Attention All Females

I have recently reserved my blog for schoolwork, but have found another article that just needed to be shared.

Click here the link.

Ten Things I Want To Tell Teenage Girls

March 25, 2012 in Blog with 1,065 Comments

1.  If you choose to wear shirts that show off your boobs, you will attract boys.  To be more specific, you will attract the kind of boys that like to look down girls’ shirts.  If you want to date a guy who likes to look at other girls’ boobs and chase skirts, then great job; keep it up.  If you don’t want to date a guy who ogles at the breasts of other women, then maybe you should stop offering your own breasts up for the ogling.  All attention is not equal.  You think you want attention, but you don’t.  You want respect.  All attention is not equal.
2. Don’t go to the tanning bed.  You’ll thank me when you go to your high school reunion and you look like you’ve been airbrushed and then photoshopped compared to the tanning bed train wrecks formerly known as classmates – well, at least next to the ones that haven’t died from skin cancer.
3.  When you talk about your friends “anonymously” on Facebook, we  know exactly who you’re talking about.  People are smarter than you think they are.  Stop posting passive-aggressive statuses about the myriad of ways your friends disappoint you.
4. Newsflash: the number of times you say “I hate drama” is a pretty good indicator of how much you love drama.  Non-dramatic people don’t feel the need to discuss all the drama they didn’t start and aren’t involved in.
5.  “Follow your heart” is probably the worst advice ever. 
6. Never let a man make you feel weak or inferior because you are an emotional being.  Emotion is good; it is nothing to be ashamed of.  Emotion makes us better – so long as it remains in it’s proper place: subject to truth and reason.
7.  Smoking is not cool.
8.  Stop saying things like, “I don’t care what anyone thinks about me.”  First of all, that’s not true.  And second of all, if it is true, you need a perspective shift.  Your reputation matters – greatly.  You should care what people think of you.
9. Don’t play coy or stupid or helpless to get attention.  Don’t pretend something is too heavy so that a boy will carry it for you.  Don’t play dumb to stroke someone’s ego.  Don’t bat your eyelashes in exchange for attention and expect to be taken seriously, ever.  You can’t have it both ways.  Either you show the world that you have a brain and passions and skills, or you don’t.  There are no damsels in distress managing corporations, running countries, or managing households.  The minute you start batting eyelashes, eyelashes is all you’ve got.
10.  You are beautiful.  You are enough.  The world we live in is twisted and broken and for your entire life you will be subjected to all kinds of lies that tell you that you are not enough.  You are not thin enough.  You are not tan enough.  You are not smooth, soft, shiny, firm, tight, fit, silky, blonde, hairless enough.  Your teeth are not white enough.  Your legs are not long enough.  Your clothes are not stylish enough.  You are not educated enough.  You don’t have enough experience.  You are not creative enough.
There is a beauty industry, a fashion industry, a television industry, (and most unfortunately) a pornography industry: and all of these have unique ways of communicating to bright young women: you are not beautiful, sexy, smart or valuable enough.
You must have the clarity and common sense to know that none of that is true. None of it.
You were created for a purpose, exactly so.  You have innate value.  You are loved more than you could ever comprehend; it is mind-boggling how much you are adored.  There has never been, and there will never be another you.  Therefore, you have unique thoughts to offer the world.  They are only yours, and we all lose out if you are too fearful to share them.
You are beautiful.  You are valuable.  You are enough.

After-Birth Abortion: The pro-choice case for infanticide.

I have generally been reserving blog posts for schoolwork, but as I am on a break until June and was so utterly struck by this article, I figured I would present it to the proverbial "you" that the little ticker tells me read my blog (a particular "shout out" to my comrades in Mother Russia).  So, without further ado, here is an article I read this morning on my day off.  Feel free to voice your opinions!

By the way, here is a link to the full article published in the Journal of Medical Ethics in February of 2012, to curb any "Pro-Life conspiracy" ideas.

After-Birth Abortion

The pro-choice case for infanticide.

By William Saletan|Posted Monday, March 12, 2012, at 11:14 AM ET

A Dutch baby born on Feb. 29, 2012
Photograph by Robin Utrecht/AFP/Getty Images.

Just when you thought the religious right couldn’t get any crazier, with its personhood amendments and its attacks on contraception, here comes the academic left with an even crazier idea: after-birth abortion.

No, I didn’t make this up. “Partial-birth abortion” is a term invented by pro-lifers. But “after-birth abortion” is a term invented by two philosophers, Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva. In the Journal of Medical Ethics, they propose:

[W]hen circumstances occur after birth such that they would have justified abortion, what we call after-birth abortion should be permissible. … [W]e propose to call this practice ‘after-birth abortion’, rather than ‘infanticide,’ to emphasize that the moral status of the individual killed is comparable with that of a fetus … rather than to that of a child. Therefore, we claim that killing a newborn could be ethically permissible in all the circumstances where abortion would be. Such circumstances include cases where the newborn has the potential to have an (at least) acceptable life, but the well-being of the family is at risk.

Predictably, the article has sparked outrage. Last week, Reps. Joe Pitts, R-Penn., and Chris Smith, R-N.J., denounced it on the House floor. But it isn’t pro-lifers who should worry about the Giubilini-Minerva proposal. It’s pro-choicers. The case for “after-birth abortion” draws a logical path from common pro-choice assumptions to infanticide. It challenges us, implicitly and explicitly, to explain why, if abortion is permissible, infanticide isn’t.

Let’s look at some of those assumptions.

1. The moral significance of fetal development is arbitrary. I often hear this argument from pro-choicers in the context of time limits on abortion. In a debate last fall, I drew up a timeline of fetal development, week by week. The response from Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, was that it would be arbitrary to use any point in that timeline to draw a legal limit on abortion rights. Giubilini and Minerva seem to share this view. “Abortions at an early stage are the best option, for both psychological and physical reasons,” they write, conspicuously omitting the idea that abortions at an early stage are better than late ones for moral reasons. “Merely being human is not in itself a reason for ascribing someone a right to life,” they write. “Indeed, many humans are not considered subjects of a right to life,” such as “spare embryos where research on embryo stem cells is permitted” or “fetuses where abortion is permitted.”

Furedi accepts birth as the first logical time limit, though not for reasons of fetal development. (See her comments 44 minutes into this video.) But Giubilini and Minerva push beyond that limit. They note that neural development continues after birth and that the newborn doesn’t yet meet their definition of a “person”—“an individual who is capable of attributing to her own existence some (at least) basic value such that being deprived of this existence represents a loss to her.” Accordingly, they reason, “The moral status of an infant is equivalent to that of a fetus, that is, neither can be considered a ‘person’ in a morally relevant sense.”

2. Prior to personhood, human life has no moral claims on us. I’ve seen this position asserted in countless comment threads by supporters of abortion rights. Giubilini and Minerva add only one further premise to this argument: Personhood doesn’t begin until sometime after birth. Once that premise is added, the newborn, like the fetus, becomes fair game. They explain:

[I]n order for a harm to occur, it is necessary that someone is in the condition of experiencing that harm. If a potential person, like a fetus and a newborn, does not become an actual person, like you and us, then there is neither an actual nor a future person who can be harmed, which means that there is no harm at all. … In these cases, since non-persons have no moral rights to life, there are no reasons for banning after-birth abortions. … Indeed, however weak the interests of actual people can be, they will always trump the alleged interest of potential people to become actual ones, because this latter interest amounts to zero.

