A quarterly publication of the Overseas Ministries Study Center Vol. 3, No.1 / continuing the Occasional Bulletin from the Missionary Research Library January, 1979 • • CCtlSlOna etln Mission across Modern Frontiers

ommunicating the gospel across frontiers is as central to and expansion since 1950. Before that date, nine-tenths of the LOS C the church's missionary task today as it has always been. It membership was in the United States. Today, with a vastly larger is precisely this "frontier" dimension that distinguishes the mis­ total, one-third is in other parts of the world. sionary mandate per se from other equally important Christian responsibilities. New Series Frontiers are of many kinds-geographical, cultural, linguis­ The article by Bishop Stephen Neill on "Mission in the 1980s" tic, ethical, religious, and so forth-and, in the modem world, inaugurates a new and exciting series. The OccasionalBulletin has they seem to shift in kaleidoscopic fashion. To identify the con­ invited several of the world's foremost missiologists to share their temporary frontiers with precision, understand their complexity, thoughts on the directions Christian mission is likely to take in the and witness intelligently and creatively in the midst of such diver­ decade ahead. We expect to publish one such article in each issue sity is a large order indeed. Yet faithfulness in Christian mission during 1979 and 1980. does not permit us to settle willingly for anything less. In this issue of the Occasional Bulletin, W. Dayton Roberts analyzes the impact made by R. Kenneth Strachan on a fresh On Page understanding of evangelism. Strachan's Evangelism-in-Depth movement flourished primarily in Latin America in the 1960s, but 2 The Legacy of R. Kenneth Strachan its influence extended to other parts of the world as well. The more w. Dayton Roberts recent restructuring of the Latin America Mission, implementing a policy of increased Latinamericanization and partnership, can 6 The Fullness of Mission be traced to Strachan's dynamic leadership. c. Rene Padilla C. Rene Padilla, a Latin American theologian, calls for a hard look at the assumption that quantitative church growth is "the 13 Racism and Revolution: Response of the Churches in chief task of mission." Padilla also questions the "rather romantic South Africa view of missionary work that has led some missions to concen­ David J. Bosch trate on small tribes in the jungles to the neglect of the cities." It is inthe cities, he says, with all their dehumanizing forces, that a 22 Mormon Missions: An Introduction to the Latter-day Saints Missionary System need for the gospel with power to transform the totali ty of life R. Lanier Britsch comes into sharpest focus. Speaking from his own South African context, David J. Bosch 27 Mission in the 1980s deals with the uneven response of the churches in that country to Stephen Neill the baffling problems of racism and revolution. He concludes prophetically: "The church may become that community where 31 Joint Catholic-Protestant Consultation on Christian the middle wall of partition is indeed demolished, where we enjoy Presence among Muslim Filipinos a real foretaste of the promised inheritance, where we experience the Spirit as the power which breaks through all barriers, and' 32 Book Reviews where it therefore becomes impossible for us to accept any 'cir­ cumstances' as authoritative and final." 39 Fifteen Outstanding Books of 1978 for Mission Whatever one's attitude may be toward Mormon theology, Studies the fact remains that the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day 40 Noteworthy Saints maintains one of the largest and most efficient mission agencies in the world. R. Lanier Britsch, a Mormon missiologist, 42 Dissertation Notices here describes the missionary organization, methodology, and training that have led to a remarkable era of LOS church growth 44 Book Notes of issionaryResearch The Legaev of R. Kenneth Strachan w. Dayton Roberts

enneth Strachan died in February 1965, at the age of fifty­ activity was not natural to him-it came only as a product of K five. He had been a missionary for only twenty-nine years, soul-searching and struggle with his conscience. Nevertheless, and general director of the Latin America Mission for less than when he felt it to be his responsibility, he did not hesitate to give fifteen of them, although as a son of the founders and as their himself wholeheartedly to it, and to try to take the Latin America deputy he had exercised a leadership role for at least six to ten Mission along with him. years prior to his own incumbency. The impact of his leadership In the 1950s he had renewed the campaign schedule which thus covered a span of about twenty-five years-considerably had been interrupted by World War II and his father's declining less than that of most missionary-statesmen. health. And, as might be expected, he did it with his own flair for Nevertheless, Ken Strachan left to the missionary cause an organization and teamwork. The crowning example of this effort extraordinary legacy of institutions and insights that will be af­ was his coordination of the Billy Graham Crusade in the Carib­ fecting our mission strategies for many years to come. Obviously, bean, touching eight cpuntries-sometimes simultaneously­ our treatment of this impact must be selective. His influence, both within a very short span of time and with all the advance and within his own organization and in his wider circle of friends and follow-up work neatly synchronized. associates, was varied and profound. We can embrace the greater But Ken was never satisfied. Results seemed too superficial, part of it, however, if we look at his ministry from two perspec­ professions of faith too short-lived. Why? The answers were tives, and see him first as an evangelist, or evangelism strategist, there, but not immediately apparent. So, after the conclusion of and second as a missionary statesman-or, as he would be called the Craham Crusade, Strachan suspended all public evangelistic today, a missiologist. activity and took several months off to study the life and writings of his father and to reflect on the past decade of his own efforts as a 1. As an Evangelist, Strachan Left Us strategist of evangelism. He came to several important conclu­ Evangelism-in-Depth sions. The first of these, which was at the root of in-depth evange­ One might say that Ken came by his interest in evangelism natu­ lism, is reflected in the title of his posthumous book, containing rally. His father, Harry Strachan, while serving as a missionary his 1964 lectures at Fuller Theological Seminary, The Inescapable pastor in Tandil, Argentina, had felt God's call to launch out in a Calling. 1 Put simply, he interpreted the Bible to teach that each bold program of interdenominational evangelistic crusades, and every Christian believer is responsible to the best of his or her meeting in neutral places like theaters and bullrings, and publiciz­ ability for articulating the Christian faith for the benefit of those ing the gatherings in massive, innovative ways. This led to the who do not know Christ as their Savior and Lord. founding of the Latin America Evangelization Campaign, whose He emphasized that the New Testament quality of witness name was changed in 1938 to Latin America Mission. requires (1) verbal proclamation, (2) the demonstration of the The Protestant community of Central and South America at gospel's power, (3) its expression in disinterested service, and (4) that time (ca. 1918-1930) was suffering from an acute inferiority faithful endurance and suffering, even unto death.? complex. Most churches were small chapels or rented halls on back "Every Christian, regardless of his position," he wrote, "is streets. The congregations felt themselves to be an oppressed, faced with a commission that does not permit him to hide inside persecuted minority. Their evangelistic activity was limited sheltering walls but thrusts him out into the world and to its largely to a modest and somewhat timid personal witness and to uttermost parts. . . . Christ committed to his church the task of preaching in their unpretentious chapels. National leadership, proclaiming the gospel 'to every creature,' 'among all nations,' 'to except in the largest cities, was mediocre and not well prepared. the uttermost part of the earth,' and 'to the end of the age.' It is not surprising that in this sort of situation Harry Obedience to this command must have top priority.... This is Strachan's bold and perceptive evangelistic strategy-using out­ her [the church's] essential reason for existence. This is the most standing Latin American orators-was a great success. He also urgent necessity and greatest imperative of the hour."3 brought to the task personal qualities and a leadership charisma By "evangelism" he meant essentially the verbalization of the which often were used of God to tilt the adverse circumstances in Christian message. He recognized that Christians need to earn a favor of spiritual victory. hearing and to speak out of the natural life-situations in which So his son, Kenneth, came by an interest in evangelism natu­ they find themselves. He also recognized that the total "mission" rally. But Ken was very different from his distinguished father. He of the church is greater than the evangelistic task. "But the main was short (like his mother), not particularly musical. His voice point to be stressed here," he reiterated, "is the primacy of the was not resonant. He was self-effacing-almost shy. This helped spoken word for every Christian, regardless of his gifts and situa­ him, as a matter of fact, to make people see him as a friend, and he tion," remembering, of course, that it is the Holy Spirit who excelled in one-to-one relationships. But structured evangelistic opened the mouths of his disciples and caused them to speak as he "gave them utterance."4 Nor did he feel that the importance of such evangelism is minimized by recognizing that it must be supported by the other elements of true witness." w. Dayton Roberts is Vice President of the Latin American Mission, with Coupled to this insistence upon the primacy of articulating residence in Costa Rica. He has served as a missionary with that agency since and verbalizing one's faith was what Strachan considered to be 1941,asits assistantgeneraldirectorfrom 1956 to 1965 and as associategeneral the secret of effective evangelism-the mobilization of every Chris­ secretary from 1965 to 1971. After the 1971 restructuring of the Mission, he became the first general secretary of the Community. tian believer in witness to the gospel. This is the cornerstone of

2 Occasional Bulletin Evangelism-in-Depth. By intuitive observation rather than by this obvious and basic truth. As Protestants we have espoused the scientific deduction, he arrived at the conclusion that has been Reformation doctrine of the "universal priesthood of believers." labeled the "Strachan theorem": "The growth of any movement is Why did we not formulate its obvious corollary: the "universal in direct proportion to its success in mobilizing its total member­ prophethood," or witness, of believers? We were quick to claim ship in the constant propagation of its beliefs." Although he was a the privileges of priest, but not so eager to recognize the respon­ keen methodologist, an attentive observer of techniques, and sibilities of prophet." For Strachan, the mobilization of the while he always insisted on the importance of a correct theology church's prophetic ministry was the key to successful evangelism. and on the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit, he maintained, nevertheless, that his "theorem" was the secret of successful evangelization. "This, and this alone," he declared, with perhaps a touch of scriptural hyperbole, "is the key."6 "For Strachan, the mobilfzation of the Ken's "theorem" was really what we should have seen in the church's prophetic ministrywas the key to early pages of apostolic history. We are too prone to think of the apostles as being the spokesmen of the church. But the book of the successful evangelism.' Acts points out just the opposite: " ... all except the apostles were scattered over the country districts of Judea and Samaria. . . . As for those who had been scattered, they went through the country To these fundamental concepts we must add yet another. In preaching the word." (Acts 8:1:4). All the believers were engaged Ken Strachan's vision of evangelization, the church was always in coordinated wijness, mobilized by the Spirit. central. Each local congregation he saw as a cross-section of the Our subsequent concepts of priestly caste and function, of body of Christ. clergy as opposed to laity, have kept us from discerning clearly "No matter how poor," he used to say, "no matter how ignorant, no matter how talentless the local congregation may be, it is the Body of Christ in that locality. In it dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It is endowed with all the responsibilities of the Christian Church and with all the capabilities of fulfilling them."B The implications of this statement are staggering! Occasional Bulletin Not only is each congregation thus significant, Strachan af­ of Missionary Research firmed, but their collective witness is essential. One of evangel­ Continuing the ism's great neglected doctrines has been the unity of the body of Occasional Bulletin from the Missionary Research Library Christ, the united testimony of the church. If evangelism is to have priority, [he reasoned,] then we must Published quarterly, in January, April, July, and October by the face honestly and realistically all the factors that bear upon the Overseas Ministries Study Center effective and faithful fulfillment of mission. Ifwe take seriously the P.O. Box 2057, Ventnor, New Jersey 08406 divine command to preach the Gospel to "every creature," . . . then Telephone: (609) 823-6671 some tangible acknowledgement of our joint relationship to Jesus Christ and some convincing testimony to the oneness of the Gospel Editor: Associate Editor: must be given. Gerald H. Anderson Norman A. Homer For we must recognize that this is not merely a question of the logistics of winning a battle to reach a runaway population.... It is Books for review and correspondence regarding editorial mat­ even more a question of giving consistent and convincing tes­ ters should be addressed to the Editors. timony to the truth that there is only one Saviour and Lord and one way of salvation. For how can a multiplicity of distinct groups, Subscriptions: $6 for one year, $12 for two years, and $18 for three living and working in isolation or even in competition with each years, postpaid worldwide. Individual copies are $3; bulk rates other, testify effectively to a skeptical world that Christ is Lord and upon request. Correspondence regarding subscriptions and a-d­ Saviour? dress changes should be sent to: Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Is this not the significance, [Ken went on to ask,] of Christ's Research, Circulation Department, P.O. Box 443, Fort Lee, New prayers". . . that they also may be one in us, so that the world may Jersey 07024. believe ..."? (John 17:21). Advertising: Today we need to remember that the relationship of member to Crane Marketing Communications, Inc. member is obligatory and not optional. [Ken made reference here to the teaching of I Corinthians 12:15-16, 21.] The particular relation, 226 East Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187 of course, may vary, depending upon many factors.... But the Telephone: (312) 653-6400 basic tie that binds one to another in Christ is never severed. The relationship therefore is not optional. And if this is to mean any­ Articles appearing in this journal are abstracted and indexed in: thing, it must be accepted in all the concrete situations of Christian Christian Periodical Index life, fellowship and service." Guide to Social Science and Religion in Periodical Literature Ken recognized the need for discernment and care in the Religion Index One: Periodicals exercise of the spiritual judgments which are the obligation of Religious and Theological Abstracts every Christian. But he reminded us that we dare not go beyond God's Word in these things. Opinions expressed in the Occasional Bulletin are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Overseas Ministries Study It is perilously easy to set up some human standard of or­ Genter. thodoxy and on that basis determine the lines of fellowship and cooperation. But unless one is willing to form the deliberate judg­ Copyright e 1979 by Overseas Ministries Study Center. ment that another does not belong to Christ, he is not released from All rights reserved. his obligation to the other. God does not allow him to say: "1 have no need of you." Nor does He allow him to withdraw from the other ISSN 0364-2178 on the basis that "because I am not the eye, I do not belong to the body.">?

January, 1979 3 10 orracnan, me centranry and. uruty ot the church were To illustrate how these new tactors attect a movement like essential corollaries of evangelism. Evangelism-in-Depth, one need only ask the following questions: 1. Can E/D (which espouses as a basic principle of evange­ The institutional incarnation of these and other insights re­ lism the unity of the body of Christ) be carried on today in a Latin lated to evangelism is the Evangelism-in-Depth movement. De­ American nation without including the Catholic Church in the spite the defects which have been pointed out by its armchair planning and execution of the program? And is either the Protes­ critics, the impact of Evangelism-in-Depth during the decade of tant or the Catholic Church in Latin America prepared to unite the 1960s was phenomenal. Christians were united and mobilized with the other in an evangelistic effort? in twelve Latin American nations. Evangelistic witness became 2. How should the gifts of the Spirit be related to an the church's first concern. Thousands of Christians began praying evangelistic campaign? Must every crusade include healing ses­ together. Pastors were revitalized. Financial resources were dis­ sions? Is it possible today to call publicly for repentance and faith covered and stewardship developed. New leadership was re­ in Christ without proclaiming him as the mediator of the gifts of cruited and trained. Many thousands were born again. Backslid­ the Spirit? ers returned to the fold. Missionary vision multiplied. The unbe­ 3. Is a highly structured Evangelism-in-Depth program con­ lieving world was made aware of the evangelical dynamic in its sonant with the liberty in the Spirit being celebrated by thousands midst. in Latin America today? 4. Can a nationwide evangelistic movement be carried on without reference to the issues of human rights and political "To Strachan, the centrality and unity of liberation that have been surfacing all over the continent? How these questions are answered remains to be seen. In­ the Church were essential corollaries of depth theologians are going to have to grapple seriously with the evangelism.' implications of Catholic renewal, the Charismatic movement, the theologies of liberation, rising secularism, and other current trends. And the new in-depth evangelism will have to meet head-on the new attitudes that these phenomena have generated. Some of the same vision emanating from Ken Strachan's But to help work out the answers Ken Strachan has left some ministry and writings reached other parts of the world as well. clearly articulated biblical principles and an institution dedicated Similar in-depth movements sprang up in India, Japan, Belgium, to their development and propagation. This is an important part the Philippines, the United States, and especially in Africa, where of his legacy. "Christ for All" and "New Life for All" were mightily used of God. 2. As a missiologist, Strachan left us It should be pointed out that much of this activity came after CLAME-or at least, its foundation Ken's death. He participated personally in only three Evangelism-in-Depth movements: Nicaragua (1960), Costa Rica CLAME stands for the "Latin American Community of Evangeli­ (1960-1961), and Guatemala (1962). He cannot be held responsi­ cal Ministries," and it was not established until 1971. But it is ble, therefore, for the institutionalization of E/D, nor for the form unmistakably rooted in the principles and concepts that Strachan, in which its principles were subsequently communicated as general director, built into the Latin America Mission during throughout the Christian world. But although he was far from the 1950s and early 1960s. satisfied with what he saw in the first three movements, neverthe­ Almost from its beginnings, the Latin America Mission less the subsequent years-at least the rest of the 1960s-in our numbered a few Latin Americans among its personnel. But as of opinion, have been a fairly true projection of what he started. the time that Ken Strachan became its top executive, there was certainly no such thing as a Latinamericanization policy. Just a Many observers have lamented the passing of the Evangelism-in-Depth movements of the 1960s. But in the light of few days before his mother died in 1950, Ken wrote a confidential new ideas and attitudes which were sweeping Latin America, E/D memo to several of the Mission's leaders. He noted some of the has needed time to regroup and drastically overhaul its Mission's growth and advance, and then he focused on a problem that had obviously been bothering him for some time. philosophy and methodology. The hiatus has not been because of "The 'race question,' " he said, "has, and I believe will in­ any alleged defects or"flat sides" to which E/D's critics have called attention, such as excessive structure, inadequately measured creasingly have bearing upon our missionary enterprise, by vir­ church growth, lack of discipleship programs, and an inability­ tue of the fact that it is at the root of much of the tension that exists between missionary and national believer and many of the mis­ at least in a short time-span-to change the evangelistic lifestyle of evangelical pastors and their congregations. These "defects" understandings that have arisen between the Mission and na­ tional personnel."11 can all be corrected. And as a matter of fact, the staff of the His immediate preoccupation was twofold. As he considered International Institute of In-Depth Evangelization is now working hard at the development of new and more balanced models. the possibilities for expansion and opportunities for service that faced the Mission, he could see the need for many additional But methodology has not been the basic cause of helpers, a goodly number of whom should be Latin Americans. It Evangelism-in-Depth's pause for regrouping in the 1970s. Self­ was his further conviction that "we shall only be able to secure the evaluation and program adjustment "on the road" are a part of services of these gifted, outstanding Latin Americans insofar as E/D tradition. More fundamental changes are being called for by we provide for them in the work positions of equality and oppor­ new socioreligious phenomena and the changes in attitude that tunities for shouldering responsibility and leadership." To this they have produced. Most conspicuous among these latter are (1) end, he suggested reexamining our objectives and policies. the renewal being experienced currently within the Roman Catho­ The other thing that bothered him was "our fundamental lic Church, mostly since Vatican II, (2) the phenomenal growth of attitude toward the problem of mixed marriages within the Mis­ the Charismatic movement in both Protestant and Catholic cir­ sion." There was no clause in the Mission's regulations forbid­ cles, and (3) the awakening of Christian social and political con­ ding such marriages, but the weight of feeling was certainly science, accelerated by the impact of the liberation theologians. negative.

4 Occasional Bulletin "We should face the fact squarely that the attitude of most cruitment goals and procedures. missions and most individual missionaries toward mixed mar­ 3. It has drastically reduced foreign-national tensions. riage is the cause of widespread resentment on the part of Latin 4. It has provided a framework for easy cooperation and Americans of all strata of society," Ken argued, "and we need to participation of many foreign agencies and resources under local face this as one of the possible obstacles to full fellowship and the direction. For example, there are now four or five sending and free operation of the Holy Spirit in our midst."12 funding agencies contributing to the faculty of the Latin American It was in response to this expression of concern that the Biblical Seminary, whereas formerly it was staffed only by Mis­ concepts of Latinamericanization and of partnership were sion personnel. evolved and implemented. At first we thought only in terms of 5. Most important, it has provided a base for phenomenal "latinizing" the membership of the Mission by recruiting a expansion and growth, for the development of new, local leader­ greater percentage of fellow workers from south of the border. Our ship, and a capability of responding to local needs and opportuni­ motives were good, but we soon saw that to accomplish our ties. objective of cooperation without racial or national distinction and in true equality, there would have to be a partnership of broader sense. "Membership" in the Mission was not enough. There had to be opportunities for promotion to positions of authority. And M. Searle Bates this would require a sharing of responsibility as well-for sup­ 1897-1978 port and for public relations. Dr. M. Searle Bates, Professor of Missions at Union Theological Such considerations passed beyond the limits of individual Seminary, New York, from 1950 to 1965, died on October 28, 1978. relationships. And Strachan and his executive team began to see Born in Newark, Olrio on May 28, 1897, Dr. Bates did his that they would have to Latinamericanize the structures of the undergraduate studies at Hiram College, and was a Rhodes Mission in order to provide for the assimilation and promotion of Scholar at Oxford University where he received the B.A. and M.A. Latins. They would have to carry on their business in Spanish and degrees. He earned his Ph.D. at Yale University in 1935. As a adjust their personal attitudes to be less Anglo-Saxon, more Latin missionary of the United Christian Missionary Society (Disciples American. of Christ), he served as Professor of History at the University of In the 1950s, with increasing success Latin American recruits Nanking from 1920 to 1950. were enlisted and "partnership boards" were set up for the ad­ He was a member of the China Program Committee of the ministration of local ministries, such as Radio Station TIFC, the Division of Overseas Ministries, National Council of Churches, Hospital Clinica Biblica, and the Monterrey school. Local financ­ and was a long-time trustee of the Missionary Research Library, ing also increased. When the Mission was asked to help establish the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, and the a radio station in Nicaragua, Ken insisted upon laying down the Foundation for Theological Education in Southeast Asia. Since condition that total financial and administrative responsibility be retirement Dr. Bates pursued his research in the history of the assumed by the Nicaraguan leaders. Some of us demurred at such Christian church in China. a radical step, but Ken insisted, and the faith and zeal of the Best known for his book ReligiousLiberty:An Inquiry (1945),Dr. Nicaraguans subsequently proved him to have been right. Bates contributed numerous articles on China, international rela­ By the time Ken Strachan was called Home in 1965, the tions, and religious freedom to journals, symposia, and number of Latin Americans in leadership positions in the Mission encyclopedias. His book review in this issue of the Occasional had increased substantially, the old prejudices were gone, at least Bulletin is one of the last pieces he wrote for publication. 10 percent of the Mission personnel were Latins, most Mission institutions were adequately governed by local boards, and both "Latinamericanization" and "partnership" were irreversibly es­ tablished as a part of the Latin America Mission policy. Although Strachan was not CLAME's founder or its A further step remained, however, to bring to full fruition the idealogue, without question the policies and programs that ulti­ seeds that Ken Strachan had planted. mately produced CLAME are a significant part of the Strachan In 1971, after fifty years of service, and six years after legacy and establish him as one of the past generation's most Strachan's death, the Latin America Mission initiated a signifi­ productive and innovative mission strategists. cant change, unique in contemporary mission structures. Its nearly twenty overseas departments became autonomous organi­ 3. Conclusion: IIA Man's Reach Should Exceed zations enabling them to constitute a federation of missionary His Grasp" agencies called the "Community of Latin American Evangelical Ministries" (known in Spanish as CLAME). It is difficult to write about Ken Strachan's "legacy" without The Latin America Mission, USA itself became one of devoting some space to his personality and his spiritual leader­ CLAME's component entities, on equal terms, playing a support­ ship. Probably he could not have succeeded in imposing his ideas ive rather than a directive role in this new Latin America-based or in "selling" his insights if it had not been for his personal community of mission. Its major role in CLAME is to help raise openness and the genuineness of his own humility and devotion and channel funds, provide personnel as requested, and act as a to Jesus Christ. At the risk of redundancy, I would like to mention medium of communication with the work in Latin America and several of the more significant characteristics of Strachan's per­ elsewhere, while continuing to minister to its constituency and to sonality and Christian outlook that affected his impact upon the the Hispanic community in the United States.P church in which he served. What has this restructuring accomplished? 1. He matured slowly, but his growth never leveled off. He 1. It has made each part of the work autonomous, with full had no fear of change. He was constantly engaged in a process of responsibility for its own planning, administration, and financial self-evaluation. As a result, he was always a jump ahead of his support, producing new sources of funding, freedom from tradi­ peers and was never content with the status quo. tional taboos, enlarged vision, and new creativity. 2. He learned from his own experience that interpersonal 2. It has placed the foreign missionary under the authority of bridges are built on shared weaknesses-not on common the local church or para-church ministry, causing a shift in re­ strengths. His open recognition of his own failures, therefore,

January,1979 5 drew people to him and cemented their loyalty to him and to his with the Keswick-type teaching. His mind accepted it, but his Lord. experience rejected the shibboleths: for example, "Let go and let 3. He was a visionary and recognized it. He had to depend on God." His was more a C. S. Lewis approach to the dialectic of the others to implement his dreams. But he felt safe and happy in his Christian life. role as a director and planner because he genuinely respected the 6. Withal, Strachan was a deep, devoted, and disciplined capabilities of his colleagues and teammates. Christian. To read again his editorials in the Evangelist 4. In terms of Christian experience, Strachan was a seeker magazine-most of them directed to himself and to his fellow rather than a dogmatizer. Even on his deathbed he was still missionaries-is to come under the scrutiny of God's Word and to striving for a deeper, more powerful experience of the Holy Spirit. feel the compelling pressure of the Holy Spirit. With all his limi­ If he were alive today in Latin America, he would be warmed by tations, and despite his own frequent sense of failure, Ken the Charismatic movement. He certainly was not given to "pat" Strachan was a man in whom his Lord took delight, and one who answers or dogmatic responses. greatly enriched the missionary body of Christ with his legacy of 5. He tried sincerely to live a "victorious life," but was never insights and experience. free from a struggle with the Evil One, nor wholly comfortable

Notes

1. R. Kenneth Strachan, The Inescapable Calling (Grand Rapids: 7. Ibid., p. 159. Eerdmans, 1968). 8. Ibid., p. 160. 2. Ibid., p. 71. 9. Strachan, Ope cit., pp. 99-101. 3. Ibid., p. 99. 10. Ibid., p. 101. 4. Ibid., p. 72. 11. Roberts, Ope cit., p. 61. 5. Idem. 12. Ibid., p. 63. 6. W. Dayton Roberts, Strachan of Costa Rica (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 13. See Latin America Mission, USA, Principles & Government, Article 2. 1971), p. 157.

