Dream
Encounters in Christian and Islamic Societies and
Its Implications for Christian Ministry and Mission
John
K., Th.M.
Christian Missionary Leader for
Muslims
Published
in Global Missiology, Contextualization, October 2005, www.globalmissiology.org
An
Introduction to the Nature of Dreams
An
historical overview
An
anthropological and sociological overview
A
Biblical view
Figure
1: A classification dreams in the Biblical genre
Dream
encounters in Christian societies
Christian
psychologists and the dream
Charismatic/Pentecostal
views of the dream
Dream
encounters in Islamic societies
Implications
for Christian missions and ministry
Dreams
as a form of evangelism
Dreams
in discipleship
Conclusion
References
An
Introduction to the Nature of Dreams
Dreams are commonly experienced by
people in every society, but how they are perceived differs according to a
person�s perspective. One�s education, socio-cultural and religious backgrounds
all influence the way dreams are viewed (Bulkeley
1995:9). Phenomenologically, a dreamer is aware of
certain events during this altered state of consciousness. They may be achieved
through incubation, drugs or mere somnolence. For this discussion, I focus on
dreams encountered in the natural course of sleep. The loss of self-awareness
and control experienced when a dreamer dreams is sometimes more pronounced than
encountered in a vision or a trance. However, such loss is not necessarily
total. One may suddenly awake in a parallel physical enactment of the dream in
the real world like dreaming of free-fall from a cliff only to be awakened by
the fall from one�s bed!
Though the example appears trivial,
the subject is more serious. I will broadly survey the nature of dreams in its
historical, anthropological and sociological contexts. We next examine how
Scripture informs us about dreams to gain a Biblical framework to judge its
ontology and validity. Dream encounters in Christian and Islamic societies will
be examined, especially cases of dream conversions among Muslims, the chief aim
to answer why are dream experiences so significant and common among Muslims but
not among most Christians? Finally I will draw some principles from this
discussion and its application to missions, evangelism and discipleship as well
as assessing potential benefits but some cautions along the way.
Dream encounters and their
acceptance by ordinary people are not new in history. Greek literature yields
many references to dreams from Plato, Homer, Socrates and others (Kelsey 1991:
57-79). Besides Christian literature, such as Augustine�s Confessions (1961:68),
every major church father of the early church from Justin Martyr, Iranaeus, Tertullian, Origen to Cyprian accepted dreams as
another mean of communication in which God could speak to humans (ibid. 1991:
104-114).
In the Middle
Ages, writings on dreams become increasingly absent in Christian literature.
However they grew in Arabia with Islam�s ascendancy during the tenth to
thirteenth century (ibid:143). Meanwhile, in Christian
societies, the revival of Aristotalian philosophy
during this time that emphasized logic diminished dreams as a source of
possible divine communication. If they occurred, they were likely thought of as
aberrations of the human mind.
The Enlightenment�s emphasis on the
mind and reason also disregarded dreams as a way for God to speak to man. The
twentieth century scientific-materialist worldview that traces its roots from
this period still pervades our understanding of dreams (Sanford 1989:44). For
example, modern science understands dreams solely as bio-electrical impulses of
the neurons, occurring during rapid-eye movement sleep. There is little
consideration of possible external divine stimuli.
The Enlightenment�s influence on the
religious nature of dreams also informed psychology�s beginnings. Freud
(1952:11) stated that dreams were simply �ingenious mythology� and that �only a
small minority of educated people doubted that dreams were a product of the
dreamer�s mind.� Even if one did not hold to Freud�s view, for most modern
Westerners a dream is a byword for flight, fantasy, imagination or fiction
(Musk 1988:163). Where they have some bearing affecting reality, little
attention is paid to it. Such reasoning has so strongly affected modern
Christians that some doubt �that God has communicated with men by dreams since
the close of the canon [of Scripture].� (Ruble 1968: 364)
Do dreams have any relevance or
merit serious examination by us today? If they are studied today, it is mostly
among secular or Christian psychologists. However, interest in dreams not only
survives among psychologists. With the rise of post-modern philosophy and
interest in things spiritual, its skepticism of scientific progress and
absolute knowledge, interest in dreams has resurged and made a comeback in the
West.
