Can evangelism be done ethically?
When I was a newish Christian, ane of the books that had everyone talking was Rebecca Manley Pippert'due southOut of the Saltshaker. I am non sure how much I read of information technology, just I withal call back an opening line:
Evangelism was something I wouldn't do to my canis familiaris, let alone my all-time friend.
This is more pertinent than always, at present that I actually have a dog!
Evangelism continues to have a distinctly dodgy reputation. This is perhaps rooted in the recognition that it isn't actually a New Testament word, even though it derives from botheuangelion significant 'practiced news' (which in onetime English becomes 'gospel'), and the verbeuangelizomai meaning 'to denote skilful news.' There are problems with the notion of evangelism from outside the church; in the intolerance of our tolerant society, street preachers are distinctly doubtable. For some, this is a sign of the trouble with our civilization—which would exist more than disarming if it weren't for the fact that many inside the church as well feel uncomfortable with the notion. After all, only 27% of Anglicans are happy inviting someone to church—let alone talking near their own religion.
Gavin Wakefield is Director of Preparation for Missional Ministry building for the Diocese of York—an interesting task title, which suggests that he has had to face up these reservations head-on. He explores the issues in the latest Grove Evangelism booklet,Doing Evangelism Ethically which I have found a very helpful discussion. For me, one of the nearly pertinent problems is how to nowadays a coherent case for Christian belief in the public space of broadcast and social media, where claims to exclusivity practice not sit down easily. Gavin starts off with his own negative experiences in the past, and reflects:
Sadly, all also many people have had a bad experience of evangelism and non been able to receive the proficient news we claim to share. A significant factor in evangelism existence seen every bit bad news is the way Christians have sometimes gone about information technology. Telling hungry people they will get food if they convert, only employing folk who attend the right church or chapel, even putting the selection, 'Be baptized or die'—all these have been tried. A swathe of bad examples makes information technology all as well like shooting fish in a barrel for people to dismiss evangelism as brainwashing, arrogance or coercion, a course of power games past the powerful against the powerless and vulnerable. No wonder information technology is piece of cake to write off evangelism equally a bad idea.
Rather refreshingly, before offering any defense force of evangelism, he engages with the objections to evangelism very openly, nether five broad headings:
- Persuasion
- Arrogance
- Truth claims
- Coercion and manipulation
- Inducements
I of his nigh telling comments, nether the last heading, engages with the consequence of and then-called 'friendship evangelism':
A contemporary instance might be the forming of friendships in order to exist able to share the good news—so-called friendship evangelism, advocated by some Christians. It would seem inherently positive that we share good news in relationships of trust and in which people have come up to know us. The difficulty arises when we grade friends with the hidden motive of sharing faith—this is no longer respect simply a form of manipulation. This becomes obvious in more extreme versions of friendship evangelism, such as 'love-bombing' or 'flirty-angling,' just whatsoever form of subconscious calendar fails the exam of respect.
Just such critiques are not the cease of engaging in evangelism—not least because Jesus seemed to expect his disciples to appoint in this, and then expects his church to keep the practise. Merely we need to reflect. 'If evangelism is truly about the good news of God's love for the world then the practice must itself be expert news (John 3.16)…[and i]f we are truly to embed ethical standards nosotros will also demand to have some adept principles to work with.' Gavin goes principally to two publications for sets of principles, publications which he believes deserve to be meliorate known—an ecumenical publication entitledChristian Witness in a Multi-Religious World, and Bryan Rock's bookEvangelism afterwards Christendom: The Theology and Practice of Christian Witness. The first offers 12 useful principles, which Gavin interprets every bit addressing three problems: developing Christian graphic symbol; rejecting coercion of whatever kind; and mutual respect and interdependence.
Bryan Stone's work particular picks upwardly on the question of virtuous grapheme, and not just for individuals, but for the church building as a whole. After all, evangelism is the job of the whole church, and non just individuals:
Stone suggests four interweaving virtues as being of especial value for the church at the moment: presence, patience, courage and humility.
Presence as virtue is based on the presence of God in Christ (incarnation) and leads to embodying our witness to the gospel. There is a challenge to be present in the hard places in the world, witnessing that the love of God is what motivates us. Information technology is the way of faithfulness, even when 'results' are not apparent.
Patience is needed considering 'evangelistic presence is frequently characterized by contradiction and rejection, it is costly and hard to sustain across time.' In a related comment Lesslie Newbigin wrote, 'Patience means suffering…This suffering is not the passive credence of evil; information technology is the primary form of witness confronting it.' For, as St Paul says, 'Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and graphic symbol produces hope' (Rom v.three–iv). Patience seen in this manner is not resignation, but 'an active confidence that we alive in God'south fourth dimension and tin can therefore act without the need to control, dispense, or predict the results of our acts.' Ethical evangelism takes time: we witness to the beloved of God, and nosotros wait patiently for the other to discover—or better, to be discovered past—that love for themselves.
Courage as a Christian virtue is non that of the soldier only of the martyr (witness), who focuses on cocky-giving for others or for God. Courage is needed in witnessing that the self-giving beloved of God is the virtually powerful force in the earth. It is all also easy to feel that we need to exist part of the power structures in society, that the church building will benefit from protection or special condition. It is non that we have nothing to practise with the powerful, but the courage of Jesus witnesses to the boggling power of forgiveness and not-retaliation. Such a witness trusts in the love and truth of God, and hence too exhibits the virtue of humility.
Humility qualifies courage and then it does not get glamorous or arrogant, simply as courage qualifies humility so information technology does non become passive or submissive. In the resonant phrase of David Bosch, it is bold humility: humility, because we know nosotros practice not know all the answers; bold, considering nosotros are willing to risk all as we trust in the leading of God'south Spirit.
I would add a further virtue to Stone's list: hospitality. The call to care for the stranger runs through both Old and New Attestation, from Abraham (Genesis 18) to the Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matt 25.35). Information technology is a reflection of God's hospitality to the hungry, poor and naked (Isa 58.seven) and is an essential approach in sharing faith too as food. Archbishop Justin Welby summarized it in this way when addressing the 2022 National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast: 'The call to discipleship is always offered without manipulation equally hospitality, respecting the freedom of others to say no, without aggression, and ever in beloved. But it is offered.'
Gaining both conviction and brownie in our evangelism is a vital task for the church in Britain today—not least for the Church of England. This exploration addresses a crucial event if this is to happen. I promise this text will exist widely read and engaged with.
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