faces
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::: adjusting to a new culture has caused me to rethink the way i interpret scripture...cultural incongruity casts fresh light on familiar lines of truth...but not only in the interpretation of scripture, but also in the communication of scripture to people from shinto-buddhistic backgrounds...this has been a welcomed challenge to my limited ways of thinking...
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...i think about the apostle paul, coming from a jewish background and going into different cultural contexts where paganism and pluralism abounded...i find it striking that in ephesians 2:7-8, when discussing his calling to be a minister of the gospel, he clearly states that he was called to "preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ"...because he was confronted with countless paradigms of beliefs and practices, i suspect that the apostle paul found freedom in the unsearchable riches of Christ...freedom to search for new ways to communicate Christ to athenian ears or on the street corners of corinth...
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...given this freedom, what are the japanese "faces" of jesus?...some directions to consider...
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::: adjusting to a new culture has caused me to rethink the way i interpret scripture...cultural incongruity casts fresh light on familiar lines of truth...but not only in the interpretation of scripture, but also in the communication of scripture to people from shinto-buddhistic backgrounds...this has been a welcomed challenge to my limited ways of thinking...
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...i think about the apostle paul, coming from a jewish background and going into different cultural contexts where paganism and pluralism abounded...i find it striking that in ephesians 2:7-8, when discussing his calling to be a minister of the gospel, he clearly states that he was called to "preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ"...because he was confronted with countless paradigms of beliefs and practices, i suspect that the apostle paul found freedom in the unsearchable riches of Christ...freedom to search for new ways to communicate Christ to athenian ears or on the street corners of corinth...
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...given this freedom, what are the japanese "faces" of jesus?...some directions to consider...
- jesus as shrine -- as japan rings in the new year, a vast majority of her people will visit sacred shinto shrines to pray ritualistically for prosperity, protection, and perspicuity...shrines are spatial embodiments of the japanese desire for sacred purity...with jesus, the sacred also suffered, thus embodying -- or incarnating -- God's way of blessing and protection...this face of jesus can present the temple christology of the gospel of john and the temple framework of hebrews...
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- jesus as monk -- along with shrines, japanese people will visit buddhist temples...the primary goal of buddha's eightfold path is nothingness...monks model this journey toward self-emptiness through a life of abstinence and discipline...jesus also modeled this journey on earth...this face of jesus can present the truth of jesus as one who emptied himself not for self-salvation but for redemption of all creation (philippians 2:7)
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- jesus as honorable first son -- imported from confucianism, filial piety is a treasured virtue that still governs many relational dynamics in the home and society at large...this face of jesus can present jesus' obedience to God the father, his ability to bring family harmony, and role as the firstborn son who secures the family inheritance for all who believe, past present and future (romans 8:29)
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- jesus as rest -- seeking rest from daily toils, work stress, external fears, and environmental crisis propels many to practice the rituals of japanese spirituality...jesus answers the fundamental human quest for a lasting rest rooted in eternal (not earthly) significance...this face of jesus can present God's practice of rest on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2), God's desire to set creation free from its bondage to decay (rom. 8:21) and his overarching promise to give us lasting, fulfilling rest in christ (hebrews 4)
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- jesus as host -- our japanese friends have taught us the high value of hospitality...we're continually amazed at the level of hospitality displayed in all facets of society...being invited into someone's home and treated as a guest is a great honor...being invited into a social circle and treated as a member carries the same honor...this face of jesus can present jesus as the one in and through whom God invites us into His circle and treats us with honor and inspires us to treat others with honor (revelation 3:20)
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...realizing that my thoughts are undercooked, i'd love to raise the heat with any of you on any of these points...please feel free to comment to this post or write me at ryuminations@yahoo.com :::
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posted by B & C at
7:46 PM
1 Comments:
some great thoughts here, bobby. i wish i could have a sit down conversation with you on some of these things. i was especially intrigued by Jesus as Shrine, esp. in light of temple Christology. Jesus as honorable first son brings out some interesting gospel nuances, especially in the culture. Jesus as host seems to touch on some positive imputation stuff (at least at first glance). great stuff, bro! Jordyn thinks you should write a book!
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