Idols

Last week I was reading Isaiah 46:1-7 where God is speaking about the idols of Babylon and how powerless they are.  Along with the passage, I was also reading John N. Oswalt's commentary The Book of Isaiah.  His note on verses 5-7 caught my eye:

...Isaiah is not denying that the deity could be more than the idol.  He is simply saying that once a deity is associated with an idol, then it is impossible for that deity to be genuinely independent of creation.  The continuity with creation defines the deity's identity and forges its limitations.  It cannot be independent from history and cannot, therefore, deliver from history (p. 231).

The Last Supper

Here's a great image that combines both Persian and Thai art styles, by Thai artist Thammasak Aueragsakul, aka *Tigermyuou.  Unfortunately, his English description of the painting is a bit hard to understand, but you can download the image for your desktop (by clicking the image above or here).  His other work consists of both realistic and anime images, all of which is also excellent.  You can also find the artist's email contact on his profile page.

In the painting you can see Judas to the right of Jesus, with money bag in hand (foreshadowing) as he leaves to betray Him.  On the far left is a beautiful peacock, and a horned animal.  In the lower front left are two men carrying a Passover lamb.  The detail in the arches, carpet and clothing is spectacular.

So, do you consider this image an example of the Accomodation/Kernel and Husk method, or the Inculturation/Onion method of visual contextualization (or a combination of both)?

Enjoy!

Elmer Yazzie, Navaho Artist

Elmer Yazzie is a Navaho Christian who has been painting and teaching about art and faith for 35 years.  The son of a reformed minister, he was born on the Navaho reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico, and is a member of the "Where Two Waters Meet" clan.  Yazzie's sixth grade teacher at Rehoboth Christian School recognized his artistic abilities and gave him some art supplies to begin him on his journey as an artist.

Mandana Painting in India

I've been on a bit of a hiatus lately while working on some artwork on a deadline.  So today's post is a bit short, but about an interesting art form nonetheless.

Interview with Contextualizaton Pastor Cody C. Lorance

This week I'm featuring an interview with Cody C. Lorance, the Senior Pastor and Church Planting Leader for Trinity International Baptist Mission, currently serving in the Chicago metro area among immigrant peoples (Chicago Metro Baptist Association).  Cody is an eloquent and enthusiastic supporter of contextualized ministry among nonwestern cultures, and the author of Ethnographic Chicago: Considering College Students And Ethiopian & Tamilian Immigrants Missiologically.  He has a very informative blog, The Ramblings, in which he covers many topics, including contextualization in his ministry and beyond.  I recommend that you check it out.  In the meantime, here is an interview I conducted with Cody via email:

Two Models of Visual Contextualization

I recently came across a new book called That Man Who Came to Us by Sawai Chinnawong and Paul DeNeui.  From the back cover:

That Man Who Came to Us tells the story of the life of Jesus Christ through traditional Thai art. Featuring black and white line drawings inspired by an art form born in northern and central Thailand, That Man tells the story of Christ as fully God, yet fully human. Artist Sawai Chinnawong employs the regions’ popular distinctive artistic style originally used to depict Buddhist moral principles and other religious themes. 

What is God's View of Culture? Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of the series "What is God's View of Culture?".  To prepare for this post, I read a couple of chapters in Paul G. Hiebert's Anthropological Insights for Missionaries, and re-read portions of Gerald R. McDermott's Can Evangelicals Learn From World Religions: Jesus, Revelation and Religious Traditions.  Both are fascinating books, especially McDermott's (he is also the author of God's Rivals: Why Has God Allowed Different Religions?- which is also a great book I've read- and Jonathan Edwards Confronts the Gods: Christian Theology, Enlightenment Religion, and Non-Christian Faiths).  Other helpful resources are One Church, Many Tribes and Culture, Christ, & Kingdom Study Guide, both by Richard Twiss.