Complex Culture and Set Theory

People have said, tongue-in-cheek, that it is easier to become a Christian than it is to join the Church. What kinds of criteria for membership do churches have for those who wish to be received into their fellowship? In the climate of complex culture (see blog postings in July), barriers are no longer just behavioral or theological in nature. They can also be racial, cultural, class, generational, or lifestyle in nature. And most of the above are now found in almost every U.S. community.

All churches have a welcoming policy that is based on some idea of who is welcome and who is not. It may be theological and/or philosophical in nature.

Types of Sets

Paul G. Hiebert, my mentor, was a mathematician before he was an anthropologist. He adapted set theory to assist us in understanding some of the dynamics at play. There are several models, or glasses, through which people and organizations view their world. These eyeglasses are used to determine who is seen to be inside or outside their group (set). In his book, Anthropological Relfections on Missiological Issues,[1] Hiebert itemizes four different models. We will be looking at three of them here: bounded, centered, and intrinsic fuzzy sets. We will briefly examine each one, its implications, and how it impacts our view of conversion, the Church, and Christian ministry.

Here are some questions we will be asking each model:

1.      What does being a Christian mean?

2.  What must those people, who come to your church, do to be accepted into the membership of the church?

3.      How do we define Christian and Church?

4.      How are decisions made to include or to exclude people?

5.      Are our decisions based on certain kinds of behavior, specific church rules kept, precise doctrines embraced, or particular clothes worn?

In the next three posts, I will describe each of Paul Hiebert’s three models and suggest how they might be helpful. Here are some questions for us.

When a person enters your church building, have you determined the criteria and means by which he or she is welcomed?

If he or she is ignored, why?

Once a person professes belief in Christ, how is that person integrated into the life of your church?

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[1] Paul G. Hiebert. Anthropological Relfections on Missiological Issues. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994), p. 110ff.

Complex Culture and Set Theory - Bounded Sets

In this post we will be looking at bounded sets,[1] the first of three sets we will be examining. The question we are asking is, “What must those people, who come to your church, do to be accepted in your church, and ultimately into church membership?”

As its name implies, bounded sets have hard boundaries. Its contents will vary from group to group, but each particular set will be exclusive. For example, if vegetables are inside the set, fruit will be outside it.

In the West we are very dependent on bounded sets. Our cultures are based on them. The lines on any street tell us where we should drive our cars and ride our bikes. Clocks tell us when we are on time, and when we are not. In classical mathematics, there are only right or wrong answers. Bounded sets furnish us with a sense of order and predictability.

CHRISTIANITY

Denominations might be thought of as bounded sets. Each has specific markers or distinctives that identify a person as being a Christian. Someone who meets the test is “in,” and if not, he or she is “not yet in.” Great care is taken to maintain those boundaries. Without such vigilance the boundaries could change, or worse, cease to exist. One example of bounded-set thinking is the historical relationship between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. Until the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, for example, Roman Catholic dogma excluded Protestants from being Christian.

THE CHURCH

Thinking of this in a church context, a bounded set could consist of: specific rules, a distinctive doctrine, or definitive modes of behavior. While such boundaries are hard, like church rules and beliefs, they are still often prone to change slowly over time. Nevertheless, at any particular point, these boundaries tend to be unambiguous and remain static.

In most theological belief systems (orthodoxy), people are accepted as members only if they espouse certain beliefs, exhibit certain patterns of behavior, or meet other specific sets of criteria. One is permitted to join if one exhibits those particular distinctives. But in a bounded set, those who do not meet the specific standards are marginalized at best, and shunned at worst. So, it can happen that someone who has accepted Christ will not be allowed to join a church.

If the church gives prominence to conversion that will most likely be the point of entry into the Church. If spiritual growth and discipleship are important, but not part of the set, they would not be considered indispensable to the mission of the church. In many ways, the Evangelical Church of fifty years ago tended to be a bounded set.

Bounded sets have many advantages. Most importantly, they bring order and predictability, along with a feeling of safety to those who belong.

What are some other advantages you can think of?

In our culture, is there a place for the Church as a bounded set? If so, how? If not, why?

Is your church a bounded set?

The next post will be a brief discussion on “Centered Sets.”

For more information and practical projects you can do to discover the make-up of the complex culture in your community, I would refer you to: Kauffman, J. Timothy. Reconnecting the Church: Finding Our Place in Complex Culture. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2010. It can be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, the iBooks Store, and Xlibris.com; it is also in Kindle and Nook format. Check it out.

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[1] Paul G. Hiebert. Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994), p. 110ff.

Complex Culture and Set Theory - Centered Sets

Each item in a centered set is defined by its relationship to the center.[i] While the bounded set is static, the centered set is dynamic. Objects are included in the set based on how they orient themselves toward or away from a center.

In the Christian Church, Christ is the center (see figure). It is not important how far away from Christ a person is, as long as that person is oriented toward Him. On the other hand, if a person is not moving toward Christ, he or she is not part of the set. It matters not how close that person might be to the center. A biblical example of being close, but not included would be the Pharisees. They were physically and theologically close, and could have embraced Jesus, but they turned away from Him.

An additional characteristic of the centered set is that an object can change its direction, and turn toward or away from the center. If that happens, the set redraws its boundary in order to include or exclude it.

