LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
1.11. Conclusion
opp011unity to learn from other cultures as they learn from us. It is an opportunity for local churches to grow by drawing members across colour line and culture. This opportunity is for the churches to be for and of all nations. colour. language. and culture.
This is the time to prove to the world that we are what Desmond Tutu once called us. the
"rainbow nation". Multiculturalism and cultural diversity offers the local churches of South Africa great opportunities to learn and to grow at the same time.
CHAPTER 2
THE CHALLE GE OF MULTICULTURALISM I THE EARLY CH RCH 2.1 Introduction
In this chapter we will focus on the Early Church in relation to the issue of multiculturalism. For this purpose we will look at the multicultural membership composition of the Early Church. the interactions of the members of the Church with their different cultures. the problems that arose in this diversity of cultures and how leaders such as Paul. Peter and James. dealt with the problem.
In this chapter we realise that the challenge of multiculturalism or cultural diversity is not a new thing. Although diversity may seem new to the Church in the democratic South Africa. this challenge has actually been in the Church since its bil1h. For the past twenty centuries. the Church has been grappling \\ith the challenge of multiculturalism and the church in the new democratic South AtI-ica is no exception.
2.2 Membership Composition
Both Jews and Gentiles (Greeks) featured prominently in the life of the Early Church.
Paul and Peter were the main characters of the Early Church. It is a general understanding today in Christian circles that Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles and Peter an apostle to the Jews. However. this did not prevent Peter or Paul from ministering to the Jews and the Gentiles respectively. The two men's accounts are recorded in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. or rather. more correctly ··the Acts of the Holy Spirit"". As Alexander said:
The book of Acts covers a period of some 30 years. from the birth of the Church on the day of Pentecost to the close of Paul"s imprisonment at Rome. It describes the spread of Christianity
around the Northern Mediterranean - through present day Syria, Turkey and Greece, to the heart of the Roman Empire. The acts related are mainly those of the apostles Peter and Paul. Though the book might well be called the acts of the Holy Spirit. It is under his direction. that the new born Church bursts through the national frontiers of Israel to become an international world-wide movement (Alexander 1983: 5-+9).
What Alexander says is true ... the Church burst through the national frontiers of Israel to become an international world-wide movement.·· This becomes clear when we read that Paul preached to the Jews rather than focusing on the Gentiles only, so as to dispel any notion that the good news of the gospel was exclusively for the Gentiles. The same happened with Peter - his ministry spilled o\,er to the Gentiles instead of focusing exclusively on the Jews. The Early church was becoming the Church for all nations.
The account of Paul and Peter's multicultural ministering is recorded in the book of Acts.
Instead of Paul going to the Gentiles, we read of him going to the synagogues. places which were frequented exclusively by the Jews. In Acts chapter seventeen we read that.
When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia. they came to Thessalonica. where there was a Je\\-ish synagogue. As his custom was. Paul went to the Synagogue. and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures. explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ'", he said. Some of the Jew were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women (Acts 17: 1-4).
Again in the same Chapter we read of Paul and his companions going to yet another Jewish Synagogue in Berea.
As soon as it was night. the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there. they went to the Jewish synagogue.
Many of the Jews believed. as did also a number of prominent Greek woman and many Greek men (Acts 17: 10 and 12).
In Acts Chapter ten and ele\'en. Luke recorded the account of Peter. the apostle to the Jewish people crossing over to the Gentile nationals. Peter was sent by the Spirit of God
to go to the Gentiles. for the Bible says.
While Peter was still thinking about the vision. the Spirit said to him. 'Simon three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them. for I have sent them (Acts 10: 19).
Here we see that the Spirit of God was sending Peter. and this time not to the Jewish people but to the Gentiles. This clearly indicates that the Spirit of God 'vvas never concerned with only one group of people but with all of His people. The same Spirit today is still concerned with people of all nationalities and all different cultures. This is clearly mentioned in chapter 10 verse 1 of the book of Acts.
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion In what was known as the Italian Regiment (Acts 10: I).
Peter was aware that the Spirit was sending him to the Gentile people. who. by the law of the Jews. he should not be permitted to associate with. But God. through His Spirit. had shown Peter the new community he \'vas busy building. the Church - a community of both Jews and Gentiles. No wonder Peter said to Cornelius and his relatives and close friends.
You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when 1 was sent for. I came without raising any objection (Acts 10: 28-29).
After a lengthy explanation by Cornelius as to why he sent messengers for Peter to come to him, his family. his relatives and his close friends. even though they were not of Jewish descent, Peter seemed to have deep understand and conviction of what God was beginning to do. That is. God is busy building a Church without favouritism based on neither national origin or culture or colour of the skin. But. that God is building a Church composed of both Jews and Gentiles. In his words Peter said.
I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right (Acts 10: 34).
This news reached the ears of the apostles and the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem. that
some Gentiles had received the good nevYS and were being tilled \-\ith the Holy Spirit.
Some of them did not like what happened to the household of Cornelius. These were people who were holding on to the law that separates people on the bases of their nationality. They were missing the fact that the day of Pentecost was a new beginning.
the birth of a Church - a Church that was going to be composed of people from ditTerent cultures and backgrounds. It was because they did not understand or believe what God was doing in the infant Church that they criticised Peter. although in fact they were criticising what God was doing. Criticising what God is doing is in essence criticising God. In this case Luke says that.
The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem. the circumcised believers criticized him and said.
"You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them" (Acts11: 1-3).
Peter. who had had a visitation by God in a vision. had at this time come to a point of total conviction and realisation of what God was doing among the Gentiles hence was unconcerned about the criticisms. Besides the vision. Peter had seen for himself what God had done among the Gentiles when He gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit just as He had given on the day of Pentecost to the Jews. Peter had come to a point of no doubt that God. Himself was doing all these amazing works which cut across cultural boundaries and if the believers did not realize this they had a limited understanding of God. Then Peter said to them.
So if God gave them the same gift as He gave us, who believe in the Lord .Jesus Christ. who was I to think that
r
could oppose God?When they heard this. they had no further objections and praised God. saying. "SO then. God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life" (Acts 11: 17-18).
Peter made his brothers. the Jews. aware that the qualitication for inclusion into the Church of God is ditTerent from the requirement to being part of .Judaism. By law. one would qualify to be a worshipper of God by being born a Jew or through circumcision.
Peter turned their attention from the Law of Moses' circumcision. to the law of faith in God. He said to them. ··... He (God) gave them (the Gentiles) the same gift (Holy Spirit)
as He gave us (some Jews), who believed (not by birth right or circumcision) in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point he was making here which is crystal clear, that is, becoming a member of the Church of Christ. has nothing to do with being a Jew by birth or circumcision but through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the Messiah.