Haase_UZ_x007E_DTh (2).pdf - South African Theological Seminary
Haase_UZ_x007E_DTh (2).pdf - South African Theological Seminary Haase_UZ_x007E_DTh (2).pdf - South African Theological Seminary
94 functional multi-dimensional society, the nation can become legally pluralistic, where personal freedoms are protected, and a social balance between those freedoms and social order is found and maintained. To be a legally pluralistic society obliges people of sometimes-great diversity to work and live together: something easier said than done. Some of the most basic tools for social unity that have been successfully employed historically are common language and currency. Another major social unifier, albeit situational and periodic, is a common trial, or threat, which makes people willing to set aside lesser differences to confront the larger challenge before them. If a pluralist society is to succeed, freedom of religion can, and should exist. The separation of state and religion is good, so that no religion is given favour over others, for a favoured religion -- no matter how well intentioned -- will eventually want to dominate the cultural and political landscape, even as Christianity did in Western Europe for so many centuries. While true that national endorsement of one religion can in some ways unify a population, it can also lead to fewer personal freedoms in the name of religious fidelity. The Central Asian Taliban regime is a recent example of how one religion is forced upon an entire society, literally enslaving people without choice. No matter what path to social order is taken, religion is important to people all over the world and the relationship between government and religion is crucial to national health. As Bevans notes: “Culture and religion are intimately inter related, and in many societies they express themselves through each other, conditioning each other” (Bevans, 1999:30). In free, multi-cultural societies, the wealth of divergent cultures should be embraced and appreciated; yet knowing that hostility’s will exist. While it may not please the majority religious group, the government needs to protect the religious freedoms of its citizenry. Some religions require, and/or imply a close relationship with the state, but when put into practice, religious freedom is seldom practiced. Immigrant populations are typically poor, and often strain local economies. These new immigrants also bring fresh life into what are otherwise, commonly stagnant local and national cultures. The US and Canada, for example, are culturally rich and vibrant because of the diverse humanity God has gathered together -- but even once vibrant and University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
diverse immigrant populations become culturally stagnant over time without a fresh infusion from outside. Divergent cultures and worldviews can interact in the marketplace of ideas, and all can benefit. Tensions sometimes exist and disruptions do occur; but learning to live together, respecting the rights and views of others, is an important part of becoming a healthy, mature society. Intolerance, expressed violently is unproductive, and damaging -- typically rooted in fear, ignorance, and an unwillingness to allow others to think differently (e.g., cultural and ideological conformity). One need not embrace all worldviews and cultures as their own, but mutual respect for divergent views can encourage peaceful exchange and growth for both. Scripture informs us that all ethnicities are God-given, another dimension of the great diversity and blessing God has instilled within all of creation. Cultures, as such, are a different matter, however. Culture is a composite of the way people do things, the language they speak, the religion they practice. Because mankind’s inherent corruption (cf., Gen. 3), not all cultural expressions are pleasing to God, a truth the Christian needs to remember, especially where pluralism is concerned. This caution is especially crucial when dealing with the postmodern pluralist, who places little value in any truth taken from Scripture. The Lausanne Covenant expresses this warning well: Culture must always be tested and judged by Scripture. Because man is God’s creature, some of his culture is rich in beauty and goodness. Because he is fallen, all of it is tainted with sin and some of it is demonic. The gospel does not presuppose the superiority of any culture to another, but evaluates all cultures according to its own criteria of truth and righteousness, and insists on moral absolutes in every culture (Lausanne Covenant, Section 10). 95 University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Page 43 and 44: depends upon our decision makes our
- Page 45 and 46: group Socialisme et Liberte. During
- Page 47 and 48: 47 The Mind of Sartre Sartre’s vi
- Page 49 and 50: ethical absolutes (Craig, 1994:67).
