Copyright © 2018 Nicholas Blaine Walburn All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. NORTHERN THAI THERAVADA FOLK BUDDHISM THROUGH THE EYES OF BUDDHIST BACKGROUND BELIEVERS __________________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________________ by Nicholas Blaine Walburn December 2018 APPROVAL SHEET NORTHERN THAI THERAVADA FOLK BUDDHISM THROUGH THE EYES OF BUDDHIST BACKGROUND BELIEVERS Nicholas Blaine Walburn Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ George H. Martin (Chair) __________________________________________ Theodore J. Cabal __________________________________________ Timothy K. Beougher Date______________________________ ii I dedicate this dissertation to my wife, Carrie. I could not have completed this dissertation without the kindness, patience, encouragement, and Christ-like love that you have freely given me. God has blessed me with an amazing ministry partner in you. I look forward to the years ahead as we follow Christ and glorify Him together. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES................................................................................. vii PREFACE .......................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem ....................................................................................3 Research Question ...............................................................................................6 Personal Background ..........................................................................................8 Literature Review ................................................................................................9 Definitions .........................................................................................................13 Limitations and Delimitations ...........................................................................14 Methodology .....................................................................................................15 Role of the Researcher ............................................................................. 19 Data Collection Procedures ..................................................................... 20 Data Analysis Procedures ........................................................................ 23 Strategies for Validating Findings ........................................................... 26 2. CHIANG MAI CONTEXT ..................................................................................27 Introduction .......................................................................................................27 History of Buddhism in the Region ..................................................................27 Animism and Buddhism in Lanna ........................................................... 30 Decline and Renewal of Buddhism ......................................................... 36 Patronage and the Decline of Lanna ........................................................ 37 Buddhism and Echoes of Independence .................................................. 40 iv Chapter Page Buddhism in Northern Thailand Today ................................................... 41 History of Christianity in the Region ................................................................45 Beginnings in Bangkok............................................................................ 47 Christian Mission to Chiang Mai ............................................................. 51 Continued Mission to Northern Thailand ................................................ 56 Demographics ...................................................................................................62 Conclusion ........................................................................................................65 3. ANSWERS TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS........................................................67 Introduction .......................................................................................................67 Respondent’s Answers to Interview Questions.................................................67 Age and Occupation ................................................................................ 67 Time since Conversion ............................................................................ 68 Only Christian in Family? ....................................................................... 69 Ethnicity ................................................................................................... 70 Prior Experience as a Buddhist ................................................................ 70 Identified Themes in Coding Families ..............................................................71 Relationship as a Motivator for Religious Adherence ............................. 73 Tradition .................................................................................................. 73 Practices of Buddhism ............................................................................. 74 Practices of Animism ............................................................................... 79 Aspects of conversion to Christianity ...................................................... 81 Conclusion ........................................................................................................94 4. INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ..................................................................96 v Chapter Page Introduction .......................................................................................................96 Information Discovered ....................................................................................97 Interpretation of Findings ..................................................................................97 Relationship as Motivator for Religious Adherence ............................... 98 Tradition ................................................................................................ 100 Themes in Animism Coding Family ...................................................... 102 Themes in Buddhism Coding Family .................................................... 102 Themes in Aspects of Conversion to Christianity Coding Family ............................................................................................ 103 Interaction with Pertinent Literature ...............................................................104 Sunatree Komin’s Nine Thai Value Clusters ......................................... 104 Interaction with Komin’s Nine Thai Value Clusters ............................. 109 “Lausanne Occasional Paper 15” ........................................................... 111 Erik Cohen’s Buddhism and Christianity in Thailand ........................... 115 Sugarn Tangsirisatian’s “Factors Relevant to Conversion among Thai University Students” ..................................................................... 118 Edwin Zehner’s “Unavoidably Hybrid: Thai Buddhist Conversions to Evangelical Christianity” ..................................... 125 Stanley Tambiah’s Northeastern Spirit Cults ........................................ 128 Nantachai Mejudhon’s “The Way of Meekness: Being Christian and Thai in the Thai Way”............................................. 130 Wan Petchsongkram’s Talk in the Shade of the Bo Tree ....................... 135 Interaction with Missionary Writings .................................................... 138 David Lim’s Sharing Jesus . series of books. .................................... 146 Challenges Faced ............................................................................................154 Conclusion ......................................................................................................156 5. EMERGING STRATEGIES FOR EVANGELISM ..........................................157 vi Chapter Page Introduction .....................................................................................................157 Descriptions of Themes in Thai Traditions .....................................................158 Tradition ................................................................................................ 158 Relationship as a Motivator for Religious Adherence ........................... 161 Descriptions of Themes among Aspects of Conversion to Christianity .............................................................................................162 Emerging Strategies for Evangelism Suggested .............................................164 Northern Thai Christians Must First Depend on Christ for Transformation and Repentance before Subsequently Articulating this Posture to folk Buddhists ................................... 164 Northern Thai Christians Should Make Every Effort to Form Gospel-Centered Relationships with Buddhist Family Members, Friends, and Neighbors ................................................ 170 Northern Thai Christians Should Think about Evangelism in Terms of Worldview