Theological issues in working with people from other faiths.
Introduction
The rapid changes in our world affect every area of life. Changes in technology, taste and public values all impact the way we live and work. Many changes create fresh questions and challenges for Christians to deal with. Discoveries in genetics, the technologies available for euthanasia and the possibilities of life in space all generate very real theological questions for Christians to deal with. There is no reason to be afraid of these challenges. We have confidence that God's Word is sufficient to deal with the problems we face. We learn much from past Christian history. We also strike out on our own as we try to apply the Bible to the unique issues of the twenty-first century.
For much of the twentieth century a key theological challenge has stood out in the western hemisphere: atheism. This challenge has affected all areas of life. In Marxist politics, Freudian psychology and Darwinian biology the common theme of atheism has been apparent. Despite its infiltration into the Church, through the so-called 'death of God' theologies of the 1960s, atheism has normally been seen as a challenge to Christianity. Books have been written and powerful apologetic responses have been delivered. The writings of C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer provided comprehensive critiques of atheism.
However, the world does not stay still. The challenge of the twenty-first century is no longer atheism. Words like 'god', 'spirit' and 'salvation' have a new found popularity. The idea that there is no god seems to be losing ground in favour of a vague notion of a common 'god' behind the diversity of all the world religions. A recent survey has shown that only 4.4% of Europeans claim to be atheists (See Vinoth Ramachandra, Faiths in Conflict, Leicester: IVP, 1999, page 142). However, the remaining 95.6% of Europe are hardly claiming or demonstrating themselves to be Biblical Christians! No, atheism has given way to religious pluralism.
The Meaning of 'Pluralism'
The term 'pluralism' is a slippery one and deserves some careful consideration. In one sense, to describe our culture as 'pluralist' is simply a statement of fact. It means that our culture is not unified by a single world-view or belief system. A hundred years ago our culture was unified by a broadly Christian world view. For example, in 1900 55% of children regularly attended Sunday school. In 2000 that percentage has dropped to 4% - and that during a period when the total population has increased from 39 million to 60 million. Christianity has become one option among many - including cults, other religions and various forms of secularism. A century ago your colleague was likely to have been to Sunday school and share with you a Christian vocabulary even if they didn't really hold to the beliefs. Today, it's a surprise to find a colleague who attended Sunday school. They might be Muslim, Hindu or be an enthusiast for feng-shui. This is what we mean by pluralism as a fact. No-one can argue against the statement that we live in a pluralist culture.
However, the term also has a more loaded meaning - particularly in the world of theology. A number of prominent theologians have developed arguments for what is called a pluralist theology. These theologians include Keith Ward, John Hick, Paul Knitter and Wilfred Cantwell Smith. In important matters of detail their theories differ, but in broad terms they share a common outlook that allows them to be classed together. They use the term 'pluralism' to describe a theory about the relationship between religions and not just to describe the state of affairs in our culture.
Pluralism as a Theory
Wilfred Cantwell Smith is primarily a historian of religion. In his work he has done a great deal to argue how the world religions have never been sharply defined from one another but have always shared and pooled a range of ideas and practices. Smith gives evidence to show how the labelling of different traditions as 'Hindu', 'Buddhist' or 'Christian' is a peculiarly modern, western practice. He argues that traditions have always been in a state of flux, influencing and being influenced by one another. Smith's work has been subjected to significant criticism (for example, Dewi Arwel Hughes Has God Many Names?, Leicester: Apollos, 1996). Nonetheless, he has made a popular case for treating religions as having more in common with each other than we might otherwise think.
The arguments of Smith laid the ground-work for much pluralist theology. John Hick, for example, was deeply indebted to him. Hick is an ordained minister in the United Reformed Church. He is now retired but has lectured for many years around the world and continues to do so. Since the 1970s he has been one of the most influential pluralist theologians. Hick's argument is that the world religions are all partial, limited, human ways of responding to a common divine reality. Divine reality is so infinite and complex that it cannot be fully appreciated by men and women. Therefore, over the centuries we have developed symbols, rituals and stories to help us comprehend that reality in a way that makes sense to us. Taken as exclusively true Hick considers any religion to be false, but taken as partial insights into a mysterious reality they are all partially true.
There is an ancient Buddhist story that often emerges in various forms as a way of describing the pluralist case. A king had ten of his servants blindfolded and then an elephant brought into his courtyard. The servants were told to feel the object and describe what they think they have found. One caught hold of its tail and described it as a rope. Another touched the trunk and thought it a snake. A third felt the tusk and said it was a spear. In this way each servant gives a picture for how limited human descriptions are of things that lie beyond us. John Hick's more recent work has developed to include most of the major belief systems into his theory. Even Marxism offers another, partial, insight into the ultimate nature of the universe.
Pluralism in the Workplace
It does not take much imagination to see why this theological position has become so popular. Many men and women working alongside people of other faiths have noticed their integrity, sincerity and devotion. Surely they cannot all be wrong? Furthermore, Christians in particular are called to love and respect those with whom they disagree. Is it not respectful to assume they also have insights into the truth? In fact, does not the Christian lifestyle require that we tolerate and respect other religions? Life is a whole lot easier if we adopt the pluralist theory. No longer do we need to tell others about the cross of Christ. No longer do we have the worries of their eternal destinies. No longer do we need to challenge their beliefs or religious practices. We can happily live alongside each other and discuss our beliefs as truth-seekers together rather than thinking of ourselves as in anyway superior.
I would suggest that this approach is only really compatible with some forms of Hinduism. Thoughtful Buddhists and Muslims - along with the cults and secularists - are likely to think the approach a disaster!
Why Pluralism doesn't Work
When I was teaching a course in Christianity and other Religions at Bristol University I invited a Buddhist nun from Thailand to join me for a dialogue. Many students thought that she would adopt a largely pluralist position. However, she did not. She argued that my beliefs were good and valuable but not as helpful as Buddhist beliefs. She made a comparison with a train journey from Bristol. She claimed that Buddhist practice would lead to enlightenment - like a journey to London. Christianity would only take us as far as Reading. That's not a bad journey - and commendable in itself - but it's still not our final destination. The practices of Buddhism would be necessary if Enlightenment is to be our goal. This dialogue helpfully showed how an evangelical Christian is not alone in believing certain things to be absolutely true. We disagree with the believers in other traditions about what is true but not over the concept that we have some true beliefs and that others are mistaken in at least some of their beliefs.
