Introduction
The heart of Christianity is mission because it starts with God, and comes through our Lord Jesus Christ into the world according to the Bible. All Christians as the instruments of God have been called to actively proclaim and participate in His work. It is to express God’s own dynamic unity in diversity in the community life and such mission must be interpreted coherently and meaningfully to be relevant to the needs of the people. The primal society of Myanmar has been tremendously changed into modern society through the coming of Christian mission. However, the Christianity in Myanmar, the understanding and concept in salvation is so many exclusive and regarded with spiritual matter and it have a little bit to do with the society for Myanmar Christians. Nowadays theology of mission and new paradigms came out because of the circumstances in Myanmar that have been changed overtime; we also need this transformation in our society.
The situation of our society is visually dominated society. This is a big problem today- people are more concerned with social issues (poverty, violence, human rights, etc.) and also in the spiritual matter. Thousands of men and women are migrated to neighboring countries in search of a better life. Unfortunately, many young girls and boys are forced into work in unsatisfactory industry. Human dignity is dramatically declining. By seeing these above situations as challenges, every Christians and Churches need to present the relevant theology for doing mission to the broken society based on Biblical perspective. Not only our traditional approach (sending missionaries and prioritizing evangelism) but also transformation mission in both spiritual and physical needs. Form the perspective of the citizen of Myanmar and the Myanmar believer, I strongly believes that Christian social transformation as mission which is strongly based on the Bible will yield good fruit word and deeds go together. Over the past decade or so, the terminology of transformation has become increasingly common in both practitioner and academic circles. There are transformational approaches in mediation as well as in the broader discipline of peaceful society. I do believe that social transformation is a comprehensive orientation or framework that ultimately may require a fundamental change in our way of doing mission. I do not want to imply that my particular view of social transformation is superior to those who use the term differently or to those who prefer the term Social Gospel. In this paper, I will present the relevant transformation perspective strongly based on the Biblical foundation.
I. Meaning of Transformation
The term “transformation” points to a number of changes that have to take place in many societies if poor people are to enjoy their rightful heritage in creation. David J. Bosch used the word “transforming” in his book that the title is “Transforming Mission.” He stated mission is not the enterprise that transforms reality.
According to the biblical view of human life, transformation is change from a condition of human existence contrary to God’s purpose to one in which people are able to enjoy fullness of life in harmony with God (John 10:10; Col.3:8-15; Eph. 4:13). This transformation can only take place through the obedience of individuals and communities to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whose power changes the lives of men and women by releasing them from the guilt, power and consequences of sin, enabling them to respond with love toward God and toward others (Rom.5:5), and making them “new creatures in Christ” (2 Cor.5:17). Transforming model comes from God and it was practiced Jesus Christ on our earth with the human nature. Jesus had showed his obedience, love, forgiveness, and mercy throughout the words and deeds of his life. These are not only the essences of Christ, but also the transforming power of God. John Paul Lederach asserts “Transformation provides a clear and important vision because it brings into focus the horizon toward which we journey- the building of healthy relationships and communities locally and globally.” This goal requires real change in our current ways of relating.
The methodology for social transformation, according to Dean S. Gilliland, is incarnation. For him, the incarnation of God’s message requires two important attitudes that again often set the Christian apart from the secular development worker respect and meekness. We agree that Jesus’ meekness and respect to God and others cannot be separate. Thus Christian social transformer need to aware that values and that come from high spirituality of Jesus Christ. Salvation, John Hick defines as the “creating of human and animals into children of God,” clearly laying emphasis upon the transformation of human character and quality of life. Therefore Christian social transformation can be understand that is the feeling of people from constraints to become all that God intends for them in their relation with him, with other people, and with their environment. Social transformations are expected to be holistic. The term “holistic” serves to emphasize the integral relationship among the physical, social, spiritual, and environmental components of life for a person, a family, or a whole community.
