How does one show the pervasive influence of honor and shame in Scripture? At the same time, how can people see their practical implications? After all, honor and shame are dynamics that affect every sphere of life, not just “ministry strategy.” Is it also possible to write something that challenges both the intellect and the heart?
I hope so because that’s what my coauthor, Ryan Jensen, and I try to do in Seeking God’s Face: Practical Reflections on Honor and Shame in Scripture.
What’s it about?
Here’s the book description from the back cover.
Honor and shame influence every major aspect of life, whether in relationships, politics, or social media. It’s not surprising, then, to find that honor and shame shape the biblical message and all that Christians are called to be. Unfortunately, many leaders and laypersons do not grasp the theological and practical significance of these concepts for the church.
It includes 101 practical reflections on Scripture from a perspective that takes seriously honor and shame. Accordingly, we explore passages that employ such language and related concepts. Also, we try to demonstrate how various biblical texts bear on our own sense of honor and/or shame.
We attempt to merge two genres of writing such that we get something genuinely fresh.
On the one hand, many people like reading devotions. I don’t. Most devotionals, in my opinion, are a bit too “fluffy” and light on Scripture. On the other hand, rigorous academic books tend not to reach a broader audience and often lack the kind of practicality that people need.
In Seeking God’s Face, we marry these approaches into something that is both theologically substantial and practically significant. This is my first attempt to write a book for a broader, more popular-level readership. Admittedly, we’re a bit ambitious in this book. You can be the judge of whether we succeed.
Reasons for Seeking God’s Face
The book has 101 practical reflections. Why so many? And what do you mean by “practical reflections”? Is there a need for this book?
For the past decade, the conversation around honor and shame has largely been among missiologists and some theologians. Although Jayson Georges’ work presents these ideas at a popular level, it generally focuses on the missionary community. By contrast, I’ve taken a more academic approach, appealing to theologians and missiologists, those who serve as “gatekeepers” for the larger church.
What still needs to be done? Getting the message to a general audience while still being helpful to people already familiar with the honor-shame conversation.
In part, this is what my co-author, Ryan Jensen, and I attempt to do in this work. Even among those already conversant with honor and shame, much more needs to be accomplished. First, few people grasp just how expansive or pervasive these topics are in Scripture. This is one reason we have 101 sections.
We wanted to have sections from every part of the Bible, even making sure to include a representative sample from wisdom literature and the minor prophets (not just the “easy texts”). In fact, writing the reflection on Ecclesiastes was one of my favorites.
No one will finish this book and still think that honor and shame influence only a narrow set of texts.
Some Endorsements
“It’s one thing to grasp a concept intellectually. It’s another thing to apply it to your heart. Wu and Jensen invite their readers to wrestle, prayerfully and personally, with a cultural dynamic unfamiliar to many Western Christians but deeply significant to the characters and first readers of the Bible. The result is a unique blend of scholarly reflection and personal devotion.”
Brandon O’Brien, Ph.D., Director of Content Development and Distribution for Redeemer City to City, co-author of Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes
“Seeking God’s Face provides 101 passages across the landscape of Scripture to help dissipate the fog surrounding honor and shame, clearing the way for more genuine worship and works. Read this book with caution because it will touch your heart, head, and hands.”
Tom Steffen, DMiss., Professor emeritus, Cook School of Intercultural Studies, Biola University
“In this series of reflections, Jackson Wu and Ryan Jensen take the reader into the scriptures through the lens of honor and shame. Although this is a perspective often lost to Western readers, it is close to the cultures in which the stories of the Bible are embedded. Thus, they bring out both illuminating and thought-provoking conclusions, while also maintaining a cruciform focus that highlights God’s challenge to and care of the church.”
Lucy Peppiatt, Ph.D., Principal of Westminster Theological Centre, UK, author of Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for Women
“Seeking God’s Face takes our hearts and minds on a tour through the biblical story, showing us how honor and shame are powerful themes throughout Scripture. It’s theologically robust, deeply formative, and accessible to a broad range of readers. This book is a gift to God’s people. I highly recommend it.”
Jim Mullins, Lead Pastor of Redemption Tempe, co-author of The Symphony of Mission: Playing Your Part in God’s Work in the World
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