EXPLANATION AND
REFLECTIONS
Enoch Wan
(Paul & Fran Hiebert,
Credit: Paul E. Grant)
Though hard to believe,
Paul is really gone;
Reunited with Fran,
And beloved parents he joined.
On this side, we remember his sharing,
Giving his best, without sparing;
Yonder, rings the supreme compliment -
“Welcome home, my faithful servant!”
Special Issue of Global
Missiology
This special issue is occasioned by Paul’s
departure thus the rush in preparation/production, all within about two weeks.
Yet part of this period I was in the Philippines STM with limited internet
access.[1] Thus errors/omissions are inevitable and
would require the understanding of readers of Global Missiology and their input for correction. On this score,
Paul’s daughter Barbara is to be credited.
(If Paul can read this opening statement, he would immediately point out that
the Asian side of me is showing. Sorry! Paul.)
The objective reason for the inclusion of Fran in this issue is due to
the fact that the two worked best as a team so tributes should be given to both
together. And the subjective reason is my friendship with both. Therefore in the “Featured Article” section, tributes to Paul are followed by those for Fran. For more information
about Fran’s life and ministries, please visit the “Hiebert Family
Website” at http://www.hiebertweb.net/fran/fran.html
For tributes to
Fran, credits are due
“a dear friend” and Paul as “a gentle giant.”
But I respect both being God’s faithful servants.
Paul’s Trademark -
Sharing
Paul’s departure has been anticipated because he had prepared those around him well. For instance, last month he sent me by snail mail items such as contact info of family members and since my sabbatical at OMSC we stayed connected only by cell phone when he found it hard to use e-mail.
With hardship (as evidenced by many typing errors), he typed out two separate pages authorizing my use of his publications and telephone conversations -- thus the MP3 pieces in the “Legacy of Paul G. Hiebert” section.
That is the spirit of Paul’s sharing; in spite of his health being ravaged by cancer.
Sharing through Global Missiology
He
tried to show his support for Global
Missiology (GM) by submitting articles and authorized the posting of his
out-of-print book at GM. (Please see the “Legacy of Paul G. Hiebert” section of
this special issue). He even typed
out “the light-hearted piece” from his death bed and sent the hard copy to me
by post which had typing errors. (Very atypical of Paul, indicative of his poor
health); but showed his eager efforts to “participate in this electronic way of
sharing - low cost but high efficiency” (Paul’s own word).
Sharing his Residence
– “Hosting Students as Fran Would Do”
Years ago, I served with Fran at
CHEPSIS (“Christian Higher Education Professional Serving International
Students” - now defunct) and one time Paul came from TEDS with her to share
with participants from member schools (e.g. Reformed Theological Seminary,
Both
Paul and Fran were ready to generously share with others in many ways;
especially foreign students. Paul
often said that “I was once a guest in other people’s country so I know what it
is like to be a foreign student.” He
spoke from his experience as a MK in
Tite Tienou, my wife and I were
foreign students at
Fran partnered with Paul in the
ministry of hospitality to students both at Fuller and TEDS. They worked as a team, more than a
couple. Paul did the same, since 1999 when he was single, by opening his
residence to house students from TEDS. He wanted to “create a community and
enjoy fellowship, that’s the type of thing that Fran would have me do” were Paul’s
own words. Many doctoral students from
TEDS came to his house to stay and studied with him for days and weeks. Not a few enjoyed Paul’s hospitality,
personal mentoring and dissertation coaching. In recent months he hosted a doctoral
student (of NT Studies) from
Sharing Even towards the End of his Life
In the spirit of sharing, Paul was willing to let me tape our conversation on March 3 when breathing was hard due to cancer in the lungs. He could not talk smoothly without a supply of oxygen; but insisted on doing so. Days before his departure on March 11, he spent time sharing with my doctoral students his experiences in research, again sitting up from his bed with help from his daughter and the aid of oxygen supply by way of his cell phone. Yet he proceeded to accomplish the task – Paul’s way of sharing with others.
After my sabbatical at OMSC and when Paul was severely
weakened by cancer, weekly we talked and prayed by phone, increased in frequency
when he no longer could go out.
