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Soul, Self, and Society: A Postmodern Anthropology for Mission in a Postcolonial World
Globalization and urbanization are twin forces that are powerfully shaping economics, politics, and religion in the world today. Traditional anthropological theories are inadequate to recognize and analyze trends such as global migration, diasporas, and transnationalism. New departures in anthropology and the social sciences seeking to address these and other phenomena can help us critique and reshape the theology and practice of Christian mission.
Today most societies are no longer monocultural. In such multicultural contexts any given individual may be competent in several cultures, several languages, several social networks. What does it mean to be in mission with people on the move—people who present themselves in one social identity, language, and culture within a particular setting, and then in another setting, even on the very same day, present themselves in another social identity, language, and culture? In the face of widespread, rapid movement of peoples and their increasingly fluid and multifaceted identities, will the missionary settle down somewhere or be itinerant along with the people? How are perplexing new questions in particular contexts to be addressed, such In what ways is the Nigerian who is founding an AIC congregation near Houston a missionary too? How will Brazilians and Koreans be trained for cross-cultural ministry?
The world is changing faster than missionaries can be retrained for service. And yet ethnographic tools are still crucial to missionary practice. This important work seeks to draw on recent developments in anthropology to bring valuable perspective and tools to bear on equipping missionaries for work amidst the rapid shifting and complex shaping of peoples by the forces of today's globalized world.
“Rynkiewich has written an excellent accessible introduction for missionaries to postmodern anthropology. Soul, Self, and Society provides up-to-date perspectives and 'tools' for properly understanding the cultural/social phenomena of our complex and changing world today, such as migration, urbanization, globalization, and postcolonialism, and therefore enabling missionaries to proclaim, serve, and witness to God's Reign more appropriately and deeply within the heart of the human situation.”
-Roger Schroeder
Catholic Theological Union in Chicago
“This book is a worthy successor to texts by Nida, Luzbetak, Mayers, Hiebert, and Lingenfelter. Good writing, clear thinking, and cutting-edge engagement with contemporary concerns such as migration, diaspora, transnationalism, urbanization, and globalization set this volume apart from its predecessors. It deserves to become the standard textbook for introductory anthropology courses in Christian colleges and seminaries.”
-Jonathan Bonk
Overseas Ministries Study Center
"Anthropology has always played a critical role in missiological reflection. Yet, though the discipline of anthropology has changed, missiology often has not. In this important work, Michael Rynkiewich, a senior missiological anthropologist, calls for a much needed 'upgrade.' His mature reflection challenges traditional missiological thinking as he argues for a postmodern, postcolonial missiology that engages current anthropological theory. All who take mission and context seriously must grapple with the ideas in this book!”
-Christopher Flanders
Abilene Christian University
Michael A. Rynkiewich recently retired as Professor of Anthropology at the E. Stanley Jones School of Mission and Evangelism and as Director of Postgraduate Studies, both at Asbury Theological Seminary. His previous works range from The Nacirema (1975) to Land and Churches in Melanesia (2004).
Today most societies are no longer monocultural. In such multicultural contexts any given individual may be competent in several cultures, several languages, several social networks. What does it mean to be in mission with people on the move—people who present themselves in one social identity, language, and culture within a particular setting, and then in another setting, even on the very same day, present themselves in another social identity, language, and culture? In the face of widespread, rapid movement of peoples and their increasingly fluid and multifaceted identities, will the missionary settle down somewhere or be itinerant along with the people? How are perplexing new questions in particular contexts to be addressed, such In what ways is the Nigerian who is founding an AIC congregation near Houston a missionary too? How will Brazilians and Koreans be trained for cross-cultural ministry?
The world is changing faster than missionaries can be retrained for service. And yet ethnographic tools are still crucial to missionary practice. This important work seeks to draw on recent developments in anthropology to bring valuable perspective and tools to bear on equipping missionaries for work amidst the rapid shifting and complex shaping of peoples by the forces of today's globalized world.