You may find this statement cold, but where’s the flaw in its logic? If the neurally unformed fetus has no moral claims, why isn’t the same true of the neurally unformed newborn?

3. Any burden on the woman outweighs the value of the child. Giubilini and Minerva note that philosophers such as Peter Singer have presented arguments for neonaticide for many years. Until now, these arguments have focused on what’s best for the baby—in the words of recent Dutch guidelines, “infants with a hopeless prognosis who experience what parents and medical experts deem to be unbearable suffering.” Giubilini and Minerva merely push this idea one step further, calling their proposal “‘after-birth abortion’ rather than ‘euthanasia’ because the best interest of the one who dies is not necessarily the primary criterion for the choice.”

“Actual people's well-being could be threatened by the new (even if healthy) child requiring energy, money and care which the family might happen to be in short supply of,” they observe. Accordingly, “if economical, social or psychological circumstances change such that taking care of the offspring becomes an unbearable burden on someone, then people should be given the chance of not being forced to do something they cannot afford.” An after-birth abortion might be warranted by any “interests of actual people (parents, family, society) to pursue their own well-being”—including “the interests of the mother who might suffer psychological distress from giving her child up for adoption.”

4. The value of life depends on choice. Pro-choicers don’t accept the idea that the path from pregnancy to maternity, being natural, must be followed. They argue that the choice is up to the woman. Some assert that the life within her has no moral status until she chooses to give birth to it.

Again, Giubilini and Minerva simply extend this logic beyond birth. Since the newborn isn’t a person yet, its significance continues to hinge on its mother’s decision. Neonates “might or might not become particular persons depending on our choice,” the authors argue. Until then, the newborn imposes no obligations on us, “because we are not justified in taking it for granted that she will exist as a person in the future. Whether she will exist is exactly what our choice is about.”

5. Discovery of a serious defect is grounds for termination. Fetal development can turn tragic at any point. Most people agree that abortion should be permitted when a grave defect is discovered at amniocentesis. In the partial-birth abortion debate, pro-choicers extended this rationale, arguing that abortions in the third trimester should be permitted when horrible defects were identified at that stage. Giubilini and Minerva take this argument to the next level, noting that defects often remain undiscovered until birth:

An examination of 18 European registries reveals that between 2005 and 2009 only the 64% of Down's syndrome cases were diagnosed through prenatal testing. This percentage indicates that, considering only the European areas under examination, about 1700 infants were born with Down's syndrome without parents being aware of it before birth. Once these children are born, there is no choice for the parents but to keep the child, which sometimes is exactly what they would not have done if the disease had been diagnosed before birth.

The authors conclude that “if a disease has not been detected during the pregnancy, if something went wrong during the delivery, or if economical, social or psychological circumstances change such that taking care of the offspring becomes an unbearable burden on someone, then people should be given the chance of not being forced to do something they cannot afford.” And it isn’t clear where the line against infanticide would be drawn. “We do not put forward any claim about the moment at which after-birth abortion would no longer be permissible,” Giubilini and Minerva write. They doubt that “more than a few days would be necessary for doctors to detect any abnormality in the child.” But critics are already noting that many defects are discovered later.

In sum, the authors argue:

If criteria such as the costs (social, psychological, economic) for the potential parents are good enough reasons for having an abortion even when the fetus is healthy, if the moral status of the newborn is the same as that of the infant and if neither has any moral value by virtue of being a potential person, then the same reasons which justify abortion should also justify the killing of the potential person when it is at the stage of a newborn.

I don’t buy this argument, in part because I agree with Furedi that something profound changes at birth: The woman’s bodily autonomy is no longer at stake. But I also think that the value of the unborn human increases throughout its development. Furedi rejects that view, and her rejection doesn’t stop at birth. As she explained in our debate last fall, “There is nothing magical about passing through the birth canal that transforms it from a fetus into a person.”

The challenge posed to Furedi and other pro-choice absolutists by “after-birth abortion” is this: How do they answer the argument, advanced by Giubilini and Minerva, that any maternal interest, such as the burden of raising a gravely defective newborn, trumps the value of that freshly delivered nonperson? What value does the newborn have? At what point did it acquire that value? And why should the law step in to protect that value against the judgment of a woman and her doctor?

West Central Laundrette - Holistic Ministry Final

Nettleton’s Addition/The West Central Neighborhood

For many years, there have been sporadic white settlers in the Spokane region long before there were official settlements, but in 1873 James Nettle Glover founded what would become the city of Spokane. (Heritage Walk, n.d.)  “The natural resources of Eastern Washington – fertile soil, timber, and mineral wealth- eventually attracted more settlers to the area. “ (Heritage Walk)  Along with the expanding railroads, this caused Spokane to boom not long after its initial inception.  According to the City of Spokane’s historical timeline, in 1900 “the population of Spokane was 36,848; an 85% increase over ten years.  There were 300 manufacturing concerns, 108 saloons, 56 churches, 2,500 telephones and 42 miles of roadway.” (City of Spokane, n.d.)  William Nettleton took note of this potential growth and purchased land from the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1887.  “His timing couldn't have been better. The little hamlet of Spokane Falls was entering a boom in the 1880s as the railroads arrived and inflated the value of the lands they crossed.” (Schreiner, 2005)  Right from its beginning, “Nettleton’s Addition” experienced a boom, just as the city of Spokane.  “This early Spokane streetcar suburb documents perfectly the life cycle of American cities: initial rapid development (over 70% of the existing housing stock was built prior to 1910), slow decline through the mid-Twentieth Century and now, urban renewal and gentrification.” (Historic Preservation Office, n.d.)  Therefore, not long after Spokane’s story began, the story of the West Central neighborhood began as well.  Just as the city of Spokane has experienced a time of renewal, Nettleton’s Addition (or West Central as it is more commonly known) has had others focus on renewing the neighborhood over the last decades through a focus on the “Kendall Yards.”

            “For more than two decades, speculators have been counting on the economic boost that would result from developing the barren, 78-acre former rail yard now known as Kendall Yards.” (Walters, 2012)  This area which once represented the boom in housing and booming economy of not only the neighborhood, but greater Spokane as well has become a housing project that caters not to the poor in providing affordable housing, but to the middle and upper class in providing high priced condominiums and townhomes.  As a result, the price of housing has increased and pushed further financial burdens on residents.  “Many people who live in the West Central neighborhood struggle financially.  Kendall Yards is causing housing speculation, increasing rents and taxes, and will eventually force people out of their houses.” (Summit-Bridge Alliance, n.d.)  Though this view might seem pessimistic, there is truth found within the words as this seems to be simply a challenging form of development which the neighborhood will have difficulty sustaining.  Adding 4,000 residents would not meet some of the greatest needs, but further separate the socio-economic classes and create greater financial burdens on the materially poor.  As the Kendall Yards project has brought the potential of urban renewal with the potential of increased difficulty, there have also been city regulations which have harnessed micro-development within the neighborhood.  With many zoning issues preventing businesses from moving in or further establishing rental properties, there is little room for economic development within the neighborhood, let alone investment from those who live there, as West Central Neighborhood Council President Kelly Cruz states: “Renters often don’t invest in their neighborhoods, nor do absentee landlords.” (Walters, 2012)  Though there is a desire to further develop the neighborhood in positive ways, regulations appear to be a hindrance while the demographics of the neighborhood reveal a state of poverty.

