Friday, 10 February 2017

The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission and Reception of Faith,
Andrew F. Walls, T&T Clark, 2002
Chapter 2, "Christianity in the Non-Wstern World" (pp. 27-48), page 29

Having started by identifying a potential vulnerability in Christianity, Walls proceeds to situate that vulnerability and apply some limits:

This vulnerability is engraved into the Christian foundational documents themselves, with their recurrent theme of the impending rejection of apostate Israel, and their warnings to early Christian churches of the possible removal of their candlestick. Neither of these eventualities are seen as jeopardising the saving activity of God for humanity.

So Christian activity, presence and results, whether they wax or wane, do not affect G-d's ability to save, or the essential nature or grounds of the salvation offer. Walls goes on:

I have argued elsewhere that this vulnerability is also linked with the essentially vernacular nature of Christian faith, which rests upon a massive act of translation, the Word made flesh, God translated into a specific segment of social reality as Christ is received there.

So language and translation remain at the forefront of mission!