In contrast, the pluralist assumes an extreme form of relativism. Most religious beliefs are seen as compatible because they are held to be only relatively true. No one belief can claim precedence over any others. Most people who are devoted to one religion or another see a major problem in relativism. The problem with pluralism is that it is itself claiming to offer an absolute truth. The claim that most of the major world religions are relatively true is itself an absolute claim. Returning to the parable of the king and the elephant, the pluralist is taking the position of the king. On what grounds? Why should the pluralist be able to sit in a position which it denies to religious believers? What gives the pluralist this superior vantage point? The pluralist is pretending to be a kind of neutral arbiter - a sort of referee for the religions. However, that image is pure pretence. The pluralist is committed to certain beliefs about god, salvation and religion. The pluralist god is an unknowable reality. It is neither 'personal' as in Christianity nor 'non-personal' as in Buddhism. The pluralist knowledge of God is the result not of divine revelation but of human speculation. Salvation is a matter of becoming kinder people in a way expressed by whatever basic moral beliefs one might describe as the common essence of the world religions. These conclusions have caused some thinkers to conclude that pluralism is itself another form of religion. It has its own doctrines and tenets amounting to a kind of reduced form of Hinduism.
Tolerance and Respect
Pluralism does not work because in an important way it is intolerant. To tolerate another person or religion usually means that we are dealing with someone with whom we disagree. Despite our disagreement over beliefs or dislike over behaviour we choose to respect them and live alongside them. We choose to try and understand why they believe the things they do and live at peace with them. We might still disagree with them and challenge them but this can be done in a friendly and respectful way. Pluralism does not allow this. It presses upon us a cheap version of tolerance. We have to accept that our own beliefs are only relatively true and also inform our friend that their beliefs are only relatively true too. Indeed, we must imagine that, deep down, we really agree despite any appearances to the contrary. In this way, the pluralist only offers tolerance based on agreement. This is as tolerant as Henry Ford offering his cars in any colour customers chose, as long as they chose black.
In contrast with cheap tolerance, the Christian has a better way. The Christian is to respect and love those with whom they disagree. Is there any reason to think a non-Christian might actually be right about many things? Of course! From the Bible we learn that all of humanity was originally made in the image of God. Though that is now marred it is not destroyed. Non-Christian men and women have discovered all kinds of truths about the universe. Furthermore, the Bible offers a concept of general revelation. God has revealed certain things about himself through the natural world and our inner conscience (Romans 1:20). While our sinful nature distorts this revelation, one might still expect non-Christians to be correct in certain beliefs.
However, though we respect and love those with whom we disagree, we must still be true to our convictions. We expect those of other faiths to be true to their convictions too. With regard to the way of salvation, the nature of God and the person of Christ there are many truths which are non-negotiable. For example, salvation is not the on-going quest to try and be nicer people. According to the gospel, we are simply incapable of such a transformation. One Buddhist teacher writes; 'No-one can be redeemed by another. No God and no saint is able to shield a man from the consequences of his evil doings. Everyone of us must become his own redeemer'. This is flatly contradicted by the Christian teaching that Christ's death was an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:10). Furthermore, according to traditional Islamic understanding of their scriptures, Jesus never died on the cross at all. John Hick offers lengthy discussion over how Muslims and Christians may come to agreement on this issue. His resolution is essentially that both should admit it is simply a historical question about something which happened so long ago that we cannot know what really happened. Such a capitulation makes a nonsense of historical methods which can clearly establish the crucifixion beyond the shadow of a doubt. Furthermore, if Hick were right then he would have robbed Christianity of its central concern - the message of the cross.
The unique identity of Jesus as God incarnate, the atoning work of the cross, and the doctrine that we are saved by grace are all non-negotiable elements of Christian belief. Our challenge in the workplace is to live and speak with these convictions while remaining loving and respectful towards all those with whom we disagree. Furthermore, we long that they might come to know God in the way that we do. If they do not then we continue to respect their God-given right to exercise freedom of belief. Our calling in the workplace is not to promote cheap tolerance but to demonstrate love and respect.
Chris Sinkinson, PhD in Theology
Article originally printed in Interact, Autumn 2000 – Multicultural Therapy
Occupational Therapy in the East End
I'm a Basic Grade OT, working for Newham Community NHS Trust on their rotation scheme. I came down to London from Manchester three years ago to study on the post-grad OT course - from multi-cultural to very multi-cultural!! Whitechapel, where I studied, was amazing when I first came down. Although it was the tip of the iceberg in preparing me for work in Newham!
I'm working in a very densely populated area, which creates many problems. In Newham this is compounded by a multi-lingual, multi-faith and multi-cultural population. We work very closely with the team of advocates, who provide a translation service for clients and also receive a high level of training and resources from the Trust. This enables us to understand and empathise with the clients for whom we seek to provide a service. I've learnt an immeasurable amount from my clients of all religions and ethnic backgrounds. Because of my position, I am unable to speak openly about my faith, but find that clients are open to conversation and are interested in what I have to say about my beliefs in return for my listening to and respecting their beliefs.
Most of our obvious contact with clients' faith is in purely practical arrangements, such as no home visits to Muslim families on Friday afternoons as the men are all at prayer. Taxis are also hard to book at this time, as many of our taxi drivers are Muslim. Telephone arrangements for visits and appointments can also be hazardous as many clients do not have a good grasp of English and do not understand the words 'Occupational Therapy'.
However, for all its difficulties and challenges to my faith, I believe that my work here allows me to be very spiritually aware at all times. It has allowed to me to have a close look at other religions, particularly Islam and Sikhism, in terms of the impact on my clients' daily lives. It allows me to see and understand very clearly that my God is a God who loves and can touch anybody, regardless of background, religious upbringing, culture. - He is relevant.
Suzanne Buckley, OT
Article orginally printed in Interact, Autumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
I'm working in a very densely populated area, which creates many problems. In Newham this is compounded by a multi-lingual, multi-faith and multi-cultural population. We work very closely with the team of advocates, who provide a translation service for clients and also receive a high level of training and resources from the Trust. This enables us to understand and empathise with the clients for whom we seek to provide a service. I've learnt an immeasurable amount from my clients of all religions and ethnic backgrounds. Because of my position, I am unable to speak openly about my faith, but find that clients are open to conversation and are interested in what I have to say about my beliefs in return for my listening to and respecting their beliefs.
