3. Worldviews & Transformation

3.1 The Cultural River

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Culture as a River

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Culture as a River
}Experiences
Social
Structures
Society

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Cultural Artifacts Cultural Artifacts

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Cultural Artifacts Cultural Artifacts

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Cultural Artifacts Cultural Artifacts

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts Cultural Artifacts

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Sensory

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Sensory
Aware
Aware/Unaware

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Sensory
Aware
Aware/Unaware
Unaware

Nature of Worldview
• Worldview is fundamental and directs the cultural river
• Worldview is tacit and often not explicit
• Worldview shapes personal identity
• Worldview is often described as a story not proposition

Tacit and not Explicit

Described as a meta-narrative

Jewish Meta-narrative

Jewish Meta-Narrative
• God chose Abraham and his descendants
• God gave them the land & the Torah (Law)
• Israel broke the law and God scattered them
• God promised to send the Messiah & regather
• Until the Messiah comes Jews are a light unto the nations

What is the Christian Narrative?

Christian Worldview
• God created men & women in His image
• God put humans on earth with a purpose
• Humans rebelled, became separated, spiritually dead
• God promised to send a redeemer to restore humanity
• God sent Jesus to redeem humanity
• Gospel
• Jesus will return and accomplish
fi
nal redemption

3.2 Hiebert’s Characteristics of Worldview

How a worldview functions
• Answers ultimate questions
• Provides emotional security
• Rationalizes cultural norms
• Integrates external culture with our personal identity
• Explains why change happens
• Psychological assurance world is as we truly see it
Hiebert, 38-31

Mental Categories of a Worldviews
• Digital v. Analogical sets
• Intrinsic v. Relational sets
Hiebert, 38-31

Lines of Thinking
• Abstract logic (ex. beauty, taste, music, comfort)
• Algorithmic logic (ex. mathematical equations, proofs)
• Analogical logic (ex. temperature, weights, density)
• Topological logic (ex. systematic theology)
• Relational logic (ex. sister, brother, mother)
• Wisdom (ex. legal case history)
• Causality (ex. Spiritualism and healing)
Hiebert, 38-31

3.2 Frameworks to Describe Culture

6D Model of National Culture
Geert Hofstede

6 D of National Culture
Geert Hofstede
• Researched 70 countries between 1967 - 1973
• Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, 2010
https://hi.hofstede-insights.com/national-culture

6 D of National Culture
Geert Hofstede
1. Individualism v. Collectivism (IDV)
2. Masculinity v. Femininity (MAS)
3. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)
4. Long Term v. Short Term Orientation (LTO)
5. Indulgence v. Restraint (IVR)
https://hi.hofstede-insights.com/national-culture

Seven Dimensions of Organizational Culture
Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner

Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner
• Surveyed 46,000 managers in 40 countries
• Researched over course of 10 years
• Evaluated corporate culture
• Published Riding the Waves, 1997
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner
1. Universalism v. Particularism
2. Individualism v. Collectivism
3. Speci
fi
c v. Di
ff
use
4. Neutral v. Emotional
5. Achievement v. Ascription
6. Sequential v. Synchronous Time
7. Internally v. Externally Directed
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm

Hall’s Cultural Factors
Edward Hall, 1976

Hall’s Cultural Factors
• High v. Low Context
• Territorial v. Personal Space
• Linear v. Event Time
• Past v. Future Orientation
• Task v. Relationships
Edward T. Hall. 1976. Understanding Cultural Di
ff
erences. Garden City, NY: Intercultural Press.

Cultural Self-Assessment

3.3 Models of Transformation

Transformation of Self-Identity

Erik Erikson (1902-1994)

Self-Identity
• Name
• Family
• Gender
• Culture
• Ethnicity / Race
• Religious Identity
• Career / Vocation

Religiou
s
Identity
• Community
• Practices
• Beliefs
• Personal values

Transformation of Religious Identity

Identity Status (James Marcia)

Identity Status
James Marcia
1. Identity Foreclosure
2. Identity Moratorium
3. Identity Achievement
4. Identity Di
ff
usion

Identity Moratorium

Identity Achievement

Identity Diffusion

Identity Diffusion Identity Moratorium
Identity Foreclosure Identity Achievement
Low High
Low
High
Crisis
Commitment
Can’t decide
Doesn’t care
Can’t decide
Does care
Been decided
Didn’t care
Did decide
Did care

