Category Archives: Book review

Honor, Shame, and the Gospel—an overview of 15 outstanding contributions

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In my last post, I emphasized the Christ-centered foundation of the honor-shame conversation by highlighting the presentation and corresponding article by Steve Hawthorne: “The Honor and Glory of Jesus Christ: Heart of the Gospel and the Mission of God.” Hawthorne’s article is the first article in Section 1 of Honor, Shame, and the Gospel: Reframing Our Message and Ministry, published in late 2020 by William Carey Publishing.

Below is an overview of the fifteen articles—in the order that they appear—in the two sections of the book.

Section One: Honor-shame in general contexts

Steven Hawthorne: “The Honor and Glory of Jesus Christ: Heart of the Gospel and the Mission of God.” The glorious Person of Jesus Christ is the crux and destiny of mission. The beauty of Christ includes this astounding reality: he who suffered great shame and rose in exalted honor shares his glory with all who call him Lord. Accordingly, believers endure hardship and suffer gladly for his name’s sake among the nations.

Jayson Georges: “Honor and Shame in Historical Theology: Listening to Eight Voices.” Significant theologians, from Ignatius to Anselm to Edwards to C.S. Lewis, have explained biblical truth in honor-shame terms. Honor-shame theology is in continuity with Christian orthodoxy.

Tom Steffen: “A Clothesline Theology for the World: How A Value-Driven Grand Narrative of Scripture Can Frame the Gospel.” A unifying story of Scripture is an antidote to fragmentist and specialist tendencies in theology—and vital for ministry among all of story-oriented humanity. The value system of honor-shame functions as a major theme in the Bible’s grand narrative.

Jackson Wu: “Saving Us from Me: Cultivating Honor and Shame in a Collectivist Church.” Scripture depicts the church as a collectivist body, which yields a particular Christian way of living based on honor-shame dynamics. This counters the self-centered, lonely individualism of much Western Christianity.

E. Randolph Richards: “The Shaming of Jesus in John.” Understanding honor-shame dynamics in the social world of the New Testament clarifies the meaning and integrates various stories in John’s Gospel—for example, Jesus cleansing the temple.

Mako A. Nagasawa: “Empowering Personal Healing and Social Justice with Medical Substitutionary Atonement.” Christians throughout history have articulated different views of the atonement of Christ. An early Christian approach to the atonement and resurrection (viz., recapitulation) connects to modern concerns of identity, sacrifice, and justice—along with sin and shame.

Steve Tracy: “Abuse and Shame: How the Cross Transforms Shame.” Sexual abuse and wartime rape horribly defile millions in our world. Early Church Fathers addressed the problem of rape and sexual-abuse shame. Jesus Christ—in his scandalous crucifixion and honorific resurrection—absorbs and conquers the subjective and objective dimensions of sexual abuse victimhood and shame.

Section Two: Honor-shame in various mission contexts

Lynn Thigpen: “The Dark Side of Orality.” Christian workers can unwittingly marginalize “adults with limited formal education” (ALFE). Billions of people in the world are oral-preference learners. Many ALFE suffer from toxic shame. Cross-cultural workers must acquire new skills and develop learner-centered, dignity-enhancing ministry among non-readers.

Arley Loewen: “Must Honor Clash with Humility? Transformed Honor Within the Emerging Church in Muslim Societies.” Honor competition was common in the Early Church; it is common today for Christian leaders around the world—including those in Muslim societies. Leaders can move toward a servant-based honor willing to relinquish position—by experiencing Christ as their unlimited source of honor.

Steve Hong: “Sharing God’s Love in an Urban, Pluralist Context.” The practices of vulnerability, listening, creativity, inclusion—and intentionally dignifying others—lead to deep relationships with secular moderns. They awaken to the gospel of the kingdom whose King is Jesus.

Cristian Dumitrescu: “Discipleship in Asian Honor Cultures.” Making disciples is not a culturally neutral endeavor. In the Asian context, attention to honor-shame issues is critical for effective discipling.

Rich James: “An Honor-Shame Gospel for Syrians Displaced by War: Jesus Christ as Good Shepherd & Honorable Patron.” A culturally relevant and biblically faithful gospel for Syrian refugees involves not just a morally good Shepherd but the honorable Shepherd and Patron who gifts his life for the good of the flock.

