncan, is that we find ways to say that what we do is the gospel. The next section uses CBBI to analyze all fifteen chapters of the Lausanne Covenant. [405] Evangelicals have much work to do before they are comfortable with the ambiguity entailed in this suggestion. The ideas expressed by these three speakers at the Congress introduce the discussion of the topic and provide the context for understanding the format and the contents of Paragraph 10 of the Lausanne Covenant (Evangelism and Culture). On the issue of Gospel and culture, Kraft, Gross, Henry and Larkin, evangelicals from the United States, have articulated, as we have seen, viewpoints reminiscent of those attributed to Clement of Alexandria: continuity (Kraft), and Tertullian of Carthage: discontinuity (Gross, Henry, Larkin). [389] The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization established the Lausanne Theology and Education Group to promote theological reflection on issues related to world evangelization and, in particular, to explore the implications of the Lausanne Covenant.[390]. [411]Gospel contextualization revisited, MARC Newsletter, Number 97-3 (Sept 1997), 6. However, they rejected the Bibles teaching on (1) the gravity of mans sin, (2) the importance of the churchs gathering together for worship, and (3) the Holy Spirit.[3]. In 1988 Culture and Biblical Hermeneutics, by William J. Larkin, was published. [413] This shows the significance of the Lausanne Movement as a major contributor to global evangelical conversations on the issue of Gospel and culture. Eugene L. Smiths Mandate for Mission (New York: Friendship Press, 1968) deserves special mention. For the purposes of this essay, I will note only one of the goals: To develop our understanding of the interrelation of the gospel and culture with special reference to Gods revelation, to our interpretation and communication of it, and to the response of the hearers in their conversion, their churches and their lifestyle.[391] Were this and the other three goals reached at the consultation? She currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. False converted In the first place, the focus on strategy was too narrow, and this limited the impact of the work done in the Lausanne Movement. In the Premiere Issue the publisher stated the purpose of the new journal in these words: Gospel in Context will be about contextualization, the challenges presented by the new awareness of the Churchs inevitable incarnation in particular societies and cultures for a faithful proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lausanne Covenant reflected Stott's vision. This is not the first time an argument like this has been made, but it's the first time the Trinity is replaced with a 4-way God of the Cross as a family in heaven. THE MIRACLE. Connecting influencers and ideas for global mission. Reading the Lausanne Covenant of 1974 is puzzling. This book explains four things you MUST know: 1. Bishop Jack Dain, Executive Chairman of the Congress, explained this choice by affirming that Lausanne is a Congress on evangelization, not a Congress on evangelism, because we not only need to think of evangelism, that is, the proclamation of the Gospel, but the whole task given to us by the risen Christ. These two are different gospels, works verses grace, for two different purposes, for two different time periodsbefore and after the resurrection. Some felt he was blackmailing the committee. You can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, or receive his columns via email. It was at this consultation that contextualization acquired greater acceptance in evangelical circles. 35, No. Padilla defines culture Christianity as the identification of Christianity with a culture or cultural expression[375] and provides the following specific instances: In the sixteenth century, Latin America was conquered in the name of the Catholic king and queen of Spain. The most significant ones are: A pernicious notion that world evangelism is a concealed form of Eurican imperialism and will destroy the beautiful cultures of Asia, Africa and Latin America has recently been retarding world evangelism. HUr6}+qH2c{TR[J xj>yrQ/z #lpy >A;?>2/Gu. default PDF/X-1:2001 Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. One is to see Jesus as a means to something else thats greater than or more than, or in addition to Jesus. By morning, he had decided to confront Graham, who was bankrolling the meeting and the movement. He Gets Us is an initiative of Servant Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization . [7] The covenant specifically affirms the beliefs in the Nicene Creed. Evangelism, Missions and the Persecuted Church, https://lausanne.org/content/covenant/lausanne-covenant#cov, https://www.godweb.org/confession1967.htm. [369] The reader will note the unusual length of the citations from the documents of the Lausanne Congress. The Lausanne Covenant reflectedStotts vision. [400] They were less unified on the possibility of extending the influence of national and racial traits to theology. The challenge of hypocrisy is made with the