{"id":12226,"date":"2017-03-07T13:09:25","date_gmt":"2017-03-07T21:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dminlgp.com\/?p=12226"},"modified":"2017-03-07T13:09:25","modified_gmt":"2017-03-07T21:09:25","slug":"god-want-to-talk-to-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/god-want-to-talk-to-you\/","title":{"rendered":"God Want To Talk To You"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/h1>\n

Introduction<\/h1>\n

Tanya Luhrmann presents When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God<\/em> to illustrate a distinctive description of anthropology in regards to the perceptions and motives held by contemporary Evangelical Christians.[1]<\/a> According to Bielo, it contributes significantly to the movement by different anthropologists who are attempting to understand the nature of Christianity in North America.[2]<\/a> The term used in the book, \u201cAnthropology of Christianity,\u201d is one category that solely illustrates the Protestant nature of the experience according to Bender.[3]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The book identifies the sources that, in many cases, are ignored or underappreciated as anthropologists examine the practice of prayers and reading of theological writings. Through this book, the author attempts to move the literature of contemporary Christian tradition forward and to investigate the rationale for church members\u2019 practices performed.[4]<\/a> The book includes materials and identifies the resources that have broadened anthropologists\u2019 description of Christianity, or in Luhrmann\u2019s words, \u201canthropology of Christianity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Summary<\/h1>\n

Luhrmann renewed the concept of an anthropological viewpoint on religion, which is based on the experience of practitioners. She included the observations made in the context of Vineyard Church, which focuses mainly in the betterment of self and emphasizes the experience. Many different aspects of the theology are considered in this book, such as the question, \u201cHow does God become real for people?\u201d Her perceptions towards the existence and invisibility of God is that of a believer and a skeptic as well. In her book, she clarifies that the question is not concerned with the belief\u2014\u201cHow is religious belief possible?\u201d; rather, it is about the aspect of God being real and believable for believers. According to Luhrmann, the concept of experience in the context of Evangelical Christianity is relatively new, and can be approached through different media.[5]<\/a> Also, the psychological world of both believers and skeptics is similar. As identified in this book, the three main approaches refer to the history, the ethnographic formation, and the mental state developed in accordance with religious experiences.<\/p>\n

After reading When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God,<\/em> I believe it can be considered as a reflection of the significance of specialized practices in social settings and the impact of experience on learning: \u201clearning to do rather than learning to think.\u201d[6]<\/a> Despite of all the omissions and limits, there is a need to emphasize the experience of institutional support and practices conducted.<\/p>\n

Reflection<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After reading the book, I observed two different aspects to consider. The first aspect was the attention given to experience, the activities occurring in church. Also, it suggests that practitioners\u2019 lifestyles and perceptions are neglected in some cases. This is similar to the factors that tend to emphasize certain topics while ignoring others. In contrast, the second aspect that grabbed my attention was the distinctively Christian anthropology that complicates the living styles of individuals in particular.[7]<\/a> This may also be noted through the experiential critiques of theology. In my opinion, Luhrmann\u2019s book highlights the association between anthropological understanding and the sources of theology, make the contribution to the advancement of anthropology even greater.<\/p>\n

However, the\u00a0book not only helps the Evangelicals but also the non-Christians to start thinking about their own faith and to consider converting to Evangelicalism. But\u00a0Christians will benefit most from reading this book as they will relate to the scenarios and prayers themselves. Evangelical converts can develop a new theory in their mind where they can experience their inner feelings and thoughts. Also, it will help people know what and who they really are from the inside.[8]<\/a><\/p>\n

Experience\"\"<\/a><\/h1>\n

\u201cMy sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me\u201d (John 10:27).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Overall, this book discusses how evangelicals come to see the world in a certain way, as they learn to talk to and hear from God, and how to interpret events as God\u2019s intervention. This is the value of this text: It goes beyond describing the evangelical viewpoint and argues for how this viewpoint is developed and maintained. This is an example of what good social science can do: It can explain why things are the way they are. Building a relationship and experiencing God through two-way communication allows God to talk and you listen, therefore God want to talk to you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Notes<\/h1>\n

[1]<\/a>. Tanya M. Luhrmann, When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God<\/em> (New York: Vintage, 2012).<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a>. James S. Bielo, Words upon the Word: An Ethnography of Evangelical Group Bible Study<\/em> (New York: NYU Press, 2009).<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a>. Courtney Bender, The New Metaphysicals: Spirituality and the American Religious Imagination<\/em> (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010).<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a>. Mary M. Juzwik,\u201cAmerican Evangelical Biblicism as Literate Practice: A Critical Review,\u201d Reading Research Quarterly<\/em> 49, no. 3 (2014): 340.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a>. Joel Robbins, Bambi B. Schieffelin, and Aparecida Vila\u00e7a, \u201cEvangelical Conversion and the Transformation of the Self in Amazonia and Melanesia: Christianity and the Revival of Anthropological Comparison,\u201d Comparative Studies in Society and History<\/em> 56, no. 03 (2014): 565.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a>. Tanya Marie, \u201cTalking Back about When God Talks Back,<\/em>\u201d Journal of Ethnographic Theory<\/em> 3, no. 3 (2013): 389.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a>. Roxana Waterson, The Living House: An Anthropology of Architecture in South-East Asia<\/em> (North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle, 2013), 34.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a>. Roxana Waterson, The Living House: An Anthropology of Architecture in South-East Asia<\/em> (North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle, 2013), 34.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a>. James Wakefield, Sacred Listening: Discovering the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola<\/em> (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2006).<\/p>\n

Bibliography<\/h1>\n

Bender, Courtney. The New Metaphysicals: Spirituality and the American Religious Imagination.<\/em> Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010.<\/p>\n

Bielo, James S. Words upon the Word: An Ethnography of Evangelical Group Bible Study.<\/em> New York: NYU Press, 2009.<\/p>\n

Juzwik, Mary M. \u201cAmerican Evangelical Biblicism as Literate Practice: A Critical Review.\u201d Reading Research Quarterly<\/em> 49, no. 3 (2014): 335\u201349.<\/p>\n

Luhrmann, Tanya M. When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God<\/em>. New York: Vintage, 2012.<\/p>\n

Marie, Tanya. \u201cTalking Back about When God Talks Back.\u201d Journal of Ethnographic Theory<\/em> 3, no. 3 (2013): 389\u201398.<\/p>\n

Robbins, Joel, Bambi B. Schieffelin, and Aparecida Vila\u00e7a. \u201cEvangelical Conversion and the Transformation of the Self in Amazonia and Melanesia: Christianity and the Revival of Anthropological Comparison.\u201d Comparative Studies in Society and History<\/em> 56, no. 03 (2014): 559\u201390.<\/p>\n

Wakefield, James. Sacred Listening: Discovering the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola.<\/em> Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2006.<\/p>\n

Waterson, Roxana. The Living House: An Anthropology of Architecture in South-East Asia.<\/em> North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle, 2013.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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