            According to the 2010 national census, the 99201 zip code (which is primarily comprised of the West Central neighborhood) is 82.2% White.  Of the households represented, only 31.1% are considered “family households” while only 16.9% are considered “husband-wife family.”  23.4% of the homes are owner-occupied leaving 76.6% rentals. (www.zip-codes.com, 2010)  According to another site, only approximately 17% of the population has received a Bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to approximately 25% for the city of Spokane as a whole.  The median household income is $24,918 while greater Spokane’s is $38,939. (www.city-data.com, 2009)  The statistics on median income are somewhat skewed as there are some areas of the neighborhood where houses are sold for anything from $500,000 to $1,000,000 with other areas selling homes for less than $50,000. Housing prices betray a greater diversity in the population, particularly along socio-economic lines.  This makes the West Central neighborhood one of the poorest in the state as well as one of the most diverse.  It is from the majority population of the neighborhood and the sorrowful moniker it has received as a result (Felony Flats according to Wikipedia and many Spokane natives) that there is such a great need for poverty alleviation: specifically relational poverty, though there is almost as much material poverty as well.

Facts from Opinions

With the neighborhood’s history and demographics in mind, my proposed holistic ministry is centered upon an unused portion of one of Christ the Redeemer Church’s (CTR) buildings.  Previously, this area was used as a “Launderette” that was not affiliated with CTR.  In order to begin to understand what the need is for the West Central neighborhood and how CTR and this storefront are uniquely equipped to meet those needs, thirteen people in three different community roles were interviewed.  Four people were interviewed from CTR, three people were interviewed from neighboring Churches and organizations and six people who lived or worked in the neighborhood were also interviewed.  The responses varied from person to person (even within the CTR leadership) and greatly varied from group to group.  Even though many were interviewed, in order to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of what would be most useful in this area, much more time and many more interviews would be needed.  A look at zoning and non-profit laws would also need to be further explored to fully comprehend how CTR is allowed to use the storefront.  The first round of interviews to be considered will be of those who live or work in the neighborhood.  The group consisted of males and females ranging from their early twenties to their sixties. 

Neighbors

If a person were to, choose a Spokane neighborhood and drive around without knowing much of its socioeconomic status or demographics, there would be a few neighborhoods that would make the person think of high crime rates.  Much of Spokane could be considered to have a similar feel in regards to cleanliness and safety, though the neighborhoods have distinct “personalities.”  Comparing the neighborhoods, the actual crime statistics are startlingly close (COSGIS, n.d.), but one neighborhood would stand out with an environment that speaks beyond statistics and makes one assume that the crime rate is higher than anywhere: West Central.  Though statistically it is not, the mentality of its residents and the view of those who drive by on the thoroughfares is that the West Central neighborhood is simply unsafe.  This in turn almost creates a “self-fulfilling prophecy” where few are willing to create change and better environments.  Fear drives the mood, and it shows.  As people are less and less willing to overcome their fears, they become victims and neglect the neighborhood itself, particularly in the form of their houses.  As previously noted, the vast majority of residents in the neighborhood are renters and consequently do not invest.  With many of the houses having hit their Centennial in the last decade, they are in need of much greater care than they receive.  When renters live in fear and are consequently unable and/or unwilling to invest in even their own house and its upkeep, the perception of crime abounds.  Therefore, a few of those interviewed mentioned the crime rate and lack of police presence as the greatest need of the neighborhood.   When this fear abounds, a lack of community also becomes prevalent.  When one is afraid of their neighborhood, their neighbors become objects of fear by association.  The poor state of the houses, roads and safe sidewalks then become outward expressions of the inward fear, further preventing community as it drives many to not seek relationships outside of the family units.  Coupled with a distinct lack of economic development in the form of markets and other job-producing machines, the public and private infrastructure also prevents active community.

Looking at what the “neighbors” desired to see the storefront used for, the ideas were somewhat stunted.  Admittedly, the majority had not had an opportunity to wrestle with and formulate an attentive answer; a few were able to provide thoughtful answers.  The most common response was a restaurant or coffee shop.  Though these were particularly less insightful (they were interviewed within 100 yards of coffee shop), they told of a need for a common place for people to congregate.  Other responses included a social service resource center or a market but a general consensus was that it must meet two criteria: it must be based on the needs of the community and must be “user friendly.”  Those who simply worked in the community or who were strategically living in West Central saw the potential this small storefront could have in enriching the lives of those who would be served in its final form.  Perhaps this has something to do with this sub-group being largely represented by people who look at their own involvement as an avenue for personal ministry while the majority of those who simply lived in the neighborhood, either by choice or circumstance, were seeking material purposes for the storefront.  When the idea of bringing a “Launderette” back into the space was suggested, there was again, a general consensus of this being a good idea though none had personally utilized it previously and few had heard of it having served this purpose before.  Even though this was not the initial thought for many, it does not negate that this could be a highly effective use of the storefront as it would generally meet a need since the nearest laundry service is across the river and in another neighborhood entirely.  Those involved in ministries and businesses operating within the West Central neighborhood then follow in similar thinking regarding needs and possible uses of the space as well.

Local Partners

From an outsider’s perspective, relationships, housing and development topped the list as the greatest needs of the West Central neighborhood.  Working and living in the West Central neighborhood, they see the eye sores that are beautiful Victorian houses disguised by dirt and garbage yards with broken car lawn ornaments.   The potential of newer development is then seen in the next block or even the very next house that sports new siding and a coat of paint.  Regretfully, the beauty is overpowered by inconsistency and dilapidation.  In the labyrinth of the beautiful surrounded by the ugly, there is also a distinct lack of fruitful and positive businesses.  Many in this group focused on the need of better housing options, either in fixing the houses in disrepair or in having landlords who are simply present.  If nothing else, a dilapidated house can serve an owner through tax benefits, leaving little need for them to express care and concern for tenants.  As a result, many of the houses stay dilapidated and when tenants are unable to pay their rent, their worldly possessions are moved to the curb.  Not all landlords and homeowners are absent or uncaring though.  Some have attempted to relinquish dilapidated houses to pave the way for a corner market, the afore mentioned zoning laws subsequently squelch any efforts to bring about the positive developments that could not only bring an avenue to supply needs, but also jobs.  As one interviewee stated, “Food is empowering to impoverished people.” (P. Lee, personal communication, 2012)  Mr. Lee went on to describe that food equates to a grocery store or corner market, which then equates to the money needed to purchase said food.  As many do not have the means to make such purchases, they incur debt.  Mr. Lee then pointedly described debt as slavery.  This description is powerful and well heeded as the cause is not a lack of money but a lack of relationships, but as Corbett and Fikkert described, material poverty is often a symptom while poverty of relationships is the underlying cause. (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009)  This explains why so many interviewed in this group pointed to relationships as being such a great need: they recognized it as a type of poverty itself.  (On a side note, one of those involved in a youth ministry had read and highly recommended Corbett and Fikkert’s work, as was evidenced in some of his viewpoints while others had developed similar views through their own reading or interactions.)