The goal for Christian transformation differs sharply from any secular goal. The goal of transformation is best described by the biblical vision of the kingdom of God. This new way of being human in submission to the Lord of all has many facets. In particular, it means striving to bring peace among individuals, races, and nations by overcoming prejudices, fears, and preconceived ideas about others. It means sharing basic resources like food, water, the means of healing, and knowledge. Dryness suggest at least six implication of the kingdom of God for transformation: (1) dignity of the person, (2) community goal-setting, (3) need for mutual sharing, (4) dissatisfaction with the existing situation, (5) ability to master the environment, and (6) hope. Along the history of missions show how the church has always been concerned not simply about individuals but with societies, nations, and the globe itself. The dramatic social changes brought about by Christian mission throughout the world bear witness to this.
From my own perspective and from our Myanmar perspective, our Missiological and Theological framework needs to promote such transformation for our society, for spiritual and for physical needs. The idea of responsibility and solidarity we have put forward really aims at such drastic political and economic changes. The idea of cruciform responsibility does not see the cross simply as self-sacrifice. It highlights the cross as a powerful protest against the political and economic power of Jesus’ day. The process of transformation applies not only to the world around, but also to the Church in its life and being. The definitive word on transformation has not been spoken, and probably never will be spoken for we are all being transformed into his likeness with even increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (II Cor. 3:18). In this paper, I will present two chapters from the Old Testament and two chapters from the New Testament form the Missiological transformative perspective.
II. Transformation in the Bible
In the Bible transformation means “change or renewal from a life that no longer conforms to the ways of the world to one that pleases God” (Romans 12:2). This is accomplished by the renewing of our minds, an inward spiritual transformation that will manifest itself in outward actions. The Bible presents the transformed life in Christ as demonstrated through our “bearing fruit in every good work [and] growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Transformation involves those who were once far from God being “drawn near” to Him through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13).
(A) Transformation in the Old Testament
(i) Genesis 1: 1-2
The understanding of the first three chapters of Genesis is foundational to an understanding of all that follows in Scripture. In the creation, God’s transformative wisdom is well displayed. This is the first step of God’s redemptive or transformative art form the Old Testament. It can also be called the establishment of Missio Dei. “In the beginning God created” (Gen 1:1) is the significance of this statement can hardly be exhausted by a simple proposition. This is the understanding about God’s actions to us by Scripture. God worked and continues to work: “My Father is always at his work to this very day” (Jn 5:17 NIV).
In the creation, God created the supportive systems necessary for life and man’s existence and by then filling these with moving and living creatures. “The heaven and the earth”, that is the world, including the whole frame and furniture of the universe, the world and all things therein (Acts 17:24). Before He created the heaven and the earth, these were featureless and in darkness. The word “created” is bara in Hebrew and it does imply the idea of creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing). This verb, in its general form, is exclusively used with reference to divine activity. Moreover, we can see that God’s transformative act in the beginning of the creation. He created the nothing substance to useful things for the coming creatures. By using the verb bara, God revealed Himself to man as the originator of all things, even the creator who brought things into being that had no previous existence. By grammatically bara here is the finite verb of an independent clause. It is a perfect in general form, standing alone and describing the one act of creation that was performed at the beginning of time and was completed in the past. Its state is complete, and its time is determinate past. It gives no hint of a further creative act. In context, this verse indicates one Person’s magnificent action as a part of the narrative; yet it is a narrative by itself and complete in itself. Here God revealed Himself as the absolute creator, “He commanded, and they were created” (Ps. 148:5). By His creative fiat the heavens and the earth were created and completed in Genesis 1:1. The eternal transformative purpose of God’s creating the earth was “not in vain” or “without form,” but to be inhabited. No matter how wicked the inhabitants of the earth become, God’s promise that “they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid” will certainly be fulfilled one day (Mic. 4:4).
In Hebrew, the plural form of “heavens” in Genesis 1:1 implies the plural of extension and amplification, denoting the idea of a whole composed of innumerable separate parts. “Heavens” refers to the heaven and all things and beings within it, including space, galaxies, and angelic beings. These were first created. Then while the earth was being created, the angels admired the beauty and orderliness of the earth by singing and shouting (Job 38:4-7). However, in Genesis 1:2 the Holy Spirit suddenly changed His expression by saying, “And the earth was without form and void.” An accurate translation of the phrase would be “Now the earth was deserted and waste.” The heavens were all right, but the earth was deserted and waste. The cause of the earth being “deserted and waste” has been much discussed and argued among Bible students. Most of them would argue from the meanings of thohu (without form) or bhohu (void) separately, and neglect the importance of interpreting them together as a pair.
