Stephen A. Grunlan and Marvin K. Mayers, Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective. 2nd edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979, 1988.
Cultural Anthropology is an introductory book written by two Christian anthropologists for Christian missionaries and pastors. The sub-title declares after all that it is a “Christian Perspective.” Grunlan and Mayers have taken various insights which they have learned from studying anthropology and have applied it to the Christian context. They have correctly noted the usefulness of anthropological study for the task of missions in particular and any cross-cultural encounter in general.
One of the most helpful contributions this book provides is its discussion of Cultural Relativity in relation to Biblical Authority. Cultural relativity is achieved when one recognizes that no two cultures are alike and that those differences do not necessarily constitute matters of validity or non-validity. The rightness of wrongness of culture cannot be determined solely by comparing it with another culture. This recognizes that every culture has problems and no culture is superior to the other. Yet, if one held only to cultural relativity than one would slide deep into a morass of relativism. Everything in every culture would become acceptable and right.
It is here where it becomes necessary to recognize the authority of the Bible. Biblical absolutes help ground cultural relativity. In fact, biblical authority is the bedrock foundation upon which cultural relativity is built. Biblical authority shows that there are some things within culture and transcending culture which are wrong. Scripture is the ultimate authority in matters of right and wrong. Every culture and every cultural practice must be weighed by the teaching of Scripture. Therefore, “each culture defined the situation (cultural relativity), but it was on the basis of the biblical principles (biblical authority) that the action was evaluated” (260). Such recognition of biblical authority keeps cultural relativism in check.
Unfortunately, the book suffered from what I thought were some basic shortcomings which affected its usefulness. First, throughout the book, there is a quiet tendency to drift more toward cultural relativism than toward biblical authority. Of course, this is after all a fine line and I am sure that no one can walk it without falling, yet I do believe that Grunlan and Mayers were in danger of falling off in numerous places. While for the most part I agree with their understanding of cultural relativity and biblical authority I don’t think we should hold to it to tightly. There are many times where the Bible may not specifically speak to an issue and yet one culture may have a better way than the other. Cultural relativity can tend to smack of arrogance in saying that both cultures are right. What actually needs to be done is for both cultures to have a willingness to listen and learn from each other. There may be some things that are “culturally relative” but should none the less be changed for the better of the culture.
One of things that what most annoying in reading this book is that for most chapters it read like a dictionary with examples. They would define a term and then provide a few examples from some preliterate culture and then define another term along with more examples. There didn’t seem to be much of a critical evaluation of the terms they were borrowing from secular anthropology. Maybe the inclusion of more in-depth case studies would have proven more helpful than just brief illustrations of the definitions they provided. One can quickly get bogged down in trying to remember what endogamy, proximic communication, sororate marriage, and phratry are. Thankfully they at least provided a glossary of terms at the back.
Despite a lot of the profuse vocabulary the book remained rather readable. The illustrations helped move the book along, but after a while they grew tiresome. I would have enjoyed them using more illustrations from western and Middle Eastern countries along with the smaller tribal communities which they primarily used.
This book is written for a selective audience. Those interested in tribal missions in particular and those who have an interest in other cultures would benefit from reading this work. I honestly question its usefulness for pastors who already know the culture in which they minister. Yet, for the missionary it does help awaken their eyes to be prepared for what they are about to step into when they first get off that plane and enter into a new culture.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Cultural Anthropology
Stephen A. Grunlan and Marvin K. Mayers, Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective. 2nd edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979, 1988.
Cultural Anthropology is an introductory book written by two Christian anthropologists for Christian missionaries and pastors. The sub-title declares after all that it is a “Christian Perspective.” Grunlan and Mayers have taken various insights which they have learned from studying anthropology and have applied it to the Christian context. They have correctly noted the usefulness of anthropological study for the task of missions in particular and any cross-cultural encounter in general.
One of the most helpful contributions this book provides is its discussion of Cultural Relativity in relation to Biblical Authority. Cultural relativity is achieved when one recognizes that no two cultures are alike and that those differences do not necessarily constitute matters of validity or non-validity. The rightness of wrongness of culture cannot be determined solely by comparing it with another culture. This recognizes that every culture has problems and no culture is superior to the other. Yet, if one held only to cultural relativity than one would slide deep into a morass of relativism. Everything in every culture would become acceptable and right.
It is here where it becomes necessary to recognize the authority of the Bible. Biblical absolutes help ground cultural relativity. In fact, biblical authority is the bedrock foundation upon which cultural relativity is built. Biblical authority shows that there are some things within culture and transcending culture which are wrong. Scripture is the ultimate authority in matters of right and wrong. Every culture and every cultural practice must be weighed by the teaching of Scripture. Therefore, “each culture defined the situation (cultural relativity), but it was on the basis of the biblical principles (biblical authority) that the action was evaluated” (260). Such recognition of biblical authority keeps cultural relativism in check.
Unfortunately, the book suffered from what I thought were some basic shortcomings which affected its usefulness. First, throughout the book, there is a quiet tendency to drift more toward cultural relativism than toward biblical authority. Of course, this is after all a fine line and I am sure that no one can walk it without falling, yet I do believe that Grunlan and Mayers were in danger of falling off in numerous places. While for the most part I agree with their understanding of cultural relativity and biblical authority I don’t think we should hold to it to tightly. There are many times where the Bible may not specifically speak to an issue and yet one culture may have a better way than the other. Cultural relativity can tend to smack of arrogance in saying that both cultures are right. What actually needs to be done is for both cultures to have a willingness to listen and learn from each other. There may be some things that are “culturally relative” but should none the less be changed for the better of the culture.
One of things that what most annoying in reading this book is that for most chapters it read like a dictionary with examples. They would define a term and then provide a few examples from some preliterate culture and then define another term along with more examples. There didn’t seem to be much of a critical evaluation of the terms they were borrowing from secular anthropology. Maybe the inclusion of more in-depth case studies would have proven more helpful than just brief illustrations of the definitions they provided. One can quickly get bogged down in trying to remember what endogamy, proximic communication, sororate marriage, and phratry are. Thankfully they at least provided a glossary of terms at the back.
Despite a lot of the profuse vocabulary the book remained rather readable. The illustrations helped move the book along, but after a while they grew tiresome. I would have enjoyed them using more illustrations from western and Middle Eastern countries along with the smaller tribal communities which they primarily used.
This book is written for a selective audience. Those interested in tribal missions in particular and those who have an interest in other cultures would benefit from reading this work. I honestly question its usefulness for pastors who already know the culture in which they minister. Yet, for the missionary it does help awaken their eyes to be prepared for what they are about to step into when they first get off that plane and enter into a new culture.
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