Who do you see and what do you hear?
Last week I wrote about the limitation of the dominant Western perspective in William Dynrness’ book Visual Faith. Dyrness is a good example of this week’s text by Peter Frankopan. In The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, Frankopan introduces the reader to world history from a non-Western center. Unlike Dyrness, who takes a primarily Western view of visual art in his conversation, Frankopan turns the globe to center on Eurasia and expands the silk roads of trade both East and West.
The title of Frankopan’s book, The Silk Roads implies a conglomeration of roads. As Bettany Hughes writes in her review, “The plural is important. Historically, the Silk Roads were a network, not a single highway.”[1] Hughes continues to explain the title, noting “Frankopan’s study, subtitled “A New History of the World”, reminds us that one-way systems are a recent invention. Traffic – physically and culturally – typically runs two ways, and certainly did along the Silk Roads.”[2] Of course the idea of silk in the title comes from the trade of silk and other textiles and goods on the network of travel. Yet, throughout the text there is more than just the facts of trade and geographical routes. The more than six-hundred page text is filled with the stories of the happenings along the roads by their travelers.
The value in Frankopan’s text is that he communicates a perspective for which most of the Western world is ignorant. Frankopan recognizes the need to include parts of the world that are left out in traditional history lessons. He sees that others belong to the story of the past and takes it upon himself as a scholar of Byzantium history to include them.
From the beginning of Frankopan’s text, he communicates his passion for world history, beginning with geography. As I read about the map over his bed as a child I smiled. The idea of place and belonging is so important to our family that we have hung a map over our son’s bed (pictured here). When we meet people from different places or go on trips we show him the location on the map. We want him to see that the world is bigger than our home and that all people in it are part of God’s creation.
One of the limitations of The Silk Roads is those who are still not included in the history of the world. “The West is not at the center of the book, and this is good news. The axis between the Middle East and Far East is at the center of the work. However, for this reason, different, distant world regions (Australia, South and even North America) receive little attention. Such a book seems a typical of American, Europe an, and even Russian traditions where history is generally shown as a continuous line from Greeks and Romans to present-day West-Europe.”[3]
To leave out much of three continents does not allow for a full history of the world. In focusing on a different perspective, Frankopan is seen by some as anti-European and anti-West. Indeed, writing a history of the world is quite a huge task, one that should probably be done in multiple volumes with a timeline (such as the chart I bought last year, pictured here) to go with it. The reality is that all of the world has a history that needs to be communicated. Without knowing history, one does not know themselves, their DNA, or where they are headed.
This week I went to California for a work trip (with a day of cultural experience at Disneyland with our family) for the Institute of Pastoral Thriving. Meeting with three female pastors, two of them being women of color and one who may be the next president of her denomination, I hoped to hear some of their experience and wisdom on how to serve our pastors well over the coming years. What I did not expect was the impact of their stories on me and how I am beginning to listen and see from a new place of empathy and angst. My meetings with these women revealed to me how nearly like unicorns they are, as three of a small number who have led well in non-traditional ways while fully embodying their calling. These women work in the evangelical world and have risen despite many critiques and wounds. Both women of color I spoke with are still leading as minorities on their team and are not empowered or understood in ways that free them to do all of the labor unto the harvest God has called them to. In many ways, my experience with the people I am meeting is similar to being able to pick out a particular instrument in a song for the first time. Once you hear it you can’t not hear it. And, once you hear the instrument in one song, it begins to come alive in every song you hear.
Frankopan’s text illuminates the less heard instruments of the world and their impact on the song history sings to the present. These women’s stories are doing the same in my context. I am listening to hear their melody well so our team of conductors might facilitate the harmonization of a thriving pastoral community. As it relates to my own research, I am learning the injustices toward these gifted leaders so I might co-create one of many volumes of belonging for those who have been unreasonably marginalized. Prayerfully our work together will make the future less like the past.
