FORM & MEANING
Making the Gospel Language Meaningful
Cultural Forms & Meanings
Adapted from Darrel Whiteman Lectures
Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001
 Meanings always expressed through
cultural forms

Cultural forms are on surface, but meanings
are beneath surface

No sacred forms, but many sacred meanings

Easily entangle evangelized in forms that have
no equivalent meaning in host culture

If you want to get the meaning right, you must
employ the proper contextual form
Cultural Forms & Meanings
Adapted from Darrel Whiteman Lectures
Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001
 Language as unique cultural form

Language forms designate a distinct reality

Sapir-Wharf Hypothesis

Worlds of different societies are distinct worlds,
not just same with different labels

One's view of reality is influenced, if not
determined, by the language a person speaks

Different languages direct us to different aspects
of phenomena
Cultural Forms & Meanings
Adapted from Darrel Whiteman Lectures
Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001
 Examples of language as cultural form
that shapes perceived reality

Relativity of Color Terms


How many colors in the rainbow?
Language forms impacting cultural
perspectives

Continuum vs. Opposition language
Cultural Forms & Meanings
Adapted from Darrel Whiteman Lectures
Asbury Theological Seminary, 2001
 Conclusions: language as cultural form

Language is a straight jacket that fits
comfortably

Primary vehicle of culture

Language as cultural form is a loop

Contrary Hypothesis…

Language is predominate means for interpreting
reality rather than shaping reality

What is shaped is our understanding of reality, not
actual reality
THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMS
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict
David Hesselgrave
 Gospel

Both the whole Word of God (OT/NT) and the good
news of salvation in Jesus Christ
 Contextualization

Making the message (gospel) meaningful to people
who are foreign in the ethno-cultural sense or who
subscribe to a non-biblical worldview
 De-contextualization

Freeing the message (gospel) from elements of
sending culture, so intended meaning comes through
with minimum of interference
THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMS
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict
David Hesselgrave
 Verbal-Plenary Inspiration
 Human authors were inspired by Holy Spirit in such a
way that every word they wrote (all of OT/NT)
expressed the precise thought that God intended to
communicate
THE AGENDA – DEFINING TERMS
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict
David Hesselgrave
 In an age of relative epistemology, the
trustworthiness of the “gospel” message (the
revealed message in linguistic symbols) is vital.
 If the language of the text is up for debate according
to subjective interpretations (of time / culture /
worldview), then we have no authoritative basis for
propositional truths.
- Hesselgrave
History of Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict
David Hesselgrave
 1970’s contextualization boom

Explosion of “contextual theologies”
 Evangelicals and contextualization

Lausanne Consultation on Gospel and Culture

Down to Earth: Studies in Christianity and Culture
(Stott & Coote)

Christianity in Culture: A Study in Dynamic Biblical
Theologizing in Cross-Cultural Perspective (Kraft)
History of Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict
David Hesselgrave
 National Association of Evangelicals – 1942
 Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) – 1949
 Lausanne Covenant – 1974
 International Council on Biblical Inerrancy – 1977

Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics
 International Church Council Project (ICC) – 2003
Types of Revelation
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict
David Hesselgrave
1.
Mythological writings

2.
Enlightenment writings

3.
Knowledge of the divine mediated through personal
enlightenment experiences
Divine writings

4.
Narratives and information that binds peoples together in
common loyalties and destinies
Directly from the divine apart from human involvement – merely
mechanical stenographers of divine orations
Divinely inspired writings

God-breathed writings (OT/NT) in which God reveals
propositional truths mediated through human agency by
inspiration of Holy Spirit
Danger of Wrong Models
for Biblical Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave
 Contextualizing the Bible as mythological writing

Perspective of “deconstructionists”

Consequence: Left with the faith of various linguistic and
religious communities…Each of which relies on its own
language to describe God (functional reality).
 Contextualizing the Bible as enlightened writing

Real meaning is to be found in the way words and forms
function in and among those who read them

Meaning only emerges as person enters into the texts
(making it meaning-full)
Danger of Wrong Models
for Biblical Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave
 Impact of this approach for contextualization

Formal Correspondence vs. Dynamic Equivalence
 Dynamic Equivalence Premises

Focus is not on form, but meaning intended

Origins of this strategy, not in Scripture, theology, but in natural sciences

Revelation is subjective and changing

Bible is potentially the Word of God, not error-free except in its intended
teachings

Ethno-linguistic interpretation rather than grammatico-historical

Scriptural words are subordinate to insights of contemporary interpreters
who define the impact of their supposed meaning
THE DEBATABLE ISSUE:
Functional Equivalence (F.E.)
 Meaning-full Translations

"The world's most influential Bible translator, Eugene Nida, is weary of
'word worship.'"

By David Neff

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/october7/2.46.html
 We Really Do Need Another Bible Translation

As good as many modern versions are, they often do not allow us to
hear what the Holy Spirit actually said

By Raymond C. Van Leeuwen

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/october22/5.28.html
Danger of Wrong Models
for Biblical Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave
 Dynamic Equivalence (Functional Equivalence)
now dominant theory


Examples:

C.E.V. (1995)

TEV or Good News Version

TNIV (Today’s New International Version)
Anthropologically enlightened, but theologically
dangerous approach
Danger of Wrong Models
for Biblical Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave
 Contextualizing the Bible as divine writing

Bible sometimes mistakenly contextualized in rigid/static
manner

Dictation theories impose one cultural time-frame on the
form, and disallow any modification by time or space
Danger of Wrong Models
for Biblical Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave
 Contextualizing Bible as Inspired Writings

Affirms reality of consistent (universal) propositional truth
revealed in Scripture

Opposes postmodern “formalist criticisms”
Effective Evangelical Contextualization
Adapted from Paradigms in Conflict David Hesselgrave
 Meeting of minds for “critical contextualization
 Discussion is needed regarding non-negotiable
universals
 Must begin with commitment to authoritative Word of
God

Tools afforded by relevant sciences then engaged as
helpful/necessary additions that enable us to understand
Scripture and communicate it meaningfully across
cultures