Being an Indian who has grown up hearing that British stole our precious cultural artefacts and plundered us and then realising the good they have done to our country by uniting the fighting, fragmented kings under one banner, laying the foundation of one of the world’s largest railway network, creating a framework for the bureaucratic system etc., i can resonate with this article.
I am grateful for all that British did inadvertently to my country and for the western influence in our governance and landscape it has brought.
Obviously, the Christian education and cultural reform ushered in by the missionaries who came during the Colonial reign has made us pagans open our eyes to the Light of the world and confess our sins to submit to the Lord Jesus.
God has been kind to our nation through His providential hand through the British occupation. Even with the exploitation and unjust ways of ruling India, British did more good than bad.
Their exploits even with self serving intends sometimes were as John Piper would call it “spectacular sins” paving the way to bring us to faith in God and transformation of a pantheistic society to influences which we would have never had otherwise.
This statement by the American free speech advocate (and former left winger) Michael Shellenberger argues that the California fires powerfully illustrate the consequences of hating our Western heritage - 2,000 years of Judeo-Christian civilization. https://x.com/shellenberger/status/1877757377597862370
Gotta say I like a bit of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (notwithstanding its Marxist connections).
Simply put, CHAT embeds artefacts into the activities that make sense of them. We can't just separate the artefacts and goal mediated activity in which they exist. Which is roughly what this article is saying.
But, the implication to me seems to be this: we need to help the Christian leaders in the UK to be able to tell stories about these artefacts in a way that helps the people understand the past and the present through a bible saturated understanding. We also need to help people expose the underlying tensions that exist between so called different interpretations. Theories like CHAT are really helpful in doing this.
Honestly, Aaron, I think as teachers it would be really helpful to start exemplifying this.
For example, how can we take the news reports of the miner's strike (1984/85) and help the UK church understand this through the lens of a robust - God glorifying - providence? Even working with the recent past is incredibly challenging, and there is probably no wonder why the guys in the pulpits are shying away from this heavy lifting.
Even beginning to attempt to articulate a robust theology of providence, that the UK church might begin to lean into, would be of huge benefit.
Very good article Aaron!
Being an Indian who has grown up hearing that British stole our precious cultural artefacts and plundered us and then realising the good they have done to our country by uniting the fighting, fragmented kings under one banner, laying the foundation of one of the world’s largest railway network, creating a framework for the bureaucratic system etc., i can resonate with this article.
I am grateful for all that British did inadvertently to my country and for the western influence in our governance and landscape it has brought.
Obviously, the Christian education and cultural reform ushered in by the missionaries who came during the Colonial reign has made us pagans open our eyes to the Light of the world and confess our sins to submit to the Lord Jesus.
God has been kind to our nation through His providential hand through the British occupation. Even with the exploitation and unjust ways of ruling India, British did more good than bad.
Their exploits even with self serving intends sometimes were as John Piper would call it “spectacular sins” paving the way to bring us to faith in God and transformation of a pantheistic society to influences which we would have never had otherwise.
This statement by the American free speech advocate (and former left winger) Michael Shellenberger argues that the California fires powerfully illustrate the consequences of hating our Western heritage - 2,000 years of Judeo-Christian civilization. https://x.com/shellenberger/status/1877757377597862370
Gotta say I like a bit of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (notwithstanding its Marxist connections).
Simply put, CHAT embeds artefacts into the activities that make sense of them. We can't just separate the artefacts and goal mediated activity in which they exist. Which is roughly what this article is saying.
But, the implication to me seems to be this: we need to help the Christian leaders in the UK to be able to tell stories about these artefacts in a way that helps the people understand the past and the present through a bible saturated understanding. We also need to help people expose the underlying tensions that exist between so called different interpretations. Theories like CHAT are really helpful in doing this.
Honestly, Aaron, I think as teachers it would be really helpful to start exemplifying this.
For example, how can we take the news reports of the miner's strike (1984/85) and help the UK church understand this through the lens of a robust - God glorifying - providence? Even working with the recent past is incredibly challenging, and there is probably no wonder why the guys in the pulpits are shying away from this heavy lifting.
Even beginning to attempt to articulate a robust theology of providence, that the UK church might begin to lean into, would be of huge benefit.