“Rynkiewich has written an excellent accessible introduction for missionaries to postmodern anthropology. Soul, Self, and Society provides up-to-date perspectives and 'tools' for properly understanding the cultural/social phenomena of our complex and changing world today, such as migration, urbanization, globalization, and postcolonialism, and therefore enabling missionaries to proclaim, serve, and witness to God's Reign more appropriately and deeply within the heart of the human situation.”
-Roger Schroeder
Catholic Theological Union in Chicago
“This book is a worthy successor to texts by Nida, Luzbetak, Mayers, Hiebert, and Lingenfelter. Good writing, clear thinking, and cutting-edge engagement with contemporary concerns such as migration, diaspora, transnationalism, urbanization, and globalization set this volume apart from its predecessors. It deserves to become the standard textbook for introductory anthropology courses in Christian colleges and seminaries.”
-Jonathan Bonk
Overseas Ministries Study Center
"Anthropology has always played a critical role in missiological reflection. Yet, though the discipline of anthropology has changed, missiology often has not. In this important work, Michael Rynkiewich, a senior missiological anthropologist, calls for a much needed 'upgrade.' His mature reflection challenges traditional missiological thinking as he argues for a postmodern, postcolonial missiology that engages current anthropological theory. All who take mission and context seriously must grapple with the ideas in this book!”
-Christopher Flanders
Abilene Christian University
Michael A. Rynkiewich recently retired as Professor of Anthropology at the E. Stanley Jones School of Mission and Evangelism and as Director of Postgraduate Studies, both at Asbury Theological Seminary. His previous works range from The Nacirema (1975) to Land and Churches in Melanesia (2004).
- GenresNonfictionChristian
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 14, 2021
Great anthology for postcolonial missiology
July 25, 2013
"What follows here is a culmination of my life's work," writes Michael Rynkiewich in the Preface to
Soul, Self, and Society
. And what a sincere, beautiful, valuable culmination it is. When I picked up the book at the library, I assumed it would be a critique of Christian missions in a postmodern context. There is some of that, but it is more of an overview of current themes in anthropology at the beginning of the 21st century. As such, it would be useful in a Christian high school class or (with supplementary readings) in a Christian college. Nor would it go amiss in a church reading group or adult Sunday school class.
One of Rynkiewich's main purposes is to wake the church up to the way the world is--in contrast to many missionary training programs that still look at culture study through a 1960s-anthropology lens. His format of looking at major themes of anthropology is a helpful road map. He begins with some of the perennial topics, such as marriage patterns, kinship structures, and political organization, and moves on to current issues like urbanization, globalization, and postcolonialism. Each chapter looks at one topic or a related set of topics, illustrated with case studies from standard works or from Rynkiewich's own fieldwork (Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Chippewa of Minnesota, diaspora communities in Indiana). A general survey book like Soul, Self, and Society does well to present a panorama of other works that the curious reader might go to next, and Rynkiewich succeeds in this. The substantial bibliography and the case studies presented along the way give many directions for the reader to go next.
Most of the chapters include some of Rynkiewich's thoughts on what missionaries could do with this information to enhance their work. Several chapters conclude with bulleted lists of specific points for the missionary reader to consider. A critique of missionaries from an anthropologist's perspective could be (and sometimes is) very harsh indeed, but Rynkiewich is always gentle, obviously caring deeply for the missionaries and the communities in which they live. His criticisms and suggestions come from a desire to see the world become a better place (which, put that way, sounds trite, but when it is genuine and loving it is an awesome thing).
Academic prose is, unfortunately, not known for being clear, easygoing, and pleasant to read, but Rynkiewich's writing style is all of that. The style never obscures the content, even when the content includes notoriously difficult-to-explain concepts (though I do wish that the final proofread had been more exacting). I have no problems recommending this to the "general reader" who has not had any experience in anthropology.
