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 Symbolic Interactionism

by Samuel Prempeh    

After analyzing the method of analysis of human behavior by Psychologists, Sociologists, and other scholars, Blumer explained Symbolic Interactionism as, human action on things resulting from their interpretive processing of meanings of things ascribed by or arising out of social interaction. Blumer establishes a method for doing it through the application of the guiding principles of methodology in empirical science. The writer argues through the philosophy of Realism, Psychologists and Sociologists ignore the importance of meanings of things in human action or behavior, emphasizing rather the initiating factors that are said to produce or play upon human beings in their behavior.

    The implication drawn from Blumer’s position is that, the methods or analysis drawn by Psychologists and Sociologists falsify the behavior under study by bypassing meanings. It is further felt meanings are only reduced to an intrinsic makeup of a thing or an object or some personal or private reflection of psychological impulses. The writer further criticizes scholars who have some sense of social interaction but fail to realize that a person’s action results from their own interaction with the meanings derived from society. These scholars’, psychological and sociological approaches have been applied in relating to many situations in missions and in the Church, resulting in our indifference towards the place of the interaction of an individual and society’s processing of meanings, the “social product”, which indeed remains very important in the formation of meanings to things. The further implication of this assertion is that we have not really been communicating because of our insensitivity to the foundational matter of the understandings of persons or societies. By such attitudes, the way of doing church or mission in many places over a very long time could from the point of view of the local people, possibly have begun from some assumptions that are irrelevant to them or situations of their societies. This possibly reflects another instance of the assumption of the missionary’s private standards or Western or the missionary’s culture (termed by Blumer as, the “pre-established forms of joint action”), representing the standards, which all other persons and cultures must take to. It ignores background issues, new and specific situations that we need to relate to in reaching various persons or cultures. Some assertions made by Hunter in writing on “Social Influence” buttress the points of Blumer. Issues and situations like the influence of “a much larger society”, which the society used to be part, the worldview of a culture, the family and other groups, opinion leaders and “Significant Others” are very important in making meanings. Unless we relate appropriately to some of those matters that might be relevant in processing the understandings of persons, we can hardly communicate in our interactions.

     My question is to what extent have psychologists and sociologists been helpful to their clients and societies? Is it not necessary to affect these professions with communication experts?

     I believe the above insights will make Church leaders and missionaries more compassionate and realistic, instead of having wrong assumptions and prejudices against some persons and societies we relate. When such insights are made to bear on the communication of the Gospel, it becomes more relevant to the people we relate to, and they are made to come to the right place of responding effectively to the Gospel.

TRENDS IN THE MISSION OF GOD

Passage: Jn.1-5                                                                       Date: 8/9/04

     John shows how Jesus did mission by relating appropriately to the cultural and personal situations of the people he met with the view to establishing some cultural steadiness relevant for the situation in hand. The writer begins with the relevance of relating to some redemptive analogies in Greek philosophy or culture by a logos theology, establishing Jesus as the Logos (Reason for existence). In the rural and Galilean cultures where there was no so much concern for doctrine as in Judea, Jesus did miracles knowing that would appeal most to the people. On the other hand, and in other to appeal to the Jews, he discussed doctrine and the Scriptures with Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and a Jewish leader, after he had already allowed himself to be baptized by John the baptizer. Jesus also related to the Samaritan woman in a way that would be relevant to the woman personally and to her community at large by pointing to her personal sinful life, and to the need for sincere worship that is not limited to material boundaries. He also pointed to the need for the Jews to seek for steadiness in their culture when he laid bare before them cultural norms like the observance of the Sabbath carried out in a way that stifles development and growth of resources including  human.

     There is the need therefore for missionaries to relate in various cultures and among persons with similar relevance in order to communicate and achieve our missional objectives.

Section: Acts                                                                        

Passage: Ac. 17-21                                                               

      In doing mission, Paul identified with people or groups with identical faith with the intent that he as a missionary or God’s apostle and the former will benefit mutually. He thus interacted with the Jews and other people in synagogues and other public places in areas like Thessalonica, Athens and Corinth, and related to some disciples in Ephesus. He also met the Jewish leaders of the Church in Jerusalem including James to discuss how best to relate to the Jews while in Jerusalem.

    It is important not to ignore other believers even as we travel to various places to share the Gospel with the people, and we must seek their welfare and spiritual growth too.

