Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 175:700 (Oct 2018)
Article: Understanding Honor-Shame Dynamics For Ministry In Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: S. E. Freeman

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BSac 175:700 (October-December 2018) p. 425

Understanding Honor-Shame Dynamics For Ministry In Sub-Saharan Africa

S. E. Freeman

and

Richard D. Calenberg

S. E. Freeman has served in Botswana, Africa, for nearly two decades and is currently a postgraduate student at the University of Manchester, UK. Richard D. Calenberg is Professor of World Missions and Intercultural Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas.

Abstract

Within the trichotomy of fear-power, shame-honor, and guilt-innocence culture paradigms, sub-Saharan African cultures typically have been labelled as fear-power cultures. However, a growing body of research, including from Africans themselves, asserts that this categorization has created a blind spot to the realities of honor-shame that permeate every facet of African life. This article identifies and explores the ways in which honor-shame dynamics are evident in sub-Saharan African cultures and proposes ways to address these issues for a clearer communication of biblical truth and effective evangelism and discipleship with the goal of genuine heart and worldview transformation.

Introduction

In 1954, missiologist Eugene Nida published Customs and Cultures: Anthropology for Christian Missions,1 in which he proposed the three categories or paradigms used in missiology to categorize cultures today: fear, shame, and guilt cultures. These three labels were subsequently expanded to honor-shame, guilt-innocence, and fear-power, with sub-Saharan African cultures typically being categorized as fear-power cultures.2 It is now recognized

BSac 175:700 (October-December 2018) p. 426

that no culture is exclusively one or another, but that each paradigm is present in every culture to varying degrees, although generally one has greater prominence than the others. The present study contends that the categorization of sub-Saharan African cultures as fear-power cultures has created a blind spot to the reality and even prominence of the honor-shame dynamics that permeate every aspect of African culture.

A proverb from Ghana says: “The brother or sister who does not respect the traditions of the elders will not be allowed to eat with the elders.” (Anyeminu ni le kusum le, ledzi moni ke onukpai yeo nii.) Respect, in other words, honor, is the primary thread that weaves through the fabric of African culture and society. One Zambian pastor, referring to honor-shame, said, “It’s the web that holds Africa together.”3 When honor is not given in...

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