When asked the about what could be done with the storefront, the need to explain the purpose of the interview proved itself to be an influencer in the solicited response.  All of the responses lacked a concrete theme and what was lacking in concrete ideas of what would work were a few ideas on what would not work, like social services from a Church.  Through other interactions, it was discovered that many organizations offer social services in various forms, but few are actually utilized.  The specific reasons as to why this is are unknown, but it is an important point to remember while formulating a plan for what would be beneficial in the storefront.  Beyond this keen suggestion, the interviewees suggested the storefront serve as a viable business, not simply a place of charity, and be user friendly.  Perhaps another reason the suggestions coming from this group were not as creative as hoped, attributes to a lack of knowledge of CTR and its building. Regretfully, the building with the storefront in question mirrors many of the houses in the neighborhood as it has fallen under disrepair.  Additionally, there have been limited partnerships in reaching the people in the neighborhood.  Finally, the suggestions on how to utilize the space were possibly stunted because of the answers describing the needs of the neighborhood and the focus on a social justice, as opposed to the Gospel.

Christ the Redeemer

            Those interviewed as part of this last group consisted of a pastor, a current and a former elder as well as two parishioners of Christ the Redeemer Church.  Despite the variety of those interviewed, the answer to what is most needed in the West Central neighborhood had a distinct commonality: Christ.  When it comes to CTR (and some other Churches and organizations in the area), the purpose of anything must be centered on Christ, what He has done through His sacrifice and the hope that salvation through Him brings.  It is through this lens that the needs of the West Central neighborhood are interpreted amongst CTR’s leadership and members. It is recognized that this is not the only need, but it is the most important and it affects all other needs of the neighborhood.  Beyond addressing the greatest needs of the neighborhood, the rest of this interview plays its greatest role in shaping the ministry plan aimed at empowering the people of the West Central neighborhood.

The Launderette

            The most effective and long-lasting way to bring positive, Gospel-centered change to an entire neighborhood is microscopically: one relationship at a time.  Through purposeful relationships, there is a potential to not simply “speak at” the neighborhood or to provide a service that will not be taken advantage of, but to speak to the needs of a single person or serve their immediate circle, all while speaking and showing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope that his second coming provides. Beyond relationships (which will be explained in more detail), the chief purpose of the Launderette will be to meet a tangible need in the neighborhood, namely providing a safe place to congregate and a clean laundry facility.  Aside from a bar and a coffee shop, there are precious few areas for community connection.  The West Central Community Center offers a wide variety of programs, most being geared towards children and people with disabilities, and the Youth for Christ building is aimed solely at middle and high school students, which means that this Launderette will need to meet a less formal need in providing opportunities for community growth. Finally, the Launderette will have its broadest impact meeting the need of a coin-operated laundry facility; there simply are none in or immediately accessible to the neighborhood.  Therefore, the Launderette will focus on small-scale relationships, providing a safe place to congregate and being a clean laundry facility.

Relationship

            The relationships will be the focus from before the re-opening.  One tendency the people and leadership of CTR have is to get a job done.  With two of the three pastors having spent time working construction, their exuberance will need to be harnessed in order to invite one or two men from the community to temporarily work with one or two men from CTR in hopes of building a relationship.  Some of the greatest relationships can be built by working with another person and some of the greatest opportunities to explain who Christ is and what He has done can be described through sweat and blood (I am a clumsy person).  Upon completion of the construction phase, the next round of relationship begins through the hiring of a local person to work part-time at the Launderette. This person would be chosen based on another ministry that CTR has called “Tots and Co.” where moms congregate for a time where there children can safely play together while they interact and purposeful relationships are built.  Through this, a few would be invited to apply and interview.  Help would be offered in writing a résumé, preparing for an interview and interview tips in general.  The person (or persons depending on ultimate availability and how busy the Launderette is) would be hired part time and work closely with someone from CTR’s leadership, slowly working on proper work ethic and, after some time, a relationship with Christ.  The hope would be that the person hired would develop a lasting relationship while learning a good work ethic that could be used to pursue a higher paying job down the road.  It would be this relationship that would be the crux of this ministry where on a small scale a person is challenged, taught and encouraged.  From this relationship, other relationships may be built through continued presence and opportunities offered to the congregation to volunteer at the Launderette, offering services associated with the coin-operated laundry business and, slowly, building relationships with Christ as the focus.  These volunteers would be trained to present the “Two Ways to Live” Gospel presentation (Matthias Media, 2003) as well as scheduled at times when other ministries are happening so that they might encourage patrons to attend while they offer to watch their laundry for them.  In all of these situations, the Gospel will be the first thing on the mind of CTR members but will not be the first thing spoken.  It takes a long time to be able to have a relationship enough with a broken person so that they might be willing to accept the Gospel.

Community

            As the West Central Community Center and other organizations offer many social services, CTR would not need to get into this area for a while, if ever.  What could be a potential use of the Launderette would be a safe place to congregate.  As noted earlier, there are precious few areas where people might gather and feel safe.  The lone coffee shop located just yards from CTR was originally thought to meet this need, but has turned into an area for Christians and other local people from the area to congregate, not necessarily those who most need a sense of positive community.  As a result, a safe place such as a laundry facility could easily meet these needs, and eventually be further developed by offering some classes at set times.  These classes could be determined based on the strengths of CTR and the local partners (other ministries and businesses in the area).  The owner of the coffee shop could potentially speak on proper résumé writing and interviewing techniques.  A local urban farmer could teach a class on proper gardening or ways and benefits to raising chickens.  There could also be some cooking classes based on healthy meal preparation.  Regardless, these classes would not be a primary goal, but could be done in the space next to the Launderette and would be considered if the need proves itself to be present.  If this does happen, it would offer the greatest opportunity for partnerships and a cohesive ministry between Churches with fundamental differences in approaches to ministry.  What precedes the classes and stems from the community is relationship, but all aspects are contingent upon a clean laundry facility.

Laundry Facility

            The greatest and farthest reaching resource of the Launderette will be its practical way to meet a need within the community.  By existing, people will be able to not travel so far to wash their clothes.  As stated before, the nearest laundry service is located across the river, .7 miles away from CTR according to Google Maps.  When it comes to costs, the Launderette would not be free, but would have freedom to be low cost as it only needs to meet operating costs, not create a profit margin.  This would make it a popular location further made convenient by being located on a major bus route.  From this point alone, it would be a ministry that promotes dignity as it meets tangible needs.  A community board would sit in one area, allowing services to be offered, items to be sold and jobs to be posted.  Free Wi-Fi would be available as well and promotions would happen regularly, supported by the income of the Launderette and partnerships with local ministries and businesses.  The overall environment of the Launderette would then set itself apart in cleanliness, activities and, mostly, by Christ being the center and purpose of everything.