The Fullness of Mission

C. Rene Padilla

~e expansion of Christianity in the Third World since among the deprived classes in the cities. How can one discard the • World War II is indeed impressive. Never before in history suspicion that they are but a part of the revival of religion that is has a religion spread so vastly and so rapidly as Christianity has in taking place all over the world? The flourishing of occultism and the last few decades. As a result, the church has now become a Asian religions in the West; the resurgence of Islam in some areas worldwide movement. And if it is true that (as Emil Brunner put of Africa and Malaysia and Pakistan, of Buddhism in Thailand, it) the church exists for mission as fire exists for burning, it follows Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma and Sri Lanka, of Hinduism in India, that there is no longer any room for the traditional distinction and of Shintoism in Japan; the vitality of Spiritism (and especially between "sending churches" and "receiving churches." As of Umbanda) in Brazil and of the Sokka Gakkai in Japan-these Stephen Neill has put it, "the age of missions is at an end; the age phenomena are not unrelated to the emergence of "peoples' of mission has begun."l movements" on whose multiplication in a Christian context some The statistics of church growth can easily be used to project a overoptimistic American missionary "strategists" base their glowing picture of the church in the last quarter of the twentieth theories regarding church growth. The general picture of religious century. This has in fact been done in circles where quantitative upsurge, at a time when the world is becoming unified under the church growth is regarded as "the chief task" of mission. For a impact of western technology, shows that there is in the human more balanced picture, the numerical gains must be set over being a "metaphysical void," which modern technology cannot against the problems that beset the church and place the future of fill. The mass movements to Christianity, like other religious Christianity in some regions of the world under a question mark. movements that are growing at a fantastic rate in the Third World, From that perspective, the greatest challenge that the church faces seem to be both the result of the impact of western civilization and today is the challenge to fullness in mission. a reaction against it. Once it is realized that the amazing church growth seen in The Challenge of Evangelism and Discipleship some areas of the world today is parallel to a religious revival outside a Christian context, it becomes obvious that this type of An honest evaluation of the numerical gains that the church has church growth has to be evaluated in the light of God's purpose for made since World War II must not overlook the fact that the the life and mission of the church. Sooner or later, the question as greatest gains have taken place among animistic peoples and to what it is that grows has to be raised, in order to see whether the churches that multiply are genuine expressions of the gospel. When this is done, it is clear that numerical church growth in the Third World is only the bright side of a picture which also has a C. Rene Padilla,Directorof Ediciones Certezain BuenosAires, Argentina, is an dark side represented by a number of problems that pose a real Ecuadorian Baptist. He is former associategeneral secretary for Latin America challenge to the church. of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.

6 Occasional Bulletin In the first place, some of the mass movements with a high world as a system dominated by the gods of the consumer society growth rate may be no more than "baptized heathenism." In the brought into existence by western technology. There is no greater sixteenth century the Roman Catholic Church attempted to Chris­ contribution that the church can make to humanity than the gos­ tianize a whole continent (Latin America) on the basis of massive pel of Jesus Christ and its liberating power. approach. The result of that venture is now seen in its true light A rather romantic view of missionary work has led some from within Roman Catholicism. As a writer identified with that missions to concentrate on small tribes in the jungles, to the tradition puts it, "In reality, Latin America is a continent of people neglect of the cities." As David Sheppard has said, "Urban mis­ who have been baptized but not evangelized."2 The possibility sion is one of the priorities today in mission work. If we fail here, that the same kind of problem will recur in connection with if we ignore the city and its pressures, there is no gospel which we contemporary mass movements to Christianity is a real one. It is can preach anywhere else with integrity.'" Sheppard's statement obvious that, for many people in the Third World, Christianity has become a symbol of modernity, alongside which totally non­ II Christian views and customs are allowed to survive. This attitude some of the mass movements with a is illustrated by the so-called cargo cults associated with Papua New Guinea and other areas, where the new Christians con­ high growth rate tnay be no more than structed installations on the shore in the hope that God-the Ibaptized heathenism,I II "higher power" whom they supposed had sent the whites the many material objects which had arrived by sea and air-would make them rich. In Africa the practice of polygamy and witchcraft is as valid in Latin America, Asia, or Africa as it is in England. The and the use of charms arid fetishes often coexist with outward "urban explosion" is a worldwide phenomenon." urban mission, acceptance of the Christian faith. In some areas of Latin America, therefore, is a priority everywhere. It is there, in the city with all adherence to Christianity does not necessarily imply a complete its dehumanizing power, that the need for a gospel with power to move away from Spiritism. Syncretism is thus a real threat that transform the totality of life comes into sharp focus. In a world that often accompanies mass movements and poses a question regard­ is becoming increasingly urbanized, the city is beyond doubt the ing the extent to which Christianity has in fact been received by symbol of the challenge that the church faces today with regard to people participating in them. Perhaps the most urgent need in evangelism and discipleship. relation to rapid church growth is for a new stress of Christian discipleship as involving the placing of the totality of life under The Challenge of Partnership and Unity the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In the second place, even after due account is taken of the Thirty years ago, at the enlarged meeting of the International expansion of Christianity in the last few decades, the fact remains Missionary Council held at Whitby (Canada) in 1947, the church that there are still many largely unevangelized areas, particularly was uniquely confronted with the need to break down the distinc­ the Muslim countries and China, the most populous nation of the tion between"older and younger churches" and to face its global world, where the church has been reduced to an "underground" responsibility. Whitby's emphasis on missionaries as "agents of cell-type movement, near extinction." (The new constitution, ap­ the church universal," whose responsibility was to be regarded proved in June 1975, granted religious freedom, but defined it as on a par with that of their national colleagues, was a hallmark in "freedom not to believe in religion and freedom to propagate missionary thinking. atheism.") In Asia-a continent with well over two billion Today not many would openly argue with A. J. Boyd's state­ people-there are not more than fifty million Christians, which ment, that seems to ratify K. M. Panikkar's claim in his bookAsia and Western Dominance (1953) that the attempt to convert Asia to Christianity Olderchurches and younger churches are no longer to be thought of has completely failed. Though Asia is only the least evangelized as patrons and beneficiaries respectively, or even as senders and continent, the fact remains that in almost every country of the receivers, but as partners not merely in a contractual sense, but set world Christians are still a small minority. by God in that relationship. They come together by God's will, for Finally, we must not forget that Europe-the continent that the doing of God's will, they are partners in obedience. 9 served as the first base of the modem missionary movement-has become a new "mission field." In his assessment of the present In actual fact, however, Whitby's call to partnership in obedience is still today as relevant as when it was first issued. Many of its situation and prospects of the Christian faith in the world, Stephen Neill claims, "It is on Europe that the glance of the recommendations have not yet been implemented by a number of observer falls with gravest anxiety," and then adds: agencies involved in missionary work. Witness the growing nu­ merical strength of North American Protestant missions (almost We seem to be watching a steady diminution of the spiritual capital wholly dependent on North American personnel, leadership, and of Europe, the disappearance of the old European synthesis of finances) after World War 11,10 and the persistent separation of religion and culture, and a desiccation of the human spirit, as a "foreign missions" and "local churches" around the world. Wit­ result of which men not merely are not religious, but can see no ness the prevalence of policies and patterns of missionary work reason why they should concern themselves with anything beyond which assume that the leadership of the Christian mission lies in the world of the senses.4 the hands of western strategists and specialists. Witness the schools of "world mission" based in the West, with no participa­ The challenge of evangelism and discipleship is thus one that the tion of faculty members from the Third World. Witness, finally, church has to face everywhere today, and face it over against a the frequency with which an older church (or, more often, a secularistic outlook that is part and parcel of western civilization. missionary board) in the West maintains a one-way relationship The impressive church growth in some areas of the world is with a younger church (which mayor may not be regarded as indeed small"incomparison with the expansion of modem mate­ independent). As long as this situation endures, partnership is no rialism, which has erected Homo consumens as the model of the more than a myth. ideal life. 5 One of the most urgent needs in the church today is In many cases missionary work continues to be done from a faith in the power of the gospel as a message of liberation from the position of political and economic power and with the assumption

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CLIFF R. BENZEL All testimonials unsolicited World Vision International Monrovia, California TED WARD PABLO PEREZ Institute for International Studies National Presbyterian Church PLUTARCO BONILLA Michigan State University Mexico City, Mexico Seminaro Biblico Latinoamericano East Lansing, Michigan San Jose, Costa Rica HOWARD PESKETT .. "I value SCAN above all other documents which hit Discipleship Training Centre EVERETT R. BOYCE my desk. I am amazed at your ability to find the Singapore Open Doors with Brother Andrew sorts of things that I am really interested in and Manila, Philippines to report or summarize them in such crisp detail." CLARK PINNOCK McMaster University • "I greatly appreciate Hamilton, Ontario SCAN. There is no way tou~h I could base on LEIGHTON FORD RISTO LEHTONEN SAMUEL F. ROWEN many of the issues it Billy Graham Evangelistic Lutheran World Federation Missionary Internship covers." Association Geneva, Switzerland Farmington, Michigan Charlotte, North Carolina PHILL BUTLER • "I find SCAN very inter­ WALDRON SCOTT Intercristo esting and relevant to my ARTHUR F. GLASSER work. " World Evangelical Fellowship Seattle, Washington Fuller Theological Seminary Colorado Springs, Colorado Pasadena, California JORGEN LISSNER JANET Carroll PAUL SCHROTENBOER C. F. HALLENCRENTZ Lutheran World Federation Maryknoll Sisters Reformed Ecumenical Synod Svensk Institutet for Geneva, Switzerland Maryknoll, New York Grand Rapids, Michigan Missionsforskning Uppsala, Sweden JACOB A. LOEWEN KURUVILLA CHANDY ARNE SOVIK Lal Bagh Methodist Church United Bible Societies Lusaka, Zambia Lutheran World Federation Lucknow, India PETE HAMMOND Geneva, Switzerland Inter-Varsity Christian • "I am impressed by SCAN and think you have a JONATHAN CHAO Fellowship PETER STAM China Graduate School of Decatur, Georgia great thing here." Africa Inland Mission Theology Pearl River, New York Hong Kong PAUL HOPKINS MALCOLM J. McVEIGH Division of Overseas Ministries HAROLD W. TURNER JOSEPH.CONLEY Board of Global Ministries National Council of Churches Aberdeen University Regions Beyond Missionary Union The United Methodist Church New York, New York Aberdeen, Scotland Philadelphia, Pennsylvania New York, New York ULI KORTSCH GRADY MANGHAM A. J. VAN DER BENT HARVIE M. CONN Youth With A Mission World Council of Churches Westminster Theological Christian & Missionary Alliance Dunham, Quebec, Canada Geneva, Switzerland Seminary Nyack, New York Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ALFRED C. KRASS GUY OLIVER DANIEL WAMBUTDA The Other Side University of Ife RALPH R. COVELL Reformed Theological Seminary Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ile-Ife, Nigeria Conservative Baptist Theological Jackson, Mississippi • "Consistently superior Seminary stuff. Well-written, well­ • "SCAN really saves a lot DAN WEAVER Denver, Colorado balanced. Extremely help­ of time for me, keeps me Summer Institute of Linguistics • "I find the matters you ful." aware of articles I might Manila, Philippines have selected to be of overlook, and reminds me great importance. You are PAUL LANDRY of materials I might have DAVID A. WOMACK making a significant con­ Overseas Crusades read but failed to Assemblies of God tribution to missiology." Bogota, Colombia appropriate." Springfield, Missouri of western superiority with regard to culture and race. Many merely a question of practical convenience but the necessary con­ Christian churches, institutions, and movements in the Third sequence of God's purpose for the church and for the whole of World continue to live in a "colonial" situation, heavily depen­ humanity revealed in Jesus Christ. When Christians fail to work dent on foreign personnel and subjected to foreign .control. De­ as partners in mission, they also fail to manifest concretely the spite the progress made toward genuine independence, Chris­ new reality which they proclaim in the gospel. Because there is tians in the "developing countries" are caught in a situation in one world, one church, and one gospel, the Christian mission which economic and cultural imperialism has hardly been bro­ cannot be anything else than mission in partnership. The fulfill­ ken, even though its outward appearance has changed. On the ment of Jesus' prayer, that his followers may all be one so that the other hand, the mentality of colonial dependence lingers in many world may believe in him, requires today a supranational Chris­ "younger churches" to such an extent that an African observer tian communitybringing to a world unified bytechnology a gospel (John Mbiti) feels entitled to say, "The Church in Africa has been centered in Jesus Christ, the Lord of all. Mission is inseparable very missionary minded, but only in terms of receiving mis­ from unity, and unity is far more than a question of structures; it sionaries and depending on them." The missionary movement has to do with willingness to rejoice with those who rejoice and to has been extremely slow to recognize the importance of real weep with those who weep, it has to do (in Tillich's words) with partnership in obedience and has fostered among the "younger "listening, giving and forgiving." churches" an attitude that will prove very difficult to change. As a How can Christians be united in mission as long as mpny of result, even after the "Retreat of the West" from the Third World, them (especially in the West) adopt an ostentatious lifestyle, while Christianity is still commonly regarded as a western religion and the large majority of.them(especially in the underdeveloped coun­ the Christian mission is still generally identified with a white tries) are unable to satisfy essential human needs? The poverty of face. the Third World places a question mark over the lifestyle of The great reluctance by missionary societies to heed the call to people, and particularly of Christians, in the West. And the partnership even in the postcolonial situation is sufficient to ex­ proper response to it, to begin with, is a simple lifestyle and a plain the "Call for a Moratorium" issued by the Commission on radical restructuring of the economic relationships among Chris­ World Mission and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches tians everywhere, based on the biblical concept of stewardship. As at its assembly held at Bangkok in January 1973. The recommenda­ tion-was that mission agencies consider stopping sending funds and personnel to particular churches for a period of time, as "a possible strategy of mission in certain situations." The debate that JJThe poverty of the Third World places a followed was characterized by more heat than light. The All question mark over the lifestyle of Africa Conference of Churches added heat by adopting the Moratorium at its meeting at Lusaka in May 1974, with the obser­ people, and particularly of Christians, in vation, "Should the moratorium cause the missionary agencies to the West." crumble, the African church could have performed a service in redeeming God's people in the Northern Hemisphere from a distorted view of the mission of the church in the world." Ronald Sider has put it, "If a mere fraction of North American and On the other hand, the International Congress on World European Christians would begin to apply biblical principles on Evangelization, held at Lausanne in August 1974, added light by economic sharing among the worldwide people of God, the world recognizing that "a reduction of foreign missionaries may some­ would be utterly astounded."ll It is high time for rich Christians times be necessary' to facilitate the national church's growth in to take seriously"evangelical poverty"- the poverty inspired by self-reliance and to release resources for unevangelized areas," as the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who, though he was rich, is stated in the Lausanne Covenant. After the Lausanne Congress, became poor for us (2 Cor. 8:9). at which a number of critical issues were brought up mainly by Yet life in community cannot be conceived in terms of a Third World speakers, it became increasingly clear that even situation in which one section of the church is always on the the most traditional missionary agencies can no longer avoid the giving end while another is always on the receiving end. Rather, it issue of world partnership in mission. The conviction expressed must be understood as a situation in which Christians in the Lausanne Covenant, that "a new missionary era has everywhere are willing to share with one another out of what they dawned" and that "a growing partnership of churches will de­ have, able to see that the aim of giving is not that some may be velop and the universal character of Christ's church will be more eased and others burdened but that "as a matter of equality" the clearly exhibited," is slowly gaining ground. abundance of those who have should supply the want of those The end of western colonialism has brought the church into a who do not have, so that the abundance of the latter may supply place where the real issues of the Christian mission can be seen in the want of the former, "that there may be equality" (2 Cor. their true light. It can no longer be assumed that people in the 8:12-13). The possibility of reciprocal giving between churches is Third World will accept Christianity because of its association a basic premise without which no healthy relationship between with the political and economic and cultural power of the West. rich and poor churches is attainable. As David Auletta says: On the contrary, many will find in this association a big stumbling block. Consequently, the Christian mission today has to be car­ All the churches are poor in one way or another. All of them are ried on from a position of weakness. A new possibility is thus involved in mission and are responsible for mission. All of them created for the gospel to be presented as a message centered should be concerned for one another, help each other, share with around Jesus Christ rather than as the ideology of the West. Free one another their resources. All the churches should give and from its entanglements with Europe and North America, the receive. 12 Christian mission can now be seen as motivated by the desire that Jesus Christ be acknowledged as the Lord of the whole universe Giving and receiving cannot be maintained unless there is be­ and the Savior of all people. tween the churches a mature relationship based on the gospel. If A universal gospel calls for a universal church in which all the church ceases to be a community in which people share a Christians are effectively involved in the world mission as equal common meaning derived from the gospel, sooner or later there is members in the body of Christ. Partnership in mission is not a return to the old ways of paternalism and dependence. The

January,1979 9 corrective for paternalism is not independence, but interdepen­ hunger is broadened in order to include those who do not get dence, and interdependence comes with a deeper understanding enough proteins and cannot therefore function at full capacity, the of the nature of unity in Christ and of the situation in which other number of hungry people in the world would be anywhere be­ members of the body of Christ live. In other words, if Christians tween one and two billion. are to take interdependence seriously they need to realize that The hunger crisis has become worse since 1971, when food they share a common life-the resurrection life-but they also production dropped by 1 percent in the poor countries. On the need to create channels of communication which will allow them other hand, in the 1970s the wealthy countries (especially the to see people of other cultures in a different light. United States, Canada, Europe, the Soviet Union, and Japan) have seen an "affluence explosion" that has increased the rates of consumption to an unprecedented level. If the hunger crisis has made anything clear, it is that the poor can hardly expect the rich "Genuine repentance must be expressed to do their part toward solving the problem-unless the attitude in actions, and the main action required of and values of the rich are radically changed. As Senator Mark the church in the wealthy world is to give Hatfield put it at the 1974 Conservative Baptist Convention: priority to inward, rather than outward, As Americans we must no longer assume that our extra abundance can feed the hungry of the world. Our surplus supply is not enough. growth." Rather, the world will be fed only by the sharing of resources which the rich of the world have assumed to be their unquestioned pos­ session, and that sharing involves a changing of values and eating In order to foster mutual giving and receiving among the patterns which the affluent have barely even questioned. IS churches, nothing can take the place of Christians coming from other nations and interpreting to fellow Christians across the The challenge of the Third World is thus a challenge to the world the needs and struggles of their own churches. All too often affluent-to their values and ideals, their ambitions and stan­ the knowledge that the churches in the West have of the situation dards, their assumptions and lifestyle. And the response to that of the churches in the nonwestern world is limited to the reports challenge cannot be merely in terms of charitable activities and aid sent by missionaries. Missionaries may also be the only source of programs; it has to be in terms of a redistribution of wealth which information that the younger churches have to know the situation would meet the demands of social justice. The poor countries of of the churches in the West. The time has come to develop ways of Asia, Africa, and Latin America have in common that an economic closing the gap between older and younger churches. There are system, based on the exchange of industrial goods for farming already useful experiments that are being carried out for this products and developed in Europe during the eighteenth and the purpose, but much more needs to be done to shape patterns of nineteenth centuries, has been imposed on them, creating a gap solidarity across political, economic, social, and cultural barriers, that they are now unable to bridge. There is no way out for them and to stimulate the mutual sharing of gifts among the churches. unless the affluent nations come to see that economic growth is Of particular importance in connection with this aim are not an end in itself, that economic life has meaning only in the those projects making it possible for young people from the West context of human solidarity and stewardship and responsibility. to live in a foreign country in close contact with human needs, at Such a change could take place only if the church were willing least for a limited period. Perhaps nothing will do more to awaken to follow the way of "Repentance and Self-Limitation."16As Alex­ the young generation to the inequalities in the modern world and ander Solzhenitsyn has eloquently argued in his essay under that the urgency of partnership in mission than a firsthand experience title, it is doubtful that without repentance the world will survive. of life among the least privileged. It is not surprising that the best His call to Russia to repent, for "unless we recover the gift of suggestion that a North American professor of philosophy was repentance, our country will perish and will drag the whole world able to give to his Christian friends with regard to what could be with it,"!? is more applicable to the United States than to any other done in the face of the problems he had seen in Latin America was nation of the world. And so is his call to self-limitation through as follows: prudent self-restriction. "Such a change," says he, "will not be easy for the free economy of the West. It is a revolutionary demoli­ Maybe the best thing the young could do is just go there. Not to tion and total reconstruction of all our ideas and aims. We must go teach them what we think they must know, but to be taught by over from uninterrupted progress to a stable economy, with nil them what must be done and then just simply be the manpower, musclepower, brainpower that is needed to do it. And do it without growth in territory, parameters and tempo, developing only pay; just for shelter, water and some cornmeal. And if there is through improved technology...."18 energy left, to listen, to comfort, to encourage, to lift up and to love Genuine repentance must be expressed in actions, and tile in many more ways. And on the basis of that finally to say that true main action required of the church in the wealthy world is to gi .. e shalom comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. 13 priority to inward, rather than outward, growth. Then, and only then, will it be able to contribute creatively toward the solution of Over twenty years ago Max Warren claimed that "partnership is the problems of underdevelopment without falling into the trap of an idea whose time has not yet fully come."14 The question today "aggressive benevolence." is whether partnership will have to survive again for twenty years The development needed in the Third World is not one pat­ as an idea, or whether the church is ready to put it into practice for terned on the affluent West, as if the road to development were the sake of the gospel n'ow-at last. identical with the imposition of a consumer society on all the peoples of the earth. No economic resources are sufficient to meet a world market demand at the level of consumption to which the The Challenge of Development and Justice West has become accustomed. Furthermore, no development is true development if it concentrates on economics but fails to give According to a 1974 United Nations report, more than 460 million adequate attention to the deeper questions concerning humanity people in the world are chronically hungry. The UN Food and and the ultimate meaning of human life. The Christian mission is Agriculture Organization has estimated that if the definition of concerned with the development of the whole person and of all

10 Occasional Bulletin people. It includes, therefore, the shaping of a new lifestyle-"a fully adapted to a situation characterized by a yawning chasm life style designed for permanence"19-based on new methods of between rich and poor. The models of mission built on the afflu­ production and new patterns of consumption. It includes also the ence of the West condone this situation of injustice and condemn creation of a new technologysubordinated to humanityand respect­ the indigenous churches to permanent dependence. In the long ful of nature. The time has come to give heed to Ernesto Sabato's run, therefore, they are inimical to mission. The challenge both to words: lilt will be necessary to recover the human meaning of Christians in the West and to Christians in the underdeveloped technology and science, to set their limits, to finish with their world is to create models of mission centered in a prophetic religion."20 The challenge facing the church in the field of devel­ lifestyle, models that will point to Jesus Christ as the Lord over the opment today is fundamentally the challenge of human develop­ totality of life, to the universality of the church, and to the inter­ ment, in a context of justice. The need is for models of mission dependence of human beings in the world.

