Jesus says BRB...

I am slowly learning to speak and understand a new language. My children now communicate in abbreviated text-message-speak. I have some younger staff members who write in English that is almost impossible to decipher - I wont even mention spelling. It appears that spelling and grammar have gone to hell (or hades / sheol / tartarus / take your pick) in a handcart.

Which leads me obliquely to my thought for the day....that the message of the Gospel of Jesus remains the same - however we must continue to contexualize the way it is communicated.

I spent a large part of the late 1980's and early 90's (the olden days according to my children) contexualizing the gospel through long hair, loud music and black clothes. I am convinced with hindsight that my elders must have thought it was the end of the world...but it worked then. (please God...don't let the 'mullett' become fashionable again!)

It may be the same with my children's new form of communication. I had a pen pal when I was their age. I cannot remember her name but she lived on Mercury Drive, Redding, California. I remember these details because of the excitement of receiving a letter with a foreign stamp and news. This exchange took around 6 weeks both ways. My children now communicate with friends around the globe in real time...they compress a lot into their discussions that now occur at break-neck speed.

Contelualization of the Gospel is not a new thing....a couple of instances stand out to me immediately.

The 1560 Geneva Bible is also known as the 'Breeches Bible.' It is known as the 'Breeches Bible' because of the way Genesis 3:7 was rendered by the translaters...."Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig tree leaves together, and made themselves breeches"

The second is the case of missionaries working with the Innuit or Eskimo peoples of North America. When they began talking about the Lamb of God, the people were dumbfounded....they had no idea what a lamb was...they had never seen one. The translators of the Bible into the Innuit language finally and not without a great deal of resistance from the establishment, settled on the 'White seal pup of God.'

While it is important to preserve the integrity of the message of the Gospel, I believe we have an imperitive to ensure that the way it is communicated is appropriate...our children must be able to understand it. I am sure if they had to rely on the 1560 Geneva transalation or even the King James Version - (I know that will light some fires!) they would struggle.

I am pretty sure thay don't even know what breeches are! ROFL! :)