Conclusion

            Through lengthy research and interviews, the conclusion comes that a laundry facility would serve the West Central neighborhood well by meeting a need: a laundry facility.  By intentionally creating relationships that are centered on Christ and microscopically focused as opposed to attempting to create deep relationships with the masses, few will be greatly influenced as opposed to many being marginally influenced.  These relationships will also have a focus of empowering the few to work and become self-advocates.  By potentially providing classes aimed at empowering, educating and supporting greater numbers of people, a large-scale of people would be able to learn some of the basics in acquiring jobs, budgeting and hearing about Christ’s love for them.  Coupled with intentional outreach from CTR members that could allow patrons to attend ministry events, greater, less focused relationships could begin allowing avenues for deeper relationships in other ways.  Finally, free Wi-Fi a community board, special promotions and a safe place could further draw people in, giving them opportunity to meet their neighbors and build community.

References

COLONIALISM AND POSTCOLONIALISM. (2011). In Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (2011, October 29). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.

De Gruchy, S. (1997, November). Doing Theology in the Kalahari. University of Cape Town / Welcome. Retrieved February 04, 2012, from http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/ricsa/jtsa/j99/j99sdeg.htm

Dirks, R. (2012, January 29). Crown final week [E-mail to the author].

Google. (n.d.). Laundromat near 1523 W. Mallon. Google Maps. Retrieved March 31, 2012, from http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1523+W.+mallon&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl&authuser=0

Harris, D., & Soden, B. (2008, January 21). Segregated Sundays: Taking on Race and Religion - ABC News. ABCNews.com - Breaking News, Latest News & Top Video News - ABC News. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://abcnews.go.com/WN/BlackHistory/story?id=4165468

Matthias Media. (2003). Two ways to live : : The choice we all face. Home Page. Retrieved March 31, 2012, from http://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/

Methodism. (2005). In Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. (2009, January 12). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.

MISSIONARIES. (2005). In Encyclopedia of World Trade From Ancient Times to the Present. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. (2009, October 1). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.

Moreau, A. S., Corwin, G., & McGee, G. B. (2004). Introducing world missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Syncretism. (1993). In Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. (2002, January 1). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.

Syncretism -- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem. (n.d.). Bible Study, Evangelism Tools, Outreach and Discipleship Resources for Small Group Bible Study. Retrieved February 04, 2012, from http://www.goodseed.com/learning/abwm-guide-2/

Taylor, W. D. (1994). Kingdom partnerships for synergy in missions. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.

Wanak, L. C. (n.d.). Theological Education. Theological Education and the Role of Teaching in the 21st Century: A Look at the Asia Pacific Region. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.pctii.org/cyberj/cyberj7/wanak.html

Winter, R. D., Hawthorne, S. C., Dorr, D. R., Graham, D. B., & Koch, B. A. (Eds.). (2009). Perspectives on the world Christian movement: A reader. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.

Yohannan, K. P. (2004). Revolution in world missions. Carrollton, TX: GFA Books.

Brokenness

BROKENNESS
by
M. Prior
Crown College
 
    The classic question of “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” has many relatives in this world: the tree or the pine cone, the shopping mall or the female and Heaven or bacon?  Though these might be trivial, another relative is the question of a broken person or a broken system.  As long as there have been people in this world, it seems that there have been both.  Upon closer inspection though, the question is decidedly put to rest when one ponders this from a Biblical perspective and Genesis 3: 17-19:
And to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (English Standard Version)
The result of this curse is considered the doctrine of man, where all of mankind experiences this curse and therefore, all of mankind is broken.  This leaves little room for debate, but is not so simple as man’s brokenness takes many forms in its universal application.  Though every person is broken, each person’s brokenness is interconnected and causes broken systems to further break others.
    The Bible is clear: “... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, ESV).  As a result of this fall, stemming from Adam’s sin as mentioned above, brokenness abounds.  As Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert speak on the view of those who are poor, they state that “Poor people typically talk in terms of shame, inferiority, powerlessness, humiliation, fear, hopelessness, depression, social isolation and voicelessness.” (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009)  Behind these adjectives lie broken people.  They see themselves as wanting and incomplete.  Through their own sin and the sin of Adam, they are outside of a right relationship with God. (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009)  When C.S. Lewis described the doctrine of man in one of his works, he noted the difference between declaring brokenness as Corbett and Fikkert describe and a more important step of perceiving brokenness: “When we merely say that we are bad, the ‘wrath’ of God seems a barbarous doctrine; as soon as we perceive our badness, it appears inevitable, a mere corollary from God’s goodness.” (Lewis, 1996)  This statement does take a leap in assuming that those interviewed above were not truly perceptive of their own badness.  This also assumes that the cause of the feelings listed is self, not a system.  From a Biblical perspective, this assumption can be made.  Even Corbett and Fikkert would agree with this initial brokenness as they describe Alisa Collins: “While her worldview, values and behavior clearly contributed to her material poverty.” (2009)  The fact is that through sin, each man, woman and child is broken.  For some, this brokenness is in material poverty, others relational poverty and for all, it is in the form of lacking a right relationship with God.  As all are missing this right relationship, all are broken.
    When one broken person meets another broken person, falls in love, gets married and has broken children, brokenness abounds.  When one broken person attempts to “fix” another broken person with their own brokenness, the other person gets a stick in the eye.  “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:4, ESV)  At best, this can take the form of improper assistance: “If we treat only the symptoms or if we misdiagnose the underlying problem, we will not improve their situation, and we might actually make their lives worse.” (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009)  However, a sad and more prevalent result of brokenness interacting with brokenness can be seen in the second half of the assessment of Alisa Collins: “... as an African-American woman growing up in a ghetto, she is also a victim of powerful systemic forces that have dealt her a different set of cards than those received by most North Americans.” (2009)  These forces were the result of a broken system, led by broken people not seeking the well-being of other broken people, but their own well-being.  As seen in how the ghettos of Chicago were formed to begin with:  “Using a set of policies that both explicitly and implicitly discriminated against African Americans, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) then began to offer subsidized mortgages that enabled millions of Caucasians to purchase homes in the suburbs.” (2009)  Alisa Collins was further broken, shamed and humiliated by the actions of others.  Thankfully, her story turned around with her own dedication and the dedication of another.
    Looking at any situation, it is usually apparent to see how a myriad of broken peoples’ broken stories can combine to create and further enforce the brokenness of one person or a group of people.  As I was rushing home last weekend, I drove by a man standing on a street corner holding a cardboard sign.  Instead of the usual claims to military service or a dependent family, the sign simply stated: “It’s a long story...”  Never before have I wished there was not a pressing deadline on me (a departure for a wedding my wife and I were photographing) so that I might have turned around and done nothing more than listen to the long story.  I am certain that the tale would have many characters and many flaws, many people who had assisted in the downturn of this man’s life, especially himself.  My only prayer is that the story is not finished, and that the man’s dedication and the dedication of another would help build the man up and restore his relationships.  Alisa Collins found this in the form of a school principal who dedicated herself, perhaps divinely, to helping her say her brokenness, perceive her brokenness and then dedicate herself to overcoming her brokenness.  Overcoming brokenness requires relationship, with others and, more importantly, with God.  This is the determining factor of one person rising above a broken system and their own brokenness.
 
