This paper explores how power is understood in Latin America, what a Biblical understanding of power is, and how power could be redeemed in leadership. Power in Latin America is primarily understood as personal power, localized around and exercised by a single person or an elite group. Power is mostly exercised top down (hierarchical), and is considered a limited good. Power is also related to one’s ascribed status in society and is shared conditionally, in other words, it is brokered. Although understood in this manner, by examining power within the Christian metanarrative it can be redeemed for God’s glory and for the fulfillment of God’s intentions for his image-bearers. Power is good. Power is a gift from God. Power grows as it is shared with others. When power is distorted by sin, one sees injustice (domination, violence) and idolatry (playing god). Power is redeemed, along with the entire cosmos, by Jesus Christ. We become his co-laborers by affirming power’s creational goodness, recognizing its fallenness (i.e. naming its distortions), and participating with Christ in restoring it and being good stewards of the gift of power.
The document discusses a study on stress levels among caregivers and those with chronic illnesses. It finds that caregivers report significantly higher stress levels than the general population and believe they are doing a poor job of managing their stress. More than half of caregivers feel overwhelmed by the amount of care required for their family member. Caregivers also report poorer physical health and are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors to deal with stress compared to the general population. The findings suggest that stress from caregiving responsibilities poses risks to caregivers' health and well-being.
America in Decline The Abandonment of Individualism and Centralization of Eco...Kreshnik Hasko
This document is a thesis paper examining America's decline due to the abandonment of individualism and the centralization of economic decision-making. It argues that America succeeded historically due to the principles of individualism, limited government, and free market economics established in the Constitution. However, over time these principles have faded as collectivism and centralized economic planning have risen. The growth of government has weakened individualism and economic freedom, shifting power from citizens to the state. If America does not return to its founding principles, its future prosperity is in question according to the author. The paper conducts a literature review and proposes solutions like limiting the size of government and decentralizing economic power to reverse America's decline.
This document provides a comprehensive examination of caudillismo as a prototype of leadership in Latin America. It begins by defining key terms and outlining a theory of leadership prototyping. It then discusses Latin America's cultural conditioning and values that give rise to caudillismo, such as dignity, leisure, grandeur, generosity, and manliness. Both the virtues and shadow sides of caudillismo are described. The document concludes by offering practical implications for expatriates working in Latin America, such as understanding one's own leadership prototypes and broadening categories of right and wrong.
Changing the Narrative About Native Americans: A Guide For AlliesJen Begeal
National research shows that given just a few facts — shaped around the key themes of shared values, history and visibility — people become more open to understanding and engaging with Native issues, cultures, tribes and peoples. Research confirms that there is a broad, diverse audience that is ready for this
new narrative and ready to engage as allies.
This document provides an overview and analysis of Muslim Americans based on survey data from Gallup's Center for Muslim Studies. Some key findings include:
- Muslim Americans are a diverse population, with various ethnicities, income levels, and political views represented. However, they have lower levels of community satisfaction and well-being compared to other religious groups.
- Younger Muslim Americans have views more similar to other youth, while older Muslims are more religious and conservative. However, youth have lower well-being and face challenges integrating their religious and cultural identities.
- Gender differences among Muslims mirror those of other faiths, with women more religious yet facing greater challenges, such as lower job satisfaction and feelings of respect.
This document provides the syllabus and outline for the course "The Business of America: Making Money, Citizens, & $en$e." The course examines the social, economic, and political organization and symbolic representation of "the Making of Americans" and U.S. nationalism and citizenship as "the business of America" throughout U.S. history. Over six weeks, the course will use interdisciplinary perspectives to analyze the cultural and social formations of Anglo-Americans, Native Americans, and Mexican Americans, and explore representations of the "American experience" in literature, film, and other media. Students will complete weekly reading critiques, a midterm exam, and a final exam.
This document is a report published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that examines the state of Islamophobia in America from 2011-2012. It identifies key factors that increased and decreased Islamophobia during that period. It includes chapters profiling organizations and individuals that promote or combat anti-Muslim rhetoric and discrimination. The report also documents hate crimes, anti-Islam legislation, and the normalization of Islamophobic rhetoric during this time period. It concludes with recommendations for combating Islamophobia in the future.
This document is the table of contents for the book "1SM - Selected Messages Book 1 (1958)". It lists the sections and chapters that are contained in the book. The sections cover topics like the inspiration of Ellen White and her writings, Christian experience, revival and reformation, doctrinal teachings, and the nature of Christ. The introduction provides background on how the book was compiled from Ellen White's manuscripts, letters, articles, and publications to create a collection on various important topics in one volume. It aims to emphasize Christ as the center of doctrine and experience.
The document discusses a study on stress levels among caregivers and those with chronic illnesses. It finds that caregivers report significantly higher stress levels than the general population and believe they are doing a poor job of managing their stress. More than half of caregivers feel overwhelmed by the amount of care required for their family member. Caregivers also report poorer physical health and are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors to deal with stress compared to the general population. The findings suggest that stress from caregiving responsibilities poses risks to caregivers' health and well-being.
America in Decline The Abandonment of Individualism and Centralization of Eco...Kreshnik Hasko
This document is a thesis paper examining America's decline due to the abandonment of individualism and the centralization of economic decision-making. It argues that America succeeded historically due to the principles of individualism, limited government, and free market economics established in the Constitution. However, over time these principles have faded as collectivism and centralized economic planning have risen. The growth of government has weakened individualism and economic freedom, shifting power from citizens to the state. If America does not return to its founding principles, its future prosperity is in question according to the author. The paper conducts a literature review and proposes solutions like limiting the size of government and decentralizing economic power to reverse America's decline.
This document provides a comprehensive examination of caudillismo as a prototype of leadership in Latin America. It begins by defining key terms and outlining a theory of leadership prototyping. It then discusses Latin America's cultural conditioning and values that give rise to caudillismo, such as dignity, leisure, grandeur, generosity, and manliness. Both the virtues and shadow sides of caudillismo are described. The document concludes by offering practical implications for expatriates working in Latin America, such as understanding one's own leadership prototypes and broadening categories of right and wrong.
Changing the Narrative About Native Americans: A Guide For AlliesJen Begeal
National research shows that given just a few facts — shaped around the key themes of shared values, history and visibility — people become more open to understanding and engaging with Native issues, cultures, tribes and peoples. Research confirms that there is a broad, diverse audience that is ready for this
new narrative and ready to engage as allies.
This document provides an overview and analysis of Muslim Americans based on survey data from Gallup's Center for Muslim Studies. Some key findings include:
- Muslim Americans are a diverse population, with various ethnicities, income levels, and political views represented. However, they have lower levels of community satisfaction and well-being compared to other religious groups.
- Younger Muslim Americans have views more similar to other youth, while older Muslims are more religious and conservative. However, youth have lower well-being and face challenges integrating their religious and cultural identities.
- Gender differences among Muslims mirror those of other faiths, with women more religious yet facing greater challenges, such as lower job satisfaction and feelings of respect.
This document provides the syllabus and outline for the course "The Business of America: Making Money, Citizens, & $en$e." The course examines the social, economic, and political organization and symbolic representation of "the Making of Americans" and U.S. nationalism and citizenship as "the business of America" throughout U.S. history. Over six weeks, the course will use interdisciplinary perspectives to analyze the cultural and social formations of Anglo-Americans, Native Americans, and Mexican Americans, and explore representations of the "American experience" in literature, film, and other media. Students will complete weekly reading critiques, a midterm exam, and a final exam.
This document is a report published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that examines the state of Islamophobia in America from 2011-2012. It identifies key factors that increased and decreased Islamophobia during that period. It includes chapters profiling organizations and individuals that promote or combat anti-Muslim rhetoric and discrimination. The report also documents hate crimes, anti-Islam legislation, and the normalization of Islamophobic rhetoric during this time period. It concludes with recommendations for combating Islamophobia in the future.
This document is the table of contents for the book "1SM - Selected Messages Book 1 (1958)". It lists the sections and chapters that are contained in the book. The sections cover topics like the inspiration of Ellen White and her writings, Christian experience, revival and reformation, doctrinal teachings, and the nature of Christ. The introduction provides background on how the book was compiled from Ellen White's manuscripts, letters, articles, and publications to create a collection on various important topics in one volume. It aims to emphasize Christ as the center of doctrine and experience.
Islam addresses contemporary issues by ali unaltopbottom1
This document discusses Ali Unal's views on thinking straight and addressing contemporary issues from an Islamic perspective. It begins with an introduction on misunderstandings of Islam in the modern world and sets out to present Islam's perspectives on important intellectual issues. The first chapter discusses factors for thinking straight, including having good character and intention guided by truth and universal principles. It also discusses the concepts of truth, religion, humanity, and how Islam views these topics compared to Western thought. The document appears to aim to clarify Islam's stance on science, history, and humanity from the teachings of the Quran and hadith.
Solutions for America http://www.heritage.org/research/projects/solutions-for-america identifies the nature and scope of our most pressing problems in 23 discrete policy areas, and recommends 128 specific policy prescriptions for Congress to consider.
The document discusses implementing a new communication record to track client interactions in order to improve efficiency and better serve clients. It notes the problem is being complacent rather than seeing how processes could be improved. The proposed solution is to create and recommend adopting a new communication record format that utilizes advances in technology to more quickly and effectively provide information and assistance to clients.
This document discusses the foundations of Christian community. It defines Christian community as a place where people can know God and each other through spiritual transformation. Key aspects of Christian community include unconditional love, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and spiritual activities like worship, prayer, and communion. The community should foster spiritual growth and equip people to transform the world through their mission. Individuals are transformed through their participation in the Christian community, and the community supports and sustains individuals on their spiritual journeys. Overall, the document explores how Christian community can empower people through spiritual transformation to change the world.
The document provides biographical information about the author, Lawrence E. Hedges, who is a psychologist and psychoanalyst. It introduces his upcoming book "Making Love Last" which will discuss creating and maintaining intimacy in long-term relationships. The book will explore basic truths about intimacy, avenues for maintaining and restoring intimacy, and skills for developing intimacy. It aims to help readers navigate the challenges of sustaining emotional closeness over the lifespan of a relationship.
A Portrait of California was published in May 2011. This is a Social SenseMaking project undertaken by authors Sarah Burd-Sharps, Kristen Lewis and the American Human Development Project team working in long term collaboration with Humantific's UnderstandingLab team. This study examines disparities by geography, race and ethnicity, gender, and nativity. The report also presents the “Five Californias” to represent the starkly different realities that coexist in the state today. Its purpose is SenseMaking for ChangeMaking.
