Gospel & Culture

1. COACH Institute of Intercultural Studies, Hyderabad
Gospel & Culture

3. I’m a
Follower of christ…

4. And I’m also a
Yeshu Bhakt.

5. Manjiras (Indian hand cymbals)

8. BUT what does
The Bible
have to say
about all of this?

9. ABOUT…
- Use of Cultural
Forms
- Birth Community
Identity

10. USE OF
CULTURAL
FORMS

11. 1 Cor 9:19-22
I have become
all things…

12. What are the
limits on our
adaptation to
target cultures?

13. “To those not having
the law [i.e. Gentiles],
I became like one
not having the law
(though I am not free
from God’s law but
under Christ’s law).”

14. RETAINING
BIRTH
COMMUNITY
IDENTITY

15. BIBLICAL DATA
(CASE STUDIES)

16. 1. Jesus’ encounter with…
the Gentile ___________.
2. Peter’s encounter with…
the Roman ___________.
3. Paul’s experience with…
the Greek ____________.

17. 1. Jesus’ encounter with…
the Gentile DEMONIAC.
2. Peter’s encounter with…
the Roman CORNELIUS.
3. Paul’s experience with…
the Greek TITUS.

18. 1. Jesus’ encounter with…
the Gentile DEMONIAC.
(Mark 5)

20. 2. Peter’s encounter with…
the Roman CORNELIUS.
(Acts 10-11, 15)

22. God promises
to answer
Cornelius’
prayer request
through Peter.

23. “Send to Joppa for
Peter. He will bring
you a message by
which you and all
your household will
be saved.”
Acts 11:13-14

24. Why is
Cornelius
asking God how
to be saved?

25. “… the law of Moses
has been preached in
every city…and is
read in the
synagogues on every
Sabbath.”
Acts 15:21

26. What did Jewish law
require of Gentiles
in order to be saved
and included among
God’s chosen
people?

27. 1 Circumcision
2 Baptism
3 Temple sacrifice
4 Obey Mosaic Law
5 Social separation
from Gentiles

28. David Sim and James McLaren: Attitudes to Gentiles
in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (2014).
“The evidence testifies that quite early on Second
Temple Judaism developed three definitive steps that
were necessary for the process of conversion. There
were
(a) the exclusive worship of the Jewish God and the
complete renunciation of idolatry,
(b) full observance of the Mosaic Law as specified in
the Jewish Scriptures, and
(c) total incorporation into the Jewish community….”
(David Sim, “Gentiles, God-Fearers and Proselytes, ”p. 19)

29. Circumcision: door to Jewish identity

30. “You are well aware
that it is against our
law for a Jew to
associate with or visit
a Gentile.”
Acts 10:28

31. pothanav@gmail.com