Ethical theology and missions:

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of the first and the second generation of Dutch Ethical Theologians, within the period of 1900-1925.The focus will be on their thel ogical thinking and its influence upon the Dutch Mission societies, united in the "Samenwerkende Zendingscorporaties". To this cooperative body belonged "het Nederlandsch Zendeling- genootschap", "de Nederlandsche Utrechtsche Zendingsvereeniging", "de Zendingsvereeniging", "het Sangir- en Talaud Comite" and "het Java Comite". This study will focus primarily on the first three of the societies mentioned above. The first chapter of this study deals with the theology of the first and second generation of Dutch Ethical Theologians. To the first generation theologians belong D. Chantepie de la Saussaye, J.H. Gunning Jr. and their colleagues. The second generation included P.D. Chantepie de la Saussaye, J.J.P. Valeton Jr. and others close to them. They concerned themselves with modern and confessional theology. Modern theology confronted issues dealing with modern thought and cultural life. Confessional theology acknowledged the authority of the Bible and the confessions of the Dutch Fathers. Ethical Theology, which resembled with "German Vermittlungstheologie", opposed institutional creedalism and emphasized the personhood of God and man, the self- limitation of God, the idea of "theanthrops", and the Israelistic-Christcentered character of revelation, the meaning of the cross, eschatology and the faith of the congregation. These emphases, and particularly the one on the personhood of God and humans, inspired other ethical theological thinking such as reflections on religion, education and mission. Ethical Theology was greatly concerned with the Dutch missions and contributed significantly to them. Therefore many Ethical Theologians, e.g. D. Chantepie de la Saussaye and N. Beets who representing the first, and P.D. Chantepie de la Saussaye, J.J.P. Valeton Jr., J.W. Gunning, H.Th. Obbink and H.M. van Nes who representing the second generation, were involved in the life and work of the mission societies. The important contribution of Ethical Theology to missions was its focus on the issue of Asian culture, including culture of the Dutch East Indies, in connection with bringing the Gospel. Thanks to the merit of the Ethical Theologians, who also functioned as the heads of mission boards, from 1890 on these boards started to pay attention to the local cultures in the context of their mission efforts? It cannot be emphazised enough that the fact that the Dutch mission boards began to pay attention to the cultural aspects of missions, went to the credit of the mission theology of the ethical theologians and their leadership in the Dutch mission societies. The second chapter discusses Dutch missions through the Dutch mission boards united in the "Samenwerkende Zendings- corporaties". Ethical Theologians clearly played an important role in these boards, especially in the "Nederlandsch Zendeling genootschap" and the "Utrechtsche Zendingsvereeniging”. The significant role of the Ethical Theologians are: 1. Thanks to the ideas and efforts of the Ethical Theologians, the mission boards which at first had worked independently, began to cooperate in 1905 as the "Samenwerkende Zendingscorporaties". This cooperation resulted in a change in attitude concerning missions. Infighting was replaced by the pursuit of a common task and call to bring the Gospel down to the East Indies. Their orientation then was no longer towards themselves but focused upon the people in the Dutch East Indies. 2. Also thanks to the Ethical Theologians' stimulation and prodding, the Dutch mission boards, now united under the umbrella of the "Samenwerkende Zendings corporates, started reconsidering their approach, which until then had been based on a pietistic- biblical concept of missions. As a result, they now held and applied a new motivation and methodology of missions. This new approach was the fruit of the thinking of the Ethical Theologians. Newly motivated to spread the Gospel, these Ethical Theologians put their emphasis, first, on the Gospel as a light unto all nations - not only for a few of them. Second, regarding Christianity as the only true religion, they emphasized that Christianity was called to renew, perfect and fulfill the other religions. In order to operationalize this first emphasis mentioned above, a method of Christianising was really needed without rejecting the traditional method of evangelizing. The other emphasis on the need to fulfill the other religions called for a new approach in which "the high lights" of the other religions would serve as bridges for spreading the Good News. The application of this new thrust and method cannot be separated from the ideas of the Ethical Theologians. They much appreciated and respected other cultures and religions. They based this appreciation and respect on ethical theology which emphazised God's acting in human history and in the lives of people in their cultural context. 3. Many Ethical Theologians held important decission-making positions in the mission boards, united as the "Samenwerkende Zed ingscorporaties", and had a large share in determining these boards' policies. This was evident as these policies were applied in the Dutch East Indies. These policies represented the following guidelines articulated by J.W. Gunning: 1. Mission should be aimed at the salvation of the whole of mankind; 2. Mission should emphazise more the proclamation of God's mighty salvistic deeds than the Christian teachings as such; 3. Mission should cooperate with the government in raising the quality and wellbeing of the Dutch East Indian population. As seen from those three basis points above, the mission boards were inspired by the ideas of Ethical Theologians, reflected in their new lead-theme and methodology for spreading the Gospel. This is evident for example in the mission strategy worked out by A.C. Kruyt and N. Adriani. Under the influence of these two men the Dutch mission boards initiated a new departure in their mission work in the Dutch East Indies. Clearly, there was a close connection between Ethical Theology and Dutch missiology. The third chapter discusses the training of the future Dutch missionaries, especially at the