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December 25, 2004
golf balls, small rocks, sand
strange timing here for thoughts on cultural relativism, but it does come from some christmas gathering sharing. the parable of the jar filled with golf balls (important things or convictional things), small rocks (less important things), and sand (trivial things) was intended to address local priorities, but also addresses a wider issue which my context is not exempt from.
cultural relativism puts cultures on an equal ground, and as a whole they are respectable attempts of living and understanding together within a community. what is exactly the gospel (the golf balls) that transcends cultural standards? there is a perhaps fine line for the missionary between synctretism and contextualization.
my challenge today is to realize that i am a stranger in this world (or the domination system, acc. Wink) and as much as i want to be a cultural relativist cross-culturally, i need to be flexible in my own culture, which isn't mine after all.
Posted by Derrick at December 25, 2004 09:39 AM