More Americanized than Americans?

Since the academic year at SAIACS was over, we guys decided to pick up on every opportunity to chill out and kill the stress that assignments and dead lines had loaded on us.

We began with some music concerts. Our enthusiasm suffered badly when in the very first concert, we found ourselves out of place. In the bang-bang of rock music, I was wondering whether anyone standing there understood what was going on (singing in tongues?). Many of us still pretended to understand everything and enjoyed it. Perhaps, we wanted show how westernized (and so civilized?) we were. Apart from a person who did some good rap songs on the portions of the Bible (and then only we knew that we were in a gospel concert, not in Metallica live), everything else was so confusing. Rita and Boicy must be wondering, "why in the world we decided to be here?", just as every other friend was.

But the irony was here. There was a group of American ladies standing in a corner. Soberly dressed and wearing smiles on their faces, they were greeting people around them. It was a quite pleasing scene. Did they look more Indian than those Indians around me?

After some days there was another concert. The scene was quite similar, but just that this time there was no westerner around us.

These incidents challenged my 'contextual theory.' Contextualization has been an important issue in Christian mission. However, I wonder whether we are contextualing and asking our people to contextualize with us. Are we, especially the youth-workers, giving the young people gospel that would fit into their life-style, or are we altogether giving them a new life-style? Do the young people really need what we say they need or are we trying to first decide and then tell them that this is what they need?

I do not intend to demand outright rejection of everything that is western. I really admire these Pakistani bands- Strings and Junoon. They appeal to me as models of western-eastern blending. Why can't we have gospel music like that?

When Americans are appreciating Indian values, we are becoming more Americanized than Americans. Perhaps, its a high time to learn some contextual lessons from them.

Vanhoozer, Wolterstorff and Merlin Jones

It was the month of March. I was in a boxing ring. The fight had been arranged by the faculties of SAIACS, Nigel being the main contributor. I, a thin and lanky man, was to fight against two heavyweight champions - Kevin Vanhoozer and Nicholas Wolterstorff. It was like a newcomer having his first match against the team of Tyson and Holifield together.

Wolterstorff looked a bit feeble, so I took up on him first. I was proved wrong. He was the champion of Divine Discourse. His heaviest blows were the noematic content, designative content and the illocutionary stance. I did not back off easily. The first battle resulted in a draw.

Before I enter in the ring for the second time, Nigel had roped in a coach for me, Merlin Jones. He was a thin man too. He asked me to focus upon Vanhoozer first. Vanhoozer had come up with a title - Is There A Meaning In This Text? Jones had expertized over Vanhoozer's moves. He shared me the stories of Vanhoozer's vehement attacks on Jacques Derrida and Stanley Fish. I had definitely begun to appreciate Vanhoozer for that. Finally, the day for fight arrived. Vanhoozer was not easy opponent, but with Merlin's shrewd tactics I fought him back. The match was over and I was declared winner.

Now I had to look forward to the next fight, with Wolterstorff. This time, my coach Jones, gave me more freedom to do self-study of Wolterstorff's moves and prepare myself accordingly. Last fight had given me some confidence. I took time to understand the blows that I had received last time. The day to show up came. There were eight eager spectators, who were also boxing champs, seated around the ring. The match began. Blow after blow, the battle was getting violent and bloody. It lasted for a little more than twenty minutes. At the end of the match, I received some complements which worked as medicine to my bleeding nose. Finally, the moment of glory- yes, I was declared winner again. The joy was unspeakable.

So this was the module of March- Theological Hermeneutics. Vanhoozer and Wolterstorff came up with heavy philosophical concepts and vocabulary, and my knees did rattle. Thanks to the coach, Merlin Jones. He did put lot of effort to motivate and prepare me for the battle. And yes, thanks to Nigel for roping him in. I think, my classmates, also the spectators of my matches, would have no great disagreement with what I said.