Katie Rawson: “A Gospel that Reconciles: Teaching About Honor-Shame to Advance Racial and Ethnic Reconciliation.” Attention to honor-shame issues and terminology can have a profound impact upon efforts to mend relational rupture and bring about reconciliation in contexts of conflict.

Nolan Sharp: “The Book of Samuel: A Reconciling Narrative.” Cycles of blood violence, nationalism, even ethnic cleansing—as was the case in the wars of Yugoslav succession (1991–1995)—are often driven by honor and shame. The stories of Saul and David in 1 and 2 Samuel are a fountain of insights to help reconcile peoples, tribes, or nations in honor-bound conflicts.

Audrey Frank: “The Muslim Woman’s Journey from Shame to Honor.” For women from Muslim backgrounds, barrenness or abuse can be sources of shame, exclusion, defilement. The gospel of Christ covers the shamed and cleanses the defiled—thereby restoring honor.

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Book: “Honor, Shame, and the Gospel: Reframing Our Message and Ministry”—why is the first article a ‘Christology’?

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“Honor, Shame, and the Gospel”, Christopher Flanders and Werner Mischke, Editors

In late 2020, William Carey Publishing released Honor, Shame, and the Gospel:
Reframing Our Message and Ministry. The book is a compendium of articles based on presentations given at the 2017 Honor-Shame Conference held at Wheaton College. My colleague Chris Flanders and I worked for more than two years with fifteen contributors in editing this volume. We are so grateful to Denise Wynn and her team at William Carey Publishing for their enthusiastic support for this project.

Book overview

Christians engaged in communicating the gospel navigate a challenging tension: faithfulness to God’s ancient, revealed Word—and relevance to the local, current social context. What if there was a lens or paradigm offering both? Understanding the Bible—particularly the gospel—through the ancient cultural “language” of honor-shame offers believers this double blessing. An honorific gospel offers new points of resonance with communities where shame and honor are critical values, including most unreached peoples.  

In Honor, Shame, and the Gospel, over a dozen practitioners and scholars from diverse contexts and fields add to the ongoing conversation around the theological and missiological implications of an honorific gospel. Eight illuminating case studies explore ways to make disciples in a diversity of social contexts—for example, East Asian rural, Middle Eastern refugee, African tribal, and Western secular urban.

Honor, Shame, and the Gospel provides valuable resources to impact the ministry efforts of the church, locally and globally. Linked with its ancient honor-shame cultural roots, the gospel, paradoxically, is ever new—offering fresh wisdom to Christian leaders and optimism to the church for our quest to expand Christ’s kingdom and serve the worldwide mission of God. 

Article #1 explores the honor and glory of Christ as foundational to the gospel and the mission of God

Steven Hawthorne, PhD: “The Honor and Glory of Jesus Christ: Heart of the Gospel and the Mission of God.” When Steve Hawthorne ended his presentation at the 2017 conference, there was an unforgettable silence. I remember an extended moment of Christ-focused worship and wonder. You can watch Dr. Hawthorne’s presentation here.

Click here to watch the presentation by Dr. Hawthorne.

Hawthorne’s article is the first in Section One of the book. (The article follows a foreword by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen and an introduction/overview of the book.) Hawthorne opens with these two paragraphs:

“To understand honor-shame dynamics amid the intercultural complexities of mission, one must consider the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. And here’s why: Behind, beneath, and above all human shames and honors is the singular glory of Jesus. In this chapter, we will affirm the glory that Jesus is worthy to receive. But we will also consider the ‘praise and glory and honor’ (1 Pet 1:7), that the living God bestows upon people in Christ.

“Following some introductory remarks, we will explore what I call ‘true glory,’ the glory that God gives to people in and with Christ. Then we will identify a few highlights of the great biblical narrative of God’s glory. Finally, we’ll look at three occasions when God spoke from heaven in the Gospels, each of them increasing our understanding of how we are called to share in the suffering and joy of Christ’s glory.”1

Why is Hawthorne’s article first? Four reasons:

  1. The Christology factor. The conversation about “Honor, Shame, and the Gospel” is grounded in the Person of Jesus Christ. Yes, the honor-shame conversation has tendrils in social science and anthropology. But for Christians, the honor-shame conversation rests upon a biblically-faithful Christology. An honorific gospel speaks to a world drenched in sin and shame (Hawthorne refers to “broken honor systems”). An honorific gospel is rooted historically and eschatologically in the glory of Christ. This is presented convincingly in Dr. Hawthorne’s article.
  2. The statesman factor. Dr. Hawthorne is a “missionary statesman.” We wanted him to bring his passion for the glory of God and his credibility in the Christian missions community to the conference and this compendium. He is the author of “The Story of His Glory”, and editor of Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. For decades, Hawthorne has been promulgating a wise, infectious passion for the glory of Christ as central to the grand narrative of Scripture and the mission of God.
  3. The glory-sharing factor. The multifaceted truth about the glory of Christ is well-known in the Christian community; less well known is the corresponding truth that God shares his honor and glory with those who follow Christ (e.g., John 5:44; 17:22; 1 Pet 2:7; Heb 2:10; 2 Thess 2:13–14). Dr. Hawthorne convincingly communicates this ‘both-and’ truth in his article.
  4. The suffering factor. Hawthorne shows how our faithfulness to the Lord in the face of hardship is rooted in the glory of Jesus Christ. The longing for honor and glory, when rooted in Christ, fuels our obedience to God. Referring to Romans 8:17, the article concludes: “If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him.”

Summary: Could it be, that Dr. Hawthorne’s presentation and article will become known as one of the foundational building blocks in the global conversation about honor, shame, and the gospel? I hope so. Our Christology should be central to the conversation. The honor and glory of Jesus are ever at the heart of the gospel and the mission of God.

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NOTES

  1. Steven C. Hawthorne: “The Honor and Glory of Jesus Christ: Heart of the Gospel and the Mission of God” in Honor, Shame, and the Gospel: Reframing Our Message and Ministry (Littleton, CO: William Carey Publishing, 2020), 3.

Toxic shame has its own neurobiology. The gospel offers a cure.

Book review, Gospel of Jesus, Honor and shame, Shame pathology, Violence

A review of The Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson, MD

Curt Thompson’s The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves (IVP, 2015) addresses the pathology of toxic shame and its cure. Thompson writes as a board-certified psychiatrist and Christian. He is the founder of the Center for Being Known LLC.

Thompson often refers to a field called interpersonal neurobiology or IPNB. Thompson’s 2010 book, Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships (Tyndale, 2010), thoroughly explores the overlap between interpersonal neurobiology and Christian spiritual formation.

The distinguishing feature of The Soul of Shame is that it specifically addresses the neurobiology of shame. Thompson offers a hopeful process of how toxic shame can be cured through thinking biblically, Christian community, Christian disciplines, and therapy.

Thompson describes nine “domains of the mind” based on Daniel Siegel’s The Developing Mind. These nine domains are: 1) Consciousness, 2) Vertical, 3) Horizontal, 4) Memory, 5) Narrative, 6) State, 7) Interpersonal, 8) Temporal, and 9) Transpirational.[1] Thompson offers a brief description of each; he describes how these various domains of the mind must work together in an integrated way for human flourishing. It is fascinating to learn of these dimensions of thinking and the complexity of the human mind.

Thompson describes the inseparable link between mental/emotional health and the biochemistry of the mind:

[T]he mind is as relational as it is embodied. By this I mean that the very emergence of the mind’s capacity to do what it does is crucially dependent on the presence of relationships. From the day we enter the world, our neurons are firing not only out of the depths of genetically influenced patterns but also in response to the myriad of social interactions we sense and perceive when we encounter other people. … In this way, our relational interactions can actually influence our lives at the most basic biological level. Thus, the way our neurological system wires its responses to various emotional experiences is significantly influenced by the relational contexts in which those emotions arise. This means that the “nature versus nurture” boundary is illusory when it comes to the mind.[2]

Dr. Thompson then speaks of the “neurobiological energy” of the mind.

The task of the mind, in terms of what we witness scientifically that it does most effectively (and not from a theological perspective), is to regulate the flow of energy and information. Energy refers to the literal electrochemical communication from neuron to neuron. And information refers to those meaningful perceptions, whether conscious or unconscious, that are coursing through our lives at every moment, that are correlated with that very neurobiological energy.[3]

Then, one of the key points of the book:

Shame has a tendency to disrupt this process of “regulating the flow of energy and information” by effectively disconnecting various functions of the mind from one another, leaving each domain of the mind cut off from one another as we feel ourselves to be disconnected from other people.[4]

In other words, there is a biological correspondence between toxic shame and the brain. When we speak of shame, brokenness, rejection, exclusion, “the fear of disconnection,” the science of interpersonal neurobiology or IPNB shows that there is an observable pathology of disconnection in the brain.

