This document is an interview with Jacques Ellul, a prominent French sociologist, on the topics of thinking globally and acting locally. Ellul believes Christians should seek to understand global issues from various perspectives while focusing their efforts on local compassion. He gives an example of working with marginalized youth in his community by building relationships and finding activities they enjoy, like underwater diving, rather than taking a moralistic approach. Ellul emphasizes bringing hope to people by showing God's love.
This document is an interview with Jacques Ellul, a prominent French sociologist, on the topics of thinking globally and acting locally. Ellul believes Christians should seek to understand global issues from various perspectives while focusing their efforts on local compassion. He gives an example of working with marginalized youth in his community by building relationships and finding activities they enjoy, like underwater diving, rather than taking a moralistic approach. Ellul emphasizes bringing hope to people by showing God's love.
This document is an interview with Jacques Ellul, a prominent French sociologist, on the topics of thinking globally and acting locally. Ellul believes Christians should seek to understand global issues from various perspectives while focusing their efforts on local compassion. He gives an example of working with marginalized youth in his community by building relationships and finding activities they enjoy, like underwater diving, rather than taking a moralistic approach. Ellul emphasizes bringing hope to people by showing God's love.
This document is an interview with Jacques Ellul, a prominent French sociologist, on the topics of thinking globally and acting locally. Ellul believes Christians should seek to understand global issues from various perspectives while focusing their efforts on local compassion. He gives an example of working with marginalized youth in his community by building relationships and finding activities they enjoy, like underwater diving, rather than taking a moralistic approach. Ellul emphasizes bringing hope to people by showing God's love.
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Essay
Think Globally, Act Locally
A WORLD CHRISTIAN interview with Jacques Ellul from the government or Jacques Ellul some international orga is a prominent French Soci nization. It must be at the ologist and teaches Marx local leyel I\'here each of ism at the University of us li\es. It's at this local Bordeaux, France. Convert lenl that love is ed from Marxism to Christ expressed and can be as an adult, Ellul quickly recei\'ed by those who won notoriety with unset need it. 50 the Christian's tling works such as The responsibility is to imag Technological Society, The ine and create solutions Political Illusion and Pro of love to the situations paganda. Ellul has author that exist specifically ed more than 60 books and where they are. 400 articles. His latest books include The Subver sion of Christianity a11 d wc: WHAT QUALJFIES A Jesus and Marx. Christian to act locally' Gordon Aeschliman and JE: EACH CHRISTIA!\ HAS Sherrie Steiner Aeschliman received some gift from of WORLD CHRISTIAN the Holy Spirit, which magazine interviewed will allow him to Ellul at his home in Bor respond. That is his deaux last summer. equipment. GORDON AESCHLIMAN wc: You SAY THAT THE CHRISTIAN MIS ety that are suffering in any way at this wc: c.",'\ THE CHRISTL"''' ACTUALLY sion is to Think Globally, Act Locally. present time. This, then, is our mandate change society' to act locally. JE: YES. THE MEDIA A'\D THE CHURCH JE: YES, BECAlSE THE CHRISTIAN HAS BEEN present us a very fragmented \'iew of the ./ffd_ transformed. Romans 12:2 says we are no world. This is true, for example, in our ~ longer to conform to the ways of society understanding of Israel, South Africa and but be transformed. We become trans the Palestinians. I must gain information /lEach Christian formed, and then we become transform both by listening to my Christian conte\t ing agents by God's love. and by stepping outside of it. Thinking has received son1e gift globally means letting go of the security WHAT IS OUR PRIMARY M1SSION AT that comes with belonging to my group' from the Holy Spirit; Wc: the local level? viewpoint And I must put the current I\'orld situ which will allow ations against their historical continuum. JE: HOPE. WE MUST BRING HOPE TO I must recognize injustices in nation hin1 to respond. " people. Not in the sense of, "Don't worry, today, but I must also ask to what degree things are going to get better just around that nation has improved its human the corner." We offer hope that brings rights record over time, Those advances sense and meaning to life. are a necessary part of filling in the frag Christian love presumes, personal Today, human beings are so cast down mented picture. But Christians must relationships. Christian love requires the and discouraged that our job is not to put admit that we do not have all the global recognition that whatever the problem more burdens on them and make their answers. Our first responsibility is to be may be at the individual or group level, condition worse. Our first step is to bring present and active in all the parts of soci- the ultimate answer is not going to come them to the foot of the cross of Christ. WORLD CHRISTIAN 0 FEBRUARY 1989 23 -------------- We have long and short term opportunities for creative flexible people who wish to invest their lives in the discipleship of young people. We have been meeting the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of children and young adults for over 70 years. Won't you consider joining us. Call today. Who will raise them up in the way they should go? wc: WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR THE PERSON? JE: THERE THE MODERN PERSON REALIZES how much Cod loves him. He realizes that if Christ died it was, "because of me, because of my sins." In essence, at the foot of the cross he is discovering sin faced with forgiveness in Christ, the gift of God with his experience of life. we; Do YOl vIJ\'J rVANGELlSM? JE: Ir's 1\,01 1\ Qurs'J rON OF REPEATING theologicill formulas, Bible verses and evangelical slogans. It is a matter of deal ing with people at a much more pro found level-giving them a basis, a real Circle No. 100 on Free Fast Information Card + basis for understanding why they are there, and why God loves them and how God loves them in a personal way.
