Week 10: Reflections on Joel’s Blog

In his blog on the piece by Mbuwayesango, Joel, brings up a point that I feel needs further discussion, that of the confusion surrounding the adoption of native terminology (some of which is rooted in native religion) by christians in attempts to articulate their faith within a culture. I agree with Joel that the problem is not inherent in the word itself, nor in the adoption of the word by Christians in hopes to relevant articulate the gospel. The problem is instead attempting to wade through the trappings of the culture that have been applied to particular terminology. This fear should not keep us as Christians from using language and terminology that is already familiar to particular peoples to articulate our faith, which I might, we believe is already rooted dormantly in their culture. The goals of reclamation, whether it be of language or otherwise, should always be the “kingdom work” of churches and christians, no matter the culture we find ourselves in. The difficulties arise in our attempts to abandon the deeply rooted ideas that we must “take God” particular places, and instead we merely have to affirm God’s presence already existing within a particular community. It is this goal and drive that should motivate us as Christians to reclaim not only language, but other cultural practices that were once lost in the secular/spiritual split, and to again reaffirm them in light of God’s already existent presence. This belief forces us to abandon our insecurities and apologetic abilities, and instead frees us to go within cultures ignorant of the concept of God and reclaim peoples and activities that are already extremely familiar with God’s kingdom practices without being fully aware that they are. This is not only liberating for others, it also becomes liberating for us who are trying to remember every step of the “Roman road”.