Notes

1. Neill, A History of Christian Missions (Harmondsworth, Middlesex: 9. Boyd, Christian Encounter (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrews Press, Penguin Books, 1964), p. 572. 1961), p.19. 2. David Auletta and others, Mision nueva en un mundo nuevo (Buenos 10. As of January 1, 1976, there were 36,950 Protestant missionaries from Aires: Editorial Guadalupe, 1974), p. 34 (trans. Padilla). North America (35,969 from the United States and 1,252 from Canada) 3. It is estimated that in 1947 the Roman Catholic Church had three serving overseas. The increase in the number of missionaries after million members in China. There were also 5,441 foreign mis­ 1920 was largely due to the increase in the number of missionaries sionaries, 2,798 Chinese priests, 5,112 Chinese sisters, 257 orphan­ from North America. Cf. Mission Handbook:North American Protestant ages, 29 publishing houses, 20 bishops and 1 cardinal. By contrast, Ministries Overseas, ed. E. Dayton (Monrovia, Calif.: MARC, 1976), p. "Since 1966 the Roman Catholic church is no longer visible in com­ 24. munist China" (ibid., p. 27). 11. Sider, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: A BiblicalStudy (Downers 4. Neill, Christian Missions, pp. 564-565. Grove, Ill.: Inter-Varsity Press, 1977), p. 111. 5. On this question, see my essay "Spiritual Conflict" in The New Face of 12. Auletta, Mision nueva, p. 87 (trans. Padilla). Evangelicalism, ed. C. Rene Padilla (Downers Grove, Ill.: Inter-Var­ 13. Hendrik Hart in a mimeographed letter dated July 20, 1975, and sity Press, 1976), pp. 207ff. entitled "Latin America: Report of a Visit." 6. This statement should not be taken as a denial of reaching people in 14. Warren, Partnership: The Study of an Idea (London: SCM Press, 1956), the jungles. The point is that there is an imbalance when missionaries p.l1. concentrate on small isolated tribes and forget the millions in the 15. Hatfield, in Eternity 25, no. 11 (November 1974): 3S. cities, as seems to be the case in Brazil. Cf. Latin American Church 16. Solzhenitsyn, Fromunder the Rubble (Boston: Little, Brown and Com­ Growth, eds. W. R. Read, V. M. Monterroso, and H. A. Johnson pany, 1975), pp. 105f£. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), p. 303. 17. Ibid., PP: 120-121. 7. Sheppard, Built as a City: God and the Urban World Today (London: 18. Ibid., p. 138. Hodder and Stoughton, 1974), p. 16. 19. E. F. Schumacher, Small Is Beautiful (London: Abacus, 1975), p. 16. 8. At the beginning of the nineteenth century there was no city with 20. Sabato, Hombresy engranajes,Obrasy Ensayos (Buenos Aires: Editorial more than a million inhabitants, in 1945 there were already thirty, in Sudamericana, 1974), p. 269 (trans. Padilla). 1955there were sixty, in 1970 almost ninety. It is estimated that by the year 2000, six out of ten persons will live in urban centers.

Tanuarv,1979 11 "Bread for the 'Abrld offers Christian citizens an effective way to help shape public policy which will mean life or death for millions." -Ron Sider in Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

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o Send more infonnation. bread for the world 207 east 16th street new york 10003 Racism and Revolution: Response of the Churches in South Africa

David /. Bosch

~ speak about the response of the churches in South Africa (coloreds and Africans) are now members of the so-called "daugh­ . .;0 racism and revolution is no easy task, simply-to begin ter" churches of the ORC. A comparison of the 1970statistics with with-e-because of the multiplicity of denominations. This was those of 1960shows that the numberof black adherents of the ORC caused, on the one hand, by the various waves of European in that ten-year period has increased by 60 percent, second only to migrations to South Africa, the new South Africans taking their the Roman Catholic Church, which has registered an increase of churches with them as, of' course, also happened in thecase of 76 percent. The "daughter" churches of the ORC are organized migrations to North America. A complication in the case of South along racial lines, one for "coloreds" (The DR Mission Church), Africa, which was absent from the North American scene, has one for Africans (the ORC in Africa) and one for Indians (The been that almost every British and continental European mission­ Reformed Church in Africa). ary society as well as several from America have undertaken mission work in South Africa. These two facts, plus a third one, namely, the genesis and development of many new denomina­ IIAlmost every British and continental tional bodies on South African soil, make it extremely difficult to present anything approaching a synoptic view. European ntissionary society as well as The 1970 census put the total population of the Republic of South Africa at 21.4 million, of whom 15.8 million identified several front America have undertaken themselves as "Christian." Of the 5.6 million "non-Christians," ntission work in South Africa.II the majority would be adherents of African traditional religions, with some 400,000 Hindus, 250,000 Muslims and 118,000 Jews. It is of importance to note that the percentage of Christians among 2. The Member Churches of the South African Council of Churches (SACC). These are (in sequence, more or less according the whites is about the same as among the nonwhites, namely, to their size) Methodist, Anglican, Lutheran, Congregational, and slightly over 70 percent. On June 30, 1975, South Africa had an estimated population of 17.7 million blacks, 4.25 million whites, Presbyterian. All of them, except the Lutherans, originated in 2.4 million "coloreds," and .75 million Asians. Britain. They are therefore often referred to as the "English­ speaking churches." The overwhelming majority of their mem­ For the sake of clarity and at the risk of gross oversimplifica­ bership is, however, black, and the churches are multilingual, tion, I am going to subdivide the South African ecclesiastical except that all of their business is conducted in English. The scene into five categories, saying, by way of introduction, a few words about each of them. . percentage of black Christians is steadily growing in these churches. Of even more importance is the fact that their opinion 1. The Afrikaans ReformedChurches. There are three of these carries ever more weight in the ecclesiastical assemblies and in the but as two of them are comparatively small and as there are Council of Churches itself. Many of the black leaders are extremely important similarities in ethos and outlook, we may group them articulate and have criticized the South African racial policies together and concentrate on the larger one, namely, the Dutch relentlessly. The SACC has, in fact, always been known for its Reformed Church (ORC). This is the church to which most mem­ critical stance toward racial segregation, but until the beginning bers of the government belong, including all South African prime ministers since the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. of the 1970s the "attack" was led almost entirely by whites. The Message to the Peopleof South Africa, which was published in 1968, The DRC is much more than a denomination in the ordinary was predominantly a "white" document, compiled under the meaning of the word. It functions as the key institution in sustain­ leadership of the Council's general secretary, Bill Burnett ing and developing the Afrikaans language and culture. This has (now archbishop of Cape Town). Since the early 1970s, black led to a closeness of relationships between church, language, leadership has increasingly taken over in the Council, culminat­ culture, and people that would be difficult to equal anywhere else. ing in the appointment of John Thome, a "colored," as general To be a true Afrikaner means to speak Afrikaans, to belong to one secretary in 1977and Desmond Tutu, a black, in March 1978. Also of the Dutch Reformed churches, and to support the National in the member churches themselves black leadership is increas­ Party. When one of these three elements is missing in any specific ingly in evidence and the role played by whites is diminishing. individual, he or she can hardly claim to be a true Afrikaner. The South African versions of black consciousness and black About 1.3 million white South Africans regard themselves as theology also, by and large, have their origins in the membership members of the Dutch Reformed Church. Because of its vigorous of this category of churches-people such as Steve Biko, Manas missionary activities in recent years, 1.65 million "nonwhites" Buthelezi, Ernst Baartman, Elliot Mgojo, and many others. The majority of the white clergy of the member churches of the Council would identify themselves-in varying degrees­ with the Council's critical stance toward the country's racial DavidJ. Bosch, Professor of Missiology at the University of South Africa in policies. The same cannot, however, be said of the rank-and-file Pretoria, is Editor of Missionalia, the journalof the South African Missiologi­ cal Society. A South African of the Dutch Reformed Church, he served for lay membership. The November 1977 National Party landslide fifteen years as a missionary in the Transkei. This paper was presented to a victory at the polls is not imaginable without massive support Study Group at the Overseas Ministries Study Centerin Ventnor, New Jersey, from members of the English-speaking churches. in April 1978. The ORC was a founding member of the SACC in the 1930s

T~n11~1'"1.T 1070 1.~ (then: Christian Council of South Africa), It left the Council in the political status quo. They tend to be pietistic in theological 1941because of the "English" nature of the Council and because of approach and see the person's vertical relationship to God as the Council's attitude on racial matters. In 1975, however, the fundamental and primary. They do a lot in the area of mission as largest "daughter" church of the ORC, namely the ORC in Africa, well as charity, but hardly touch the structures of society. In more joined the Council. Within two years of its joining the Council, a recent years, I must add, some influences from the "New black pastor of the ORC in Africa, Sam P. Buti, was elected na­ Evangelicalism" have penetrated into these churches, making tional president of the Council. Another large "daughter" church them more aware than before of their social and political respon­ of the ORC, the "colored" or ORC Mission Church, is now consid­ sibility. Instrumental to this was the participation of many leaders ering joining the SACCo from these churches in the Durban Congress on Mission and All the member churches of the SACC (with the exception of Evangelism (1973), the Lausanne Congress (1974),the Pan African the ORC in Africa) are also members of the World Council of Christian Leadership Assembly (1976), and now the South Afri­ Churches (WCC). Government pressure to resign, especially in can Christian Leadership Assembly (SACLA) that is planned for view of the WCC's Program to Combat Racism, has been July 1979. withstood successfully but this, and many other events, have led 5. The African Independent Churches (AICs). As so much is to increasing polarization between these churches and the gov­ known about this category of churches in missiological circles, I ernment. The majority of the clergymen detained, banned, or can be very brief about them. There are some 3,000 different under house arrest are from these churches. The now famous bodies of AICs in South Africa, the largest proliferation anywhere resolution of the 1974 National Conference of the SACC in support on the continent. Until the 1950s they grew at an enormous rate, of conscientious objection was especially calculated to elicit the ire both as regards the numbers of different organizations and of of the government, notably because in the preamble to the resolu­ individual members. Indications are, however, that they have tion, the Conference stated that South Africa at present was a now passed their prime. The 1960 census showed that they "fundamentally unjust and discriminatory society and that this counted 21 percent of the South African black population among injustice and discrimination constitute the primary, in­ their adherents; by 1970 this had dropped to only 18.3 percent. stitutionalized violence which has provoked the counter violence Very few of these churches or their leaders address themselves to of the terrorists or freedom fighters." One of the reactions of the the South African social or political situation. Their main concern government was to introduce a parliamentary bill the next year is with the well-being and welfare of their own members. Some of which provided for a fine of up to R10,000 ($12,500) or ten years' them actually operate almost as large economic concerns. Others imprisonment, or both, for anyone attempting to persuade any inculcate obedience and respect for authority in their members, person to avoid military service. This would make not only con­ which again make these members very popular with white em­ scientious objection as such, but also any positive discussion of it, ployers. Here and there voices among the AICs have been raised an offense. After vigorous opposition to the bill in Parliament and against the injustices of the South African society but they have from the member churches of the Council in their various as­ been few. By and large the AICs are outside the mainstream of semblies the bill was somewhat modified, but passed neverthe­ South African ecclesiastical life on the larger scale. less. (For a more extensive survey of the recent relationship be­ For the rest of this paper I will concentrate on the first two tween the Council and the government, see De Gruchy 1977a.) categories discussed above. The South African ecclesiastical re­ sponse to racism and revolution (our theme) has come almost exclusively from these quarters. When discussing this "re­ "The Roman Catholic Church is a minor­ sponse," we could go about it in different ways. One way would be to look at the whole complex reality of church-state or church­ ity church in South Africa and a relative society relations in South Africa from the perspective of various latecomer to the scene." "models," such as: 1. The Roman Catholic Nature-Grace model. 2. The Lutheran Two Kingdom model. 3. The Roman Catholic Church (RCC). The RCC is a minority 3. The Calvinist Christocratic model. church in South Africa and a relative latecomer to the scene. It is, 4. The more recent revolutionary-eschatological model, however, growing very rapidly, mainly because of a stepped-up which is less confessionally based and determined than any of the and well-organized missionary activity. In only one decade, 1960 other three. to 1970, the number of its adherents increased from 1 million to 1.8 million. As De Gruchy (1977a) correctly remarks, the RCC "is in a Another possibility would be to study the problem from the peculiar position because of a traditional anti-Catholic bias in perspective of the role and influence of civil religion-or, what government attitudes" which has produced "a certain amount of might be more or less the same, ideology-in South Africa. To do Catholic caution in the past, making the hierarchy perhaps more so, I want to attempt to analyze the development of racial thinking' diplomatic than it might have been in a less avidly Protestant in the Dutch Reformed Church and to move from there to a brief milieu" (p. 440). This is increasingly changing, however, and the discussion of the attitudes and responses in other churches. My Catholic Church, or at least the hierarchy, is identifying itself reason for proceeding in this way is partially personal and par­ more and more with the stance adopted by the SACC, of which it tially in the nature of the South African situation itself. Personal is not a member. Almost all Catholic priests are, however, expa­ because, as a member of the ORC, I know this church better than I triates. know the other; in the nature of the situation, because every other 4. The Conservative EvangelicalChurches. It might perhaps be recent response to racism and revolution has been, largely, a better to define these churches negatively as those churches that reaction to what was happening in the ORC. do not belong to any of the preceding three groups (nor to the Before analyzing the thinking in the DRC, however, I want to fifth). They are predominantly English-speaking and usually very look, briefly, into the European origins of the different South small. They include Baptists, Free Methodists, Free Lutherans, the African churches. I believe that we find here, at least in part, an African Evangelical Church, the Church of the Nazarene, as well explanation for much that was to follow later. My concern here, as the so-called classical Pentecostal churches. On the whole these then, is with the ecclesiologies of the various "mother" churches churches are apolitical, which means, in effect, a tacit support of in Europe and the influences of these ecclesiologies on the mis­

14 Occasional Bulletin sionary approaches and policies of the different churches on America have, for instance, little more than historical and con­ South African soil. fessionallinks with their "mother" churches in England or Ger­ It is striking that all the English-speaking churches in South many, but no structural ties comparable to those of the Roman Africa (as well as the Roman Catholic Church) are structured in Catholic Church. This has, as a matter of course, led to the found­ such a way that there is no racial separation on the level of synod ing of autonomous younger churches on the mission field, a (or whatever the representative church body is called). They all development different from that in Catholic and Anglican mis­ do, however, in varying degrees, differentiate on the parish level. sions. The development in the Reformed churches of Dutch origin But on the "national" level the church is one: there is only one has been similar to that of Lutheran churches. J. H. Bavinck, Methodist, one Anglican, one Congregational Church. In the case missiologist of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands, has, for of the three Reformed churches, however, and in the case of the instance, pleaded the case for completely independent younger Lutheran Church (a member of the SACC) the situation is differ­ Reformed churches. He added that the two churches, the old and ent: There are separate, independent churches for different racial the young, were "in essence" one, but two as far as church polity groups. The black "manifestations" of the Reformed and Lu­ was concerned. He cautioned, however, that there should never theran churches have in recent years increasingly criticized this be a "barbed-wire fence" between these two churches but at most state of affairs but, so far, without success. (There are, it should be a dotted line. admitted, federative ties between the black and the white Another important traditional difference between Catholic churches in the respective "families.") churches on the one hand, and Protestant churches on the other, is It would be easy to declare that this difference between Re­ the emphasis on the proclamation of the Word in the latter. Here formed and Lutheran on the one hand, and other churches on the the liturgy and, in fact, for all practical purposes the sacraments, other, is simply due to the fact that the former are more racially are of far less importance than the intelligible proclamation of prejudiced than the latter. I am not convinced that this is the entire God's Word. This emphasis has supported the ecclesiological story. Ecclesiology also enters into the picture. Roman Catholics point of departure of the church as the local congregation and has and Anglicans have a "high" view of the church, in contrast to led to the structuring of Protestant churches on linguistic lines. most Protestants. A Roman Catholic Jesuit missionary would And as linguistic differences tend to coincide with cultural and never dream of founding a "Jesuit" church on the mission field. In ethnic differences, the result, in many cases, has been different, spite of his loyalty to his missionary order he cannot but see his autonomous ethnic churches. entire missionary enterprise as standing in the service of the In fact, in very many cases there was no clear aim regarding worldwide Catholic Church. Similarly, an Anglican S.P.G. mis­ the future church in most instances of Protestant missions in their sionary or even a low-church C.M.S. missionary understands his earlier manifestations. This had been due to their weak ecclesiol­ missionary endeavors not as founding a new church but simply as ogy, or, to put it in more positive terms, to their "low" view of the extending the Anglican Church (or, at least, the Anglican "com­ church. Stephen Neill aptly remarks: "Protestant missionaries munion"). This is why the Anglican Henry Venn changed the have gone out with the earnest desire to win souls for Christ, but Congregationalist Rufus Anderson's "self-propagation" to "self­ with very little idea of what is to happen to the souls when they extension." The oneness of the church is of such overriding im­ have been won" (Concise Dictionary of the Christian World Mission, portance that cultural, linguistic, and other human differences p. 109). In most cases the hopes have been, rather vaguely, that tend to receive very little emphasis. The differentiation at parish their missionary endeavors would lead to the founding of the level is mainly for practical reasons and is, in any case, usually "Church of Christ" or "companies of redeemed souls." In some understood as only provisional. The fact that these churches are respects, then, the development of Protestant younger churches what we may call "liturgical" churches, with a heavy emphasis on on the mission field has been almost an accident, forced upon the the sacraments and liturgy, and a correspondingly lesser empha­ mission by circumstances. sis on preaching, also facilitates this understanding. The language Returning to the South African scene, it could be remarked of the parishioners is therefore not of tremendous importance. Of that the observations above do not explain the fact that the (Protes­ one of the former Anglican bishops of Malawi it was said that, tant) Methodist and Congregational churches have followed the after twenty-five years, he still could not even greet his parishion­ Catholic rather than the Protestant (Lutheran and Reformed) ers in their own language! In view of all this, it was understand­ example. For this difference there are, I believe, two reasons: (1) able that the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in South As British churches in a part of the British empire the Methodists Africa would develop the way they did, as multiracial churches. and Congregationalists subconsciously shared the views of many The development in the Protestant churches -has been very of their countrymen that the whole South African population different. Carl Braaten, in his recently published theology of mis­ would eventually be Anglicized. In the long run, therefore, the sion, The Flaming Center, says, "Many Protestants have had a new converts would accommodate to the missionaries' language 'little-flock' mentality.... This has given Protestants a sense of and culture, not vice versa. (2) On the European continent, on the the particularity of the church. The church ... is not a massive other hand, the idea has always been that of every people being network of organizations and officeholders spread around the allowed to develop in its own way, according to its own nature. world, but the concrete occurrence of the Word in this particular The Christian faith, too, has to express itselfwithin the framework community." This leads to an understanding and emphasis de­ of nationhood. This was especially true of Lutheran Germany. The cidedly different from that of Roman Catholics and Anglicans. To general Protestant idea of the development of autonomous, in­ say it in metaphors: In the Catholic view a local church could not digenous churches on the mission field thus received a further be described as "the church," just as a finger could not be called dimension in the case of German Lutheran missions: the idea of "the body." In the Protestant tradition the local church is not Volkskirchen or ethnic churches. As a matter of fact, the German conceived merely as a member of the body (e.g., a finger) but as, concept Volk (Le., "people" or "nation" as an ethnic entity) in fact, a manifestation of the body in its totality. Different local gradually developed all kinds of additional overtones in the Protestant churches of the same confession do, of course, group period of Romanticism under the influence of people such as J. G. themselves together into a "church," but such a church still tends Fichte. Volk became an order of creation, with an element of to be confined to a limited geographical area, without structural permanence and immutability which it never had. These views links with a related church in another locality. The Methodist were introduced into missionary thinking, as J. C. Hoekendijk Church in Australia, or the various Lutheran churches in North has shown, and formed to a large extent the basis of the thinking

January, 1979 15 of the father of German missiology, Gustav Warneck..Dutch Re­ (with hints that there would also be room for the "coloreds"), but formed missiological thinking in South Africa has in this respect the dogmatic approach of the Kuyperians carried the day. In the been more directly influenced by German Lutheranism than by course of time Kuyperian-type nationalism was to blend with two Calvinism in the Netherlands. A popular Afrikaans version of other currents: (1) the Andrew Murray pietism, with its emphasis Warneck's Missionslehre was prepared in the 1920s and served as on a vital personal relationship with Christ, but which, because of guide for DRC missionary policy. In previous centuries, when this, allowed the corporate relationships in which persons live to these overtones of the concept Volk were still absent, black and be governed by constituent factors other than those developing white worshiped together in the Dutch Reformed Church. It was from personal faith; (2) the neo-Fichtean brand of romantic not until the middle of the nineteenth century that difficulties nationalism which developed in Germany and which saw every arose in this respect; however, not on the basis of ecclesiological people as living under a divine "law." "Peoplehood" is then the reflections or of the influences of German Romanticism, but be­ highest of all constituent factors in molding a society and a cause of the development of racial prejudice and the gradual "people" has a divine calling. Dr. H. F. Verwoerd (prime minister structuring of South African society into a white employer class 1959-1966) and Dr. N. J. Diederichs (the late state president) were and a black employee class. two of the many influential people who studied in Germany in the 1930s. The three currents (Kuyper, pietism, and neo-Fichteanism) today probably find their most successful "blending" in Dr. And­ "Dutch Reformed missiological thinking ries Treurnicht (onetime DRC pastor and now deputy minister in the present cabinet), Dr. J. D. Vorster (prominent church leader, in South Africa has been more directly elder brother of the prime minister, but less influenced by pietism influenced by German Lutheranism than than Treurnicht), and Dr. C. W. H. Boshoff (professor of missiol­ ogy, chairman of the S.A. Bureau of Racial Affairs, and son-in-law by Calvinism in the Netherlands.' to Verwoerd who, again, shows less traces of Kuyperian influ­ ences than the other two). Out of these and other factors the present' ethos of the ORC Having looked at the theological and philosophical roots of has developed-an ethos which predetermines the ORC's re­ the differences between South African churches outside South sponse to racism and revolution. This response may now, by way Africa, we now have to pay attention more specifically to the of summary, be briefly outlined under several points: development of attitudes on the South African soil itself. And then 1. A conviction of a "manifest destiny," of which the Af­ it soon becomes clear that, as far as the Afrikaner people and the rikaner's own "salvation history" gives proof (cf. Van [aarsveld Dutch Reformed Church are concerned, the "roots" to which we 1977). In the words of Dr. D. F. Malan (ORC pastor and later prime have just referred, within the specific"climate" of Southern Af­ minister of South Africa): "The last hundred years have witnessed rica, have indeed to a large extent preconditioned the "tree" that a miracle behind which must lie a divine plan.... Afrikanerdom was to develop. After a century and a half as a Dutch colony, the is not the work of men but the creation of God." (This kind of Cape was occupied by Britain in 1806. Soon the Dutch Calvinist understanding of history is, of course, not confined to Afrikan­ farmers found themselves hemmed in on two sides: the colonial ers!) government in the southwest (Cape Town), bent on Anglicizing 2. An identification with the people of Israel: like Israel, the the entire Dutch population; and the large Xhosa-speaking tribes, Afrikaner is (a) an elect people, (b) with emphasis on the shared who were relentlessly pushing south, in the northeast of the past and a "covenant," and (c) with a "messianic" future expecta­ colony. This was the climate in which the rugged and indomitable tion. This mystical identification with Israel has especially been spirit of the Afrikaner was to develop: left alone in the whole wide inculcated by means of Afrikaans poetry (cf. Hexham 1977). world, against overwhelming odds, they would go it alone, sus­ 3. Coupled with 1 and 2 there is the idea of a missionarycalling tained only by their faith in God. The first major outflow of this to other "less privileged" races, as their "guardian," as their new spirit was the Great Trek to the north and the founding of the "brother's keeper." A (pseudo?-) Calvinistic understanding of republics of Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal. Repeatedly, predestination also plays its role here. Today, the missionary however, during the whole course of the nineteenth century, the calling to evangelize and uplift the blacks is being extended to British empire would move closer to them. First Natal was an­ include the calling of defending "white Christian civilization." nexed. Then the Free State, which regained its independence; 4. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 can operate successfully only if the then the Transvaal, which was also victorious in the First War of purity of the Afrikaner people is maintained. Dr. E. P. Groenewald, Independence (1881). Eventually, however, both republics were a leading DRC theologian, wrote in 1947: "[Purity of blood] is as to succumb in the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. By that time necessary for a nation to do the will of God as is holiness for the Afrikaner nationalism was firmly established, a direct response to individual if he wants to serve God wholeheartedly. . . . If a British imperialism and nurtured by the Calvinist faith. nation guards its separateness, it will enjoy the blessings of God." In fact, by the mid-nineteenth century the influence of Cal­ A nation's purity is therefore understood metaphysically. The vinism had been considerably weakened in South Africa (as in the most recent General Synod of the DRC concludes, on scriptural motherland, Holland). Through the influence of Andrew Murray grounds, "That nations should jealously guard the spiritual and and others a pietism, resembling modem evangelicalism in a cultural treasures which they have acquired in the course of cen­ number of ways, became prevalent in the DRC. Toward the end of turies...." Treurnicht wrote a book with the significant title the nineteenth century there developed in Holland, however, a Credo of an Afrikaner, in which he said that "God 'nationalized' revitalized and aggressiveform of Calvinism, underthe charismat­ humanity," meaning that the existence of nations has to be attrib­ ic leadership of AbrahamKuyper. Through Dutch migrations to uted directly to God's intervention. the Boer republics, this form of Calvinism soon proved to be a very 5. The DRC reveals a remarkably positivistic attitude to law. strong rallying influence for the defeated Afrikaners after 1902. Even in circles where there is a great degree of uneasiness about When General Hertzog founded the National Party in 1913 (to present conditions in the country, there is a tendency to regard oppose Botha and Smuts), the main architects of this party's prevailing circumstances as inevitable because they have been "Program of Principles" were Dutch Kuyperians. Hertzog's own willed by God. The report on Human Relations adopted by the last nationalism was much more pragmatic and included the English General Synod of the DRC contains in itself a devastating diag­

