Colonialism and Us II

Stewardship of trees brings so much
benefit for the future, hence our
trainings on reducing firewood. 
But often our concept of stewardship
becomes saving for the future,
which in some cultures can be in
conflict with the stewardship
of giving in the present. 

I’m still wrestling with the discussion in our organization about how the work we do is still heavy with the residue of colonialism whether we intend it or not.  The accusation that we’re not free from colonialism has been a bit offensive for many of the people in our position who have been living for lots of years in other countries working with church partners.  It’s easy for us to feel and point to how our organization has been operating in a constantly evolving way, which has been very intentional to try not to repeat the same hurtful relationship patterns of the past.  From that vantage point, it seems like we’re falling into a common pitfall for organizations that are seeking to “get in step with the times.”  Generalizations and simplifications of the past leads to disparaging it, and picking a new plan that promises to operate with vastly different principles.  Until that plan too leads to an organization that stops listening to the un-powerful voices and anyone who doesn’t assimilate to the same way of thinking.  Hopefully the abundance of listening sessions we’re a part of now will really have an influence on the future vision.

Whatever the result of our organization’s re-envisioning process, and the critiques that come out of it, it’s still true that doing nothing is not an option for those who are called to a purpose.  If you try to do anything, there’s always the possibility that someone will try to tear it apart from some angle.  The challenge is always to distill down as much as possible the answer to the question: what are the things we should be sharing, which are gospel teachings we should follow as a corrective to any culture (including our own)?  While at the same time we also need to be deeply discerning the things that are simply our own cultural way, even if they seem innately the most helpful things to share from our perspective.  

That’s not to say that any learning that is deeply enmeshed in one culture can’t help people in another.  But it can help us keep straight how directly the application can reasonably be from one culture to another.  And that should help keep us focused on the most important things.  Maybe it can keep us humble too for dialog about the things that are more related to our cultural biases.

-- El Padre