Bad news and good news

The bad news is that shame is stubborn. Shame is not easily remedied. Through case histories from his practice as a psychiatrist, Thompson gets into the debilitating and largely involuntary nature of toxic shame on the human soul.

In light of the interpersonal neurobiology of shame, we learn that this makes sense. The brain is literally wired by the relative health, unhealth or destructiveness of human relationships and experiences which often go back to childhood. These experiences are foundational, core to our identity as humans. It is difficult to undo the foundation.

But Thompson delivers resounding good news, too. The good news is this: Our brains can literally be rewired by healthy practices. Those practices are biblically informed—Christian fellowship, bearing one another’s burdens, confession of sin, loving and accepting one another in authentic relationships. And yes, vulnerability with mature believers who love and accept you. After a case history describing the healing process of a patient he calls Natalie, Thompson writes: “Her shame required a community to realize the fullness of its healing.” Beautiful.

Healing inside of a Story

Perhaps most important is the belief that we are inside of a story of healing and redemption. This also informs our identity. Hence, Thompson’s emphasis on “retelling the stories we believe about ourselves.” He has two chapters on the significance of story: “The Story of Shame You Are Living” and “Shame and the Biblical Narrative.”

In these chapters, Thompson offers excellent applications of theology and the gospel to the problem of toxic shame. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are inside of a grand narrative—the story of a good and loving God who is working all things together for good (Rom 8:28)—through a good and loving kingdom-community whose central focus is relationship with Jesus Christ.

Thompson describes the healing power of living in God’s Story—engaging in biblical reflection, Christian disciplines, and healthy community. These behaviors starve the ever-present ‘shame monster’ (Thompson calls this our “shame attendant”) of his power—which at the same time keeps our minds healthy and integrated.

Excising shame from the organization

The final chapter of the book, “Renewing Vocational Creativity,” speaks to the mission and calling of believers inside of companies, institutions, and the church. Thompson explores healing for shame at the organizational level. Here’s a quote:

We cannot thrive on our own. In the same way, IPNB suggests that the mind must function as an integrated whole—differentiated functional parts: attention, memory, emotion, attachment—flexibly linked together. We cannot form the soul of our company, church, school or family well if we fail to see them in this light. Shame’s mission is to disintegrate all institutions in the same way it intends to disintegrate individuals, and isolation is no small part of its tactical arsenal.

… There is no “Jesus and me” option. There is only “Jesus and us.”[5]

Commenting on Paul’s analogy about the human body and the health of the church (1 Cor 12:15–23), Thompson helpfully writes:

But beyond our tendency toward judging others, Paul makes an even more extraordinary statement, especially for his time. He suggests that the weaker parts are indispensable, and that the less honorable parts are to be treated with more honor (vv. 22–23). These “weaker” and “less honorable” elements are understood to carry the weight of shame in that culture. They would normally be seen as disposable, contemptible and worthy of abandonment. But quite counterintuitively, as our IPNB models would also reflect, Paul turns the tables on shame, indicating that the body benefits when it’s fit and vital parts turn their attention to the more vulnerable parts, seeking them out to create space for them to contribute “indispensably” to the overall health of the body. To flourish, a mind or a community must turn its attention to where shame is hiding in order to create space for even greater growth, even in the way Jesus moves from his place in heaven to join us (Philippians 2:5–8).[6]

I find this compelling. Not only is this needful for the organizations and local churches in which we serve. This is vital for cross-cultural partnerships and collaborative efforts that are now widespread in the world Christian movement.

Finally, below is a listing of the chapters in The Soul of Shame.

  1. Our Problem with Shame
  2. How Shame Targets the Mind
  3. Joy, Shame and the Brain
  4. The Story of Shame You Are Living
  5. Shame and the Biblical Narrative
  6. Shame’s Remedy: Vulnerability
  7. Our Healing Cloud of Witnesses
  8. Redeeming Shame in Our Nurturing Communities
  9. Renewing Vocational Creativity

Curt Thompson has given us a wonderful resource on the healing of shame. He integrates recent advances in brain science—with evangelical Christian theology and practice. I found The Soul of Shame insightful, encouraging, and practical.

Videos: You can watch Curt Thompson teaching his material on several videos. Click here for a selection.

FOOTNOTES
1. Curt Thompson, The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2015), 42–44.