16 Occasional Bulletin "The Sermon on .~he Mount," by South African artist Azariah Mbatha. Reprinted from Theo Sundermeier: SUDAFRIKANISCHE PASSION. LINOLSCHNITIE VON AZARIAH MBATHA.Copyright c 1977by Luther-Verlag, Bielefeld, andAussaat Verlag,Wuppertal. Used by permission. nosis of some of the fruits of racial segregatio-n (job reservation, door out there like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves" (Mphahlele homelands policy, the black townships, the position of the "col­ 1977: 35, 38). Today all this is more true than ever before. With oreds" and Indians) but at no point in the 100-page report is there Angola and Mozambique gone Marxist and Namibia and Zim­ a suggestion that at least a partial cause of all this is to be found in babwe on the verge of majority black rule, white South Africa is the laws themselves. The synod says, indeed, "As institution that more exposed than it has ever been and has, since late last year, Church submits itself to the authority and law of the state, ... had to cope with the consequences of a mandatory arms embargo provided the legal orderdoes not conflict with the Word of God," but as well. So, if ORC leaders are asked why they remain silent about no such conflict is registered anywhere. the many repressive measures-bannings, detentions, and the All this might create the impression of the ORC being entirely like, especially those of October 19, 1977-they tend to react by doctrinaire and completely incapable of seeing the plight of other saying, "In extraordinary circumstances extraordinary steps be­ people. This is indeed the image most outsiders have of the ORC. come necessary, whether we like them or not. We do not know Reality is, however, not so simple. For one thing, the ORC is not what prompted the government to take these steps, but we are monolithic: there are many dissident voices, ranging from hesi­ convinced that they would not have taken them had they not been tant questioning of presuppositions to open opposition. Further­ absolutely necessary." The fact-as already mentioned-that more, there are factors to be taken into consideration which, even large numbers of English-speaking South Africans voted for the if they do not mitigate the wrongs committed in the name of the National Party in the November 1977 elections (with, incidentally, Christian faith, at least partly explain the situation. an increasing number of Afrikaans-speaking people voting for the The history of the Afrikaners (and of the ORC) is one of a Progressive Federal Party) shows that English-speaking South two-century-long struggle of a small people against annihilation. Africans have begun to share the feeling of being embattled and This has led to their preoccupation with a frontier mentality­ threatened. something that haunts them till this day. In the words of a black There is a second factor which may be regarded as an explana­ South African, the Afrikaners have an "image of themselves as tion for the ORC's support of the present South Africa policy. In survivors of a catastrophe and as an embattled people.... Boer oversimplified terms, it can be said that only two solutions are nationalism is continuing its vigil. There is African nationalism offered for the South African dilemma: (1)democratization, i.e., the lurking in the shadow out there.... The dread of extinction­ process by which everybody living within the geographical body, language, and all-keeps scratching and breathing at the boundaries of the country will, eventually, share in the govern­

January, 1979 17 ment in an equal way; (2) decolonization, Le., to see South Africa as rikaner and Englishperson lay elsewhere. The Afrikaner Christian a colonial empire (like the former French and British empires, for was a member of a minority group who always felt threatened and example), which includes different peoples in different countries. therefore dug trenches, or, as we say in South Africa, developed a In the case of the other colonial empires the solution was found not "laager mentality." The English-speaking Christian was a member in democratization but in decolonization: the colonies of Britain of the British empire, of a dominant language and culture group, became independent countries. The same should now happen in and never felt threatened (that is, until now). Thus, where the South Africa. This is the rationale behind the Bantustan policy: Afrikaners emphasized their cultural distinctiveness from the South Africa is in the process of decolonizing its colonies. It was blacks (and from the English, for that matter) the English em­ acceptable in the cases of the European colonial empires, why is it barked upon a program of Anglicizing the blacks (and, of course, not now acceptable? the Afrikaners). This difference in attitude was-as indicated earlier-also reflected in the way the different churches organized themselves. "Criticism of Afrikaners and their church In actual day-to-day practice, however, there was little differ­ ence in the conduct of the two white groups toward blacks. coming from anybody who wears the tag English superiority feelings proved as great an obstacle as Af­ 'British' is . . . much less acceptable than rikaner emphases on identity and distinctiveness when it came to interpersonal relationships between white and black. In fact, criticism. from elsewhere." some blacks, even today, say that they prefer to deal with Afrikan­ ers because then they know exactly where they stand! The British have, however, in spite of paternalism and As a matter of fact, there is a conviction in DRC circles that superiority feelings, a long tradition of fair play. This, together South Africa is in the process of improving on the European with some of the ecclesiological predispositions discussed in the decolonization model. There, geographical boundaries of former opening paragraphs, enabled the English-speaking churches to colonies were simply taken as given, which led to some black see the dangers of racism at an earlier stage and more clearly than nations being cut in two or three and apportioned to different new most DRC churchpeople. Their criticisms became especially states (cf. the Somalis) or, on the other hand, various different numerous and sharp since 1948, the year in which the National black nations being lumped together in one state. The mis­ Party came to power. As the members of the English-speaking siologist Boshoff argues "that nowhere in history ... is an exam­ churches were, however, almost 100 percent supporters of the ple to be found where nations differing so widely in culture and (then) United Party, all the church criticisms after 1948were unfor­ development could exist peaceably in one plural society" (Boshoff tunately understood as primarily party-political and as signs of 1977: 53). He therefore concludes that the history of decoloniza­ nonacceptance of the fact that the United Party was defeated at the tion "expresses a devastating judgment on the concept of the polls. To put it differently: to this day the Anglo-Boer War (1899­ geographical state model. Military coups d'etat, single-party 1902) is still being fought in South Africa. Criticism of Afrikaners states, and lack of stability within which economic growth could and their church coming from anybody who wears the tag take place, are the results of plural societies, colonial boundaries "British" is therefore much less acceptable than criticism from which disintegrated nations and afterwards were determined as elsewhere. borders of new states, and the subjection of minorities to Of much more importance than the response of English­ majorities. Africa's history after liberation is a greater charge speaking white Christians to the issue of race and racism is that of against the West than its colonial history, on account of the disre­ black Christians. What strikes one here is the amazing degree of gard for the principle of nations .... at the time of its direst need, parallelism in the response of Afrikaners and blacks to the the West left Africa to the unenviable fate of plural communities" dynamics of the South African situation. (There are, naturally, (Boshoff 1977: 53-54). Only where, almost accidentally, decoloni­ important differences, some of which we will identify.) Afrikaner zation led to the formation of nation-states do we find stability, as, nationalism is in itself a phenomenon of reaction, namely to for instance, in Botswana and Swaziland. The South African de­ British imperialism. Black nationalism likewise developed as a colonization program is, however, carefully designed along response to outside influences, first British imperialism, then nation-state lines, Transkei being the first product and a shining Afrikaner nationalism. Furthermore, to this day black nationalism proof of success. Boshoff realizes that a thoroughgoing and just has, like Afrikaner nationalism, strong religious overtones. When program of decolonization along the line of nation-states will the African National Congress was formed in 1912, black pastors make tremendous sacrificial demands on the whites, as it would took a prominent lead, as Afrikaner pastors did a year later when obviously involve making more than 13 percent of the total land the National Party was founded. Once again, to this day the area of South Africa available to blacks (as was decided in 1936). National Party will make sure that it has the ORC with it as it His Bureau of Racial Affairs believes, however, that such sac­ moves ahead. If I am not mistaken, the same is true of black rifices must be made, and soon. As he puts it: when a country is nationalism; in Soweto and other places, during the political waging war, it is prepared to make superhuman sacrifices; why "unrest" of the past two years, black pastors such as Manas not then if, as in our case, a country is "waging" peace? Buthelezi, Desmond Tutu, Sam Buti, and prominent lay Christian In a final paragraph we will return to the response of the DRC, leaders such as Sally Motlana, have been playing a significant role. giving some additional critical remarks. At this stage, however, Even the Soweto students, in spite of all their accusations against we tum our attention to the response of the other South African the older black generation and the church, consult with respected churches to racism and revolution. We may be briefer about this black church leaders, if not alwayspublicly, I cannot quite imag­ response because (1) it is later in origin than that of the DRC, (2) it ine this kind of thing happening in a British setting. The church is less developed, more diffuse, and (3) it is, at least in its present seems to playa much less significant role there. form, by and large a reaction to Afrikaner nationalism. The situation among black Christians in South Africa be­ The white, English-speaking churches in South Africa have comes understandable if we remember that black nationalism always responded differently from the DRC to the issue of race. It developed (like Afrikaner nationalism) from Christian roots. The is, however, to be questioned whether their attitude was primar­ very earliest identifiable traces of black nationalism manifested ily due to theological reasons. The true difference between Af­ themselves during the 1880s in the churches, Methodist, Pres­

18 Occasional Bulletin byterian, Anglican, Lutheran. People like Nehemiah Tile and reject the idea of black Christian nationalism. This can be seen, for Mangena Mokone led breakaways from the white-dominated instance, in the way Alan Boesak, one of the most articulate black churches and formed a new type of church which came to be theologians, refuses to subscribe to the views of Albert Cleage of known as "Ethiopian." At that time the country of Ethiopia alone Detroit (Boesak 1977: 40-41). on the African continent symbolized African political and reli­ It would be difficult-especially for a white person-to es­ gious independence. Many of these Ethiopian-type churches tablish precisely how black church leaders of today respond to the were founded, often with the designation "Ethiopian" some­ possibility of revolution. Those who are in South Africa have to where in a church's name. express whatever they want to say in a very guarded way for fear Much later, in the twentieth century, another type of African of banning or detention. This surely constitutes a dilemma. Those independent church developed, the so-called "Zionist" type, who have fled the country are in a different dilemma. They know with less emphasis on the political aspect. Fewer and fewer new that they cannot return to the country as it is at present. Their only Ethiopian-type churches were formed and those already in exis­ hope of returning lies in a radical change in South Africa. And tence showed no extraordinary growth. This development did not then it is only natural that whatever they say would be calculated suggest a waning of political awareness among blacks. What hap­ to help precipitate a drastic change in South Africa as soon as pened, rather, was that the white-dominated churches were learn­ possible. So I find myself asking which of the two voices is more ing lessons from their earlier mistakes and were making room for genuine: the guarded criticism and gentle prodding toward African initiatives, sentiments, and even political awareness. One change from inside South Africa or the incitement to complete of the larger breakaway Ethiopian churches in fact amalgamated isolation and even violent intervention from outside. Or is the with the Anglican Church as the (semi-independent) Order of true African Christian voice perhaps to be found somewhere in Ethiopia, which exists till this day. So African nationalism now between? found room and even a platform within the English-speaking Perhaps the following words of Desmond Tutu (general secre­ churches. As the black membership of these churches increased tary of the S.A. Council of Churches as of March 1978) reflect the on a percentage basis, blacks became more and more vocal on sophisticated black Christian response to racism and revolution as political issues. To some extent the National Party victory over the truly as is humanly possible. Thequotation is taken from a paper United Party in 1948 came as a blessing in disguise to many white Tutu read at the Ninth Congress of the S.A. Missiological Society supporters of the United Party in the English-speaking churches, at the University of South Africa in Pretoria, January 1977, to an for now they could blame everything that went wrong in the audience that was overwhelmingly white and DRC. Referring to country on the Afrikaners and the DRC! nonviolent methods, Tutu said: Another similarity between Afrikaner and black nationalism (and proof of the religiousroots of both) is to be seen in the way Blacks are left wondering what practical alternatives are available, the Old Testament, especially the Exodus story, functions in given the palpable failure of non-violent forms of protest and op­ them. In both instances a "theology of liberation" is employed. position. We must admit that the passive resistance campaign of The Afrikaner's history in the nineteenth century abounds with the '50s was intended to demonstrate the desire of Blacks for non.. theologically charged expressions such as "Egyptian tyranny," violent change"What was the result? They were clobbered hard and "an oppressed Israel," "the yoke of Pharaoh," "the Egyptian long, and it is difficult for Blacks to accept the Minister of Justice's army," "the promised land," the "Canaanites," etc. It is the same views about the police. Blacks still remember Sharpeville and they climate we find in present-day South African black theology (cf. know that it was a peaceful demonstration by Black school children which was fired on by the police on June 16, 1976, and the silence of Bosch 1974). White Christians was deafening. . . . White advocates of non­ There are, however, dissimilarities also. African nationalism violence must forgive us Blacks for often thinking there is a hollow is by and large supranational, if under "nation" we understand sound of their arguments given their, at least, tacit support of state separate linguistic-ethnic groups such as Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, and legal violence.... I don't believe Mr. Kruger when he says that Venda, etc. (there are exceptions, for instance, perhaps, the In­ those who have died in detention were hardcore African National katha movement of Chief Gatsha Buthelezi). This supranational Congress types committing suicide at the behest of the Communist character is especially true in the urban areas, where "tribal" Party of South Africa. No Black will believe him. We know of police differences are rapidly disappearing. "We have never felt brutality. Maybe there will always be a White version and a Black threatened with assimilation as the Boers were by the British" version of these things. But I know which for me is more credible. (Mphahlele 1977: 50). African nationalism is not fed and sustained ... Can you tell me how I commend non-violence to Blacks who say that the resistance movements in Europe during World War II were by the awareness of a common opponent. It therefore increasingly lauded to the skies and still are, but what Blacks consider to be embraces not only black African but also "colored" and Indian similar resistant movements are denigrated because they are Black? elements. Here the ecclesiologies of the English-speaking Why can the Christianchurch regardBonhoefferas a modem Chris­ churches come to the help of African nationalism. tian martyr, and even saint, when he was executed for participating It is undoubtedly true that, partly because of the role played in a plot to assassinate the rulers' of his country? (Tutu 1977: 116­ by the churchpeople involved, African nationalism has remained 117). for a long time, and still is to some extent, nonviolent. Gandhi's satyagraha also had some influence, for example, on the civil There is therefore, understandably, an aversion in black church disobedience and nonviolent-resistance campaigns of the early circles to talking lightly about "reconciliation"-in spite of the fifties. Surely there were, all along, African nationalists who saw fact that IDAMASA (the all-black Interdenominational African violent revolution as the only solution and also propagated that. Ministers' Association of Southern Africa) held a "multi-racial By and large, however, Mphahlele is correct when he says: "Be­ convention for reconciliation" in early October 1977 and entrusted fore Sharpeville, the Africans dreamed that it was possible to a white member of the DRC with the responsibility of delivering establish a non-racial society. The concept of non-racialism would the concluding paper in which he was to reflect on the input of the be the very foundation of a more genuine, cross-cultural whole conference in the light of what God is saying to us all. That nationalism" (Mphahlele 1977: 24). After Sharpeville (March 1960) was, however, before the latest drastic government steps of Oc­ the mood of black nationalism became increasingly militant and tober 19, 1977, when eighteen organizations were banned, many uncompromising. And yet, even today, after so many setbacks, people detained, and many others restricted. That event has un­ leading black churchpeople and exponents of black theology still doubtedly influenced the mood of black church leaders. Manas

January, 1979 19 Buthelezi has recently been reported as having said that the whole spective, it is. indeed possible to come to the conclusion of the concept of reconciliation no longer had meaning in the South General Synod of the DRC that "a political system based on the African situation. The black Christian leadership's attitudes to the autogeneous or separate development of various population controversial Program to Combat Racism of the WCC are also groups can be justified from the Bible" (Human Relations, p. 71). revealing: they support the program almost to a person. This is Likewise, if your point of departure is "The Bible and individual perhaps more understandable if we keep in mind that many freedom" or "Christ as Liberator and the class struggle," you will young blacks, in some cases the sons of pastors, are either with the succeed equally easily to prove that the Bible replies to your "liberation movements" in the field or undergoing training question in the affirmative. In this way God can be (and some­ somewhere. This has led to the terrible situation where, in some times is) identified as the Great Revolutionary, or the One who cases, members of one and the same church are facing one another "nationalizes" all of humanity (Treurnicht), or the Great Indi­ in battle on the border-a point raised by the new archbishop of vidual, or the Arch-Conservative, etc. Hand in hand with this Cape Town in his enthronement speech in 1974 (see De Gruchy goes the tendency of civil religion to interpret history as a source 1977a: 451). of revelation, in other words, to practice a theology of history. The It has not been part of my assignment to deliver a theological interpretation may fall out either "rightist" or "leftist," depend­ critique of the responses of the churches or to try to show a way ing on the predisposition of the theologian or civil religious group out of the present impasse. A few remarks, however brief, may concerned. Emmanuel Hirsch, German theologian, has described nevertheless be appropriate here. the deutsch Wende ("German turning-point in history") of 1933as We could approach a subject such as ours in one of three an act of God, whereas Richard Shaull sees God at work in the ways: (1) neutrally or objectively, as outsiders, interested merely revolutionary situations of our day. In both cases-and in all in a "case study" in a laboratory setting; (2) in a judgmental similar judgments-the key to the understanding of history as attitude toward one or more of the responses we find, condemn­ God's revelation lies in the eyes of the beholder. The beholder has ing such response(s) out of hand; (3) from the perspective of unconsciously selected where he or she is prepared to see God at people who are, in the final analysis, in the same boat, because we work. Such persons also select their own "group eschatology": a realize and admit that we would most probably have given the free republic, a nation-state, a classless society, the supremacy of same response had we found ourselves in a similar situation. I one's own group, etc. believe that this third perspective is the only Christian one. It is I believe that, in order to help us out of this dilemma, God has the easiest thing in the world to criticize but desperately difficult given us one "aid" (apart from the Bible, which we in any case to be prophetic. That presupposes solidarity. The critic condemns make to .say what we want it to say), and that is the church from the outside, the prophet confesses from within. The critic universal. Only when we enter into sincere dialogue with brothers judges, the prophet weeps. The former therefore remains un­ and sisters from other traditions (who may also suffer from­ scathed while the latter receives blow upon blow. different-ideological hang-ups!) can our civil religions (even It is in this spirit that I want to make a few remarks about the those still in embryo) be broken open and relativized. Such a response of the DRC to racism and revolution. It is clear to me that dialogue may also destroy the caricatures and drive away the we find here some of the major elements of civil religion. The phantoms we have created of one another. It is preeminently in a Afrikaners have a theocratic social vision and worldview not society such as South Africa where such dialogue is called for­ unlike those of the early settlers in New England. W. A. de Klerk because of the invisible Berlin walls separating black and white is therefore correct in referring to his fellow Afrikaners as the and making every city itlSouth Africa a divided city. "We see each Puritans of Africa (De Klerk 1975; cf. De Gruchy 1977b: 46). Civil other as if through a keyhole, blacks and whites" (Mphahlele 1977: religion may take many forms and is always to be found where 49). ideology dictates a community's hermeneutics. An ideology does Even more important: the church may become that commu­ at least two things: it explains reality and a group's place therein; it nity where the middle wall of partition is indeed demolished, also has a guiding function and stimulates to action. Ideologies where we enjoy a real foretaste of the promised inheritance, where cannot say, "We are of the opinion that this or that is the best"; we experience the Spirit as the power that breaks through all they are dogmatic. What is more, they predetermine the questions barriers, and where it therefore becomes impossible for us to we ask when we go to the Bible, and those questions, oil their accept any"circumstances" as authoritative and final. If we live part, predetermine the answers we get. Once again, this is true of according to these guidelines, the church will at least point toward all ideological approaches, not only of those of nationalism. If you the kingdom of God and not, as often happens, away from that take as your point of departure "The Bible and the relations kingdom. If the church does that, it will become a challenge to the between peoples" and ask questions predetermined by this per­ powers-that-be, and to society as a whole (cf. Bosch 1977).

Bibliography

Boesak, A. "Civil Religion and the Black Community." Journal of Theology ---."English-speaking South Africans and Civil Religion." JThSA 19 for Southern African [JThSA] 19 (June 1977): 35-44. (June 1977): 45-54. Bosch, D. J. "Currents and Crosscurrents in South African Black Theol­ De Klerk, W. A. The Puritans in Africa: A Story of Afrikanerdom. Totowa, ogy." Journal of Religionin Africa 6/1 (1974): 1-22. N.J.: Rowman and Littlefield, 1975. ---. "Missiological Developments in South Africa." Missionalia 3/1 Hexham, I. " '[ust like Another Israel'-Calvinism and Afrikanerdom." (April 1975): 9-30. Religion7/1(Spring 1977): 1-17. ---. "The Church and the Liberation of Peoples?" Missionalia 5/2 Human Relationsand the South African Scenein the Lightof Scripture. Cape (August 1977): 8-39. Town: DRC Publishers, 1976. Boshoff, C. W. H. "Church and Mission and the Liberation of Nations in Mphahlele, E. "South Africa: Two Communities and the Struggle for a the S.A. Context." Missionalia 5/2 (August 1977): 47-57. Birthright." Journal of African Studies 4/1 (Spring 1977): 21-50. De Gruchy, J. W. "The Relationship between the State and Some Tutu, D. "God Intervening in Human Affairs." Missionalia 5/2 (August Churches in South Africa, 1968-1975." Journal of Church and State 1977): 111-117. 19/3 (1977): 437-455. Van [aarsveld, F. A. "The Afrikaner's Idea of His Calling and Mission in South African History." JThSA 19 (June 1977): 16-28.

