I am thoroughly enjoying reading Church in Hard Places by Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley. It’s only early February, but this may well be the best book I read all year. I’ll write a fuller review in the next couple of days, but I couldn’t resist this quote which seems as relevant to Bible Translation work in Africa as it does to church planting in poor parts of Edinburgh.
One objection that I hear from time to time is that poor communities typically have less access to quality education, which means the people in those communities do not have the necessary tools to learn doctrine. If people are not living in an environment where reading and study is normal, or if illiteracy is widespread, you cannot teach them complicated theological concepts. if you try, you will shoot over their heads and lose their interest.
Honestly, such attitudes strike me as paternalistic and condescending. Poor people are poor, but they are not stupid. They are just as capable of understanding the character and ways of God as anyone else. Paul didn’t write his letters to the faculty of a seminary. His readers were generally not wealthy, privileged or well educated. And the Israelites leaving Egypt did not have advanced degrees in theology but God didn’t hesitate to tell them all kinds of in-depth and complicated things about himself.
19 replies on “Doctrine and the Poor”
Thanks Eddie. I’ve had this on preorder, but still not received my copy. Looking forward to it.
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Of course that is true and of course learning Him, does not simply or primarily take place in a western educational paradigm, especially in non literally cultures. Can there be true learning without putting things to practise? Jesus’ analogy with the man who looked at the mirror is directly relevant to all those of us who enjoy to always learn, but never come to understanding and practical fruition…
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing thought provoking gems, from your study! 🙂
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There is counter-data however. Consider the disciples themselves; those who walked with God in the flesh on a daily basis over several years. It took them a long time to understand the nature and purpose of Jesus’ mission and several times Jesus became frustrated with them. Only after his departure did they fully begin to appreciate what it was all about. The basic point is well made however.
Hmm I would rather take that as an example of what it means to be discipled at the best theologian’s feet, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit…
But then Theodosis the argument loses its force: If God could teach the Israelites complicated things about himself while not physically present (in the OT), a fortiori he should be able to do much more through the personal tutelage of the God-Man!
That’s a good point… likewise in the OT prophets were used for massive conversion of whole cities/people’s, but the Son of Man, came to earth and only 500+ followers were the initial result. Maybe all of that were purposeful from His behalf, in His eternal plans? Then the question becomes if He today operates more through the OT means, or the ones installed after His ressurection.
As his Spirit lives in us, then when people meet with us, shouldn’t it (in some way) be like meeting Jesus – all I know is I have a long way to go for that to happen.
That makes me want to buy the book. Just a couple of days ago read a fantastic article by Mez. It was refreshing to me. Found out it was just adapted from that book. http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-misrepresenting-jesus-harms-the-poor
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RT @kouya: Doctrine and the Poor: a great quote from a superb book with thanks to @mez1972 … https://t.co/TiBB90S9jB
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One question I would like to ask, did God teach the Israelites doctrine after the Exodus and did Jesus teach his disciples doctrine? Was it more the demonstration of who he is through actions and reflected upon in words. BTW Latin American Liberation theologians have been doing theology among the poor for the past 50 odd years. Notice this is not teaching doctrine to the poor which may also have a sprinkling of paternalism!