God is not only the transformer but also the Revealer, the Trinity (Gen. 1:1-2:3). God’s making the earth anew revealed more than did His initial creation of the heavens and the earth. Here, we can see that He revealed Himself as the Spirit who was hovering over the face of the waters preparing the disorganized matter for His coming creative acts. During Moses’ time, polytheism was prevalent everywhere. Recognizing the ignorance of the people, the Holy Spirit chose to omit here His usual name for Himself as the third person of the Trinity but revealed Himself as the ruach (Spirit) of God. Consequently, He indicated that the ruach is able to perform the personal action of hovering, which is translated as “moved” in Genesis 1:2. In Hebrew, “moved” is a feminine participle in the intensive form. This same verb is also used in Deuteronomy 32:11, translated as “fluttereth,” to illustrate the loving care of the mother eagle over her chick. Thus was the Holy Spirit hovering over the chaotic jumble and working tenderly, continually, and powerfully to bring the disordered mess into order. After the Holy Spirit’s hovering over the chaotic mass had accomplished its purpose, one day a series of “God said . . . God said,” followed by a series of “and it was so . . . and it was so,” with a series of God’s approvals of “it was good . . . it was good,” resounded and the present earth came into existence. God’s saying is God’s Word, which is the revelation of the whole mind and will of God, and which was “with God” and “was God” in the beginning.
According to a surface reading of this chapter, God created heaven and earth as a place for human and other creatures, for human to live and have dominion over all. But looking at the deeper level (or) the transformative perspective, it is about more than that. God prepared the created world as the on-going transformation place for Him and His creature; especially for human beings who were created in His own image. They will have communion as related beings and share worship experiences ( for the Sabbath, the blessed state and holiness).
(ii) Nehemiah 1:4
Nehemiah is the model of cultural revitalization suggests that Christian missionaries have a unique mission and message that can significantly influence the economic and moral development of human societies. He contributed a great service to his nation. He was generous and faithful and was possessed by a splendid patriotism. He had a great love for his country. He was a businessman with a great love for God in his heart. A part of the explanation for the greatness of Nehemiah is to be found in his prayer life. Like spiritual giants in every generation, Nehemiah prayed more than his contemporaries. Nehemiah was the trusted servant of Artaxerxes, king of Persia (1:1; 2:1–8). At his time, he got a news which was came from the desperate circumstances of those who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity (1:2). The returnees were suffering great deprivation (1:3). The wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates had been burned (1:3). This meant that the people had no protection and were at the mercy of the powerful. Nehemiah presented the burden of his concern before the throne of God.
Here, we can see the transformative prayer of Nehemiah. He cried out to God, not only for himself but for his people. He prayed to the Lord God of heaven, he prayed to the great God, he prayed to the covenant-keeping God. This prayer by Nehemiah is as noble as that of Ezra (9:6-15), though Ezra was a religious official and Nehemiah was a secular ruler. This speaks well of Nehemiah’s habits of spirituality and fellowship with God: his practice of the ceremonies of religion. The prayer begins in verse 5 with praise to God for His (1)greatness and (2) character of loving kindness. So Jesus began His model prayer with praise: a good model for us today.
