FORM & MEANING

1. FORM & MEANING Making the Gospel Language Meaningful

2. Cultural Forms & Meanings Adapted from Darrel Whiteman LecturesAsbury Theological Seminary, 2001 • 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

3. Cultural Forms & Meanings 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

4. Cultural Forms & Meanings Adapted from Darrel Whiteman LecturesAsbury 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

5. Cultural Forms & Meanings Adapted from Darrel Whiteman LecturesAsbury 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

6. THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMS Adapted from Paradigms in ConflictDavid Hesselgrave • 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

7. THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMS 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

8. THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMS Adapted from Paradigms in ConflictDavid 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

9. History of Contextualization Adapted from Paradigms in ConflictDavid 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)

10. History of Contextualization Adapted from Paradigms in ConflictDavid 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

11. Types of Revelation Adapted from Paradigms in ConflictDavid Hesselgrave • Mythological writings • Narratives and information that binds peoples together in common loyalties and destinies • Enlightenment writings • Knowledge of the divine mediated through personal enlightenment experiences • Divine writings • Directly from the divine apart from human involvement – merely mechanical stenographers of divine orations • Divinely inspired writings • God-breathed writings (OT/NT) in which God reveals propositional truths mediated through human agency by inspiration of Holy Spirit

12. Danger of Wrong Modelsfor Biblical Contextualization 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)

13. 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

14. 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

15. Danger of Wrong Modelsfor Biblical Contextualization Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave • 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

16. 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

17. 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”

18. Effective Evangelical 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