What Spirituality is needed to cross over between cultures?

1. Cross Cultural
Spirituality
Urban Spirituality TUL520
19 September 2011
Original concept of 5 stages by Oberg, Brazil, 1975

2. Our Journeys
 From Laos to USA [via
Thailand]
 From Buddhism to
Eternal Life Christian
Faith
 A Life-Long Learner
and Obedience to
God’s Purpose

3. Culture Shock
5 Phase Model
 Honeymoon
 Disintegration
 Reintegration
 Autonomy
 Interdependence
Honeymoon
Disintegration
ReintegrationAutonomy
Interdependence

4. Definitions
 Culture Stress is a process of internalized mental,
emotional and spiritual reactions.
 Culture Shock is an expression of the intensity of
response to critical incidents in this process.
 The internalized reactions involve grief and loss,
changes in identity and role, sense of integration and
meaning.
 Culture shock (though commonly used this way) has
little to do with tourist shock but is an analysis of
longer term entry dynamics to a culture.

5. Sojourners with MATUL
 What is your life emotional and spiritual journey up to
this point?
 What are the evidence of God in your life [consider
events and people that has confirmed or challenged
your faith]?
 What would wise counsels attest to your spirituality
with in a cross cultural setting?
 What would wise counsel attest to your emotional
dynamics in a cross-cultural setting?

6. Outcomes of Culture Shock
 As situations change, an alternative way/identity is created
that enables a better “fit”.
 Individuals that “count it all joy when you encounter various
trials” move to new senses of growth and identity,
developing new coping strategies.
 Individuals that retreat or become “angry” can move to a
non-fit with the new way configuration.
 Usually there is an irrational mixture of these responses.
 Healthy outcomes involve bicultural capacity.

7. Peace Corps South Africa
“mChina!”

8. Sickness Model of Culture Shock
 Culture stress follows patterns of other kinds of stress.
 Culture shock occurs when stress reaches levels reach
unmanageable levels where unusual, uncontrollable
reactions (coping mechanisms) occur.
 These often relate back to early childhood patterns of
coping or maladjusted reacting.
 Usually fight (aggression) or flight (retreat into silence,
depression)
 Do you remember a grief reaction at loss of identity, loss of
status, loss of family? These are likely to recur.

9. Disintegration Phase
 Anxiety, Emotional Affects
 Excitements wears off, taken by feelings of frustration
and anger
 Language barriers, stark difference in public hygiene,
traffic safety, food accessibility, privacy or personal space
no longer exists, etc.
 Biological Affects
 Intestinal infections, sleep habits, food digestion
differences, etc.
 The heat and humidity takes a toll on the energy level
and body.

10. Disintegration Phase (2)
 Communication Adjustments
 Surface level conversations until more language
efficiency is acquired
 A sense of “false friends” or relationships
 Withdrawn
 Attitudes and behaviors are changed due to coping
mechanisms
 Feeling of homesickness and depression affect the
lifestyle of the whole person

11. Spirituality of Grief, Loss,
Confusion, Sickness
 Without a pattern of spirituality used to responding to these
four areas, spirituality dies into despair during culture
shock.
 Predictors
 What have been your responses to grief and loss situations?
 What spirituality have you developed in the context of
confusion?
 What is your spirituality of living with sickness?
 Where did bitterness, rejection of authority, halt your spiritual
growth?

12. Spiritual Growth Model
 Count it all joy , my brethren, when you meet various
trials for you know that the testing of your faith
produces endurance, and endurance produces….
(James 1:3-5)
 Dependent on capacity for suspended judgment
 Directly related to depth of language mastery
 Directly related to number of deep friendships (thus
early development of small group ministry is essential)

13. The U or W Model
 Beyond Culture Shock is a second set of shocks
 Reverse Culture Shock (a.k.a. "Re-entry Shock", or
"own culture shock”)
 Experienced when returning to one's home culture after
growing accustomed to a new one
 Resulted from the psychosomatic and psychological
consequences of the readjustment process to the
primary culture.

14. Outcomes
There are three basic outcomes of the Adjustment Phase:
 Isolate: Isolation from the host country's environment and
see the return to their own culture as the only way out.
 How would the return to the “home” culture be like?
 Integrate: Fully take on all parts of the host culture while
losing their original identity. Also known as "Adopters".
 Imagine the re-entry for these “adopters”.
 Healthy Bicultural adaptation: Adapt the aspects of the
host culture they see as positive, while keeping some of
their own and creating their unique blend. Also known to
be somewhat “cosmopolitan.”

15. MATUL and Culture Shock
 The MATUL is not a short term trip or a study abroad experience.
 What phase would you say short term trip or study abroad mostly
experienced?
 It is a longer term deep level entry to Language and Culture
 It is critical to find both in-culture and expat mentoring relationships
 It is critical both to bond and to find a Western backstop group
 Shock does not mean you are psycho
 APU has two counseling services that are available and a cluster of
psychologists who are working on cross-cultural issues, led by
Chris Adams, campus pastor.

16. “Missioner”
 Definition?
 Leaves his/her own to bring the Gospel of those who
are not his/her own
 Learner of new languages [often]
 Faces a new culture [always]
 Go through spiritual poverty, but indifference of
materials

17. Benefits of Missioner
 Learning – cultures and languages, spiritual
disciplines and life long exercise
 Growth in spirituality, relationship with God
 Spiritual poverty; gift to be simple, gift to be free
 Incarnate imitation of Jesus Christ

18. Bonding
 A “Belonger”
 “Being Together”
 Timing is unique
 Genuine mutual care
“Yebo, uJabulile…”

19. Implications of Bonding
 To belong to God’s
family
 Incarnational model by
Jesus
 Timing is critical
 Culture shock of entry;
with or without expat
cushions
 Desire to be a learner
 Maximum involvement
language learning
 Prepared mentality
 Taking on a new name,
develop a new self
“Jabulile”

20. Dilemma of the Bonded
Missionary
 Threatened
 Rejection
 Jealousy
 Guilt
 Fear
How would you deal with such conflicts or dilemmas?

21. MATUL Candidacy
 Authoritative
 Doing or Being?
 At what cost?
 Whose agenda?
 Bruised
individuals…our
insecurities, our
weaknesses

22. Cross Cultural Spirituality
Discuss Values Questionnaire
 Beliefs
 Values
 Attitudes
 Behavior

23. Follow Before Leading
 “In the Name of Jesus” Henri Nowen
 Avoid the temptations…
 National, community leadership before yours
 A part of the Kingdom advancement
The humility of CHRIST

24. Locate these Readings
 T. Wayne Dye (1974) “Stress-producing factors in
cultural adjustment” (Missiology 2 1974: 61-77)