While reading Barth, I couldn't help by think of Chemistry. (No, I'm not crazy, I promise.) Before I started taking Chemistry in the fall, the language was completely foreign to me. Many of the most basic equations looked like the greek alphabet threw up. Now, however, it is becoming easier to understand. What once meant nothing is now useful to me.
In my mind, this is how people outside of the church hear "church language." It sounds cool, but has no real meaning. As Christians, we are supposed spread the Gospel, but how can we possibly do that when much of the world doesn't understand us? We know that we have information that is useful, but unless we can communicate that information in a way that can be comprehended by those who are not part of the church, our information is completely useless. It is necessary for us to use the "common language of the world" in order to reach those who have yet to learn to speak our language.
Commented on Joy's
Girl I love it! It is so true! As Paul gives example to, we should become all things for all people.
ReplyDeleteAs Christians, there are so many terms and phrases that we have developed that I just know that non-believers are repulsed by. For example, born again. If you've never read the story of Nicodemus, you would have absolutely no clue what that means. The same thing with "washed by the blood". That sounds repulsive unless you relate it to the context of Christ's crucifixion for our redemption. Yet, preachers throw around this Christian jargon. As Christians, (and ever in non-religious circumstances), we should speak with simple expressions so that people will understand us better and better comprehend the message we are trying to portray.
ReplyDeleteYou make so much sense, I think it's the same way trying to explain the gospel to little children. We have to figure out a way to explain to them things that are far beyond even our comprehension. How can we expect a young child to understand? Yet, when it comes to little children, they accept that we are telling them the truth above all else. I think that's what makes it harder for nonbelievers to understand what we're talking about. They're jaded by the world and the experiences they've had in the world. This makes it 100x harder to explain Christ something they could, in all probability, understand somewhat, than it is to explain Christ to children.
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one who thought about chemistry! I also thought about how I have actually been using biology terms in my life now even though I had no idea what Dr. Noble was talking about at the beginning of the semester. I think if we were actually able to communicate with other countries in their own language then maybe there would be more people turning to God.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand the science analogy, of course for me it would probably be with math haha! As far as church goes, even I don't understand what some pastors are trying to say when they get into deep theology, so I can't even image what it would be like for someone who has never heard the gospel before, or like Kelsey mentioned for people who speak a completely different language and do not always have scripture and people to explain God in their language available to them. However, it is important to remember that even though we need to bring things down to the level who has never heard the gospel before, it is important not to water down God's message. There is a huge difference between explaining the gospel to someone who doesn't understand, and watering down God's message. I think sometimes people get these two mixed up.
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