A quote that now hangs on my wall says, “We have often been told the true love consists of giving ourselves to others.  That is not entirely correct…True love is, much rather, accepting that you are dependent on the other, expecting something from him.  The best I can give somebody is not myself, but enabling him to become a giver.”[1]  This quote comes from David J. Bosch’s chapter entitled “Towards True Mutuality” in a collection of essays compiled in the book Supporting Indigenous Ministries.  His purpose, as seen on page 53, is to examine the relationship between the “older” and “younger” churches with a focus on the moratorium issue.  Before reading this I didn’t know what the word “moratorium” meant.  In the Webster’s Dictionary it says that moratorium is “an authorized period of delay in the performance of an obligation; suspensions of ongoing or planned activity.”  In other words, the cry is heard, “Missionary, go home.  Let us handle it from here!”  While the initial reaction on the part of the western missionary is one of defensiveness and hurt by such a statement, when we dive further into the issue and listen to the voices we can seek to find a way out of the present dilemma many communities are experiencing.  David J. Bosch does an excellent job at highlighting the development of the idea of mutual relationships from the Edinburgh Conference of 1910 to the Jerusalem conference 18 years later to the real progress made at Whitby in 1947 when the events of world history compelled the younger churches to be cut off from their supporting agencies during the Great War.  The development of multilateral relationships was one that sought to downplay the effect of paternalism.  Even with as much effort as was made, the moratorium issue still arose with its most vocal advocate seen in John Gatu of Kenya in 1973.  Some proponents of moratorium will even go far as to say that “the mission of the church is the greatest enemy of the Gospel”(56)!!  However, Bosch does not just stop with an analysis of the historical development, he takes his constituents deeper into analyzing the true reasons that this demand happened and proposes ways to improve relations toward mutuality in its truest form.

    In the middle of page 59, Bosch asks some probing questions that present prevalent arguments against the idea of moratorium.  For example, “Does it not imply a very unfair judgment on the missionaries, simply following the ‘myth of the sinless victim’ where all blame rests with the missionaries and none with the leaders of the younger churches?”  These are good questions.  However, what is impressive is that he does not answer these questions directly.  Instead he highlights the real issue that is being presented.  He says, “At its deepest it is a cry that says, ‘Please hear us.  Please take us seriously!” (60).  He further talks of the “failure to relate to one another in a way which does not dehumanize.”  The defensive questions stop dead in their tracks when we realize what the nationals are really saying.  They want brothers and sisters more than they want missionaries.  They want to be able to give as well as to receive.  They want to believe that as image bearers of God and co-heirs with Christ they have something valuable to offer their communities.  They cannot do this if people don’t take them seriously.

    How can relationships be truly mutual without a paternal instinct that often takes over? We dare to imagine that the other has something truly valuable to offer that cannot always be measured in monetary terms.  The highlight of this chapter is found in its conclusion when David Bosch really challenges his readers to visualize what it would be like for the Western church without the younger church, how narrow minded we would be, and then makes a profound statement when he says that true love is essentially allowing people to give to you.  That certainly shattered my own worldview.  David J. Bosch does an excellent job in this chapter of highlighting the roots of the moratorium issue and the real issue that escapes our notice because we are too busy being defensive about our rightful place in the Great Commission.  By enabling others to give to that same Commission we experience true love and true mutuality.

 

[1] Rickett, Daniel, editor. Supporting Indigenous Ministries. Chapter 7-Towards True Mutuality: Exchanging the Same Commodities or Supplementing Each Others’ Needs? by David J. Bosch.  Page 63. Wheaton, IL: Billy Graham Center. 1997.