I got inspired by https://alpha.leofinance.io/threads. Imagine, one can post content on LeoThreads beyond finance and crypto. This will make the new LeoFinance as a "home for all content" and that's great! I am now thinking of posting my reflection on our classes and lessons in the days to come. I consider it good news that unlike in centralized social media, here on LeoFinance, nobody will police the quality and length of your content. This will make the platform home for both long-form content and microblogging.
In response to this recent development, I want to share my first post about the questions I asked in our Cultural Anthropology class and the insights I gained:
After being given the assignment to head the Business Office, I could not immediately perform my task due to my current involvement in the Ph. D. ICS program of our school. And not only that, but I also enrolled as one of the students.
Our first subject is Cultural Anthropology. Dr. Caleb Kim taught the subject. He has been a missionary to East Africa since 1989 and serves as faculty of Africa International University (AIU) in Nairobi, Kenya. He also serves as the Director of the Institute for the Study of African Realities (ISAR) at AIU. At the same time, he remains an Adjunct faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary School of Intercultural Studies from 2001 until now. His fields of expertise include Cultural Anthropology, Islamic Studies, and Power Encounters.
Our class started February 06 and concluded last February 10. It’s online and seminar in format. After the seminar, we are given requirements to be submitted on 31st July.
Our time for interaction is not enough and so I decided to utilize email in asking questions. What follows is a series of questions followed by Dr. Kim’s response:
Question # 1: About Logical Justification for Supernaturalist Approach
Here are the details of my question:
You mentioned in your book that Social Darwinism or Spencerism as part of the Enlightenment project suffered a decline after the two World Wars. I am curious about the influence of positivism or the empirical approach to science in the formation of Cultural Anthropology. In Kraft's ideas of the environment, he mentioned the "supernatural" contribution. I wonder if Kraft's ideas are not completely free but reliant on the positivist approach, how can we account for the supernatural element since in the first place his premise is based on naturalists' assumptions? And how can cultural anthropologists do fieldwork or ethnography that will include even the supernatural environment?
After showing appreciation for the question I asked, Dr. Caleb Kim affirmed that my questions are very relevant and suitable to anthropological discussions as Christian missiologists. Here is his response to my inquiry:
The decline of European pride sprung through the Enlightenment Movement with the vibrancy of Positivism was true to a considerable degree, yet the spirit did not entirely disappear. Instead, it has become a bedrock for the Western culture and cultural mind in implicit ways rather than explicitly. Interestingly enough, the positivistic or scientific view of the world got challenged and revised even by non-Christian scholars and thinkers (for example, Dr. Thomas Kuhn, an American philosopher of science). Anyways, after the Western powers in the 20th century, most intellectuals worldwide went through Western educational systems, and academicians began to think of the world via the paradigm provided by Western education, including non-Westerners like me. But the more important point is that even though we still have to use Western methodologies and frameworks developed by Westerners, we do not arrive at the same conclusions as they did or do. Kraft's case would be interesting, though. Let me share some with you. He came from a Western positivist background but underwent a grand "paradigm shift" after encountering "miracles" performed by his colleague, Rev. John Wimber, in the early 1980s. Since then, he began to employ the existing academic instruments he had been using to describe the "supernatural" environment and apply more of the biblical values and methods to the spiritual or supernatural areas of Christian lives, especially through his "inner healing" ministry, including "exorcism" or deliverance ministry among Westerners. To make my explanation short, I suggest we keep using the existing academic paradigms and frameworks as an instrument. Still, we will not necessarily come to the same conclusions or findings as our Western counterparts may draw. The "perspective," not the instrument, may affect the research outcomes.”
I am extremely impressed with the depth of Dr. Kim's response. I am grateful for the insights he shared.
Question # 2: Ethnodecentrism
The idea of decentralization is popular these days. When I stumbled upon the concept of ethnocentrism and at the same time, thinking of our situation here in the Philippines, which in my mind, our ethnicity can be described as anything else but ethnocentrism, what concept would you propose to describe the plurality in our ethnicity? Is it valid to describe our situation in something like ethno-decentrism? Just my wild thoughts. Thanks!
Dr. Caleb’s response:
I may need to spend more time conversing with you concerning what you share with me. But I can say that "ethnocentrism" is a kind of mindset. In contrast, decentralization results from applying ethnocentrism to a new situation in this postmodern era. The issue you raised in the question is quite valuable to look into. "Ethno-decentrism" sounds a bit funny but very creative. 😄 We will talk more.
Question # 3: About Orality
You mentioned in your books about cultural forms as codes in communication like arts, music, drama, dance, etc. I am wondering about the role of orality in today's mission.
Dr. Caleb’s reply:
Yes, orality certainly is a cultural form that would be useful for gospel communication. However, its effectiveness should be judged by the researcher/minister in light of multiple factors with both emic and etic perspectives.”
Question # 4: About Digital Nation
Regarding the research topic, my mind is divided between the two. I am also wondering if they are valid fields of research:
- Relationship between faculty and students.
- Can I expand the idea of the "field" into the digital space? For more than a year exploring one blockchain community, I keep encountering the idea of digital nations, digital communities, digital tribes, etc.
Dr. Kim’s response:
Those two topics sound relevant. Unquestionably, even a digital culture can be an object of anthropological research. Keep thinking through the question of your research question (or major research concern) as you get more insights from different scholars and colleagues. It usually takes time.
So far, the above are the questions I raised. Now, let me share the insights I learned:
Insight # 1: Ethos and preaching
When you talk about the messenger as the message, this reminds me of a homiletical textbook that distinguishes between three different types of preaching. Though I appreciate the role of logos (logic or reasoning) and pathos (emotion or feeling) in the delivery of the sermon, I think ethos (lifestyle, attitude, humility, the servant mind) is largely missing in most preaching.
Insight # 2: Incarnation as a lifestyle.
Everybody knows that Christ-likeness is the goal of the Christian life. I am not sure, perhaps we just want to emphasize the divinity side in Christlikeness that somehow makes us miss His humanity. I am now wondering why we take such an old truth for granted particularly in the way we relate with people in the workplace. Isn't living out this truth also applicable in the office, in the school, church, and at home as well as in doing cross-cultural missions? That's my take on this idea of incarnation as a lifestyle.
Dr. Caleb’s response:
I can't agree more! You have made a critical point! That's right!
Insight # 3: Forgiveness in doing mission
Among the four virtues you mentioned that a "friend" must possess for him to be an effective change agent, forgiveness is basic but taken for granted and most surprising for me. I never expect that such an attitude plays a powerful role in doing a mission.
Dr. Caleb’s response:
In a significant sense of theology, Christianity is all about God's gracious forgiveness. At the same time, it is the virtue we must live and demonstrate to the world!
That's how I spent the first week of February. My Ph.D. ICS class also explains why even at night I could hardly find time to do my Hive activity.