From Anesthetic to Advocacy Through Mission
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From Anesthetic to Advocacy through Mission as Accompaniment: Towards a More Effective Response from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Global Mission to Mechanistic Dehumanization by Brian Edward Konkol Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the department of THEOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT in the school of RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY AND CLASSICS at the UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL SUPERVISOR: PROF. RODERICK HEWITT CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF. GERALD WEST DECEMBER, 2015 2 SUPERVISOR CONSENT As the candidate’s Supervisor I agree to the submission of this thesis. Signed: ____________________________ Prof. Roderick Hewitt, Supervisor ____________________________ Faculty Number ____________________________ Date ____________________________ Prof. Gerald West, Co-Supervisor ____________________________ Faculty Number ____________________________ Date 3 DECLARATION I, BRIAN EDWARD KONKOL, declare that: (i) The research reported in this thesis, except where otherwise indicated, is my original work. (ii) This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. (iii) This thesis does not contain other persons’ data, pictures, graphs or other information, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other persons. (iv) This thesis does not contain other persons’ writing, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted, then: a. their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced; b. where their exact words have been used, their writing has been placed inside quotation marks, and referenced. (v) Where I have reproduced a publication of which I am author, co-author or editor, I have indicated in detail which part of the publication was actually written by myself alone and have fully referenced such publications. (vi) This thesis does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the Internet, unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the thesis and in the References sections. Signed: ____________________________ Brian Edward Konkol ____________________________ Student Number ____________________________ Date 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 7 KEY CONCEPTS 9 ABSTRACT 12 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 13 1.1 Introduction 13 1.2 Context and Rationale of Study 14 1.3 Theological Considerations 15 1.3.1 Theoretical Consideration: Mission as Accompaniment 15 1.3.2 Theoretical Consideration: Mechanistic Dehumanization 18 1.3.3 Theoretical Consideration: Olive Agenda 20 1.3.4 Theoretical Consideration: Ubuntu 21 1.4 Primary Research Question & Overview of Study 22 1.5 Hypothesis and Motivation of Study 24 1.6 Summary 27 CHAPTER 2: MECHANISTIC DEHUMANIZATION 28 2.1 Introduction 28 2.2 Neoliberalism in the United States of America 29 2.3 Neoliberalism and Dehumanization 36 2.4 Dehumanization 41 2.4.1 Western Philosophical Roots of the Concept of Dehumanization 46 2.4.2 The Chain of Being (continued): Pico 50 2.4.3 John Locke 51 2.4.4 William Graham Sumner 54 2.4.5 John T. MacCurdy 56 2.5 Mechanistic Dehumanization 58 2.5.1 Uniquely Human Characteristics 59 2.5.2 Human Nature 60 2.5.3 Two Corresponding Forms of Dehumanization 61 2.6 Mechanistic Dehumanization and its Relationship to Neoliberal Capitalism 64 2.7 Summary 69 CHAPTER 3: MISSION AS ACCOMPANIMENT 70 3.1 Introduction 70 3.2 Being Human: Imago Dei and Human Dignity 70 3.3 Mechanistic Dehumanization in Opposition to the Imago Trinitatis 75 3.4 Mission as Accompaniment as a Response to Mechanistic Dehumanization 79 3.4.1 Mission as Accompaniment: Origins 80 3.4.2 Origins of Accompaniment as Method 82 3.4.3 Accompaniment as a Model for Mission 87 3.4.4 Accompaniment: Latin American Influence 90 3.5 Liberation Theology and Accompaniment 92 5 3.6 Accompaniment: Theological Lens 96 3.6.1 Koinonia 96 3.7 The Mission of the Triune God 98 3.7.1 The Mission of God as Creator 99 3.7.2 The Mission of God in and through Jesus 100 3.7.3 The Mission of God by the Holy Spirit 101 3.8 Accompaniment in Light of Global Lutheran Trends 103 3.8.1 Contexts of Mission 106 3.8.2 Theologies of Mission 106 3.8.3 Practices of Mission 107 3.8.4 Mission as Accompaniment and the Lutheran World Federation: Connections 108 3.8.5 Mission as Accompaniment in Response to Mechanistic Dehumanization 112 3.8.5.1 A Personal Narrative 113 3.8.5.2 From Reflection to Practice 116 3.9 Summary 121 CHAPTER 4: THE OLIVE AGENDA 123 4.1 Introduction 123 4.2 The Olive Agenda: An Introduction 124 4.3 Oikos Theology 125 4.3.1 Oikos and Economics, Ecology, and Ecumenism 132 4.4 Introducing the Olive Agenda as a Missiological Trajectory 136 4.4.1 The Olive Agenda: Further Developments 143 4.4.2 The Olive Agenda: Research Methodology 144 4.4.3 The Olive Agenda as a Missiological Trajectory for Mission as Accompaniment 148 4.4.4 Incorporating the Olive Agenda