Form secularly perspective, this may be weakly or hopelessly crying. Moreover, it can be no meaning for those who do not believe in God. But the one who really believe in God and His miracles, Nehemiah knew that God would help his people to reestablish their life again and they could rebuild their city again. In missiological perspective, this is the prayer of transformation from the missiological perspective. In other word, God’s missiological process is clearly seen in this prayer. when I heard these words, that I sat down . . . and mourned . . . and fasted, and prayed (verse 4). The recital deeply affected the patriotic feelings of this good man of symbol, and no comfort could he find but in earnest and protracted prayer, that God would favor the purpose, which he seems to have secretly formed, of asking the royal permission to go to Jerusalem. The people were in great economic distress and ethnic disgrace living in a dilapidated city with a broken wall and burned gates (Neh. 1:3).It forced him to rethink the whole plight of his displaced people, their distorted culture, and their shattered ethnic identity. The people, like the walls, were broken and there seemed to be little chance of any immediate change or improvement. The story relates Nehemiah’s intense anguish in the simple phrase—“he wept” (Neh. 1:4). Nehemiah seemed to be unable to shake that heartbreaking mental image of that “broken wall and burned gates.” It forced him to rethink the whole condition of his displaced people, their distorted culture, and their shattered ethnic identity. Not only the wall and the gates, but also the people were also broken and burned. Because of the loss of his ethnic and spiritual identity, Nehemiah completely refused to eat for several days. This is the preparation of the person who really wanted to hear the voice of God. He was a man of God and a man of prayer. He knew that his people’s troubles were a result of their sin against God and the humble confession he showed before God and asked God for help. After that, he was fully prepared when an opportunity arose for him to speak to the king about it. The result was that he received permission to returned and carry out the reconstruction work he had planned. He was also probably the time when he was appointed governor of Jerusalem (5:14).
When we look the whole book of Nehemiah, we can see some of the prayers of Nehemiah. He was one of the great leaders in the history of Israel. Moreover, he was still one of the role symbols of Christian leadership studies. It can be because of his transformative prayers. He shows us our prayers must be true and transformative to not only our life but also to others. John MacArthur, a great expository preacher, in regard to Nehemiah’s prayer stated, “After seventy years of captivity in Babylon, God kept His promise to restore His people to the Promised Land. The promise appeared to be failing, and Nehemiah appealed to God’s character and covenant as the basis by which He must intervene and accomplish His pledges to His people”. Nehemiah rested on God’s authority and integrity to fulfill the unconditional covenant He made to His people with Himself.
(B) Transformation in the New Testament
(i) Jesus as a Spiritual and Social Transformer
Mission is the action of Christ, and the action of Christ is the action of love. In this sense, the social transformation of Jesus Christ takes places in the Jewish society. He gave his love and his time to all people. Marcus J. Borg states Jesus was not primary a teacher of either correct belief or right morals. He was, rather, a teacher of way or path, especially a way of transformation. Jesus’ work of redemption, in other word, is the accomplishment of our liberation. If we read the Bible with the eyes of Third World, we can see Jesus as a Spiritual and Social Transformer for those who were oppressed, sickness, naked, hunger, widow, and sinner among the society. Jesus transformed their life from the first situations to the life of well-being and saving the soul. His transformative power came from not by might, but by the power of Father God and the Holy Spirit.
(ii) The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20)
According to Matthew, after resurrection, Jesus met his disciples by the sea of Galilee. Jesus said to them, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commended you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20). Scholars have agreed that “make disciples of all nations” is the heart of the command. Donald A. Hagner notices that the main verb is “make disciples” is surrounded by the three parallel subordinate participles: going, baptizing, and teaching. The emphasis in the Commission thus falls not on the initial proclamation of the Gospel but more on an arduous task of nurturing into the experience of discipleship, an emphasis that is strengthened and explained by the instruction “teaching them to keep all that I have commanded” in Matthew 28:20a. To make disciple in Matthew means above all to follow after righteousness as articulated in the teaching of Jesus. This helps us understand that discipleship is Matthew’s understanding of mission. A disciple is precisely a learner. Learning is a process. Jesus said, ‘learn from me” (Matt. 11:28). A disciple is to be like the teacher but not to become the teacher (Matt. 10:24-25). To be a disciple meant “to stay bound to Jesus and to do God’s will” (cf. Matt 12: 46-50) as Jesus did. The disciples are asked to witness Christ by serving and giving light to others that everyone will know them as the disciples of Jesus Christ by seeing their deeds (cf. Matt. 5:16).
The disciples were sent into the world with special obligations: to proclaim the gospel, and to lead others to follow Christ as they followed. “Go” is essential for all believers. For Kosuke Koyama, it must be Christ-like going. He said, “the commission says not just “go” but “go therefore” means go on the basis of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, his love, his self-denial, his hope, his death, his resurrection. Only so are we to make disciples of all nations. It is obvious to everyone that we Christians can be true missionaries only by living and serving like our master Jesus Christ. We must always remember that the disciples are sent into the world as the Father has set Jesus Christ (John 20:21).
