Aotearoa New Zealand Association for Mission Studies

"The Role of Shame and Guilt in a Theology of Cross-Cultural Mission"

by Bruce Nicholls

 In my presentation I will argue three theses and discuss their implication for global cross-cultural mission theology and for theological education in our New Zealand and overseas context.

 Thesis

1. The weakness of Western theology and Western theological education in cross-cultural mission and church growth is inpart a failure to recognise the validity of the distinction between guilt cultures and shame cultures and the dynamic relationship between them.

2. The biblical story interprets sin as idolatry with its consequent shame and guilt; God's answer in the cross is deliverance from the bondage of both shame and guilt and the experiencing of peace and harmony in God's family the Church.

3. The proclamation of the Gospel across cultural barriers must first address the issue of shame before it can effectively respond the conscious or sub-conscious awareness of guilt: it is important to discover bridges of communication between such conflicting cultures.

If these theses are valid then there is a need to change our way of understanding mission theology, to revise our curriculum of theological education and to re-evaluate our practice of training men and women for cross-cultural mission in New Zealand and overseas. 

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