References

Corbett, S., & Fikkert, B. (2009). When helping hurts: How to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor-- and yourself. Chicago, IL: Moody.

Lewis, C. S. (1996). The problem of pain. [San Francisco], CA: HarperSanFrancisco.

City Solutions on Homelessnes (Spokane)

A quick lesson in futility would be to attempt to hide one’s motives.  Whether they be the motives of an organization or a person, a relief agency or a corporation, a Christian or an agnostic; they simply cannot stay hidden.  Additionally, not all motives are negative.  As Phoebe Buffay discovered in an episode of the popular television show “Friends”: there is no such thing as a self-less act and though it is not stated, it is implied that it is okay.  When it comes to poverty alleviation, this concept seems quite fitting.  When an organization seeks to combat poverty, only the organizations whose motives are rooted in the Gospel have a fighting chance of success while those that are rooted in simple humanitarian efforts will find themselves in a never-ending battle.
City of Spokane and Spokane County
    The City of Spokane, WA and Spokane County (also in Washington) produced a “Spokane Regional 10-Year Plan to Address Homelessness” in the winter of 2005.  This plan included an extensive study of homelessness in the region, current services offered and a strategic plan with steps to implement, monitor and update.  In perusing this plan, it is very interesting to note the assessment of the causes of homelessness: “For [one group], homelessness was only an unexpected expense away.” (City of Spokane and Spokane County, 2005)  This is a very common occurrence in North American culture today. Whether it is living beyond the means of employment or a medical emergency, those who fit into this category find themselves homeless.  Another cause of homelessness is described in this manner: “For another segment of the homeless population, mental illness, substance addiction and/or physical disability are the nemeses.” (Spokane, 2005)  Beyond the depth associated with this cause, the sentence that follows reveals a deeper wisdom: “Assisting these individuals and families to find stability may require ongoing supportive services.” (Spokane, 2005)  This is truly a wise statement deserving full attention while looking at the strategies of the plan:
[T]here were four strategies for each objective to which this region had the option of responding. At minimum, an action for one strategy per objective was requested. The strategies were:
•    Housing
•    Prevention
•    Income
•    Health
 
It is important to note that the assessment of the region and their proposed strategies are easily seen as fitting what Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert warn against: “If we treat only the symptoms or if we misdiagnose the underlying problem, we will not improve their situation, and we might actually make their lives worse.”  (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009)  As the region is only attempting to alleviate homelessness, they are missing the underlying issue: poor budgeting, mental illness and abuse (to name a few) and their motive of “fixing a problem” are then revealed in their lack of success.
Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners
    Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP) traces its roots to 1966 and Father Frank Bach who directed the Catholic Charities of Spokane at the time.  The initial task was to “...establish three community centers, in Hillyard, East Central and West Central Spokane, each with a goal of helping low-income people meet their emergency needs as well as to provide a multitude of services within those communities.” (SNAP, n.d.)  Gradually, this organization has taken on many different forms and drifted from its religious affiliations eventually becoming what it is today and the mission reads: “Connecting and providing access to resources which create opportunities, with dignity, for low income people.” (SNAP, n.d.)  Again, there is a bit of profound wisdom here: “... with dignity.”  As the region noticed the longevity needed in working with one group of the homeless, SNAP has noticed that handouts can cause damage in attempts to meet needs in poverty alleviation.  Corbett and Fikkert state: “While poor people mention having a lack of material things, they tend to describe their condition in far more psychological and social terms than our North American audiences.” (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009)  Again, this is a great truth and it is quite possible that the success of SNAP over the years can be attributed to its religious birthing.  However, as the organization has drifted from a Gospel foundation, its humanitarian motive is serving symptoms without addressing underlying issues.
Union Gospel Mission Crisis Shelter
    Finally, the Union Gospel Mission Crisis Shelter provides an example of an organization that is as concerned with the physical needs of those they assist as they are of the spiritual needs.
Director Rich Schaus on his goals for the Crisis Shelter: “Most of these women are all too familiar with conditional love. We’re trying to give them a taste of Christ’s love, which means loving them just as they are, in the middle of their personal chaos and helping to keep them safe. Water to the thirsty. Food to the hungry. Shelter for the homeless. The basics.” (Union Gospel Mission, n.d.)

When this shelter (which serves as an emergency shelter for women in crisis) opens its gates, checks out a bunk space and welcomes a mother and her children, their goal is to not simply provide a roof but to also minister to the greater needs of those they serve.  Their reader board proudly broadcasts to those in crisis, the prostitutes across the street and those who drive by that “Hope Starts Here.”  This is a bold but mostly verifiable proclamation as the hope they offer betrays their motive: sharing the redemption found in the Gospel.  As they do this, they fit in with Corbett and Fikkert’s statement: “We are not bringing Christ to poor communities.  He has been active in those communities since the creation of the world, sustaining them ‘by his powerful word’ (Heb. 1:3).” (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009)  You see, the Crisis Shelter is wrong about their proclamation of hope starting there, in that God has been working even before the gates are opened.
Conclusion
    When it comes to poverty alleviation, the region of Spokane and SNAP do meet physical needs and have provided valuable service to many people.  What they have not been able to consistently and completely do is alleviate poverty.  Yes, they might have helped someone procure viable employment or pay their electric bill for the month, but that person is still experiencing a minimum of a “poverty of being” (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009).  As the UGM attempts to meet the spiritual needs as well as the physical needs of women in crisis, they are offering redemption as they lead their leg of the journey towards hope.
 
References
About SNAP | SNAP. (n.d.). Serving Residents of Spokane County, Washington | SNAP. Retrieved from http://www.snapwa.org/about

Corbett, S., & Fikkert, B. (2009). When helping hurts: How to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor-- and yourself. Chicago, IL: Moody.

Crisis Shelter. (n.d.). Union Gospel Mission. Retrieved from http://www.ugmspokane.org/outreaches/womens-shelters/crisis-shelter/

SPOKANE REGIONAL 10-YEAR PLAN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. (2005, December 9). Http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.endhomelessness.org%2Ffiles%2F612_file_SpokaneWA.pdf&ei=y7g0T8vJMY6jiAemkoCEAg&usg=AFQjCNGxrD7szgnT2hAfJ_E-XG6RZwywPA&sig2=cZbr7cCIx2rQ5vM-oQvd-g. Retrieved February 9, 2012.

