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.