According to Matthew, the church lived in a time of profound change. Questions of authority, of empire and colonial realms, of interpretation, competition and contention, questions about the future: these are the forces and fears that conformed Matthew’s message and his church. The turbulent years of A.D 70s extended their (Judaism and the church) future was in doubt. The followers of Jesus separated from Judaism. Matthew’s original intent was to instruct his congregation about the direction, nature, and identity of Israel in a time when many things were up for grabs. Matthew wrote a story that presented Jesus as the teacher who lectured on how one should lived. Much of the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew’s compilation of Jesus’s teaching on that subject, through it is by no means isolated to the Sermon. Law and order, civic life and ethics within the group and the broader society are aspects of the Matthean Jesus’ teaching. Moreover, Matthew wants to teach his church about living with tension and discord on daily basis. The disciples are, in Matthew, taught to live in a time of uncertainty. Matthew means teaching people how to understand their place and their role in Israel as well as how to survive in the precarious situations. Clearly, Matthew was concerned with how the church should involve and witness her Lord in socio-political realities.
The principal and transformational goals of the Great Commission of Matthew is not merely to convert people into Christianity but rather to serve others as Jesus has served (it is also the transformative command of our Lord to us). Evangelization is not only Christianization. It is a proclamation of the universal Lordship of Jesus. The resurrected lord Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. The church continues Jesus’ preaching, teaching, healing, liberating in this world with the power of Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:6-8)
(iii) Luke 7:11-17
The raising of the son of the widow of Nain is an account of a miracle by Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus arrived at the village of Nain during the burial ceremony of the son of a widow, and raised the young man from the dead. (Luke 7:11-17). The location is the village of Nain, Israel, two miles south of Mount Tabor. This is the first of three miracles of Jesus in the canonical gospels in which he raises the dead, the other two being the raising of Jairus’ daughter and of Lazarus. This story is presented Jesus’ encounter with the widow whose son Jesus raised from the dead. We can clearly see that Jesus’ compassion is reaching out both to the woman and her son. It presents us with a God who cares even for those who do not expressly solicit His help. This is one of the transformational ministries of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus saw the woman who was crying for the lost of her son, he felt compassion for her, he felt compassion for her. Then he raised the dead son. In this story, the widow did not ask him for help; the crowd also did not ask him for help. Jesus by himself started the helping action. Why did Jesus feel compassion for his widow? What was the status of the widow that made Jesus move with pity? Without being asked for help, why did Jesus start his saving action? The main theme, in my opinion, is God’s initiative for salvation through Jesus Christ. Luke’s gospel pays attention to the oppressed, or the disadvantaged in society: the poor, the sick, the handicapped, the slaves, the lepers, the shepherds, the prostitutes, the tax-collectors, the Samaritans, the Gentiles, the foreigners, the refugees, the children, the elderly, the widows, the women, the ignored and despised, in short, what Powell calls “underdogs” in the society.To this society, Luke believed that Jesus has brought the salvation of God. The larger context of Luke 7:11-17 is 4:14-9:50 wherein Jesus’ activity or ministry is focused mainly in Galilee. 7:11-17 stands between 7:1-10 (healing miracle) and 7:22 “the dead are raised up”. 7:11-17 helps Luke to formulate 7:1-50, which is concerned with the way in which the ministry of Jesus builds upon but transcends that of John the Baptist. Luke 7:11-17 is unique to Luke’s gospel, it has no parallel with other gospels.
By beginning the story with “Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain”, Luke connects this pericope with the former one (7:1-10). After Jesus healed Centurion's servant (vv. 1-10), “Soon afterwards” (v. 11, NRSV) shows single that a significant event is about to happen. Luke sets the scene by portraying the location, the crowd will gather and the central position of woman will be portrayed. Luke will frequently refers to Jesus as “ the Lord”, “the Lord” in narrative (7:19, 10:1, 39:41; 11:39; etc). This is the use of the later Christians for Jesus as an exalted one by God to be the Lord. The Christological high point of this episode. Luke’s identification of Jesus as Lord, his remark concerning Jesus’ effective response to the woman, and his record of Jesus’ first word “Do not weep” shows that Jesus is the powerful person. Now Jesus and the crowd and the widow with a large crowd of funeral procession meet. This scene motivates the readers’ thought. In the readers’ thought they think what will happen. Luke uses, “Jesus was moved to pity” or “filled with compassion”. This word occurs three times (7:13, 10:33; 15:20). The first one is used for Jesus to the widow, the second one is used for the Good Samaritan to the injured person and the last father to his prodigal son. Moreover, Luke portrays Jesus’ emotions only in special cases.
