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    Missiological Triage: A Framework for Integrating Theology and Social Sciences in Missiological Methods
    Missiological Triage: A Framework for Integrating Theology and Social Sciences in Missiological Methods
    Missiological Triage: A Framework for Integrating Theology and Social Sciences in Missiological Methods
    Ebook336 pages2 hours

    Missiological Triage: A Framework for Integrating Theology and Social Sciences in Missiological Methods

    By Sarah Lunsford

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    Most of what we do in missions can be categorized as our missiological methods. As important as our mission methods are, we usually look to the social sciences to guide us, as we seek to find effective and reproducible methods for sharing the gospel and planting churches cross-culturally. The lack of theological reflection on our missiological methods bears consequences. We tend to look to Scripture and theology for our missiological purpose and goals, but we often struggle to know how theology speaks to the social sciences or to our pragmatic methods. The social sciences have contributed to undeniable advances in our methodologies. At the same time, we want our methods to be anchored in our theology and the fruit of our missional efforts to be theologically healthy. Missiological Triage provides a solid foundation for a holistic integration of theology, missiology, and the social sciences, and offers practical steps for applying the social sciences to our mission methods in a theologically faithful manner. Professors and students of missiology, mission leaders, and missionary practitioners will benefit from this framework for theologically analyzing the social sciences in our missiological methods.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPickwick Publications
    Release dateOct 6, 2023
    ISBN9781666759358
    Missiological Triage: A Framework for Integrating Theology and Social Sciences in Missiological Methods
    Author

    Sarah Lunsford

    Sarah Lunsford has been an instructor of global studies for Liberty University Online since 2010. She studied at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (MA, MDiv, ThM) and at Columbia International University (PhD) and served as an international church planter with the IMB. Sarah and her four children (Abigail, Elysa, Zachary, and Emilia) live in the metro-Atlanta area.

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      Book preview

      Missiological Triage - Sarah Lunsford

      Introduction

      Methods bear consequences. Mission methods bear theological consequences. The evangelistic methods we use influence the type of converts that result as well as the soteriology of those converts. The discipleship methods we use influence the health of our disciples, and our church planting methods influence the overall health and ecclesiology of the reproducing churches we plant. If we want to produce theologically good fruits, we need to use theologically sound methods in our missiology. Since our missiological methods today rely heavily on the social sciences in general, and cultural anthropology in particular, the field of missiology needs to focus on the theological implications of our social-science-driven methodologies.

      Missions today draws from insights in the social sciences, especially cultural anthropology—and rightly so. The task of indigenization and contextualization requires a solid grasp on the worldview, religious beliefs, traditions, and cultural norms of each people group. The problem is twofold. First, cultural anthropology holds certain foundational presuppositions that are contrary to a biblical worldview. Second, anthropology can only describe what is in a particular culture but cannot give answers to the deep level why it is, nor can it project how cultural elements will change as a result of the transformative power of the gospel. When mission methods apply insights from the social sciences, they unwittingly adopt many of the presuppositions inherent to the social sciences and perpetuate methods that do not leave room for a people group to grow into the image of Christ over time.

      A high percentage of the world’s missionaries today are not seminary trained theologians, and even those with a strong background in basic systematic theology struggle to properly analyze their missiological methods. Mission training today (indeed, a lot of seminary education) still bears the marks of the Kantian divide between the transcendent and the material, which Hiebert refers to as the flaw of the excluded middle.⁷ That is to say, missionaries are used to thinking theologically about spiritual topics but isolate scientific and pragmatic topics in a completely separate sphere of thought. Many missionaries have never considered that a social science theory might need to be considered theologically, and the remaining few missionaries who want to be theologically conscious are at a loss for how to think theologically about a non-theological discipline. Rather, missionaries focus on their passion for the kingdom of God and are eager to grab and use whatever tools come in hand. Most of them have little concept of how their tool of choice might influence the long-term health of their harvest.

      The field of missiology at large recognizes that there are some areas of conflict between the social sciences and theology/missiology, and some missiologists have written about possible ways to think theologically about the social sciences and their missiological implications. In Missiological Triage, we will draw from various disciplines within theological studies, including missiology, to compile a more thorough framework for theological analysis of social sciences in our missiological methods.