as a Missiological Trajectory for Mission as Accompaniment: Lessons from Dr. Paul Farmer 154 4.5 Summary 160 CHAPTER 5: UBUNTU 161 5.1 Introduction 161 5.2 Ubuntu: An Introduction 163 5.2.1 Introduction of Ubuntu as an Indicator of Accountability for Mission as Accompaniment 166 5.3 Key Elements of Ubuntu as an Indicator of Accountability for Mission as Accompaniment 172 5.3.1 Ubuntu and Being Human 172 5.3.2 Ubuntu and Community 178 5.3.3 Ubuntu and Mechanistic Dehumanization 184 5.3.4 Ubuntu and Mission as Accompaniment 190 5.3.5 Ubuntu and Steve de Gruchy’s Olive Agenda 195 5.4 Summary 202 CHAPTER 6: TOWARDS A RESPONSE TO MECHANISTIC DEHUMANIZATION 204 6.1 Introduction 204 6.1.1 Review of Research Methodology 204 6 6.2 Experience: The Empire of Neoliberal Capitalism 207 6.3 Exploration: Mechanistic Dehumanization 210 6.3.1 Gross Domestic Product 211 6.4 Reflection: Mission as Accompaniment 213 6.5 Response: Mission as Accompaniment with an Olive Agenda and Ubuntu 215 6.5.1 Mission as Accompaniment with an Olive Agenda 215 6.5.2 Mission as Accompaniment with Ubuntu 218 6.5.2.1 Genuine Progress Indicator 218 6.6 New Experience/Situation: From Anesthetic to Advocacy through Mission as Accompaniment 228 6.6.1 Introducing a Metaphorical Theology 229 6.6.2. Mission as Anesthetic and the Postcolonial Empire of Economism 234 6.7 Religious Empire and Economism 240 6.8 Summary 246 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSIONS 247 7.1 Introduction 247 7.2 Accompaniment and Advocacy 248 7.3 Advocacy, Resistance, and Circumambulation 253 7.4 Being Connected as a Matter of Fact 256 7.5 Being Connected as a Matter of Faith 257 7.6 Being Connected as a Matter of Function 258 7.7 The Connection/Conversation Model: Updated and Expanded 259 7.8 Summary and Conclusion 268 BIBLIOGRAPHY 270 7 DEDICATION To Kristen, for being you. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The University of KwaZulu-Natal changes my life (for the better!) in ways that words cannot properly express. Upon moving to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, during the early weeks of 2008, within a matter of hours I toured the beautiful campus, visited with numerous gifted students, and quickly met some of the most brilliant and passionate intellectual activists on the planet. My life would never be the same. I experienced academic love at first sight. I arrived in South Africa with no conscious desire to pursue additional postgraduate studies. However, I quickly recognized that Theology & Development at the University of KwaZulu- Natal was a wonderful fit, and this initial impulse was confirmed repeatedly (and enthusiastically) with each passing year. As a North American who was graciously hosted in the southern hemisphere for nearly a decade, I remain especially honored to be associated with a truly South African university that is academically excellent, innovative in research, critically engaged with society and demographically representative, redressing the disadvantages, inequities and imbalances of the past. To offer gratitude in moments such as these is both necessary and hazardous. On the one hand, I am compelled to offer thankfulness to and for the countless people who have assisted in this important process, both directly and indirectly. However, on the other hand, I am tormented with the thought of leaving someone unnamed, especially because so many have offered such massive support. I did not expect this portion of the dissertation to be so difficult! Nevertheless, I proceed, with sincere apologies to those who left unidentified: Pastors Dwight and Gretchen Anderson, Members of the Tomorrow River Lutheran Parish, Pastor Terry Peterson, Pastor Rudy Kolberg, Tom Thibodeau, Tom O’Neil, Marlene Fisher, Barry Fried, Wayne Wager; Rick Artman, Gary Klein, Charles Amjad-Ali, Terry Fretheim, Mons Teig, Gary Simpson, David Lose, Richard Wallace, William Smith, David Tiede, Patricia Lull, Thomas VanLeer, Roger Hardy, Roy Thakurdyal, Members of the Ebenezer 8 Lutheran Parish and Emmanuel Lutheran Parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana, Richard Young, Judy McGuire, Rafael Malpica Padilla, Raquel Rodriquez, Robert Smith, Heidi Torgerson-Martinez, Benyam Kassahun, Steve Nelson, Sunitha Mortha, Philip Knutson, Maisha and Torry Winn, Stephen Marsh, Bruce Burnside, Jim Justman, Peg Chemberlin, Brian Rusche, Siri Erickson, Grady St. Dennis, Chad Winterfeldt, Kathy Chalhoub, Alan Bray, Florence Amamoto, Will Freiert, Kristian Braekkan, Sean Easton, Mimi Gerstbauer, Sarah Ruble, Marcia Bunge, Josh Brown, Jon Anderson, Jack Ohle, Becky Bergman, Jon Barnes, Andrew Suderman, Clint Le Bruyns; Beverly Haddad, Kenneth Mtata, Lesmore Ezekiel, Phemba Buthelezi, Jerry Tews, Jerry and Lori Carlson, Nkosinathi Myaka, Laurie Young, Mpumi Mthembu, Sean Forde, Thia Cooper, Paula O’Loughlin, Glen Lloyd, Deborah Goodwin, Neal Hagberg, Tommy Valentini, Steve Wilkinson, Salomuzi Mabuza, Cobus Van Wyngaard, Robert Gazzola, Mary Gaebler, Chris Johnson and David Obermiller.