203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack ObamaJohn Wilson
This document is a table of contents for a book titled "203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama" by John Wilson. The table of contents lists various chapters that appear to criticize positions and policies of President Obama on issues like abortion, America's defense, the economy, healthcare reform, and outreach to Muslims. It also references associations Obama had with people like Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, and Tony Rezko. The introduction provides quotes criticizing Obama's character and ambition, and claims he does not like America very much. It asserts the media protects Obama and conceals his true nature from the public.
This thesis examines sermons from the 1861 collection "Fast Day Sermons: Or, the Pulpit on the State of the Country" to analyze the divisions within the Old School Presbyterian denomination that contributed to its split along Northern and Southern lines prior to the American Civil War. It focuses on sermons from five Old School Presbyterian leaders - James Henley Thornwell, B.M. Palmer, Robert Lewis Dabney, Robert J. Breckinridge, and Henry J. Van Dyke Sr. - to argue that an overemphasis on subjective spirituality led to contradictory views on slavery and caused the Old School to fail to take a decisive stance, ultimately hindering its ability to avert war.
This dissertation analyzes how the concept of human domestication can influence Christian theological understandings of domination. It explores domestication through interdisciplinary scholarship and defines humans as Homo domesticus rather than Homo sapiens. The dissertation reviews works by James Cone, Mary Daly, Gustavo Gutierrez, Thomas Berry, and Sallie McFague addressing ideologies of domination like racism, sexism, and classism. However, it finds they do not recognize human domestication. The dissertation concludes these works are limited by treating domination in terms of ideologies rather than underlying dynamics. It recommends a Christian theology of domination from the viewpoint of human domestication to enhance theological scholarship.
This document summarizes a research paper about the history of interactions between Western European settlers and indigenous people in North America. It discusses the need for healing within American Indian culture due to the genocide, cultural annihilation, and domination they experienced over 500 years. The paper will investigate this history and how to bring understanding and means of healing. It is divided into three parts: 1) discussing the broken relationship and need for ministry, 2) providing a brief history of US-Native relations including treaties, forced emigration, and extermination policies, and 3) how to become a pastoral minister for healing. The document establishes the importance of recognizing human dignity for all people and cultures, as well as seeking social justice and repairing the damage caused
This document provides an introduction to the Book of Revelation, covering its authorship, date, relationship to other biblical books, blessings associated with it, overall theme, and purpose. The author argues that John the Apostle wrote Revelation around 65-69 AD before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, during Nero's reign. The book's purpose is to give hope and encouragement to early Christians facing persecution by assuring them that Christ is sovereign and will judge enemies of God and the church. It calls believers to remain faithful without compromising in the face of hostility.
History Essay Questions On The HolocaustJulie Jones
This document discusses how to get writing assistance from HelpWriting.net for history essay questions on the Holocaust. It outlines a 5-step process: 1) Create an account with a password and email. 2) Complete a 10-minute order form providing instructions, sources, and deadline. 3) Review bids from writers and choose one based on qualifications. 4) Review the completed paper and authorize payment if satisfied. 5) Request revisions until fully satisfied, with a refund option for plagiarized work. The service aims to provide original, high-quality content to meet customer needs.
This document is the preface to Gustave Le Bon's book The Crowd. It introduces the topic of crowds and organized groups, noting they have taken on increasing importance in modern society. While crowds often display inferior mental qualities, reorganizing social structures could be dangerous due to their complexity and dependence on a people's character over time. The book aims to scientifically study crowds without bias, acknowledging their theoretical and practical significance may differ.
This document summarizes the steps to get essay writing help from HelpWriting.net. It involves creating an account, completing an order form providing instructions and deadlines, reviewing writer bids and qualifications then choosing a writer, and authorizing payment after reviewing and revising the completed paper as needed. The service promises original, high-quality content and refunds for plagiarized work.
Research thesis exploring the role of the Sikh kirpan in American public schools, why Sikhs wear the kirpan, what the kirpan signifies to Khalsa Sikhs, the rights of Sikh Americans, and the effect of the Free Exercise Clause of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the political theories of John Stuart Mill and how the kirpan would be viewed in the Millian context. Visit me at: theunholycow.com
The document summarizes the rise of imbalance in American society since the late 18th century. It argues that while the American Revolution aimed to balance power between sectors, it ultimately led to an overconcentration of power in private businesses. Major milestones included the Supreme Court granting personhood to corporations in 1886 and a prevailing economic dogma justifying private power and limiting government intervention. The fall of communism in 1989 was seen as capitalism's triumph, but actually accelerated America's imbalance with reduced regulations. The document challenges this dominant narrative.
Secularization for the sake of religionWim Nusselder
This document discusses how Christianity can remain relevant in secular societies. It argues that Christianity should: 1) focus on members' identity as Christians rather than religious doctrine, 2) organize informally through networking rather than hierarchical authority, and 3) communicate in secular language understandable to outsiders. Secularization is seen as an opportunity for renewal rather than a threat. The reality of God may not be essential to Christianity's relevance; what matters most is how it improves society.
Social Disorganization Theory - Free Essay Example - 239 Words .... Social Disorganization Theory By Shaw And Mckay immigrant.com.tw. Social Disorganization Theory Of Urban Crime And Delinquency Essay. Solved Social Disorganization Theory Explained - Get Help With Your Essay. Social Disorganization Theory Review - 562 Words Essay Example. Juvenile Delinquency: Social Disorganization - 653 Words Essay Example. Social disorganization Theory Essay Example StudyHippo.com. Social disorganization theory essay. Social Disorganization and Delinquent Behavior - 908 Words Essay Example. PDF Social Disorganization Theorys Greatest Challenge. Social Disorganization Theory - Examples, Pros amp; Cons 2023. Social Disorganization Theory Essay. Social disorganization theory essay. Description Of The Social .... Presentation group 4. Social Disorganization Theory in Criminology - 276 Words Essay Example. The Social Disorganization Theory by Shaw and McKay - 1438 Words .... Social Structural Theories, Social Disorganization Theory and Cultural .... PDF Social Disorganization Theory: Then, Now, and in the Future. PDF New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory Charis Kubrin .... PDF EXTENDING SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION THEORY: MODELING THE ... Social Disorganization Theory Essay Social Disorganization Theory Essay
This document is the preface to Jeffery Lang's book "Struggling to Surrender: Some Impressions of an American Convert to Islam". In 3 sentences:
Lang wrote this book to explain to his daughters why he converted to Islam, as their question prompted his personal reflections on becoming Muslim. The book shares his experience and reactions to Islam rather than being an authoritative text, focusing on topics of general concern to converts. As a convert from a Christian background, Lang struggled with reconciling Islamic tradition and had questions about reconciling prior religious traditions with his new faith.
Es. un programa con las siguientes metas de fe:
• Vemos que reconstruyan y fortalezcan su fe en Cristo en medio de las circunstancias.
• Vemos que reconozcan que Dios continuará la obra que comenzó en sus vidas.
Funciona para diferentes edades que tienen necesidades especiales.
Es un programa para campamentos diurno y se ha usado para una variedad de poblaciones especiales (autista, ciegos, mudos, MS)
Fueron disenados estos 3 estudios biblicos para un Campamento para Preadolescentes de 11 a 14 años: “LA ESCALADA”. Se estudia la vida de Daniel.
Propósito de los estudios biblicos para Todos deben conocer que Dios nos entrena, muchas veces sacándonos de nuestro confort para ser luz en nuestros estudios y/o entorno donde nos desenvolvemos.
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Islam addresses contemporary issues by ali unaltopbottom1
This document discusses Ali Unal's views on thinking straight and addressing contemporary issues from an Islamic perspective. It begins with an introduction on misunderstandings of Islam in the modern world and sets out to present Islam's perspectives on important intellectual issues. The first chapter discusses factors for thinking straight, including having good character and intention guided by truth and universal principles. It also discusses the concepts of truth, religion, humanity, and how Islam views these topics compared to Western thought. The document appears to aim to clarify Islam's stance on science, history, and humanity from the teachings of the Quran and hadith.
Solutions for America http://www.heritage.org/research/projects/solutions-for-america identifies the nature and scope of our most pressing problems in 23 discrete policy areas, and recommends 128 specific policy prescriptions for Congress to consider.
The document discusses implementing a new communication record to track client interactions in order to improve efficiency and better serve clients. It notes the problem is being complacent rather than seeing how processes could be improved. The proposed solution is to create and recommend adopting a new communication record format that utilizes advances in technology to more quickly and effectively provide information and assistance to clients.
This document discusses the foundations of Christian community. It defines Christian community as a place where people can know God and each other through spiritual transformation. Key aspects of Christian community include unconditional love, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and spiritual activities like worship, prayer, and communion. The community should foster spiritual growth and equip people to transform the world through their mission. Individuals are transformed through their participation in the Christian community, and the community supports and sustains individuals on their spiritual journeys. Overall, the document explores how Christian community can empower people through spiritual transformation to change the world.
The document provides biographical information about the author, Lawrence E. Hedges, who is a psychologist and psychoanalyst. It introduces his upcoming book "Making Love Last" which will discuss creating and maintaining intimacy in long-term relationships. The book will explore basic truths about intimacy, avenues for maintaining and restoring intimacy, and skills for developing intimacy. It aims to help readers navigate the challenges of sustaining emotional closeness over the lifespan of a relationship.
A Portrait of California was published in May 2011. This is a Social SenseMaking project undertaken by authors Sarah Burd-Sharps, Kristen Lewis and the American Human Development Project team working in long term collaboration with Humantific's UnderstandingLab team. This study examines disparities by geography, race and ethnicity, gender, and nativity. The report also presents the “Five Californias” to represent the starkly different realities that coexist in the state today. Its purpose is SenseMaking for ChangeMaking.
203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack ObamaJohn Wilson
This document is a table of contents for a book titled "203 Reasons Not to Vote for Barack Obama" by John Wilson. The table of contents lists various chapters that appear to criticize positions and policies of President Obama on issues like abortion, America's defense, the economy, healthcare reform, and outreach to Muslims. It also references associations Obama had with people like Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, and Tony Rezko. The introduction provides quotes criticizing Obama's character and ambition, and claims he does not like America very much. It asserts the media protects Obama and conceals his true nature from the public.
