Reflection Paper on Article
“Whom God May Call by Bernard Thorogood”
Faletoi Aofia
PMS 325- Survey in Pacific Ecumenism
Instructor Joan A. Tofaeono
Kanana Fou Theological Seminary
May 7th, 2014
Introduction:
This reflection paper will be focusing on some of the issues from the article that was written by Bernard Thorogood “Whom God May Call”. Just by looking at the title itself, we can say that, it is a question concerning who God will call. The article provides numerous and countless information of the history of the London Missionary in the Pacific and throughout the world.
The article shares some advantages and disadvantages that the earlier missionaries had to cope with during the early stages of Christianity in the Southern Pacific and other parts of the World. With the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the power of the gospel, the missionaries became very successful. I will take you in a journey through three societies and their contribution. From there we can see and observe how these three societies linked into each other. I will be focusing on the pioneer society, the evangelical society, and the ecumenical society.
A pioneer society:
A pioneering society is a group of people that are involved in gathering and accomplishing new ideas and methods. This assembly are led and encouraged by their pioneering spirit. Pioneering spirit is the act of overcoming barriers and approaching new tasks without already knowing the solution to that particular problem. In many companies, the pioneering spirit binds the company’s heritage and vision therefore strengthens the success. It is the willingness to endure hardship in order to explore new places or try out new things. We can say that the pioneering ...
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...are only matters of personal preference, but by asking questions openly and facing the deepest questions about the connection of faith and order.
Conclusion:
In Conclusion, I believe that these three societies that I have mentioned totally reflect the focus of the article, “Whom God May Call”. The pioneer society looks at new ways and new methods that will help them (society) in spreading the gospel. It is a call to overcoming barriers and approaching new tasks without already knowing the solution to that particular problem. The evangelical society states that the center concern of everything is the gospel. It is a call to put a high priority on the “good news” (gospel) of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ. Finally is a call from God to focuses more on the union of Christians of various denominations, to be ecumenical. Whom God may call? Everyone.
The goal of this book review on Engaging God’s World written by Cornelius Plantinga Jr. is to examine his ideas on redemption, vocation in the Kingdom of God, and to explore his thoughts on Christian education as described in the book’s epilogue. Cornelius Plantinga Jr. discusses several key notes regarding redemption, such as salvation. Vocation in the Kingdom of God is another subject he touches on in relation to the way God works within His Kingdom connecting us to the ‘King of Kings’ as his ambassadors on earth. Lastly, Plantinga explains his view on how Christian education is important to sustain ourselves, earth now, and the New Earth.
With this in mind, the objective of this essay is to focus on the main ideas of each theologian, and discuss how each theologian’s ideas are compensatory to the other. This is important because even though each theologian’s writings were inspired by the harsh realities of the societies, and also by the effect each writer experienced in their moment in history, their critiques specifically of Christian institutions remain a consistent amongst all three writings. Furthermore, not only are their critiques consistent, but their goals for providing new frameworks for the future of the Church and Christian discipleship are consistent as well.
... The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha Revised Standard Version.(1977). New York: Oxford University Press, 1977. Nyberg, Nancy.(November 1997). Personal Interview and survey with Pastor of 1st Congregational Church of Dundee. Poole, W. Michael, D.Min., Th.D.(November 1997). Personal Interview and survey with pastor of Calvary Church of God. Strong, James.(1996). The New STRONG'S Complete Dictionary of Bible Words. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. Tierney, Michael J.(November 1997). Personal Interview and survey with Priest from Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Parish. Unger, Merrill F.(1967). Unger's Bible handbook. Chicago: Moody Press. Weizsacker, H.I(1958). The Apostolic Age. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications. White, R.E.O.(1960). The Biblical Doctrine of Initiation: A Theology of Baptism and Evangelism. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Reverend Josiah Strong's Our Country: Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis inspired missionaries to travel to foreign nations.
The Story of Christianity is a very informative summation; a continuation of Volume 1 which covered the beginning of the church up to the Protestant Reformation, while Vol. 2 dealt with the Protestant Reformation up to more modern time period. This author delivers a more comprehensive and deeper look into the development of Christianity, which includes particular events which had transpired throughout the world; particularly how Christianity has expanded into Central and South America. Gonzalez opens up this book with the “Call for Reformation,” where he shares with his readers the need for reform; the papacy had started to decline and was corrupt, in addition to the Great Schism, which had further weakened the papacy (p.8). The author explains how the church was not the only issue but that the church’s teachings were off track as well, seeing that the people had deviated from...
