The small size of Matthew Michael\u2019s, Christian Theology & African Traditions<\/i> is deceiving because it really is an immense theological textbook that deserves to be in every pastor\u2019s library. This book will serve as a great reference for me. I appreciate and value this work. Maybe it\u2019s because I\u2019ve taught World History for over 20 years and\/or because I\u2019ve been involved with church planting in Africa for over twelve years; as much as I appreciate this study regarding Africa, I find that it also applies to California traditions as well. It\u2019s as if each chapter could be applied to pastoring in the States. I thought it would be fun (it is almost summer for me!) to take some quotes from the book and whenever Michael writes, \u201cAfrica\u201d I would insert \u201cAmerica.\u201d Let\u2019s see what happens.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe power of traditions as the origin of worldview cannot be underestimated, thus we must take seriously the challenge that the [American] worldview poses to biblical Christianity in [America].\u201d P11<\/p>\n
So many people in the United States have this false idea that America is Christian. The fact is, the American worldview is not aligned with Jesus\u2019 worldview as described in the Gospels. Christians in the USA are increasingly seeing themselves on the sidelines. This is true, and okay. Historically, we do our best work when we are in exile.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe failure of Christianity to have a formidable impact on the continent is because of the failure of Christianity to engage the worldview of the [American] people.\u201d P12<\/p>\n
This reminds me of how the First Nation People living on this continent before European immigrants came and colonized it(just like Africa!), were treated in the name of God. Just like Africa the Christian Europeans did not engage the worldview of those already living here. This resulted in horrible consequences.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe formidable task before the [American] church is the task to Christianize the [American] people. This Christianizing agenda has unfortunately taken place without adequate understanding of the [American] worldview.\u201d P13<\/p>\n
In 2017, there is no such thing as one American worldview. This is complicated and this quote really challenges me. It is also true that there is not one worldview in Africa. Africa is a continent; a really big continent with a complex set of worldviews.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe struggle often is the parallel observance of the things from the Bible and the [American] worldview, thus leading to dual allegiance of these Christians.\u201d P13<\/p>\n
This is the single greatest hurdle for me as a pastor. It seems to me that when I baptize people they symbolically die with Christ while under the water, but as they emerge, they are a new creation in Christ still hanging on to their American-ness. The last time I checked, over 80% of Americans claim Evangelicalism, but their lifestyle is more about making America great at the expense of Christian witness.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thought of reaching Christian maturity becomes nearly impossible in the context of this divided loyalty.\u201dP13<\/p>\n
This is just a true statement no matter what tradition.<\/p>\n
\u201cChristian theology must seek to help these Christians to better engage the traditional [American] worldview by advocating a transformation of the [American] worldview in the light of biblical revelation.\u201dP13<\/p>\n
This is my goal as a pastor of a local church. For me, it\u2019s not about building a church wall to keep culture out. I\u2019m with Augustine and Calvin and believe Christ is the transformer of culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe [American] church must discourage the temptation among its members to seek traditional modes of seeking \u201cspiritual guidance\u201d or \u201cdirection.\u201d P51<\/p>\n
For me, traditional modes in the States are Oprah and various news agencies. I would love to see the American church get back to basing guidance on the Bible.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, with the current globalization and the intrusion of modernity, particularly Western secularism and the scientific mindset, it should be expected that these modern contexts will put [American] understandings of God to the test.\u201d P90-91<\/p>\n
See Charles Taylor and James K.A. Smith for this one.<\/p>\n
\u201cA sound theology, particularly in our [American] setting, must maintain the mysterious and the supernatural without becoming absurd and ridiculous.\u201d P99<\/p>\n
I wish my tribe, the Vineyard, would have navigated this a bit better. In our short history we have managed to go through times of eliminating mystery and also times of being absurd and ridiculous. Although there are still wounds from the past, it does seem like our movement is healthier now than in years past.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn [America], this depersonalized existence is further complicated by the disappearance and collapse of the extending family systems and the falling apart of tribal and ethnic solidarity fronts.\u201d P126<\/p>\n
My wife is a certified birthing doula and lactation specialist. Southern California needs people like her because young couples do not have knowledge of how to have a baby and keep her alive. So many new moms and dads around us do not have extended family near by to help young growing families make it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this regard, the [American] materialistic and temporal quest for salvation in the here and now, must be transformed to embrace the divine plan for salvation now in Christ, which though, having a dominant spiritual emphasis now, will have fuller physical realization at the end of time.\u201d P187<\/p>\n
One of the hardest concepts to teach today is that there is something bigger than ourselves. Concepts like eternity and being part of the kingdom of Jesus that is not centered in Washington DC are very difficult to explain and live out today.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor many [American] Christians, such a \u2018crossover\u2019 has not yet taken place because Christian life and thought are primarily understood from the vantage point of the traditional [American] worldview, thus rendering their Christian lifestyle incompatible to the expected lifestyle of the Christian believer.\u201d P198<\/p>\n
Insert antiwar rant here. American Christians seem addicted to the gods of empire which is completely incompatible with the Gospel of Jesus as explained in the Sermon on the Mount.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this regard, some [Americans] joined the church and subsequently seek baptism because they want the church to give them a befitting burial at the time of their death or for the church to identify with them during their moment of crisis or problems.\u201d P207<\/p>\n
There is not much I can add here. This quote speaks for itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the [American] Christian, his loyalty is to the noun rather than the adjective that describes him, thus \u201c[American] Christian\u201d becomes first and foremost committed to the \u201cChristian\u201d in this label, and it is such \u201cChristian\u201d commitment that determines his general attitude to the \u201c[American]\u201d and the adjectival nomenclature that further describes him.\u201d P225<\/p>\n
This is the sweet spot that we as leaders hope the people we lead will all hit! I imagine a church where the noun comes before the adjective. I am thankful for this book and learning about theology and African traditions and how they can be applied to American traditions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The small size of Matthew Michael\u2019s, Christian Theology & African Traditions is deceiving because it really is an immense theological textbook that deserves to be in every pastor\u2019s library. This book will serve as a great reference for me. I appreciate and value this work. Maybe it\u2019s because I\u2019ve taught World History for over 20 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[815,992],"class_list":["post-13281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dminlgp-6","tag-matthew-michael","cohort-lgp6"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13281"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13282,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13281\/revisions\/13282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}