Most of our obvious contact with clients' faith is in purely practical arrangements, such as no home visits to Muslim families on Friday afternoons as the men are all at prayer. Taxis are also hard to book at this time, as many of our taxi drivers are Muslim. Telephone arrangements for visits and appointments can also be hazardous as many clients do not have a good grasp of English and do not understand the words 'Occupational Therapy'.
However, for all its difficulties and challenges to my faith, I believe that my work here allows me to be very spiritually aware at all times. It has allowed to me to have a close look at other religions, particularly Islam and Sikhism, in terms of the impact on my clients' daily lives. It allows me to see and understand very clearly that my God is a God who loves and can touch anybody, regardless of background, religious upbringing, culture. - He is relevant.
Suzanne Buckley, OT
Article orginally printed in Interact, Autumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
Witness versus Professionalism
An opportunity to be salt and light?
Three years ago God made it very clear to me that he was calling me to work in a borough in the east end of London that has the third largest ethnic minority population in England and Wales (1991 census). At that time I was an inexperienced final year Speech and Language Therapy student and had no idea of the challenges and lessons that lay ahead.
Working with ethnic minorities has many professional challenges, not least of which is equal opportunities. This was one of the reasons I went to work in the NHS rather than the private sector. Equal opportunities aims to provide a service that is accessible by all regardless of culture, language etc. This however is often an ideal rather than a reality due to the lack of resources. In my profession in particular the need for a first language assessment is fundamental to differential diagnosis and yet those with English as a second language don't get the same quality of service as their peers whose first language happens to be English.
The biggest challenge for me however was not this inequality of service, frustrating as it was, but my desire to be first and foremost a Christian. Working with both Muslim colleagues and clients I was acutely aware that I may be the only contact that these people had with a Christian and that a lot of them were from an essentially unreached population. I became aware very quickly that their knowledge of church was very limited and often wrong, never mind what they knew about the saving grace of God! I was constantly trying to reconcile my desire to witness to these people and be professional in my approach at work with my clients and respect my colleagues. In the clinic I was facing people that had come to me with a medical need. As a therapist it was my responsibility to meet that need, and yet so often I could see there was a greater need for forgiveness and healing. I was desperate to communicate this without stepping over professional boundaries. It was these boundaries however, that were not clear. As a Speech and Language Therapist it was my job to meet the communication needs of my clients and their families, however how many of us in our professions compartmentalise our clients difficulties and don't look at the person as a whole? I came to the conclusion if people asked me for answers that it was my responsibility, not only as a Christian, but also as a therapist to give them one. As time has gone on I have come to realise that the roles of Christian and therapist are not separate from each other but that God has called me to be salt and light to a people who would otherwise not have any contact with Christians.
Missionaries all over the world go as 'tent makers' as Paul was (Acts18:3-4) using their professional skills as a way into lives, communities, even countries in order to preach the gospel. That had been my vision, to go abroad to unreached people groups and tell them of the love of Jesus. However here I was, in my own country being given the opportunity to do just that. The times I have got to actually talk to people about Christ have been very few, however I am convinced that my prayers and my influence will have eternal consequences. In my first few months of work I sat across from a woman whose young daughter had been referred to the service. Whilst taking the medical history she disclosed sexual abuse in her own childhood and consequently a life that, in her eyes, held little hope, and the fear that her daughter would have little better. I was unsure of what to say and so said nothing. All I could do was go to my office after the session was over and bring her before God. I wept as I thought of her hopelessness and prayed for her. I decided that day that if I was ever in that circumstance again I would listen to what God was telling me to say and follow his leading rather than be silenced by my fear of speaking out. There may be situations where God says nothing, but at the end of the day I can always pray that he will bring someone else along who can minister to their spiritual needs more directly. And for those few that I have been able to speak to, I must trust that God has taken what I have said and used it for his glory.
Working with ethnic minorities has also made me more aware of how to communicate the gospel to people that have had little knowledge of it previously. God gave me the amazing opportunity to do this one day just before Christmas. I was asked who Jesus was by a 10 year-old Muslim girl who had a severe language impairment, and spoke English as a second language. She had just come from assembly and a doll had been used to represent Jesus. This representation, had little effect, other than confusing her, and I was a then challenged to explain as simply as possible the most fundamental point of the gospel.
That is the constant challenge to us all no matter what we do: to live a life that simply communicates that Jesus Christ left his throne in heaven, came to earth as a man, died and rose again in order that our sins may be forgiven and we could be re-united with the Father. That is our responsibility as Christians and when we work with people from other cultures that just makes the task far more interesting and challenging! Yes, I want to make a difference to the lives of the people I work with through my skill, and yet what can be more satisfying than having an eternal impact. In Revelation John describes 'a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb"' There will be people there as a result of our lives, prayers and witness.
Louise Darmon, Speech and Language Therapist
Article originally printed in Interact, Autumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
Three years ago God made it very clear to me that he was calling me to work in a borough in the east end of London that has the third largest ethnic minority population in England and Wales (1991 census). At that time I was an inexperienced final year Speech and Language Therapy student and had no idea of the challenges and lessons that lay ahead.
Working with ethnic minorities has many professional challenges, not least of which is equal opportunities. This was one of the reasons I went to work in the NHS rather than the private sector. Equal opportunities aims to provide a service that is accessible by all regardless of culture, language etc. This however is often an ideal rather than a reality due to the lack of resources. In my profession in particular the need for a first language assessment is fundamental to differential diagnosis and yet those with English as a second language don't get the same quality of service as their peers whose first language happens to be English.