This thesis examines sermons from the 1861 collection "Fast Day Sermons: Or, the Pulpit on the State of the Country" to analyze the divisions within the Old School Presbyterian denomination that contributed to its split along Northern and Southern lines prior to the American Civil War. It focuses on sermons from five Old School Presbyterian leaders - James Henley Thornwell, B.M. Palmer, Robert Lewis Dabney, Robert J. Breckinridge, and Henry J. Van Dyke Sr. - to argue that an overemphasis on subjective spirituality led to contradictory views on slavery and caused the Old School to fail to take a decisive stance, ultimately hindering its ability to avert war.
This dissertation analyzes how the concept of human domestication can influence Christian theological understandings of domination. It explores domestication through interdisciplinary scholarship and defines humans as Homo domesticus rather than Homo sapiens. The dissertation reviews works by James Cone, Mary Daly, Gustavo Gutierrez, Thomas Berry, and Sallie McFague addressing ideologies of domination like racism, sexism, and classism. However, it finds they do not recognize human domestication. The dissertation concludes these works are limited by treating domination in terms of ideologies rather than underlying dynamics. It recommends a Christian theology of domination from the viewpoint of human domestication to enhance theological scholarship.
This document summarizes a research paper about the history of interactions between Western European settlers and indigenous people in North America. It discusses the need for healing within American Indian culture due to the genocide, cultural annihilation, and domination they experienced over 500 years. The paper will investigate this history and how to bring understanding and means of healing. It is divided into three parts: 1) discussing the broken relationship and need for ministry, 2) providing a brief history of US-Native relations including treaties, forced emigration, and extermination policies, and 3) how to become a pastoral minister for healing. The document establishes the importance of recognizing human dignity for all people and cultures, as well as seeking social justice and repairing the damage caused
This document provides an introduction to the Book of Revelation, covering its authorship, date, relationship to other biblical books, blessings associated with it, overall theme, and purpose. The author argues that John the Apostle wrote Revelation around 65-69 AD before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, during Nero's reign. The book's purpose is to give hope and encouragement to early Christians facing persecution by assuring them that Christ is sovereign and will judge enemies of God and the church. It calls believers to remain faithful without compromising in the face of hostility.
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This document is the preface to Gustave Le Bon's book The Crowd. It introduces the topic of crowds and organized groups, noting they have taken on increasing importance in modern society. While crowds often display inferior mental qualities, reorganizing social structures could be dangerous due to their complexity and dependence on a people's character over time. The book aims to scientifically study crowds without bias, acknowledging their theoretical and practical significance may differ.
This document summarizes the steps to get essay writing help from HelpWriting.net. It involves creating an account, completing an order form providing instructions and deadlines, reviewing writer bids and qualifications then choosing a writer, and authorizing payment after reviewing and revising the completed paper as needed. The service promises original, high-quality content and refunds for plagiarized work.
Research thesis exploring the role of the Sikh kirpan in American public schools, why Sikhs wear the kirpan, what the kirpan signifies to Khalsa Sikhs, the rights of Sikh Americans, and the effect of the Free Exercise Clause of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the political theories of John Stuart Mill and how the kirpan would be viewed in the Millian context. Visit me at: theunholycow.com
The document summarizes the rise of imbalance in American society since the late 18th century. It argues that while the American Revolution aimed to balance power between sectors, it ultimately led to an overconcentration of power in private businesses. Major milestones included the Supreme Court granting personhood to corporations in 1886 and a prevailing economic dogma justifying private power and limiting government intervention. The fall of communism in 1989 was seen as capitalism's triumph, but actually accelerated America's imbalance with reduced regulations. The document challenges this dominant narrative.
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This document is the preface to Jeffery Lang's book "Struggling to Surrender: Some Impressions of an American Convert to Islam". In 3 sentences:
Lang wrote this book to explain to his daughters why he converted to Islam, as their question prompted his personal reflections on becoming Muslim. The book shares his experience and reactions to Islam rather than being an authoritative text, focusing on topics of general concern to converts. As a convert from a Christian background, Lang struggled with reconciling Islamic tradition and had questions about reconciling prior religious traditions with his new faith.
Similar to Analyzing power in Latin America from a Christian meta-narrative (lisa anderson-umana) (20)
Es. un programa con las siguientes metas de fe:
• Vemos que reconstruyan y fortalezcan su fe en Cristo en medio de las circunstancias.
• Vemos que reconozcan que Dios continuará la obra que comenzó en sus vidas.
Funciona para diferentes edades que tienen necesidades especiales.
Es un programa para campamentos diurno y se ha usado para una variedad de poblaciones especiales (autista, ciegos, mudos, MS)
Fueron disenados estos 3 estudios biblicos para un Campamento para Preadolescentes de 11 a 14 años: “LA ESCALADA”. Se estudia la vida de Daniel.
Propósito de los estudios biblicos para Todos deben conocer que Dios nos entrena, muchas veces sacándonos de nuestro confort para ser luz en nuestros estudios y/o entorno donde nos desenvolvemos.
Contiene 3 estudios biblicos sobre Col. 3 junto con las 3 guias para los facilitadores.
Se espera que todos puedan reconocer si están obedeciendo al mandato de Dios de tener sus mentes centradas en El, y así puedan tomar un plan de acción para cambiar de dirección su enfoque.
Este documento presenta los detalles de un campamento para personas con discapacidad organizado por el Ministerio Pasos en Honduras. Incluye la introducción del equipo organizador, agradecimientos, organigrama del personal, diagnóstico y metas del campamento, horarios, descripciones de actividades como registro de participantes y apertura, y anexos con canciones, enseñanzas y formularios. El campamento busca evangelizar y fortalecer las relaciones interpersonales de los participantes a través de actividades recreativas y enseñanzas b
Mision 4:10 Creciendo como líder en Cristo, un campamento cristiano dirigido a una población de 18 a 40 años. El equipo programador es: Esther Masis Narváez, Jasdyg Valverde Vargas, Aillyn Valverde Vargas, Aillyn Valverde Vargas
Hemos creado una serie de 8 lecciones en profundidad para niños de 7-12 años de edad, inspiradas por este artículo: The Dragon Slayer (El Mata Dragones) https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/enter-the-dragon-slayer. El punto central es cómo Dios, en su soberanía, utiliza hasta el mal para lograr sus propósitos. Empezamos con una introducción del libro de Apocalipsis, capítulo 12, luego estudiamos una porción de Ezequiel, luego Génesis 3, luego de Jesús: su nacimiento, su crucifixión, su resurrección y su ascensión de Cristo, hasta Efesios 6 (La Armadura de Cristo) y finalmente a Apocalipsis 19-21. Trazamos los intentos del dragón para frustrar los propósitos redentores de Dios, sólo para ser derrotado por el Vencedor de Dragon en cada vuelta.
El documento presenta un manual para un campamento bíblico. Brinda la bienvenida a los participantes y explica que el objetivo es conocerse unos a otros y adentrarse más en el amor de Dios para compartirlo. El campamento busca glorificar a Dios y capacitar líderes. Se espera que sea una semana de convivencia en comunidad y hermandad, donde los encuentros bíblicos los inspiren y fortalezcan en su peregrinaje.
Es una serie de 4 estudios biblicos, originalmente el material escrito por Bob Sebean pero posteriormente fue Editado por:
Blanca Reyes Suazo
Nora Barraza
Yadira Ayala
Melba Argueta
Panamá, septiembre 2018
El tema principal de colosenses es la persona y obra de Jesucristo, su postura y acción y redención. Él es el supremo Señor, sobre todo, nos muestra a Jesucristo en su relación con la creación y su subsistencia con el cosmos y sus poderes, y con la Iglesia como su cuerpo. Nos describe los resultados de la Cruz y la resurrección como una obra multifacética.
Este serie contiene 4 estudios biblicos, todos en base al libro de Filipenses para adultos o jovenes: El gozo de portar el evangelio "JAÍRO: una forma de ser". El creador original fue Roberto Sabean, un miembro del personal ejecutivo de la Asociacion de Campamentos Cristianos Internacionales.
Es una serie de estudios biblicos para adolescentes o jovenes y se enfoca en la vida de Jose.
Ideas Principales: José era descendiente de hombres de mucha fe, y había aprendido de su padre, a confiar en Dios y a ser fiel. Desde sus 17 años él mostraba virtudes como la obediencia a su padre, el servicio y trataba de sobrellevar el odio que sus hermanos le tenían.
Muchas veces su trabajo era irse a cientos de kilómetros lejos y solo, para poder llevar a su padre noticias de sus hermanos.
Cuando tiene que pasar la prueba cuando sus hermanos lo echan al pozo y luego, cuando es vendido como esclavo, José llevaba en su corazón esa fe que le fue transmitida, para así sobrellevar pruebas tan duras.
Este documento presenta instrucciones para un manual de campamento. Incluye secciones para crear comunidad, enfocarse en experiencias vividas y contexto histórico. También contiene pasajes bíblicos sobre Josué y observaciones sobre estos pasajes. El propósito general es guiar a un grupo en un campamento mediante el estudio bíblico, discusión y aplicación práctica.
He aqui una serie de 4 estudios biblicos, originalmente creados por Roberto Sabean, misionero que colabora con la Asociacion de Campamentos Cristianos Internacionales, America Latina. El hermano Roberto crea estos estudios biblicos con el fin de dar un entendimiento basico sobre toda la carta de Galatas.
Había otros cristianos como Pablo que habían sido fariseos. Cuando Pablo y Bernabé regresaron del primer viaje misionero, encontraron a algunos de éstos en Antioquia que decían a los creyentes que la circuncisión era indispensable para la salvación (Hch. 15:1). Esta situación condujo a que se celebrara un concilio en Jerusalén, donde comprobaron de nuevo, que los fariseos que habían creído exhortaban a todos a obedecer la ley de Moisés (Hch. 15:5). El concilio, bajo la dirección de Santiago y Pedro, decidió que los gentiles que creyeran no tenían por qué someterse a la ley judía. La carta que escribieron sobre el tema daba a entender que los judaizantes habían proclamado la obediencia a la ley, no sólo en Antioquia, sino a través de Siria y Cilicia (Hch. 15:23,24).
