Christians And Anthropology

Why Should Christians study anthroplogi? How can it help them understand themselves and their world? Fist, it si clear that Christians are called to be citizens of the world, and as such they need to understand the peoples of the world in all their cultural diversity. The gospel breaks down the berriers of ethnosentrism that devide people into opposing camps  of jews and gentiles, slaves and masters, and males and famales. It seeks to restore fellowship between God and humans, and between humans. Anthropology can help us build relationships of fellowship with people in other socienties by helping us understand and appreciate them in their own cultural settings.

Second, one the central tasks christians face today is to make the gaspel understook and relevant. As John Stot  points out, there is a deep chasm between the cultural contexts of the Bible and contemporary cultures. In order to communicate the gospel effectively in our day, we need to understand divine revelation within its historical and cultural settings as well  as people in their present-day settings. The former we can gain through bliblical studies, and even here anthropology can contribute valu-able  insights into the cultural contexts of the Bible. The letter we can gain through the social sciences. Both understandings are needed. If we have a knowledge of tge Bible without a Knowledge of contemporary socienties we are in danger of proclaiming a message that is irrelevant anf meaningless. On the other hand, if we have an undertanding of present-day cultures, but no understanding of the gospel, we have no message to bring.

Paul G Hiebert, Cultural Anthropology, Baker Book Hause.