Mapping Mission As Translation with Reference to Michael Polanyi's
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Middlesex University Research Repository An open access repository of Middlesex University research http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk Haney, Richard L. (2014) Mapping mission as translation with reference to Michael Polanyi’s heuristic philosophy. PhD thesis, Middlesex University. [Thesis] Final accepted version (with author’s formatting) This version is available at: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/13666/ Copyright: Middlesex University Research Repository makes the University’s research available electronically. Copyright and moral rights to this work are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners unless otherwise stated. The work is supplied on the understanding that any use for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. A copy may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial, research or study without prior permission and without charge. Works, including theses and research projects, may not be reproduced in any format or medium, or extensive quotations taken from them, or their content changed in any way, without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). They may not be sold or exploited commercially in any format or medium without the prior written permission of the copyright holder(s). Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author’s name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pag- ination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award. If you believe that any material held in the repository infringes copyright law, please contact the Repository Team at Middlesex University via the following email address: [email protected] The item will be removed from the repository while any claim is being investigated. See also repository copyright: re-use policy: http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/policies.html#copy Middlesex University Research Repository: an open access repository of Middlesex University research http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk Haney, Richard, 2014. Mapping mission as translation with reference to Michael Polanyi’s heuristic philosophy. Available from Middlesex University’s Research Repository. Copyright: Middlesex University Research Repository makes the University’s research available electronically. Copyright and moral rights to this thesis/research project are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. The work is supplied on the understanding that any use for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. A copy may be downloaded for personal, non- commercial, research or study without prior permission and without charge. Any use of the thesis/research project for private study or research must be properly acknowledged with reference to the work’s full bibliographic details. This thesis/research project may not be reproduced in any format or medium, or extensive quotations taken from it, or its content changed in any way, without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). If you believe that any material held in the repository infringes copyright law, please contact the Repository Team at Middlesex University via the following email address: [email protected] The item will be removed from the repository while any claim is being investigated. ‘Mapping Mission as Translation with Reference to Michael Polanyi’s Heuristic Philosophy’ Richard L. Haney OCMS, PhD ABSTRACT My thesis proposes a theological conceptualisation for understanding gospel and culture relationships in the field of Christian mission. I begin by investigating whether the missiological categories of contextualisation and inculturation are adequate for describing how the Christian gospel is offered from one culture to another. Can the categorical metaphor, ‘translation,’ construed conceptually rather than linguistically, add a more fruitful and comprehensive way of understanding how the Christian message is transmitted across cultures? I contend that ‘mission as translation’ incorporates numerous features of contextualisation and inculturation, yet avoids weaknesses of those two interpretations. The incipient theory of mission as translation has been articulated by mission historians, Andrew Walls and Lamin Sanneh, and theologian Kwame Bediako. I use reading of key texts of these scholars to build a conceptual approach to mission as translation. I contrast their translation principles with the work of two Roman Catholic missiologists, Stephen Bevans and Robert Schreiter, proponents of mission as contextualisation. In developing the argument for my thesis, I explore insights gleaned from studying linguistics, hermeneutics and translation studies. I go on to identify three ‘linguistic translation’ features: similarity and difference, transformation, and multiplicity, and then apply Eugene Nida’s communication theory to missional translation. Drawing on heuristic insights from Michael Polanyi, I take Nida’s translation theory further and suggest that relevance theory, interpreted by Ernst-August Gutt, provides a way forward in translation studies. I argue that Polanyi’s notions of discovery and indwelling offer methodological categories to describe how a mission translator pays attention to cultural particulars and integrates them into perceived meaningful patterns. I use Polanyi’s notion of the tacit dimension as the primary hermeneutical tool in understanding mission as translation. Finally, I test mission as translation by applying it to three case studies and conclude by discussing the three ‘linguistic translation’ features in light of Christian mission. ‘Mapping Mission as Translation with Reference to Michael Polanyi’s Heuristic Philosophy’ by Richard L. Haney B.A. (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) M.Div. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) Development Studies Director of Studies: J. Andrew Kirk Second Supervisor: Paul Weston House Tutor: Bernard C. Farr A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Middlesex November 2013 Oxford Centre for Mission Studies DECLARATION This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed _____________________________________________ (Candidate) Date _____________________________________________ STATEMENT ONE This thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. Where correction services have been used, the extent and nature of the correction is clearly marked in a footnote. Other sources are acknowledged by midnotes or footnotes giving explicit references. A bibliography is appended. Signed _____________________________________________ (Candidate) Date _____________________________________________ STATEMENT TWO This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I hereby give consent for my thesis, if approved, to be available for photocopying by the British Library and for Inter-Library Loan [after expiry of a bar on access of five years from the date below], for open access to the Electronic Theses Online Service (EthoS) linked to the British Library, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organizations. Signed _____________________________________________ (Candidate) Date _____________________________________________ DEDICATION To Pam, my dear wife and a ‘mother and grandmother’ par excellence. Thanks for your patience, counsel, kindness, support, help, love and companionship on this journey. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My debt to others in completing this research project is extensive. My particular thanks are due to the following: To my Director of Studies, J. Andrew Kirk, and to my second supervisor, Paul Weston. Professor Kirk has read my manuscripts patiently and offered me additional reading suggestions, helpful comments and wise counsel. Professor Weston has offered his considerable insights on both the theology of Lesslie Newbigin and the philosophy of Michael Polanyi. To the community of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies; to Bernard Farr, my mentor, and to tutors Damon So, Ben Knighton, David Singh and Rollin Grams plus Julie Ma, Brian Woolnough, Tim Keene, and Bill Prevette. To Principals Vinay Samuel and Wonsuk Ma plus to Stage Leader Andy Hartropp and Dean Tom Harvey. To members of the OCMS staff: Ralph Bates, Carole Glendinning, Blanche Marslin, Irim Sarwar, Jessica Abel Smith and Rachel McIntyre. To former OCMS staff, including Hilary Guest, Edward Howard and Brenda Hoddinott. To fellow students: Brainerd Prince, Klaus Derungs, Terry Garde, Doug Birdsall, Trevor Smith, Maqsood Kamil, Meleana Puloka, Kirk Sims, Bawa Leo, Phillippe Ouedragogo, Beatrice Mbogoh, Lu Chen, David Marshall, Barbara Mahamba, John Hess and many more. To the staffs of various libraries: Oxford’s Bodleian libraries, the OCMS library, the Regenstein Library at the University of Chicago, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and the library of Richmond’s Union Presbyterian Seminary. Thanks to Union’s Joe Coalter, Rachel Perky, Paula Skreslet, Lisa Janes, and Mengistu Lemmu. ii To Andrew Walls, Lamin Sanneh and Kwame Bediako for inspiration and ideas. To friends of Michael Polanyi: Joan Crewdson, T. F. Torrance, and Ruel Tyson. To Polanyi scholars: Richard T. Allen, Walter Gulick, Phil Mullins, Richard Gelwick, Martin Moleski, Dale Cannon and Esther Meek. To other scholars and conversation partners: Todd Johnson,