aid of the cross illustrated 114 times in the book. [392] Paul G. Hiebert Anthropological Insights for Missionaries (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1985), 30. Post author: Post published: June 10, 2022 Post category: printable afl fixture 2022 Post comments: columbus day chess tournament columbus day chess tournament Given the complexity of the issue, evangelicals should reconcile themselves to the fact that there is no single correct way to relate to a given culture as a whole, or even to its dominant thrust. A public showdown. [401] Carl F. H. Henry is another evangelical who expressed strong disagreement with Kraft. (Mat 28:19) Lacking is Eve, the mother of all living humanity. In the opening section, we find helpful 'personal preludes'. In light of the powerful influence that this type of Christianity has had in what is known as the mission field, the Gospel that is preached today in the majority of countries of the world bears the marks of the American Way of Life.[376]. A few years ago, Jacob Cherian, dean of faculty at the Centre of Global Leadership Development in Bangalore, India, received a cash gift of several thousand rupees. Both, he writes, have to do with churches which come into being as the fruit of missionary labour.[384]. Learn More, Lausanne I: The International Congress on World Evangelization, The Lausanne Legacy: Landmarks in Global Mission. Stott discovered that the powers that be in this American-led movement had not really accepted the covenants dual emphasis on evangelism and social action Stott was adamant that Lausanne should be about social action, as well as evangelism. [377] In an essay of this size and nature, it is impossible to take into account the vast and varied literature on colonialism and evangelization and mission. As business began, Stott stunned everyone by saying that he would resign from the committee if Grahams vision for the movement prevailed. [373] Donald A. McGavran, The Dimensions of World Evangelization in Let the Earth Hear His Voice: International Congress on World Evangelization, Lausanne, Switzerland, J. D. Douglas (ed) (Minneapolis, MN: World Wide Publications, 1975) 96, 97. That statement, largely drafted by . It was concerned with implanting not merely Spanish culture, but a Christian culture In the nineteenth century, the Christian missionary outreach was so closely connected with European colonialism that in Africa and Asia Christianity would become identified as the white mans religion. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). In Paragraph 7, Co-operation in evangelism, one reads: We confess that our testimony has sometimes been marred by sinful individualism and needless duplication. Perhaps one should not speculate on the reasons for the difference between Paragraphs 7 and 10 (confession in one but not the other), but the difference is striking. Cultures, we read, are never static; there is a continuous process of change.[393] This definition of culture offered hope for the possibility of an open and fruitful discussion among evangelicals worldwide. [390] John Stott An Historical Introduction in Making Christ Known, xvi. Many in the room disagreed. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. Sara Kyoungah White is the Communications Editor for the Lausanne Movement. Strange as it may seem, this practice coincides with the view expressed in the message of the Imperial German Colonial Office to the Edinburgh 1910 World Missionary Conference: The German Colonial Office recognizes with satisfaction and gratitude that the endeavours for the spread of the Gospel are followed by the blessings of civilization and culture in all countries.[380] The reproduction of cultural forms of Christianity is, therefore, a more general problem besetting Christians from all continents and from the various cultures of humankind. The campaign's website explains: "He Gets Us is a movement to reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible and his confounding love and forgiveness. The Lausanne Covenant was ratified at the International Congress on World Evangelization, held in Lausanne, Switzerland, in July 1974. However, the belief that preaching the gospel was all that really mattered was still common, especially in the United States. PDF/X-1:2001 [387]The Whole Gospel for the Whole Church: Story of Lausanne II Congress on World Evangelization, Manila 1989, Alan Nichols (ed) (Charlotte, NC: LCWE, and Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1989), 16. For example, in point six, "The Church and Evangelism," the Covenant reads, "In the church's mission of sacrificial service evangelism is primary" (373). It is pointed out that whoever mixes these two gospels together receives Paul's double curse from heaven and earth. Scripture quotations from each Lausanne Covenant chapter are tested with this result: the Lausanne Covenant convicts itself 200 times to validate the following conclusion--. (Mat 28:19) Lacking is Eve, the mother of all living humanity. Attraction to these false gospels is one thing, but it doesnt explain why many Christians continue