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A Critical Hermeneutic Examination of the Dynamic of Identity Change in Christian Conversion among Muslims in Ethiopia By Gary Ray Munson Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY In the subject of MISSIOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER: DR. GERRIE LUBBE OCTOBER 2014 STATEMENT STUDENT NUMBER 4583-‐652-‐3 I declare that A Critical Hermeneutic Examination of the Dynamic of Identity Change in Christian Conversion among Muslims in Ethiopia Is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete reference. Signed: …………………….…………….. Date: ………………… Name: …………………………………… ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the many Ethiopian missionaries and church planters working among Muslims in Ethiopia who are sacrificing much to serve the Lord in this important work. They are an inspiration to all who know them. I also would like to thank my friend Musa who has explained much about Islam and the Muslim community of Ethiopia. Many thanks as well to Ato Gezahane Asmamaw, Director of Rift Valley Vision Project for his help and support in gathering many of the subjects of this research. Especially I thank my wife Felecia for her patience in my many months of study with tables full of books and articles filling the house. KEY TERMS C-‐5, Contextualization, Conversion, Identity, Narrative Identity, Muslim Outreach, church planting, Ethiopia, Ricoeur, Islam, Insider Movements Bible Quotations are taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. ii DEDICATION This work is dedicate to my father, Ray Munson who went to be with Jesus during its writing. His influence will not be forgotten. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This research examines the topic of the Christian mission to Muslims in Ethiopia. The Insider Movement paradigm is examined with respect to the meaning of conversion and identity and how these concepts may best be understood in support of Muslim outreach. The study area of Ethiopia is not a Muslim majority nation but rather is pluralistic society and political system. Thus the most specific application is other sub-‐ Saharan, non-‐Muslim majority nations in Africa. The cultural and historical context of Ethiopia is first explored with special reference to factors arising from or focusing upon religion. Literature is reviewed regarding evangelization, church planting, and outreach to Muslims. The concept of conversion is discussed at length from both social science and Christian theological paradigms. The topic of identity is explored including identity theory as used among sociology, psychology, anthropology, and philosophy. The research was conducted and analyzed using concepts from the philosophical orientation of critical hermeneutics with specific use of the communication theory of Jurgen Habermas and narrative theory of Paul Ricoeur. The narrative identity theory of Ricoeur was found to be appropriate to a mission to Muslims. An understanding of conversion as being a process of transformation into Christ-‐likeness through the power of the Holy Spirit was found to be most compatible with Muslim outreach. iii Tables 1. Population of Ethiopia by Religion 23 2. Major Muslim Groups Operating in Ethiopia 2013 41 3. Greenlee and Love – Lenses to view Muslim Conversion 91 4. Research Participants Recorded and Transcribed 96 Figures 1. The C1-‐C6 Spectrum 2 2. 2007 Ethiopian Census: Religious Affiliation by Region 313 ABBREVIATIONS CPM Church Planting Movement EC Ethiopian Calendar (7 years less than the world calendar) ESV The Holy Bible: English Standard Version IM Insider Movement LXX Septuagint (Greek translation) of the Hebrew Scriptures MBB Muslim Background Believer (A Muslim who has become a believer in Jesus RVVP Rift Valley Vision Project NRSV New Revised Standard Version iv MAP OF AFRICA SOURCE: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/etafrica.gif v MAP OF ETHIOPIA SOURCE: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/ethiopia.gif vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ii Key Terms ii Summary/Abstract iii Tables iv Figures iv Abbreviations iv Introduction 1 CHAPTER 1: Background of Research 8 1.1 Context of Islamic outreach in Ethiopia 8 1.2 A brief review of Ethiopian history and society 9 1.3 Culture and cultural diversity in Ethiopia 15 1.4 Religious beliefs 22 1.4.1 Traditional religion in Ethiopia today 24 1.4.2 Christianity in Ethiopia 28 1.4.3 Islam in Ethiopia 35 1.5 Politics 41 1.6 Summary of missiological issues 47 CHAPTER 2: Literature Review 49 2.1 Identity in relationship to Christian outreach to Muslims 49 2.2 Methods of Christian Outreach to Muslim, evangelism, and church planting 55 2.3 Theses and dissertations 86 CHAPTER 3: Research Methodology Used in this Study 94 3.1 Research site and participants 94 3.2 Entrée to research participants and languages used 97 3.3 Data collection and text creation 97 3.4 Data analysis 98 3.5 Time line 101 3.6 Critical hermeneutic theory: a brief description 101 3.7 Background of researcher 114 CHAPTER 4: Theoretical Foundations and Constructs 117 4.1 Theories of religious conversion 120 4.1.1 Conversion from a social science paradigm 120 4.1.1.1 Conversion in Africa and Ethiopia from a social science paradigm 133 4.1.2 Conversion as understood among Muslims 145 4.1.3 Christian conversion 150 4.1.3.1 Christian theology and conversion 151 4.1.3.2 Biblical words and theological concepts related to conversion 170 4.1.3.3 Missiology and conversion 194 4.1.4 A working understanding of conversion for a mission to Muslims 201 4.1.4.1 Lessons learned from