In societies little touched by the
Enlightenment however, dreams are considered as sources of mystery, hidden
knowledge or divine guidance requiring oneiromancy
(dream divination and interpretation). For example in Africa, there are numerous documentation on the pervasive nature of dreams
(Jedrej 1992). In Islamic societies, the
importance of dreams and visionary experience there has been continuous from
the tradition of Muhammad up to the present (Hermansen
1997: 2) Islamic literature lists over five thousand references alone devoted
to dream interpretation. No wonder dreams continue to be highly respected as a
means of divine communication among folk Muslims.
An
anthropological and sociological overview
Dreams continue to be important in
many societies worldwide for a number of reasons (Charsley
1992; Curley 1992; Jedrej 1992). A.F.C. Wallace
(1967:190) notes that dreams may be an escape valve for individuals to relieve
social tension within. For example, wet dreams fulfill this function for
sexually frustrated males in American society. Dreams are also useful for the
mind to work out certain problems encountered in the day as the dreamer
role-plays imaginative scenarios in the recess of sleep. Dreams may also
surprise a person into corrective behaviors (Musk 1988: 167) or used to seek
ancestral guidance of the unknown by communicating with the dead (Lehmann
1985:81). Among Muslims, dreams are thought to warn against impending danger,
guide him to a saint, solve judicial problems or interfere with political
decisions (Schimmel 1980:123).
Dreams are also used to explain felt
needs of suffering in society, providing answers and release anxiety in a world
of questions to relieve tensions between an individual and society at large
(Curley 1992:150). They may also reinforce certain local customs and mores
(Musk 1988:166), empower socially outcast groups by according their
practitioners powers and revelations (through oneiromancers
or diviners) (Jedrej 1992:169).
Whatever functions dreams satisfy,
most people perceive them as either real (i.e. supernatural
encounters/out-of-this world experiences) or unreal (i.e. figment of the
imagination or childish fantasies). The former view prevails in African, American
Indian and most Muslim societies, incorporated within a worldview that sees no
dualism of the natural and supernatural. Rather, life is looked at holistically
(Hiebert 1999:16-17). In The latter view is seen in
the modern, Western mind, conceived as a separate part of reality, by-products
of a primitive belief (Freud 1952:11).
The Bible views dreams as
ontologically real. They are mentioned numerous times throughout (Hubbard 2000:
41). The Bible distinguishes between a dream and a vision (ibid: 182-184).
Visions are often sought, while a dream may come unbidden (ibid: 114). Dreams
may be classified in various ways. According to Hubbard (ibid: 184), two types
of dreams may be observed in Scripture: (1) ordinary dreams that all people occasionally
have during sleep due to natural causes. It is believed that these sometimes
have religious significance. (2) revelatory dreams in
which God conveys information to man. They may have clear, direct meanings or
be symbol-laden. A dream was not considered to contain divine truth unless a
person or prophet could show credentials which could then make the dream
credulous. Musk (1988:167) notes that �[t]here is no sense, in the Scriptures,
of such dreams being second-class forms of communication between God and man.
They are both natural and acceptable.� Husser (1999:
23) classifies dreams found in Biblical genre as these:
Figure
1: A classification dreams in the Biblical genre
|
Symbolic dreams (dreams that transmit a message
from the gods but by means of images, pictures and events whose significance
escape the dreamer) |
Message-dreams (dreams are marked by unexpected
appearances of �a divinity or of someone who communicated a message, the
contents which are immediately intelligible to the sleeper) |
|
� Joseph�s dream (Gen 37) � The Egyptians� dreams (Gen 40-41) � The Midianite�s dream (Judg 7:13-15) � Nebudchanezzer�s dream (Dan. 2 and 4) |
� Abimelech�s dream (Gen 20:3-7) � Jacob�s first dream (Gen 28) � Jacob�s second dream (Gen 31:10-13) � Solomon�s dream (1 Kings 3) |
Of dreams (and visions) in the New
Testament, Padwick (1939:206) classifies them into
three types based on several passages: (1) moral warnings (Matt 27:19; Acts
9:4) (2) guidance (Matt 1:20; Acts 10:3) and (3) encouragement (Acts 18:9;
23:11).