to go after false prophets, despite repeated experiences of failed prophecies.. [375] Ren Padilla, Evangelism and the World in Let the Earth Hear His Voice, 125. He did this by focusing not on the standard version of the commission, namely Jesus command to go and make disciples of all nations as recorded in Matthews gospel, but rather on Johns account of Jesus telling his disciples that as his Father had sent him, so he was sending them. Eurican is the adjective deriving from Eurica meaning Europe and America, one of McGavrans neologisms. They did agree with the need for the embodiment of the Gospel but some wondered if a new word was required to describe that process. That the Lausanne Covenant was agreed upon by 2,300 people from 150 nations from all branches of the Christian church in the space of ten days is one of the miracles of contemporary church history. Although both forms of adaption distort the Gospel and are cultural, we will focus our attention here on culture Christianity. It will focus on the critical problem of how the Church can avoid the kind of captivity to particular cultures or class interests which blunts its faithfulness as a messenger of the Gospel while allowing the Gospel to speak meaningfully within particular contexts.[399]. As time went on, however, it became clear that the committee tasked with continuing the work of Lausanne was not fully on board with the Covenant's inclusion of social ministry. [406] Hesselgraves statement alludes to the fact that the word contextualization originated in the work of the Theological Education Fund (TEF), an organization established in 1958 by the International Missionary Council. [409] Bryant Myers Research? Did the invisible God of Creation sit down with all the covenant members at Lausanne, Switzerland and sign the covenant agreement with invisible ink? But, did the TEF infuse it with a meaning that detracted from biblical theology and mission? The following two confessions deal with the issue of Gospel and culture: We confess that We have often been in bondage to a particular culture and sought to spread it in the name of Jesus; that We have not been aware of when we have debased and distorted the Gospel by acceptance of a contrary value system. This convenient and comfortable approach to Christianity goes in stark contrast to how the Bible depicts what it means to be a follower of Christ. When we dont remember that we are the people of God in a community shaped by the gospel, we cannot draw on the resources of our collective memory to assess our present challenges. According to Smith (73ff), four areas of compromise have plagued the church-in-mission throughout the ages: compromise with the state, with culture, with disunity in the church, and with money. They probed it further at the Willowbank Consultation and in subsequent years. Graham made sure that his relationship with Stott was not breached, writing to him in April to say that there is no man that I respect, love, admire and would gladly follow more devotedly than I would you. It was a mark of Grahams humility that he did not use his enormous capital to press his point at the meeting at Mexico. Some evangelicals, such as Bruce Fleming, preferred the word indigenization and suggested it as the evangelical alternative to contextualization. In his biography of John Stott, Godly Ambition,Alister Chapman describes the background for the confrontation: The central purpose of the congress was to galvanize evangelicals to finish the task, to ensure that the gospel finally reached every corner of the earth. A related theme is that there is no 4-step salvation without God of the Cross that Jesus explained to Nicodemus--One must be born in the flesh, water, and spirit to enter the kingdom of God. "The Lausanne Covenant Hypocrisy" is a book that exposes the Lausanne Covenant and the Lausanne Movement to be a hoax. [367] It will do so by examining the issue of Gospel and culture in the documents produced by the Congress held in Lausanne in 1974 and the Consultation convened in Willowbank in 1978. [366] Why and how did the issue of culture occupy such a significant place at the 1974 Congress and in the Lausanne Movement? I decided then to learn the key characteristics of a real thousand rupee note, says Cherian. 2. The definition of culture is found in Section 2 of the Willowbank Report. The Consultation on Gospel and Culture appeared to have created an evangelical consensus regarding the vision of contextualization, a vision whereby Jesus Christ and his kingdom will find fuller expression in the whole life of people in every culture. No Apostle did that outside of harmony among brothers. The conference is noted for producing the Lausanne Covenant, one of the major documents of modern evangelical Christianity. About the same time, in 1998, Ralph Winter expressed his frustration with contextualization in this pithy statement: OK, forget the turgid theologies of contextualization. See his De-Westernization Tomorrow in Mission Frontiers, Vol. It has been translated into over twenty languages.
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