2. Ibid., 40.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid., 173–4.

6. Ibid., 175.

New book, “Why Honor Matters” by Tamler Sommers, challenges Western views about honor cultures

Book review, Honor and shame, Violence

The new book by Tamler Sommers, Why Honor Matters, offers a much-needed corrective to Western views of honor cultures.

Sommers is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Houston. But this is not a book of abstract philosophical musings. This is deeply practical and relevant to  modern life.

He says that unlike honor cultures, we are too risk-averse in America. This affects us—from an obsession with bicycle helmets … to irrational fears about the refugee crisis … to America’s criminal justice system.

Designed as a “trade book”, Why Honor Matters is highly accesible. It is handsome, not big and not too long—just 215 easy-to-read pages (before you get to the back-of-the book material). Despite the compact size, Why Honor Matters is weighty. It impacted me a lot.

Some of the literature over the past few decades about honor-shame has been critical of honor-shame cultures—pointing to honor killings and honor-based violence as so-called conclusive proof that our modern world should transcend cultures based on honor and shame.

Sommers challenges this view.

Sommers clearly acknowledges that honor-based violence is sometimes dehumanizing and evil. But having researched the differences between “honor cultures” and what he terms “dignity cultures,”  Sommers unmasks a Western liberal bias, and includes a fascinating assessment. Honor-based cultures and communities are, overall, much more skilled than Western “dignity cultures” at conflict resolution and restorative justice. Sommers writes:

Although honor cultures are more famous for their bloody feuds, the fact is that feuds are costly and people want to avoid them as long as they can maintain their honor and self-respect. With such high stakes, honor groups acquire tremendous skills and techniques for mediation, for discovering nonviolent ways for all parties to save face and restore their honor. Revenge is one form of restorative justice but not the preferred one, by any means. (p. 173)

I first heard about Tamler Sommers and his book Why Honor Matters on the Sam Harris “Waking Up” podcast. The podcast is titled “In Defense of Honor.”

It is fascinating to listen to Sam Harris discussing honor-shame with Tamler Sommers. Note—there is a little bit of swearing on the podcast, and the conversation gets bogged down in a couple of places where they lost me due to the  philosophically dense points being made. But overall, I found the conversation enlightening and interesting.

Why Honor Matters explores the downside and upside of honor cultures. Sommers offers real-life examples of communities that have strong honor codes. He explains why we need more of that in our world today, not less. He looks at a range of examples. From the major league baseball team … to the Navy Seals … to the hockey team honor code … and the Korean collectivistic society … to gangs … to the family unity in which everyone sticks up for one another … Sommers examines the honor values that characterize these groups and enable them to survive. He makes a compelling case for a return to honor values—with constraints.

Tamler Sommers spends the last couple chapters examining the difference between “retributive justice” and “restorative justice.” Retributive justice is the default in America, and Sommers critiques the ways that our criminal justice system tends to dehumanize both the criminal as well as the victim of crime. Sommers is an eloquent advocate for restorative justice, and as such is a “victims-rights advocate.” Taking into account the suffering and costs incurred by the victim (as well as their wishes) is one of the great benefits of restorative justice.

Unlike many of books I have read about honor-shame, this is not a Christian book. Obviously, it would not focus on issues of Christian mission. However, this book contributes much to the conversation about the deeply human and practical considerations about honor and shame in the world in which we live—especially concerning issues of violence. I therefore find Why Honor Matters a valuable contribution to the conversation about honor and shame in cross-cultural ministry.

Perhaps the most significant contribution is that Tamler Sommers, with his academic and cultural authority as an associate professor of philosophy at an American university, is calling his readers to reconsider and reintegrate honor-shame values into our modern world. He does so in a nuanced, carefully reasoned, readable manner using vivid examples and stories. I highly recommend Why Honor Matters.

Book review: Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures

Book review, Honor and shame

Jayson Georges and Mark Baker have co-authored an outstanding book: Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures: Biblical Foundations and Practical Essentials (IVP, 2016). The book is equally valuable theologically and missiologically.

Following a helpful introduction on how the volume is structured, the book has three sections. Part one is Cultural Anthropology (34 pages). Part two is Biblical Theology (50 pages). Part three is Practical Ministry (100 pages).