Application

The Scriptures teach that anyone who receives Jesus as Savior is included in the fellowship of the Kingdom. He becomes the true center of our lives. It matters not how far away from Christ that person may be in lifestyle or knowledge of Scripture when they accept Him. Jesus ministered to and drew all kinds of people to Himself, even those whom the religious establishment had excluded as being unfit. And Paul referred to the behaviorally-challenged Corinthians as saints.

Often, the new convert has much to learn on his or her journey toward the Master. No matter how far from maturity a person may be, if he or she keeps moving toward Christ, he or she is still included in the centered set.

If reconnecting the church to a culture that is complex is our objective, a centered set model is inclusive of all who confess Christ no matter who they are or where thy have come from. The reason is that Jesus is the center.

The Church as a Centered-Set

The centered-set church is the congregation that gathers around Christ to worship, obey, follow, and to serve. They form a community characterized by love, forgiveness, mercy, truth, goodness, humility, koinonia (fellowship), and shalom (peace and well-being). In this model, the Church sees its function as bringing those who have received Jesus as their Savior into Christian maturity.

With the increased prevalence of complex culture in our neighborhoods, the centered-set church will be welcoming of everyone living there, based on their commitment to Christ. Evangelism and discipleship will be stressed equally in centered-set churches. The task of the Church will be to build a community of faith that makes disciples of new believers no matter who they are or where they come from.

One danger of centered sets is that something else could take the place of Christ at the center of the set. Examples of what might replace Him would be legalism, tradition, or secularism.

How does your church determine who is included in membership?

What are the demographics of the neighborhood of your church? Include the age differences, income levels, race, and culture of the inhabitants.

What are the demographics of your church?

How do they compare?

What additional things could displace Christ as the center?

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[i] Paul G. Hiebert. Anthropological Relfections on Missiological Issues. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994), p. 110ff.

Complex Culture and Set Theory - Intrinsic Fuzzy Sets

We are examining the more controversial fuzzy set[1] and how it relates to the welcome into the church. In 1965, Lofti Asker Zadeh, suggested that in real life and in nature most categories do not have exact boundaries. “If you consider characteristics or properties like tall, intelligent, tired, sick, etc., all these characteristics lack sharp boundaries.”[2]

The same fuzziness applies to categories such as dawn and dusk as gradations between day and night. There are no sharp borders between plains, hills and mountains; instead, there are only degrees of inclusion.

As intermarriage becomes more prevalent, races will blend into one another along continua of features. Immigrants, and particularly their children, will begin to absorb an American way of life, reducing the sharp lines that can be drawn. Such distinctions point to culture becoming increasingly complex.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FUZZY SETS

Membership in fuzzy sets, then, is determined by gradation. Because the boundary is fuzzy, one person may belong to two or more sets at the same time. Members can be 33%, 65%, or 95% part of the church and still belong. For example, we talk of a person being ½ German and ½ English, or ½ White, ¼ Black, and ¼ Southeast Asian. Or for example, all color is a percentage mixture of the three primary colors.

Also, change in intrinsic fuzzy sets is a process, with no clear edges or boundaries. One example is, “When is a peach ripe?” A fuzzy-set world fits in well with a postmodern mindset. There are no sharp distinctions between right and wrong, or truth and non-truth.

INTRINSIC FUZZY SETS AND THE CHURCH

In fuzzy sets, conversion would likely be perceived as gradual rather than instantaneous. There would be little emphasis on evangelism, and more emphasis on sharing and teaching. There would not likely be a call for a clear choice.  

People could practice more than one religion at the same time. In a fuzzy set, someone could accept Jesus as their Savior, and consult their horoscope to make daily decisions. Church membership would also be by degree. No religion can make exclusive claims on a person. However, one’s degree of adherence can increase or decrease.

In a fuzzy set world, churches formulate the creeds and practices a person needs to acquire. Membership lists would likely not be kept. Those not fully committed would be encouraged to participate in the church, come to full faith, and develop in their lives the basic essentials of being a Christian. Less emphasis is placed on the differentiation from one denomination or theological approach.

Great diversity on essentials is tolerated. There is truth in all religions, but Christianity is considered a superior way to God. The Church sees itself as being a body of believers sharing the same beliefs and practices. Fellowship is stressed.

The dangers are that the Church might come to worship its corporate self, slide into theological relativism and/or a form of universalism. It would seem that the characteristics of fuzzy sets are more likely to be found in the Millennial Generation, and might be a partial explanation for their ambivalence to the Church.

Can the Church function in such a model and be faithful to itself? If so, how? If not, why?

If Millennials do operate in a fuzzy set model, can the Church do anything to reach them?

For more information and practical projects you can do to discover the make-up of the complex culture in your community, I would refer you to: Kauffman, J. Timothy. Reconnecting the Church: Finding Our Place in Complex Culture. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2010. It can be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, the iBooks Store, and Xlibris.com; it is also in Kindle and Nook format.

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[1] Paul G. Hiebert. Anthropological Relfections on Missiological Issues. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994), p. 110ff.

[2] Lofti Asker Zadeh, “Fuzzy Sets,” Information and Control 8 (1965): 338-53.