Anything short of that is propagan da-giving ".omeone something that can
II .Jesus Christ as II the Truth" presumes I JOIN SPEARHEAD I and includes what liN MEXICO I he has done for me it's relationship." I NEXT SUMMER I I I I Each summer more than 100 college students spend eight weeks in Mexico with our Spearhead short-term program. I not be appropriated or understood. If in They live with Mexican families. study their language and the context of personal relutionship a I culture and help in their churches. By the end of the summer. I person sees in your life the reality of they're sharing their faith in Spanish. what you ,are talking about (or of what I Some of them stay for the one-year program in Mexico and I he's reading about) then you hilVe given Central America. Most of them tell us that the Lord used him a basis to receive God's love. Spearhead to change their lives. I The Spearhead experience could change your life. Send for our I wc: ARE WE TO 'J!SII'JGUISIT BETVvFI N I brochure today. I dogmatic thinking and the truth, or is I Latin America Mission there such a thing as truth without rela P. 0. Box 52-7900 tionship? I Miami. Florida 33152 JE: THE TRUTH OF JL:oUS CHRIST 1S siMP] Y, I D Please send me your Spearhead brochure. I "I am the Truth." That is not dogma. Ivery period has its dogmas and doubts. I I Name I But Jesus Christ as "the Truth" presumes Address and includes what he has done for City/State/ Zip me-il's relationship. In all my contacts with the non-Christian world, I have FEBRUARY 1989 0 WORLD CHRISTW, 24 I ------------- noticed again and again their amazement at the face-to-face fact that for us the h'uth is not an idea, a theory or a dogma, but the truth is a person, And that is the most startling aspect about the Christian belief. We don't often see the importance of this, but non-Christians see this as the remarkable, unique thing about Chris tianity I can actually believe and experience that God is in me and with me all the time in all the world, You see, in a sense the gospel is irrational. It cannot be grasped outside of relationship, and we know that anv real personal encounter is irrational. Once we are able to grasp that, we have personal access to God, And when we enter into that reality, suddenly the Gospel becomes completely rational. WC: CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF "acting locally" in your own life? JE: iN MY TOWN WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO marginalized juvenile delinquents who are unable to integrate into society. Our initial objective was not to convert them to Christianity, nor was it to take a boy liThe basic problem is always the same: finding someone to love and accept not to judge... " who was stealing and stop him. Our work was not a question of moralistic teaching because most of these young people are violent and hardened simply because nobody has shown interest in them and loved them. Nobody talkc; to them, Our work with them consisted of cre ating a situation in which we could talk to them, listen to them, tolerate them and put up with all the stupid things they do or say All these young people were stealing WOJ{LD CHRISTIAN 0 FEBRUARY 1989 motorbikes, They would use them to play chicken by seeing who could come clos est to the cliff by a lake without stopping. They would see who jumped off the bike closest to the edge before it went over and into the water. So at one point one of the key members who was working with them in this project said, "Well that's very exciting, but maybe it would be more exciting to start diving into the lake to bring the motorbikes up and see who can repair them so that they can be used again." The group of young people thought that was an exciting idea, This has given birth to a club of underwater diving. In the following years the drop in We bridge the gap from where you are to the training you want. Convenient and flexible home study (individual and group). Nearly 100 courses in a variety of subject areas. Personalized learning using audio tapes, and printed materials with instructor feedback. Some video rentals for groups. Earn a I-year Diploma in Bibli cal Studies-College or Gradu ate level with no reisdency required. Complete 50% of Bible College and Seminary AA, BA, BS, or M.Div and a significant part of all MA programs through external studies. Columbia is accredited by the Southern Association of Col leges and Schools. Ask for a free copy of our catalog. IA School of Biblical Education Extenslon DIVision of Columbia Bible College & Seminary P.O, Box 3122 Columbia. S,C 2923(}.3122 (800) 845-2721 TO KNOW HIM AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN 25 juvenile delinquency was startling. We had a group of 250 of these really tough kids. The basic problem is always the same: finding someone to love and accept-not to judge them In this very room I have met with many of these young people who came to me when they had prob lems they couldn't handle and we talked together to try to find a solution right in this room. I've also had the role of keep ing away the police, judges and courts that were often after these young peo ple-we wanted enough time to actually get these young people to a solution. You ARE A PROFESSOR OF MARXISM, used to be active in Marxism and today as a Christian you find helpful insights in the \1arxist model as a means of under standing the role of economics in the world. Marx said that Christianity paci fies people, gives them a fillse hope that lets them deny their current pain and suffering. JE: .