Final Paper on Syncretism (Effects and Solutions)

The worst thing a person wants to hear is: “You’re doing it wrong.”  When that happens, there is often this bit of pride within that immediately retorts with questions of how they know it’s wrong or if they really know what is happening.  Occasionally, there are times where this phrase has greater consequences, such as an improperly performed act which could cause injury or death (i.e. a vehicle’s breaks being put together incorrectly).  An even more dangerous instance of this phrase is connected to salvation and a person’s message and/or method of how one might be saved.  When this message is not completely wrong, but combines one method of salvation with another to create a new method, it is called syncretism, which should always be followed with a form of the saying: “You’re doing it wrong.”  Regretfully, this phrase is needed on the mission field today as syncretism can be found in many places that would deem themselves Christian.  “Often in places like Africa, Christianity is seen as a mile wide and an inch deep.  There is no transforming work that the cross has made in people’s ways of seeing their world.” (Dirks, 2012)  The task now comes to figuring out and combatting syncretism.  Though there are many other causes of syncretism, the greatest is a lack of knowing and the resultant actions.  In the same line, the greatest method to combat syncretism is to provide knowledge, true knowledge of the living God, without compromise, in a manner that can be understood by those who are being taught.  Syncretism is therefore rooted in knowledge, which is both its greatest cause and greatest remedy.
As in most problems, the first step towards a solution is identification.  In this case, the first step will be to identify syncretism.  One definition is as follows: “Syncretism (Greek, ‘binding together’) is the process of mingling different philosophies, religions or traditions of belief and practice, resulting in hybrid forms.” (“Syncretism, 2002)  When it boils down to it, syncretism is an oxymoron, a contradiction of terms.  Behind a syncretous belief lays a lack of knowledge as many beliefs, philosophies and traditions simply cannot coexist.  It is humorous to see the “COEXIST” bumper stickers that consist of different religious symbols.  These bumper stickers are the closest many of these belief systems can ever be to each other as the very fiber of their origins are contradictory.  One example of syncretism can be seen in rural African situations where Church leaders do not see a disconnect between worshipping the one true God as well as consulting the local witch doctors for malaria remedies.  By incorporating the worship of the one true God and the cultural placement of witch doctors, they have successfully created a syncretous belief system.  The question now arises as to what is the cause of syncretism in this and other cultures.
According to one website, “Syncretism is caused by many things, not the least being that man has a propensity to reject or suppress God’s truth. (Romans 1:8)” (“Syncretism- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem,” n.d.)  Within every person is a desire to be the ruler of their own world and reality.  In order for this to occur, they must reject the truth within their hearts for the lie that has been repeated since the serpent in Genesis 3: “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.  For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (ESV)  An internal rejection of knowledge must occur for syncretism to begin.  And when the person or persons are presented with the saving knowledge of the Gospel, syncretism will continue and worsen if those presenting this truth do so improperly.  Relating a time where he encountered syncretism, Lee C. Wanak states: “I was dismayed to find ‘faithful’ pastors wearing anting-anting (fetishes).  But we had taught no theology of the land to the spirit world or economics or justice or political process or healing that related to their context.” (Wanak, n.d.)  Here, the missionary himself takes responsibility for the syncretism experienced as the group failed to provide the complete theological knowledge required in the situation.  In general, it is this lack of knowledge that allows a person to easily combine different philosophies to create their own “-ism.”  It is also a lack of knowledge that allows the African tribesman to incorporate their worship of the One True God (which is not debated) with their view of witch doctors and ancestor worship.  Knowing the definition of syncretism, it is now important to learn the Biblical perspective and history of syncretism.
Syncretism has been present as long as the Law of Moses.  The first two of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 address syncretism:
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (English Standard Version or ESV)
Therefore, from the beginning of the law, it is known that worshipping any other god is not allowed.  Following this law is a law against creating and worshipping idols.  What is important to note is that in this language, it is implied that the true God (Yahweh) is still worshipped.  The culture of Exodus was one where monotheism was unheard of and the danger lay not in forsaking Yahweh, but in combining worship of Him with worship of others.  Hence, there shall be no other God before Him and there should not be any idols or graven images (which would represent other deities alongside Him.  God foreknew the danger of syncretism and subsequently commanded against any possibility that His chosen people would fall subject to such an act by worshipping other gods in conjunction with their worship of Him.  He reiterated this command in Exodus 34 as the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land as it was inhabited by other cultures known for pagan worship and idolatry:
Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst.  You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),  lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods. (ESV)
In this passage, it is interesting to notice the common language in describing God as jealous between this and the previous passage in Exodus.  Ignoring the fact of there being only one true God, His jealousy is important because it points to his just wrath.  This jealousy is unlike the jealousy of man in that He is holy and therefore, His jealousy is holy as it would be the result of the Israelites’ whoring after their gods, creating syncretous belief systems.  Eventually, this command and the previously mentioned commands become eerie reminders to the Israelites as this is exactly what they did as their syncretism ended up defining their history.  As the syncretism of the Samaritans is described in II Kings 17:
They also feared the Lord wand appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.  So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.  To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. (ESV)
This time follows other times of syncretism within the Israelite narrative where many before this group succumbed to its allure and suffered the consequences.  Regretfully, this narrative does not result in the lesson being learned as the author of Hebrews reiterates the point saying: “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” (ESV)  With these examples and warnings in mind, it is easy to see that the knowledge the Israelites and the Hebrew Christians around Rome had was a knowledge of the one true God, but their knowledge of Him proved to not be as prevalent as needed since (at least in the case of the Israelites) their syncretism is well documented.  Sadly, their examples proved not to be the last.
Other examples of syncretism can be found wherever the Gospel is preached (yes, even in the Promised Land: Western Culture).  The previous mentioned article on syncretism provides an example of syncretism in a rural mission field setting:
Typically speaking, tribal people do not understand trade languages very well, so the message they heard was not clear to them.  Nonetheless, the villagers enthusiastically embraced “Christianity.”  They simply added what they thought the Bible said to what they already believed. They combined the two and ended up with a third religion, a syncretization of two very different worldviews. (“Syncretism- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem,” n.d.)
This is perhaps the most basic example and definition one might find where a small knowledge of theology was simply combined with knowledge of cultural beliefs.  Undoubtedly, this step might be part of the natural progression as some come to a salvific faith in Christ, it is essential to remember and treat it as a step though, and not simply allow this combination to continue.  When examining Western examples of syncretism, the painful history of segregation is nauseatingly present as many pastors and religious organizations used the Bible as a means to promote segregation.  Ashamedly, the issue has yet to be resolved:
Martin Luther King Jr. once said 11 a.m. Sunday is the most segregated hour in America. Now, 40 years after King's murder, only 7 percent of America's churches are considered racially mixed. That's a disappointingly low number for Biggers, who said he's tired of hearing that churches continue to be mostly segregated on Sundays. (Harris and Soden, 2008)
The sorrow of this reality shows that syncretism is bred by lack of knowledge and (as previously stated) wherever the Gospel is preached.  The question, then, is what is the solution?  If “no one is safe” from syncretism, what should be done to combat this plague that resulted in the demise of God’s Chosen people in the first two thirds of the Bible?  Quite simply, the answer is knowledge.
