Book Plug

One of InterVarsity's values is "ethnic reconciliation and justice." As I have been with IV, as a student and staff, multiculturalism, racial reconciliation and the like have been an ever-growing part of my discipleship, and I am grateful for it!

But on occasion someone asks me: "why is multiculturalism important? Isn't it just a PC thing?!?" My answer usually goes something like this: "God created the varied cultures we have, and each one sees him uniquely. No one culture corners the market on God, so we need other cultures in order to see God in his fullness."

That's a true statement, but honestly at times I have struggled, if pressed, to give a solid example about how that exactly works. God's Global Mosaic, by Paul-Gordon Chandler, has helped me think through multiculturalism in some concrete ways, and I recommend it, especially for those interested in the multicultural discussion.

The subtitle of the book is: "what we can learn from Christians from around the world." The "we" there are Western Christians, since the book takes you on a tour of 6 non-Western cultural groups from around the world. At each stop Chandler, who seemingly has lived everywhere, describes how a particular cultural distinctive demonstrates an aspect of who God is and how he works, as well as what our response as followers of Jesus should be. Here's the synopsis:

Eastern Europe: deep reverance for God resulting in a response of worship
Middle East: perseverance in their faith and resulting discipline
Latin America: celebration and rejoicing
India: Jesus as a teacher and corresponding respect for his instruction
Africa: freedom in Christ, together with passion for seeing others freed
East Asia: value in the surprises of God and a resulting enlarged view of him

To quote a former Staff named Alison Siewart in The Worship Team Handbook: "from a biblical perspective cultures are relative. That is, no one culture possesses all knowledge of God, and no one culture reflects God perfectly. Every culture contains partial understanding of God, and every culture contains sin...no one culture, then, adequately celebrates God's glory. Our worship awaits the perfecting force of Jesus' kingdom coming in fullness."

I'm glad that IV is compelled by the multicultural value and hope that our little group in Fresno experiences, at least in part, Jesus' kingdom coming in fullness...