Cultural Relativism and Cultural Relativism and ContextualizationContextualization

Dr. David SillsDr. David Sills

Cultural RelativismCultural Relativism

Biblical Biblical RelativismRelativism

Biblical Biblical AbsolutismAbsolutism

Cultural Cultural AbsolutismAbsolutism

Situational Situational EthicsEthics

TraditionalistTraditionalist

Cultural Cultural RelativismRelativism

AntinomianAntinomian Mutual Mutual RespectRespect

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Cultural PerspectivesCultural Perspectives

Emic = that perspective or point of view Emic = that perspective or point of view that sees, feels, and communicates as that sees, feels, and communicates as a a natural insider.natural insider.

Etic = that perspective which observes, Etic = that perspective which observes, describes, and reports on a culture describes, and reports on a culture from from the position of an outsider.the position of an outsider.

ContextualizationContextualizationGlocalizationGlocalization

Contextualization combines those two thoughts and asks, “How do you transfer what God has said through ‘holy men of old’ who lived in an ancient cultural context, into the language of people who live in a drastically different age and cultural context?Defining Contextualization:“Meaningful and appropriate cross-cultural transmission of Biblical truth which is faithful to its original intent and sensitive (understandable) to culture.”

• We seek to be biblically faithful and culturally understandable.

ContextualizationContextualization

Theology done from Theology done from within a systemwithin a system

Clothing the Gospel in Clothing the Gospel in culturally relevant culturally relevant garments.garments.

Losing the excess Losing the excess baggage so that the baggage so that the Gospel is clearly Gospel is clearly seen.seen.

Which of these are biblical?Which of these are biblical?

Which of these are sinful?Which of these are sinful?

3 Eras of Contextualization3 Eras of Contextualization

Non-ContextualizationNon-Contextualization– Cultural superiority and arroganceCultural superiority and arrogance– Little to no regard for host cultureLittle to no regard for host culture– Gospel looked foreignGospel looked foreign

Over-ContextualizationOver-Contextualization– Influence of anthropologistsInfluence of anthropologists– Home culture bashingHome culture bashing– SyncretismSyncretism

3 Eras of Contextualization3 Eras of Contextualization

Critical ContextualizationCritical Contextualization– Biblically faithful but culturally understandableBiblically faithful but culturally understandable– 4 steps4 steps

Exegete the cultureExegete the culture

Exegete the ScriptureExegete the Scripture

Come to a crux regarding some cultural issueCome to a crux regarding some cultural issue

Implement a functional substituteImplement a functional substitute

– Always done Always done ““round tableround table”” style with the style with the missionary and locals having a seat at the tablemissionary and locals having a seat at the table