The biggest challenge for me however was not this inequality of service, frustrating as it was, but my desire to be first and foremost a Christian. Working with both Muslim colleagues and clients I was acutely aware that I may be the only contact that these people had with a Christian and that a lot of them were from an essentially unreached population. I became aware very quickly that their knowledge of church was very limited and often wrong, never mind what they knew about the saving grace of God! I was constantly trying to reconcile my desire to witness to these people and be professional in my approach at work with my clients and respect my colleagues. In the clinic I was facing people that had come to me with a medical need. As a therapist it was my responsibility to meet that need, and yet so often I could see there was a greater need for forgiveness and healing. I was desperate to communicate this without stepping over professional boundaries. It was these boundaries however, that were not clear. As a Speech and Language Therapist it was my job to meet the communication needs of my clients and their families, however how many of us in our professions compartmentalise our clients difficulties and don't look at the person as a whole? I came to the conclusion if people asked me for answers that it was my responsibility, not only as a Christian, but also as a therapist to give them one. As time has gone on I have come to realise that the roles of Christian and therapist are not separate from each other but that God has called me to be salt and light to a people who would otherwise not have any contact with Christians.
Missionaries all over the world go as 'tent makers' as Paul was (Acts18:3-4) using their professional skills as a way into lives, communities, even countries in order to preach the gospel. That had been my vision, to go abroad to unreached people groups and tell them of the love of Jesus. However here I was, in my own country being given the opportunity to do just that. The times I have got to actually talk to people about Christ have been very few, however I am convinced that my prayers and my influence will have eternal consequences. In my first few months of work I sat across from a woman whose young daughter had been referred to the service. Whilst taking the medical history she disclosed sexual abuse in her own childhood and consequently a life that, in her eyes, held little hope, and the fear that her daughter would have little better. I was unsure of what to say and so said nothing. All I could do was go to my office after the session was over and bring her before God. I wept as I thought of her hopelessness and prayed for her. I decided that day that if I was ever in that circumstance again I would listen to what God was telling me to say and follow his leading rather than be silenced by my fear of speaking out. There may be situations where God says nothing, but at the end of the day I can always pray that he will bring someone else along who can minister to their spiritual needs more directly. And for those few that I have been able to speak to, I must trust that God has taken what I have said and used it for his glory.
Working with ethnic minorities has also made me more aware of how to communicate the gospel to people that have had little knowledge of it previously. God gave me the amazing opportunity to do this one day just before Christmas. I was asked who Jesus was by a 10 year-old Muslim girl who had a severe language impairment, and spoke English as a second language. She had just come from assembly and a doll had been used to represent Jesus. This representation, had little effect, other than confusing her, and I was a then challenged to explain as simply as possible the most fundamental point of the gospel.
That is the constant challenge to us all no matter what we do: to live a life that simply communicates that Jesus Christ left his throne in heaven, came to earth as a man, died and rose again in order that our sins may be forgiven and we could be re-united with the Father. That is our responsibility as Christians and when we work with people from other cultures that just makes the task far more interesting and challenging! Yes, I want to make a difference to the lives of the people I work with through my skill, and yet what can be more satisfying than having an eternal impact. In Revelation John describes 'a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb"' There will be people there as a result of our lives, prayers and witness.
Louise Darmon, Speech and Language Therapist
Article originally printed in Interact, Autumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
Speech Therapy in Nottingham
One of the clinics I work for is in a mainly Asian part of Nottingham. This means that most of the families I see speak a language other than English at home and come from a very different culture. Working in the clinic keeps me on my toes and I always check that my materials are appropriate and don't assume things such as the way parents play with their children. I also really enjoy being able to access support for parents who are unaware of or unable to obtain it themselves due to language/culture barriers.
Working with bilingual children can be a huge challenge clinically, especially when there is no trained interpreter in the child's first language. However it is also really enjoyable and I get to work with three bilingual co-workers, one Muslim and two Sikhs. This has been really good for me to learn more about their culture and beliefs and has challenged me to think about mine.
Hilary Boulton, Speech and Language Therapist
Article orginally printed in Interact, Auntumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
Working with bilingual children can be a huge challenge clinically, especially when there is no trained interpreter in the child's first language. However it is also really enjoyable and I get to work with three bilingual co-workers, one Muslim and two Sikhs. This has been really good for me to learn more about their culture and beliefs and has challenged me to think about mine.
Hilary Boulton, Speech and Language Therapist
Article orginally printed in Interact, Auntumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
Interact Magazine
Spring 2000 - A Global View
Gaining a Global Perspective
Return from Africa - reverse culture shock
Autumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
Working in a Multi-Cultural Society
Witness vs Professionalism
Personal Experience - Nottingham
Personal Experience - London
Gaining a Global Perspective
Return from Africa - reverse culture shock
Autumn 2000 - Multicultural Therapy
Working in a Multi-Cultural Society
Witness vs Professionalism
Personal Experience - Nottingham
Personal Experience - London
Gaining a Global Perspective
I was recently invited to interview a young graduate who was expressing interest in working for a Christian organisation abroad. When I asked him what were the main reasons for his interest he replied, ‘I would like to travel around Europe and be financially secure’.
Such a reply would stagger our missionary forebears. But it does reflect some of the shifts that have occurred in the post-modern age, and the generational gap between today’s students and the missionary era of Livingstone.
The Context
As we seek to actively engage in world mission, there are several hurdles to be overcome in our mind and attitudes.
First, there is the individualism of our age and the shrinking horizons of many Christians. We know that Western culture breeds such individualism and it is something of a paradox that, as globalism gathers pace, people increasingly retreat into their private world. In a conversation with Christians working in the institutions of the European Union in Brussels, I was struck by their expression of concern that, at a time when you would expect European Christians to be more actively involved in partnership across the continent, the reverse appears to be happening. People are much more interested in their own country, their own denomination, their own church and their own personal Christian life.
Secondly, there is undoubtedly a greater stress on self-fulfilment and a more comfortable discipleship. Whilst in the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) we are able to tell stories of remarkable commitment and sacrificial service on the part of hundreds of young people around the world who are giving their energies to missionary endeavour, they are definitely swimming against the tide in the evangelical sub-culture. When challenged to reflect on mission opportunities, it comes more naturally to reflect on questions of career, insurance, pension and security than it would have done even twenty years ago. It is commonly observed that the generational issue also impacts the issue of commitment, with many volunteers considering short-term programmes but few signing up for the long haul. Related to this, we could also note the strong performance orientation within university life and the development of the ‘career ego’, which can also influence Christian thinking inappropriately.
And thirdly, we should also note the increased theological crisis of confidence. The impact of pluralism has resulted in a loss of nerve on the part of many of us. We are no longer sure that we can proclaim the uniqueness of Christ and this saps us of motivation when it comes to declaring the gospel worldwide.
