Asian American Spirituality in the Context of American Fundamentalism

1. Asian American Spiritualityin the Context ofAmerican Fundamentalism Mako Nagasawa September, 2001

2. Frameworks Two basic types of people Guilt based Shame based Two basic theories of the Cross Jesus died to change how God feels towards us Jesus died to change who we are and how God feels towards us

6. American Fundamentalist understanding Theory of the Cross #1

7. American Fundamentalist understanding Jesus took on God�s wrath and anger at the Cross The Father seems like a Judge and stands for anger, justice, and wrath. The Son seems like a innocent victim and stands for love, mercy, and compassion. Believing in Jesus means that God has no more anger left over for us Hence Jesus died in our place, to change how God feels towards us, though we tend to still fear the Father and appreciate the Son. This is called legal (forensic) justification Theory of the Cross #1

8. The Father�s Image The Father never seems to lose His angry Judge demeanor. Does not address the yearning to have a loving Father. Strongly maintains the �strict father� image of politically conservative white Americans. Intimacy Not Promoted or Modeled We still feel distant from God, even though He might not be angry with us. Does not address the yearning for spiritual intimacy. Motivation for Obedience Obedience is not organically connected to the Cross, which is understood exclusively to mean �debt-forgiveness.� Another motivation for Christian obedience thus has to arise, which tends to be weak, unbiblical, and either guilt-inducing or self-centered (Christian hedonism). Problems with Theory of the Cross #1

9. Biblical understanding Theory of the Cross #2

10. Biblical understanding God is separate from us in His wrath but wants to be one with us in His love. We are not His children in this state. Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit are thus God�s way of uniting Himself to us. The Word becomes flesh at the Incarnation, then becomes sin (separation from God) at the Cross, then becomes the first new creation at the Resurrection Believing in Jesus means our old identity died with Jesus, who died to change who we are, and we are given a new identity in the resurrected Jesus by the Spirit Believing in Jesus = being in Jesus = Jesus being in us. God is a Father ONLY to those in His Son, Jesus. This is called adoption in Christ. It is familial, not legal. Theory of the Cross #2

11. We Have Died and Risen With Jesus Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:7-12; Colossians 2:12-13 We Are in Jesus By the Spirit John 14:8-21, 15:1-9; Ephesians 1:1-14, 2:11-22 Jesus Lives Within Us By the Spirit Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 2 Corinthians 4-5; Ephesians 3:14-19 Every discussion of the Cross eventually sees us participating in it because it is a full-blown Jewish argument about how to enter God�s new creation. The Fundamentalist understanding can only be made by taking a few verses out of context. What the Scriptures Say

15. The Father�s Image The Father never seems to lose His angry Judge demeanor. This view does not address the yearning to have a loving Father. Intimacy Not Promoted or Modeled We still feel distant from God, even though He might not be angry with us. Does not address the yearning for spiritual intimacy. Motivation for Obedience Motivation is reformulated from the Cross in terms of �debt-forgiveness.� This makes Asian-Americans, more so than their White American counterparts, want to repay the debt. �Don�t you know how much Jesus suffered for you?� �Don�t you know how much God gave up for you?�

18. Inward healing needs: Shame, negative self-identity Confused, unstable identity Lack of intimacy, relational instability, abandonment Outward responsibility: Genuine love for others Motivation for obedience Empowerment Can one spiritual language - the �in Jesus� language - accomplish both?

19. Appendix A The Spiritual Anatomy of the Individual

20. Biblical Words Used to Describe the Person For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the person Matthew 15:18-20, Mark 7:21-23 For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord, I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people Jeremiah 31:31-34, quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12 Moreover I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26, parallel to Jeremiah regarding the new covenant Blessed are the pure in heart Matthew 5:8 He who looks on a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart Matthew 5:28 Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also Matthew 6:21 Beware of the false prophets, who�inwardly are ravenous wolves Matthew 7:15

21. Biblical Words Used to Describe the Person Our old self was crucified with him�present yourselves�and your members Romans 6:1-23 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner person, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7:22-24 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God; however, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of Christ lives in you Romans 8:8-9 And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. Romans 8:10-13 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God Romans 8:16

22. Biblical Words Used to Describe the Person But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with him. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, who you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body 1 Corinthians 6:17-20 Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh Galatians 5:13-25 Lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth Ephesians 4:22-24, background 1:15 - 2:10 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, you also will be revealed with him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality�since you laid aside the old self�and have put on the new self. Colossians 3:3-10 May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thessalonians 5:23

23. Starting with 1 Thessalonians 5:23

31. Larry Crabb�s Counseling Framework