Social Construction of Reality

    Berger and Luckmann argue that social knowledge is founded on certain philosophical basis of constituents of consciousness determining structures of meanings. The dimensions of this knowledge stated in terms of various aspects of reality and dynamics of language of everyday life, interact with  religious factors, social action, institutions and the legitimation or forms of ordering thereof on one hand, and similarly, an internalization or “taken over” of the world by an individual on the other hand, to effect society as an objective and subjective reality respectively.

    The implication of the above is, there is a tendency whereby as one’s society or world seeks to “take over” one, one is compelled similarly to “take over” one’s society or world from the time of one’s birth. This would necessary set some limits to the popular understanding of authoritarianism like Marxism, which intentions regarding dialectic between social reality and individual existence, the writers point out have been misinterpreted. However, from the onset, the writers make an indication of not doing philosophy; their propositions smack highly of philosophical undertones and some paradoxes. In discussing the idea of “Internalization of Reality” (pp. 129-130), the book gives an indication of the possibility of the absence of congruence in a face-to-face interaction of two persons. However, under the discussion “Social Interaction in Everyday Life” (pp.28-29), it states there is a “vivid present shared by both” as the “other is fully real” in a face-to-face situation over against the “remote situation”. I believe it will be necessary to discuss the issue, having in mind some cultural factors. The latter assertion has a high probability in a “direct culture”, where persons will freely share information but will still not release all information if it is at the same time a “low context” culture where information is compartmentalized. A person of a high context culture might freely share information and thus be “real” as indicated above but might still offer some resistance if the person’s culture is also “indirect”. It is true that human beings express a wide range of emotions making non-verbal forms of communication very important, and therefore all things being equal it is very helpful to have a face-to-face interaction in order to communicate effectively. However, there are setting limitations, which do not necessarily make the face-to-face interaction always result in congruence. There are forms of communication that can be “hypocritical” as discussed by the writers themselves, and cultures vary in their use and interpretation of emotions and other forms of non-verbal language, which might be used in the face-to-face interaction. Again the inability of any of the persons interacting to interpret effectively whether both persons come from a common culture or not can disaffect the congruence or effectiveness of the interaction.

     How do we explain the dynamics involved when persons and groups including some faith organizations intentionally resist being “taken over” by society and vice versa?

     It is pertinent for leaders of the Church and missionaries to help local people understand deeply the interactions, integration or relationships that are being fostered or envisaged between the people, the society and the church so that they can consciously and effectively communicate and relate to each other. Indeed, whether we communicate effectively verbally or non-verbally, it will be disastrous if we are unable to understand the deep processing of various interactions between persons, ourselves, various groups including the society and various faith communities among others.

A Synthesis of Christian Mission

     The Christian mission spanning over a period of two thousand years without doubt is the most influential religious movement and the only one worthy of being described a universal religion.[i] Many scholars have suggested basic patterns of and reasons for the growth of Christian mission. In this write-up, we shall discuss a synthesis of such suggestions through the lenses of three main scholars, Snyder, Pierson and Stark. Snyder and Pierson being Christian historians offer the spiritual dimension while Stark, a sociologist, offers the sociological dimensions of the discussion.

Some Prior Suggestions

      While some scholars’ synthesis of Christian mission smack of linear and progressive growth, others stress cyclical, spiral and pendulum (swing) growth patterns. Dibelius, Bavinck, Carver, Latourette and Schreiter are some of the historians to make some analysis of Christian mission after the initiatives of those before and after Eusebius doing apocalyptic and chronological traditions of mission history respectively. While linear and progressive growth hardly identify periods of decline within mission history, the others identify some decline among growth but with differing effects in history of missions. The cyclical and pendulum do not identify largely significant growth while the spiral demonstrates, despite the retrogression at some points there is enormous growth or progress in the history of mission. Latourette’s periodization, which seems much of a spiral pattern dealing with the period 500-1950 has terms like the “Great Advance”, “Recession”, “Expansion”, “Great Century” and “Vigor amidst Storm” in analyzing the events revisited. A development of this work can be found in the effort at a very simple synthesis by the terms, “Periphery to Center” and “Center to Periphery” describing the history of the Christian mission from AD 330 to this day. By these terms, it will be seen that the pattern whereby the Church expanded by efforts initiated from either the periphery or the center of ecclesiastical structures to the other could be established throughout history. However, these terms do not actually help to identify most causes or reasons for the expansion and more especially, the retrogression of the church at some points in history.