20 Occasional Bulletin ORBIS' Mission Titles 1978 JESUS CHlUST

LIBE JESUS CHRIST LIBERATOR A Critical Christology for Our Time by Leonardo Boft A Critical Christol A distinctive Latin Americ an contribution to the developin g "crisis in Christology" (d . Time, Feb. for our Time 1978). Boffwrites : "Christology thought out and vitally tested in Latin America must have chara cteris­ tics of its own." For those who suffer dehumanizing poverty and political oppression, as do the masses of Latin Americans, the Chri st of the Gosp els must come as a Liberator, or He does not come at all. Boff's Latin American perspective provides us with startling fresh insights into Jesu s of Nazareth. NARDO BOFF ISBN 0-88344-236-1 CIP (PUb. Oc t.) Paper $9.95 LEO

SPIRITUALITY FOR MISSION THE HIDDEN MOTIVES OF PASTORAL ACTION Historical, Theological, and Cultural Latin American Reflections Factors for a Present-Day Missionary Spirituality by Jua n Luis Segundo by Michael Collins Reilly,S.]. "Segundo, whose five-volume series, A Theology for Artisans of a New Humanity , was acclaimed as the most comprehensive ex­ "Reilly's thesis is that , since the nature of missionary work has changed in position of Latin American liberation theology to date, believes recent years and since the theology of mission is now in a state of develop­ that there are 'hidden motives' that prevent pastoral activity in ment, the motivation and spirituality for the mod em missionary must also Latin America from making a fresh start. He analyzes the work of change. Spiritualityfor Mission synthesizes much of the current discus sion the Church, which often seems uncertain and ineffectual , and he on mission work and the concerns related to missionary work. Much recent offers a different approach. Provocative, and at times disturbing literature deals with missions, but the significance of this book is that it reading." Spiritual Book News Cloth $12.95, Paper $5.95 treats the person who is involved in missionary work. It sets forth the importance and value of the missionary vocation." Theological Studies ETHICS AND THE THEOLOGY OF LIBERATION "The book is a rich one. Reilly's statements on evangelization and de­ by Enrique Dussel velopment, on the aims of mission, and other que stions are clearer than " In the late 1960's a new and distincti ve theology developed in man y other statements published in recent years." Philippine Studies Latin America, 'the first [true) theology not exported from ISBN 0-88344-464-X CIP (Pub. Au g.) Paper $8.95 Europe.' Called liberation theology by its proponents it reflects the social and economic turmoil that is increasingly shaking that troubled continent. The author of this volume, a principal spokesman for liberation theology , is now a political refugee JESUS, POLITICS AND SOCIETY from his native Argentina. Some of his lively essays focus on A Study of Luke's Gospel such traditional Cath olic themes as sin, Chri st, the sacramen ts, by Richard J. Cassidy and the Virgin Mary, but always from the point of view of the Reading the Gospel of Luke in the light of Roman-ruled Palestine, Cassidy poor and the socially alienated . Other pieces address with pas­ uncovers new evidence that Jesus was a powerful threat to both the sionate liberal rhetoric such burning contemporary issues as political and social structures of his time. He was not a purely "spir itual" women's liberation, eroticism in literature, and the class stru g­ leader, nor was His message "other-worldly." In this unusual book the gle. For libraries that collect exten sively in religiou s and social author shows how Jesus' stands against abu se of power have relevance for philo sophy." Library Journal Cloth $9.95, Paper $4.95 His followers toda y. "Dr. Cassidy's work offers a balanced s u rv;: ~' of the religiou s, political, and ':~ • ~ •••• ;.~~;~ .~~;.~~.. ~'a'r~~~:;I' ;~t~'e'r: ••••••••••• economic milieu of New Testament times. His account of Luke's portrait of Jesus' social attitude is clearly the result of meticulous research and serious 'WI Maryknoll, NY 10545 reflection. " David Daube, Professor of Civil Lnw, Oxford U. : Please send me: ISBN 0-88344-238-8 CIP (Pub. Sept. 1978) Cloth·$15.95 ·: Quantity Title Price ISBN 0-88344-237·X Paper $7.95 · · JESUS BEFORE CHRISTIANITY · by Albert Nolan · Jesus is unmistakabl y clear, convincing, challenging, and different. We are · · o Bill me 0 $ enclosed" introduced to the man as he was before he becam e enshrined in doctrin es, · dogmas, and ritual. Nothing is assumed; the historical evidence about · ' Save postage on prepaid orders Jesus is allowed to speak for itself. Here is a man who was deeply involved with the real problems of his time-which turn out to be the real probl ems Name •.•....••...•.•. ...•..••••.•.• •.. •••.••••.• of our time too. ISBN 0-88344-230-2 CIP (Pub . Augus t 1978) Paper $5.95 Address .. . ••.•.••.•. •.. •...••.••..••...... • • •..•. Mormon Missions: An Introduction to the Latter-day Saints Missionary System

R. Lanier Britsch

ince April 1974, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Table 2 reveals that the major growth areas are Latin America, SSaints (Mormons) has entered a new and almost unprece­ Asia, and the United Kingdom. The expansion of Mormonism dented era of church growth and mission expansion. Latter-day outside the United States is impressive. In 1951 nine of ten LOS Saints have been strongly oriented toward evangelism (although lived in the United States. Today the number has dropped to two they seldom use the word) since the church was organized in 1830. of three. This kind of growth raises questions, the most obvious of However, the presidency of Spencer W. Kimball, which began in which relate to the reasons for the rapid expansion of the missions late December 1973, has proved to be the most dynamic mission­ and the missionary force. Many Mormons think the message of ary period in LOS history. He has encouraged the saints to the church is the key factor in recent growth. The message will be "lengthen their stride" in missionary work. 1 In the words of Elder discussed below, but it should be remembered that Mormon Thomas S. Monson of the church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles, doctrine has changed little since the time of Joseph Smith. Growth President Kimball"truly has the missionary spirit. The impact of has come not because the message has changed but because it is his dynamics as a missionary-oriented person, his long experi­ being communicated more effectively today. ence, and the call through him as the Lord's Prophet, Seer, and Revelator have set in motion factors which have resulted in one of History of Latter-day Saints Missions the greatest upsurges in missionary work that we have ever seen."2 Statistics bear out this statement. Consider the following Early missionary work was centered in eastern United States and data: Canada." The first "foreign" mission (Mormons use the word "foreign" to designate missions outside continental North tABLE 1 America) was to Great Britain in 1837. In 1843 Joseph Smith sent Growth 1974-1977 elders to the Society Islands. This was the first foreign language Full-time Convert Baptisms per mission. Missions were soon established in continental Europe Missions Missionaries Baptisms Missionary where many converts were won in Germany, Denmark, and other parts of Scandinavia. In the 1850s missions were opened in India, and other parts of South and Southeast Asia, Australia, New 1974 115 17,109 75,109 4.40 Zealand, and Hawaii. Other areas such as South Africa and the 1975 133 20,620 95,237 4.62 Near East also received mission workers in that decade. 1976 146 23,581 140,296 5.95 New missions were regularly established during the remain­ 1977* 157 25,300 167,939 6.64 der of the nineteenth century, but almost as frequently the mis­ sions failed. India remained an active LOS mission field for only ·SOURCE: "Statistical Report 1977," The Ensign 8/5 (May 1978), 17. five years, Siam lasted a month, Hong Kong for fifty-six days, the Totals of full-time missionaries include both those in the United Society Islands until 1852, and so on. States and those serving overseas. The late 1800s were difficult times for the Mormons and their missions. This was a transitional era for the church. The move to the west was not easy and life on the frontier took fortitude. During this time, the church was establishing roots and develop­ ing institutionally. The polygamy issue was the major problem, Table 1 shows the rapid expansion in the number of missions, but attendant to it were grave financial hardships that the number of full-time missionaries, etc. To understand these fig­ Edmunds-Tucker Laws (which limited church property own­ ures one must know that an LOS mission is an ecclesiastical unit erships to $50,000) imposed on the church. After 1890, when the charged with the responsibility of teaching the restored gospel to church discontinued the practice of polygamy, the church slowly non-Latter-day Saints. Missions vary in size, both in numbers of gained respectability in the United States." From the time of missionaries and in geographic extent. Most missions have over World War Ion, the Latter-day Saints fit in pretty well with the 100 full-time workers. American mainstream. Missions in the United States expanded Forty-eight new missions have been organized since January but progress was slow. 1974. Of these, twelve are in Latin America, ten in Great Britain, Early in this century efforts were made to expand into some Europe and Scandinavia, seven in Asia, and one each in Canada, areas where work had never been done before. For instance, the Australia, and New Zealand. The remaining sixteen are in the Japanese mission was established in 1901. Unfortunately it was United States. The number of missionaries in the field has grown closed in 1924with the result that only176 converts were baptized. by around 8,000 and the yearly number of baptized converts is up It was also not until after the tum of the century that serious efforts 100,000 over four years ago.> were made to establish the church in Latin America. As a rule, church progress was very slow in the so-called Roman Catholic areas of the world.

R. Lanier Britsch, a Mormon missiologist, is Associate Professor of Church World wars I and II and the depression of the 1930s caused Historyat Brigham Young University. He isalsoa lay leaderin a localecclesias­personnel and financial problems for the LOS missions. Until after tical unit. He served as a missionary in Hawaii for two years, and his Ph.D. World War II a great majority of LOS lived in Utah. A high degree in Asian Studies is from ClaremontGraduateSchool. percentage of young men were drafted or volunteered for military.

22 Occasional Bulletin TABLE 2 Differential Growth in LOS Membership-1951 to 19764

Percentage of Percentage of 1951 Total LOS 1976 Total LOS Percentage Region LOS Membership Membership LOS Membership Membership Change United 1,054,882 .917 2,391,892 .745 127 States Canada 20,402 .017 69,815 .022 242 Latin 9,601 .008 393,937 .122 4,003 America United 7,457 .006 78,059 .024 946 Kingdom Europe 26,887 .023 77,699 .024 188 Africa 1,588 .001 7,262 .002 357 Asia 797 .0006 80,846 .025 10,043 Oceania 27,502 .023 112,784 .035 310 Total 1,149,116 3,212,294 180 service in both wars. As a result the mission force dropped in a major city, such as Los Angeles or Tokyo, or as large as Indonesia numbers. The depression also brought difficulties because of or Thailand. short finances among church members. Mission presidents and their families are sometimes given The greatest years of growth have come since 1950. This can support money directly from the church, but there is always an be explained in several ways. First, the church has been in solid element of sacrifice involved. Regular two-year missionaries, financial condition, both individually and collectively. In con­ which include elders nineteen years of age or older, women (called junction with this, a dynamic of stability and vitality-a reservoir sisters) twenty-one years of age or older, or older couples and of strength-had been built up in Utah after the pioneer experi­ older single women, pay all or a significant part oftheir own ence. Second, even though tens of thousands of young Mormons support. have fought in Korea and Vietnam, there have been enough eligi­ Most Mormon missionaries proselyte full-time, i.e., sixty to ble young people available to staff the missions of the world. seventy hours a week. Proselyting missionaries use several Third, and most important, the presidents of the church during methods or combinations of methods in establishing contacts or this era have placed increased emphasis on missionary work. The teaching situations. House-to-house tracting, that is, knocking on early concern for spreading the gospel was renewed. In an early doors and leaving printed information, is the most common ap­ revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord warned that upon receiving proach. Street meetings are still used occasionally in some mis­ the gospel every person should "warn his neighbor" (Doctrine sions. Referrals by members who introduce the contact to the and Covenants [D&C] 88:81). LOS Scriptures make clear that the missionaries is the most successful teaching method. Other vari­ restored gospel is to be preached throughout the world. Church ations of approach abound. leaders and members accept the Lord's commission in Matthew In recent years the church has sent a number of health, ag­ 28:19 literally. The gospel must be taken to the "uttermost part of ricultural, and leadership missionaries into the less-developed the earth" (Acts 1:8). parts of the world. Health and agriculture missionaries teach their Mission Methodology. Before World War II, LOS missionaries skills to church members and others who need this help. Leader­ did not use a uniform plan for teaching the gospel. The doctrines ship missionaries teach local leaders administrative skills and the taught were the same everywhere, but the manner of presentation order of the church. and emphasis varied. In the late 1940s and early 1950s several teaching plans were developed which the missionaries memorized. These lesson plans presented the basic Mormon doc­ Organization and Finance trines clearly and efficiently. A major advantage was that the missionaries could be transferred and simply tell their replace­ Missionary work involves all active LpS members. Sustained ments which lesson any contact (proselyte) should receive next. emphasis has been given to this matter since the church was Since that time the church has adopted two, more refined teaching organized, but during the presidency of David O. McKay (1951­ plans, the first in 1960 and the second in the early 1970s, which are 1970), the slogan "Every member a missionary" was made a living used in all missions. Some adaptations are made in different part of the gospel. Latter-day Saints believe the "voice of warning language areas, but on the whole the assumption is that contacts shall be unto all people" (D&C 1:4) and this includes neighbors, everywhere respond to the same saving message. friends, relatives, business acquaintances-everyone. By "ev­ The church has found that young missionaries usually suc­ eryone" they mean non-Mormon Christians as well as non­ ceed best in a fairly structured situation. Uniform rules of study, Christians. prayer, work hours, etc., are followed by all missionaries. Each How can this task be accomplished? President Kimball has mission is organized with a president, usually a middle-aged or revealed that "every able worthy man should shoulder the cross" older married man, who has had many years of experience in and serve a mission. 7 But that is not all. The Quorum of Seventy in church administration and gospel teaching. Mission presidents, each stake (a stake usually consists of from four to ten wards or like all LOS missionaries, are lay members who leave their normal parishes and of from 1,500 to 6,000 members) is asked to be active life's work to serve the Lord. Their mission terms are usually for in proselyting in the evenings after regular work hours. three years. The territory presided over can be as small as a part of Stake missionaries, as theSeventys are called, and full-time

January, 1979 23 misstonaries In the rrussions, baptize numerous new converts grams In conjunction WIth mucn ~cripture study, prayer, and the yearly. This growth, of course, brings many financial demands on testimony of the Holy Spirit prepare highly committed mis­ the church, especially for chapels. These needs are met through sionaries who are willing to work diligently" for the duration of the unified building program directed by the Church Building their mission tour. Committee in Salt Lake City. There are regional offices through­ out the world, but funds are administered and all projects are Translation Services sanctioned in the central offices. New chapels are being com­ pleted at a rate of three every two days. Some are small, but many Languages are the doorways to people's hearts and souls. Transla­ are large structures valued at between $500 thousand and $1 mil­ tion work has been an obvious requirement for successful plant­ lion. Generally these buildings are financed at a ratio of 70 percent ing of the gospel since the time of the earliest non-English­ from the Salt Lake headquarters and 30 percent from local contri­ speaking missions. As a rule the first materials translated have butions. In the poorer areas of the world the ratio climbs to 90 been tracts, pamphlets, the Joseph Smith story (which recounts percent-10 percent. The funds from Salt Lake City are from the the first vision), and the Book of Mormon. Until the mid-1960s, tithes of the members everywhere. the responsibility to translate these and other items such as Sun­ day school and other lessons rested upon the local mission lead­ ers. At that time the Translation Department was created to coor­ dinate these activities throughout the world." Local offices were II •• in the late 1960s the term of service established in Tokyo, Hong"Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Auckland (for was made uniform in all ntissions-two several island groups in the South Pacific), Apia, and in centers in Latin America and Europe. Through the Salt Lake City offices and years." the various centers, all translation work and printing are coordi­ nated from beginning to distribution in the stakes and'missions. This system works well because the LDS believe thechurch Language Training for Missionaries organization is the kingdom of God. It is one church everywhere. Problems of "mission church versus local church" are virtually Until the 1960s a small percentage of missionaries learned the nonexistent. There is a careful order and chain of priesthood language of their mission either in high schools or colleges, but authority from the president of the church to the most recently most learned from their companions and the people with whom ordained branch president in the distant parts of India or Peru. they worked in the mission field. Since missionaries- have always Not only is the building program unified but also teaching received their call directly from the president of the church, lan­ materials for Sunday school, priesthood meetings, Mutual (youth guage training has been a gamble of sorts. That is, many elders groups), Women's Relief Society, Primary (children's weekly have studied French, German, or Spanish and then have been sent meeting), and other auxiliaries are unified and highly correlated. to England, Scandinavia, Japan, or elsewhere to serve. Neverthe­ less, President Kimball and the leaders of the missionary depart­ Missionary Training ment strongly encourage language study among pre-missionaries before being called because there is carry-over to other languages. Occasionally, criticisms have been leveled at the LDS for sending Until the last decade or two, missionaries sent to non-English­ missionaries into the field who are untrained in theology or who speaking missions stayed in the field for up to two years longer lack the generally expected academic degrees. In answer to this, than those sent to the English-language areas. In 1960 the three­ Latter-day Saints usually say, "Unschooled, perhaps, but cer­ year terms in Japan and China were shortened to two and one-half tainly not untrained." Latter-day Saints generally have little use years. Then in the late 1960s the term of service was made uniform for what might be called mission theory. They pursue the work of in all missions-two years. This has been made possible through preaching the gospel in a matter-of-fact manner, worrying little the creation of the Language Training Missions (LTM) which were about cultural adaptation and other related problems. These facts founded in 1963.10 notwithstanding, LDS missionaries usually go into the field well The LTM is an intensive language-training facility. New mis­ prepared to teach. Missionaries enter the field only after they have sionaries live at this school for six to eight weeks. During this time been carefully screened to determine their moral purity, knowl­ they study the language of the mission to which they have been edge of the Bible and LDS Scriptures, physical, social and mental assigned, usually in the context of lesson discussions. In addition, well-being, and aptitude to learn languages. The missionary must these missionaries study the history and culture of the area. also show that he or she has a means of financial support. Originally there were LTMs at Ricks College in Idaho, the Missionaries begin their training (and the indoctrination to BYU-Hawaii Campus, and at Brigham Young University in want to fill a mission) at home and in Sunday school and other Provo, Utah. Recently the three have been combined at a new regular church services while very young. In the United States, facility near BYU. This multimillion-dollar complex produces and elsewhere when possible, teenagers participate in daily reli­ speakers of twenty-five languages, and the number is constantly gion classes (called Seminary) through early morning or release­ expanding. time programs in high schools. Where this is not possible home No one expects these missionaries to be competent in linguis­ study lessons are provided for high school (grades 9-12) students. tic or cultural matters; nevertheless, they are much better pre­ Thousands of pre-missionaries continue their religion studies at pared to teach than LOS missionaries have been in years past. An Brigham Young University, BYU-Hawaii, and Ricks College. In assumption is made by church leaders that the local members will 1976-1977 over 97,000 young people participated in college-level be more important than the missionaries to a new branch's con­ religion courses at Institutes adjoining hundreds of colleges and tinuation and growth. During the past two decades the mis­ universities." Many of this number (probably 10 to 12 thousand) sionaries have had less and less pastoral responsibility. This were pre-missionaries. leaves the ministry in the hands of local members. Most new In addition to the high school and college-level religion train­ converts are immediately given important teaching and adminis­ ing, many wards and stakes now provide up to a year of weekly trative callings. A large percentage of foreign missions are now lessons in teaching methods for pre-missionaries. These pro­ presided over by local members. In fact, some missions, such as

24 Occasional Bulletin Samoa and Tonga, are almost entirely staffed with local mis­ God the Father and Jesus Christ. Mormons hold that Jesus sionaries. Christ, Jehovah or Yahweh, is the God of this world and that he Latter-day Saints are also convinced that, even though lan­ created this earth under the authority and direction of his Father, guage deficiencies are frequent, missionaries can be successful if God or Elohim. Jesus Christ was the firstborn in the spirit, the they are humble, friendly, sincere, and testify with the Holy Only Begotten in the flesh, without blemish, a God in mortal form Spirit. This is a key. Language and cultural gaps are often bridged who atoned for the sins of humankind by dying on the cross. He through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. was literally resurrected (John 20:19-20; 21:13). Christ now directs the affairs of this earth in his resurrected, perfected, immortal Other Teaching and Support Systems state. What Is Humankind and Why Was it Createdil? Human beings Mormon missionary work has long been supplemented by vari­ are the spiritual offspring of God the Father (Heb. 12:9; Acts ous kinds of media presentations. Best known are the Mormon 17:59). These spiritual offspring developed, thought, learned, and Tabernacle Choir broadcasts over CBS radio and television. A fact grew while in the pre-mortal stage Ger. 1:1-7). When it was consid­ that is not well known outside the church is that the late Richard L. ered appropriate in the development of these souls, God the Evans, voice and creator of the "Spoken Word," was for many Father introduced the program of mortality to them. In essence, it years the president of the Salt Lake Temple Square Mission. The was that a world would be prepared whereon the spirits would be choir broadcasts were the beginning of the LOS radio/TV minis­ placed in mortal, physical bodies (a closer stage to God's perfect try. In recent years the church has sponsored TV specials, Sunday immortal body) away from the presence of the Father. In this stage evening sermons, and commercials that encourage family har­ humankind would be tested and gain experience by faith (Heb. mony. For many years the two general conferences each year have 11:6; Phil. 2:12). God promised that he would reveal his will been broadcast on radio and TV in Asia, Europe, Latin America, through prophets and teachers. He would also reveal a path by and the Pacific. which mortals could purify themselves. It was expected that Considerable effort has been expended since World War II in people would make mistakes and have trouble controlling their the public relations area. Exhibitions have been constructed at passions, appetites, and desires. Nevertheless, because no un­ each world fair (including Osaka, Japan) and at many state and clean thing could be allowed back into the presence of the Father, a county fairs in the United States. Information booths and centers Savior would be sent to take upon himself the sins of the world. are used where possible. Almost all LOS temples have an informa­ Mortals could not give their own lives. They would have no such tion center nearby. Here guides portray the Mormon view of life and salvation through movies, displays, and paintings. Pageants are presented each summer in Palmyra, New York; Oakland, California; Hamilton, New Zealand; and elsewhere. These plays The 1979 annual meeting of the American Society of Mis­ portray events in Mormon history and explain LOS doctrine. They siology will be held at the S.V.D. Conference Center in are primarily intended for non-Mormons. Techny, Illinois (near Chicago), June 15-17, 1979. The The church has taken advantage of nationally known theme of the meeting is IIFor God's Pluralistic World-An Mormon figures such as Billy Casper, Johnny Miller, Harmon Ultimate Gospel." The Association of Professors of Mis­ Killibrew, and Donny and Marie Osmond. Every year Brigham sionswill meet at the same place, June 14-15, 1979. Young University sends hundreds of students in performing and The1980meeting of the American Society of Missiology athletic groups to many parts of the world. The goal of such groups will be August 22-24, 1980, at a site yet to be decided. Save is to correct distorted, biased, or prejudiced images of the dates. Mormonism. Mormon Message

Considering the magnitude of their missionary system, what do control; but a God could make this infinite sacrifice. Thus a Savior the Mormons teach? The church was organized on April 6, 1830. who was the Son of God would die of his own free will and meet Even before the official founding of the church, Joseph Smith sent the demands of eternal justice. Justi-ce demands that every mortal his brother Samuel on a missionary journey in the eastern United pay the price for his or her own sins. The Father's program made it States.!' Samuel took with him copies of the recently published possible for mortals to repent and place their trust in Jesus Christ. Book of Mormon and proclaimed, as Mormon missionaries have He agreed to pay the debt for the sins of humankind and did so. done ever since, that the heavens, which had long been sealed, The responsibility to be placed on human beings was to obey had been opened, that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ God's laws, repent, perform the commanded ordinances, such as had visited Joseph in a vision, wherein they revealed themselves baptism, and remain faithful until death. in the form of perfected immortal men, and as a result of that Latter-day Saints believe this plan was accepted and is in experience Joseph Smith had been called as a prophet to reveal effect. There is another important aspect of this, though. Lucifer, God's will to mankind and restore (not reform) the pristine gospel son of the morning, dissented and asked the Father and the spirit of Jesus Christ.P Samuel Smith explained to his hearers that the children to follow his plan, which was to limit human free agency Book of Mormon was a translation of ancient metal plates which and give the glory to Lucifer. Salvation would be assured, but contained a record of Christ's dealings with the people of the growth would be limited. A war resulted (Isa. 14:12-15; Rev. Americas. Within this book is the record of Christ's appearance to 12:7-17) and one-third of the spirits of heaven were cast down to his"other sheep" following his ministry in Palestine. Much has earth, being led by Lucifer who became the devil (Luke 10:18). The been added by way of enlargement, instruction, and clarification evil forces of the earth were created in this way. They remain here of the message carried by the first Mormon missionary, but essen­ to tempt and try mortals. tially the message is still the same today. Latter-day Saints believe the world was created as a testing Because the doctrines of Mormonism are quite different from ground for mortals. The only purpose of existence is to prepare those of main-line Christians, it is appropriate to explain the LOS humankind to be like God the Father and Jesus Christ. LOS theological position here briefly. scriptures tell us that"Adam fell that men might be, and men are