La mayoría de los gálatas que habían creído eran gentiles y no tenían antecedentes en el judaísmo. Ellos encontraron en Cristo la salvación y la libertad; pero, cuando Pablo salió de esta región, sus oponentes, los judaizantes, estaban preparados para entrar en acción. Rápidamente los gálatas fueron confundidos pues, como todo nuevo convertido, estaban ansiosos de actuar bien y demostrar su fidelidad. Entonces, cuando llegaron estos nuevos maestros diciendo tener autoridad de los apóstoles de Jerusalén, deslumbraron a los gálatas y de inmediato estuvieron dispuestos a agregar la circuncisión y la ley a su fe en Cristo.
Lo que es menester entender aquí es lo siguiente: el judío pensaba que su capacidad de cumplir la Ley era lo que le permitía ser justificado (aceptado) por Dios. Dios había escogido a Israel. La clave era pertenecer a Israel, a los judíos. Ser judío es el distintivo para pertenecer al Pueblo de Dios y para estar, entonces, justificado por Dios. Era, entonces, significativo practicar los “signos” (circuncisión, etc.) que decían: “Yo soy judío, yo soy del Pueblo de Dios, yo pertenezco al grupo; no soy gentil, no soy pecador, no soy de los de afuera.” La palabra “pecador”, en este contexto, es usada simplemente para indicar la diferencia entre los de adentro, y los de afuera. Estar fuera del Pueblo de Dios significa ser “pecador”. Es un término, entonces, étnico o social. Por eso, el judeocristiano creía que para ser un cristiano “completo”, había que practicar la Ley.
Es una serie de 4 estudios biblicos sobre la vida de Daniel. La carta de introduccion se lee asi: Es muy grato tenerte conectado a nuestra red para descubrir juntos las respuestas a tus inquietudes e impulsarte a nuevos retos.
Deseamos conectarte y logres estar siempre disponible en la “Gran Red Divina”.
Durante este tiempo permaneceremos online descargando nuevos archivos que anhelamos te transformen desde el disco rígido hasta cada aplicación.
Estamos a tu servicio, todo ha sido diseñado para ti.
Atentamente: Equipo de creadores-editores de estos EBC.
El ministerio de PASOS (Campamento Converge) elaboro y uso este programa de campamento para personas con diferentes discapacidades, como no videntes, sindrome de down, mudo, entre otras. Propósito general del campamento: Evangelizar/Fortalecer la familia y relaciones interpersonales. Nuestro criterio sobre cómo evangelizar en nuestros campamentos:
· Buscar modos sencillos para comunicar el evangelio
· Reforzar las enseñanzas con otras actividades
· Reconocer que el Espíritu Santo tiene que hablar al espíritu de ellos (que no tiene discapacidad) para comprender y responder al evangelio.
Sus meta de fe son
· Veremos que aprenden a valorarse y que desarrollan una actitud de “si puedo”, que sepan que tienen propósito en la vida
· Veremos que tienen un buen concepto de quien es Dios y de su amor para con ellos
· Veremos que crecen en sus relaciones interpersonales y trabajan en equipo—respetándose, aceptándose, animándose, perdonándose mutuamente
Los miembros de su Equipo de Programacion con Michelle Crotts, Rene Chavez, Carolina Gutierrez.
Este documento presenta el plan de un campamento diurno para niños de 5 a 7 años de edad y sus padres en la Comunidad Cristiana El Hatillo en Tegucigalpa, Honduras. El campamento se llevará a cabo el 2 de junio de 2018 y contará con actividades como juegos, charlas para padres, tiempo en familia y estudios bíblicos. El objetivo es fortalecer la unidad familiar al brindar oportunidades para que padres e hijos compartan y crezcan juntos en su fe.
Este documento presenta un programa de campamento de 3 días para jóvenes de 13 a 17 años. El propósito es disipular a los jóvenes y ayudarlos a desarrollar un estilo de vida basado en las enseñanzas bíblicas. El programa incluye actividades como juegos, deportes, tiempo de oración y testimonios para fomentar la comunión con Dios, establecer convicciones bíblicas y comprometerse a seguir a Cristo. El documento proporciona detalles sobre el personal, horarios, alojam
Metas de FE
1. Por fe vemos a nuestros jóvenes universitarios aceptando a Jesús como su único Salvador e iniciando una relación con él.
2. Por fe vemos a un grupo de jóvenes reconociendo la necesidad de Dios en todas sus decisiones.
3. Por fe vemos una parte de los jóvenes universitarios que asistirán al campamento, congregándose en la iglesia regularmente.
Necesidades Reales
a. Los Jóvenes buscan a otras personas para ser aceptados, sentirse en confianza y no ser juzgados.
b. Buscan llenar sus vacíos o tiempos de soledad con las diferentes actividades para que sean aceptados y tengan una identidad.
c. Buscan demostrar que son capaces y suficientes para hacer las cosas por su propia cuenta.
d. Los jóvenes carecen de una relación con Dios que los lleve a dar el fruto que solo el Espíritu Santo puede producir en ellos.
e. Tratan de llenar un vacío Espiritual con el placer físico.
Con el Diagnóstico, se decidio crear las siguientes Metas de Fe:
1.Por fe vemos a los niños creyendo en la promesa de la salvación
2.Por fe vemos a los niños entendiendo que su relación con Dios es importante para vivir confiadamente
3.Por fe vemos a los niños creciendo en su vida devocional
Propósito General del evento: Se dirigirá a niños y niñas de la iglesia, por tal razón, será un campamento de discipulado.
Las metas de fe son cambios que que el señor quiere hacer en la vida de
los acampantes. Estos cambios responden a las necesidades detectadas en el diagnostico y se alinean al propósito general del campamento. Por tal razón, consideramos que:
"Al bendecir Dios abundantemente este campamento, y nosotros hacer
nuestro mejor esfuerzo, esperamos que los camperos:
• Entiendan el poder de Dios para actuar en sus vidas cuando los padres y su familia fallan o se equivocan.
• Entiendan el poder de Dios al buscarle en oración creyéndole de todo
corazón.
• Entiendan el poder de Dios al enfrentarse en su vida diaria a peligros y dificultades".
El documento presenta un programa de campamento para mujeres de 25 a 45 años de la Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva en El Salvador. El propósito general es el discipulado, enfocado en fomentar el crecimiento espiritual de las participantes. Se realizó un diagnóstico para identificar las necesidades reales, como carecer de herramientas para enfrentar la tentación sexual y pobreza espiritual. El programa incluye actividades, horarios, alojamiento y otros detalles para cumplir las metas durante el campamento de tres días en novi
How to Download & Install Module From the Odoo App Store in Odoo 17Celine George
Custom modules offer the flexibility to extend Odoo's capabilities, address unique requirements, and optimize workflows to align seamlessly with your organization's processes. By leveraging custom modules, businesses can unlock greater efficiency, productivity, and innovation, empowering them to stay competitive in today's dynamic market landscape. In this tutorial, we'll guide you step by step on how to easily download and install modules from the Odoo App Store.
How to Setup Default Value for a Field in Odoo 17Celine George
In Odoo, we can set a default value for a field during the creation of a record for a model. We have many methods in odoo for setting a default value to the field.
Temple of Asclepius in Thrace. Excavation resultsKrassimira Luka
The temple and the sanctuary around were dedicated to Asklepios Zmidrenus. This name has been known since 1875 when an inscription dedicated to him was discovered in Rome. The inscription is dated in 227 AD and was left by soldiers originating from the city of Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv).
Analyzing power in Latin America from a Christian meta-narrative (lisa anderson-umana)
1. ANALYZING POWER IN LATIN AMERICA THROUGH THE CHRISTIAN
METANARRATIVE
by
Lisa Marie Anderson-Umaña
B.S., Penn State University, 1982
M.A. Wheaton College Graduate School, 1993
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
Submitted to Dr. Donald Guthrie
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the course ES 9975
Comprehensive Examination
at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Deerfield, Illinois
July 2014
4. iii
ABSTRACT
This paper explores how power is understood in Latin America, what a
Biblical understanding of power is, and how power could be redeemed in leadership. Power
in Latin America is primarily understood as personal power, localized around and exercised
by a single person or an elite group. Power is mostly exercised top down (hierarchical), and
is considered a limited good. Power is also related to one’s ascribed status in society and is
shared conditionally, in other words, it is brokered. Although understood in this manner, by
examining power within the Christian metanarrative it can be redeemed for God’s glory and
for the fulfillment of God’s intentions for his image-bearers. Power is good. Power is a gift
from God. Power grows as it is shared with others. When power is distorted by sin, one sees
injustice (domination, violence) and idolatry (playing god). Power is redeemed, along with
the entire cosmos, by Jesus Christ. We become his co-laborers by affirming power’s
creational goodness, recognizing its fallenness (i.e. naming its distortions), and participating
with Christ in restoring it and being good stewards of the gift of power.
Keywords: In Latin America: power, authority, power distance, status by ascription,
limited good, personal power, biblical understanding of power, Reformed timeline, Christian metanarrative,
Christian worldview, clientelism, hierarchical power, brokering of power, redemption of power.
5. To my pastors, Isaac and Peggy Vilorio, who provide for us all a
redeemed view of power, power that is shared, horizontal,
unbounded because it proceeds from the hand
of God, and is dedicated to the
Bride of Christ, his church
9. 1
ANALYZING POWER IN LATIN AMERICA THROUGH THE
CHRISTIAN METANARRATIVE
Introduction
I arrived as an outsider to Latin America at the age of twenty-two and over
the last thirty-one years have progressively become an insider. Cognizant of my Anglo-
Saxon roots (Swedish and Irish), I have nonetheless accepted the invitation from Latin
Americans to become part of their community and have experienced their warm embrace.
Marrying a Honduran certainly accelerated and sealed this process of adoption. I have not
given up my family of origin but I do self-identify with Latin America. I am writing this
paper to my adopted family of Latin America (it will be translated into Spanish and
published). So for now, I gladly invite English speakers like expatriates to eavesdrop.
Many who call Latin America home or who just drop in for a visit might find this paper
written by an “insider-outsider” to be beneficial in their journeys.
While perhaps unnamed, underlying many conversations in Latin America
about leadership is a concern for power. Voiced with a tone of ojalá (if only…) are
questions like: Ojalá as he himself gets rich in government; he helps the country as well.
… Ojalá he doesn’t steal too much and leave us bankrupt, … Ojalá he’s a good leader,
it’s about time we get a good leader in place, … Ojalá the power does not go to her head.
On and on the conversations go. What really is at stake?