     Snyder, Pierson and Stark: Spiritual and Scientific Dimensions of History of Missions

     Snyder and Pierson corroborate on spiritual factors, without which the Church can hardly experience renewal and expansion. They offer instances of how the presence or absence of these factors led to growth or decline of the church respectively. After analyzing such factors in the history of the Church, the theory or synthesis derived from these Church historians is, the Church grows via movements that remain faithful the leading of the Holy Spirit and to associating with some spiritual factors, without, which the former declines.

     Snyder asserts that it is by God’s Spirit that He works “…to create Christian community and to renew His people when they fall into unfaithfulness.”[ii] Pierson corroborates this idea of rediscovery of the heart of the Gospel and a vision for the New Testament Church by saying, “Renewal and expansion are often accompanied by new spiritual dynamics or recontextualized forms of spirituality.”[iii] Both scholars tell of the New Prophecy Movement (Montanists) as the first Charismatic in history to which belonged leaders like Montanus, Maximilla and Priscilla who talked of the “Paraclete” and signs of the Holy Spirit. They advocated open confession of Christ, which could possibly lead to the believer’s martyrdom. Perpetua who was martyred is believed to have been influenced by this movement, which was later affirmed by Church leaders including John Wesley as a group raised by God for renewal. Pietism, Moravianism and Methodism are seen as one broad movement of renewal to which also the Holy Spirit’s involvement is said to be central. Similarly, the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements that started in the United States spreading throughout the third world especially Africa are linked to the Holy Spirit. Today the Church in Africa, South America and Asia are experiencing dramatic numerical strengths outdoing all other continents of the world. It is also established that, renewal and expansion are triggered by key persons and new leadership patterns. Some key persons giving unique leadership in the Church or mission bodies and societies include St. Patrick, Benedict, Augustine, Luther, Calvin Zinzendorf, Carey and Wesley among many others. From the leadership of these we have seen strong Monasteries, the Reformation and denominations like the Lutherans, Baptists, Methodism and others respectively. All these leaders raised the voices against the ecclesiastical centers of the day, and supported by the peripheral, as claimed by Pierson, they founded new movements that eventually contributed immensely to the growth of Christian mission. At this point, the claim that the church declines when it looses the strong link with the Spirit and with the spiritual factors in question, can be established, particularly concerning the institutionalized Roman Catholicism. The monasteries reaching both East and West were more spiritual and related to the above spiritual factors enabling Roman Catholicism to survive decline as narrated by Neil.[iv] Many other leaders like Wycliffe, Savonarola and Huss held their “internal reformation” against the bishops as late as the 16^th century.[v] Snyder and Pierson again affirm Winter’s idea that a two structure system (modality and sodality) prevails in discussing the renewal and expansion of Christian mission.[vi] Snyder uses the term “Ecclesiola in Ecclesia” in describing this factor.[vii] It is said the two-structure system actually started in the New Testament with examples within the Jerusalem and Antioch churches. In history, the monasteries, mission societies and other movements have served as the sodalities or ecclesiola within several denominations. There have been several independent missions or sodalities that have also contributed immensely to the expansion of missions. Another factor leading to the expansion of mission is what Pierson identifies as theological breakthroughs. Snyder expands this idea in relating to the development and study of socio-theological models of Church revitalization. In history, we have seen the Believers’ Church theories, Revivalism theories, Sect / Church typologies, which emphasize ideas of “Priesthood of Believes” and Revitalization movements. Of all these it seems the Revitalization movements have been most successful in the third world, where it has brought to bear some cultural and theological relevance. This anthropological dimension to theology brings some sense of indigenous initiative and cultural sensitivity into doing church in Africa. It begins with the effort by the people to deal with the demoralization of their society spiritually, helping to communicate the Gospel cross-culturally to the people of Africa, for instance.[viii] This factor can also be established as the reason for the decline of particularly, many mainline churches in Africa in favor of the culturally sensitive independent churches. When churches realize the importance of human emotion for communication of the Gospel, they do well or grow in Africa. This is why those involved in personal counseling, development of spiritual gifts, esoteric celebration of worship, dancing, clapping and others thrive while those refusing to relate to these spiritual factors decline. These help establish the sense of community, which is the hallmark of any act of socialization in Africa. Hiebert rightly asserts that when the Church becomes indifferent to such factors, it ends up in split-level Christianity.[ix] Churches not positively relating to the above factors but are apparently seen to be growing in numbers or materially, especially in Africa, Asia and South America are in truth declining spiritually.  They are only waiting for the manifestation of this truth as it happened to many mainline churches in Africa and the Roman Catholic Church in South America. Furthermore, it becomes very pathetic to find their numbers running to the Pentecostal-Charismatic churches, which are then accused of sheep stealing as it was said of Zinzendorf.