First, he said the widow “Do not weep,” He uses the imperative form to show his command. Jesus has not only the compassionate capacity, but also the power to change the fate. Whenever Luke uses this word it has deeper meaning. In Luke 6:21, it says, “blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” and in Luke 8:52, it says, “do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.”This is the reminder to the readers “about the good news of salvation which will turn weeping into joy.”The second act is “touching the bier.” The greek word soros means a vessel for holding the remains of a dead person, often made of stone. It also denoted a “coffin.” The touching of the bier is a silent appeal for the funeral procession to be stopped and is responded to accordingly. Here Jesus is not afraid of becoming unclean by touching the dead (Num 19:11, 16). Instead of being of unclean, Jesus cleans and heals. The third action is his saying to the dead man: “rise up.” Jesus directly speaks to the corpse, commanding it to arise. “This is his apparent authority, status, and institutional roe in this salvific purpose of God.”
The introducing of the crows in 11 and 12 is now clear. They are “to witness, to interpret and to report this miracle of restoration.” Seeing what Jesus had done for the widow the crowd is seized with fear. Now they have seen that God has done a salvific act to the widow through Jesus and therefore they glorified God. “The revival of a dead man is followed by the crowd’s reaction that goes beyond the ordinary.” The statement that they “glorified God” following Jesus’ mighty act fits a common Lukan theme.” The crowd’s response is distinctive from the mother’s response in 1 Kings 17:24 which says, “Now I know that you are a man of God….” The crowd responds is two statements: (1) “The great prophet has raised among us” and (2) “God has visited His people” (God has looked favorably on his people, in NRSV). The first statement is concerning Jesus. Jesus is the great prophet. Jesus himself told that he will be rejected as a prophet (4:24; 13:33). This means that Jesus himself thought himself as a prophet. Jesus identified his baptism as the anointing of a prophet (4:18-19). However, Luke portrays Jesus as a “great” prophet. Gabriel had prophesied that Jesus would be called “great” (1:32). The second statement is “God has visited his people” ( God has looked favorably on his people, in NRSV). This is also a favorite phrase of Luke (1:68, 19:44, Acts 15:14). “God’s visitation may be in wrath (Ex 20:5) or may be in mercy (Ps 106:4), but for Luke it is always an act of grace.” Bovon calls it “a necessary rescue.”God’s visitation is for the oppressed, the needy and all ethnic groups. In Luke 7:16, God’s visitation is particularly to the needy, the helpless and at the same time to Israel (cf. 4:25-26). And His visitation is to the gentiles too (Acts 15:14). The language of Luke 7:16 is entirely Jewish. The recognition in Jewish terms of Jesus’ ministry as an act of God to his people is of importance to Luke.
To conclude, God initiates His saving action first without asking. This can be found through the actions of Jesus for the widow. in the first century the situation of being a widow was in a bad situation. Out of her father’s house, her house is only her husband’s house. Her support comes from her husband. If her husband dies, she must rely on her son. If a son dies, all her support has gone. In this situation Jesus saw this widow. He felt compassion for her as a father had compassion for his lost son. Here the widow is not lost, but her hope and her everything was lost. Jesus did not pass by her as the priest and the Levites did on the Good Samaritan story, but he stopped and gave her what she had lost. The great prophets had done these things in the history. The great prophets can do these saving actions because of God’s love for his people. Therefore, our Christian Church has to act as Jesus did and show love and compassion to the people so that the people will know the God whom Jesus transformational revealed two thousands plus years ago is still present among us and is still compassionate to all.