Christian missionaries aimed to attend to the material and spiritual welfare of the Torres Strait Islander peoples who experienced enormous change from their interaction with European culture and
These approaches by European Americans were thought to be more socially acceptable means to acquiring more land and expansion of their new world. The missionaries were successful at baptizing hundreds of Native Americans. They used the bible, sermons and Christian beliefs in God to influence tribal members to give up their cultural beliefs. The bible was translated into their native language in order to provide instruction and commitment to the word of God. In this culture, the way to a better life and forgiveness for savage acts, would be offered to all who believe in one God and become Christians. Heaven was introduced to the American Indians as well as a new belief in Hell, as an alternative demise. In all, many Christians came about from the missionaries’ efforts. Catherine Tegahkouita was one of the most celebrated Mohawk convert. There would be no other as devoted to God as she was during this crusade. “Nothing could be more beautiful, but with that beauty which inspires the love of virtue. The people were never weary gazing on her, and each left with his heart full of the desire to become a saint”.5 As more and more time went on, villages grew in Christian numbers. Still the missionaries continued to venture on to new unexplored lands to bring God’s word to them. Their objective, to save them from their barbaric
As a Christian I stand on the belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God and as such the process for its documentation was orchestrated by God for all humankind. Christian’s further believe God has prepared the hearts of humankind to receive the gospel upon hearing if they choose to. Working under this precept we can agree that cultural barriers, specific to hearing the gospel, should not be a factor for other cultures. Since the revelatory Word of God has no barriers the approach used to expose cross-cultural communities to it does. For that reason this essay will identify critical elements to consider when developing a ministry philosophy involving cross-cultural communities.
In conclusion, it is important to realize that it was not one single factor which was responsible for the spread of Christianity, all these figures came together to give the perfect platform for a new religion to develop, " Never before in the history of the race had conditions been so ready for the adoption of a new faith by the majority of the peoples of so large an area" (K.S Latourette).
Mead, Loren B. The Once and Future Church Reinventing the Congregation for a New Mission Frontier . The Alban Institute, Inc., 1991. Kindle eBook file.
He concludes that the Caribbean church is in fact fulfilling the Great Commission, especially in terms of the "Jerusalem" model outlined in Acts 1: 8. This writer will seek to summarize and critically analyze Newman's article, presenting her ideas and findings on this very interesting topic.
Missionaries have been part of the Christian faith for many years. With the great expanse of the British Empire it is logical that the need for missionaries would expand as well. The problem is that England was already experiencing a shortage of clergy due to the increased demand caused by industrialization. With a shortage of Anglican clergy in England, the call to leave home and hearth to encounter unforeseen perils defines the true meaning of a missionary. The reason that the clergy were willing to make this sacrifice reflects society's perception, and the clergy’s perception of what it means to be a missionary.
William Carey is described as the “father of the modern missionary movement”, as he began the holistic way which missionary work is done around the world today. When Carey arrived in India in 1793, he knew there was much to be done. He put together a team called the Serampore Trio. It consisted of Carey himself, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward; both were colleagues of Carey’s. Marshman was also accompanied by his wife, Hanna, and they both served as teachers, while William Ward served as a printer. These three men would go on to work with Carey and lead the people of India through translating the scriptures and transforming the culture. They would continue this mission until their deaths.
Being a missionary could provide “the feeling that material prosperity would be both conducive to good living and a proof of spiritual progress.” Because of the misrepresentations of the South Pacific Islands, the British people believed that the Island people were lazy and Britain should civilize them. Although the lower middle class missionaries did not receive any missionary training, the missionary societies still want to send them to the South Sea because the lower middle class missionaries were “expected to instruct the people in their own particular skills.” They believed that these particular skills could civilize the South Sea and later brought “Christianization of Tahiti and the other Society Islands.” William Wilson said that they came to the South Pacific “ to do them good, by instructing them in the best and most useful things; and for this end ,some good men of our number intended to settle among them; requiring, on their part, the free gift of a piece of land sufficiently stocked with breadfruit and cocoa-nut trees and so large as to contain a garden that they would not, on any account, intermeddle in their wars, nor employ their arms but for self-defense; and at all times should live free and unmolested them.” This civilization was the version of British middle class. The lower middle class wanted to gain respect from the British society, so they
The author tackles several issues that he believe presents a barrier into assimilation. He presents some advice and methods for the servant leader to use in an effort to communicate better within a cross-cultural setting. Amongst this portion are several observations that Elmer believes will help a missionary or believer when speaking cross-culturally. He stated that being open is key when working with other cultures, accepting their norms and social mores will also speed up the process because it will evoke trust and respect. Next one should make every effort to learn about the culture, seek information, this will allow for a better biblical approach when presenting the gospel. Another way to gain entry would be to understand where those individuals are coming from, and finally presenting yourself as someone who is willing to serve within the social structure. The final part of the book takes a look at biblical leadership. Joseph is a biblical character that the author chose to feature within this section. The goal within this section is to learn when to take a back seat, when to evoke God within the ministry as it relates to leadership, and finally how to handle complications that can arise when one’s mind and feelings do not coincide with each