Scholarly and practical

The authors are both scholars and seasoned practitioners. Theological insights are blended beautifully with numerous personal stories from the authors’ service in honor-shame cultures. Mark Baker (PhD, Duke) is Professor of Mission and Theology at Fresno Pacific University. Jayson Georges (MDiv, Talbot) is the founding editor and primary blogger of HonorShame.com. The cross-cultural ministry stories from Georges come primarily from living with his family in Central Asia as missionaries; for Baker, his cross-cultural ministry context is Central America. I found the balance of the theological and the practical to be beautiful, powerful, even arresting at times.

For pastors and teachers

The numerous theological insights of Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures means that it is not just for people ministering in honor-shame cultures. Rather, this is a book that gives so many insights into Scripture, every pastor and teacher of the Word of God would benefit.

The section Biblical Theology is broken into two chapters—“Old Testament” and “Jesus”. The section opens with this compelling paragraph (p. 67):

People long for honor, and God acts to honor all peoples. As much as humans obsess about honor, God cares even more about human honor. A key feature of God’s mission is to restore status to the human family. From Genesis to Revelation, God honors his people. To only view the concept of honor-shame as an exegetical tool for reading biblical texts misses the forest for the trees. Honor and shame are foundational realities in God’s mission and salvation that flow through the entire Bible. By honoring his people, God himself reaps glory as the source of true honor. Ultimately, the story of the Bible is about God’s honor and God’s face, not just ours.

The chapter on Old Testament examines a variety of passages to highlight their honor-shame dynamics. The first part is on The Fall—the degree to which shame is integral to sin, both as a cause and an effect. This is foundational. The remedy for sin must be understood as more than a remedy for guilt. Baker and Georges show how the writers of Scripture reveal that salvation is both a return to innocence from guilt through forgiveness—and also a progressive reality of status reversal from shame to honor before God. Using numerous Scripture references and helpful diagrams, the presentation is both clear and conclusive.

The chapter on Jesus deals with several key features of his life and ministry through the lens of honor-shame. The chapter covers Jesus’ honorable life and teachings:

  • Jesus redefines honor in the Sermon on the Mount.
  • Jesus touches the shameful and unclean, saving and healing them, lifting them out of their isolation and shame.
  • Through the Prodigal Son story—Jesus reveals God as a father who longs to cover the shame and restore the honor of his shameful sons.
  • Jesus conquers sin and shame through the ignominious Cross followed by his resurrection.

Again, Baker and Georges are clear and convincing in exegeting the text to reveal a myriad of honor-shame realties and theological implications.

For cross-cultural workers and educators

The largest section of the book (100 pages) is Practical Ministry. The six chapters are: Spirituality, Relationships, Evangelism, Conversion, Ethics, and Community. Although this section has the most stories from the authors’ cross-cultural ministry experiences, Scripture is woven all throughout these chapters. In a sense, the theology-teaching value of this section is simply amplified by the practical stories.

One of my favorite chapters in this section is Ethics. I so appreciate this sentence: “A leader with Honor is not seduced by honor” (p. 208). Many Christian leaders are leery of learning about honor-shame in Scripture and ministry because they believe it will lead to ethical compromise. Baker and Georges show that the opposite is true. When Christians embrace Jesus’ new honor code, they are able to live ethically superior lives. As loyal followers of Jesus, filled with God’s honor in Christ, they become servant leaders who are able to absorb shame, suffer persecution, and live out of an honor surplus which comes from knowing our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every cross-cultural worker—every cross-cultural ministry educator or trainer—will be well served by using and applying this outstanding book.

Around the world—and across the street

Missionaries, cross-cultural workers, and intercultural studies educators-trainers will find this book helpful. It’s a book plainly addressed for Christians doing ministry “over there”.

But with our cities and neighborhoods becoming more and more multicultural, isn’t the audience for this book far, far broader? There are vast cross-cultural ministry opportunities locally—among international students, immigrants working alongside us in business, refugees, and unreached peoples—most of whom are from honor-shame cultures. In this challenging, even perplexing, local context—how can Christians more wisely engage in the Great Commission? In Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures, Baker and Georges have provided outstanding theological and practical guidance; I give it my highest recommendation.

NOTE: Learn about the Honor-Shame Conference, June 19–21, 2017 at Wheaton College. Our theme is “Honor, Shame, & the Gospel: Reframing Our Message for 21st-Century Ministry”.

