A Biblical and Missiological Framework for Cross-Cultural Mission: a Case Study of the Lobi Funeral Rites in Burkina Faso
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2015 A Biblical and Missiological Framework for Cross-Cultural Mission: A Case Study of the Lobi Funeral Rites in Burkina Faso Boubakar Sanou Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Sanou, Boubakar, "A Biblical and Missiological Framework for Cross-Cultural Mission: A Case Study of the Lobi Funeral Rites in Burkina Faso" (2015). Dissertations. 1572. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1572 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT A BIBLICAL AND MISSIOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR CROSS-CULTURAL MISSION: A CASE STUDY OF THE LOBI FUNERAL RITES IN BURKINA FASO by Boubakar Sanou Adviser: Gorden R. Doss ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: A BIBLICAL AND MISSIOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR CROSS- CULTURAL MISSION: A CASE STUDY OF THE LOBI FUNERAL RITES IN BURKINA FASO Name of researcher: Boubakar Sanou Name and degree of faculty adviser: Gorden R. Doss, PhD Date completed: August 2015 Problem Converts to Christianity in traditional contexts often face pressure to continue traditional rituals and practices which sometimes contain unbiblical elements. Non- selective performance of traditional practices can produce dual allegiance and syncretism. Such is the case with Lobi Seventh-day Adventists concerning their traditional funeral rites of passage. Some core elements of these traditional funeral rites, in which all community members are expected to fully participate, conflict with biblical teachings on the human condition after death. Method This dissertation starts by laying the theoretical and theological basis for addressing the problem. The dissertation then uses ethnographic research of funeral rites among the Lobi people of Burkina Faso to understand the biblical and missiological issues they raise. The process of data collection during my field research was based on observation of people’s behavior at a funeral ceremony and on a purposeful sampling of 16 participants for interviews to have a personal and deeper understanding of the Lobi cultural and religious contexts in relation to funeral rites. I interviewed three Lobi religious leaders, six Lobi Adventists who have taken part in traditional funeral rites before becoming Adventists, two Lobi Adventists who continue to take part in traditional funeral rites, four Lobi Adventists who are being pressured to participate in funeral rites, and a Lobi Catholic priest who has published on Lobi funeral rites. Results My findings broadened my understanding of the religious and sociocultural significance of the Lobi funeral rites as well as the challenges some traditional practices pose to those committed to being fully biblical Christians. A biblical and missiological framework was developed to address the challenges such traditional rites pose to Christian mission in general and to Seventh-day Adventist mission in particular. Conclusion Given that the number of converts to Christianity among the Lobi of Burkina Faso is only five percent of their population, the Joshua Project considers them to be an unreached people group. If more Lobi are to be won to Christ and become mature disciples, their real-life situations need to be understood and addressed both biblically and missiologically. A well-planned ethnographic study is helpful in reaching this goal. Biblical and missiological principles derived from such a process can also be generalized to other cross-cultural mission contexts. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary A BIBLICAL AND MISSIOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR CROSS-CULTURAL MISSION: A CASE STUDY OF THE LOBI FUNERAL RITES IN BURKINA FASO A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Boubakar Sanou August 2015 © Copyright by Boubakar Sanou 2015 All Rights Reserved A BIBLICAL AND MISSIOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR CROSS-CULTURAL MISSION: A CASE STUDY OF THE LOBI FUNERAL RITES IN BURKINA FASO A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Boubakar Sanou APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE _______________________________ ______________________________ Faculty Adviser, Director of PhD/ThD Program Gorden R. Doss Thomas Shepherd Professor of Missions _______________________________ ______________________________ Bruce L. Bauer Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Professor of Missions Jiří Moskala _______________________________ Teresa Reeve Associate Professor of New Testament _______________________________ Stanley Patterson Professor of Christian Ministry _______________________________ ______________________________ Wilbert R. Shenk Date approved Senior Professor of Mission History and Contemporary Culture To Kurt, Margaret, Sarah, Amy, and Eric Unglaub, Missionaries to the Lobi of Burkina Faso, 1993-2000 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . ix Chapter 1. OVERVIEW OF THE DISSERTATION . 1 Introduction . 1 Background of the Study . 2 Challenge to Christian Mission . 5 Statement of the Problem . 8 Purpose Statement . 8 Research Questions. 8 Justification for the Research . 9 Conceptual Framework . 9 Methodology. 12 Delimitation . 13 Limitations . 13 Dissertation Outline . 13 2. RELIGIOUS AND SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE LOBI FUNERAL RITES. 15 Introduction . 15 Socio-Cultural Context of the Lobi . 16 Brief History and Geographical Location . 16 Social Organization . 18 Community Life and Social Values . 19 Status, Leadership, and Rites of Passage . 20 Introduction to Rites of Passage . 21 Birth Rites among the Lobi . 22 Initiation Rites among the Lobi . 23 Marriage Rites among the Lobi . 28 Conceptual Background of Lobi Funeral Rites . 29 The Concept of God . 29 Spirits . 31 Ancestors . 32 Lobi Funeral Rites of Passage . 38 iv Mourning the Dead . 39 Finding the Cause of Death . 40 The Central Funeral Rites. 43 The First Funeral Rite. 44 The Second Funeral Rite . 47 Conclusion . 48 3. DEATH AND FUNERAL RITES OF PASSAGE IN THE BIBLE . 51 Introduction . 51 Cultural Contexts of the Bible . 51 Cultural Values of Community in the Old Testament . 52 Cultural Values of Community in the Early Church . 55 Biblical View of Life and Death . 58 The Nature of Humans and the State of the Dead in the Bible . 58 The Gathering to One’s Ancestors /People. 63 Belief in the Afterlife . 67 The Resurrection of the Dead . 69 Rituals and Cultural Practices Surrounding Death in Scripture . 70 Mourning the Dead . 71 Burial Customs . 71 Baptism for the Dead . 75 Forbidden Death-Related Rituals . 80 Cutting One’s Body for the Dead—Leviticus 19:28 . 80 Spiritism—Leviticus 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 18:10-13 . 81 Shaving the Head for the Dead—Deuteronomy 14:1-2 . 82 Conclusion . 83 4. RESEARCH FINDINGS AND CHALLENGES . 85 Introduction . 85 Description of Research Process . 85 Interviews with Lobi Religious Leaders. 85 Interviews with Lobi Seventh-day Adventists . 88 Members Who Took Part in Lobi Funeral Rites before Conversion . 88 Members Who Took Part/Are Taking Part in Lobi Funeral Rites after Becoming Adventists . 91 Members Experiencing Pressure to Participate in Lobi Funeral Rites. 93 Observation of Public Behavior at a Funeral . 94 Biblical and Missiological Challenges . 96 The Fear of Evil Powers . 96 Social Pressure . 97 Poor Discipleship of Some Converts . 97 Lack of Worldview Change . 98 v Inconsistency of Some Church Leaders . 99 5. A BIBLICAL AND MISSIOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR RESPONDING TO THE LOBI FUNERAL RITES . 101 Introduction . 101 Critical Contextualization . 102 God and Cultural Context of the Old Testament . 104 Contextualization in the New Testament . 106 The Incarnation as a Foundation of Contextualization . 106 Christ as the Logos in John 1:1, 14 . 107 The Gospels . 109 The Jerusalem Council—Acts 15 ..