One of Rynkiewich's main purposes is to wake the church up to the way the world is--in contrast to many missionary training programs that still look at culture study through a 1960s-anthropology lens. His format of looking at major themes of anthropology is a helpful road map. He begins with some of the perennial topics, such as marriage patterns, kinship structures, and political organization, and moves on to current issues like urbanization, globalization, and postcolonialism. Each chapter looks at one topic or a related set of topics, illustrated with case studies from standard works or from Rynkiewich's own fieldwork (Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Chippewa of Minnesota, diaspora communities in Indiana). A general survey book like Soul, Self, and Society does well to present a panorama of other works that the curious reader might go to next, and Rynkiewich succeeds in this. The substantial bibliography and the case studies presented along the way give many directions for the reader to go next.
Most of the chapters include some of Rynkiewich's thoughts on what missionaries could do with this information to enhance their work. Several chapters conclude with bulleted lists of specific points for the missionary reader to consider. A critique of missionaries from an anthropologist's perspective could be (and sometimes is) very harsh indeed, but Rynkiewich is always gentle, obviously caring deeply for the missionaries and the communities in which they live. His criticisms and suggestions come from a desire to see the world become a better place (which, put that way, sounds trite, but when it is genuine and loving it is an awesome thing).
Academic prose is, unfortunately, not known for being clear, easygoing, and pleasant to read, but Rynkiewich's writing style is all of that. The style never obscures the content, even when the content includes notoriously difficult-to-explain concepts (though I do wish that the final proofread had been more exacting). I have no problems recommending this to the "general reader" who has not had any experience in anthropology.
October 29, 2023
straightforward, informative, missional
I entered the reading with caution, many a contemporary postmodern approach to mission and anthropology is nothing more than a camuflaje propaganda machine. However, this book impressed me for all the right reasons. Honest, self-critical, academic and informative. It is an easy reading, yet a profound way. The goal is to describe the contemporary world and to challenge the believer, the missionary and the Christian anthropologist to meet it head on, but with God’s truth in Jesus. This is a must read.
I entered the reading with caution, many a contemporary postmodern approach to mission and anthropology is nothing more than a camuflaje propaganda machine. However, this book impressed me for all the right reasons. Honest, self-critical, academic and informative. It is an easy reading, yet a profound way. The goal is to describe the contemporary world and to challenge the believer, the missionary and the Christian anthropologist to meet it head on, but with God’s truth in Jesus. This is a must read.
September 28, 2019
This book is a Christian introduction to anthropology. A few chapters in the middle bog the unlearned reader (myself) down a bit, but this seems applicable to anyone wanting to understand the relationship between Jesus and culture.
November 23, 2016
There are several different reasons why I really loved this book. To begin with it gives an honest critique of the church, anthropology, and missiology. Rynkiewich mentions in what was they have worked and in the several ways they have not worked and brings into light the question, what can missions to do bring the Gospel forth in our current world but more importantly in a way that is Scriptural? Whether your church does do global missions or not, I think this is a great book to read. Another aspect about this book that is wonderful is that you can have a conversation with those outside the church about the issues and topics at hand. It's a great way to open a conversation or to have a dialogue that otherwise would not have existed. And I think my favorite part is that Rynkiewich does not sugar coat where the church has gone wrong nor where humanity has gone wrong. Highly Recommend, especially if you want to approach humanity and outreach through a different lens.
December 21, 2015
I've read excerpts from and the entire books for NAIITS classes in anthropology. Rynkiewich breaks down basic concepts of the science particular to the dynamic indigenous communities and brings up many good questions for pondering and discussing.
February 19, 2013
Fantastic overview of anthropology and mission. Highly recommended.
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August 2, 2017A text for the study of anthropology and missions in a post modern world
Interesting from page one. Highly recommended for pastors, missionaries, or those interested in globalization and the church. Rynkiewich pulls a lot from his experience as an anthropologist.
Interesting from page one. Highly recommended for pastors, missionaries, or those interested in globalization and the church. Rynkiewich pulls a lot from his experience as an anthropologist.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews