Worldview for Christian Witness

by Charles H Kraft Dr

In Worldview for Christian Witness, Charles Kraft invites readers to understand REALITY as God sees it by learning to take seriously the insights of other societies. The diversity of cultures can seem obvious, but to really understand the significance of those surface level differences, one needs to understand the deep level assumptions on which they are based.

Genres: Anthropology

610 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2008

Reviews

[Dave Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid exploration in to the world of Christian mission by Kraft. There are parts that get redundant, and he weighs in with a heavy bias on a particular perception of America, but his convictions are equally convincing. In fact, some of the most engaging chapters are the ones in which he lays all his cards on the table and exposes a high degree of vulnerability and openness of how his personal experience changed his own perception. Much of this has to do with contrasting a powerless (in a spiritual sense) Christianity and culture in American with the power that defines the majority of the worlds people and culture. What guides his process is a strong belief in the power of Christianity and a large awareness of the spirit world.

Kraft writes like a teacher, and he divides his book between exploring the definition of worldview, the categories of worldview (animist, theist, and naturalist), and then as well navigates the practical issues that come in to play in any cross cultural experience. He is high on using the language of people centered rather than culture, a point that really began to resonate with me on a conscious level as I read through it.

He challenges us to recognize our own worldview before attempting to observe another. And he also challenges us to see observation in terms of humility, patience, and learning as opposed to dominating or indoctrinating. He sees reality on two levels, the big "R" reality, and then the small "r" reality, an approach that can strip some of the pretense and preconceived notions that we can force on other cultures without even being aware. And he preaches caution and patience in the process, suggesting that it is ultimately people who must change themselves, and that even the notion of what needs to change is a question that needs to be approached carefully and openly. If there is an area of success with this effort from Kraft, it certainly ingrained in me that any cross cultural engagement needs to be done with a high degree of awareness of self and others. All in all a really good source for gaining a perspective on cross culture movement both within our culture and outside of it (an important realization given that cross cultural work can happen just as easily at home)

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive (600+ pages) look at worldview primarily from an anthropological rather than philosophical or theological perspective. Written in a very approachable style, the author reflects frequently on his own worldview and changes to that worldview that serve as helpful illustration to the material.

[Carl Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for grad school. It is a little intimidating, but it is written with much experience. I recommend this for any missional thinker.