Lutheran Missionaries Today?

Abstract

In this 1989 Reformation lecture, Eugene W. Bunkowske explores the challenges Lutheran missionaries face in communicating the Gospel across cultures. He contrasts traditional West African and North American worldviews, identifying key barriers to understanding: animism, polytheism, and sacrificial systems in Africa; and secularism, evolutionary thinking, and moralistic misunderstandings of Christianity in the West. Through vivid missionary experiences, Bunkowske illustrates how cultural formation shapes perception and how effective witness requires contextualized communication. He emphasizes the need for paradigm shifts—Spirit-led reformation of worldview—based on the heard Word of God. The lecture calls missionaries to recognize cultural barriers and build bridges for full understanding, affirming that faith comes by hearing. Bunkowske concludes that Lutheran missionaries must be intentional communicators, grounded in Scripture and sensitive to cultural realities, to facilitate Spirit-driven transformation and salvation. —Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)