Book review: The 3D Gospel—Ministry in Fear, Shame, and Guilt Cultures

Book review, Contextualization, Evangelism, Global Christian mission, Gospel of Jesus
3D-Gospel-Mock-up-784x1024
Let’s begin with an excerpt:

Western Christianity emphasizes the facet of biblical salvation most meaningful in its cultural context. Historically, two significant voices behind Western theology,
Augustine of Hippo (b. 354) and Martin Luther (b. 1483), were both plagued with an internal sense of God’s wrath toward their transgressions. So their writings explore how God forgives and acquits guilty sinners. While theology from Western contexts
addresses guilt and innocence, people in most Majority World cultures desire honor to cover shame and power to mitigate fear. … Despite the prominence of shame-honor and fear-power dynamics in global cultures, they remain conspicuous blind spots in most Christian theology. (p. 13–14)

These blind spots in Western theology are conspicuous, indeed. It is true not only with regard to global cultures, but also with regard to Scripture itself. This is where The 3D Gospel succeeds. In a brief volume (it’s also well-documented!), Georges exposes these blind spots and the reader becomes aware of how Scripture and the gospel address all three cultural paradigms—innocence/guilt, honor/shame, and power/fear.

Here’s what I like about The 3D Gospel, by Jayson Georges

1) The 3D Gospel is concise. It took me about two hours to read. It is simple but not simplistic; it‘s easy-to-read yet biblically rich and solid.

2) It explains culture differences simply. The explanations of various culture values—guilt/innocence, shame/honor, and fear/power—are clear and helpful.

3) It builds on the legal framework for the gospel. The book shows how the guilt/innocence (or legal) framework for the gospel is biblically true—but not the only gospel framework. The gospel is more multifaceted that we normally realize.

4) It’s well organized. The excellent comparisons charts and lists help clarify the way guilt/innocence, shame/honor, and fear/power presentations may be developed from the Bible—so that the gospel may better resonate with various cultures.

5) It magnifies the Word of God. The 3D Gospel makes the reader think, Wow, now I understand better how the Bible speaks so powerfully to all cultures!

The 3D Gospel offers material which every short-term mission trip goer, every long-term missionary, every Christian worker, will find immediately useful.

And in light of the rapidly increasing cultural diversity of our own cities and communities in North America, I also hope this book will be read by many, many pastors. The preaching of the gospel in North America would be greatly enriched if pastors would receive the insights of The 3D Gospel.

Another excerpt from The 3D Gospel …

The 3D Gospel in Ephesians

Paul wrote the book of Ephesians to explain “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (3:8), which involves each of these three components of salvation (italics added below).

Guilt-Innocence—“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (1:7a). God “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (2:5).

Shame-Honor—“In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ” (1:5). “You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (2:19, cf. 2:12-13).

Fear-Power—“That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at this right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion” (1:19-21).
“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (6:10-11).[1]

The 3D Gospel has much value, because we Western evangelicals tend to have unnecessary rigidity in the way we understand and articulate the gospel. We often fail to realize that our own theological perspectives are not culturally neutral.

One minor critique

I deeply appreciate The 3D Gospel. I also have one critique: The author of The 3D Gospel does not reveal the overlap in Scripture between honor/shame and power/fear.

Consider the above-quoted passage, Ephesians 1:19–21. Georges rightly indicates that this verse addresses the concerns of power/fear cultures, categorizing this as a ‘power/fear verse’.

But he makes no mention of the fact that when Christ was raised from the dead and seated at God’s “right hand”, this is also an expression of honor/shame. The phrase “seated him at his right hand” is a striking example of the honor/shame dynamic of “body language”.[2]

When Apostle Paul wrote these verses in Ephesians he referred to Psalm 110:1—“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” This is a reference to the power and the honor of the coming Messiah-King. Moreover, the phrase, “I make your enemies your footstool” is also an expression of the shaming of God’s enemies. This “footstool” idea is reflected in Ephesians 1:22, which contains the phrase, “he put all things under his feet” (cf. Ps 8:6). In the Ancient Near East and Roman Empire, honor and power were significantly synonymous.

I believe, therefore, that Ephesians 1:19–22 speaks just as much about the honor of the King, as it speaks of his power.

Of course, this kind of nuance requires more words. And the author intended The 3D Gospel to be an easy enriching read; in this regard, Georges succeeds admirably. So perhaps my critique is a bit unfair.

Like a diamond, The 3D Gospel is a treasure

Jayson Georges has made a valuable contribution to the discussion in the Christian world concerning the gospel. The 3D Gospel is an elegant introduction for those who want to understand basic cultural differences in our world while also exploring biblically faithful—and multifaceted—ways to understand and communicate the gospel.

