FORM & MEANING

Making the Gospel Language Meaningful

Cultural Forms & Meanings

Meanings always expressed through cultural forms Cultural forms are on surface, but meanings

are beneath surface No sacred forms, but many sacred meanings Easily entangle evangelized in forms that have

no equivalent meaning in host culture If you want to get the meaning right, you must

employ the proper contextual form

Adapted from Darrel Whiteman LecturesAsbury Theological Seminary, 2001

Language as unique cultural form Language forms designate a distinct reality

Sapir-Wharf Hypothesis Worlds of different societies are distinct worlds,

not just same with different labels

One's view of reality is influenced, if not

determined, by the language a person speaks

Different languages direct us to different aspects

of phenomena

Cultural Forms & Meanings Adapted from Darrel Whiteman Lectures

Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001

Examples of language as cultural form

that shapes perceived reality

Relativity of Color Terms How many colors in the rainbow?

Language forms impacting cultural

perspectives Continuum vs. Opposition language

Cultural Forms & Meanings Adapted from Darrel Whiteman Lectures

Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001

Conclusions: language as cultural form Language is a straight jacket that fits

comfortably Primary vehicle of culture Language as cultural form is a loop Contrary Hypothesis…

Language is predominate means for interpreting reality rather than shaping reality

What is shaped is our understanding of reality, not actual reality

Cultural Forms & Meanings Adapted from Darrel Whiteman Lectures

Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001

THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMS

Gospel Both the whole Word of God (OT/NT) and the good

news of salvation in Jesus Christ

Contextualization Making the message (gospel) meaningful to people

who are foreign in the ethno-cultural sense or who subscribe to a non-biblical worldview

De-contextualization Freeing the message (gospel) from elements of

sending culture, so intended meaning comes through with minimum of interference

Adapted from Paradigms in ConflictDavid Hesselgrave

Verbal-Plenary Inspiration Human authors were inspired by Holy Spirit in such a

way that every word they wrote (all of OT/NT) expressed the precise thought that God intended to communicate

THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMSAdapted from Paradigms in Conflict

David Hesselgrave

In an age of relative epistemology, the

trustworthiness of the “gospel” message (the

revealed message in linguistic symbols) is vital.

If the language of the text is up for debate according

to subjective interpretations (of time / culture /

worldview), then we have no authoritative basis for

propositional truths.

- Hesselgrave

THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMSAdapted from Paradigms in Conflict

David Hesselgrave

1970’s contextualization boom

Explosion of “contextual theologies”

Evangelicals and contextualization

Lausanne Consultation on Gospel and Culture

Down to Earth: Studies in Christianity and Culture

(Stott & Coote)

Christianity in Culture: A Study in Dynamic Biblical

Theologizing in Cross-Cultural Perspective (Kraft)

History of Contextualization Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict

David Hesselgrave

National Association of Evangelicals – 1942

Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) – 1949

Lausanne Covenant – 1974

International Council on Biblical Inerrancy – 1977

Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics

International Church Council Project (ICC) – 2003

History of Contextualization Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict

David Hesselgrave

1. Mythological writings Narratives and information that binds peoples together in

common loyalties and destinies

2. Enlightenment writings Knowledge of the divine mediated through personal

enlightenment experiences

3. Divine writings Directly from the divine apart from human involvement – merely

mechanical stenographers of divine orations

4. Divinely inspired writings God-breathed writings (OT/NT) in which God reveals

propositional truths mediated through human agency by inspiration of Holy Spirit

Types of Revelation Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict

David Hesselgrave

Contextualizing the Bible as mythological writing

Perspective of “deconstructionists”

Consequence: Left with the faith of various linguistic and

religious communities…Each of which relies on its own

language to describe God (functional reality).

Contextualizing the Bible as enlightened writing

Real meaning is to be found in the way words and forms

function in and among those who read them

Meaning only emerges as person enters into the texts

(making it meaning-full)

Danger of Wrong Modelsfor Biblical Contextualization

Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave

Impact of this approach for contextualization

Formal Correspondence vs. Dynamic Equivalence

Dynamic Equivalence Premises

Focus is not on form, but meaning intended

Origins of this strategy, not in Scripture, theology, but in natural sciences

Revelation is subjective and changing

Bible is potentially the Word of God, not error-free except in its intended

teachings

Ethno-linguistic interpretation rather than grammatico-historical

Scriptural words are subordinate to insights of contemporary interpreters

who define the impact of their supposed meaning

Danger of Wrong Modelsfor Biblical Contextualization

Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave

THE DEBATABLE ISSUE:Functional Equivalence (F.E.)

Meaning-full Translations

"The world's most influential Bible translator, Eugene Nida, is weary of

'word worship.'"

By David Neff

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/october7/2.46.html

We Really Do Need Another Bible Translation

As good as many modern versions are, they often do not allow us to hear

what the Holy Spirit actually said

By Raymond C. Van Leeuwen

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/october22/5.28.html

Dynamic Equivalence (Functional Equivalence)

now dominant theory

Examples: C.E.V. (1995)

TEV or Good News Version

TNIV (Today’s New International Version)

Anthropologically enlightened, but theologically

dangerous approach

Danger of Wrong Modelsfor Biblical Contextualization

Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave

Contextualizing the Bible as divine writing

Bible sometimes mistakenly contextualized in rigid/static

manner

Dictation theories impose one cultural time-frame on the

form, and disallow any modification by time or space

Danger of Wrong Modelsfor Biblical Contextualization

Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave

Contextualizing Bible as Inspired Writings Affirms reality of consistent (universal) propositional truth

revealed in Scripture

Opposes postmodern “formalist criticisms”

Danger of Wrong Modelsfor Biblical Contextualization

Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave

Meeting of minds for “critical contextualization

Discussion is needed regarding non-negotiable

universals

Must begin with commitment to authoritative Word of

God

Tools afforded by relevant sciences then engaged as

helpful/necessary additions that enable us to understand

Scripture and communicate it meaningfully across

cultures

Effective Evangelical Contextualization Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave