Friday, February 02, 2007
Words Matter
My kiwi friend Catez wrote a two parter, here and here about language, words, and meaning. In the first post she discusses the value of maintaining precision in language as a means of preserving important ideas, and building understanding.
Firstly, we are not saved by the precision of our theology. A less than perfect understanding of the meaning of the word redemption is not something that the salvation of an individual rests upon. I am constantly struck by how often we confuse understanding with faith. We are saved by faith, and faith acts in the absence of understanding. we seem so willing to condemn those with a different understanding of words and ideas, when they are not even the source of condemnation or salvation.
Which brings me to my second point, we have to keep our internicene bickering in perspective. Debates on soteriology are interesting and fun, but we have just got to keep in mind, only God has the answers, we never will, at least not here, and we cannot let those debates distract us from our mission, nor confuse the goal. We first convert people to Christ, if we try to make them chose between Catholic/Protestant, etc. immediately we turn them into the battleground instead of the mission field.
Finally, as Catez points out, context matters. We do need to use appropriate vocabulary for appropriate settings. I would not discuss the use of photospectrographic analysis when teaching a third grade sceince class, but that does not mean "photospectrographic" is not a useful word. At an American Chemical Society meeting using that word can save me about 3 paragraphs of explanation, but with the third graders, all it will do is create a spitball fight in the class becasue I have lost the audience.
Words are good, it is how we use them that matters.
Related Tags: words, meaning, evangelism, audience
Not only are these common English words, and in fact cultural concepts, but they also carry within them theological meaning. Since these words are already a reference point culturally why would we not simply explain the deeper aspect of what they mean when discussing them? I think the issue is not really about acessibility for non-Christians here though, but if a non-Christian expresses interest in reading the bible I recommend one of the four gospels, which relate the life of Jesus. That is the starting point, and indeed the central point. I think when it comes to the words discussed in this post the focus is about new Christians who may not understand terms that they read. I'd agree that not everyone will understand everything upon first reading. But I disagree that the words put forward are too theologically convoluted for people to grasp a working understanding.In the second, she talks about how it is up to us to make our meaning clear:
This whole argument that non-Christians aren't using words with correct theological understanding is a red herring in my view. They have always used words differently to the Christian meaning - but that did not prevent the inspired authors from using those very same terms as reference points. And to be honest - it seems cart before horse to be wrangling about non-Christians having all the correct theology when the gospel - the death and resurrection of Jesus, repentance and forgiveness of sins - is the theology we are given to communicate. But let's say we are talking about the new Christian. Well, there are commonly used words which he or she now reads or hears with a spiritual meaning, an illuminated meaning.Catez is right on with her thrust here, there is no need to invent new vocabulary to communicate the gospel. There are some additional points I would add to the discussion.
Firstly, we are not saved by the precision of our theology. A less than perfect understanding of the meaning of the word redemption is not something that the salvation of an individual rests upon. I am constantly struck by how often we confuse understanding with faith. We are saved by faith, and faith acts in the absence of understanding. we seem so willing to condemn those with a different understanding of words and ideas, when they are not even the source of condemnation or salvation.
Which brings me to my second point, we have to keep our internicene bickering in perspective. Debates on soteriology are interesting and fun, but we have just got to keep in mind, only God has the answers, we never will, at least not here, and we cannot let those debates distract us from our mission, nor confuse the goal. We first convert people to Christ, if we try to make them chose between Catholic/Protestant, etc. immediately we turn them into the battleground instead of the mission field.
Finally, as Catez points out, context matters. We do need to use appropriate vocabulary for appropriate settings. I would not discuss the use of photospectrographic analysis when teaching a third grade sceince class, but that does not mean "photospectrographic" is not a useful word. At an American Chemical Society meeting using that word can save me about 3 paragraphs of explanation, but with the third graders, all it will do is create a spitball fight in the class becasue I have lost the audience.
Words are good, it is how we use them that matters.
Related Tags: words, meaning, evangelism, audience
