GOSPEL IN THE SETTING OF GLOBALIZATION:A RESPONSE TO THE SALVADOR CONFERENCE

Abstract

The World Council of Churches held its eleventh Conference on World Mission and Evangelism in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, at end of 1996 under theme of Called to One Hope -- The Gospel in Diverse Cultures. One of issues that was raised in final report of conference regarding contemporary understanding of culture is problem of The report read: All people are living under an increasing process of globalization, and churches need to discern those elements which are liberative as opposed to destructive. On an economic level globalization is likened to an invasion and colonization which is controlled mostly by International Monetary Fund policies. At basis of present globalization process is liberalization of economy -- at both international and national levels.(1) It continues by saying that Globalization is not only an economic matter but it continues to further racial divide, creating global apartheid ... resulting in increasing violence and political instability, increasing migration and displacement, xenophobic backlash represented in new and tougher immigration policies, and sanctioned oppression of all who can be placed in role of the by virtue of gender, race/ethnicity/indigenous status, age and/or sexual orientation.(2) The conference showed also its concern about impact of globalization on ecological problems, and its effects on identity of world community as a whole, and identity of local communities and cultures in particular, under influence of globalization of information and media, through high technology such as television, advertising, film and computer technology, including Internet, World Wide Web and electronic mail. The above demonstrates that a new setting has confronted church and its mission. The theme of gospel in diverse cultures, which is seen as a key in exploring contemporary situations and problems in mission and evangelism of worldwide churches, has been challenged to include a new aspect of culture, that of global exploitation. In other words, Christian mission in present world situation faces not only matter of gospel and diverse cultures, but also gospel and an oppressive monopolizing culture of economic exploitation and destructive effects on all dimensions of human life extended by this culture. Globalization as an immanence of logic of capitalism Globalization is viewed by some scholars as a neutral phenomenon; arguments on positive contributions to human society that socio-cultural globalization can give have been raised from time to time. The enormous developments in technology allow information control of dictators to be broken, power of governments to be weakened, and they shorten distance between people, creating a new form of solidarity among oppressed. In last analysis, however, we should admit that socio-cultural globalization does not exist independently from economic globalization. The impact of economic power upon socio-cultural globalization happens not only in process of social dynamics and cultural exchanges; it is economic globalization that motivates globalization of societies and cultures. Economic globalization, if understood in third world contexts, is no more than an economic capitalization, or, in a more critical way, a phenomenon of westernization of every dimension of society of third world countries.(3) Economic globalization by nature is a process of liberalization of economy; put in a more precise way, it is an attempt to integrate world markets, including both markets of capital and markets of product.(4) This attempt to integrate world markets has been exercised through dominant organizations such as World Bank, World Trade Organization, APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation), and other worldwide or regional economic and monetary organizations. …