The Result
The impact of these trends is significant. First, there is an obvious introspection and a consequent loss of perspective. We become concerned about our own life and future, and there is less interest in issues of global concern. With the possible exception of the environmental lobby, many of us fail to engage with international political and social issues.
This inevitably leads to a loss of interest in global needs, and in university Christian Unions there are shrinking world prayer groups, and missionary secretaries dropped from Executive Committees.
And finally, we encounter a consumer mentality, where we are much more interested in ‘what’s on offer for me’ which can sometimes feed the wrong motivations.
A Compassionate Response from Mission Agencies?
If this is the broad context, it is proper that mission agencies and churches should respond to our present generation with compassionate support. For example, the growing demands for team work and good support structures, coupled with higher expectations of pastoral care, all need to be acknowledged and, where possible, provided for. There is no doubt that the task of global mission should include a strong emphasis on the care of the worker, the Biblical concept of team work, and proper structures of support, supervision and accountability.
Second, most mission agencies in the West have also recognised the importance of short-term programmes, allowing students the opportunity to gain a taste of cross-cultural work. Testing gifts and aptitude, but also making a significant contribution to the task of world mission during that short-term experience.
Third, students may come from a fractured background where the impact of family or social background substantially affects their spiritual and emotional wellbeing, and where proper pastoral care is essential. They may come from a background where Biblical teaching has been limited and good models of Christian leadership have been scarce. It is therefore helpful to have churches and mission agencies who can help students move steadily forward in their Christian life, understanding the global dimension of their discipleship and equipping them appropriately for the task.
Biblical Orientation
This includes the necessary Biblical orientation on fundamental theological themes. First, we need to understand the nature of God’s purposes in his world, the many dimensions of his mission and the centrality of that theme throughout Scripture.
Second, we need to expand our vision of the nature of the church. It is an international global family, not solely Western, or British, or my small group. This encourages us to recognise our partnership with Christians in other cultures and stresses corporate responsibility in the task of mission.
Third, we need to learn the realities of the Christian life, with a call to more radical discipleship which sees Christian living in the context of God’s overall mission. We may have to reorientate our thinking, so we see, for example, that empowering by the Spirit is for the purpose of mission rather than for personal fulfilment, that professional life lived out with integrity is as central to mission as so-called ‘full-time’ mission, that the global fellowship of the church demands a realistic sharing of resources, and that Christian discipleship demands an availability and flexibility in obedience to the Lordship of Christ.
Fourth, we need to look to and learn from strong models within the Christian community. Church leaders et cetera who have a strong personal commitment to the task of world mission, reflected in their interests, praying, reading and involvement.
Practical Encouragements
The history of student ministry in Britain is a record of strong missionary commitment, with small student groups giving sacrificially to see the cause of student mission extend around the world. The International Fellowship of which UCCF is a part is a wonderfully encouraging environment. There are many stories emerging from Latin America, Africa and Asia which can set our own attitudes in the West into proper perspective and inspire a more wholehearted commitment to the needs of the world. As we are exposed to the more radical commitments of students in other parts of the world we are led to review our own activities in Christian Unions, refocusing our aims and purposes.
And then we live in an age which gives us unique access to information of all kinds. The careful use of resources can give us much more innovative prayer. It can also lead to closer expressions of partnership through adoption schemes and twinning relationships, and help us understand the missionary challenge which is not only across the other side of the world but right in the middle of our own culture.
One of the telling truths which emerges in the Book of Revelation, as John lifts the curtain and surveys the landscape of heaven, is that the worshipping community is not only fully international, but Christo-centric in its orientation, praising the Lamb who was slain. There is no avoiding the implication that our Christian lives are set in the context of the unfolding purposes of God, who will be worshipped by people of every nation, tribe, people and language, and who will secure that purpose through the unique work of Jesus himself.
Once that vision gets under our skin, it will change the way we read the Bible and watch the news, refocus our prayers, touch our pockets, shape our motivations, re-order our value system, and enrich our perspective on God’s church and the glory of the gospel.
Jonathan Lamb, IFES Regional Secretary for Europe and CIS
Article originally printed in Interact, Spring 2000 - A Global View
Such a reply would stagger our missionary forebears. But it does reflect some of the shifts that have occurred in the post-modern age, and the generational gap between today’s students and the missionary era of Livingstone.
The Context
As we seek to actively engage in world mission, there are several hurdles to be overcome in our mind and attitudes.
First, there is the individualism of our age and the shrinking horizons of many Christians. We know that Western culture breeds such individualism and it is something of a paradox that, as globalism gathers pace, people increasingly retreat into their private world. In a conversation with Christians working in the institutions of the European Union in Brussels, I was struck by their expression of concern that, at a time when you would expect European Christians to be more actively involved in partnership across the continent, the reverse appears to be happening. People are much more interested in their own country, their own denomination, their own church and their own personal Christian life.
Secondly, there is undoubtedly a greater stress on self-fulfilment and a more comfortable discipleship. Whilst in the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) we are able to tell stories of remarkable commitment and sacrificial service on the part of hundreds of young people around the world who are giving their energies to missionary endeavour, they are definitely swimming against the tide in the evangelical sub-culture. When challenged to reflect on mission opportunities, it comes more naturally to reflect on questions of career, insurance, pension and security than it would have done even twenty years ago. It is commonly observed that the generational issue also impacts the issue of commitment, with many volunteers considering short-term programmes but few signing up for the long haul. Related to this, we could also note the strong performance orientation within university life and the development of the ‘career ego’, which can also influence Christian thinking inappropriately.
And thirdly, we should also note the increased theological crisis of confidence. The impact of pluralism has resulted in a loss of nerve on the part of many of us. We are no longer sure that we can proclaim the uniqueness of Christ and this saps us of motivation when it comes to declaring the gospel worldwide.
The Result
The impact of these trends is significant. First, there is an obvious introspection and a consequent loss of perspective. We become concerned about our own life and future, and there is less interest in issues of global concern. With the possible exception of the environmental lobby, many of us fail to engage with international political and social issues.
This inevitably leads to a loss of interest in global needs, and in university Christian Unions there are shrinking world prayer groups, and missionary secretaries dropped from Executive Committees.
And finally, we encounter a consumer mentality, where we are much more interested in ‘what’s on offer for me’ which can sometimes feed the wrong motivations.