Application and Conclusion
God is the God of liberation and transformation. He brings people into better condition of life by sending His only begotten Son into the world in which we live. We can define the life of Jesus as the transforming life. He incarnated among us to transform individuals and social structures. In Jesus’ ministry, there is no intention to seek only spiritual matter. He did many social transformation by healing, feeding, teaching, preaching in the whole ministry and then He himself given us for our liberation and transformation. In here, I want to present a little about my country. Myanmar is called “The Golden Land” because of it is made up of different peoples, cultures and as well as religions. In other word, Myanmar is like a garden with colorful flowers. No one can say whether Myanmar tends toward improvement evolutionarily or not. Additionally, the pervious beautiful Myanmar now tends to be detestable because of the pressure of oppression, exploitation, discrimination and dehumanization in the field of political, economical, social, and religious situations. Myanmar has been sinking in the sea of poverty for such a long time and living in pathetic lives. Through the various sociopolitical systems, which churches have gone through such as monarchical period (1726-1885), colonial period (1885-1948, parliamentary democracy (1948-1962), military dictator government (1962-2011), disciplined democracy (so called democracy) (2011-present). Among these diverse periods, Christians have lived among them with different troubles politically. Although Myanmar has plenty of natural resources, her people struggle for their daily life. Myanmar simply is one of the poorest counties in the world. Transportation is expensive everywhere and all are exposed to increasing pollution. Myanmar with her rich cultural heritages, could say not so bad in social affairs. But in the social system is damage in the flow of the corrupted Government. For example, only in Educational system, Myanmar has never been stabilized by her Government. Although they proclaim, “Let us build the development nation with the strength of wisdom,” the normal people have a little change to get a good education. At the same time sons and daughters of rich can go abroad for their education. Moreover, others situations, people of Myanmar have lived with different troubles politically and socially. In here, we, Christians of Myanmar also suffer these effects and at the same time, we have to shine the light of Jesus to the fellow other Myanmar. We need to be like the Good Samaritan to our neighbours. Moreover, we need to transform both to ourselves in both spiritual and physical, our neighbours and our country. This is the way which God wants us to do.
To be transforming all kinds of oppressions, exploitations, discriminations and spiritual weaknesses in Myanmar today, our Christianity and all Churches need to take the transformative power from our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God. God sent His Son into the world to be saved and served all humanity and all creations according to His will, and Our Lord sent us to do continuously in His ministry until to be fulfillment. Thus, we, Myanmar Christians can say that the fundamental reality of our Christian life and the Church life is mission. Our life in this world is life in mission. And this mission is to transform. Life has a purpose only to extend that it has a missionary dimension. In the past and still today, most Christians in Myanmar understand mission only as the saving activities for the lost soul. Nevertheless, the meaning of salvation is very wide. The mission of the church in Myanmar must be a holistic mission that concern all realms of life and has a goal for life in all its fullness. Because of God is holistic God.
Therefore, God’s mission is a holistic mission in which liberation, reconciliation, transformation and building of new condition of human society are main factors. The Church today is called to participate in that aspect of God’s mission that speaks to and for the world’s poor and marginalized. What the church speaks to the world poor and marginalized is the good news that God is a God of justice that God will not tolerate exploitation and is working in the world through Spirit to bring about a society that is just an inclusive. In the Christian community, particularly, the churches must extend their great commission as a holistic mission, i.e., evangelism, discipleship, service, promotion of justice, empowerment of the poor and concern for environment and ecological issues. In other words, the churches must acknowledge that the greatest challenge to the society in Myanmar is not merely evangelism, but social transformation in which life giving and community building. In addition, the churches must start working together with trust and respect for the sake of our suffering poor neighbors far and near. In Jesus' transforming vision, to take up the cross is to assume the suffering of the oppressed. It was the oppressed and died on Roman cross. Yet Jesus’ vision of life is to take on the suffering of the oppressed not as a passive victim but as one active in loving, nonviolent resistance, thus risking one’s own crucifixion. When Jesus suffered and died on the cross he had taken up, the cross was transformed. The cross as deterrent became the cross as life. Through the cross of Jesus entered into the crucifixion of the world. In so doing, he revealed a way of resistance- a way of transforming violence into life itself. In our country, the root causes of poverty are seen as various kinds of economic