New Honor-Shame Video Lecture Series with Dr David deSilva

Two of my favourite books on the topic of honour and shame are written by Dr David deSilva:

Honor, Patronage, Kinship and Purity

and
The Hope of Glory

Now he has just made available a multi-part video lecture series on "The Cultural World of the New Testament" - all about honour and shame.  Great stuff indeed!!

And if you are anywhere near Chicago in June 19-21, 2017, he will be a Plenary speaker at the inaugural HonorShame conference.

Lecture 1

Lecture 2

Lecture 3

Lecture 4

Lecture 5

Lecture 6

Lecture 7

Lecture 8

Honour and Shame - are they only non-Western ideas?

As we talk about the need for awareness of honour and shame in the context of cross-cultural missions, it might seem like a 'them and us' scenario.  

And it is true there are 'opposite ends of the spectrum' differences.

However, its not simply a 'them and us' situation. What God's word says about honour and shame speaks to everyone.

Honour and Shame are part of every human being.

But on this earth with various cultures and histories….

Their balance in relationship to Innocence and Guilt can vary.

- some cultures and groups and eras can have greater emphasis on one more than the other

The intensity can vary.

- the importance and priority of honour/shame in one group can be higher than another

The expression can be varied.

- what is considered as honourable and shameful, and what makes a person guilty or innocent can differ from one place or era to another and one group to another

- and in relation to honour/shame sometimes it can take an 'achieved' form and sometimes an 'ascribed' form or more likely various combinations of both

- culturally acceptable responses to honour and shame can also vary

Other places on this blog have already talked about how the West is becoming more 'shame' oriented.

But we also should be aware that we can be blind to the areas in which honour/shame has functioned and continues to function in the West and how relevant what God's Word says on the matter may be to us too. We may not focus on it, and it may not overtly dominate society, but it is present none-the-less.

• Do you ever remember saying at school "we won the game/match" - when you were not part of the team but you were part of the school that the team represented?  You shared in the honour of the win. On a greater scale, when countries compete at international tournaments or the Olympics, there is lots of "we won" being said by people sitting at home in their living rooms in front of a TV.  We once had a South African Pastor and as Australians we often arrived at church for him to tell us something like "we thrashed you", or "you thrashed us" after an international cricket match or rugby final between our two nations.  Neither of us were even in our own country let alone at the game or part of the team, but there was an assumption of honour/shame by association of group identity.

• Have you ever seen an 'honour roll' board at a school or sporting club or had your name put on one?

• As the Secular West tried to eliminate spanking children but still acknowledged there had to be some kind of discipine for wrong/bad/unacceptable behaviour, the 'naughty corner' or 'naughty chair' was promoted where a child was removed from the 'fellowship' or 'approval' or 'acceptance' as part of the group (family group or preschool class or whatever) and made to feel 'left out', 'shamed', 'removed', 'rejected', 'separated'.  Have you ever experienced or done that to a child? 

• Have you ever had a parent say when you left the house "behave yourself, remember you are a 'Jones' ", desiring that you live up to the honour of the family name? 

• Were you ever at school when the Principal walked into the room and you all immediately stopped what you were doing and stood up at your desks as a show of respect, not for the person but their position in relation to you as a student who was expected to submit to their instructions/rules?

• Have you ever been awarded a certificate or degree at a ceremony and given applause?

• Have you ever sought to be an accepted part of a group, or felt excluded or rejected from a group?

• Have you ever been invited or welcomed somewhere because of who your grand-father (or other older relative) was?

• I recently came across a very interesting article on the internet about how much the Feudal system has continued to permeate our societal structure without us even realising what is going on.  While Feudalism may have been strongly weighted on the 'ascribed honour' side and our current Western systems weighted on the 'achieved honour' side, there is a system of honour underlying both - there is a ranking of success from the 'average guy' at the bottom to the powerful 'high flyers' at the top. The ones at the top set the standards and make the rules and the ones below are expected to comply in return for some level of 'provision and protection'. 

• Have you ever been 'un-friended' on Facebook, or checked how many 'likes' you have, or been ridiculed, 'shown up' or insulted on social media?

• While as Westerners we may want promotions at work primarily to gain extra money, there is still a sense in which there is reward of honour in promotion, even though it may be a lesser reality in our thinking.

• Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride and groom are honoured with a 'toast'?

• Have you ever been concerned as to what other people may think of you for a particular belief, choice, action?

