Language Learning Principles Part III (2 credit hours)
The Principles of Cross-Cultural Communication are studied as part of the Language Acquisition Course. In this study, the principles learned in Cultural Anthropology are applied to communicating the Gospel to the Yurok Indians as they lived in Northern California in the 1800’s. The student studies the way of life (culture) of the Yurok people and writes papers presenting the way of salvation to them based on his understanding of the Book of Romans and the Yurok culture.
The Chronological Method of teaching the Gospel is emphasized. This method involves teaching the way of salvation in the same way that God taught it in the Bible, that is, progressively and in context from Genesis to Malachi, to the Gospels, to the book of Acts, to the Epistles, and finally, to the book of the Revelation.
When the missionary understands words as the people understand them, he is better prepared to present God’s Word to them and avoid syncretism (mixing pagan belief and Bible truth).