10. 2
Whether the context is government, church, or the family, the questions hang
unanswered in the air. This state of perplexity about leadership and almost wishful thinking
prompted me to ask how power is understood in Latin America. What is a biblical understanding
of power? How can power be redeemed in leadership? This paper represents my initial efforts to
inquire about this perplexity and move from wishful thinking to practical redemptive measures.
Although power in Latin America is primarily understood as personal power, localized around
and exercised by a single person or an elite group, it is mostly exercised top down, and is
considered a limited good. Understanding power within the Christian metanarrative can redeem
its use for God’s glory and for the fulfillment of God’s intentions for his image-bearers. Power is
good. Power is a gift from God. Power grows as it is shared with others. Power has been
distorted by sin and now one sees injustice (domination, violence) and idolatry (playing god).
Power is redeemed, along with the entire cosmos, by Jesus Christ. We become his co-laborers by
affirming power’s creational goodness, recognizing its fallenness (i.e. naming its distortions),
and participating with Christ in restoring it and being good stewards of the gift of power.
This paper has three sections. Section One describes how power is commonly
understood in Latin America from various socio-cultural perspectives. Section Two outlines a
biblical understanding of power as seen through the lenses of the Christian metanarrative,
primarily referencing Andy Crouch’s (2013) book: Playing God: Redeeming the gift of power
and others (Austin 2010; Plantinga 1995). Section Three analyzes Latin America’s perspectives
on power through the lenses provided by Wolters (2005) in Creation regained, providing some
practical implications as to how power can be used for God’s glory and for human flourishing.
11. 3
SECTION ONE
The Cultural Fabric of Power in Latin America
Given the broad nature of the subject of power in Latin America, I offer these
perspectives. Admittedly, they merit far deeper treatment than I could provide in a paper of
this nature. But Latin American intellectuals, cultural anthropologists, and political scientists
inform them, as does my own personal experience.
Power in Latin America is Embodied in a Person
When the renowned historian of Mexico, Enrique Krauze (2012; 1997), writes
about power he lists the names of powerful individuals, men (and one woman, Eva Perón)
who have shaped the ideological landscape and politics of all Latin America. One of the most
well-known prototypes of power in Latin America since its independence from Spain in the
early 1800’s is a caudillo, a strongman, whose charismatic personality emanates power and
whose word is law (Hamill 1992; Lynch 1993). “In the life and literary works of Gabriel
Garcia Marquez and Mario Vargas Llosa throbs the age-old theme of power, power
incarnated in the person of the caudillo” (Krauze 2012, 15).
Castro Martinez (2008) describes the worst of caudillo leadership as
personalistic, authoritarian, and populist (empathizing with the underprivileged masses in an
effort to win their support).
12. 4
Personal rule has been the dominant note in the political life of those nations
that had broken their bonds with Spain and Portugal and become independent.
Certainly nowhere else is the pattern of history richer in strong personalities.
The power of fascination exercised over the masses by individual rulers was
on occasion so great that a kind of popular complicity in the practice of
violence was assured. This strange mixture of despotism and cheap popularity
justifies the name given to that type of government… democratic Caesarism.
(Alvarez del Vayo 1941, 177–178)
Power in Latin America is Hierarchical
Long before the Spanish conquest of the early 1500’s, the Aztec, Mayan, and
Incan empires ruled the lands in a strict vertical fashion with the king at the top of the
pyramid, followed by nobility who occupied the important positions in government, military,
and religious institutions. These were followed by the farmers and craftsmen and at the very
bottom of the social ladder were the slaves, those people conquered through military
expansion (Seaman 2013). This pyramid of power is “caudillismo” institutionalized and still
exists today since it is a strong native trait of society.
The well-documented gruesome nature of Spain and Portugal’s conquest of
Latin America and the utter devastation of its diverse cultural patrimony had to have seared
into the minds of its native inhabitants that power equals violence, domination, and
destruction (Galeano 2009). “What distinguished Spain from other colonial powers was the
concentrated effort to impose their culture on their colonial subjects by force; to transform
the Indians into shorter, darker versions of Spaniards” (Gussinyer 2000, 443). The
establishment of the Spaniards as colonizers further enforced the sovereignty theory of
power, a belief that power rests at the peak of the pyramid, “the powerful few exercising
power upon, and dominating, the powerless many” (Pasewark 1993, 8). “If one looks into
13. 5
the Latin American past one fact emerges: Latin Americans have consistently favored some
form of political monism including "strong man" leadership (Dealy 1974, 627).
Due to the monolithic nature of Catholicism in Latin America (Dealy 1974),
hierarchical structure of rule has been impressed upon the peoples of Latin America for eons,
inequality in status, power, position, wealth, and privilege is an accepted part of life here.
The term used to describe the degree to which subordinates accept or reject
inequality is called power distance. Hofstede and Hofstede (2005), as well as House et al.
(2004), have developed an index cataloguing dozens and dozens of countries around the
world on a scale of high to low power distance. Those countries with higher scores indicate
society’s greater acceptance of inequality. Again, power distance is the “extent to which the
less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept
that power is distributed unequally” (Hofstede and Hofstede 2005a, 46). The GLOBE Study
(Ogliastri et al. 1999) shows that as a region, Latin America has high power distance.
Woven into the fabric of society’s interaction are the use of titles in addressing one another
(Engineer, Architect, Licenciado), the acceptance of privileges like favorable seating or
parking arrangements, special favors or perks for those higher on the social scale, and the
right of the leader to make unilateral decisions and expect unquestioned obedience. In
addition, once a leader gets to power, he or she will often use tactics to protect their position,
removing others deemed as threats, often simply closing the door for any upward movement.
14. 6
Power in Latin America is a Limited Good
Foster (1965a) was among the first to describe the concept of limited good in
his observations of the working class (campesinos) in Mexico. Pasewark (1993) describes
this perspective on power as a zero sum game: “The quantity of power is assumed to be
finite, such that if one person or group has ‘more’ power, its counterpart must have ‘less’”
(Pasewark 1993, 10). Many writers like Galeano (2009) assert that imperialist countries have
gotten rich off of Latin America and that is why Latin America is poor. Underlying this
assertion would appear to be the concept of limited good on a macro scale, i.e. that the goods
of this world are thought to be like a big pie, therefore, those nations that have a bigger slice
of the goods do so at the expense of the other nations who have a smaller slice. It should be
noted that other Latin Americans writers take issue with Galeano’s claim and vigorously
dispute it (Montaner, Mendoza, and Vargas Llosa 1996; Mendoza 2007). These three authors
wrote two books (2007; 1996) showing how Leftist-leaning authors like Galeano were using
as scapegoats imperialism, the CIA, transnationals, Pentagon, etc. even as they hide their
heads in the sand, play the victim, and ignore the real causes of poverty, unemployment,
corrupt institutions, preferring to blame others for Latin America’s problems.
Anthropologist Paul Hiebert, citing Foster (1965b) noted the perspective of
limited good in the majority world.
Basic resources—land, wealth, health, friendships, power, status, and
security—are limited and in short supply. There is not enough for everyone.
Consequently, people must compete for them. The result is a suspicion of
other and the belief that if one person is getting ahead the other must be losing
out. People in such societies are not encouraged to work hard to advance, and
those who do are often boycotted by the group. Rather, they are encouraged to
keep their place and fit into society as it already exists. (Hiebert 1986, 117)
15. 7
Power is Related to One’s Status
One is ascribed more power by society according to one’s status or rank.
Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1998, 105) describe an “ascribed status” culture, like
Latin America, where status is ascribed by virtue of wealth, family name, class, gender,
versus a culture where status is achieved by doing, training, competencies, accomplishments,
and professional qualifications. There is a dialectic tension felt within a collectivistic society
that pressures its members to keep their place, yet at the same time there is a contest to make
him or herself stand out among the rest. (Dealy 1992, 100). Brusco (1995, 103) calls this
dynamic “social ascendency, an all-engrossing struggle for status” and lists characteristics
and behavior patterns that affect status in Latin America.
1. Style of dress
2. Titles (how one is addressed)
3. Cleanliness and state of repair of dress
4. Level and kind of education
5. Where an individual lives (place and type of residence)
6. How one carries him or herself
7. Whether he or she appears anxious or self-confident
8. Whether he or she is alone or accompanied
9. Whether he or she refrains from engaging in any manual labor
10. Physical characteristics like height or skin color
11. Family name and background
16. 8
Power is Brokered
Power is negotiated, shared conditionally, in exchange for something. At
times, power is not shared since it is personalistic (attached to a person or an elite group) but
when power is shared, it would appear to run along the lines of compadrazgo (patronage,
clientage, kinship or connections). There are many shades of patronage. Compadrazgo in the
formal sense was required by the Roman Catholic Church in that parent must choose a
godparent to sponsor their child upon their baptism, first communion, or marriage. Parents
typically choose a sponsor with a higher status and “in exchange for sponsorship the
godparent is given obedience and deference. Informally, material exchanges (for example,
presents) also may be added to the godparent-godchild relationship” (Strickon and Greenfield
1972, 3).
Heath (1972) noted that paternalism seemed to be an inherent part of the
campesino—working class—toward those in authority and vice versa even after sweeping
changes in societal structures, meaning that the sense of those in authority being accepted to
take care of their subordinates seems to be part of the fabric of society.
When power is shared it is done so based on a system of exchange. This
modus operandi means that someone in power will hand out material goods, jobs or favors in
exchange for votes, paybacks, turning a blind eye, or compliance. This exchange works both
ways since even the apparently “less powerful” keep the relationship in place by their
demands. Clientelism has been amply studied and mostly been given a negative review (as
noted by Auyero 1999) but nevertheless continues to form an integral part life’s daily
interactions. From the top to the bottom of the social pyramid, not much gets done in Latin
17. 9
America without “connections,” (conectes, palanca, cuello, amigos). One author (Kling
1956) astutely observed that since social positions were mostly fixed at birth, the only sure
way to obtain upward mobility was to get a government position. It did not matter if the
government leaned right or left.
In very broad strokes we have observed power in Latin America to be
embodied in a person, hierarchical, a limited good, related to one’s ascribed status, and
brokered through patron-client relationships, patronage, or “friends.” An argument could be
made that this description might very well be applied to other regions of the world, with
different backgrounds and history. The next section will provide a biblical understanding of
power as seen through the Christian metanarrative. The last section will provide the reader
with ways that power can be redeemed in Latin America, to be used for God’s glory and the
fulfillment of God’s intentions for his image-bearers.