\JOT QUITE. MARX'S CONFLICT WITH Christianity had more to do with how religion was used to manipulate people for the good of industry and State. He wasn't opposed to the actual content of Christian ity. In fact Marx considered Christianity the very highest creation of the human spirit and the soul of a soul less world. Religion does not have to pacify. In fact, today you can list a multitude of organizations and groups dedicated, because of love, to doing something very practical in the world. When someone is in a situation of hopelessness, where he can't get out-his conduct, his health or whatever it may be-when in that context he can touch face-to-face someone who 10v('s him, does not reject him, does not judge him, this manifestation of Christian love leads to real hope. I must say that love is the most impor tant of Christian qualities. That is what moves him to act locally. And this love is not primarily a drive to convert others. Love is a long process tha t ul bmatel y brings another to the place where he rec ognizes that the love I have shown him is simply a reflection, a practical reflection, FEBRUARY 1989 0 WORLD 26 of the love that God has for him and for me and has shown through me to him. wc: WHAT CHALLEl\CES FACE THE church in today's pluralistic society? JE: WE MUST REFUSE TO CONFORM TO current ideologies. For instance, in France, after the liberation in '45, the vast majority of ideologies were seeking to reconcile Christianity with Communism. And from 1960 on it was reconciling Christianity with Maoism. l\;ow in the last ten years the big subject has been rec onciling Christianity to Islam, reading the 'II must say that love IS the most Important of Christian qualities. That is what moves him to act locally. !I Bible from the Islamic point of view. So, given the terrible attitude and conduct of Israel, the new reading of the Bible is that the Jewish people are not the chosen and that Palestine is not the promised land. Christians have a message that is dis tinctly different to everybody else. Now our responsibility is to reaffirm that by our lives. The temptation comes to assim ilate Christianity into the latest thing the modern world brings to us. wc: WHAT ENCOURAGEMENT CAN VOL give today's activists? JE: IN TODAY'S FRAGILE WORLD, WHAT we're telling people is that God's love is the only thing we don't have to fear-the one thing that makes all other fears disap pear. Our message is not that you can become more comfortable as a Christian, but that you can gain more faith to serve people in an increasingly fragile world... WORLD CHRISTIAN 0 FEBRUARY 1989 Myth: You have to be a theologian, a Greek scholar and have a degree in linguis tics to be a Bible translator. Fact: Translators come from all kinds of backgrounds. In a study of recent applicants for Bible translation work, we found men and women coming from the following occupations: ACCOUNTANT AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ARCHITECT ATTORNEY AUTO BODY REPAIRMAN BANK EXAMINER BANK TELLER BIO LOGIST CABINETMAKER CAMERA PRODUCTION WORKER CARPENTER CHEMIST CHRISTIAN CAMP DIRECTOR CIVIL ENGINEER CLOCKSMITH LIBRARY ASSISTANT COMPUTER PROGRAMMER CONCERT MUSICIAN CONSTRUCTION WORKER cool< DOCTOR'S ~ . LAN D ASS I S - SCAPER TANT LAYOUT ELECT R I-i. ART1ST CAL ENGI- MAILMAN NEER MATHE- ELECTRI- MATIClAN ClAN EX- MECHAN ECUTIVE IC MECH SECRE-, . ANI CAL TAR Y.,1 ENGINEER FARMER MUSICIAN I . '. FORKLIFT S .E C R E OPERATOR I TAR Y HOSPITAL MILITARY I ORDERLY OFFICER TEACHER PRINTER NAVY CONTRACT SPECIALIST NEWSPAPER WRITER NURSE NURSERY SCHOOL SUPERVISOR OCCUPA TIONAL THERAPIST PAStOR PERSONNEL MANAGER PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER PHYSICIST PILOT ROAD CONSTRUCTION SURVEYOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SALESMAN SECRETARY STATISTICIAN SWIMMING INSTRUCtOR TEACHER TRUCK DRIVER FOREST RANGER VETERINARIAN WELFARE WORKER This list is by no means all inclusive. Over the years We have had applicants from just about every imaginable background. If you've thought Wycliffe wouldn't want you, think again. You andWycliffe may be a perfect match. HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92647 For more information, contact Wycliffe Bible Translators today; Grcle No. 27 on Free Fast Information Caid 27