In many narrative passages of the
Bible, dreams are described as historical, matter-of-fact instances of life
(Musk 1988:163). For example, dreams occur in the night (Gen 28:11,12; Job 33:15). They may warn of dangers (Matt 2:12,13), rebuke unbelievers (Gen 20:3,6; Matt 27:19), foretell
the future (Gen 37:5-10), announce God�s presence (Gen 31:11) or provide
comfort and encouragement (Gen 40:9-11; Acts 18:9; 23:11). Scripture also warns
of possible encounters with false dreams and false interpreters of dreams (Jer 23:32; Ecc 5:7; Zech 10:2)
while guiding us to deal with such counterfeit phenomena and false prophets
(Deut 13:1-5; Jer 23:25,28;
29:8). Demons may also speak through dreams to mislead (Deut 13:1-5). On the
other hand, non-believers may also experience dreams whose source is from the
Lord (Gen 20:3-7, Dan 2, 4). Some dreams are clear while others need to be
interpreted. It is God who gives the interpretation of dreams (Gen 40:8; 41:25,32; Dan 2:28). Dreams are considered a normal mode in which
God could communicate to his people (1 Sam 28:15). However valuable dreams were, they were just a mediating channel. Instead of speaking through
dreams, God could also speak to his prophet directly (Num 12:6). Just as dreams
can be a legitimate form of communication that God uses to speak to humans, the
phenomenon by itself does not indicate the credibility of the source. It must
be tested.
How does a person practically test
if dreams are from the Lord or another spirit? Two passages are insightful: Gen
28:12 and Jn 1:51. In the latter, Jesus is the
fulfillment of Jacob�s dream as the Ladder to heaven. All dreams then that
purport to signify Christ must in some way testify to him as the only
way to heaven (Jn 14:6) if it is to come from the
Lord. Oepke (1967:236) states that �[a]ll the records of dreams in the New Testament are properly
only variations on the one theme of Christ.� Any spirit that manifests itself
in a dream to a person must also testify that Jesus is God (1 Jn 4:2,3).
Dream
encounters in Christian societies
Augustine�s Confessions (1961:68)
records how his mother had a dream concerning his own salvation. Jerome
encountered a conversion dream in the midst of his struggle to decide between
his Christian family upbringing and his education. (Bulkeley
1995:8-9) Every major church father of the early church considered dreams as
another means of communication in which God could speak to man (Kelsey 1991:
104-114).
Today, where documented, analysis of
dream encounters occur in five areas: (1) the New Age (Gray. 1994) (2)
anthropological studies (Lehman and Myers 1985) (3) missionary accounts (Padwick 1939) (4) counseling/psychological literature
(secular or Christian) (Bulkeley 1995) or (5)
Charismatic/Pentecostal circles (Oss 1996).
Christian
psychologists and the dream
Christian psychology that has
focused on dreams and its interpretation, draws its
roots from psychoanalysis. Established by Freud (1952:15) as a specialized
field his work on dreams was significant because it broached an area considered
private and unscientific by many. By researching and writing of it
scientifically, he gave its study credibility. However, his conclusions were
based on an evolutionary, atheistic worldview. For Freud (1952:12-16), dreams
arose out of biological and mental phenomena of the dreamer�s own doing. Thus,
dreams could not come from any supernatural influences. Thus, its
interpretation and meaning were purely for the benefit of the dreamer. However,
if certain dream images were thought to be significant to the dreamer,
psychoanalysts could help interpret these images for the dreamer.