A Compassionate Response from Mission Agencies?
If this is the broad context, it is proper that mission agencies and churches should respond to our present generation with compassionate support. For example, the growing demands for team work and good support structures, coupled with higher expectations of pastoral care, all need to be acknowledged and, where possible, provided for. There is no doubt that the task of global mission should include a strong emphasis on the care of the worker, the Biblical concept of team work, and proper structures of support, supervision and accountability.
Second, most mission agencies in the West have also recognised the importance of short-term programmes, allowing students the opportunity to gain a taste of cross-cultural work. Testing gifts and aptitude, but also making a significant contribution to the task of world mission during that short-term experience.
Third, students may come from a fractured background where the impact of family or social background substantially affects their spiritual and emotional wellbeing, and where proper pastoral care is essential. They may come from a background where Biblical teaching has been limited and good models of Christian leadership have been scarce. It is therefore helpful to have churches and mission agencies who can help students move steadily forward in their Christian life, understanding the global dimension of their discipleship and equipping them appropriately for the task.
Biblical Orientation
This includes the necessary Biblical orientation on fundamental theological themes. First, we need to understand the nature of God’s purposes in his world, the many dimensions of his mission and the centrality of that theme throughout Scripture.
Second, we need to expand our vision of the nature of the church. It is an international global family, not solely Western, or British, or my small group. This encourages us to recognise our partnership with Christians in other cultures and stresses corporate responsibility in the task of mission.
Third, we need to learn the realities of the Christian life, with a call to more radical discipleship which sees Christian living in the context of God’s overall mission. We may have to reorientate our thinking, so we see, for example, that empowering by the Spirit is for the purpose of mission rather than for personal fulfilment, that professional life lived out with integrity is as central to mission as so-called ‘full-time’ mission, that the global fellowship of the church demands a realistic sharing of resources, and that Christian discipleship demands an availability and flexibility in obedience to the Lordship of Christ.
Fourth, we need to look to and learn from strong models within the Christian community. Church leaders et cetera who have a strong personal commitment to the task of world mission, reflected in their interests, praying, reading and involvement.
Practical Encouragements
The history of student ministry in Britain is a record of strong missionary commitment, with small student groups giving sacrificially to see the cause of student mission extend around the world. The International Fellowship of which UCCF is a part is a wonderfully encouraging environment. There are many stories emerging from Latin America, Africa and Asia which can set our own attitudes in the West into proper perspective and inspire a more wholehearted commitment to the needs of the world. As we are exposed to the more radical commitments of students in other parts of the world we are led to review our own activities in Christian Unions, refocusing our aims and purposes.
And then we live in an age which gives us unique access to information of all kinds. The careful use of resources can give us much more innovative prayer. It can also lead to closer expressions of partnership through adoption schemes and twinning relationships, and help us understand the missionary challenge which is not only across the other side of the world but right in the middle of our own culture.
One of the telling truths which emerges in the Book of Revelation, as John lifts the curtain and surveys the landscape of heaven, is that the worshipping community is not only fully international, but Christo-centric in its orientation, praising the Lamb who was slain. There is no avoiding the implication that our Christian lives are set in the context of the unfolding purposes of God, who will be worshipped by people of every nation, tribe, people and language, and who will secure that purpose through the unique work of Jesus himself.
Once that vision gets under our skin, it will change the way we read the Bible and watch the news, refocus our prayers, touch our pockets, shape our motivations, re-order our value system, and enrich our perspective on God’s church and the glory of the gospel.
Jonathan Lamb, IFES Regional Secretary for Europe and CIS
Article originally printed in Interact, Spring 2000 - A Global View
Return from Africa
Reverse Culture Shock
Interesting phenomenon, culture shock. Going into a new culture, strange language customs and all that, well that's what you'd expect, a bit of a shock, but coming HOME? No, it's not possible to have such a shock coming home. I've lived in Britain for 20 years, I know it's culture and it's language like the back of my hand, got an A at 'O' level English, but maybe that's the start of the shock … They don't do 'O' levels any more!! Well, actually lots more has changed over the last 3 years than I could have possibly imagined … or is it me that's changed beyond all recognition?
Probably a mixture of the two. But the most poignant way to see your own culture and assess it is as a visitor, or through the experience of living in another culture.
So how did we end up overseas?
An interesting question. I am a MK. There. I've made my confession. My parents were missionaries, making me a Missionary Kid, so when I became a Christian at 18, my love for Africa was combined with my new found love for the Lord, and I set my sights on going overseas. An elective confirmed that that was a real possibility with my Physio training progressing, BUT it was really hard work being isolated at a rural hospital with no-one to share the ups and downs of the day with. So I returned with a renewed burden to pray for a like minded partner. It wasn't till a while later when I finally gave in and agreed with God that actually I would go overseas even if I weren't married, that I met Simon. Ironic, or is it? I have often felt that God does love to grant us the desires of our hearts, but sometimes we need to depend more fully on Him FIRST.
Simon was training as a GP, so we both carried on preparing professionally. He gained experience in AIDS Care and Community Paediatrics and I in Paeds. As we started to look for a place to go overseas, we began to question whether there really is a role for Missionaries in this day and age. We heard of the rapid growth of the churches in Sub-Saharan Africa and wondered whether we had anything to contribute. So we decided to make a visit to see for ourselves. We found lots of enthusiastic Christians who were doing great evangelism, but with low literacy rates and minimal education there was a lack of good Bible knowledge. We also saw many of the keen Christians going into full time ministry, leaving few people actually living out their faith in the workplace. So we felt we did have a role to play after all, but wanted to be with an organisation with a genuine view of partnership in Mission, acknowledging that Westerners have as much to learn from being overseas, as to contribute to the local church. We joined Crosslinks, a small Anglican Mission with a real vision for training non western Christians to be involved in church growth in their own Countries. A year at Bible College and 2 children later saw us finally ready to leave for Tanzania.