Tanuarv.1979 25 that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). Further, "this is [God's] Mormons are called the endowment, and marriage for time and all work and [his] glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal eternity. These blessings can be obtained only in a Latter-day life of man" (Moses 1:39). Saints temple. Mormons teach that children born to couples who The Mormon View of the Afterlife. Death is a sorrowful time for are sealed in the temple will be part of the eternal family of their Latter-day Saints, but only because of the temporary separation of parents. loved ones. Upon death, the spirit leaves the body and enters the In addition to ordinances for the living, Mormons also do spirit world. There a partial judgment occurs and the spirits of the proxy work for the dead in these temples, Le., work for people righteous enter a realm called Paradise. Spirits of the wicked are who died without hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ while in sent to a spirit prison (1 Pet, 3:18-19). All spirits are conscious and mortality. Baptisms for the dead (1 Cor. 15:29), endowments, and have the ability to communicate with one another. Teaching goes sealings of families are all performed for the dead. Mormons are on in this sphere, but mortal work cannot be performed. All spirits especially concerned for their kindred dead; hence there is great await the day of resurrection and final judgment (Rev. 20:5-6, interest in genealogy among the LDS. Saving ordinances are 12-14). When this happens at the end of the Millennium, some mortal in nature and must be performed by mortals; nevertheless, souls will be crowned with glory and exalted in the Celestial Latter-day Saints believe that this work can be performed for the Kingdom (1 Cor. 15:40-42). These souls, now having perfect resur­ dead, who then have the right to accept or reject it . . In conjunction with this is the belief, mentioned earlier, that missionary work is being carried on among the spirits of the dead. This has obvious implications for those souls who have died II •• there is growing interest in mission without a knowledge of Jesus Christ. The dead of all nations, studies and history of religions among Christian and non-Christian alike, are being taught the gospel in the spirit world. They are not beyond the hope of salvation. certain segments of the Mormon academic Scriptures. The Bible is the Word of God as far as it is trans­ community.' lated correctly and the Book of Mormon is also Scripture. The Book of Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) is modem revelation, primarily to Joseph Smith. The Pearl of Great Price, which contains writings rected bodies, will partake of the glory of the Father. They will live of Moses, Abraham, Joseph Smith, and Joseph F. Smith, is also in eternal family units and produce spiritual offspring like God Scripture. the Father. Souls who have not measured up to the same standard will be assigned to the Terrestrial or Telestial kingdoms. Almost Problems and Prospects all souls will be happy, but only those of the Celestial realms will have glory. In the eyes of most Latter-day Saints the prospects for the spread The Priesthood and Salvation. Latter-day Saints not only be­ of the restored gospel seem much greater than the problems. lieve God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, Because of the nature of the organization, very little emphasis has they also affirm that many other heavenly messengers appeared to been placed on mission theory or missiology. The word "mis­ Smith and various associates. Among those who came from the sion" refers to only two things, to teaching the gospel of Jesus other realm were John the Baptist; Peter, James, and John; Elijah; Christ, the restored gospel, to all humankind; and to the ecclesias­ Moses; and Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet. Each of these tical organization that has responsibility for doing that work. visitors gave Joseph Smith keys and authority relating to church There is little or no room among missionaries for dialogue beyond organization, order, and ordinances (see Doctrine and Covenants, the necessity of establishing common ground for toleration and and The Pearl of Great Price). This authority to act in the name of respect. However, there is growing interest in mission studies God is called the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. Worthy and history of religions among certain segments of the Mormon Latter-day Saint males who are age twelve and older are ordained academic community. to the priesthood. In a sense, there exists a priesthood of all Missiology has played a small role because the administrative (male) believers. organization of the church is composed of laity. There is no pro­ fessional clerical or academic access to positions in the church Mormons believe that salvation (in the sense of exaltation) hierarchy. This should not lead to the conclusion that LDS leaders can be obtained only by faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the are uninformed or lack perception. The General Authorities of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and through receiving other ordinances, Church constantly travel throughout the world visiting stakes, such as marriage for eternity. These ordinances can be performed wards, missions, and branches, supervising the work carefully only by men holding the priesthood. All humankind will be and learning about local problems. resurrected but only those who obtain the ordinances and keep The General Authorities are conscious that the church has the commandments will be exalted. entered a new phase of development. They regularly remind the Temple Work and the Family. Mormon missionaries teach les­ Saints that the church is an international church destined to fill the sons to prospective Latter-day Saints concerning the eternal na­ whole earth. There are indications that they also realize that the ture of the family. They believe that Christ's admonition, "what­ easy missions have all been established. The hardest work is still soever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matt. to be done. Fortunately, there is a willingness among these leaders 16:19; italics added), is literal to those who have priesthood au­ to adjust to local situations providing it is not necessary to distort thority. The highest ordinances available to rank-and-file or modify the principles of the gospel.

26 Occasional Bulletin NOTES

A large portion of the information contained herein is notfootnoted, as the author writes from firsthand experience within the system.

1. Spencer W. Kimball, "When the World Will Be Converted," The 6. Leonard J. Arrington, "Crisis in Identity: Mormon Responses in the Ensign of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 4 (October Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries," in Marvin S. Hill and James B. 1974):3-14. Hereinafter cited as Ensign. This challenging sermon has Allen, eds., Mormonism and American Culture (New York: Harper & been largely responsible for the increase in missionary work since Row, 1972), pp. 171-173, passim. 1974. 7. Ensign, October 1974, p. 8. 2. Thomas S. Monson, "Status Report on Missionary Work," Ensign 7 8. Church Almanac: 1978, p. 301. (October 1977):8. This report also contains a considerable amount of 9. Allen and Leonard, pp. 606-8. useful statistical data. Elder Monson is chairman of the missionary 10. Ibid., pp. 585, 611. committee of the church. 11. Ibid., p. 50. 3. Ibid., p. 10. 12. See "Joseph Smith 2" in Pearl of Great Price. This document relates 4. The Deseret News Church Almanac 1978 (Salt Lake City), pp. 240-244. Joseph Smith's vision and some attendant experiences of importance. The calculations of percentage of total membership and percentage Pearlof GreatPrice, Doctrine and Covenants, and Book of Mormon have change were computed by the author. been copyrighted and printed many times. All three volumes are 5. The most extensive history of the church published to date is B. H. published by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, and Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of are distributed through Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. Latter-day Saints, Century I, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City, 1930). It contains 13. See Truman G. Madsen, Eternal Man (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book much information concerning mission history to 1930. The best Company, 1966). Madsen's treatment is insightful and eloquent. Two single-volume history, one which reflects recent growth in missions, other old, but standard, references might be consulted regarding is by James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard, The Story of the Latter-day Mormon theology. These are James E. Talmage's books The Articles of Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976). It includes a Faith (first published, 1899) andJesus the Christ (first published, 1915). sixty-two page bibliography on Mormon history and doctrine. A new Both are available from Deseret Book Company. Latter-day Saints sixteen-volume history of the LDS is scheduled for publication during Scriptures provide many of the insights concerning the plan and 1980. The present author is writing volume twelve, A History of the purposes of existence that are not evident from the Bible alone. Latter-day Saints in Asia and the Pacific.

Mission in the 1980s

Stephen Neill

~o immense changes have taken place in the Christian in the third-world churches themselves. Some say, "We want to • ~orld in the last fifty years. do the job ourselves, no matter what the price." Others say, "We The first is the notable increase in numbers in the Christian want to see the job done, and we do not mind too much by whom churches. In Africa the increase by conversion is at the rate of 3.1 it is done." The kind of theological training, however, must be percent annually. But even in India the census figures for 1971 adequate to accomplish it. In Kenya, for example, not all Chris­ show that the Christian churches are the most rapidly increasing tians are convinced that the interests of the church will best be religious body in the country. Adrian Hastings has warned us that served, if, while the university department of religious studies is this rapid increase may mean the development of a mass of bap­ training students up to the level of the Ph.D., church theological tized heathenism. This is a danger that must be reckoned with. training is reduced to a level not much above that which used to be But there is no reason to suppose that the increase will slow down required of village catechists. India has no inhibitions in the between now and the end of the century. matter. Indians are not in quest of an identity; they have it. The second change is the shift of the center of control in the Recently, when a great theological institution could not im­ third world churches. At the beginning of the century almost mediately find a qualified Indian teacher of New Testament, it everything was in the hands of the foreigner; now everywhere the had not a moment's hesitation in inviting a retired missionary to control has passed into the hands of the indigenous leaders. Some come back and take up for a time the post which he had held with think that the change has been less complete than it should be; but great distinction for a number of years. Dioceses of the Church of the principle is nowhere contested. North India and of South India, if they do not see a suitable This naturally raises the question of the role of the expatriate in Indian, have no hesitation at all about showing their indepen­ the churches of the future. There is much talk about a moratorium dence and spiritual maturity by electing an expatriate as bishop. It (a misuse of the term) on missionaries. This is a matter of dispute is likely to be some time before the churches in other areas show a like maturity; in the meantime a number of tensions are likely to exist. There is a need for a moratorium, but it is in the other direc­ Stephen Neill was for twenty years an Anglican missionary and bishop in tion. Leaders in the third-world churches are not too numerous, South India. He has served as Director of World Christian Books, Associate General Secretary of the World Councilof Churches, Professorof Missions at and not one of them can be spared from his or her post. It has the University of Hamburg, Germany, and Professor of Philosophy and Reli­ become a habit with western bodies to invite representatives of gious Studies at the University College of Nairobi in Kenya. Now retired and the third-world churches to take up posts in the West, no doubt resident at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, BishopNeill is engagedin writing a major with all best intentions. It is often supposed that such leaders will history of Christianity in India. immediately be replaced by another leader of the same race. But

January,1979 27 this is not so. When recently a well-known African scholar re­ against the establishment; but equally they did not wait for bene­ jected a post in his own country in favor of an ecumenical job in diction from the authorities; they went ahead and did what the West, he had to be replaced by a foreigner, and a great oppor­ seemed to them to be the will of God. Perhaps we need something tunity for developing African leadership was lost. This drain on like fifty Taizes in the third world, not imitative, but growing in the resources of the third-world churches should cease. the same way out of response to the demands of God today. It is The same applies to students. Far too many students from the interesting that a movement such as that of the Friends' Prayer third world are studying in the West. There is no point at which Union in India, without help from the establishment, has grown the misuse of western financial strength has done graver harm to to the height of a plan to place two Indian missionaries in every the developing churches. The money would have been far better one of the 220 districts in India in which at present there is no spent in helping students to acquire degrees in their own coun­ effective Christian witness. Something of the boldness of Hudson tries, where the faculties and facilities are improving all the time. Taylor seems to have fallen on these young Indian friends. Invitations could then be issued only to students who are able to Dialogue with those of other religions must continue and take make plain that they can really profit by a time in the West, and new forms. To some extent this is already beginning to happen. that they plan to follow courses of study which cannot be taken up There is a new and welcome seriousness in the various programs. in their country of origin. Churches in the West need to learn more Christians are realizing how difficult it is to find partners who are fully the necessity of abandoning their patronizing attitude to­ prepared for the soul-searching exercise of real dialogue-rare wards the developing churches and those who come from them. among Christians, much rarer among those of other faiths. It has The improvement of higher theological teaching in the third come to be recognized more fully than it was that the question of world needs most urgent attention. It has to be admitted that the truth cannot be permanently shelved. People adhere to one form well-meant efforts of the Theological Education Fund have re­ of religion or another because they believe it to be true-and true sulted only in a further westernization of theological training, and for all people everywhere. Beyond a certain point relativism can­ so in the production of leaders even further removed than their not operate. predecessors from the ordinary life and activities of the churches. The really new factor is the injury that non-Christian religions There is no agreement as to the steps that need to be taken; there is have themselves inflicted on their "image" in recent times. The agreement that they need to be radical and that the western pat­ insistence by Saudi Arabia on the full exercise of Islamic law, tern of training is no longer acceptable. including the infliction of penalties, such as public floggings and The training given in the past accounts in part for the disap­ mutilation as a punishment for theft, which the rest of the world pointment with which friends in the older churches view theolog­ and much of the Islamic world regard as barbarous, has proved ical developments in the third world. We had hoped for great new highly embarrassing to Muslim apologists. The failure of India to theological insights from these churches; but the harvest so far has deal with the problem of untouchability is evident. Untouchabil­ been pitiably small. The great BishopWestcott wrote long ago that ity has been abolished by law; but everyday the Indian papers the definitive commentary on St. John's Gospel should come from give records of outrages perpetrated on those of lower social status India with its deep mystical apprehension of truth. No list of by those who claim a religious sanction for their insistence on standard biblical commentaries as yet includes a work by a writer keeping eighty million human beings in a state of poverty and from the third world. The theology which has attracted the alienation, in comparison with which apartheid as practiced in greatest attention is the so-called liberation theology from Latin South Africa does not appear too badly. The modem world is America. This deserves the closest attention of friends elsewhere. pragmatic and adopts very fully the maxim, "By their fruits ye But the question whether this can in the strictest sense of the term shall know them." Dialogue which regards such problems, and be called theology cannot be regarded as settled. African writers others in the western world, as excluded from discussion cannot are often most sharply criticized by their fellow Africans, as view­ claim to be fully honest. ing everything through Christian spectacles, and so in the end Many things change. Essentially the task for all the churches really seeing nothing but their own faces at the bottom of a well. remains the same. As a great missionary expressed it in India two Raymond Panikkar's recently published,Vedic Experience is a no­ generations ago, "The aim of all your preaching must be that your table achievement. But perhaps John Carman's sympathetic study hearers get a clear picture of Jesus Christ." This is as true in the of Ramanuja is superior to anything published in that field by an nominally Christian world as in the rest of the world. The primary Indian Christian scholar. We must not be in a hurry; and we in the concern of the church must be with the third of the world's West must accept a good deal of the blame for the westernization population which has never yet so much as heard the name of of so many of our friends. Christ. But already there is evidence that, where Jesus Christ is The older among us can look back to a generation of really lifted up, he does draw men and women to himself far beyond the outstanding leaders from the third world, who commanded great limits of the Christian churches. The rediscovery of Jesus of authority in the West-from India, Bishop Azariah, the greatest Nazareth by the Jewish world and the beginnings of a renewed churchman yet produced by any third-world church; Toyohiko attention to him on the part of Marxists are notable phenomena. Kagawa from Japan; T.Z. Koo the Chinese railwayman who at one At Christmas time in many Indian cities, Christu-jayantis, festivals time was the most acceptable speaker to students in the world; of the birth of Christ, will be held at which Hindus, Sikhs and Kwegyir Aggrey from Ghana, the great apostle of black-white others will bear witness to what Jesus Christ has come to mean to cooperation. Do we have leaders of similar caliber today, or is it them. Even from the Muslim world has come a faint voice stating just that we have romantized the past and those who are no longer that "Jesus Christ is very important to us Muslims," and not just with us? as a figure mentioned in the Koran. We have left the third-world churches with highly westernized These things must be an encouragement to Christians at times establishments; and at times it looks as though those establish­ perplexed and discouraged by the multiplicity of their own prob­ ments are not well qualified to produce the new experiments and lems. The vital thing is that we should recover our center in Christ, adventures in evangelism for which the situation calls. One of the however little of him we may actually know. He will make good most notable movements in the western world is Taize, When his promise, in the 1980s as in every other age, that, if he is lifted Roger Schutz and Max Thurian set out to create something like the up, he will draw all people to himself. "religious life" in a Reformed setting, they did not set themselves

28 Occasional Bulletin "Can my faith absorb another's belief?" asks the author. . . Intra- Religious Dialogue By Raimundo Panikkar Ifany interreligious dialogue is to be real, says Raimundo Panikkar, it must be accom­ panied by intrareligious dialogue-"A questioning of myselfand the relativity of my beliefs, accepting the chal­ lenge of a change, a conver­ sion and the risk of upsetting my traditional patterns." It is such a dialogue of which Panikkar speaks in this reflec­ tive and provocative new book. $4.95 cloth ~PAULIST PRESS 545 Island Road, Ramsey, MISSION New Jersey 07446 TRENDS Volume 4 Liberation Theologies: North American and European Perspectives on Liberation, with contributionsjrom the Black, Feminist, Native American, Asian American and Chicano Experience. $3.45 Mission Trend s is a series oj sourcebooks edited by Gerald H. Anderson (Director ojthe Overseas Ministries Study Center) and Thomas F. Stansky (President ojthe Paulist Fathers and a member oj the U.S. Catholic Mission Council). MISSIONARY ARCHIVES ON MICROFICHE

Missionary records are an invalu­ Inventories to Missionary Archives able source not only for theological A parallel IDC program concerns studies but also for historical and the filming of inventories of such anthropological research. Unique collections, including archives documents of this kind, many of which have not (yet) been pub­ them manuscripts, are now being lished in microfiche editions. The published in microfiche form , series of inventories offers a rich which will make them easily acces­ source of reference, even for those sible for scholars all over the world 'who do not acquire the microfiche who previously had to travel long editions. distances to see the original docu­ .A' ments. Gj) ~~

Archives now available : IMC/CBMS - London. Africa and India, 18 . . - 1945 Sfr 5,700 The Inventories to these Archives Sfr 28 Council for World Mission - London. Africa , South Asia, East Asia, Oceania, The West Indies Sfr 31,600 The Inventories to these Archives Sfr 186 Planned for 1979: Methodist Missionary Society - London Africa , South Asia, South-Asia, Australasia, West Indies approx. Sfr 31,600 The Inventories to these Archives Sfr 186 Baptist Missionary Society - London (price not yet known) The Inventories to these Archives (incomplete) Sfr 40 The archives can also be purchased in sections and parts as listed in the catalogues, which are available on request.

REPLY FORM, please return to: IDC AG, Poststrasse 14,6300 Zug, Switzerland The undersigned requests more information, free catalogues and prospectuses for : Name : Date : Address : Signature : University :

INTER DOCUMENTATION COMPANYAG ~ Joint Catholic - Protestant Consultation on Christian Presence among Muslim Filipinos

Marawi City, July 24-27, 1978

A Communication Part Two (Addressed to Christians)

t the invitation of the Prelature of Marawi and Dansalan To you, our fellow Christians, we wish to point out that the A College, we are a gathering of twenty-six Christians from history of this region where we are at work-Mindanao and the Roman Catholic and several Protestant Churches who are Sulu-and the prevailing atmosphere in Christian-Muslim rela­ concerned about and involved in the "why" of the Christian tions here, press us to weigh carefully the implications of our presence in the midst of Muslim Filipinos. We do not speak as presence among our Muslim brothers. From a Christian perspec­ official representatives of our denominations, but we do speak as tive a dialogue of life implies at least the following: Christians who feel a call from God to live as disciples of the Lord • Christians need to take seriously and treat respect­ Jesus by a life of faith and hope among our Muslim brothers. We fully the Islamic religion and culture of Filipino seek with them a solution to the prejudice, hatred and oppression Muslims. We need to understand and celebrate the which have for so long marked the relations between Christians fact that the Philippines is a multi-faceted and and Muslims in this land. plural society religiously and culturally rich in its diversity. • Christians repudiate any form of witness or mission which is coercive in character or which deliberately Part One (Addressed to Muslims) attempts to exploit conditions of poverty, disease or disaster so as to lure Muslims away from their faith and into the Christian religion. We ask of you, our Muslim brothers, that our presence among you • Christians must repudiate the role of arrogant will be welcomed. We are humbled by much that has marked our proselytizers. The "crusading mentality" and all past history and we ask your forgiveness for our large share of the methods of mass evangelism are offensive and blame for the tragic past. Now we wish to come with nothing but threatening to our Muslim brothers. We should be ourselves-stripped of pretensions and with no ready-made an­ among Muslims as friends and fellow citizens, not swers to the problems that hinder a fruitful relationship. as rivals, but as Christians attempting to witness to We seek a dialogue of life with you. With God's help we our faith and to the best in our religion. sincerely desire to achieve a more comprehensive.viewpoint of • Christians join Muslims as allies in meeting the His plan that includes all of us as brothers. In any genuine social, economic and political challenges of dialogue we realize the vulnerability that we place ourselves nation-building, including the struggle against op­ in-a vulnerability in regard to many ideas about ourselves and pression in all its forms. We must be sensitive to the you. This dialogue must lead us to abandon entrenched positions rights of Muslims to a just share in the natural re­ and pre-conceived ideas. sources of the whole country and especially of their We, like you, wish to come to a greater appreciation of our traditional homeland. own religious tradition and to find a greater securityin it, yet we • Christians ought to listen attentively to the Mus­ believe that we have much to learn, and hope that through open­ lims' own articulation of their grievances and ing ourselves to the riches of your tradition we can return to our encourage serious consideration of the suggestions own enriched. they themselves offer as solutions to their problems. We see this dialogue of life as including participation and • Christians should insist that government officials at engagement in the struggle against oppression in all its forms in all levels deal with Muslim citizens tactfully and solidarity with you. When any person is oppressed we too are in justly. bondage. • Christians should insist that the educational system The full flowering of this dialogue of life between our peoples and the media, both public and private, foster posi­ cannot be completed until all persons are truly free to live accord­ tive and respectful attitudes towards Muslim ing to their traditions and conscience. Filipino history, religion and culture. We believe that God, the Creator, is at work in history. In His • Christians ought to regard any injury done to Mus­ providence we share in creating a more just world order-one in lims as an injury done to ourselves and feel that any which both Muslims and Christians can live truly human lives in conditions of injustice or oppression brought about solidarity with each other. Despite the incredible difficulties that by Christians in relation to Muslims morally di­ are the product of sin, we have a hope that cannot be quenched minishes the whole Christian population of the na­ because it is sustained by God the Fashioner and Finisher of tion. history. • Christians of different Churches will express sol­ May God, the Merciful and Compassionate, bless our efforts idarity in the dialogue of life among Muslims. "Go­ and strengthen us to engage in this task, this dialogue of life ing it alone" may be necessary at times but it is not through which we pray all may be healed and made whole. desirable.

January,1979 31 Participants in the Consultation Roman Catholics: Protestants: 1. Ms. Belo Birondo, Malabang, Lanao del Sur 15. Rev. Ricarte Beley, Marawi City 2. Bishop Fernando Capalla, D.O., Iligan City 16. Rev. Rudolfo Beley, Zamboanga City 3. Fr. Michael Diamond, SSC, Marawi City 17. Rev. Olimpio Bonotan, Lala, Lanao del Norte 4. Sr. Mary Fe Mendoza, R.G.S., Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference 18. Dr. Peter Gowing, Marawi City Secretariat 19. Rev. Frank Malanog, Iligan City 5. Fr. Warren Ford, SSC, Oimataling, Zamboanga del Sur 20. Mr. Mario Mapanao, Program Aimed at Christian Education about 6. Mr. Karl Gaspar, Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference Secretariat Muslims 7. Fr. Anton Korterick, O. Carm., Episcopal Commission on Tribal 21. Rev. Felipe Mosot, Iligan City Filipinos 22. Dr. Robert McAmis, Marawi City 8. Fr. Warren Kinne, SSC, Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur 23. Mrs. Fedelinda Tawagon, Marawi City 9. Fr. Sean McNulty, SSC, Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur 24. Mrs. Anna May Towne, Marawi City 10. Fr. Eliseo Mercado, O.M.L, Kabacan, South Cotabato 25. Mr. Howard Towne, Marawi City 11. Ms. Pet Miclat, Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference Secretariat 26. Rev. Lloyd Van Vactor, Marawi City 12. Sr. Rustica Borja, FMM, Siasi, Tawi-Tawi 13. Bishop Bienvenido Tudtud, D.O., Marawi City 14. Ms. Lindy Washburn, Marawi City

BookReviews

Christian Mission and Social Justice.

By Samuel Escobar and John Driver. Institute of Mennonite Studies, Missionary Studies No.5. Scottdale, Pennsylvania and Kitchener, Ontario: Herald Press, 1978. Pp. 112. Paperback $3.95.