Carl Jung understood dreams in
another way. In his book Dreams, Jung (1974)
thought these symbols represented universal meanings or �archetypes� that any
society expressed its deep hidden meanings in. Though neither
a Christian like Freud, his view of dreams expanded the emphasis on a symbolic
interpretation of dreams. Instead of its meaning anchored solely in the
subjective and interpretive mind of the individual, Jung thought that an
intensive study of symbols in cultures around the world would unlock
universally common meanings in dreams. Both Freud and Jung�s understanding of
symbols in dreams were distinctly Saussarian (i.e. a
theory of semiotics by Ferdinand de Sausser that
stated a symbol represents an absolute known meaning perfectly in the mind of
the observer).
Jung�s thinking influenced Morton
Kelsey and John Sanford, predecessors who studied at the Carl Jung Institute.
Both Kelsey and Sanford promote a Saussarian
interpretation of dreams. Their approach is mostly individualistic, encouraging
the dreamer to record their private dreams and seek for interpretations within
known parameters of one�s knowledge or setting.
In general, while Christian
psychologists appreciated that dreams may impart meanings, Kelsey and Sanford�s
approach lacks strong biblical guidelines to determine the validity of dreams
in emphasizing the dependence of the dreamer as the self-authenticator to the
meaning of his or her own dreams. Scripture is used to authenticate and give
meaning to symbols found in the dreamer�s mind. Caution must be exercised here
for dreamers often dream dreams that are reflective of many things found within
their culture (Bulkeley 1995:9) and symbols found in
the Bible may not impart similar semiotic equivalents.
Charismatic/Pentecostal
views of the dream
Charismatic and Pentecostal
formulation of systematic theology has favored the subject of dreams. In
emphasizing that the outpouring of the Spirit and his work at Pentecost in Acts
2 is ongoing and continual even for today (Oss 1996: 247-8, 266-7), the
prophecy of Joel 2:28-29 is key (see also Acts 2:17). Certain Charismatics and Pentecostals may understand the gift of
discerning of Spirits in 1 Cor.12:10 to even include the interpretation of
dreams (Jackson 2002). While the interpretation of dreams may or may not be a
necessary gifting of the Spirit, it is definitely a revelation from the Divine
that God reveals to the hearer according as He wills (Gen 40:8; 41:25,32; Dan 2:28). For purposes of discussion on dreams, I will
use Husser�s definition (see earlier Figure 1)
especially in examining dreams in Islamic societies.
Dream
encounters in Islamic societies
Dreams are central to an
understanding of Islam as great credence is given to it in Islamic societies.
It is found in Muhammad�s life, the Quran and the Hadith
(Kelsey 1991:144). Ibn Ishaq,
a renowned Muslim commentator, believed that Muhammad�s �first signs of prophethood�were true visions�shown to him in his sleep.� (Peters 1994:147). Dream passages in the Quran are found in Surah 8:43; 12:36,41; 12:43-49;
21:5; 37:102 and 48:27. Surah 12 is notable for the
fact that ��Islamic tradition considers the prophet Joseph to be the foremost
interpreter of dreams.� (Renard
1998: 345). The surah is also �the most
beautiful story� in the Quran (Sachiko 1994:222).
Many Hadiths
also show Muhammad�s expertise at dream interpretation. Good dreams are
attributed to Allah but bad ones to Satan (Parshall
1994:154). Whoever claims to see a dream which he did not see will be punished
in hell (ibid:138). Interestingly, the Messiah is also
described in a dream in the Hadith. He is pictured as
a Muslim in a dream by Muhammad walking around the Kaabah
assisted by two men (ibid:161). One of the traditions
records Muhammad having a dream or visionary experience where he encounters the
prophets of Islam, including Jesus, on his way to heaven. (Peters
1994: 146). In another Hadith, an Indian
Muslim recounts a mysterious dreamlike vision where Jesus appears stating that
he is a �Son of God.� (Lawrence 1998: 349).
