EMQ » July–September 2020 » Volume 56 Issue 3
Edited by Christopher L. Flanders
Pickwick, 2019
196 pages
USD $25.00
Reviewed by Cameron D. Armstrong, International Mission Board, Bucharest, Romania.
Countless missiologists trace their cultural curiosity back to Sherwood Lingenfelter. In Devoted to Christ, Christopher Flanders brings together twelve missiologists to honor Lingenfelter’s legacy. The volume is a festschrift, or in Flanders’ words, “an exercise in social honor” (xiii), produced for the occasion of Lingenfelter’s retirement from full-time teaching and administration.
Imitating Lingenfelter’s example of rigorous anthropological scholarship for Christ, the authors piece together helpful insights for the missiological community. Several chapters break new ground, yet here I highlight only three. First, Robert Priest’s inquiry of witches demonstrates that, even though Scripture does not support the existence of humans causing others harm supernaturally, unfortunately, some Bible translations over the centuries have reinforced indigenous churches’ beliefs about witches. Second, Paul Gupta, writing from his experience with Western expatriate missionaries in India, offers practical principles for how to build “interdependent” partnerships. Third, Christopher Flanders’ concluding chapter dispels the claim that certain cultures may be labeled “honor cultures;” instead, missiologists should consider how honor is shown in every culture.
Besides the groundbreaking chapters mentioned above, one strength of Devoted to Christ is its global focus. Nearly every major region of the Majority World is given a chapter, and many of these voices are non-Western. This could not have been a coincidence. The authors are to be applauded for producing a work of anthropology and missiology that truly takes readers around the world.
One feature that some readers may consider a weakness in the volume is its near total emphasis on power dynamics. I counted only one chapter (Robert Priest’s) not dealing primarily with this theme. Two chapters repetitively concentrate on patron-client relations in Thailand (by Larry Persons and Lorraine Dierck). While it is true that Sherwood Lingenfelter’s works largely deal with leadership and power structures, readers of this volume who are unfamiliar with Lingenfelter’s books may question such an emphasis. Including this type of explanation upfront in the introduction might have drawn a closer connection between the authors and Lingenfelter.
Nevertheless, Devoted to Christ is as readable as it is important for the missiological community. The volume especially adds to the growing body of literature on honor and shame. Both academics and practitioners interested in missiology’s future directions will find valuable insights that inspire further research. The authors achieve their “exercise in social honor.” Fusing anthropology and missiology in the Lingenfelter tradition ultimately honors Jesus.
For Further Reading
Lingenfelter, Sherwood. Agents of Transformation: A Guide for Effective Cross-Cultural Ministry. Baker, 1996.
Lingenfelter, Sherwood. Transforming Culture: A Challenge for Christian Mission. Baker, 1998.
