This looks like the start of an great series. Properly contextualized presentations of the Gospel excite me, not only because of their uses for mission work but also because I believe that they often draw out aspects of the Gospel that I and my culture tend to overlook. Looking forward to further installments.

Micael,

Phil's point is (I think) not so much that Jesus _is_ a shaman in the specific sense but rather that aspects of Jesus' life match up with animistic cultures' understandings of “shaman.” The titles you mentioned (Christ, Lord, Son of God, Savior) make sense to people and cultures which have been Christianized, but they might not make as much sense to people from animistic or shamanistic backgrounds. Thus, calling Jesus the “archtypical Shaman,” while certainly not a perfect or exhaustive interpretation of Jesus' significance, can help people from certain cultures get a better grasp of what Jesus means, in a way that makes sense within their cultural perspective.

This looks like the start of an great series. Properly contextualized presentations of the Gospel excite me, not only because of their uses for mission work but also because I believe that they often draw out aspects of the Gospel that I and my culture tend to overlook. Looking forward to further installments.

Micael,

Phil's point is (I think) not so much that Jesus _is_ a shaman in the specific sense but rather that aspects of Jesus' life match up with animistic cultures' understandings of “shaman.” The titles you mentioned (Christ, Lord, Son of God, Savior) make sense to people and cultures which have been Christianized, but they might not make as much sense to people from animistic or shamanistic backgrounds. Thus, calling Jesus the “archtypical Shaman,” while certainly not a perfect or exhaustive interpretation of Jesus' significance, can help people from certain cultures get a better grasp of what Jesus means, in a way that makes sense within their cultural perspective.

If you follow the link to the word Shaman in the article above it will take you to the Wikipedia page. That is a pretty decent, but complex definition. Unfortunately, a complex definition is what you will get here.As you read it, do not think that I am saying Jesus is a Shaman, but remember that I am only saying that I think He appears to fulfill many of the roles of a Shaman, and in some way does it more perfectly than any Shamans who have since lived.

Matt you are seriously on the track of missional thinking, which drives the direction of where this is all headed! I could not more heartily say, “Yes!”

This looks like the start of an great series. Properly contextualized presentations of the Gospel excite me, not only because of their uses for mission work but also because I believe that they often draw out aspects of the Gospel that I and my culture tend to overlook. Looking forward to further installments.

Micael,

Phil's point is (I think) not so much that Jesus _is_ a shaman in the specific sense but rather that aspects of Jesus' life match up with animistic cultures' understandings of “shaman.” The titles you mentioned (Christ, Lord, Son of God, Savior) make sense to people and cultures which have been Christianized, but they might not make as much sense to people from animistic or shamanistic backgrounds. Thus, calling Jesus the “archtypical Shaman,” while certainly not a perfect or exhaustive interpretation of Jesus' significance, can help people from certain cultures get a better grasp of what Jesus means, in a way that makes sense within their cultural perspective.

If you follow the link to the word Shaman in the article above it will take you to the Wikipedia page. That is a pretty decent, but complex definition. Unfortunately, a complex definition is what you will get here.As you read it, do not think that I am saying Jesus is a Shaman, but remember that I am only saying that I think He appears to fulfill many of the roles of a Shaman, and in some way does it more perfectly than any Shamans who have since lived.

Matt you are seriously on the track of missional thinking, which drives the direction of where this is all headed! I could not more heartily say, “Yes!”