This small but useful book preserves His attractiveness as a contemporary himself neither a Marxist nor a libera­ four lectures originally given at the an­ Christian thinker lies in the interplay tion theologian. He declares himself nual meeting of the Mennonite Mis­ between his biblical, historical and critical of all oversimplifications. He sionary Fellowship in 1975. It is not the global perspectives. He begins with a then confesses his Anabaptist sym­ purpose of the two authors to develop a mainly historical chapter, and has no pathies and urges that the uniqueness theology of the relationship between difficulty in showing (especially by of the people of God demands the de­ evangelism and the quest for social jus­ some judicious quotations) that in fact velopment of a critical stance towards tice. But they are committed to the often "missionary action has pene­ every existing system. view that action for social justice is in­ trated and modified social structures" John Driver, who contributes the separable from Christian mission, the (p. 22), and that some interaction be­ fourth and final chapter, is a Menno­ latter being provisionally defined as tween mission and society is inevita­ nite who has worked in Latin America "the numerical and geographical ex­ ble. for about 25 years. He gives a helpful pansion of the church" (p. 16). Their His second chapter "The Gospel analysis of five strategies for social jus­ thesis has become the more important and the Poor" is marked by both com­ tice which different Christians are ad­ since the publication earlier this year passion and insight. He goes beyond vocating in Latin America, and con­ of Arthur Johnston's Battle for World the pragmatic fact that churches are cludes with his own proposals, "con­ Evangelism, in which he equates mis­ growing fastest among the poor, to a sistent with the Anabaptist vision of sion and evangelism. brief but careful biblical evaluation of the church," which emphasize the Samuel Escobar is President of the "poverty" as combining a spiritual church as the Messianic, witnessing Latin American Theological Fraternity. with a sociological dimension. He then and servant community. urges that the kind of solidarity with Both authors are opposed to every the poor which is indispensable to au­ uncritical acceptance of the social thentic followers of Jesus is a lifestyle status quo and every attempt to put under his lordship, regardless of social mission and social justice in watertight JohnStott, Rectorof All Souls, LanghamPlace, standing. compartments. Both ask embarrassing London 1950-1975, and Rector Emeritus Escobar's third chapter broaches questions which must not be ducked. (though still an active member of the pastoral the explosive issue of reform versus -John Stott team)since1975, is Chairmanof the Lausanne revolution. He makes it clear that he is Committee's Theology and EducationGroup.

32 Occasional Bulletin Evangelical Missions Tomorrow the how to communicate" (p. 133), EFMA, says in his article "New Pat­ which is precisely the basic assump­ terns for the Future," that "some long­ Edited by Wade T. Coggins and E. L. tion that is being challenged by such established patterns in missionary ac­ evangelical theologians as Rene Frizen, Jr. South Pasadena, Calif.: tivity are beginning to feel the strain of Padilla, John Stott, and Michael Green. an increasingly complex world" and William Carey Library, 1977. Pp. 197. There is also in the book the prom­ that "many patterns are anchored more Paperback $5.95. ise of "beautiful music to come." Pablo in tradition and history than in the Perez, pastor and theological educator Word of God" (p. 51). The critical and This is a collection of papers presented in Mexico, offers a short but solid essay constructive task of evangelical mis­ to the 1976 conference of the IFMA­ on "Identification for Evangelization." siology can expect more from serious EFMA and the Association of Evangel­ It constitutes, with Scott's already reflection like that of Scott, Perez, and ical Professors of Missions. It repre­ mentioned paper, an effort to deal Guang than from the pragmatism of sents current missionary thinking in theologically with missionary prob­ conservative mission leaders. It is not one of the most active segments of lems. The same effort is found to a les­ clear why the short autobiography of American evangelicalism, showing its ser degree in the chapter by Ecuado­ preacher Luis Palau was added at the strengths and weaknesses. rian educator Enrique Guang, "Mis­ end under the title "Evangelism and In one of the best chapters, sionary Action Is an 'In-the­ the Future." "Evangelical Cooperation," Waldron Meantime.' "One of the editors, Wade -Samuel Escobar Scott, general secretary of the World T. Coggins, executive director of the Evangelical Fellowship, describes his contacts with evangelicals around the world as "somewhat akin to strolling across the stage during an orchestra's ENTRUSTED TO THE CHURCH, tuning up period" (p. 61). He explains his metaphor with three elements: the SHARED WITH THE WORLD unity and variety of the orchestra, the tuning up process "with each player preoccupied with its own instrument The Good News of the Gospel, Lesslie Newbigin reminds and concern primarily to perfect its us, was never meant to be kept a secret. The message of Salvation was own role," and the promise of beauti­ entrusted to the church-so that, through the church, all nations might f,ul music to come. A good metaphor to hear it. describe the book! Newbigin, former General Secretary of the International There is a wide variety of mission­ Missionary Council, finds in the life and work ofJesus both the authority ary practices, concerns, and advice in and the model for the church's evangelical outreach. "Mission," he the chapters that deal with finances, says, "is proclaiming the Kingdom of the Father, sharing the life of the education, personnel, and "unreached Son, and bearing the witness ofthe Spirit." peoples." The approach is pragmatic, Included in Newbigin's discussion ofthat calling are such with little reflection and no clear theol­ key ingredients as the relation of the Gospel to world history; the recent ogy of mission to undergird such vari­ emphasis on church growth, conversion and the interaction between the ety. Both Ralph Winter in "The Gospel and culture; and the conflict between Christianity and other Grounds for a New Thrust in World religions. ' Mission" and Marvin K. Mayers in­ Calling the church to a biblical and practicing belief in "The Behavioral Sciences and Christ­ the triune God, Newbigin provides a challenging expression of the ian Mission" touch on some crucial nature, authority and goal ofChristian world mission. points of the missionary task today and tomorrow, but they do not seem to THE OPEN SECRET have a clear theological framework on by Lesslie Newbigin which to base their analyses and eval­ ISBN 0-8028-1752-1; available in December uate their proposals. That is not a very Paper, 208 pages $5.95 evangelical way of developing a mis­ siology. Nowhere, for example, does Reflecting the changes in the nature of mission activity Winter define what he means by that have occurred during the past two decades, here is an up-to-date "nominal Christian" as opposed to introduction to the practice of missiology. Beginning with an overview "believing Christian," so his essay of the place, significance and biblical foundation of the worldwide remains obscure-more mathematical missionary task, the author proceeds to a survey of the goals of mission than missiological. Mayers accepts al­ to determine how most effectively to communicate the gospel today. most uncritically the social sciences Following chapters study the churches and regional ecumenical (American in this case) as if they would organizations in Asia, Africa and Latin America. be neutral, and at no point evaluates Designed as an introductory text in the science of mis­ them theologically. Thus he comes sions, Contemporary Missiology is a valuable resource for all Christians with a dangerous initial thesis: "The­ who take seriously the worldwide mission ofthe church. ology speaks to the what to communi­ CONTEMPORARY MISSIOLOGY: An Introduction cate . . . behavioral sciences speak to byJohannesVerkuyl ISBN 0-8028-1754-8; available in November Cloth, 504 pages $11.95 Samuel Escobar, AssociateGeneral Secretary (at Large), International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, is President of the Latin American Theological Fraternity, Cordoba, Argentina.

January, 1979 33 Yenching Universi~ and to manifold western assumptions of Sino-Western Relations, superiority and to conventional Chris­ 1916-1952. tian confidence are well-stated sum­ maries of prior thought. It is discon­ By Philip West. Cambridge, Mass.: certing to read that the Vietnam War Harvard University Press, 1976. Pp. x, shifted Philip West from "the theme of 327. $16.00. contributions" to "a study in the prob­ lems of the cold war in East Asia." The This diligent and suggestive study ship, with T. C. Chao the prime Chris­ author did not demonstrate to this re­ goes well beyond careful description, tian thinker and author of the era and viewer that missionaries and converts searching out the weaknesses as well T. T. Lew the leader in religious educa­ should be dismissed for failure to as the services of the chief of the Chris­ tion including worship and hymnol­ translate their approved services "into tian colleges and universities of China. ogy. A vigorous attempt in bicultural enduring political forms." It is true, of Yenching is handled both as a partici­ education, striving to foster inter­ course, that they did not undertake to pant and as a creature of political and nationalism in a stormy sea of organize a totalitarian party and army. social forces. The extension from con­ nationalism, to serve the country But if they had tried to grasp power, ventional history is boldly made. through social sciences and as a forum what response would Chinese society What was Yenching? A mission­ for contemporary ideas while bringing have made to them? What destruction ary effort, at least a Christian effort, modern methods to bear on the would have been wrought in their which was the opportunity and the Chinese cultural heritage. This truth and ethos? Compare the earnest product of the missionary educator enterprise naturally was attacked by statementofT. C. Chao in 1935, which Leighton Stuart and of the Life Fellow- fundamentalists and comprehensively could please neither Mao Tse-tung nor distrusted by Chinese and mis­ Billy Graham: "Two things are con­ sionaries whose goal was the transfer stantly struggling in my mind. The one of masses from heathenism to salva­ is thorough-going social revolution, tion; it was pressured also by the and the other thorough-going compas­ sion. And I have decided to be revo­ M. Searle Bates, Professor Emeritus of Mis­ anti-Christian movement combining lutionary in spirit, and follow the sions at Union Theological Seminary, New rationalism and nationalism, cul­ York, servedas proiessor of history at the Uni­ minating in the communist takeover. course of gradual change in action." The author is on sounder ground versity of Nanking from 1920 to 1950, under West is professor of history in In­ missionary appointment of the (Christian diana University, well trained and when he sticks to the ambiguities and Churches) Disciples of Christ. supported for his task. His challenges the many-phased experience of Chris­ tianity in China. "Could it be that the xenophobia, accompanying mission­ ary exodus in the early years after the Communist revolution, issued less from the resentments of the Chinese people than from the political designs MISSION of those who claimed to speak on their behalf?" Again, ", . . the attempt to FOCUS D. explain intercultural relations primar­ ily in political terms risks becoming •• little more than an apology for the 1979 begins a new series group that is in power." after seven years ofpublication. Dwight Edwards's Yenching Uni­ versity (1959) is roughly equal in word­ age, and fuller in description of per­ sons and activities for the whole story For mission-minded persons wanting to consider (1888-1952). A perspective of the dozen Protestant colleges and univer­ • missiology in biblical context sities, in the general setting of Chinese • within a believers free church tradition education, is available in W. P. Fenn's • from an interdisciplinary approach Christian Higher Education in China • with a life-related perspective. 1880-1950 (1976). Quarterly issues scheduled for 1979 include -M. Searle Bates • A Believers Church Vision of Mission • Alternative Mission Paradigms • Mennonites Doing Mission.

Annual subscriptions are $5 and may be ordered from Mission Focus, Box 370, Dept. OB, Elkhart IN 46515.

Editorial Council Adolph Ens, Peter M. Hamm, Ivan J. Kauffmann, Robert L. Ramseyer, Willard E. Roth, Wilbert R. Shenk, John E. Toews.

Published in association with Mennonite Board of Missions.

34 Occasional Bulletin China as a Model of Development trast to most of the world. There are no cities in China like Calcutta, growing By Al 1mfeld. Translation of China als out of hand, nor like New York, on the Entwicklungsmodell, translated by brink of bankruptcy. Matthew J. O'Connell, Maryknoll, N.Y.: The book has a few nonsubstantial Orbis Books, 1976. Pp. 159. $5.95. errors: Edgar Snow was not on the Long March with Mao as stated on p. 32; there are not 37 mu to an acre as The author, a Swiss Roman Catholic rural and urban areas, and yet has been suggested on p. 80-rather about 6. priest, is director of the Third World able to outstrip a country like India in These do not detract from its basic Information Service in Berne. He is a both agricultural and industrial prog­ usefulness. It is a concise description sociologist and missioner, with exten­ ress. of Chinese steps toward development sive experience in the Third World. Some of the lessons drawn for de­ with well-selected quotes from Ma~ The book's twenty-four brief chapters veloping countries would also be ap­ Tse-tung, Chou En-Iai and others, and each touch on an important aspect of plicable to the so-called developed will be most helpful to those who wish China's development theory and prac­ world, such as dealing with pollution, to see how China's experience relates tice. In addition, each chapter con­ a~oiding waste, and recycling other­ to development in other parts of the WIse useless by-products. China has cludes with a section on "Application Third World. to Other Developing Countries.' The also controlled urban growth, in con­ -Raymond L. Whitehead book concludes with a succinct com­ parison of development in China and India over the past two or three dec­ ades. Father Imfeld is impressed with MISSION WESTMINSTER China as a useful model for other coun­ tries. By "model" he means "a path" QUESTIONS SEMINARS (p. 4) or "a plan, a point of reference not always a reality" (p. 3). He does not claim that all China's plans have been • How can a missionary February 12-March 2, 1979* fulfilled. Imfeld quotes Neville Max­ on furlough find a se­ well's statement that "China is more Studies inthe Mission mester to research ur­ ofthe Church important to the world as an idea than ban church planting? as a place" (p. 4). The text bears out, Edmund P. Clowney however, an understanding that the idea of China would not be of such interest if it were not a place where that • How can a third world March 12-23, 1979* idea is, to some extent, put into prac­ churchman find three tice. months to analyze strat­ Contextualization ofTheology True development, writes Imfeld, egies for leadership Harvie M. Conn is not simply economic growth. "It is development? first and foremost the raising of a new consciousness in the people" (p. 38). April 2-13, 1979* Only in this way can development • How can a missionary Strategies ofUrban Mission move beyond questions of production to human values expressed in the polit­ administrator take a se­ Roger S. Greenway ical and social spheres. It is in these mester off to study con­ areas that China's experience is im­ textual ization? pressive. Imfeld outlines the way China has built on the past, mobilized the enthusiasm of the people, moved in directions that are new but not In an effort to meet the needs of busy administrators, candidates necessarily Western, reformed the Theo~ educational system, rebuilt the health missionaries, and international church leaders, Westminster care delivery network, built up an logical Seminary offers six Th.M.-level courses as modular seminars army that is respected by the people, during 1978-1979. Each seminar, open to auditors or enrolled students, offers 24 hours of lectures in each ten-day session. For remained self-critical and capable of information write: Director of Admissions, Westminster Theological correcting errors, evolved responsive Seminary, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pa.19118. leadership in its cadres, developed self-reliance, subdued nature without *Those taking these courses for credit should allow for at least an complex technology, maintained a additional week to complete full course requirements. strong sense of community in both , Raymond L. Whitehead is director of the Canada China Programme, under the Cana­ dian Council of Churches in Toronto. He CD servedforfifteen yearsin HongKongunder the United Church Board for World Ministries, Westminster Theological Seminary nine of those yearson secondmentto the China Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19118 Program of the National Council of Churches, USA.

January, 1979 35 Indonesian Revival: Why Two were interviewed, spiritual factors ac­ Million Came to Christ. counted for 52.6%; political factors, 25.2 % and social factors, 23.2%, non­ By Avery T. Willis, Jr. South Pasadena, religious factors being almost as im­ Calif. : William Carey Library, 1977. Pp. portant statistically as religious ones" xviii, 263. Paperback $6.95. (p .8). However, the conclusions drawn The original title of this book in its between 1969 and 1975 under the Re­ with regard to the Javanese churches' dissertation form (1974, Southwestern search Institute of the Indonesia Coun­ response to the burst of numerical Baptist Theological Seminary), Church cil of Churches, supplemented by 500 growth during 1966-1967, in Growth among the Javan ese 1960-1971: interviews conducted by the author philosophy of growth (a shift in em­ An Evaluation of the Political, Cultural, and seminary students under his direc­ phasis from expansion toward con­ Social and Religious Fa ctors in the Nu­ tion. The results were analyzed by solidation, evangelism toward nur­ merical Growth of Five Denominations computer and, along with other data ture, quantity toward quality, procla­ Working with the Javanese , suggests from the five church studies, were the mation to presence), trends in organi­ more clearly the purpose and delimi­ bases of the description and conclu­ zation (structure vs . spontaneity, tations of the study than the present sions contained in this study. clergy vs . laity, scholars vs. pastors, popularized title. Dr . Willis, a South­ The higher-than-average quan­ and theology vs. culture), and trends in ern Baptist missionary since 1964, titative church growth from 1960 to program (classes vs . masses, indi­ served in West Java and East Java until 1971 (especially 1965 to 1968) was most vidual conversions vs. people 1970 when he became a teacher and evident in Central and East Java. Four movements, urban vs. rural, modern later the president of the Indonesian are older, indigenous churches almost vs . traditional, future vs. present) Baptist Theological Seminary in wholly Javanese in membership, while seem much less persuasive and dem­ Semarang, Central Java . about 80 percent of the members of the onstrable from the data but, rather, The present book comes out of five fifth, the Baptist Church, are Javanese. perhaps conform to the limited concept self-studies of Javanese churches done After an examination of the religious­ of numerical church growth as well as cultural factors (Part II) and the to a tendency to attribute to the sociological factors relating to church Javanese churches the "polarization growth among the Javanese (Part III), Iwhich] characterizes the debate now the particular situation in each of the raging in theology, ecclesiology, and FrankL. Cooley serves as Liaisonfor Indonesia five churches is portrayed and missiology in the West." It would be in the Southern Asia Office of the Division of analyzed in considerable detail (Part closer to actuality to conclude that the Ov erseas Ministries, NCCCUSA . He was a IV). Part V draws conclusions, first Javanese churches responded to the YMCA secretary in China (1946-1951) and about " how the Churches grew," political, social, cultural, and religious fraternal worker in Indonesia for the United summarized thus: " in the total evalua­ realities of the Indonesian situation Presbyterian Church (1956-1976). tion of factors listed by Javanese who (contextualization), rather than "over­ reacting to the church growth coordi­ nated on the intensive side of the equa­ tions" (p . 199). Fewer reservations arise regarding the author's suggested church-growth strategy for the Javanese (pp. 210-218) . This critical comment aside, Willis's study is a competent, stimulat­ ing, valuable contribution to knowl­ edge about and understanding of the church and church growth in In­ donesia. The twenty-nine pages of selected bibliography of published materials is of particular value to stu­ dents of religion in Indonesia. -Frank L. Cooley

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36 Oc casional Bulletin What Next in Mission? Another point of controversy in­ volves not only the mission boards and By Paul Hopkins. Philadelphia: overseas churches, but a variety of po­ Westminster Press, 1977. Pp. 122. sitions within both the churches at home and abroad. This comes to focus Paperba ck $3.95. in the question of to whom the un­ finished task of mission is committed. In the confines of a small, well-written some times feels shunted as ide. Dis­ Many see the emergence of the church book, Paul Hopkins has attempted to sa tisfied m issionarie s and church in Asia, Africa, and Latin America as bring church members face to face w ith agenci es , along with th e over seas the signal for western churches to give the basic questions and concerns in churches, seek to catch the ear of the way in d ire ct conversion activities. Christian world miss ion today. Th e United States local church. It is not Other strong voices in the church call book ·is written from the viewpoint of surp rising that many church members attention to over two billion un­ the American scene, looking outward are confused as to w hat is happening churched persons in the world and in mission, the perspective from which in mission today. claim that mission to those outside the most United States church members begin the process of inqu iry . Seven informative and provoca­ tive chapters cover th e changing as­ pects of world mission. Each chapter closes with a set of four or five ques­ tions for discussion. All of this makes for a useful study book for church groups interested and concerned to get beneath the hard questions, the mis ­ understandings, and the hurts that are a part of mission today. Chapter 1 introduces the current - : DonalD a. ;­ scene in world mission, with the ten­ _ IlI1cGRURan i_ _ sions and strains that are a part of mis­ sion today. These include the call for a ETnnlC moratorium, the charge . of financial imperialism, racism in mission out­ "A most Important work . RERllTIES reach, the changing role of the m is­ Its thesis is unassailable." and the sionary, the liberal-conservative con­ G.H. S ingh , Ham ir Co ttage , troversy, western domination in pro­ Udaipur Rajasthan CnURCn gram and policy. Issues such as these " . . . Innovative, surprising, challenging. come as a surprise to lay persons who Capable of producing great good." have not been exposed to the gradual J. Waskom Pickett. Bishop, shifts and trends in the past ten to fif­ Methodist Church in Sou thern Asia lessons From India teen years. The book describes the issues suc­ cinctly, and points to the reality of the GOD WANTS THECHURCH TO GROW . . . differing voices of interpretation com­ ing through to the lay person. These But the structures of the Church and its modes of growth are voices come at times from increasingly heavily influenced by social realities. Society is a vast mosa ic of many self-reliant overseas churches, at times cultures. and the ethn icity of each piece affects the structure and from missionaries who feel alienated spread of the Church. This book itlustrates this universal principle and ignored, and at times from mis­ from India. sion boards and agencies which ap­ Donald McGavran is well known as the founder of the pear to be terribly defensive. Ch urch Growth movement. He is the dean emeritu s of the A historical review sketches the School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary, story of mission outreach from the and served as a missionary in India for 34 years. western world. Out of this historical context, the present issues in mission are seen to emerge. For example, th e ------contemporary conflict between m is­ Clip and mail to : If.-Spetial Offer. only $7.95 postpaidllf.­ sionaries and their boards and agen­ WILLIAM CAREY LIBRARY cies is set within the shift of m ission Retail Price $8.95 plus postage Dept. 1790 boards as sending and support agen­ 1705 N. Sierra Bonita Ave. o Please send me copies cies for missionaries, to the role as Pasadena, Calif. 91104 of ETHNIC REALIT1ES at liaison units in " church- to-church" re­ the special price of $7.95 lations. In all of th is, the m issionary each . including postage . (Cali­ PLEASE PRINT fornia residents add 6% tax .) Name : _ o Payment enclosed $ . Address: _ CharlesH. Germany, former missionary in Ja ­ o Please send me a complete list of William Carey Library pan, is Assistant General Secretary for Pro­ ______Zip, _ books . gram Administration in the World Division of the United Methodist Board of Global Minis­ tries.