      The overall question Missiological Triage seeks to answer is: How can missionaries theologically analyze social science theories for application in their missiological methods? In answering this primary question, a few sub-questions will also be addressed: First, where have our missiological methods gone wrong in their application of social sciences, and why? Second, what contributed to the bifurcation between science and theology, and what approach should we take towards integrating them? Third, what points must be considered towards a practical framework for analyzing and integrating the social sciences into missiological methods? And fourth, how can an analysis of the Homogenous Unit Principle of the church growth movement serve as an example for how to employ the proposed framework in the theological analysis of one social science theory applied as a missiological method?

      The heart of Missiological Triage is chapter 3, which presents a framework for theologically analyzing the social sciences towards missiological application. This analytical framework will benefit missiologists as they evaluate new social science studies and as they suggest new methods based on those studies. Missiologists will improve their ability to teach and equip future and existing missionaries to theologically consider their social science tools and the methods they use so that they can ultimately plant healthier churches. Missionaries in general will benefit from a practical training in how to consider their scientific source material and the methods they use.

      Before I can offer this integrative framework, however, I need to lay the foundation. Chapter 1 demonstrates that our missiological methods are too far removed from the theological nature of missiology, and that our unanalyzed application of social sciences plays a big role in this gap. A historical review of the integration of anthropology in our methodologies will uncover the influence of the social sciences upon our missiological methods. I will argue that Enlightenment philosophies such as positivism and empiricism, inherent to anthropology, influenced mission methods towards a stratified perspective that separates theological considerations from practical social-science-based applications. Many missiologists have published their warnings about a theologically unanalyzed reliance on social sciences, but missionaries in general do not know how to theologically integrate a non-theological discipline like the social sciences in their methodological applications. To demonstrate the theological weaknesses in our social-science-driven methodologies, I will present some missiological critiques of the social sciences in general and of the Church Growth Movement’s use of the social sciences. While some of the presuppositions inherent to anthropology conflict with a biblical worldview, this chapter will argue that anthropology and missiology are not mutually exclusive but can and should be integrated into a holistic theology under a biblical worldview through transformative dialogue.

      The confusion about how to theologically consider a social science theory and its missiological application leads us to chapter 2. In this chapter, I begin with the case for integration, including how the social sciences need theology to explain the universal characteristics of humanity, and how theology relies on the social sciences in the cultural hermeneutics aspect of contextualization. Then, I lay a foundation for how to integrate theology and the social sciences with our missiological methods. The chapter describes three bases upon which to integrate social sciences with theology and its missiological task. (1) The philosophical basis for integration presents Paul Hiebert’s argument for critical realism. Contrary to the philosophical relativism inherent to many social science presuppositions, Hiebert argues that truth can be known across barriers and that different ideologies can communicate with one another as they both describe a real and objective world. (2) The biblical basis for integration suggests that the social sciences fall under the category of general revelation and, as such, can present insights into the nature of man, society, and culture. That said, general revelation is subject to the correction and completion offered through special revelation. Key theological doctrines ground social science concepts (example: biblical anthropology sets the standard for interacting with cultural anthropology). (3) The third basis for integration is an ethical one based on the principle of natural law, as taught by Augustine and Aquinas. Natural law guides discussions between theology and the social sciences about the presuppositions fueling the social science theory, about what is in a given fallen society versus what ought to be in a redeemed people, and about whether a particular social science theory ought to be applied missiologically and in what manner.

      Having demonstrated that unanalyzed application of social science theories leads to theologically weak missiological methods and having laid a foundation for integration, we can turn to the central concept of this book—chapter 3 and its framework for integrating theology and social science theories in our missiological methods. The framework asks a social science theory a series of questions based on various theological principles. The first question asks (1) Is the theory validated? Is it accepted within its own field of discipline, and is it supported by history and/or case studies? This approach comes largely from Paul Hiebert’s critical realism. (2) Is there a conflict with the social science in its presuppositions or findings that conflicts with a biblical worldview? This question draws from Moreland and Craig in their method for analyzing conflict between science and theology. (3) If there is a conflict, can the theory be adjusted, edited, or corrected to fit a biblical worldview without dissolving the theory’s integrity? This question draws from methods of missiological adaptation of indigenous cultural and religious beliefs and practices in theologically appropriate ways. (4) If the conflict is inherent to the theory and cannot be adapted, how significant is the level of conflict? How will a methodological application of this social science theory influence the way an indigenous church will practice evangelism, discipleship, leadership training, and church planting? How might it influence their local theology? Will the anticipated outcome of the method result in a theologically faithful biblical anthropology, ecclesiology, soteriology, etc.? Does it conflict with an issue of Christian orthodoxy, with a particular denominational doctrine, or with the spiritual qualms that may vary from missionary to missionary? Principles of theological triage, originally conceived by Al Mohler and fleshed out by Rhyne Putman, will be applied in this level of analysis. (5) Based on the relative seriousness of the doctrine in conflict, can the theory be applied at a corresponding level of significance in our missiological methods? For example, if the theory presents a conflict related to a particular denominational principle, can it be applied at the level of evangelism but not at the level of church leadership training? The International Mission Board’s approach to interdenominational partnership on the mission field serves as inspiration for this question. Finally, (6) no matter how the social science filters through the framework, the last ethical question, based on natural law, asks whether it ought to be applied.