- Page 51 and 52: 51 Chapter II Postmodernity: The Es
- Page 53 and 54: 53 Postmoderns promote individualis
- Page 55 and 56: meaning and language. The postmoder
- Page 57 and 58: pointed out that science, far from
- Page 59 and 60: 59 Ferdinand de Saussure at the tur
- Page 61 and 62: considers the Greek logos (i.e., λ
- Page 63 and 64: 63 models and then try not to subve
- Page 65 and 66: marginalized and to the historical
- Page 67 and 68: without essential foundations (Khan
- Page 69 and 70: maximum voluntary community agreeme
- Page 71 and 72: 71 something akin to the virtual re
- Page 73 and 74: 73 During the 1960’s, Foucault wa
- Page 75 and 76: generally agreed that his views wer
- Page 77 and 78: had been trapped. Through Nietzsche
- Page 79 and 80: Foucault also seemed to delight in
- Page 81 and 82: elieve the conventions of modernity
- Page 83 and 84: 83 Will 'Po-Mod' Endure Ernst Gelln
- Page 85 and 86: 85 referentially incoherent. That i
- Page 87 and 88: 87 the second postmodern wave, whic
- Page 89 and 90: action. During the colonial period,
- Page 91 and 92: interpretation. It again gives sugg
- Page 93: 93 There are three basic forms of (
- Page 97 and 98: desperate population to believe tha
- Page 99 and 100: 99 but hardly in entirety. Keeping
- Page 101 and 102: salvation. Here again we see how Go
- Page 103 and 104: 103 and sick, conquered ignorance t
- Page 105 and 106: with relativism, pluralism and no a
- Page 107 and 108: 107 our first love -- Jesus Christ
- Page 109 and 110: 109 and the life. No one comes to t
- Page 111 and 112: Those who truly know Jesus Christ a
- Page 113 and 114: future was no longer heaven, but a
- Page 115 and 116: 115 An Apologetic Response Beyond t
- Page 117 and 118: uilding constructed on a shifting s
- Page 119 and 120: component of the overall package, b
- Page 121 and 122: irrelevant. The postmodernist, like
- Page 123 and 124: 123 terminate this inquiry with the
- Page 125 and 126: consider the spiritual truths the B
- Page 127 and 128: people are to effectively participa
- Page 129 and 130: witness among the Gentiles, by usin
- Page 131 and 132: 131 Chapter VI Postmodernity and th
- Page 133 and 134: Postmodernism enhances the process
- Page 135 and 136: 135 Yet, with few exceptions, the W
- Page 137 and 138: 137 Rome, ‘The Way’ (i.e., Chri
- Page 139 and 140: were the changes made to the clergy
- Page 141 and 142: of transforming it... Christendom i
- Page 143 and 144: society. State authorities quite of
diverse immigrant populations become culturally stagnant over time without a fresh<br />
infusion from outside. Divergent cultures and worldviews can interact in the marketplace<br />
of ideas, and all can benefit. Tensions sometimes exist and disruptions do occur; but<br />
learning to live together, respecting the rights and views of others, is an important part of<br />
becoming a healthy, mature society. Intolerance, expressed violently is unproductive, and<br />
damaging -- typically rooted in fear, ignorance, and an unwillingness to allow others to<br />
think differently (e.g., cultural and ideological conformity). One need not embrace all<br />
worldviews and cultures as their own, but mutual respect for divergent views can<br />
encourage peaceful exchange and growth for both.<br />
Scripture informs us that all ethnicities are God-given, another dimension of the great<br />
diversity and blessing God has instilled within all of creation. Cultures, as such, are a<br />
different matter, however. Culture is a composite of the way people do things, the<br />
language they speak, the religion they practice. Because mankind’s inherent corruption<br />
(cf., Gen. 3), not all cultural expressions are pleasing to God, a truth the Christian needs<br />
to remember, especially where pluralism is concerned. This caution is especially crucial<br />
when dealing with the postmodern pluralist, who places little value in any truth taken<br />
from Scripture. The Lausanne Covenant expresses this warning well:<br />
Culture must always be tested and judged by<br />
Scripture. Because man is God’s creature,<br />
some of his culture is rich in beauty and<br />
goodness. Because he is fallen, all of it is<br />
tainted with sin and some of it is demonic.<br />
The gospel does not presuppose the<br />
superiority of any culture to another, but<br />
evaluates all cultures according to its own<br />
criteria of truth and righteousness, and<br />
insists on moral absolutes in every culture<br />
(Lausanne Covenant, Section 10).<br />
95<br />
University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, <strong>South</strong> Africa
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