Are there any other situations that come to your mind where honour and shame are factors in Western Society and/or all human beings?

Headship, Leadership and Honour

'Headship' is a topic that is sure to cause a stir if its raised - particularly in relation to marriage.  

Over the past few days I seem to have received an unusual number of emails and posts from blogs I subscribe to, mentioning the issue of 'headship' as it relates to leadership and honour.

Several of them were in relation to the what true biblical 'headship' looks like and doesn't look like.  They have looked at how a mis-placed understanding can lead to 'polite abuse', or a wrong understanding of what 'honour' a husband expects, or as Mary Kassian explains a false and oppressive idea of 'authority'.

One article from 'GoTherefore.com' by David Gilmour also looked at the issue as it relates to the role of Pastors and how it is a wrong use of terms to place Pastors in a category of headship.

This is a topic which our local co-worker and I have discussed at some length in recent months as it relates to the role of Pastors.  We have observed how easy it is for an honour/shame emphasis culture to import culturally framed honour dynamics and expectations into the church.  

In fact I have also recently received two newsletters from missionaries in other parts of Africa (Uganda and Malawi) who raised concerns that they are seeing Pastors acting like a village chief.  Without realising it, a concept of leadership is framed by traditional headship of a chief over his village.

The Pastor sees his position as one of honour and one in which he expects honour (often unquestioned honour and allegience and obedience).  Often the church Elders also see themselves as now in positions of honour, like traditional tribal elders.  A Pastor's position in Africa is easily and subtly assumed to be one of status and privilege certainly within the 'church community' he leads, but often also within the wider community.  It's not difficult to understand that when a person becomes a Christian, they believe that their life-long desire for honour (perpetuated culturally) is fulfilled when they come to Christ, not only in a Spiritual sense but in an earthly sense in the eyes of their immediate church community and the wider community.  

As mentioned in other blogs, this is much of the fuel behind the explosion of prosperity theology in Africa - people see good events, promotions, and financial success as honour that God will bring them so that they will no longer need to be in positions of shame before the eyes of others because of poverty, illness or bad circumstances.  So to become a church leader is to gain position and power and prestige such as a village chief gains from his village and even in the eyes of surrounding villages.  Often a Pastor's wish is a parishioners command.

A Pastor may go to theological college, gain Bible knowledge and even learn about the tasks a Pastor should take responsibility for, but it seems they are often not learning or understanding who they 'are'.  In other words they learn what to 'do' in the 'practice' of a Pastor, but without a foundation of a biblical perspective on who they 'are' in their 'position' of Pastor. They may not properly comprehend that Pastoral leadership means servanthood and humility not headship and pride and power, nor grasp what that looks like in the reality of their cultural context. They can easily sub-consciously absorb the status of what they see as their elevated position. This is even happening in what might be termed to be evangelical or reformed gatherings.

We have observed that this is not only an issue for Pastors to need a clearer understanding, but also the church members need a clearer understanding.  Often the church members fuel a mis-placed honour when they refuse to let the Pastor do what they see as a menial job - such as sweep the porch or scrub a wall or clean a toilet or serve tea.  They don't realise they are being like Peter who wanted to stop Jesus from washing his feet.

Misplaced cultural views are retained because they are not identified and corrected with Scripture, and then replaced with Biblical views through clear Biblical instruction on the issue.

The issues Mary Kassian raises in her blog in relation to husbands and the biblical correction she brings to misplaced views of authority could also be useful in Pastoral Theology classes, particularly here in the context of an honour/shame emphasis culture:

She warned:

Jesus condemned a personal-power view of authority. He condemned men who exercised authority in a selfish, domineering manner. He said, "It must not be like that among you!" (Mark 10:43-45)

The misuse/abuse of authority is an abomination to God. He wants leaders to be shepherds after His own heart. (Jeremiah 23:2; Ezekiel 34:1-4; Zechariah 11:17). Some of the Bible's most scathing condemnations are directed toward leaders who fail to exercise authority in a godly manner. The Lord's anger burns hot against them (Zechariah 10:3).

And also affirmed re husbands:

 I believe that the Bible teaches that a husband's position as head of the home does not give him the right to rule, but rather the responsibility to provide loving oversight. A husband is not imparted with privilege; he is entrusted with obligation—the obligation to love, cherish and shepherd, in emulation of Christ.

