FROM THE 2011 SPECIAL PREVIEW ISSUE: CELEBRATION OF WILLIAM CAREY'S 250th BIRTHDAY
By Beth Snodderly
BLOG: William Carey as a Theologian?
May 22, 2011
At the recent 2nd annual Ralph D. Winter Lectureship co-sponsored by WCIU, Andrew Walls pointed out that crossing cultural frontiers opens hundreds of theological questions. Issues will be beyond the counsel of the oldest, best, most experienced Christians who never faced those questions. New believers do not need to follow the culture of older Christians. Speaking about Gentile believers coming to Christ, Walls said, “Conversion is turning toward Christ what is already there, until Christ is formed AMONG you, [in your society]. In Matthew’s Great Commission Jesus sends the apostles out to disciple the nations (not to make some disciples in each nation). Disciple the ROOTS of the identity of a culture.”
It seems to me that this is what William Carey was trying to do in India: disciple the roots of the Hindu culture. Ultimately, this can only be done from within the culture by believers doing their best to understand the biblical message and what that means for how they and their society should live. Walls said: “Each gospel crossing of a cultural frontier demands answers to the theological questions: 1. What should I do? 2. What should I think about Christ?”
In an online discussion, WCIU Assistant Professor Joel Hamme responded: "I think Andrew Walls' concept of turning culture Christward is helpful here. He means that culture needs to be turn toward honoring Christ. It is clear that there were at least two basic cultures in the New Testament church, a more or less Hellenistic Judaism (really all Judaism at the time was Hellenistic, it was just on a continuum) and Gentile cultures. Both had elements that needed to be redeemed by being turned toward Christ. Walls writes that it is not necessarily the content of culture, but the direction of culture, that makes the difference. If a culture is pointed Christward, then a culture will begin to take on certain traits and discard others. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 in saying the two greatest commandments are loving the Lord our God and loving our neighbors. This will look much difference in suburban metro Los Angeles than it does in a rural village in Sub-Saharan Africa, but there will be certain identifiable features that indicate that the culture is turning Christward."
BLOG: William Carey Denounced Institutional Evil
May 29, 2011
At a recent Global Theology Conference at Wheaton College, Samuel Escobar spoke about Luke 20: The widow’s mite. He pointed out that Jesus was announcing the good that was done by the marginalized such as women and Samaritans. Giving out of poverty was a sign of the Kingdom. He summarized the take-away points of this story: • Denounce institutionalized evil • Announce signs of the Kingdom of God that are being demonstrated by the marginalized • Remember we are pilgrims and strangers; we are resident aliens on this planet; we are on our way to a city with firm foundations.
William Carey denounced the institutional evil of the practice of suttee in India: burning widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands. His work actually influenced the government to outlaw this practice. This is one demonstration of a believer joining the Son of God in his mission to overcome and destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
BLOG: A Virtual Discussion about International Development and the Kingdom of God
September 15, 2011
1. The Old Testament is full of instructions to Israel for national development--personal, societal, health, sanitation, spiritual, etc. The principles from God's instructions to Israel can help any society figure out how to start getting things right—international development. Being right with God is at the root of the solution in every case, including fighting disease and making the desert blossom like a rose. (Beth Snodderly)
2. Some groups are sealed off from spiritual and physical development because of culture and language, often in realms of very blatant darkness because of lack of knowledge and light. They need extra effort from people outside "breaking in" with light. (Bruce Graham) 3. God wants an entire society changed from top to bottom, from the inside out. Working towards clean water or more widespread literacy or evangelism are all good things in themselves individually, but the foundational element in the transformation of a society is whether or not that society is actually following the true God. (Fred Lewis) 4. When God’s will comes into a community, there begin to be changes in the structure of society. Their concept of good and evil, how to make a living, etc. are changed. (Ralph Winter)