Dodoma
We made it to Dodoma one rainy day in March 1996. It was lovely to see the sodden grey green countryside. Not only did it remind us of England, but it was also the promise of a bumper harvest that year. The one and only time we saw it, as our home was to be on the edge of a drought zone, so a good harvest only came every 3 years or so. Dodoma lies right at the heart of Tanzania – a glorious country on the East Coast of Africa, just below the equator. A colourful mosaic of cultures and peoples who blend together to give a great richness and diversity. We found ourselves invited to the homes of wealthy Indian businessmen with marbled floors and air conditioners and the best curries I've even eaten, and believe me as a student in the East End of London, I've eaten a few!! And then to the homes of some of our church friends who shared their chicken and rice stew with us, with Simon and I sitting on the only two chairs in the house, and the dry wind whistling through the mud roof of the house.
We were working with the Anglican Church, Simon running a busy GP practice with two Tanzanian colleagues, a dentist, a laboratory, a vision unit and an AIDS programme. I did a bit of Physio training at the local mission hospital, and started a Sunday School at our church, taught a course at the local Bible College, oh and had another baby!
Physiotherapy, theoretically is fairly well developed in Tanzania, but in practise is still a rather limited 'luxury' service. Most government hospitals would have one therapist, who would cover the wards in the morning and then be busy with private patients in the afternoon, to pay his way. Government wages do not meet basic requirements like education and so on, so most of the doctors and teachers have private jobs too.
There is an excellent joint therapy school in Moshi at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, which provides an thorough training including aspects of appropriate technology for the developing world. Students actually come from all over East Africa to train there. There are some good academic lecturers in anatomy and physiology, but there seemed to be little emphasis on caring for patients, especially the marginalised and those unable to speak up for themselves. I am not sure why this is, but feel it may be related to a cultural expectation of genders, that men tend not to be the carers, but 'professionals', so to combine the two is very difficult. Most of the therapists tend to be men. This was underlined by the scanty provision of services locally for children and those with long term disabilities. Disability still has many stigmas attached and those affected tend to be marginalised and often unable to fulfil any significant role in society.
Three years is a relatively short time to learn a language and understand a situation, so we feel like novices, and know that we have learned a great deal more than we have begun to contribute.
Coming Home?
As our three years, were drawing to a close and we reviewed our time, we felt that Simon could be more effective in influencing the health of the community, with more of an educational role. So we returned to UK for an extended period while he does a MSc in Public Health at the School of Tropical Medicine in London. People in UK said 'Oh how lovely is must be for you to be coming home', but for all three children Dodoma was home, and for me, three years in Tanzania was the longest period of time in my whole life that I had stayed in one country. Only people who had been in our shoes were really able to share in our sorrow at saying goodbye to our friends, packing up a home in one continent and moving to another for a while.
So what did we find on our return? Well seeing 'modern' living through the eyes of our kids who had never seen escalators or electric doors before was wild! Commuting to London on Day two of our re-entry had the whole carriage looking at us as though we were from Mars, with the comments the children were making! And what about the Church? Well we had the privilege of visiting a number of churches as part of our Mission Education programme set up by Crosslinks. We were longing to share some of the experiences which had taught us so much, but many people just didn't ask! They were happy to talk about the weather (oh so British!) or our family life, but anything about our colleagues or those with whom we had worshipped was not discussed. We wanted to talk about how we had learned a new respect for older folk from our Tanzanian friends, and also gained a deeper understanding of hospitality and community responsibility even sometimes at the expense of the individual, but again this was not on the agenda in many places. I began to think that maybe I had missed the point, but fortunately read Philip Yancey's excellent book The Jesus I Never Knew and was reminded that Jesus never paid out monthly for his mortgage, nor climbed the well-oiled career ladder, but instead had a radical concern for the poor and under-privileged, those who have no public voice, and he gave them dignity, and respect and fed them too. So, has the church here, missed the point? I think, even within the church, we have been sucked into the rampant materialism of our society and endless pursuit of more and more money at all costs and in so doing risk missing the essence of the Gospel.
Conclusion
Well, you may be saying, that's OK for you to say, you're just about to escape again back to the Bush, you don't need to face the realities of Western living like we do. True, I don't, but I still think there are plenty of things we should be doing with a bit more fervour! You don't have to rush off to the other side of the world to support the world wide church, actually quite a few of us do need to stay put to support by way of prayer and also financially. I think I was shocked by people's idea of giving … not necessarily in the churches, but I think it is a problem there too. On Comic Relief day we were all slapping ourselves on the back for being SO generous, but the same amount is made each week on the lottery… I mean profit, not just the prizes. Now that's scary. We saw folk in Tanzania giving up half a bag of maize to the church offering, knowing that was one less day they would be able to feed their family before another harvest. We just have no concept of that sort of sacrificial giving … but we should.
The other thing I was surprised by is people's lack of interest in other people's lives and struggles, so I challenge you to keep informed. Getting nitty gritty information has never been so easy, with the Internet on hand, you can really find out. Do it! And then support organisations who are campaigning for economic justice, like Jubilee 2000, www.jubilee2000.com They have lots of ways planned for each of us to pressurise the government to be fairer on the poorer countries, many of whom got into debt because our greedy banks were offering irresponsible handouts.
Bibliography:
The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey, Marshall Pickering
Esther Clift
Article orginially published in Interact, Spring 2000 - A Global View
Interesting phenomenon, culture shock. Going into a new culture, strange language customs and all that, well that's what you'd expect, a bit of a shock, but coming HOME? No, it's not possible to have such a shock coming home. I've lived in Britain for 20 years, I know it's culture and it's language like the back of my hand, got an A at 'O' level English, but maybe that's the start of the shock … They don't do 'O' levels any more!! Well, actually lots more has changed over the last 3 years than I could have possibly imagined … or is it me that's changed beyond all recognition?
Probably a mixture of the two. But the most poignant way to see your own culture and assess it is as a visitor, or through the experience of living in another culture.
So how did we end up overseas?
An interesting question. I am a MK. There. I've made my confession. My parents were missionaries, making me a Missionary Kid, so when I became a Christian at 18, my love for Africa was combined with my new found love for the Lord, and I set my sights on going overseas. An elective confirmed that that was a real possibility with my Physio training progressing, BUT it was really hard work being isolated at a rural hospital with no-one to share the ups and downs of the day with. So I returned with a renewed burden to pray for a like minded partner. It wasn't till a while later when I finally gave in and agreed with God that actually I would go overseas even if I weren't married, that I met Simon. Ironic, or is it? I have often felt that God does love to grant us the desires of our hearts, but sometimes we need to depend more fully on Him FIRST.
