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Evangelical Missiology and Theology of Religions: an Agenda for the Future by Harold Netland

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Evangelical Missiology and Theology of Religions: an Agenda for the Future by Harold Netland Interpreting Religion Evangelical Missiology and Theology of Religions: An Agenda for the Future by Harold Netland uring the week prior to the ninth anniversary of the terrible attacks on Sept 11, 2001, the pastor of a small church in Florida suddenly became the center of international attention. The world watched Dwith both fascination and horror as the pastor solemnly announced that God had instructed him to burn copies of the Qur’an on Sept 11, 2010. Public reaction to the pastor was largely negative. Not only did the idea of burning the Qur’an strike many as being in particularly bad taste, but there was widespread apprehension about the violent response from radical Muslims that was sure to follow. The Vatican called on the pastor not to carry through his plans, and a host of U.S. government officials—including President Obama— publicly called for the pastor to desist. Just before Sept. 11, the pastor recon- sidered, claiming now that God was instructing him not to burn the Qur’an. Despite some public demonstrations in Pakistan and Afghanistan, there was a global collective sigh of relief when Sept 11 came and went without the desecration of the Qur’an. The relief was short lived, however, as the pastor changed his mind yet again and on March 20, 2011, he held a mock trial of the Qur’an and burned a copy of the sacred scripture of Muslims. Angry protestors rampaged in Afghanistan and elsewhere, with twelve people killed in Kabul. This tragic event can serve as a kind of window into the messy and complex world of the early twenty-first century. First, this reminds us that religion is a very real and important part of our world today. Contrary to the predictions of classical secularization theory, much of the world today remains highly religious. Not that long ago champions of classical secularization theory Harold Netland is Professor confidently predicted the withering away of religion as more and more of the of Philosophy of Religion and world came under the influence of modernization and science. That, of course, Intercultural Studies and Director of the PhD in Intercultural Studies at has not happened. Peter Berger, an early advocate of the secularization thesis, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. has more recently observed that, “The world today is massively religious, International Journal of Frontier Missiology 29:1 Spring 2012•5 6 Evangelical Missiology and Theology of Religions: An Agenda for the Future is anything but the secularized world that historically all the major religions nationalism, and politics, usually with that has been predicted (whether have had their own problems with unhappy results.5 joyfully or despondently) by so many religiously sanctioned violence. 1 analysts of modernity.” The burning of the Qur’an is yet But why did the pastor burn the another reminder of the ambiguities The Globalization of Religion Qur’an and not other sacred texts and complexities of living in a free The incident also illustrates for us such as the popular Hindu scripture society characterized by religious the challenges of living in a global Bhagavad-Gita, the Confucian diversity and disagreement. Legal world connected by technology Analects, or the Lotus Sutra of observers agree that the pastor had that transmits images and messages Buddhism? The idea that one the legal right to burn the Qur’an. But around the world in just seconds. This might burn any of these texts seems should he have done so? Here, as in so did not occur somewhere in Africa or ludicrous, and this surely suggests many cases, the rights of free speech Asia, with a long history of religious something about both the fascination and freedom of religious expression tensions; it happened in the United and revulsion American Christians clash with what seem to be common States. Globalization, immigration have with Islam. Images of Muslims sense and simple decency. There is an patterns, entertainment media, and provoke intense passions among many important distinction between what political realities have made awareness Americans that are generally absent one is legally permitted to do in a of religious others part of the normal when considering Buddhists, Hindus, free and diverse society and what one experience of ordinary Americans. or Daoists. Thomas Kidd’s superb ought, as a good citizen, to do. Civic Fifty years ago the threat to burn the virtue sometimes means resisting what Qur’an would have prompted little one has the right to do. interest by the media, and it would have taken days for visual images of Most significantly, however, this the burning to spread worldwide. No incident raises questions for those longer. Globalization has produced Fifty years ago involved in Christian ministry. The a complex interconnectedness the threat to burn the man who burned the Qur’an was a worldwide that compresses space Christian minister. The sincerity