We can and must build on the Western innocence/guilt framework of the gospel to include the Bible’s own emphasis on honor/shame and power/fear. Jayson Georges’ The 3D Gospel helps show the way.

Click here to learn how to get single copies or bulk orders of The 3D Gospel.

1.  Jayson Georges, The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame, and Fear Cultures, 2014, p. 12.

2. For more on the honor/shame dynamic of “body language” and the extensive use of the honorific words “right hand” in the NT, see chapter 1.6 in The Global Gospel, pages 118–121.

Is the gospel more relevant than we ever imagined?

Book review, Honor and shame
Wu One Gospel book coverBook review: One Gospel for All Nations: A Practical Approach to Biblical Contextualization, by Jackson Wu

Early on in his book, Jackson Wu asks, “Are we biblically faithful if our gospel message is not culturally meaningful?” This sets the tone for the entire book in three ways.

Relentlessly pointing to Scripture

First, Wu constantly refers back to the Bible and the overall testimony of Scripture as the foundation for how we understand the gospel of Jesus Christ; this challenges common evangelical assumptions which reduce the gospel to a series of propositions.

Relatedly, Wu challenges the commonly understood idea that systematic theology is the apex of theology and Christian scholarship; he calls the reader to re-examine the primacy of “biblical theology” (and its more narrative emphasis) over and against systematic theology (and its more propositional emphasis). One result of this is that the gospel is understood more in the light of the Old Testament narrative, and as more than a series of propositions. He proves this from multiple Scripture passages which contain the words “gospel” / “good news”.

Proposing a process for contextualization

Second, Wu offers a practical alternative to contextualization by proposing a systematic process; this is enormously important. Wu shows that contextualization is not simply an add-on for cross-cultural workers. No, contextualization actually begins with interpretation. I believe Wu’s approach may represent a paradigm-shift for the way most Christians and pastors think about theology and the gospel. Wu demonstrates conclusively—the way we think and do theology is unwittingly influenced by our own cultural values. And the fact that this has largely gone unexamined in the world Christian movement implies an urgent need—both to be faithful to Scripture, and to share the gospel in a way that is truly relevant to the host culture.

Note: Regarding Wu’s proposed contextualization process, I agree with Wu that his approach is practical. This does not, however, make it easy, and he says as much. The book includes diagrams and charts which help to make this contextualization process clear. But I think this material is truly innovative, and thus, difficult to follow at times. I want to reread these chapters in order for this to better sink in. Wu suggests that the process be applied in a theological or missional cross-cultural community of believers. Sounds good. But let’s also realize how unusual and difficult this is. This is where the book seems to point the reader to a standard of theological or missiological practice which seems extremely difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, Wu points us in the right direction and for this he is to be commended.

Articulating the gospel for Chinese culture

Third, Wu demonstrates how to meaningfully articulate the gospel for the Chinese cultural context. He uses the honor/shame dynamics common to Scripture and East Asian societies. Wu lovingly and carefully shows how the gospel can beautifully relate to the Chinese context. What is the impact on the reader? I was left with a strange thought: Wu’s contextualization of the gospel for the Chinese culture is actually more closely aligned with the overall testimony of Scripture than any presentation of the gospel I have ever seen before. It is a strange thought, contrary to my Western Christian sensibilities. But it makes sense in light of the fact that the Bible is an Eastern book rooted in the honor/shame cultural values of the Ancient Near East.

Moreover, this gospel-for-the-Chinese context also carries with it additional gravitas for Christians everywhere. Why? Because about 80% of the world’s people are collectivistic (like the Chinese context) rather than individualistic (as in the Western context). Therefore, anyone doing ministry among the collectivistic peoples of the Majority World has much to gain from Wu’s perspective.

Humility and hope

I was left with two impressions—humility and hope. This book challenges many evangelical assumptions about doing theology, presenting the gospel, and preparing for cross-cultural ministry. It has the effect of humbling the reader. “God help us! We have so far to go!”

But I also felt a strong hope. How exciting it is to ponder the fact that the Bible’s own honor/shame dynamics are closely aligned with the world’s least-evangelized peoples and populations. This book puts fuel on the fire of the global church to continue her work of blessing the nations through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One Gospel for All Nations by Jackson Wu shows how the gospel we present can both be more faithful to Scripture and more relevant—perhaps more relevant than we ever imagined.