Understanding shame and guilt as a key to cross-cultural Christian ministry : an elenctical study

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to help missionaries and those who train them better understand the differences of conscience orientations between peoples and cultures, and the implications of these differences for cross-cultural Christian ministry. After an introduction, an interdisciplinary literature survey in the second chapter presents material from Scripture, theology, philosophy, psychology, cultural anthropology and missiology, in order to arrive at a working definition of the conscience and an appreciation of the importance of shame and guilt in the functioning of the conscience. In a third chapter on Scripture, shame and guilt are investigated through selected word and concept studies, and through exegetical studies. The fourth and fifth chapters deal with the theoretical and practical implications of conscience orientation for cross-cultural Christian ministry. The sixth chapter evaluates the importance of understanding shame and guilt for cross-cultural Christian ministry and indicates areas of further research. In view of the fallen state of man, the author proposes a soteriological definition of the conscience. The research shows that every definition of conscience must include shame and guilt. Even if the term ,,conscience" does not appear, the conscience is engaged when shame or guilt are present. In the first psychoanalytic model, the differential definition of shame and guilt is either a shortcoming in relation to an ideal or a transgression of a standard. According to the second cognitive model, it is either a global or a specific attribution of failure. These two models are helpful, but have their limitations. The interdisciplinary approach to the conscience has proved fruitful. The study of Scripture has shown that the Bible is not only a guilt-oriented message. God's goal in his redemptive history with man is a balanced shame and guilt-oriented conscience. Shame before God is as appropriate and as frequent as guilt before God. One of the major messages of the Bible is that God is and has to be our significant other. Further research shows that conscience orientation influences both personality and culture. Hypothetical extremes of shame and guilt-oriented personalities and cultures are presented. It is shown that personalities and cultures are always a mixture of both shame and guilt orientation. Theology as a part of culture is also a function of conscience orientation. This concerns all the disciplines: systematic and practical theology, ethics, and exegesis. The conscience orientations of missionary and target people influence all domains of cross-cultural Christian ministry, that is, communication and, contextualization, evangelism, church planting and counselling. The proposed soteriological model is simple enough to be applied by any missionary in his everyday situations. Conscience states can be attributed to the shame-honour or the guilt justice axis. Practical situations are however always a mixture of both. The everyday use of the model can simplify, enrich and promote cross-cultural Christian ministry