      Altogether, this book will attempt to provide one possible bridge to help missionaries connect their missiological theology with their social-science-driven methodology. Chapter 1 demonstrates the nature of the gap between our theology and methodology. Chapter 2 lays some foundation rails for a bridge towards theologically healthy integration, and Chapter 3 presents some cross ties for a missionary to follow step-by-step in their process from a social science theory to its missiological application. The below illustration can demonstrate the bridge Missiological Triage attempts to provide:

      A Theological Framework to Bridge the Gap between Theological Foundations and Missiological Applications

      Having presented the rails and cross ties for a bridge that can integrate theology, missiology, and the social sciences, chapter 4 will go on to demonstrate how the suggested framework of questions can help missiology in its analysis and theological integration of a social science theory. Returning to the Church Growth Movement, as critiqued in chapter 1, this chapter will interact with the homogenous unit principle by walking it across the theological framework presented in chapter 3. I will conclude that analyzing a social science theory such as the HUP through this theological framework can help to identify potential problems with its application and can help to guide the missiologist in how and when to include the theory in their missiological methods.

      Finally, the conclusion asks missiologists and scholars to serve missionaries well by offering theological reviews and critiques of various social science theories and by suggesting possible healthy versus unhealthy ways of applying those theories. It calls for seminary professors and missionary educators to teach future church leaders how to think theologically about social science theories and their missiological applications. It calls for further study and dialogue towards ever-improving guidelines in analyzing social science theories for missiological methods.

      7

      . Hiebert, Anthropological Insights,

      25

      .

      1

      The Gap between Theology and Mission Methods

      William Carey, the father of modern missions, brought a studied, scientific approach to the missiological task. By researching indigenous cultures, translating the good news into various languages, and adopting as many local practices as possible, Carey paved the way for a new era in missiological methods. About 175 years later, Donald McGavran launched the Church Growth Movement, encouraging a similarly scientific approach to missiological methods with heavy reliance on the social sciences. Following the pattern of these great men, modern missionaries have eagerly found missiological applications for numerous social science theories. For the most part, the relationship between missiology and the social sciences has been a fruitful one. Much of the phenomenal spread of Christianity in this century can be related in part to the application of social sciences. Because this relationship has brought so much growth to the kingdom, many missiologists have continued their uncritical application of social science findings, as though church growth is validation enough for their use. However, the missionary task cannot be justified so pragmatically. Many missiologists are crying out against uncritical usage of the social sciences and exhort missionaries to take a more theological approach.¹

      Missiological methods today have drifted from their theological identity, in large part because of their uncritical reliance on social science theories. This chapter will give a brief historical overview of missiological methods and the critiques that have arisen against some aspects of the Church Growth Movement. Some of the philosophical presuppositions behind the social sciences conflict with a biblical worldview, beginning with the removal of spiritual considerations from scientific methods. As a result, missionaries have segregated to one side their missiological methods based on social science theories, and to the other side their missiological theology and overall philosophy of mission. Many missiologists decry the resulting gap between our theology and our methodology. Missiology today needs an integrative model that brings theology to bear at every level of the mission task, particularly in its dialogue with the social sciences.

