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There is a fascinating correspondence between the social issues and view on biblical authority of the global South churches and those of the African-American churches. As Jenkins notes, "The socially liberating effects of evangelical religion should come as no surprise to anyone who has traced the enormous influence of biblically based religion throughout African-American history. … When viewed on a global scale, African-American religious styles, long regarded as marginal to mainstream American Christianity, now seem absolutely standard" (see page 13 in The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South).
Write a paper (1,500-2,000 words) that addresses in what specific ways you see Jenkins’ comparison as applicable to the current churches of the global South. What are its limitations? Develop your thoughts.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Contextualization for the Global South: Perspective of Authority of the Bible and Degree of Emphasis on Old Testament and New Testament
Introduction
Having looked at the process and challenges of developing a Christian worldview in an increasingly pluralistic and secular world, and then having considered the theological dilemmas of articulating a Christian worldview that is doctrinally consistent while being adaptable across cultures and their ethical foundations, it is now possible to direct attention to the practical understanding of the contextualization of the Christian message into particularly the non-Western societies of the world. Module 6 examines the issue of how biblical authority is generally perceived in the global South areas of the world, at times in substantive contrast to how biblical authority is often viewed in contemporary Euro-centric regions.
A Time and Place for a Biblical Worldview
Southern churches are quite at home with biblical notions of the supernatural, with ideas like dreams and prophecy. Just as relevant in their eyes are that book’s core social and political themes, like martyrdom, oppression, and exile. (Jenkins, 2006, p. ix)
In essence, Jenkins asserts that many of the social, spiritual, and political realities that existed in the times of the living and writing of the biblical record are very much a part of the traditional, the historical, and the contemporary experience of Christians in the global South, which he uses to refer to Africa, Asia, and Latin America (Jenkins, 2006).
Particularly with the political demise of the modern colonial era, most churches in the global South have indigenized and adapted their faith and practices to better fit with their traditional cultures and particular historical changes and developments (Jenkins, 2006). One of the results of this process has been that while many Western churches have accommodated more liberal interpretations of the Scriptures in light of urban and post-industrial diversity and changes, African and Asian churches have tended to hold to more conservative views of the Bible as both inspired by God and authoritative in all areas of communal life (Jenkins, 2006).
The relevance of these generally differing perspectives on the power of Scripture in determining acceptable Christian behavior and thought in society is not a matter of practical indifference, especially in light of assertions like Joel Carpenter (2006) made in saying: "Christian theology eventually reflects the most compelling issues from the front lines of mission, so we can expect that Christian theology will be dominated by these issues rising from the global South". Jenkins (2006) notes that at present, numerous more conservative emphases appear to be common among the majority churches of Africa and Asia, including:
• Comparatively higher regard for the moral authority of Scripture
• Higher commitment to the Bible as being a text inspired by God
• A greater tendency toward literal interpretation of Scripture
• A greater interest in the supernatural and mystical elements of Scripture
• A belief in the present-day continuation of prophecy
• A greater respect for the Old Testament as being equal in authority to the New Testament
• Pervasive importance of the Story and stories of the Bible
Perhaps the central element that has produced the strength of these more conservative views on the Christian Scripture hinges on the fact that "the Bible has found a congenial home among communities who identify with the social and economic realities it portrays, no less than the political environments in which Christians find themselves" (Jenkins, 2006, p. 5).
Biblical Seeds Flourishing in New Soil
An additional significant aspect of views on Biblical authority is coming about simply by demographic shifts within the worldwide community of those calling themselves Christians. Of the roughly 2 billion Christians in the world at present, less than half live in Europe or North America combined, and comparative population growth rates assure that Christians from the global South will continue to become a rapidly increasing majority of all Christians on the earth (Jenkins, 2006).
Additional factors that have been fertile ground for the spread and power of the Christian Bible and its message in global South areas include that it often was introduced with the empowering emphasis of mass literacy programs, brought focus and fervor to the needs and traditions for healing and spiritual warfare against dark powers, was translated into the vernacular speech of local populations, and was reinforced by the contagious growth of large evangelistic campaigns (Jenkins, 2006).
Though many of these elements contributed to the receptivity to the Bible and Christianity in the global South, perhaps one aspect has meant more to church growth than any other mentioned: "The word ‘community’ may mark the single most striking difference between older and newer churches, with all that implies for the understanding of authority" (Jenkins, 2006, p. 27). The Bible incarnates a more communal view of God’s people, which is much more in keeping with the traditions and worldviews of most cultures of the global South than it is with the individualistic assumptions of the modern churches in the West.
Testaments for Times Like These
Another generally observable difference between churches of the global South and those of the modern West in their approach to Biblical authority involves the comparative views of what has come to be called the Old Testament, or, in some cases, the Hebrew Bible (with the New Testament referring to the Greek portions of the Bible). As noted by Jenkins (2006), "Cultural affinities with the biblical world lead African and Asian Christians to a deep affection for the Old Testament as their story, their book" (p. 45).
Many integral aspects of the traditions, issues, and life challenges of the peoples of the global South are played out and adjudicated in the pages of the Old Testament. The tribal emphases, functions of sacrificial systems, the veneration of ancestors and legitimizing role of clearly traced lineages, and the idea of sacred (holy) land or territory special to a people are all the stuff of cultural expression for a large portion of global South populations (Jenkins, 2006). Likewise, "The conflicts between nomads and agriculturalists, Cain and Abel, can also symbolize the tensions between country dwellers and city dwellers, colonized and settlers, blacks and whites." (Jenkins, 2006, p. 47)
The Roots of Faith and Practice
Another key reason that the Old Testament strikes such a resonant chord in the hearts and lives of many Christians in the global South is the absolutely vital role of a strong sense of people-hood that gives relational identity, meaningful shared purpose, and binding ethical norms to the entire community.
Religion is communal rather than individual, and nations are punished for their collective sins. In debates over morality and sexuality, Southern church leaders reject the notion that societies should tolerate the sexual misdeeds of individuals, because personal immorality becomes part of a national burden, a collective offense against divine law, which invites retribution. (Jenkins, 2006, p. 62)
Conclusion
The political implications of such a collective accountability to the sovereignty of the Kingdom of God among the nations in which Christians of the global South dwell are significant, far-reaching, and often in stark contrast to the ethical relativism found among many churches of the Western world. A great many churches in the global South see themselves as having critical roles as prophets and intercessors in the midst of their nations and regions, a God-ordained vocation to be salt and light on behalf of the incipient rule of God’s righteousness upon the earth.
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