Ethnotheological Models - Practical Application

Before leaving the subject of Charles Kraft's ethnotheological models, let me share a couple of observations based on teaching the Bible in a church setting. Let me pick a recent subject: the food laws in Leviticus. Here's what I've found:

1. Conservative Christians tend to see these laws as God's will and given to protect Israel from diseases by banning unhealthy eating practices, for example the danger of trichinosis is overcome by banning the eating of pork. But of course Jesus abolished these laws for his disciples, and they have no meaning for Christians other than providing some interesting historical information about God's care of his people.
2. Progressive Christians tend to see these laws as a product of ancient Israel. The laws are based on a misunderstanding of God and are little more than a collection of primitive taboos. As with Conservative Christians, the laws have no application for modern Christians.

But now comes the studies of structural anthropologists such as Mary Douglas and the study of Leviticus by brilliant scholars such Jacob Milgrom and the food laws are seen in a new light. New questions arise. What do these laws tell us about the meaning of food in the culture of ancient Israel. And how did those meanings shape their concepts of purity and holiness.

Now transition to our culture and begin to think ethnotheologically about food. Consider:

• What role does food play in your family? Your church? Your community?
• How do your values shape your food choices?
• In what ways might obesity be considered a theological issue as well as a health issue in America?
• Are there foods you would not eat on ethical grounds? Why?
• What choices did Jesus make about food?
• Should his choices inform the choices of modern-day disciples? Explain why or why not.

Maybe, just maybe, there is something still to learn from those ancient laws that goes beyond form and cultural specifics? Could it even inform contemporary faith communities What do you think?

Ethnotheological Hermeneutics - Model #2

The second of Kraft's models deals with interpreting scripture, what he calls ethnotheological hermeneutics. This model has four aspects to consider:

1. Human perception of God's truth may be adequate, though never absolute
2. Study of scripture must include awareness of the insights of contemporary anthropology and linguistics in addition to using the perspective of history and philology.
3. Attempting to understand supracultural meaning involves the necessity to discern differing levels of abstraction. Three levels are postulated: a) cultural specific level; 2) general principle level; 3) basic-ideal level.
4. The total process of biblical interpretation involves attention both to the original biblical cultural contexts and to the cultural context within which the interpreter lives.

Example focusing on aspect #3:

Basic Ideal Level:
Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way (1 Cor 14:40)

General Principle Level:
Christians should live according to the rules of the culture (as long as they don't conflict with Christian principles

Specific Cultural Form/Symbol Level:
a. Women should learn in silence in Greek culture (1 Tim. 2:11)
b. Women may speak up in mixed groups in the USA

How would you evaluate Kraft's models? Strengths. Weaknesses.

How might you use his models in teaching and communicating about the Bible?

God, Humanity, and Culture - Ethnotheological Model #1

As mentioned in the previous post, Charles F. Kraft in his book, Christianity in Culture, articulates two ethnotheological models to aid in theologizing cross-culturally. I find this model helpful in dialog about scripture with two vary diverse cultures found within my (many) churches: 1) conservative and 2) progressive Christians.

Kraft calls this model God, Humanity, and Culture and uses it to demonstrate the relationship between God, human beings, and the culture within which they interact. The model has five aspects:

1. God stand apart from culture but works through culture to accomplish his purposes.
2. Theology is a culture-bound enterprise even though the meaning of Scripture (truth) originates outside culture with God.
3. The primacy of such supra-cultural meaning over their cultural forms must be recognized.
4. Human beings are culture bound; there is no God-endorsed culture (whether Hebrew, Greek, or Western-American).
5. God's interaction with humans are relative to their culture; God does not seek to impose their forms of one culture upon another.

Example: Churches have argued (split) over church structure. Consider the difference perspective on church government in the Roman Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church, and the Church of Christ. Each group would suggest their form of of church structure is God ordained. The key word is that their doctrinal stance focuses on "form." With Kraft's model, the ground shifts from cultural form to supra cultural meaning: "Churches should be governed."

Here is how the model would look (slightly modified for clarity):

Charles Kraft - Christianity in Culture

Let me recommend a book that was first published in 1979: Christianity in Culture: A Study in Dynamic Biblical Theologizing in Cross-Cultural Perspective by Charles F. Kraft. Kraft published the book from his missionary experiences and for use in in his classes in Fuller Theological Seminary's School of World Mission.

Kraft sees the aim of his book as helping us to communicate more effectively the Christian message in a multicultural world. His work grows out his frustration as a missionary because "much of the theology taught to us n our home churches, Bible schools, and Christian colleges, a and seminaries turn out to be extremely difficult to use in cross-cultural context in the form in which we learned it."

So Kraft's initial audience is cross-cultural witnesses for Christ, but he also sees as a second audience those whose primary interest is in theological methodology.

Kraft's work addresses such question as:

• What is the relationship between biblical content and the linguistic symbols in terms of which it is presented?
• How clearly can we see revealed truth?
• What is the core of Christian truth that we mus communicate to all peoples and what is peripheral?
• What is relative and what is absolute in Christianity?

In a subsequent post, we'll visit Kraft's two ethnotheological models and how they can be employed in faith communities.

Keith Watkins - Worship in Progressive Churches

Disciples of Christ religious historian Keith Watkins begins a series of posts on worship in progressive churches. Follow Keith's comments, starting with his thoughts here on an alternative way of worship in progressive churches.

Atlases for Touring Israel

Philip Long at his Reading Acts blog recommends for those considering a trip to Holy Land the best atlases for touring Israel. For Part 1, go here and for Part 2, here.

The Centre for the Study of Christian Origins

The Centre for the Study of Christian Origins at the University of Edinburgh has started a blog for faculty members. This should be a rich source of information from top flight scholars so make to bookmark their site. To read about the school and faculty, click here. For their initial blog, this one from Helen Bond, click here.