      Ideally, missiological method flows out of a proper theology of missions. Winston Crawley pictures a missiological pyramid, with a theology of mission at its base.² Theology of missions ought to move upwards to interact with a philosophy of missions to then arrive at some missiological objectives or goals. These goals move upwards into a strategy. Outside circumstantial and contextual considerations work together with mission principles, as well as with the social sciences, to determine a mission strategy. Finally, missiological method emerges as the tactical means to accomplish the strategic mission objectives. Generally, a strategy is the plan one hopes to accomplish, such as planting one church within every ten-mile block of a city, while the method is the tactical means of working that strategy out, such as setting up a community outreach project within each neighborhood as an evangelistic platform.³

      Missiological Pyramid

      Missiological methods tend to function in a few categories. Traditional areas include education, evangelism, agriculture, or medical work. While a list of the thousands of possible methods employed in mission enterprises around the world would be more than tedious, a few of the most popular methods include teaching English as a second language, theological education by extension (TEE), Scripture translation, literature distribution, T4T, and business as mission.

      J. D. Payne describes theology as the firm foundation upon which missiology and then mission methods are built. He argues, methods are necessary, but not foundational. We do not begin to think about our missionary task by asking, ‘What works?’ or ‘How do we . . . ?’ Rather, we begin with a biblical and theological foundation. It is out of this bedrock that our missiology flows, and from there our methods are formulated and applied to the field.⁴

      While missiological method is meant to build upon its theological foundation, Dayton and Fraser define methods as humanly devised tools and procedures with an associated pattern of action and organization aimed at producing given results and changes in the world. . . . Thus, they are relative, not absolute.⁵ Winston Crawley contends, Strategy and mission, therefore, are not topics with which the Bible deals specifically . . . I do not see the Bible as a handbook of methodology.⁶ In these statements, the fracture between theology and missiological method begins to appear. An overview of missiological method and its historical development might lend insight into how strategy and methodology have drifted away from a theological base.

      Historical Integration of Anthropology and Mission Methodology

      According to Gailyn Van Rheenan, some of the most common types of mission strategy include: (1) a standard solution strategy which uses a single strategy regardless of situation or context, (2) a being-in-the-way strategy which advocates reliance upon God to the exclusion of any kind of planning or training, (3) a plan-so-far strategy which focuses on the initiation of a strategy without consideration of its outcome, and (4) a unique-solution strategy which focuses on contextualization and creating unique solutions for each unique situation.⁷ While the field of missiology at large currently focuses on the unique solution strategy, cognizant of the importance of contextualization, the subcategory of missiological methods remains mostly in the plan-so-far strategy, as far as the lack of theological consideration of the theological outcomes a given strategy will produce.

      Early Missiological Methods

      The early church was extremely fruitful through preaching, church planting, and later, through geographical expansion under Constantine. Early church methodology, however, appears to some historians to have been unorganized and lacking in general strategy. Most of the work involved in the spread of Christianity through the Roman Empire was done by the average Christian who took his faith with him, no matter the reason for his travels. The apostles were able to operate in a situation of geopolitical homogeneity, but by the third century, the professional missionary role and the evangelical sermon had disappeared as a common missiological method.⁸

      In the Middle Ages, mission strategy grew out of the monasticism of an institutional church, one which made heavy use of education and literary resources.⁹ Cyril and Methodios employed a purely linguistic method focusing on the translation of Scriptures,¹⁰ a method which was also very successful for Ulfilas. Columba made use of training schools. Boniface spoke in a language that could be understood by the common men, and he employed confrontational tactics against local gods.¹¹ David Bosch asserts that the missionary influence of the monks was due to their purity, their humble and hardworking lifestyle, their culture and education, and their tenacity and perseverance.¹²

      Gregory the Great had a clearly stated missionary strategy—by preaching, not by force.¹³ On the other hand, Olaf believed that conversion should be by force and fraud, if other methods failed.¹⁴ It is not difficult to imagine how the Crusades might have gained acceptance as a missiological method, based on this kind of rationale.

      In the early parts of the second millennium, new techniques in evangelism by preaching were inspired by Dominic,¹⁵ while Francis developed evangelistic techniques that made use of example.¹⁶ The Jesuits made great advances into Chinese society by adopting as many Chinese customs and practices as possible, including alliances with government leaders, and through translating Christian terms into their Chinese equivalents.¹⁷

      When the missions mandate returned to the attention of the church around the time of the Reformation, European missionaries were woefully ignorant about other nations and their religions. They tended to employ a method which Van Rheenen calls the being-in-the-way strategy.¹⁸ Peter Hinchliff states,

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