of and time, and is redefining our Qur’an would the pastor need not be questioned. understanding of ourselves in light But why would a Christian minister of our relations to global others. have prompted think that God had directed him to Anthony Giddens characterizes little interest. do such a thing? How should other globalization as “the intensification Christians respond? The issues here of worldwide social relations which are much broader and deeper than link distant localities in such a way simply whether it is appropriate to that local happenings are shaped by burn copies of the Qur’an. The U.S. events occurring many miles away study, American Christians and Islam4, is rapidly becoming a religiously very and vice versa.”2 Thus, the actions of a shows that there is a long history of diverse place. Christians in many pastor in Florida have instantaneous American Christians vilifying Islam parts of Africa and Asia also find repercussions in Afghanistan. and Muslims. themselves in societies with many different religious traditions. What is One is also struck by the powerful Furthermore, burning the Qur’an was appropriate behavior for Christians emotions that were unleashed by the not simply a religious or theological with respect to religious others? What threat to burn the Qur’an. Religion is act—a public demonstration of the are appropriate forms of Christian a potent, volatile social and political pastor’s commitment to Christ and witness in such contexts? force, and social observers today are rejection of Islam as an idolatrous Formulating a Theology alarmed by the social tensions and religion. In the context of post acts of violence that have religious 9-11 American nationalism his of Religions roots. Mark Juergensmeyer observes action takes on powerful social and Implicit in the Florida pastor’s that, “Religion seems to be trying to political significance as well; it was a rhetoric and actions was a particular tear the planet apart, even as other reassertion of American identity and theology of religions—that is, an cultural forces seem to be trying to exceptionalism in the face of perceived understanding of Islam in light of pull it together.”3 While violence by threats to American culture and values. his theological commitments. In his Islamist radicals receives the most In much of the world today, religion case, it was apparently a theological attention today, we must remember is closely linked to issues of ethnicity, framework that regarded Islam as International Journal of Frontier Missiology Harold Netland 7 simply evil and which endorsed public desecration of the Qur’an as an hould we understand religion strictly in appropriate Christian response to such biblical and theological terms … or are other, evil. As growing numbers of ordinary American Christians have contact Snon-theological disciplines also necessary? with other religions, they too will act on the basis of implicit theologies of that in these discussions evangelicals they sufficient? Can one develop an religions. Missionaries also typically remain unequivocally committed to adequate theology of religions without bring to their ministries implicit—and the full authority of Scripture and to carefully observing and understanding sometimes explicit—theologies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. the actual beliefs and practices of religions. As an academic discipline, particular religious communities? the theology of religions seeks to Three Areas for Urgent Inquiry provide a theological framework for There are also other significant issues, Religion is an explanatory concept understanding and responding to non- not currently discussed much, that that is used to help us make sense Christian religious traditions. Veli- demand our attention. In what follows of certain phenomena in the world Matti Kärkkäinen defines theology I will highlight very briefly three areas around us. If there were no religious of religions as “that discipline of which require some careful reflection phenomena, we would not have theological studies which attempts to in the days ahead. the concept of religion. Speaking account theologically for the meaning of religions in the plural is a way of and value of other religions. Christian 1. Evangelicals need to think more acknowledging the diverse ways in theology of religions attempts to think carefully about what we mean by which religious communities live theologically about what it means for religion and the religions. out their beliefs and practices. If it Christians to live with people of other The theology of religions involves is really a theological framework for faiths and about the relationship of theological reflection about the understanding the religious realities in Christianity to other religions.”6 religions. But what do we mean by our world that we are seeking, then our “the religions,” or indeed by “religion” theological reflection must focus upon In the years ahead it will be important as a generic term? Evangelical the actual lived realities of various for evangelicals—missionaries and missiologists and theologians often religious communities.
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