One Sunday evening, before being limited in mobility, he excitingly shared with me the major points of his talk at a local congregation on “glorifying Christ in dying – the practical way” (wording from my personal recollection). I complained that he should have alerted me of such an occasion for taping so that boomers like me can learn from him. He just chuckled and said, “I want to prepare others in case they happen to follow my path.” That is Paul’s Christian trademark – sharing.
It
was providential that his “light-hearted piece” happened to be in line with the
annual theme of
“A photo of the last
Styrofoam cup Paul doodled on at a faculty meeting for
(Photo
and explanation by Georgia R. Grimes Shaw)
Friend and Fellow Anthopologist/Missiologist
My friendship with Paul began in
1982 when he wrote me a two-page letter in response to my 2-part series
“critique of functional anthropology” – an unknown Chinese anthropologist on
the faculty in
In the long letter, he explained that he embraced “holistic concept of culture” and declared, “I am not a functionalist.” Since then we found a kindred spirit in many things.
There were many happy occasions we worked together. Here I would just mention two examples. In 1998 when I served as the regional VP of EMS-SE and the theme was on the contributions of anthropology to Christian missions and the methodology missiological research methodology, Paul came to joint me at the ETS/EMS Regional Meeting, Columbia International University, S.C., March 20-21, 1998. Unfortunately Darrell Whiteman had to have a last-minute cancellation for unexpected causes; but Paul and I had excellent collaboration and we enjoyed Christian fellowship together.
Another time was that we worked
together to plan and implement the program for EMS/IFMA Annual Conference 2002.
Afterwards, due to his other obligations and urgent matters, he had to opt out
of co-editing with me the annual monograph - Christian Witness in Pluralistic Contexts in the 21st Century!. Evangelical Missiological
Society Series: Number 11.
Theoretical/methodological/missiological
dimensions
Theoretically, as fellow anthropologists we agree on the importance of “holism” – beginning from the perspective of “culture” to areas beyond, such as interdisciplinary
integration and integrative methodology[2],
multi-dimension of reality and complexity of
(Taken at
their farewell from Fuller in 1990:
the Indian
students hand made their matching leis – by
human understanding (e.g. worldview)[3]. The missiological implications are manifold
including integration of theology and missiology,[4] incarnational approach and the
importance of contextualization.[5]
Theologically, Paul is Mennonite/Armenian and I am Reformed; but we have no problem getting along. Epistemologically, we are both “realist” but disagree on the details: “critical realism” for Paul but “relational realism” for Enoch.[6] Ontologically we agree on the primary importance of relationship in life and service (over function and success, structure and phenomenon), fellowship of the faithful (in spite of theoretical and theological differences) and partnership for the Kingdom (though with ecclesiastical, ethnic and cultural diversity).
Practical matters
We
both seek to contribute to Western learning and ministry style by bringing in
the positive elements of Asian culture (i.e. Indian and Chinese) for enrichment
and integration, such as “both-and” instead of “the excluded middle” paradigm
and emphasis on relationship[7] (over
pragmatism and managerial missions), team work and communal approach (over
individualism and obsession with quantifiable efficiency/productivity),
partnership (instead of denominationalism and parochialism), and spiritual
warfare.[8]
We both are aware of the negative elements of Asian culture and how Western influences could be helpful, e.g. religious syncretism (as exemplified by folk religion), social
nepotism, Asian ethnocentrism (boasting of millennial heritages of the Indian and the Chinese), pessimistic attitude (fatalistic and escapist orientations), etc.[9]
In musing, we called ourselves: “cultural brokers,” “interdisciplinary muddling” and “in-betweeners.”[10] Paul encouraged me to maximize the use of new media of communication for networking, coaching and sharing. He kept saying that he had been limited to WordPerfect and e-mail; but I should be more daring since I am younger. The burden to do so is on me; but Paul is my cheer leader to launch the free e-journal www.globalmissiology.org. We used e-mail to communicate and we are probably the only two anthropologists/missiologists using “juno” for our personal e-mail (phiebert@juno.com and e.wan@juno.com)
Paul & Fran, we appreciate and
miss you,
Lord, for giving us these
two, we thank you!