She went on to say how Scripture gives a radically different view of authority from culture - and ultimately its not about honour for one's self but honouring God:

Culture upholds authority as the right to rule and lord it over others, but Scripture paints a radically different picture about the true nature of authority. It teaches that:

• Authority is not self-appointed; it's delegated by God.
• Authority is not personally owned; it merely stewards and manages that which belongs to God.
• Authority is not about rights; it's about responsibility.
• Authority is not about seeking prominence; it's about giving prominence.
• Authority is not domineering and dictatorial; it's humble and gentle.
• Authority is not about getting; it's about giving.
• Authority is not about selfish gain; it's about selfless sacrifice.
• Every authority is accountable to a higher authority, and all are accountable to God the Father, who is the ultimate authority.

Godly authority is motivated by love and commitment. Godly authority builds up; it doesn't tear down. Godly authority serves as a channel of God's protection and blessing. Godly authority watches over the well-being of others. Godly authority works with them, and for their joy. Godly authority doesn't glorify self; it glorifies God. 

Thinking a bit - 'too much' ....about worry!

I just love how local folk here in Botswana describe worry as 'thinking too much'!

And often as they say 'I've been thinking too much', they emphasise the 'tooooo' and put their hand to their head.

I think it encapsulates the idea of worry quite well.  When we worry we think too much about things that we don't need to be thinking about. We waste mental energy. We focus on 'what if' and doubts that come rushing in, instead of who God is and His promises of faithfulness and provision and love and care and eternal security and His presence with us always, His good purposes, His power, His enabling, His peace, His sufficiency.

It's so easy to worry .....because its so easy to be trusting more in our own abilities and strength to cope with life, rather than be trusting God as we should.

Tim Lane wrote a book a while back on the topic, called "Living without worry - how to replace anxiety with peace" because although worry is actually a needless problem it is a problem for every one of us in one way or another.

Worry is like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy and gets you no-where!

Recently on Scribblepreach, an adaption of a diagram from Paul's Tripp's book 'Instruments in the Redeemers Hands' was highlighted.  It's a great book and it was a good reminder to see  the diagram and once again have a right perspective on worry re-inforced.

Here it is...

It highlights the fact that worry is thinking about stuff that we don't need to be thinking about. It's trying to think through, solve, analyse and focus on stuff that is God's job to deal with.

Sometimes I think worry is an issue that is a much bigger problem for women than for men, but it is a problem for everyone.

I also think it is one of the most fundamental areas that show up just how easy it is to lose sight of God and not truly trust Him.  It takes a lot of intentional effort to force our minds and our hearts to put God back as the focus in our situation.

The verse that comes to mind is: Colossians 1:29 

'For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. 

Here it is again, with an emphasis on the last part of the verse rather than the first half:

'For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

It is so easy to do a 'Peter' and be walking on the water fearlessly following the call of God, and then suddenly with just a miniscule momentary distraction and glance at the circumstances be engulfed in panic and worry and be sinking fast!

When I was a small child, my parents used to play a vinyl record of kids songs which included one called 'Why worry when you can pray'.....

'Why worry, when you can pray,

Trust Jesus, He'll be your stay.

Don't be a doubting Thomas,

Rest fully on His promise

Why worry, worry, worry, worry....when you can pray?'

Of course the song reflects the truth of Scripture in Philippians 4:6 which says:

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

On Scribblepreach's blogpost after the diagram above, he went on to say, and I want to quote to conclude.....

"The point of the circle is to teach us that, while God takes ultimate responsibility for everything, He takes sole responsibility for some things. Which means: all things are meant for prayer, but some are meant for prayer alone. Now think about this in your own "What if" areas:

I can't always control my income, but I can control my budget.

I can't force us to have a great marriage, but I can be a great spouse.

I can't hand-craft my kids to be perfect little Christians, but I can faithfully read to them from God's Word.

I can't control my grades, but I can hand my work in on time.

I can't force myself into good health, but I can exercise and eat right daily.

I can't make my supervisor approve, but I can do my work with excellence.

I can't control that person's behavior, but I can gently, prayerfully and privately address it.

I can't control my neighbor's salvation, but I can share the gospel with her.

I can't make the mechanic be honest, but I can do my research on mechanics!

You get the point: it's important that we learn to recognize what really is and isn't within our circle of responsibility. When we let God be God over the places we can't control, we soon realize the "What if's" disappear – because "What if's" are all outside of us. As one saint has put it:

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other......

The point?

Stop asking "What if?". Start asking: "What now?" "

......