January, 1979 37 Christian faith is given by the Holy vital and living reality is not a faith that almost surely must be something akin Spirit to the total church, not simply to can effectively be communicated. Faith to mission agencies? A part of the value the church in the nation. that is not wrestling demonstratively of the book is the presence of unre­ Other chapters deal with the con­ with the quality of life in the United solved questions. cern for social and economic justice as States is not a faith that will be persua­ One hopes that the book will find" an expression of mission, versus con­ sive elsewhere. wide usage. The conviction is deepen­ cern for conversion of persons to Chris­ No book on mission today, small ing in world Christian circles that the tian faith without a companion sense or large, will satisfy any reader at all questions concerning Christian mis­ of social responsibility. Third World points. The present book will have sion in world perspectives are central voices are brought into the discussion. points of controversy. Is the short-term to the future of the church at home and A final chapter deals with "The technical specialist the right person to abroad. More than the issues in any Renewal of Christian Mission." In this carry the task in the next period of mis­ other arena of the church's life, mis­ chapter, readers are invited to look sion? Does the book deal realistically sion issues are going to give shape to ahead in mission. This involves a pro­ with the pluralism not only in the and preparation for the responsible cess of mission reformulation, which United States church, but also in the Christian life as the 1970s merge into Hopkins feels must address first and overseas church? Is the role of the mis­ the 1980s. foremost the question of the vitality sion agency as nearly finished as the -Charles H. Germany and quality of faith at the heart of the book implies? Are options adequately United States church. Faith that is not a indicated for future directions for what

The Revolution of the Latin slightly outdated-introduction to American Church this highly relevant debate within the Catholic Church. By Hugo Latorre Cabal. Norman, Okla.: The author begins by reminding Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 197~. us that social concern and condemna­ Translated from the Spanish by Francis K. tion of oppression are by no means Hendricks and Beatrice Berler. Pp. 192. latecomers to· the Roman Catholic tra­ $9.95. dition. He singles out early friars and priests who valiantly denounced In 1968 the Roman Catholic Church in vened in Puebla, Mexico, amid wide­ greedy land-grabbing and brutal Latin America declared its indepen­ spread fears that powerful reactionary slave-trading, who defended the rights dence, in Medellin, from the conserva­ forces would win the day and come to of Indians, who justified tyrannicide tive regimes with which it had been terms with the increasingly oppressive and defined the limits of secular and associated since colonial times. Ten Latin American regimes. This book, religious power. years later, the Conference of Latin written by a Colombian political scien­ Latorre then traces the ups and American Bishops (CELAM III) recon- tist, is a brief and informative-if downs of the Vatican II-inspired ag-

Response

To the Editors:

Many thanks for W. Richey Hogg's excellent essay on regular basis "for fellowship and to seek to find ways "The Legacy of Kenneth Scott Latourette" (July 1978). of serving collectively" (p. 131, Beyond the Ranges). Readers of the Occasional Bulletin might be interested Latourette also spent a great deal of time working with in one dimension of Latourette's long and diverse life the National Council of Churches' Committee for the not touched upon by Professor Hogg. Study of the Bases of a Just and Durable Peace. This As Latourette relates in his autobiography, after he wartime committee was chaired by Latourette's went to Yale as a professor, careful study led him to friend, John Foster Dulles who, remarks Latourette, become a Christian pacifist. This was a decision that was tolerant of the pacifists on the committee! compelled him to work actively for those things which Professor Latourette joined the Fellowship of Rec­ make for peace. He subsequently joined the Council onciliation on January 15, 1924, shortly after becom­ of Foreign Relations and he became a member of the ing a pacifist. He was a substantial supporter of the Federal Council of Churches' Committee on Interna­ work of the F.D.R. over the years. In fact, in 1968 (the tional Justice and Goodwill. For eighteen years he year that he died) our records indicate that he sent two served as the convener of an informal group of New monetary contributions to the fellowship for its work Haven faculty and townspeople which met monthly, of peace in the world. ate together, and read papers on international rela­ Richard L. Deats tions. Intermittently he taught a course on Christian­ Director, Interfaith Activities ity and International Relations. During the Second Fellowship of Reconciliation World War, Latourette met with other pacifists from Box 271, Nyack, NY 10960 the Yale faculty (mostly from the Divinity School) on a

38 Occasional Bulletin giornamento through the several encyclicals of Popes John and Paul. He Fifteen Outstanding Books of 1978 focuses on three main Latin American currents in this process: (1) the social for Mission Studies aggiornamento, or the church's increas­ ing condemnation of institutionalized The Editors of "the Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research have selected the injustice; (2) the scientific aggiornamen­following booksfor specialrecognition of their outstanding contribution to missionstudies to-the church's use of psycho-social in 1978. A few of the books have 1977 copyright dates, but did not actually appear until tools in its critical analysis of science, 1978. We have limited our selection to books in English since it would be impossible to society, and history; and (3) the consider fairly the booksin many other languages that are not readily availableto us. We priestly aggiornamento, i.e., the search commend the authors, editors, and publishers represented here for their continuing of the rank-and-file clergy for a more commitment to advance the causeof the Christianworld missionwith scholarly literature. authentic and relevant vocation. He lo­ Beaver, R. Pierce. cates these interrelated processes The Native American Christian Community. A Directory of Indian, Aleut, and within the context of the struggle that Eskimo Churches and Ministries. is raging at the highest levels of the Monrovia, Calif.: Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center. church. This was typified by the 1969 "Shadow Synod" of progressive Brown, Robert McAfee. priests, which met in Rome only a few Theology in a New Key: Responding to Liberation Themes. blocks away from the Extraordinary Philadelphia: Westminster Press. Synod of Bishops. After documenting Dawe, Donald G. and John B. Carman, eds. the growing polarization within the Christian Faith in a Religiously Plural World. Latin American Church he points out Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books. the implications of this for a nominally Catholic continent. Escobar, Samuel and John Driver. In conclusion, Latorre evaluates Christian Mission and Social Justice. the several routes that the church has Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press. followed in her quest for greater social relevance: (1) revolution via democ­ Fashole-Luke, Edward, et al., eds. racy (unsuccessful); (2) guerilla warfare Christianity in Independent Africa. (crushed); (3) indifference (still too London: Rex Collins. much the norm); and (4) the Mexican Hesselgrave, David J. socialist experiment (ambiguous). Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally. Strangely, he omits the Brazilian Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House. Church's confrontation with the mili­ tary state's doctrine of national se­ Kane, J. Herbert. curity. A Concise History of the Christian World Mission. For Christians who are concerned Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House. about the church's witness under to­ talitarian governments and who have Krass, Alfred C. had little exposure to the Roman Cath­ Five Lanterns at Sundown. Evangelism in a Chastened Mood. olic experience, Professor Latorre Cab­ Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. al's summary, despite some gaps, Nacpil, Emerito P. and DouglasJ. Elwood, eds. should be very helpful. The Human and the Holy: Asian Perspectives in Christian Theology. -A. William Cook, Jr. Quezon City, Philippines: New Day Publishers. Newbigin, Lesslie The Open Secret. Sketches for a Missionary Theology. A. William Cook,Jr.isanArgentinecitizenand Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. a member of the Latin AmericaMission, pres­Reilly, Michael Collins. ently engaged in doctoral studiesat the School Spirituality for Mission. of World Mission, Fuller Theological Semi­Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books. nary. He hasservedas assistantto the General Secretary of Evangelism-in-Depth, general Scott, Waldron. coordinator of the Institute of In-Depth Karl Barth's Theology of Mission. Evangelization (lNDEPTH), and executive Downers Grove, 111.: InterVarsity Press. secretary of INDEPTH's Brazilian office. Sobrino, Jon. Christology at the Crossroads. A Latin American Approach. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books. Verkuyl, Johannes. Contemporary Missiology: An Introduction. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Wagner, C. Peter and Edward R. Dayton, eds. Unreached Peoples '79. Elgin, Ill.: David C. Cook Publishing Co.

January,1979 39 technology employed and the manner in which it is obtained. Another type of conflict occurs be­ NOTEWORTHY tween nations, "The context of LDC technology policies is an international U.S. Catholic missionaries serving abroad in 1978 numbered 6,601, including order dominated by transnational cor­ 3,483 religious priests and brothers of 67 mission-sending-groups; 166 diocesan porations, international agencies, and priests from 70 U.S. dioceses; 2,673 religious sisters from 180 mission-sending big-power governments" (p. 176). The groups; and 279 lay volunteers from 29 sponsoring organizations. Counted in the decisions made by such entities are de­ annual survey are U.S. citizens serving for at least one year outside the 48 signed not to pursue equity but to contiguous states. serve their own economic interests. In U.S. Catholic missionaries in Africa number 966; in Asia, 1,658; in Oceania, this context, Goulet quotes approv­ 769; in Latin America, 2,835. ingly another author, "Development is Trends over the past twenty-two years can be seen from the following the last and brilliant effort of the white figures: northern world to maintain its cultural 1956 5,126 missionaries 1972 7,656 missionaries dominance in perpetuity" (p. 244). 1962 7,146 missionaries 1976 7,010 missionaries How should the less developed 1966 9,303 missionaries 1978 6,601 missionaries country respond? Goulet's answer is Details on the mission-sending groups and countries of service appear in that the greatest hope lies with less in­ Mission Handbook 1978, published by the U.S. Catholic Mission Council, 1302 tegration into the present international 18th Street, N.W.; Washington, D.C. 20036 ($1.25 domestic or $2.00 overseas economic order in favor of self-reliant airmail). development. This does not mean iso­ lationism buta determination by LDCs to meet the needs of all their people from national resources insofar as pos­ sible. Technology which assists that goal is acceptable but only on a highly The Uncertain Promise: Value selective and carefully controlled basis. Conflicts in Technology Transfer. Multinational corporations will thus have a role in such development, but it By Denis Goulet. New York: IDOC/North will be far more circumscribed and America, and Washington, D.C.: directed. Overseas Development Council, 1977. Goulet holds to the hope that the Pp. xiii, 320. Paperback$5.95. proper value criteria for judging the impact of technology and controlling Nothing has so mesmerized this cen­ North America, 1971); with Michael its effects can be institutionalized. This tury as technology. To the society at Hudson, The Cruel Choice (New York: places him among the optimists in the large it has become virtually a Atheneum, 1971) and A New Moral spectrum of development specialists. synonym for progress. Meanwhile, the Order (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 1974). The fact that he sees clearly the difficul­ church has alternated between seeing Those in search of philosophical ties in establishing a more equitable it as an instrument of salvation and support for a retreat from all modem economic order places him among the condemning it as a threat to humanity technology to simpler days and ways moral realists. and to the very survival of the created will not find it here. Goulet makes clear Such a realistic visionary is a help­ order. the dangers of "technological ideol­ ful guide in reviewing the social im­ In The Uncertain Promise, Denis ogy" where technology is regarded as pact of technology on development. Goulet avoids both these extremes and the chief criterion in defining human Those concerned about the institu­ in the process makes his usual excel­ life. Nevertheless, he maintains that tional framework of human values will lent effort to bridge the gap between "the essential problem is not technol­ find this an excellent and useful book. technical complexities and moral con­ ogy itself but the successful manage­ -Walter L. Owensby cerns. By focusing on the conflicts ment of it." Thus he avoids the "small created by the transfer of industrial is beautiful" trap of blanket endorse­ technology to Latin American coun­ ment of approaches to technology tries through private enterprise, which often are little more than ro­ Goulet leads the reader into a consid­ manticism. By so doing, the author is eration of many of the key issues in the able to get beyond the mechanics of current debate over international de­ scale to the more fundamental moral velopment. Here the author does not question of who owns the technology so much break new ground as build and for whose benefit it is employed. upon the conceptual foundation he has Goulet maintains that "technol­ so carefully laid in his previous works: ogy never exists in a social vacuum; it The Myth of Aid (New York: IDOC/ is owned by identifiable groups who may use it as an instrument of social control" (p. 9). As the subtitle notes, there are value conflicts in technology transfer. One type of conflict exists be­ Walter L. Owensby is Director of Inter­ tween social classes within the less de­ American Designs for Economic Awareness veloped countries (LDCs) themselves. (IDEA), a program of the United Presbyterian Those in the existing political and Church with offices at 731 State Street, Madi­ business structures who control son, Wisconsin. He has previously servedwith technological decisions are also those the church in Mexico and Colombia. most richly rewarded by the kind of

40 Occasional Bulletin African Christianity. philosophy of African tradition?" One wonders. For the westerner such logic By Adrian Hastings. New York: Seabury may seen inescapable. But for the Afri­ PresslA Crossroad Book, 1977. Pp. vi, can it seems there can be a healthy par­ 105. $6.95. allelism with a hierarchy of power. Such a view seems to be firmly rooted Adrian Hastings worked as a priest in tianity tends toward episcopal forms of in Scripture and is basic to the growing Mozambique for many years but his church government despite the hostil­ dialogue between African an-d western fame came through his exposure of ity to bishops of many of its founding theological perspectives. Portuguese colonial massacres at Protestant missions. The closing chapter, "Power, Poli­ Wiriyamu village. As a result of two The author rightly claims that the tics and Poverty," is a wide-ranging years' work at the School of Oriental moratorium issue does not impact on effectively presented picture of the and African Studies, London, he has local Protestant congregations. Be­ situation in Africa today. Every con­ given us both a historic overview and cause of both policy and missionary cerned Christian needs to be aware of an up-to-date summary of the Chris­ withdrawals, neither foreign money and concerned about the issues raised. tian church in Africa over the last one nor personnel has affected the local We westerners for too long have, on hundred years. level for some years. He contrasts this the whole, assumed that Christian His presentation of the African fact with the Roman Catholic Church, commitment somehow is followed by independent church phenomenon­ which has 25,000 missionaries in economic upward mobility. A careful the tremendous growth of non­ Mrica-many involved in local reading of this chapter should cause an mission-related churches in Africa-is parishes. Actually, over 70 percent of objective reader to reconsider such a most helpful. While admitting to the Catholic priests in Africa are white, ac­ view. many cultural and racial bases for these cording to Hastings. The book is marred in a few places movements, he tends to see their main The close tie between witchcraft, by the author's lack of personal knowl­ cause in the schismatic nature of Prot­ illness, and healing is very usefully edge about some of the specific situa­ estantism exported to Africa. Another covered as well as the cause for the rise tions cited. There are some essentially observation, which for Protestants is of of faith healing, which is one of the unimportant factual errors, especially special interest, is that African Chris- great strengths of the African inde­ when he deals with Protestant and in­ pendent churches. Hastings obviously dependent churches. But as a brief has trouble with the admission of emi­ survey of a vast subject it is a most nent African theologians that valuable update to the literature on the PaulA. Hopkinsis Liaison with Africa for the witchcraft is a reality in African life. He African church and offers a helpful ap­ UnitedPresbyterian Churchin the U.S.A. and says: "Is it not here above all that a proach to a complicated subject. has traveled widely throughout Africa since Christian view of sickness and death -Paul A. Hopkins 1955. does clash decisively with the

To Ride a Magic Ca9>et: How One American's Fascination with Old the daily life of Iranian people in Persia Leads to Genuine homes, mosques, and bazaars. The re­ Communication with Modem sult, as he sat on innumerable Persian Iranians. carpets and drank countless cups of tea-even learning the unique Iranian By George W. Braswell, Jr. Nashville, art of sucking the tea through a lump of Tenn.: Broadman Press, 1~77. Pp. 140. sugar held between the front teeth-is Paperback $3.95. a fascinating inside view of everyday Iranian life. There is a wealth of accu­ George Braswell and his wife were the center in Tehran. He also taught on the rate perceptions of the actual practices first Southern Baptist missionaries in faculty of Islamic theology of the Uni­ of Shi'ah Islam in mosque and home Iran, and were there from 1968 to 1974. versity of Teheran, and at Damavand today. At the same time Braswell Dr. Braswell is now associate professor College, an outgrowth of many years of shows us how personal friendships af­ of missions and church history at Presbyterian educational work for ford opportunities for effective Chris­ Southeastern Baptist Seminary in women in Tehran. tian witness. Wake Forest, North Carolina. These positions provided Braswell In addition to Braswell's valuable Braswell was welcomed on the with channels of friendship with Ira­ insights into the Islamic piety among staff of Armaghan Institute, a Pres­ nian people of many sorts: men and the common people in Iran today, the byterian English-language teaching women, students and mullahs, schol­ reader is also given an understanding ars, government officials, and shop­ of the tensions in modem urban soci­ keepers. He made friends with his stu­ ety that are threatening to erode this dents and readily accepted invitations piety. There is a recognition of the to services in mosques, including a deeply grounded strain of pretense, R. ParkJohnson, retired United Presbyterian special occasion for women worship­ dissimulation, and consequent mis­ mission executivein the Middle East, lived for ers, and to various Muslim ceremonies trust in the social relations of Iranian many years in Iran at different periods from in homes. people. There is likewise an introduc­ 1938 to 1967. He has a Ph.D. in Near Eastern The dominant impression of the tion to the pervasive conflict between Studies from Princeton University, and is the book is the enthusiasm and skill with traditional Islamic faith and the "civil author of the mission study resource book which Braswell sought out and utilized religion," which is strongly promoted Middle East Pilgrimage. these opportunities for immersion in by the government, linking Muslim

January,1979 41 observance with political obedience orientation for anyone going to Iran, fucianism, not as a stagnant system of and adulation of the Shah and his fam­ not only for Christians, butfor any vis­ thought but as a philosophy, a belief, ily. One sees a strange triangle of itors or prospective residents who and a way of life with its rites and ritu­ forces: traditional religion, civil reli­ seek to understand the interwoven als in historical development. It also gion, and the rising tide of a nonreligi­ arabesque of designs that make up the puts the dialogue between Con­ ous, even antireligious, materialism. pattern of life in present-day Iran. fucianism and Christianity, which the This book is an invaluable aid to -R. Park Johnson book hopes to encourage, into a histor­ ical perspective. I had hoped, however, that in try­ ing to show Confucianism as alive to­ Confucianism and Christianity: A day, instead of citing the works of iso­ Comparative Study. lated scholars or circumstancial evi­ dence like an anti-Confucian cam­ By Julia Ching. Tokyo, New York & San paign, the author could point to some Francisco: Kodansha International; in living themes of Confucianism in prac­ cooperation with Tokyo: Institute of tice today: such as the strong concern Oriental Religions, Sophia University, for social justice, to govern by moral 1977. Pp. xxvi, 234. $12.50. example and to mobilize through moral persuasion, as reflected in the Julia Ching's book is an attempt to gain creativity), which started out as a social life of the People's Republic of China; a deeper understanding of God, man, notion of human relationship and de­ or the strong sense of social responsi­ and their relationship by comparing veloped eventually into a cosmic no­ bility as displayed by many in­ such distinct traditions as Christianity tion that refers to the meeting of tellectuals in modem Chinese history and Confucianism. The emphasis, heaven and man, can be helpful in our who, bearing the burden of the nation, however, is on a critical reassessment further understanding of the Christian exemplified the Confucian ideal of of Confucianism in the light of reli­ God of love. She adds that such man: "Before the world worries, he gious categories. dialogue between the two traditions is worries; and only after the world has Despite overstating some of the particularly timely, since theological rejoiced does he rejoice." similarities between Christianity and thinking today has come to place great -George Ling Confucianism, the book offers valu­ emphasis on expressing the Christian able insights into the thoughts and be­ faith in God through love of, and ser­ liefs of Confucianism; especially the vice to, the world for God; and it can George Ling, a native of China, received his notion of man's self-transcendence also be helpful to Asian Christians who B.D. from Yale Divinity School and D.Phil and the conclusion that Confucianism are attempting to theologize in forms from Oxford University. He worked and comes close to being a "prophetic reli­ that are germane to their heritage. taught in the People'sRepublicof China from gion." The author suggests that the The strength of the book lies in its 1967 to 1976, and is now residing in Hong Confucian notion of jen (love, life, historical approach, showing Con­ Kong.

Dissertation Notices

Forbes, Bruce David Lam, Wing-hung. Neely, Alan Preston. "Evangelization and Acculturation "The Emergence of a Protestant "Protestant Antecedents of the Latin among the Santee Dakota Indians, Christian Apologetic in the Chinese American Theology of Liberation." 1834-1864." Church During the Anti-Christian Ph.D. Washington, D.C.: American Ph.D. Princeton: Princeton Theological Movement in the 1920s." University, 1977. Seminary, 1977. Ph.D. Princeton: Princeton Theological Seminary, 1978. Robb, Carol S. "Integration of Marxist Constructs Hart, John William. into the Theology of Liberation from "Topia and Utopia in Colombia and Latin America." Peru: The Theory and Practice of Langlais, Jacques. Ph.D. Boston: Boston University, 1978. Camilo Torres and Gustavo Gutierrez "The French Canadian Jesuits in in Their Historical Contexts." China (1918-1955): Their Perception of Starkey, Peggy Margaret Eugenia. Ph.D. New York: Union Theological the Chinese Traditions." "Salvation as a Problem in Christian Seminary, 1978. Ph.D. Hamilton, Ontario: McMaster Theology of Religions." University, 1977. Ph.D. New York: Union Theological Seminary, 1978. Holland, Edward J. "Dialogue or Dialectic: A Case Study Wipfler, William Louis. of the Policy Crisis of the 1961-1973 Kijanga, Peter. "Power, Influence and Impotence: United States Catholic Mission to "Ujamaa (African Socialism) and the The Church as a Socio-political Factor Latin America." Role of the Church in Tanzania." in the Dominican Republic." Ph.D. Chicago: University of Chicago, Ph.D. Dubuque, Iowa: Aquinas Institute Ph.D. New York: Union Theological 1974. of Theology, 1977. Seminary, 1978.

42 Occasional Bulletin Consider how these courses could strengthen your effectiveness in • • miSSion • • •

Jan 2-5 and 8-12, Christian Witness on Modern Frontiers. Seminars for theological 1979 students , co-sponsored by 15 seminaries . Each week is a separate unit, but together they give a comprehensive survey of the contemporary world mission. Academic credit ma y be arranged. Jan. 15-18 New Directions in the Christian Mission. Eugene L. Stockwell, Division of Overseas Ministries, National Council of Churches. Jan. 22-26 Power and Powerlessness in the Americas: Issues in Mission. Catherine Gunsalu s Gonzalez, Columbia Theological Seminary; and Justo L. Gonzalez, Cuban-born theologian, lecturer, author. Feb. 5-8 The Church Faces New Religious Movements in America. Robert Wuthnow, Ann Patrick Ware, S. L. , Mark Albrecht, Julius Poppinga, Cain Felder, and Gerald Anderson. Joint seminar with the Continuing Education Center of Princeton Theological Seminary, at Princeton. feb. 20-23 Current Issues in Catholic Missions. Simon E. Smith, S. J., Executive Secretary, Jesuit Mission s, Inc. Feb. 26-March 2 Reshaping Christianity: African Models of Church Life. Donald R. Jacobs, Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions. March 12-16 Structures and Strategies for Mission Today: Patterns and Problems. Hans-Werner Gensichen, University of Heidelberg, Germany. March 19-23 Christian Theology in the Context of Human Cultures. Harvie M. Conn, Westminster Theological Seminary. March 27-30 Christian Mission Where It Began: Today's Churches in a Muslim World. Norman A. Horner, Associate Director, OMSC. April 2-6 Interaction Between Christian Faith and African Religion. John Mbiti, Ecumenical Institute, Bo ssey /Celigny , Switzerland. April 17-20 Salvation, Survival, and Social Justice. Samuel Escobar, President of the Latin American Theological Fraternity, Cordoba, Argentina.

Registration: $25 per course, with room and meals additional.

We offer missionaries highly For your application and more relevant courses ofstudy, accommodations with a family information write today: atm osphere, and the inspira­ Gerald H . Anderson, Director or tion of walks by the sea. Norman A. Horner, Associate Direc-tor Publishers of THE OCCASIONAL BULLETIN OVERSEAS MINISTRIES STUDY CENTER OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH Ventnor, New Jersey 08406 BookNotes InCotning Issues

Berger, Heinrich. The Anabaptists of Africa? Mission und Kolonialpolitik. Die katholische Mission in Kamerun wihrend der The Challenge of the African deutschen Kolonialzeit. Independent Churches Supplementa Vol. XXVI. lmmensee, Switzerland: Neue Zeitschrift fur Andrew F. Walls Missionswissenschaft, 1978. Pp. xxvii, 358. Paperback. Sfr 46.00. The Other Message Cragg, Kenneth. Eugene A. Nida The Christian and Other Religion. London: Mowbrays, 1977. Pp. xiu, 138. £6.00; paperback £2.95. Cultural Problems in Mission Catechesis among Native Cuddihy, John Murray. Americans No Offense: Civil Religion and Protestant Taste. Carl F. Starkloff, S.J. New York: Seabury Press, 1978. Pp. xi, 232. $12.95. The Theology of John Mbiti: Hoke, Donald E., ed. His Sources, Norm and Method Evangelicals Face the Future. John W. Kinney South Pasadena, Calif.: Wm. Carey Library, 1978. Pp. xiv, 166. Paperback $6.95. Christianity in North Africa Today Irvine, Cecilia. Norman A. Horner The Church of Christ in Zaire. A Handbook of Protestant Churches, Missions and Communities, 1878-1978. Indianapolis, Indiana: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Division of Overseas Ministries, 1978. Pp. xx, 161. Paperback $4.95.

Mildenberger, Michael. Denkpause im Dialog. Perspektiven der Begegnung mit anderen Religionen Book Reviews by und Ideologien. G. Linwood Barney, David J. Frankfurt am Main: Verlag Otto Lembeck, 1978. Pp. 157. Paperback DM 14.80. Bowman, S.J., David J. Hesselgrave, Eugene Hillman, Norman A. Horner, Mizuki, John. Eugene A. Nida, ErnestD. Piryns,and The Growth of Japanese Churches in Brazil. others South Pasadena, Calif.: Wm. Carey Library, 1978. Pp. xxii, 212. Paperback $8.95.

Nacpil, Emerito P. and Douglas J. Elwood, eds. The Human and the Holy: Asian Perspectives in Christian Theology. Quezon City, Philippines: New Day Publishers, 1978. Pp. x, 367. Paperback $7.00.

Piepkorn, Arthur C. Profiles in Belief. The Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada. Vol. II-Protestant Denominations. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978. Pp. xx, 721. $29.95.

Schiiferdiek, Knui, ed. Kirchengeschichte als Missionsgeschichte. Band II: Die Kirche des friiheren Mittelalters. Erster Halbband. Munich: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1978. Pp. 604. DM 75.00.

Wallis, Roy. The Road to Total Freedom. A Sociological Analysis of Scientology. New York: Columbia-University Press, 1977. Pp. xiu, 282. $12.00. Changing your address? World Council of Churches. Please notify the Occasional Bulletin Christians Meeting Muslims. WCC Papers on Ten Years of Christian-Muslim subscription office six ueeks in advance of Dialogue. your move to insure uninterrupted Geneva: WCC, 1977. Pp. vi, 158. Paperback Sfr 9.50. delivery' of the journal.