Models of Conversion (L. Rambo)

Stages of Conversion
Lewis Rambo

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom
they have not believed? And how are they to believe
in him of whom they have never heard? And how
are they to hear without someone preaching? And
how are they to preach unless they are sent?
(Rom 10:11–15 ESV)

Stages of Conversion
Case study: Russian Jewish Immigrants
1. Context: Secular Jews, without religious belief, disillusioned by Communism

Stages of Conversion
Case study: Russian Jewish Immigrants
1. Context: Secular Jews, without religious belief, disillusioned by Communism
2. Crisis: Diaspora community, immigrants in a religious country

Stages of Conversion
Case study: Russian Jewish Immigrants
1. Context: Secular Jews, without religious belief, disillusioned by Communism
2. Crisis: Diaspora community, immigrants in a religious country
3. Quest: Individuals searching for identity and spiritual belief

Stages of Conversion
Case study: Russian Jewish Immigrants
1. Context: Secular Jews, without religious belief, disillusioned by Communism
2. Crisis: Diaspora community, immigrants in a religious country
3. Quest: Individuals searching for identity and spiritual belief
4. Encounter: Missionaries providing ESL classes

Stages of Conversion
Case study: Russian Jewish Immigrants
1. Context: Secular Jews, without religious belief, disillusioned by Communism
2. Crisis: Diaspora community, immigrants in a religious country
3. Quest: Individuals searching for identity and spiritual belief
4. Encounter: Missionaries providing ESL classes
5. Interaction: Russian Jews began reading Bible, exploring faith in Jesus

Stages of Conversion
Case study: Russian Jewish Immigrants
1. Context: Secular Jews, without religious belief, disillusioned by Communism
2. Crisis: Diaspora community, immigrants in a religious country
3. Quest: Individuals searching for identity and spiritual belief
4. Encounter: Missionaries providing ESL classes
5. Interaction: Russian Jews began reading Bible, exploring faith in Jesus
6. Commitment: Seekers embrace Jesus, begin attending congregations

Stages of Conversion
Case study: Russian Jewish Immigrants
1. Context: Secular Jews, without religious belief, disillusioned by Communism
2. Crisis: Diaspora community, immigrants in a religious country
3. Quest: Individuals searching for identity and spiritual belief
4. Encounter: Missionaries providing ESL classes
5. Interaction: Russian Jews began reading Bible, exploring faith in Jesus
6. Commitment: Seekers embrace Jesus, begin attending congregations
7. Consequences: Some rejected by Jewish community, others create new
communities

Transformation of Culture

When the gospel invades a
society it transforms culture

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came
upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done
through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all
things in common. And they were selling their possessions and
belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread
in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous
hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the
Lord added to their number day by day those who were being
saved.
(Acts 2:42–47 ESV)

Models of Change

Culture Making
Transforms Culture
Andy Crouch

Culture Making
Andy Crouch
Creating Cultural Artifacts

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Start here

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Start here
Values follow
Beliefs Follow
New Worldview

Culture Making
Strength: Attainable

Culture Making
Strength: Attainable
Weakness: Cultural artifacts
can be retain older meanings

Culture Making
Strength: Attainable
Weakness: Cultural artifacts
can be retain older meanings
Ex. Catholicism & Voodoo

The Power of Story to
Transform worldview

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
New Story

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Beliefs Follow
New Story

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Values follow
Beliefs Follow
New Story

Cross-Section of the Buffalo River
Not to scale
Practices, Rituals, Behaviors
Values, Principles
Religious Beliefs
Philosophical Beliefs
Worldviews
Cultural Artifacts
Culture rede
fi
ned
Values follow
Beliefs Follow
New Story

Case Study:
How was the African American culture
transformed between 1945 - 1975?

How can culture change in the group you’re studying?
How do you decide what cultural artifacts to keep
And what should you not keep (syncretistic)?

3.4 Topic 3 Worldview Papers
Do the self-assessment
Describe your worldview in terms of the key components of worldview in
your topic 3 paper (may be done in groups)

https://hbr.org/2014/08/whats-your-cultural-profile

3.5 Topic 3 Papers
• Present the key components of worldview
• Compare / Contrast them with your own worldview or that of your culture