social science 202 4.1.4.2 Lessons learned from the Muslim understanding of conversion 203 4.1.4.3 Lessons learned from a biblical understanding of conversion 204 4.1.4.4 Lessons learned from missiology 206 4.1.4.5 Summary of lessons learned about conversion 206 4.1.5 Conversion and identity change 207 vii 4.2 Identity 208 4.2.1 Theories of identity from social science 210 4.2.2 Muslim concepts of identity 222 4.2.3 The dialogical self 237 4.2.4 The study of lives 243 4.2.4.1 The life story develops over time and is constantly changing 244 4.2.4.2 The life story combines past, present and anticipated future 246 4.2.4.3 A life story is an integrative narrative 248 4.2.4.4 Life stories imaginatively construe experience 249 4.2.4.5 Life stories involve construction of meaning 252 4.2.4.6 Life stories are embedded in culture 253 4.2.5 Narrative identity theory of Paul Ricoeur 255 4.2.6 Understanding identity in missiological contexts 266 4.2.6.1 Lessons learned regarding identity-‐ psychology and sociology 266 4.2.6.2 Lessons learned regarding identity-‐ anthropology 270 4.2.6.3 Lessons learned regarding identity-‐ dialogical self 272 4.2.6.4 Lessons learned regarding identity-‐ study of lives 272 4.2.6.5 Lessons learned regarding identity-‐ philosophy of Paul Ricoeur 274 CHAPTER 5: Presentation of Research 276 5.1 Conversion 280 5.1.1 The nature of conversion to Christ 281 5.1.2 Influences favorable to conversion 288 5.1.3 Influences hindering conversion to Christ 296 5.1.4 Consequences of conversion 301 5.1.5 Converts that later return to Islam 304 5.2 Identity 306 5.2.1 Culture and religion in identity formation 307 5.2.2 Family and social influences in identity formation 311 5.2.3 Identity change 315 5.3 Missionary methodology 319 5.3.1 Home to home approach 319 5.3.2 Insider movements 321 5.3.3 Church planting movements (CPM) 328 5.3.4 Social and development projects 329 5.3.5 Summary 332 CHAPTER 6: Analysis 333 6.1 Missionary methodology 333 6.2 Identity 348 6.3 Conversion 354 CHAPTER 7: Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Research 359 7.1 Conclusions 359 7.1.1 Methodology 359 7.1.2 Identity 365 7.1.3 Conversion 369 7.2 Suggestions for further research 370 References 372 viii INTRODUCTION The issue of contextualization and the related issue of what are commonly called “Insider Movements,” have filled the pages of missiological literature related to Muslim evangelism over the past 20 or more years. The term “Insider Movement” as applied to Muslim evangelism describes groups of Muslim Background Believers (MBB’s) who are evangelizing within their own social grouping. Whereas other methods of Muslim outreach have been largely unsuccessful, Insider Movements have grown quite large, however, not without controversy. Such groups are often accused of syncretism by which is normally meant that these “converts” are not “biblical” converts within the understanding of the detractor. Insider movements have drawn significant attention as a mission strategy due to their evident success among groups most resistant to the gospel. Initially the claimed success was not easily verified due to security issues and the nature of the movements themselves but more documentation has become available especially since 2005. Much of the debate between those favorable and unfavorable to the Insider Movement strategy has centered around the related concepts of conversion and identity change. While the issue of how to define what is meant by conversion has received more attention in the literature, the issue of identity and identity change is often mentioned but seldom directly discussed in the context of missiology. For a Muslim living in a rural Ethiopian community to be identified as a Christian is to be separated and ostracized from family, friends and society. Thus Muslims who turn to Christ have often been “extracted” from their community for safety and for discipleship purposes. However, extractionism as a method of Muslim evangelism has been criticized on several grounds. First, it is unhealthy for the convert to be separated from their family and community. Second, much of successful evangelism in any society 1 is of a person-‐to-‐person nature; by extracting the converts this effective evangelistic method is not possible. Third, when the new believers are extracted the influence of such converts is removed from their society and thus the possibility of indigenous Christian witness through a vibrant Christian community among Muslims cannot develop. Massey (2000:8) speaks to the issue of identity when he writes: Whom do they see as ‘Christians’? In parts of the world where significant numbers of C5 believers exist today, they are mostly looking at C1-‐C2 believes. When C5 believers compare themselves to C1-‐C2 Christians, they say, “I don’t pray like a Christian, unwashed in a pew with my shoes on; I pray like a Muslim. I don’t dress like a Christian with Western pants and collar shirts; I dress like a Muslim. I don’t talk like a Christian, with all their strange terms to describe God and his prophets; I talk like a Muslim. I don’t eat like a Christian consuming uh… you know and haram meats (i.e., meat not butchered in the “kosher” way); I prefer halal meats, like a Muslim. I don’t have a Christian name, like John, Tom or Paul; I have a Muslim name.” Thus, C5 believers are being entirely honest when they identify themselves as “Muslim” followers of Jesus. As a point of reference, Massey provides the following chart of the C1-‐C6 spectrum originally created by John Travis (1998). Figure 1 from Massey(2000:7) 2
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