A person’s culture is like their fingerprint: unique to them.  Granted, there are similarities that draw them together, like a swirl or geographical origin, but each is unique.  It is important to be a student of culture in every situation.  If possible, it is important to envelop cultural norms in one’s life as avenues to present the Truth: “To communicate clearly, it helps to have a shared heart language and culture.” (“Syncretism- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem,” n.d.)  By knowing the culture and therefore living in the culture as much as is possible, genuine opportunities to present the Gospel may be presented.  To simply ignore one’s culture and attempt to present the Gospel would prove to be futile as each person’s culture is part of who they are.  Randy Dirks said that:
When we deal with people coming to Christ, we must ensure that their deeply held values are transformed by the gospel.  If they are not then what happens is that the person believes the gospel for things related to the hereafter.  However, when it comes to daily needs and concerns like a sick child then the person turns back to their former religious practices. (Dirks, 2012)
The Gospel transcends culture, but it does not replace culture.  The message still stands that each person translates the Gospel in light of their own culture.  It is important to be a student of culture and know how it impacts daily lives while knowing the absolute Truth presented in the Gospel.  This is not easy though, as there are many aspects of a culture that might seem innocent to one, when in truth, they are not.  K.P. Yohannon speaks of Yoga in such a light.  As many in Western Culture view Yoga as uplifting and relaxing, in Eastern cultures it is used “... to open up the mind and body to receive visitations from demon spirits.” (Yohannan, 2004)  This is a startling reality and is evidence that not all cultural norms are profitable in presenting the Gospel, there must be a method of knowing culture while knowing the Truth in combatting syncretism. 
     “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32, ESV)  Christ’s words reveal the solution plainly, but it is obviously not so simple.  Evaluating the missionaries and mission work must be in light of the Truth.  As William Taylor noted, “Christ is the plumb line to evaluate missions and missionaries.” (Taylor, 1993)  The obvious difficulty arises when one’s culture is brought into the mix.  One cannot simply look at Scriptures and claim that their grasp on a matter is accurate.  There are some truths which leave no room for interpretation, but as a whole “... we must acknowledge that while Scripture judges all cultures, our perception of Scripture is often very ethnocentric or culturally based.” (Taylor, 1993)  It is therefore a daunting, yet necessary task to be able to accurately study the Truth of God’s word and present it to different cultures so that it might be understood and accepted.  This will not be accomplished by studying Scripture in light of the culture, but studying the culture in light of Scripture.  The danger of not doing so is an obvious path towards syncretism.  Without the foundational knowledge being grounded, the opportunity for half-truths to enter and lead astray can abound.  It is therefore essential to judge the culture in light of the Bible and Biblical authority.  George Patterson named the three levels of Biblical authority as: 1) New Testament Commands; 2) Apostolic Practices; and 3) Human Customs. (Winter, et. al., 2009)  The missionaries must know the Truth of God’s word and minister out of that knowledge while being a student of culture.  This is an intimidating task from the eyes of just one missionary, it then becomes essential to train leaders who will assist in this task.
    As Moses was encouraged by his father-in-law to train up leaders in Exodus 18, so too must missionaries train leaders from among the people they aim to minister.  Steve de Gruchy writes that “What we must do, rather, is to train and equip leaders so that they have the ability to read their own situation and respond accordingly.” (de Gruchy, 1997)  When a lay leader is built up and empowered, the work of the missionary does not simply cease when the missionary leaves.   This provides continuity in ministry, but also allows greater opportunities for culture to be assessed.  The words of de Gruchy provide deeper insight:
A key component of a theology for lay people has to do with training, developing and empowering leaders in various communities.  Each local church or outstation functions within a microcosm of social, economic and cultural forces, and the preaching and pastoral practice has to relate to that context. (de Gruchy, 1997)
Within the ministry context, the best way to combat syncretism is to build up leaders who know and understand the culture and could therefore know where it would most likely arise. Additionally, by sharing a “heart language and culture,” they would be in a greater position to effect positive change that transforms the deeply held values.  This is not easy though, and it leads to perhaps the greatest form knowledge must be imparted: education.
    Empowering the leaders of a culture allows them to minister in ways that many Western missionaries could not, but these leaders pose a greater threat to bringing about syncretism if they are not trained.   However;
If the missionary focuses on developing the church to a stage where the decisions are made by the community of indigenous believers as they carefully explore the Scriptures, then the community will be able to serve as a self-correcting one long after the missionary is gone. (Moreau, 2004)
The goal for any ministry should not be to multiply, but to empower so that others might empower and thus create a wave of leaders empowered by the truth of the Gospel.  A stark reality of a missionary not educating a group so that they might be self-correcting lies in the image of a broken water pump in sub Saharan Africa.  The group had provided the means to meet a need and provided the source for water, but had not educated and empowered anyone to fix the pump should it break.  In regards to theological training and education, “Curricula that integrates theory with immersion, counseling, spiritual formation and life experience will create the needed symbiosis for holism.” (Wanka, n.d.)  Again, education provides the means necessary for the group being presented with the Gospel to combat syncretism themselves.  Wanka also gives an example of the need to address syncretism in theological education:
In the 1980’s I was involved in starting a grassroots Bible school for leadership development among rural lay pastors in Mindanao.  We trained them to study their Bibles, to evangelize, to preach, to plant Churches, to marry and bury.  But something was missing and I didn’t realize what it was for some time.  Our theology and teaching had not adequately entered the lives of people, their worldviews, their fears, the oppressive elements in their lives and their poverty. (Wanka, 1997)
Going back to Dirks, it is important to “... ensure that their deeply held values are transformed by the gospel.” (Dirks, 2012)  When this education does transform the whole person, they will then be effective in multiplying the reach of the Gospel.  K.P. Yohannan advocates that, when properly equipped, native missionaries can have a greater impact than Western missionaries.  When it comes to theological education, “Gospel for Asia has established 67 Bible colleges in the heart of the 10/40 window... Before [native missionaries] finish their year training, each student will have carefully read through the Bible at least three times.” (Yohannan, 2004)  When it boils down to it, this is simply not a debated issue: theological knowledge is vital as a tool to not simply combat syncretism but to also bring the multitudes to Christ as well.  It is therefore important to know the Truth, as it brings freedom, know culture, as each culture is a part of who a person is and then to empower and educate as native leaders will have a far greater reach than any outsider.
    Lack of knowledge can be the cause of many problems in this world.  Be it a person simply making a fool of themselves to experiencing God’s wrath, lack of knowledge is dangerous.  On the other hand, the benefits of having knowledge are exponential; from winning game shows to knowing the true path to salvation.  When a missionary immerses themselves in a culture and formulate a method of presenting the truth of the Gospel, they must walk dangerously close to the edge of syncretism in their efforts to understand culture.  If they do not have a firm Biblical foundation, then they might fall into syncretism themselves, as some have done.  Similarly, if they have not studied the culture in light of Biblical authority, they will find themselves sorely ineffective as they do not know who they are ministering to and are attempting a “cookie cutter” method in presenting the Gospel.  When the missionary does find the balance of Biblical truth and cultural awareness and are then able to empower lay leaders and educate them on the Truth, they will find their ministries exponentially effective.  When this does not happen, the ominous “You’re doing it wrong” will come on the day of judgment, and the missionary will not just have to answer for themselves, but also for those who were led astray by their syncretous teachings.
 
References

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Dirks, R. (2012, January 29). Crown final week [E-mail to the author].

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Taylor, W. D. (1994). Kingdom partnerships for synergy in missions. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.

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