Sacred Tribes Journal on Ethics of Evangelism and Predatory Proselytism for Kindle

As I've mentioned previously, the next issue of Sacred Tribes Journal Vol. 8, no. 1 (Fall 2013) is devoted to an exploration of the ethics of evangelism. This is one of the best issues we've done, addressing a neglected topic from multiple perspectives, including an Evangelical exposition of the subject, a critique by a Hindu writer, responses by two Evangelicals, a review of Elmer Thiessen's The Ethics of Evangelism, and an excerpt of Myron Penner's The End of Apologetics with consideration of the politics and violence of apologetics in certain contexts.

I am working with some folks to address technical issues related to an update on the website so the new issue can be uploaded there. In the meantime, I have created an electronic version for Kindle.  Unfortunately, Amazon will not allow the option to offer the book for free, so I selected the minimum price of $.99US. So the Kindle book will sell for that price to interested individuals, and the journal edition at the STJ website will be free.

Please help share this in your network among Evangelicals, Hindus, Pagans and others who may be interested in a great conversation on this topic. I would be happy to make the PDF file available upon request for those who do not want to purchase the Kindle version.

I'll post a link to the STJ website piece when it is uploaded and published.

*Update Nov. 11: This edition is now available on the STJ website.

An Atheist's Perspective on Proselytism

One of the debates in interfaith is the legitimacy or lack thereof of proselytism or evangelism. Here's food for thought in the perspective of atheist Penn Jillette:

“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me along and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?

“I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

Kaufman Interfaith Institute lecture and response on "Religious Freedom, Predatory Proselytization, & The Case for Pluralism"

Previously I've mentioned Padma Kuppa of the Hindu American Foundation and her concerns over unethical evangelism by Christians in India which she calls "predatory proselytism." Her April 8, 2013 lecture on this topic at the Kaufman Interfaith Institute is now available in video:

Religious Freedom, Predatory Proselytization, & The Case for Pluralism

The common concept of religious freedom fails to embrace the right to freedom from religious intrusion and exploitation. "Predatory proselytism" is a term used to describe various unethical methods used in the attempt to gain converts. Evangelism should take into account the impact created by an imbalance of power, and an understanding of both colonialization and globalization. Padma Kuppa will make a case for pluralism, and how the existence of groups with different ethnic, religious, or political backgrounds within one society can work only if we respect others' beliefs and practices.

Also featuring a response from Paul Kortenhoven, a former missionary for the Christian Reformed Church to Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Padma Kuppa is an interfaith activist in the Detroit area. She is also active in her own community, the Bharatriya Temple in suburban Troy. Padma is an IT professional in the U.S. automotive industry and a columnist for Patheos.com Padma focuses on interreligious cooperation as an Executive Council Member of the Hindu American Foundation

After watching this video I came away with the following observations.

In terms of production quality, unfortunately, the video is one static long shot, so it is largely best to use this as an audio file. The sound is uneven in the Q&A, and it is difficult to make out the words of Kuppa's respondent.

 On the positive side, this lecture and the response helps provide some introduction to a very important topic in evangelism, missions, dialogue, and interfaith. My reflection on Kuppa's concerns about unethical evangelism, my interactions in religious diplomacy where this and even ethical evangelism and persuasion are concerns, and my interactions with Elmer Thiessen, author of The Ethics of Evangelism (IVP Academic), come together to confirm the importance of this in a number of areas. It deserves wider distribution and reflection.

On the negative side, both perspectives would have been better served by more careful use of terminology, providing definitions of the key terms, and briefly laying out their major arguments. As it is, the listener has to work very hard to try to grasp the gist of the two viewpoints. It would have been especially helpful to hear how the unethical evangelism practices of proselytism relate to ethical evangelism, and whether these are viewed by pluralists like Kuppa as diametrically opposed, or as variations on a spectrum of unacceptability given the pluralist perspective. An argument for the ethics of persuasion from the Christian respondent would have been helpful, as would a back and forth on exclusivist vs. pluralist views on religious truth and persuasion, and how this relates to pluralism in the public square in democracies.

I hope these issues are addressed again in the future.

Second Installment in Predatory Proselytism Series

The second installment in my series on predatory proselytism, defined as "various unethical methods used in the attempt to gain converts." This essay is done in collaboration with Paul Louis Metzger, and it is available in "The ABC's of Predatory Proselytism: Always Be Closing." Look for our third and final entry in this series in the near future.

Call for Papers on Predatory Proselytism

Background

For several years now the tension has been rising between Christian missionaries, mission and evangelistic organizations, and the governments and peoples of countries like India, as has been noted by organizations like the Institute for Global Engagement. At issue is the problem of unethical forms of evangelism, or proselytism, and it is not limited to Christian-Hindu interaction in India. Examples can be found elsewhere, including the United States. In an article in Hinduism Today, Padma Kuppa of the Hindu American Foundation defines predatory proselytism by way of inclusion of various elements: a quid pro quo of material enticement for conversion, misrepresentation and denigration of the religion of the other, and the intentional promotion of religious hatred and violence. In an essay at Patheos, Kuppa adds an asymmetry of power as another defining element. Evangelicals have spent some time addressing these issues, as for example in Elmer John Thiessen’s volume The Ethics of Evangelism: A Philosophical Defense of Proselytizing and Persuasion (IVP Academic, 2011), but much of the concern and reflection has been related to restrictions on Christian freedom to evangelize rather than on the ethical issues related to predatory proselytism, both in overseas missionary contexts as well as within America’s pluralistic public square.

Call for Submissions

The editor of Sacred Tribes Journal believes that this topic is an important one, and is planning on exploring various facets of it either in a special theme issue of the journal, or through a book if a publisher can be found. It is hoped that a collection of essays can be compiled from a variety of perspectives and disciplines that will address this issue. Submissions are not limited to Evangelical contributors and perspectives, but may also include those who have articulated the concerns of predatory proselytism on the receiving end of these practices. Issues discussed in papers may include the following:

• Perceptions and concerns of Hindus, Muslims, Pagans and others related to predatory proselytism.

• Religious, ethnic, and nationalist concerns about conversion and identity theft.

• Definitional and praxis issues that distinguish between ethical evangelism and predatory proselytism.

• Asymmetry of power issues related to evangelism, particularly between Christians and minority religions in an American Christendom context.

• Considerations related to finding a “middle way” or balance between the twin religious freedoms for proclamation and persuasion as well as freedoms related to a lack of interest in hearing such messages.

• How the issues of predatory proselytism should be factored into interreligious dialogue, as well as missions and evangelism.

Abstracts should be sent for review to John Morehead ( johnwmorehead@msn.com). The deadline for abstract submissions is June 15, 2013.

Predatory Proselytism: The Hard Sell

As a result of interacting with Pagan friends, and looking at the research of Padma Kuppa, a member of the Hindu American Foundation, in her exploration of unethical forms of sharing the Christian message which she calls "predatory proselytism," Paul Louis Metzger and I have written the first of a series of posts on the topic. We hope these provide information for reflection by Evangelicals, and among our conversation partners in various religions.