Nederlandsche Zendingsschool. Ethical Theologians also played an important role in the education of missionary candidates. In the first place, in the mergers of various schools. The separate missionschools, respectively belonging to the Netherlandsch Zendelingsgenootschap and the Utrechtsche Zendingsvereeniging, merged in 1905 and became the Nederlandsch Zendingsschool - thanks to the initiative and efforts of these Ethical Theologians, especially J.J.P. Valeton Jr. and J.W. Gunning. Then, in 1919, also the training center of the Nederlandsche Zendingsvereeniging joined the Nederlandsche Zendingsschool. This initiative was based on the thinking of the Ethical Theologians, particularly J.J.P. Valeton Jr., J.W. Gunning and H.M. van Nes. Cooperation in the Nederlandsche Zendingsschool intended to achieve three things: 1. to provide a better and higher quality education for future missionaries, capable of performing their future tasks and functions in the Dutch East Indies whose citizens were in the middle of political resurgence; 2. to decrease the financial burden which the respective mission societies were bound to have to shoulder in the future; 3. to gain moral support from cooperation of the various mission societies, which, in turn, would encourage wider cooperation. Indeed, these three targets were achieved. Significantly, that this was achieved was connected essentially with collective enthusiasm of Ethical Theologians involved. In the second place, all important leadership positions of the Nederlandsche Zendingsschool were held by Ethical Theologians. These positions included those of chairperson, executive secretary, rector, director and all teachers of theology. The Ethical Theologians determined the direction and emphasis of the training and both the academic and personal formation of the future missionaries. In this respect, their thinking clearly influenced their efforts in carrying out their functions. For example, the direction of the education program they proposed emphasized more too personal formation than knowledge. Furthermore, in their academic scholarship more emphasis was placed on practical, applied knowledge than on scientific theory. Actually this did not mean that by stressing on the practical side of things, the theoretical aspect was disregarded. Precisely, in their teaching of practical knowledge, scientific methods were used. Also the objectives and content of the theological curriculum, designed by the rector, reflected the thinking of Ethical Theology. For instance, the objectives of the course on the (Christian) faith were intended to invite the future missionaries to wrestle with faith questions without being burdened with dogmatics. The content that needed to be emphasized was, among other things, the image of God. Many of the books assigned by the rector as theological textbooks, were written by Ethical Theologians or scholars influenced by Ethical Theology. In the third place, the high quality education of the Nederlandsche Zendingsschool, acknowledged and expected by the mission boards also outside the "Samenwerkende Zendings- corporaties", was guaranteed because of these Ethical Theologians who provided such excellent personal and academic training. The personal formation was an intensive one. It was hoped that future missionaries would become integer and autonomous, self-reliant persons. The academic training likewise tried to prepare them for the performance of their future tasks. Within this curricular structure, the teaching of all subjects was entrusted to experts in various areas. The theological courses were made under the responsibility of the Ethical Theologians. In short, it can be said that the Nederlandsche Zendingsschool oriented herself towards preparing missionaries to be able to answer the demands and challenges of working in the Dutch East Indies, which at that time experienced rapid development caused by its renaissance. Many Ethical Theologians, intentionally or not, contributed greatly to the theological thinking as it is clear from the three points (especially the second) mentioned above. The influence on the academic and personal formation of future missionaries, however, previous to 1905, also appeared in the training center of the Nederlandsch Zendelinggenootschap and the Utrechtsche Zendingsvereeniging. These institutions too had several Ethical Theologians on their teaching staffs. The fourth chapter discusses the Dutch missionaries working in the Dutch East Indies at the time of the mission renewal. Some of them had received only mission training, while others had both academic and missionary schooling. Many of these missionaries (e.g. S. Schoch, D. Crommelin, J.M.S. Baljon, and H.A. Looff) belonged to the second generation of Ethical Theologians. It is evident from the ideas, attitudes and expectations of the missionaries that many of them (e.g. A.C. Kruyt, J.H. Neumann A. Hueting, D. Crommelin and J.M.S. Baljon) were inspired or influenced by Ethical Theology. This is evident for example in their ideas about religion, education and missions. Christianity was seen by them as a gospel-oriented ethical religion, not as a legalistic one. Education was defined as character formation, as it influences the personality of the one being educated. The Gospel itself was regarded as building character and renewing the human person in its totality. This transformation progresses from the heart outwardly towards the whole of life. The total person in the context of his culture was seen as the target for missions. In connection with this, many missionaries hoped that a people, who had already become Christian, could be made into one national, culturally contextual church. This indigenous church, it was hoped, would express its Christianity in harmony with its cultural environment. It was hoped that every member of this indigenous church would retain his/ her unique identity and not lose it by blending too much in with the wider fellowship. Also that the Christian faith would become their very own and not merely the property of the community. It is evident from this study that the first and second generation of the Ethical Theologians greatly influenced the "Samenwerkende Zendingscorporaties. In fact, without them it would be impossible to paint true picture of the- life and work of these mission societies.