Simon was training as a GP, so we both carried on preparing professionally. He gained experience in AIDS Care and Community Paediatrics and I in Paeds. As we started to look for a place to go overseas, we began to question whether there really is a role for Missionaries in this day and age. We heard of the rapid growth of the churches in Sub-Saharan Africa and wondered whether we had anything to contribute. So we decided to make a visit to see for ourselves. We found lots of enthusiastic Christians who were doing great evangelism, but with low literacy rates and minimal education there was a lack of good Bible knowledge. We also saw many of the keen Christians going into full time ministry, leaving few people actually living out their faith in the workplace. So we felt we did have a role to play after all, but wanted to be with an organisation with a genuine view of partnership in Mission, acknowledging that Westerners have as much to learn from being overseas, as to contribute to the local church. We joined Crosslinks, a small Anglican Mission with a real vision for training non western Christians to be involved in church growth in their own Countries. A year at Bible College and 2 children later saw us finally ready to leave for Tanzania.
Dodoma
We made it to Dodoma one rainy day in March 1996. It was lovely to see the sodden grey green countryside. Not only did it remind us of England, but it was also the promise of a bumper harvest that year. The one and only time we saw it, as our home was to be on the edge of a drought zone, so a good harvest only came every 3 years or so. Dodoma lies right at the heart of Tanzania – a glorious country on the East Coast of Africa, just below the equator. A colourful mosaic of cultures and peoples who blend together to give a great richness and diversity. We found ourselves invited to the homes of wealthy Indian businessmen with marbled floors and air conditioners and the best curries I've even eaten, and believe me as a student in the East End of London, I've eaten a few!! And then to the homes of some of our church friends who shared their chicken and rice stew with us, with Simon and I sitting on the only two chairs in the house, and the dry wind whistling through the mud roof of the house.
We were working with the Anglican Church, Simon running a busy GP practice with two Tanzanian colleagues, a dentist, a laboratory, a vision unit and an AIDS programme. I did a bit of Physio training at the local mission hospital, and started a Sunday School at our church, taught a course at the local Bible College, oh and had another baby!
Physiotherapy, theoretically is fairly well developed in Tanzania, but in practise is still a rather limited 'luxury' service. Most government hospitals would have one therapist, who would cover the wards in the morning and then be busy with private patients in the afternoon, to pay his way. Government wages do not meet basic requirements like education and so on, so most of the doctors and teachers have private jobs too.
There is an excellent joint therapy school in Moshi at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, which provides an thorough training including aspects of appropriate technology for the developing world. Students actually come from all over East Africa to train there. There are some good academic lecturers in anatomy and physiology, but there seemed to be little emphasis on caring for patients, especially the marginalised and those unable to speak up for themselves. I am not sure why this is, but feel it may be related to a cultural expectation of genders, that men tend not to be the carers, but 'professionals', so to combine the two is very difficult. Most of the therapists tend to be men. This was underlined by the scanty provision of services locally for children and those with long term disabilities. Disability still has many stigmas attached and those affected tend to be marginalised and often unable to fulfil any significant role in society.
Three years is a relatively short time to learn a language and understand a situation, so we feel like novices, and know that we have learned a great deal more than we have begun to contribute.
Coming Home?
As our three years, were drawing to a close and we reviewed our time, we felt that Simon could be more effective in influencing the health of the community, with more of an educational role. So we returned to UK for an extended period while he does a MSc in Public Health at the School of Tropical Medicine in London. People in UK said 'Oh how lovely is must be for you to be coming home', but for all three children Dodoma was home, and for me, three years in Tanzania was the longest period of time in my whole life that I had stayed in one country. Only people who had been in our shoes were really able to share in our sorrow at saying goodbye to our friends, packing up a home in one continent and moving to another for a while.
So what did we find on our return? Well seeing 'modern' living through the eyes of our kids who had never seen escalators or electric doors before was wild! Commuting to London on Day two of our re-entry had the whole carriage looking at us as though we were from Mars, with the comments the children were making! And what about the Church? Well we had the privilege of visiting a number of churches as part of our Mission Education programme set up by Crosslinks. We were longing to share some of the experiences which had taught us so much, but many people just didn't ask! They were happy to talk about the weather (oh so British!) or our family life, but anything about our colleagues or those with whom we had worshipped was not discussed. We wanted to talk about how we had learned a new respect for older folk from our Tanzanian friends, and also gained a deeper understanding of hospitality and community responsibility even sometimes at the expense of the individual, but again this was not on the agenda in many places. I began to think that maybe I had missed the point, but fortunately read Philip Yancey's excellent book The Jesus I Never Knew and was reminded that Jesus never paid out monthly for his mortgage, nor climbed the well-oiled career ladder, but instead had a radical concern for the poor and under-privileged, those who have no public voice, and he gave them dignity, and respect and fed them too. So, has the church here, missed the point? I think, even within the church, we have been sucked into the rampant materialism of our society and endless pursuit of more and more money at all costs and in so doing risk missing the essence of the Gospel.
Conclusion
Well, you may be saying, that's OK for you to say, you're just about to escape again back to the Bush, you don't need to face the realities of Western living like we do. True, I don't, but I still think there are plenty of things we should be doing with a bit more fervour! You don't have to rush off to the other side of the world to support the world wide church, actually quite a few of us do need to stay put to support by way of prayer and also financially. I think I was shocked by people's idea of giving … not necessarily in the churches, but I think it is a problem there too. On Comic Relief day we were all slapping ourselves on the back for being SO generous, but the same amount is made each week on the lottery… I mean profit, not just the prizes. Now that's scary. We saw folk in Tanzania giving up half a bag of maize to the church offering, knowing that was one less day they would be able to feed their family before another harvest. We just have no concept of that sort of sacrificial giving … but we should.
The other thing I was surprised by is people's lack of interest in other people's lives and struggles, so I challenge you to keep informed. Getting nitty gritty information has never been so easy, with the Internet on hand, you can really find out. Do it! And then support organisations who are campaigning for economic justice, like Jubilee 2000, www.jubilee2000.com They have lots of ways planned for each of us to pressurise the government to be fairer on the poorer countries, many of whom got into debt because our greedy banks were offering irresponsible handouts.
Bibliography:
The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey, Marshall Pickering
Esther Clift
Article orginially published in Interact, Spring 2000 - A Global View