In this week's guest post, Sara Staley, a Master of Theological Studies student at Boston University, reflects on challenges and opportunities for evangelical Christian involvement in interfaith social action.
Click here to read this post on the new SAM blog at socialactionma.wordpress.com.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
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6 comments:
As an evangelical, I think that interfaith work presents a unique and exciting opportunity to communicate the message of Christ. In fact, we have started a blog about it: www.faithlineprotestants.org
Check it out and let us know what you think!
Thanks for your comment, Greg! I'm interested in hearing more from you and others about what it means to communicate the message of your faith in an interfaith context. Do you understand interfaith social action work to be a setting in which to share theological principles? moral commitments? What is the goal of communication of faith in these settings- mutual understanding? conversion?
I look forward to hearing from all of you!
-Caitlin Golden, Social Action Ministries Coordinator
Sara (& Caitlin) -
As one from an evangelical tradition, the book that has had the most impact on my understanding of evangelism and it's relationship to social change is actually from a professor at BU, Bryan Stone (we share a Nazarene upbringing). His book, Evangelism after Christendom, while not in totality about social change, serves as a great introduction to re-understanding evangelism (from a Christian perspective).
Grace & Peace,
Jeremy
Jeremy - that is a great book! If you liked Bryan Stone's book you may also enjoy David Bosch's "Transforming Mission" and a collection of essays called "The Study of Evangelism: Exploring a Missional Practice of the Church."
Sara
Interfaith social action should be about "action" not about theology and definitely not about conversion. We all live on the same planet, we all have the same responsibility to care for others, regardless of our faith differences.
Thanks for your comment! I understand your frustration; however I think it is also important to keep in mind that everyone comes from a particular perspective. Yours seems to be that interfaith action should be based on the action alone, not on any faith impetus behind the action. There are whole groups of people, however, whose worldviews render this an impossibility (I am speaking more broadly than just evangelicals here). Would we deny them a seat at the table unless they are willing to put their faith in the backseat to their action?
There is a book by Paul Griffiths called "An Apology for Apologetics" which makes the argument that to come from a particular worldview is to necessarily have to share that worldview with others - not in a coercive or "pushy" way (which is how many understand conversion) but through mutual sharing. It is also important to maintain the difference between evangelism and proselytization.
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