More on Filling the gap

I have been discussing this filling the gap idea with the Komba translation and literacy volunteers. Pastor Emmanuel stressed the importance of individual church members expressing their desire for a Christian funeral or burial before it happens. Otherwise, it may not be easy for the elders to agree to the church performing a funeral or doing a rite to replace a tradtional rite. He said often, they may allow the church to do it, but still do their own ritual later.

Emmanuel is calling people to fly their Christian banner publicly by clearly confessing their faith. This is crucial in the instance of a woman who is married to a non Christian traditional believer or a young man and woman who may have children, but who are still living in the father's house and under his authority.

He is also courageously addressing the challenge of syncretism. Syncretism is a real danger and is the objection most of us have as we think about replacing a traditional practice with a Christian one. However, if we avoid the traditional practices completely or don't try to replace it at all we may also fail in our missiological task. Let's not forget Christmas and Easter replaced traditional pagan festivals. I'm sure there was a period of syncretism and if we are honest, we still struggle with syncretism of another sort (consumerism, warm fuzzies that replace the true gospel) during those festivals.