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Justina Heese

How Does the Gospel Translate into our Culture?

At the Multi Cultural Consultation held in Saskatoon in July, 2002, Mennonite Church Canada was reminded that the translation of foundational documents is an urgent and current necessity for emerging congregations in our constituency. Although finding translators and facilitating the process can be challenging, this was a timely reminder that the face of Mennonite Church Canada is changing to include an unprecedented ethnic and cultural diversity.

Translating the Scriptures and Anabaptist resources into the language of the congregation or part of the congregation is commendable. It is expedient for us to look after this need. Even as we attend to such translation, we should not forget that there is a second and additional meaning to the word “translation.” According to Webster’s definition, to translate means to “put into different words; rephrase or paraphrase in explanation.”

When we try to put into different words what it means to be the church in our Canadian context, we are translating the gospel into our culture. This translation goes beyond making the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective available in a dozen languages. Translating the Gospel into our culture means understanding our current context and being able to translate the Good News of Jesus Christ in ways that make it relevant to our culture.

As I pondered this expanded meaning for the word “to translate,” I realized that most of the work of Christian Formation is the work of “translation”. Christian Formation is the continuous process whereby God shapes individuals into disciples and communities of disciples of Jesus Christ, communities that witness to God’s reconciling work in us and in the world. As a congregation discerns the work of God in the world, that congregation translates the Gospel.

Here are some ways in which Mennonite Church Canada Formation works at translation:

1. Cooperating with the multi-cultural congregations in making foundational resources available to emerging churches.

2. Providing material and people resources for congregations to use when discerning Scripture, current context and congregational process.

3. Interpreting and translating our Anabaptist heritage, so that present generations see God’s activity among us.

4. Nurturing faith in our households and congregations, so that we are aligned with God’s work in the world.

5. Providing resources and leadership to assist congregations in worship.

6. Teaching and modeling that peace is God’s way in the world.

The work of translation is never finished. We hope that new cultures will continue to be added to our congregations. We know that the work of “rephrasing and paraphrasing the Gospel” into the current culture never ends. What part of the “translation” of the Gospel excites your congregation?

- Justina Heese,
Executive Secretary,
Formation