18. 10
SECTION TWO
A Biblical Understanding of Power
“Power is best understood in the context of the Christian metanarrative”
(Crouch 2013, 9). Numerous are the authors who would object to the use of metanarratives to
describe reality, e.g. Michel Foucault, Jean-François Lyotard (Kelly 2011). Nevertheless, as
Kelly (2011) said: “I have no way of understanding the historic Christian faith but as a
metanarrative; it is the truth-full story of the Creator God’s redeeming work through Israel
and the person and work of Jesus Christ” (italics original) (2011, 133). I have drawn a
timeline based on the descriptions of the Reformed worldview by Wolters (2005) and Austin
(2010). When I speak of worldview I am using the definition created by James Sire (2004):
“A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed
as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions, that may be true, partially true or false)
which we hold (consciously or subconsciously) about the basic constitution of reality, and
that provides that foundation on which we live and move and have our being” (2004, 17).
Sire recognizes that a worldview is not just expressed as set of presuppositions, but also can
be expressed in a story or metanarrative. He also identifies that your worldview is not just
cognitive but it is how your heart is oriented and committed. We all have a worldview, true
or untrue, whether we can articulate it or not. As a Christ-follower, my worldview should
spring from Scripture, the final authority for the Christian.
19. 11
Power is best understood in line with the biblical metanarrative, which can be
diagramed in this manner: See Figure 1: Christian worldview (drawn by author).
“Power can be defined as capacity to act or influence. Authority is formal or
relational exercise of power that has been legitimized by social structures and/or one’s
community. So, power is capacity and authority is that exercised capacity. They’re related
and close but not the same thing” (Burns, Chapman, and Guthrie 2013, 211–212). The use of
the Greek word, “dynamis, tended to focus on the spiritual dimension of power in its capacity
to determine terrestrial existence for weal or for woe ‘from above’” (Wink 1984, 17) or the
capacity to act or influence. The concept of authority, found in the New Testament (e.g. Matt
28:18; Luke 21:11), uses the Greek word: “exousia, which most of the time meant the
impersonal capacity for action which is bestowed by an office, …referring to a structural
dimension of existence, that permission or authorization provided by some legitimate
authorizing person or body” (Wink 1984, 15–16) (italics in original).
Austin (2010) makes a number of observations pertinent to authority. The
pre-existence of the Godhead shows how group pre-exists the individual. “Authority is not
Figure 1: Christian worldview (drawn by author)
20. 12
constructed, it was already there before Creation” (2010, 9). …At Creation, human beings
were made in the image of God and with the Fall, we “fell” from our original state of
perfection into sin…. At Redemption, “God did not desire to leave humans in sin, so he
introduced means for them to rise above sin and be restored to a fullness of being. …This
redemption was accomplished by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection…Christ’s return will
bring a final restoration of all things in God’s ultimate judgment” (Austin 2010, 1).
If one placed the entrance of power into the world as post-Fall this would
indicate their assumption that with no sinful inclinations, human beings would not need
authority. “That power/authority is only needed to compensate for our fallenness, for some
human defect” (Austin 2010, 15), which would imply that power is evil at its core, alien to
God’s plan and foreign to his original purposes. This paper operates on the opposite
assumption, that power was part of God’s plan from the very beginning (pre-Creation) and is
necessary for God to be glorified and human beings to flourish and fulfill God’s intentions.
Power is inescapable and natural, and can be wielded/used well or poorly.
By zooming in on the timeline between Creation and the Fall we can better
understand power within God’s history of Genesis. See Figure 2: Nature of power derived
from Genesis 1-3 (Crouch 2013).
21. 13
There is a progression of power visible in the first two chapters of the Bible,
“Power is rooted in creation, the calling of something out of nothing and the fruitful,
multiplying abundance of our astonishing world. It is intimately tied to image-bearing: the
unique role that human beings play in representing the cosmos’s Creator in the midst of
creation” (Crouch 2013, 12).
Let There Be…
God’s words were not “Make it so” but rather “let there be something rather
than nothing. Let reality expand to include this possibility” (Crouch 2013, 34). Power
creates; it is creative. It makes stuff. After each creative act—Let there be—God said: It is
good. God’s design for power is for it to be a resource that multiplies itself. The Bible
describes the life that God created as teeming, which conveys a sense of abundance, variety
and flourishing (Crouch 2013).
Figure 2: Nature of power derived from Genesis 1-3 (Crouch 2013)
22. 14
God’s most powerful act of Creation shows us that power is the ability to
make something of the world. Crouch (2013) calls “power the ability to participate in ‘stuff-
making’ and ‘sense-making,’ a process that is the most distinctive thing that human beings
do” (2013, 17).
Let Us Make…
When God created human beings, he said: “Let us make man in our own
image” (Gen 1:26). Power grows when it is shared. It is not meant to be hoarded; it is not a
limited good, but as power is shared, more is created, not less.
If even divine creativity requires a community, then any human creativity
involves more than just an individual fiat—we gather with a circle of partners
to define, refine and in many cases greatly improve the original vision. Just as
the climax of creation, the introduction of God’s own image bearers into the
world only happens in the context of divine community, so we often find our
own creative vision does not reach its full potential until we bring others into
the process. (Crouch 2013, 34)
The pattern of creation is that what God has made is good. And when God’s
image bearers are present in creation, then the world becomes “very good.” For example,
eggs are good. But when humans take eggs and make an omelet, it is very good. Trees are
good. But when human beings take trees, fashioning the wood into a beautiful piece of
furniture, it is very good (Crouch 2013).
Human beings are made in the image of God; we are his “image-bearers.”
“Power is all about image-bearing—reflecting and refracting the creative power of the
world’s Maker into the very good creation. Image bearing is for flourishing” (Crouch 2013,
54).We are made for a purpose beyond ourselves, we are made for God’s glory and to be in
23. 15
relationship with him as the Westminster Shorter Catechism so eloquently reads: “What is
the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever” (Carson and Hall 1994). In all
of creation, no other created being bears God’s image. Only human beings can adequately
reflect a personal, loving, creative God.
Be Fruitful and Multiply
The pattern of creation again is visible, continuing with the examples above,
we point out that grapes are good. But when human beings take grapes, ferment its juice and
create wine, it is very good. For connoisseurs, the sight, the smell, the texture, the color of
the best wine is glorious. When wood from the good gift of trees is fashioned by human
beings into instruments, music is composed, and an orchestra plays, that can truly be
glorious.
“True power reveals glory, unfolding the abundant possibilities and realities
of created things….Glory is the magnificence of true being, the captivating beauty of
something that is so rich in realization that it leaves us in awe and close to worship. …The
best of culture has this quality of transcendent excellence, the ability to be utterly itself and to
speak of something far greater than itself” (Crouch 2013, 110, 104–105). What would that
type of power look like if we employed it with those with whom we work?
Mostly we will say “Be fruitful and multiply” to the people we employ and
empower for the work. Fill the space created by our early vision with your
own creativity. If we have done our job well, at this stage we will have
surprisingly little to do because others will be taking up their own creative
task. And if they do their task well, the creation will be enriched, more useful,
more beautiful and more capacious for further creativity. This is power as it is
meant to be. (Crouch 2013, 35)
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We have an active, vital role in stewarding the power God gave us with this
creation mandate to “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it (Gen 1:28). Thus
far in our metanarrative, power, before the Fall, can be understood as a gift from God, a good
gift, fundamentally fruitful when shared, meant for flourishing. When we use power well,
God is glorified and the entire world and its inhabitants teem with life and become more what
God made us to be. Heartbreakingly, history took a drastic turn when human beings used
their free will to make evil choices and we now suffer the tragic consequences.
The Fall
Following our metanarrative, when the created being, Satan, deceived Eve and
Adam into believing his lies, sin entered into the world (Genesis 3). God’s shalom was
vandalized and every good thing became tainted by sin. The Fall did not create anything new,
it only distorted the inherent goodness of what God had made (Plantinga 1995). Wolters
(2005) points out that while God’s creation, its structure, still retains some of its original
creational goodness, its direction has been distorted, mis-directed, by sin.
Unless you understand power from within the Christian metanarrative,
recognizing that power is a good gift, to be used to make something of the world for God’s
glory and to fulfill God’s intentions for human beings, one is left calling sin’s distortions of
power as natural, “the way the world operates.” But sin created the way it is not supposed to
be, “from the beginning it was not so…” says Jesus (Matt 19:8) harkening back to Genesis to
reveal God’s original purposes. “Power, so present and visible in the very good creation, now
25. 17
hides and seeks invisibility. It goes underground and underfoot, and when it resurfaces, it
takes the form of coercion and violence” (Crouch 2013, 12).
French and Raven (1959; Raven 1965; 2008) defined power as the potential
for an influencing agent to bring about a change in belief, attitude, or behavior of a person,
using resources available to him. They categorized numerous bases of social power
(informational, reward, coercion, legitimate, expertise and referent), describing their
relationships and caveats. While no doubt they accurately observed patterns of social power,
without the framework of the Christian metanarrative, power is mostly understood as
utilitarian, getting your own way. Influential thinkers like Max Weber, Friedrich Nietzsche,
Wright Mills, and Michel Foucault have written extensively on power, domination and
violence. Crouch (2013) notes that what they may share in common, is perhaps, a “post-Fall”
view of power, its abuses and distortions. They may think that the true face of power is
control and exploitation, while horrible, but they are only symptoms of deeper issues. The
biblical terms for these deeper sin issues are idolatry and injustice. Idolatry takes our good
human capacity for creative power to make something of the world and to give voice to the
meaning of creation (i.e. its good creational structure) and misdirects it.
What has gone wrong with the gift of power is the story of how the image
bearers misused their gift of creativity…. They replaced the true image of the
invisible God with all too tangible substitute images, false gods who bring
nothing but diminishment and disappointment. The misuse and rejection of
God’s gift of image bearing takes the form of idolatry and injustice, the two
things God most hates. (Crouch 2013, 12)
Due to sin, human beings, instead of using power to create, make things, in
community with others, began to use power to dominate, control, oppress others, seeking to
26. 18
fulfill their own will and ways with others. Worse yet, human being used their power to set
themselves up as idols, playing god in the lives of others.