Among the three major Muslim sects
(i.e. the Sunnis, Sufis and Shi�ites), the Sufis, are
notable for their dream experiences. They
[are] in a
unique position within Islam in regard to interpreting their dream and
visionary experiences since they are able to exercise an element of
interpretive control conveyed by their claim to superior spiritual status and
training. This both privileges their interpretive authority and allows them to
apply the significance of their interpretations to realms beyond individual
concerns. (Hermansen 1997:4)
This emphasis on such oneiric experiences occurred at about the end of the
eleventh century (Lewis 1976:119). Theological grounds for full acceptance of
such experiences were laid by the Sufi theologian Muhammad al-Ghazali (ibid). He writes:
The rational soul in man abounds in
marvels, both of knowledge and power. By means of it we master arts and
sciences, can pass in a flash from earth to heaven and back again, can map out
the skies and measure the distances between the stars. By it also we can draw
out the fish from the sea and the birds from the air and can subdue our service
animals like the elephant, the camel and the horse. Our five senses are like
five doors opening on the external world; but more powerful than this, our
heart has a window that opens on the unseen world of spirit. In the state of
sleep, when the avenues of the senses are closed, this window is opened, and we
receive impressions from the unseen world and sometimes foreshadowings
of the future (added). Our hearts are like a mirror that reflects what is
pictured in the Tablet of Fate. But, even in sleep, thoughts of worldly things
dull the mirror, so that the impressions it receives are not clear (Fadiman
1997:104-105).
These experiences �gained in importance
as symptoms of the student�s inner state and of his psychic progress. The
teacher interpreted his dreams and visions for him, and the first steps were
taken towards a system of interpretation.� (ibid.)
Dreams were one of the means in
which the mystic�s ultimate longing for union with Muhammad could be achieved
(ibid: 123). Thus Sufis found this significant as it answers the question of
guidance in seeking supernatural knowledge (Hiebert
1999:189). Muslims also related dreams to sleep and death. Sachiko (1994:223)
explains that
all Muslims knew that dreams were not to be taken at face
value. Dreams had to be understood in terms of some appropriate correspondence
between the image and the meaning that had become embodied through the image.
And everyone knew that sleep and death were somehow similar in their
characteristics. Hence, to many Muslims thinkers, it was self-evident that we
can throw light on the nature of experience after death by investigating the
nature of dreams and the correspondence that exist between the perceived images
and the meanings that appear in the images.
Among Shi�ites,
�intiatory� dreams are experienced among some
followers into their calling to the point even doctrines developed later in
many writings are inseparable from teachings received in dreams (Corbin 1966:
403). It is thus unsurprising to find Shi�te works on
ethics and moral counsel replete with dream citations. Such dreams answer
ordinary Muslim concerns of the good life and search for blessing (ibid:134-5).
Dreams are still central to folk
Muslims today (Musk 1988:164). Musk records of how a Muslim acquaintance
foretold an illness by a dream and another where a Turkish man ��had first been
awakened to interest in Christianity by two dreams.� (ibid: 166-168) Padwick (1939: 206) notes of Muslims converting to
Christianity through dreams. In one account a Muslim dreamed Christ appearing
in �green robes (the Muslim sacred color) and ordered the man in question to
read the gospel and follow his way.� In Pakistan, Sheik (1980:35-45) has told
of dreams influencing her conversion to Christ.
Why do dreams exert such strong
influences among Muslims? The fascination of Jesus images among folk Muslims
(and possibly in dreams) may be understood in that
Jesus is always identified as a
Muslim prophet � and this must be constantly borne in mind, for he is after
all, a figure molded in an Islamic environment. As if to emphasize the fact,
several [Muslim] stories depict him reciting the Qur�an and explaining it,
praying in the Muslim manner and going to pilgrimage to Mecca� Traditions from
the time of Muhammad stress the special closeness with Jesus�[and] even if we
think of him as an artificial creation, he seems to be an unusual instance of
the way in which one religion reaches out to borrow the spiritual heroes of
another religion in order to reinforce its own piety (Khalidi
2001:44).
Musk (1988:167) summarizes the
Muslim attitude concerning dreams, noting that
[i]n the
full and complex cosmological world of popular Islam, dreams are of central
importance, especially with regard to religious activity. Concepts of
causality, as defined within popular Islam, come to the surface in the
practice, for example, of divination by dream. As far as the concept of
personal �force� is concerned, appropriate powers are fixed upon and even
activated in dream/trance state by qualified practitioners. The natural and
supernatural worlds coalesce as part of the one reality: the dreamworld unites them. In consequence, dreams are highly
motivational within the worldview of popular Islam.
