Change across Cultures

A Narrative Approach to Social Transformation

by: Bruce Bradshaw

• Format

  E-Book

  ISBN

  9781441206978

  Pub. Date

  Mar 2002

  SRP

  $28.00

  Buy

About

"A crucial addition to any serious library. It could make an effective missions textbook. No doubt Bradshaw's work will have a wide impact, ultimately for the gospel in societies around the world."--J. Nelson Jennings, Evangelical Missions Quarterly

C. S. Lewis compared the task of ethical inquiry to sailing a fleet of ships; the primary task is avoiding collisions. When introducing cultural change, such collisions are inevitable. Bruce Bradshaw provides expert instruction for navigating these cultural clashes.

Bradshaw contents that lasting change comes only through the transformation of the stories by which we live. Aspects of God's redemption story can change how local cultures think and behave toward the environment, religions, government, gender identities, economics, science, and technology. However, effective change takes place only in a context of reconciliation, Christian community, and mutual learning.

A must read for anyone engaged in or preparing for cross-cultural ministry, relief, or development work. The book is also relevant to students of ethics, philosophy, and theology. Numerous real-life examples illustrate the inevitable tensions that occur when cultures and narratives collide.

 

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Endorsements

"The author has given us another provocative and much-needed book. All who are involved in cross-cultural ministries, especially development professionals, will welcome Bruce Bradshaw's Change across Cultures. Bradshaw, equipped with field experience and academic rigor, tackles some knotty issues facing those who desire to transform the cultural narratives--worldviews and moral assumptions--of the peoples of the world through the narrative of God's redemptive relationship with creation. The book is comprehensive in the treatment of development sectors, biblically sound, diverse in the use of multidisciplinary sources, and masterfully written. It is definitely an addition to the current discussion on biblical holism crucial to the church's worldwide mission."--Tetsunao Yamamori, president emeritus, Food for the Hungry International

"By exploring many dimensions of cultures and drawing stories from around the world, this book makes fascinating reading. It also makes a valuable contribution to those seeking a better understanding of the relationship between gospel and culture. This requires that we understand other cultures and the values undergirding them, and storytelling plays a major role in bringing about cultural change."---Eric Ram, Director of International Health and International Relations, World Vision

"Christians face multiple challenges in our time of increasing fragmentation. These challenges represent a marvelous opportunity for Christ's disciples to be authentic witnesses of the gospel while, at the same time, living fully in the societies and cultures where they find themselves. Christians cannot live as authentic witnesses of Christ and his gospel without changes in their surrounding cultures. We do not, however, have a clear understanding of how these changes should happen. I consider Bruce Bradshaw's book a significant and timely contribution to the ethics of social transformation. His argument is convincing and compelling. No one interested in Christian ethics across cultures can afford to ignore Change across Cultures."--Tite Tienou, Academic Dean, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"Bradshaw makes a compelling case that the values that govern the communal and personal lives of people are carried in their stories. Reflecting on case studies drawn from his vast experience in relief and development, he demonstrates that science and technology fail first on moral and value issues rather than on efficiency and effectiveness."

"Bradshaw's reflection on familiar biblical narratives through a worldview of 'limited good' provides rich new insights into the gospel as a message for both personal and social redemption and transformation. This book is must reading for anyone who is serious about the whole gospel and holistic ministry."--Sherwood Lingenfelter, dean, School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Understanding the concepts shared in this book is critical to anyone engaged in the task of helping people to change. Whether or not you agree with the many nontraditional interpretations of familiar Bible passages you encounter in these pages, they will force you to reevaluate some of your own assumptions as well as those of the people of other cultures with whom you live and work."--Jane Overstreet, president, Development Associates International

"Bradshaw's latest work adds to the already significant reputation of this scholar in cross-cultural studies. He challenges his readers to come to terms with their own cultural narratives and points out the necessity of changing these narratives if real values-transformation is to take place in cross-cultural work. Bradshaw includes fascinating stories throughout, drawing on his extensive grassroots experience in Asia and Africa. Between his stories, he sympathetically articulates lessons to be learned. His narrative-based technique serves both to illustrate his arguments and to make a very readable text. Bradshaw challenges his readers to read the Bible in significant new ways. This is an important work that should leave a lasting mark in cross-cultural fields of study."--Dr. Peter G. Riddell, director, Centre for Islamic Studies, London Bible College

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Reviews

"Drawing upon firsthand experience as a development practitioner, Bradshaw constructs a paradigm for managing cultural change that reserves a place for outside interventionists. . . . The work will be of interest to those in mission studies and development."--Dale Irvin, Religious Studies Review

"A significant contribution to the growing literature on strategies for culturally sensitive, biblically based social transformation. . . . There is much in this book that pushes us to a deeper and better conversation as a global church on the very heart of the gospel story--how we can participate in God's story of redeeming the world to experience the abundant life for which it was created. . . . Change across Cultures is worth reading, thinking about, and acting upon."--Kevin Neuhouser, Christian Scholar's Review

"[Bradshaw] brings his vast experience in the field to focus on the burning issue of mission today in the context of diverse cultures. . . . His thought provoking new biblical paradigm for mission as not only salvation of individuals, but also the transformation of Christian communities and whole societies, is challenging."--Desmond D'Sousa, Dharma Deepika