Redemption
Following the timeline, comes Redemption. The climatic act of the
redemption story was Christ’s birth, life, and death on the cross. What gives us human beings
the power to restore God’s goodness to his creation is Christ himself who lives within us
through his Holy Spirit. Paul describes how God’s plan of redemption lives in us, thereby
giving to us the message and ministry of reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
“God wants Shalom and will pay any price to get it back. Human sin is
stubborn, but not as stubborn as the grace of God and not half so persistent, not half so ready
to suffer to win its way” (Plantinga 1995, 199). Christ suffered on Golgotha and we are
called to share in his suffering as “we participate in the ongoing creational work of God, to
be God’s helper in executing to the end the blueprint for his masterpiece” (Wolters 2005,
44).
Downs (2011) explains how the cross is the climax of the biblical drama of
redemption, where Jesus offers himself as the final sacrifice to bring about God’s
redemption. Just as the implications of the fall were cosmic, so the results of the death of the
Lord Jesus Christ are cosmic. The Apostle Paul writes, “For God was pleased to have all his
fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on
earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians
1:19-20). While God’s redemptive work includes the redemption of human beings, it is much
27. 19
larger than that. It extends to the full results of the fall, redeeming all that had been impacted
by sin.
Christ’s Second Coming
One must recognize that full redemption and restoration of God’s original
purposes will happen completely only when Jesus Christ returns (the last point on the
timeline). His Second Coming is the entry into the last chapter of history as described in
Revelation chapters 21-22. This New Creation is where we will live what God had originally
planned and laid out in chapters 1-2 of Genesis.
Until then, we live in the period of the Kingdom of God of the “now but not
yet.” This period is one of victories, defeats, and struggles since we still battle against the
trinity of evil (Satan, ungodly worldly influences, and our own sinful inclinations). There are
many passages that speak of the “not yet” aspect of God’s Kingdom, like in Romans 8:30
when Paul writes that “those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified;
those he justified, he also glorified.” We anticipate that glorification in the end times. Jesus,
when he administered the Last Supper to his disciples, speaks about the Kingdom of God in a
future sense (Mark 14:25; Luke 22:16-18). The final episode of the now and not yet Kingdom
of God promises to be a grand finale that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what no
human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1
Corinthians 2:9). We can only imagine what the new heavens and new earth will be like if we
contemplate the very best that this life has to offer and then multiply it countless times.
Power is redeemed, along with the entire cosmos, by Jesus Christ. We become his co-
28. 20
laborers by affirming power’s creational goodness, recognizing (naming) its fallenness
(distortions), and participating with Christ in restoring the damage done by sin and being
good stewards of the gift of personal power we have been given.
In summary, “redemption, then, is the recovery of creational goodness
through the annulment of sin and the effort toward the progressive removal of its effects
everywhere” (Wolters 2005, 83). In the next section I will seek to identify residual aspects of
Latin America’s perspectives on power that are good and at the same time I will recognize
the stain of sin. Finally I will pinpoint some ways, big or small, how power can be redeemed,
restored, and God’s good creative power recovered.
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SECTION THREE
Analyzing Latin America’s Perspectives on Power
It is easy to criticize. It is a challenge to discern God’s creational goodness in
the use of power and affirm it. It brings hope to name the sin and then point towards how
Christ’s redemptive power can be restored to good use. This analysis will follow the
Christian timeline—Creation, Fall, Redemption—presented in Section Two by asking, the
same three questions regarding every Latin American perspective on power.
Power is Embodied in a Person
How does Latin America’s perception of power as localized or embodied in a
person, evidence God’s creational goodness? Because power is personal, it conveys a
relational sense of caring for others and being cared for. In the collective fabric of Latin
America resides a sense of being taken care of by others with whom you are surrounded, it is
not “every man for himself.” You belong to a family group, a collective unit made up not just
of nuclear and extended family members but of godparents (compadres) and those endeared
individuals whom the children affectionately call: tios/tias (uncles and aunts). Within this
circle, and within certain types of jobs, resides the figure of patrón. He (sometimes she) is
like a benevolent father figure, caring for and protecting the interests of the group. I avoid the
use of the word paternalism because it is mostly used pejoratively, omitting its positive
aspects in a communitarian setting (Martinez 2005).
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How has the image of power as personal been warped by sin? Caudillos can
play God in the lives of others, making idols of themselves. History books are filled with
atrocities committed by those who play God. Injustice reigns undaunted and unchallenged
and worst yet, “the image of the One True God is lost, and not just lost but replaced by an
idol, by something that purports, often very persuasively, to represent the ultimate truth about
reality” (Crouch 2013, 71). God has placed human beings in this world to bear witness to him
as the ultimate reality, to declare his character and voice his praise, not to make idols of
ourselves, not to be worshiped and praised as all-powerful leaders.
I have often wondered what belief underlies this longing for benevolent
dictators that pops up in endless political discussions. It is a form of waiting for Superman, a
Savior. “All one has to believe is that might is the only hope for the right, and place one’s
hope in someone sufficiently strong to conquer on behalf of the truth” (Crouch 2013, 50).
The history of Latin America, since its independence from Spain and Portugal is replete with
leaders, from both the Left and Right, who truly believed that if they only acquired enough
power for themselves, they could thrust back all that resisted them and achieve the
domination they believed was necessary to triumph. Sometimes ideas were used but more
often than not, violence. The storyline of benevolent dictators repeats itself, only the names
and countries change: They seem to work well initially, but then they fail, usually sooner
than later. “Idols always disappoint their worshippers, and the injustice that flows from
idolatry ultimately ruins not just its victims but its perpetrators” (Crouch 2013, 52).
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Through Christ, how can we re-direct this yearning for Superman to a
redemptive vision for power? By opening our minds and hearts to understand that God made
us as beings to delight in sharing space, to use our power not to dominate but to create the
environments where many more beings could exist and thrive and live in community
together. “Cooperation mysteriously creates more power than there was before, so that the
more we work together the more power we discover is available to us” (Crouch 2013, 52).
Latin America is filled with positive examples of well-used personal power by
bosses who have benevolent management practices that provide for employees’ welfare; who
show concern and consideration for their workers (Martinez 2005; Pellegrini and Scandura
2008). In church settings, I have observed senior pastors self-impose limits to their power by
sharing decision-making amongst a group of elders, inciting others to innovate and create,
refusing to handle money by delegating those responsibilities to a group of trusted, capable
men and women, and submitting themselves to be accountable to other spiritual authorities.
Power is Hierarchical
Authority is given by God and we are called to respect those in authority
(Rom 13:1; 1 Pet 5:5). For years I have directed team building activities at camps all over
Latin America. As we debrief their experiences, countless discussions occur on leadership
and without exception, submission to authority is mentioned and affirmed. It would appear
that Latin America has a strong grasp and practice of submission to authority thus giving
some evidence as a culture of this biblical concept. Plueddemann (2009, 100–102) points out
32. 24
how one can find passages in the Bible that affirm and decry both high and low power
distance cultures.
Sin has distorted the concept of power in ways too numerous to name, but one
consistent finding in studies on cultures with high power distance is the high frequency of
corruption (Hofstede and Hofstede 2005b; House et al. 2004). It should be acknowledged
that in today’s fallen world, the hierarchical rule of law is still very much needed. Crouch
(2013) notes: “coercion is needed to protect the possibility of creation. The legitimate role of
coercion is to make room for flourishing especially by restraining whatever fundamentally
threatens creative image-bearers” (Crouch 2013, 140).
Liberation theologists in Latin America perceive the hierarchical nature of
power in society, pointing to the existence of the oligarchy or ruling elite over the popular
masses. “While it is true that the majority have historically submitted to the dehumanizing
orders and demands of the few, it not due to innate conformism or lack of aspirations, but
because this minority has had and continues to have power over the rest, be that legal
authority or because they possess the necessary resources as well as coercive measures to
‘maintain order’ (weapons)” (Martín-Baró 1989, 91). This perception of what ails society
drives them to look for redemption through making changes in the structures of power. This
naturally has led them into the arena of politics. “Liberation therefore has to begin with
awareness of the causes of oppression, which are taken to be primarily political and
structural” (Levine 1995, 160).
33. 25
Liberation theologists have brought to the world’s attention a “preferential
option of the poor” (Gutiérrez 1972) and while Rene Padilla agrees with identifying with the
masses (who in Latin America are the majority and are poor in material goods), he believes
the local church is to be an agent of transformation. He promotes a holistic perspective of the
church being a community where Christ can be found, where the church lives in solidarity
with sinful humanity, and seeks to bring the power of the gospel to bear on all aspects of life
in what he calls: Mision Integral (Padilla, Yamamori, and Voth 2004).
The use of scripture is a redemptive means of refreshing peoples’
understanding of power. A hierarchical view of power can convey superiority to those
holding official power and inferiority to those under their power. But when reminded of
Paul’s use of the metaphor of the body in 1 Cor 12:12-31, it neutralizes the view of
superiority-inferiority by stipulating that every single part of the body is equally important
and necessary for the body to properly function (Plueddemann 2009). Participating with
Christ’s redemption can mean that instead of using one’s power for self-advancement, the
leader opens up possibilities for growth and advancement for others who are under his or her
authority. “What motivates a leader is not power for power’s sake, it’s the possibility of
channeling its potential for the good of others” (Delgado Torres and Delgado Torres 2003,
82).
Power is a Limited Good
Hiebert (1985, 117) noted that people in societies of “limited good” are not
encouraged to work hard to advance, and those who do are often boycotted by the group.
34. 26
Rather, they are encouraged to keep their place and fit into society as it already exists. Where
is the creational goodness evident in this perception? Maybe not always striving to produce
more, to get bigger and better, to accomplish greater and greater things, has a silver lining:
contentment. There is joy in moment, even in the midst of limitations. Citizens of materially
rich societies often exhibit a sense of entitlement that is strangely absent in Latin America.
Maybe many identify with St. Paul: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to
have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether
well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Phil 4:12).
In what ways does this perception reflect the distortion of sin? This perception
is detrimental both for those elites who assume godlike characteristics in their domination of
others, but it also reinforces a lie for those who perceive themselves to have little or no
power. This belief ignores the ubiquitous nature of power; the truth is that we all have power.
But, by ignoring our power, it remains concealed, unrealized.
Where is Christ’s redemption evident? There are numerous examples of
redemptive work being done by believers and non-believers, Christian and secular
organizations. Brusco’s (1995) study in Colombia documents how Evangelical conversion
reduces machismo in the family. Villacorta's (2010) study with pastors in Peru shows how
the gospel can help pastors manage machismo and become more malleable.