[1] Hughes, Bettany, A Review of Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads: A New History of the World. The Telegraph, August, 2015. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/the-silk-roads-by-peter-frankopan-review/ (Accessed, October 21, 2018).
[2] Hughes.
[3] Kradin, Nikolay, A Review of Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads: A New History of the World (London: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2015)
About the Author
Trisha Welstad
Trisha is passionate about investing in leaders to see them become all God has created them to be. As an ordained Free Methodist elder, Trisha has served with churches in LA and Oregon, leading as a pastor of youth and spiritual formation, a church planter, and as a co-pastor of a church restart. Trisha currently serves as leadership development pastor at Northside Community Church in Newberg, OR. Over the last five years Trisha has directed the Leadership Center, partnering with George Fox and the Free Methodist and Wesleyan Holiness churches. The Leadership Center is a network facilitating the development of new and current Wesleyan leaders, churches and disciples through internships, equipping, mentoring and scholarship. In collaboration with the Leadership Center, Trisha serves as the director of the Institute for Pastoral Thriving at Portland Seminary and with Theologia: George Fox Summer Theology Institute. She is also adjunct faculty at George Fox University. Trisha enjoys throwing parties, growing food, listening to the latest musical creations by Troy Welstad and laughing with her two children.9 responses to “Who do you see and what do you hear?”
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Trisha,
Great post! Very clear and concise, you got directly to the point that you wanted to make. I enjoyed the crispness of your writing and imagine that when it comes time for dissertation writing, that you’ll be in great shape. Appreciated the personal reflections at the end of the post about your meeting with these women pastors of color. It is definitely the case that the “center of the world” is always contested and needs to be re-examined. It sounds like they are right in the mix of things in their contexts. Thanks for this.
Thanks Dave. I hope dissertation writing comes as easily as this post did. It seemed to flow more than most do. I am curious what your tradition looks like for minority leaders, particularly women within the US.
Trisha.
First I want to say that I love the idea of you communicating the vision of the world and also challenging son to be more than just a single minded American. Bravo! Love that kind of intentional thinking.
Great analogy of the instrument in the song. Once it is heard it is like it calls to you in every song. I am glad you had a chance to hear the journey of this leaders and affirm them and their calling. So often we live in our own world and are totally unaware that others struggle down different paths than we do. I do hope the journey that you are on and the stories you are privileged to hear along the way, shape and direct your ministry.
Thanks Greg. I hope our son grows up with more of a global perspective than I did. Just our travel more recently alone is opening my eyes to so much.
Are you seeing people who are on the outside in your context based on ethnicity? After being in Hong Kong and seeing all of the Philippino women I realized I would never have thought about outsiders there unless pointed out to me.
Trisha,
I like your description of picking out a musical instrument, like a particular person, in music or life. I played the trombone in school and then self-taught acoustic guitar to accompany my daughter who started with old-time fiddling. Yes, once you hear it, you remember it. Thanks for the reflections!
JoAnne and I used to go into the “bush” and visit local churches and were amazed at the variety and use of “what they had” to make music. The Bible makes a great percussion instrument, held in one hand, slapped with the other hand, to accompany the foot stomping, and vocals of the congregant choirs.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Mike, the analogy was a one that came to me as I live in a musical home and we are teaching our son to pick out instruments in the songs he hears. Now every time he hears an organ or saxophone he yells it out. So hilarious but so true to life.
Hi Trisha,
I loved your perspective that once you hear something, you can’t unhear it. And with Frankopan’s unusual approach to world history, I hope it will keep influencing us to consider other angles and perspectives on viewing reality. Your being captivated by female pastors of colour is such a great way to enter into another’s place of pain and privilege. Thanks for the gift of your post this week.
Thanks Mark. I am realizing that connecting with these women is so important and serves the whole of the church rather than just one group. I guess that can be true of any group but it’s especially meaningful to me.
What a change from last week! Yeah, it was interesting to read the different “centering” the last two weeks of reading had.
Love hearing about the Pastoral Thriving trip! Oh shoot I need to apply to that!!!