Vol. 1 No. 2 (2024) – OralityTalks

The OralityTalks Journal: Orality as Holistic Communication

Charles Madinger — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:38:56 +0000

Orality reflects how God designed us to communicate, using all five senses and engaging the whole person within a cultural context. The term often focuses on hearing and speaking, which can exclude some groups. A holistic approach sees orality as expressing thoughts and emotions through various means. By identifying orality traits across people groups, we can create effective communication strategies. This issue of Orality Talks Journal explores these insights and methods.

Discipleship in Oral Preference Cultures

W. Jay Moon — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:37:04 +0000

There are many indigenous genres available that are often overlooked for discipleship in oral preference cultures. This article explores both the Sicangu Lakota Native American culture as well as the Builsa culture in Ghana, West Africa to demonstrate the value and use of indigenous symbols, rituals, dance, proverbs, songs and stories for contextualized approaches to discipleship. Drawing from various anthropological theories, examples are provided to demonstrate how these oral genres can address excluded middle issues in order to create missiological transformation. Since these indigenous genres are embedded in culture, wise disciple makers can apply this discipleship approach for the formation of cultural and biblical identity. In the process, this can help disciples overcome the common dangers of both syncretism and split-level Christianity.

Watch the related webinar presentation.

The Iron Law of Communication

Wayne Dye — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:36:38 +0000

Miscommunication is a common problem in human interaction; tragically, sometimes even the Gospel is misunderstood. The root cause of most interpersonal misunderstandings is not failure to hear words that are said but differences in the cognitive environments of the speaker and hearer. Their cognitive environments are made up of their language, culture, personal histories, and their evaluation of the immediate situation between speaker and hearer. How this happens is made clear through an example of miscommunication between two people with broadly the same background. The problem is ubiquitous; without exception, every conversation depends on an adequate match between the cognitive environments of speakers and hearers. The problem can be overcome by a combination of learning about the cognitive environment of the hearer before a conversation, two-way communication, and thoughtful listening to the hearer’s responses. It also requires building on common human experiences. Because the process of learning from stories is built on common human experiences, stories are a significant way to overcome the problem of the iron law of communication.

Watch the related webinar presentation.

The Use of Narrative in Paul’s Letter to the Romans

Joshua Adebayo Adesina, Jong Angeles and Danyal Qalb — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:35:39 +0000

This paper explores the use of Narrative in Paul’s letter to the Romans, specifically focusing on its application across diverse cultures. Biblical narratives are foundational elements for developing systematic theology and other theological reflections. These narratives unfold various characters, leading to a deeper understanding of a particular theology. For instance, Paul employs narratives from the Old Testament, such as those of Abraham and David, in his epistle to the Romans to explain his teachings on righteousness, allowing his recipients to understand his argument better. In the same way, this concept enables the incorporation of cultural narratives, facilitating a more meaningful discussion of theological concepts. This narrative approach enriches theological reflection and promotes deeper engagement with scripture among diverse cultural and educational backgrounds.

Watch the related webinar presentation.

Embraced Taboo: An Ethnoscopic Analysis of Non-monogamous Practices in Nigeria

Kehinde Seyi Ojelade — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:34:42 +0000

The widespread social acceptance of non-monogamous sexual practices among the Yoruba people in Nigeria is a key issue for Christian discipleship. Using ethnoscopic analysis, I examine how ancestral traditions perpetuate the issue. Despite its cultural entrenchment, this practice conflicts with Christian teachings on fidelity and monogamy. The paper uses Thigpen’s ethnoscopic framework to explore the discipleship issue through cultural, biblical, missional, and educational lenses. I highlight the necessity of culturally appropriate discipleship strategies and tools that fit the needs of oral learners. Ultimately, the research seeks to foster faithful Christian living that aligns with biblical principles while navigating the complex cultural landscape of Nigeria.

Character Theology: Engaging God through His Cast of Characters

Maria Angelica de Vera — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 08:19:31 +0000

Steffen, T. A., & Neu, R. (2024). Character theology: Engaging God through his cast of characters. Pickwick Publications. ISBN 978-1-6667-7857-1.

Check out Tom Steffen going through some of this book’s content in this webinar recording.