and political exploitation, social conflicts, moral injustice, and human violence. To follow Jesus is to know where Jesus is and to carry our cross. In serving the whole human beings, the Churches in Myanmar are responsible for restoring the broken relationship, transforming the human condition, and liberating the human from various kinds of bondages within the power of the love of God. The good news of the kingdom is a challenge to the oppressive and destructive structures and systems of society. Therefore poor in spiritual, physical poverty, political instability, HIV/AIDS health problem, educational insufficiency, ecological crisis, tensions between religious, are the hindrance to the kingdom of God and thus are needed to be transform for the building up of God’s kingdom. The Church should not ignore the needs, demands and problems of human society. The Church should alert on what is happening in society and be a prophetic organization showing hope, answers and vision for human conditions. For this, the Church should itself for the world and participate in the movement of removing evil situation of human life. Mission is inauguration, anticipation, annunciation of the Kingdom of God. The kingdom is both experience and hope. The experience of forgiveness of transforming life and the presence are power of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of mission is to preserve human life and the value of life for everyone. It is also to communicate God’s justice into society. Mission should be the total activities of the church in preaching, teaching healing, nurturing Christian Communities, and witnessing to the kingdom including advocacy of justice and service to humanity, while evangelization will be reserved for the specific task of awakening or reawakening faith in Jesus Christ where it no longer exist or has already ceased to exist. The Christian mission must put Jesus at the center of our life on. We should announce good news for all people, show love to all, especially to the poor and the outsiders, and welcome all sorts of people into God's family. We should admit our weakness and our need for help and open to all the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in order to accomplished working for justice in our own community.
Having observed carefully the life experience of Myanmar today, there will require a lot of works and skillful strategies in order to move the structural will and build up God's Kingdom on earth. However, this is not hindrance but challenge and transform like Jesus does in the New Testament. According to above statements, the situations of Myanmar challenge us how hard we try in the spirit of ecumenism in the midst of luck of spirituality, sufferings, struggling, discriminations, and oppressions . Nowadays, we are in the changing world and changes are taking place rapidly in Myanmar. Hence, if there is no change, there will be no development and prosperity. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that there will always be various sufferings in the process of changing. This suffering must not be hindrance that makes us to discourage or withdrawal in the encounter with changes. There is an appreciated saying that says, “No pain, no gain.” This means that we need to participate in the suffering of God in terms of transforming society of decency and prosperity. It cannot be easy to transform the missiology from the exclusivist to the inclusivity, which concern with the ecumenism and mutual understanding and mutual respect by interfaith dialogue and the acts of social transformation. Genuine ecumenism includes the unity of all peoples and of the whole creation. As a disciple in the circumstances of Myanmar, participate in the quest for the socio-politico-economic reality means to participate in the suffering of God in the light of the world. This is what our Lord Jesus had faced when he transformed the society, and wants us to do it. In other words, as Myanmar children, women, farmers, and workers have suffered various kinds of socio-politico-economic mismanagement for more than five decades. Their values are distorted and most of them are in doom and gloom. Thus, empowering them is an important task in Christian mission for Myanmar society today. The vital need in social analysis is the current issues that challenge Christian faith and life abundant. So many issues today challenge not only our faith but also how we can live out our faith truthfully and meaningfully. Issues of HIV/AIDS, religious fundamentalism, war on terror, globalization, Human Rights and human dignity, environment protection are among such issues. If people meet their needs, there will be no longer humiliation, violation or immorality in the society. Development is one of the vital ways to transform the structural evil and build a good society in Myanmar. To be fulfilling the kingdom of God on earth in the 21st century must flow from the new reality of holistic that seek the physical and spiritual health of all people in the context and commandments. Then, the new reality of holistic like empowering human dignity, giving-life to all people is the fulfillment of our Lord’s mission here in Myanmar today.
In Myanmar, the poor who are crying for justice are in the church and are the church. Hence, it is important for the church to have immense interest in the transforming of their situation by dealing with the fundamental aspect of justice that is the founding, building and organizing of community, a true spiritual community with God, a community with people and a community with nature.
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