Due to common grace (Mouw 2001) we can, through discernment, identify
traces of the Spirit’s work in the larger creation and in all people. It is worth remembering
that because of God’s common grace and the fact that we all bear God’s image (Imago Dei)
35. 27
redemption is not just the work of the “redeemed.” Crouch (2013) notes that it is the vocation
for every human being, however imperfectly and incompletely, to perform works of justice,
whether they name the name of Jesus Christ or not.
Paulo Freire (2000; 1984) is such a man. His work in Brazil amongst the poor
teaching them to read gave evidence of his awareness of this dilemma of powerlessness in
Latin America, and around the world. His philosophy of education and work in literacy
programs centered around concientizacion, a process whereby an individual progressively
becomes aware or conscious of his or her state of oppression and then gradually moves
towards liberation, appropriating his or her personal power. There are strong overtones of
redemption in Freire’s work. What is missing in Freire’s perspective, I believe, is an
understanding of the pernicious nature of sin in each individual, and the need for an external
agent (i.e. God) to redeem us. We cannot be freed or liberated by our own efforts or those of
others.
In addition, there are a number of European NGOs (non-governmental
organizations) that are working in the majority world to encourage citizenship, which means
choosing to participate in their society, by voting, by becoming aware of their rights and
obligations, and respecting the rights of their co-citizens (responsabilidad ciudana).
Citizenship involves empowering the common citizen to be “monitors” of those in power
(Esteves and United Nations Development Programme 2004).
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Power is Brokered
Power is brokered because many believe power is a limited good. So, if power
is a finite quantity, it can only be re-distributed and all relationships become characterized by
competition or at best negotiated (Crouch 2013, 129). While this may be true, invisible to this
discussion is the close-knit network of friendships that typify a collectivistic culture like
Latin America. For many, one’s greatest wealth is not money but friends. There is an
unmatched joy in being surrounded by family and loved ones. This ethos resonates with
numerous passages in the Bible that affirm community and friendship (Proverbs 18:24; John
15:15).
On the other hand, this network with whom one brokers power is often very
small, an exclusive inner circle, leaving the great majority of others powerless and destitute.
Much has been written about the oligarchy of Latin America and how it uses resources to
benefit their own, or reward those loyal to their cause (Strickon and Greenfield 1972).
Although the discourse of the communists and socialists of Latin America differs greatly
from the discourse of the right winged oligarchy, in practice, after initial reforms are made,
the power shifts back into the hands of the small group of elite leading the movement and
power is rarely shared (prime examples being Cuba under Castro and Venezuela under
Chavez) (Krauze 2012; Montaner, Mendoza, and Vargas Llosa 1996).
An image of redeemed sharing of one’s power is the practice Sanders (2002)
advocates in his book, Love is the killer app. He discovered in the world of technology the
fruitfulness of freely sharing one’s inventions and expertise—without expecting anything in
return. In Latin America a picture of redeemed power-sharing is “how the conversion
37. 29
experience has led women to revalue themselves in relation to God and others that increase
women’s autonomy and undermines traditional machismo” (Loreto Mariz and Campos
Machado 1997). This type of conversion results in power being shared with women, allowing
them to serve in key positions of leadership in the church, and exercise greater power in the
traditionally male public sphere, particularly in the Pentecostal churches. “Pentecostalism
certainly offers women new roles, including leadership roles. …Women are crucial to the
maintenance and expansion of Pentecostal churches” (Drogus 1997, 61).
Another example of the redemption of power is parenthood. One of the most
famous dictums on power has been Lord Acton’s: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute
power corrupts absolutely (Figgis and Laurence 1907). “Taken as gospel truth by many, it
merits a closer look. Is it always true that absolute power corrupts absolutely? Absolutely
not. Crouch (2013) uses the analogy of a parent with his newborn child, surely at this stage of
a child’s life, his parents hold absolute power over him or her, yet instead of being corrupted
by that absolute power, in the majority of cases, “many parents find themselves awakening to
new capacities for resilience, sacrifice and servanthood that they did not know they had
before…. Why? Because they are overtaken by love. Love transforms power. Absolute love
transfigures absolute power. Power transfigured by love is the power that made and saves the
world” (Crouch 2013, 45).
Power is Related to One’s Status
What evidence can one see of God’s creational goodness in power being
ascribed according to one’s status? There is a place for recognizing achievements and the
38. 30
benefits we acquire due to the efforts of others. For example, an inheritance that is passed
down from generation to generation is to be celebrated, or benefits from inventions like
running water, computers, cellphones, etc. Those are privileges shared by all. “Privilege is
the ongoing or accumulated benefits of past successful exercises of power” (Crouch 2013,
152).
How has the Fall impacted this aspect of power? Instead of celebrating our
“status” as sons and daughters of God, or having value because we are made in the image of
God, we have turned to celebrating status based on rank or achievements, on “where you
stand— your place in line. It is about the sinful human drive to be ranked above another, to
be counted more worthy than another. …Status is about counting, numbering, ranking and
ultimately about excluding” (Crouch 2013, 156). With status comes privilege and privilege
can be alluring. Achieved or ascribed status and the accompanying privileges it brings lure us
into making status an idol. “The quest for status rarely stays within the bounds of a limited
domain. We begin to chase status itself. But because status is an implacable idol, we can
never feed it enough nor can it give us enough status in return to be fully satisfied” (Crouch
2013, 157). Wrongful privilege is like the government official who uses his position to take
bribes, to extort payments for services that should be rendered free of charge; the list could
go on and on.
Status brings privilege and privilege brings personal power. How can we use
our personal power in redemptive ways? In short, by following Christ’s example. Jesus spent
his privilege—he did not conserve it, he gave his power away. He did not grasp onto it. He
39. 31
emptied himself, taking the form of a lowly servant (Phil 2:5-11). “Jesus does not renounce
his power, he uses it to perform miracles, forgive, heal, proclaim and teach, feed thousands
and calm storms. What he is not only diffident about, but positively averse to, is reaping the
privilege that would so naturally be offered in the wake of these acts of power” (Crouch
2013, 165). Jesus never stuck around to receive praise for his works.
In Latin America, examples of redemptive power being awarded according to
one’s worth and not one’s rank or achievements can be found in many Pentecostal churches.
Pentecostalism’s greatest theological achievement in Latin America is
freedom of expression and the affirmation of the individual’s worth within the
community. …In sharp contrast to what takes place in traditional Catholic or
Protestant worship, almost anyone accepted by the Pentecostal community is
allowed to interpret Scripture during worship, to moralize about the conditions
of life, to preach about the changes needed in personal conduct, to pray
spontaneously, to offer suggestions for the community’s response to an evil
world, and to vote on questions of importance such as large expenditures of
community assets. All this is rooted in Protestant traditions such as
interpretation of Scriptures by ordinary Christians, the priesthood of all
believers, and the priority of practice over dogma. (Cleary and Stewart-
Gambino 1997, 7)
Conclusion
We have studied some ways of how power is understood in Latin America
and have used the Christian metanarrative or worldview to understand power from a biblical
and theological perspective. We have brought these two understandings together in an
attempt to outline how, through the power of Jesus Christ, power can be used for God’s glory
and for human flourishing. But I would like to close with a personal challenge to the reader
to make a map of his or her personal power in an effort to enable us to become better
stewards of the power God has given us. Making sense of power requires another set of eyes
40. 32
to help us discern its presence, because for expatriates who serve in Latin America, we have
privileges—status ascribed to us—and maybe do not even realize it. I myself have been
moved up in long lines or offered better seating just because my skin is whiter than those
around me. My opinion may have been given more weight because I am a foreigner. My US
passport awards me a certain status for travel, it gives me options to escape from dangerous
situations should I choose to appeal for help. Once you have noted where you have power
and privilege, I encourage you to ask loved ones for additional insights.
Remember, in general “the powerful have a hard time seeing their own power
and its effects…we have an absurdly low estimation of the power we have and how many
opportunities we have to use it” (Crouch 2013, 123). Likewise, the poor in material
possessions also have a very low estimation of the power they possess. Unknown or
unmapped power cannot be tapped into and utilized for the good of others, like the teacher
who because she does not realize she has the power to stop ridicule in her class allows it to
flourish, working its destructive power on the students while she sits idly by.
In my own ministry experience, I am learning to prayerfully identify where
my actions and attitudes may be cutting off life and possibilities for others’ growth. For
instance, while working on a team of Sunday school teachers, I decided to follow the
example of Boaz with Ruth (Ruth 2:15-18) and intentionally leave “unfinished” several tasks
which I knew others would enjoy doing and were capable of. I am learning to share the
power to create.
41. 33
Crouch (2013) notes: “The classical spiritual disciplines, along with
disciplines as small as doing the dishes, humble us and open us to grace. They are capable of
making us people who can truly bear the weight of the glory of the image of God, a life of
true power. There is a way beyond power’s grip, through the practice of Sabbath and worship
that bring power to its proper end. …The spiritual disciplines are a means to help bring us
back under the lordship of the One before whom every knee will eventually bow ” (Crouch
2013, 13). I have discovered that practicing the classic spiritual disciplines of silence and
solitude (Barton 2004) help remind me that life is not all about completing a long list of TO
DOs or being productive but depending on God for fruitfulness in ministry. Power comes
through letting God do ministry through me and not me striving to do ministry.
Further exploration needed
More exploration is needed to understand the proper use of coercion in a
sinful world, especially for those who have to use force or threaten to use force (Police
officers for example), even lethal force (Armed Services) as a part of their work. The same
could be said for those people who have to make decisions about using coercion and force,
like those who serve in the executive, legislative or judicial branches of government.
Present in Crouch’s (2012) and Heclo's (2008) books is a deep treatment of
the pivotal role institutions play in issues of power. Exploration into this subject as viewed
from a redemptive perspective would serve to challenge the pervasive abuse of power so
often found in institutions.
42. 34
Lastly, an enriching perspective would ensue if prominent Latin American
writers gathered around the table to discuss power from several different angles, like
liberation theologists (Gutiérrez 1972), Evangelicals concerned about the integral mission of
the church (Padilla, Yamamori, and Voth 2004; Escobar 2003), thought leaders (Galeano
2009; Montaner, Mendoza, and Vargas Llosa 1996) and historians (Krauze 2012).
43. 35
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