     It is important to note that; central to the above factors for growth are the leadership, Sovereignty and Providence of God, the Holy Spirit. In fact, this is the basic difference with Stark’s Social Science methodology, which similarly employs inductive logic to establish its theory. Stark states his thesis or synthesis as, “Central doctrines of Christianity prompted and sustained attractive, liberating and effective social relations and organizations.”[x] This theme runs through his book, The Rise of Christianity. Stark mentions the probability of conversions taking place within social networks, strong attachments, and within the religiously inactive. We also read from Stark, that people join the Church for “compensators” that are not found in the world, and Christianity did not emerge as “a proletarian movement.” The sociologist adds that there was cultural continuity in the Church, which was also very sensitive towards the needs of victims of crises. His ideas on the Church’s work in utilizing the opportunities in urbanization can be used in deriving the idea of information flow in such societies, which Pierson and other writers also talk of. Similarly, his discussion on Christian martyrdom, which he claims was the result of rational choice, could corroborate other historical writings reporting of the faith of the martyrs like the apostles, Polycarp and Perpetua, since faith does not denounce the place of rationalization.

     This study offers opportunities for the Church to reexamine itself in order that it might remain faithful to God who has called us to participate in the Kingdom of God. While some do well in some areas of the above factors, there are other areas that we fail. For instance, the third world must put up a very serious attitude in meeting the tenets or factors of the two-structure system and the “Priesthood of Believers” for mission work. For far too long we have deemed mission as the duty of the West. There is the need to set up several sodalities to move into mission work in various parts of the World, especially now that the West is declared a mission field. Our members in the churches must similarly, learn to act as “priests” or disciples so that the churches will be seen as missional, which truly is the purpose for which the Lord established the Church (Eph. 4: 11-16). On the part of the West, I wish to state that we must learn from history and do mission with cultural sensitivity in a way that smacks of the “Incarnation Ministry” of Jesus (Philp. 2, Jn. 20: 29).

     I also want to reiterate the importance of relating to the findings of Stark. First, the sociological understandings can be helpful even in reaching unbelievers or deep-seated believers in other faiths. The mathematical, archaeological and other materials proving the validity of the Christian mission’s successful or victorious story in the midst of several upheavals lends much weight to the place of the Church in the Kingdom of God, which we must always remember not to claim as the result of human effort. Secondly, it also helps us to plan intentionally to apply the insights of sociological or scientific methodology in doing God’s work. It will thus give us some scientific understanding in the use of our social networks and in relating rightly to the marginalized for instance. This is right since God is the fountain of all knowledge, whether spiritual or scientific.

    My only caution is like all scientific and philosophical work it must not be made to dictate trends in the mission enterprise but can only be used by the Church to support the spiritual findings or synthesis of the History of Christian Mission.

Conclusion

    This synthesis and other prior suggestions or works enjoin us to seek to remedy the areas that were not properly carried out in doing mission. The effort at remedying, however, should not end up with new problems as it happened in the effort of liberalism. Between the 19^th and 20^th centuries alone, Schreiter for instance by his “Three Movements” theory has brought to the fore problems relating to organization, contextualization, plurality and solidarity with the poor. He also identifies problems relating to the economic order, intra and inter-national conflicts, globalization, migration and devolution of cultures. Our history and for that matter, this synthesis must be related to by the Church in attempts at dealing with the above problems for God sent us to the world in order to make the light of Jesus shine among their darkness (Jn. 1).

    Finally, we might establish the thesis for the above synthesis between Christian historians and sociologists like Stark: By His leading the Holy Spirit grants renewal and expansion to the Church in doing God’s mission as the Church positively relates to some spiritual or sociological factors.