Gospel for American Culture: Variations on a Theme by Newbigin

Abstract

The author argues that Lesslie Newbigin's missiological diagnosis of secular pluralistic Western culture applies to the United States with three important variations. First, the United States is not a traditional ethnos but a society formed by a covenant. Its survival depends upon maintaining and continually reforming the conditions of that covenant so as to include all of the people who live in the country. Second, the pluralistic ethos of American society raises the question of unity with special urgency because that unity cannot be assumed, hence the importance of ecumenical witness. Third, in American society power plays a central role in validating the truth, not only of science and technology but also of values and social structures. This article probes these three areas of covenant, ethos and power in American society and offers some missiological suggestions for mission to our culture.