Implications
for Christian missions and ministry
Dreams
as a form of evangelism
When people convert to another
spiritual worldview, they do so in the context of some kind of disequilibrium,
such as crises within one�s sphere of understanding (Bulkeley
1995:8). In virtually all cases of conversion dreams among Muslims, some
sort of crisis has occurred within their scope of thinking as part of their
turning to Jesus Christ as Lord. When Muslims dream of Jesus directing them to
read the Bible, turn to the gospel (Padwick
1939:206), or find peace and comfort (Sheik 1980:52-56), they also experience
cognitive dissonance in the process. Some psychologists remark that a primary
function of dreams is to �help people adapt to and to overcome crises of
various sorts.� (Bulkeley 1995:8) In this respect,
�conversion dreams are crisis-resolving dreams par excellence.�(ibid.) If this is so, then missionaries
may note two potential means of utilizing this understanding in Muslim
evangelism: (1) awareness of possible �crisis� events which might trigger
dreams in the Muslim (e.g. natural disasters, family crisis, physical or
financial hardships, presentation of the gospel) and (2) preparedness to enter
in and offer oneself as an �interpreter� of their dreams. When message
dreams are triggered by a crisis that testify of the Christ of Scripture or the
gospel especially, missionaries become oneiromancers
in that they have the full revelation of the gospel as found in the Bible as
the key to unlock these dreams. Musk (1988: 168, 170) states that
[I]t would seem that dreams of
guidance have frequently (added) been part of the process of movement
toward Christ for those coming from a Muslim background. In such dreams,
angels, or Jesus himself, have appeared, urging the person concerned to seek
Christ. �the world of dream life [appears to provide] an
entr�e to the center of the folk-Islamic worldview. That medium is
already functioning within the context of folk-Islamic belief and practice.
History records the central importance of dreams in evangelism of ordinary
Muslims where care has been taken to note the reality and significance of such
phenomena.�
If a Muslim has a dream that no one
in their community is able to interpret adequately, Christians might seek the
Lord for possible in-roads or a sign to confirm the significance of these
dreams for them. Dreams, if and when properly interpreted for the Muslim who
receives them, may thus open doors for the gospel to penetrate their hearts.
In light of this, it is therefore
not impermissible to pray for God to speak or reveal himself to the Muslim
through dreams. It is only one kind but not the only means of evangelism
among them. This may be especially so among folk Muslims, Sufis and certain
African societies where dreams are considered superior to reality. A missionary
who listens to the dreams of the unsaved may also understand much better the
deeper thoughts and concerns of a person. Missionaries should also consider
that a dream they encounter in their very own sleep be possible
prompters from the Holy Spirit to pray for certain individuals or situations
realized in the dream.
Because dreams have been a part of
God�s people in the Bible and in the early church, we must not rule out this
mode of communication where God still speaks through dreams through certain
people today (Barfoot 2002). If a person comes to
Christ through dreams, the work of discipleship must begin. However dreams are
experienced by the person during the conversion process, we may not be able to
determine whether there is some ontological reality to it. However, Bulkeley (1995:4) notes that one can determine that dreams
do have a powerful capacity to transform a person�s spiritual life and that a
developed, solid, well-reasoned understanding of that capacity can be
formulated. The need for discernment, correction and instruction are important
(Hiebert 1999:190). The Bible must increasingly
become the newborn�s surest guide to revelation and understanding of who God is.
Their dreams must not take precedence over Scripture but rather the Bible must
inform and transform their thoughts (Rom 12:1-2). If this does not occur,
syncretism may creep in.
Interestingly, nowhere in the Bible
is the saved believer encouraged to seek God in dreams. This is because Jesus
has already shown us who God is (Jn 1:18). He who has
seen Jesus has seen the Father (Jn 14:9). His
presence is here with us in the person of the Holy Spirit (Jn
15:26). There is thus no need for an intermediary medium where one is
unnecessary. This does not mean that a Christian should seek to deny dreams as
a part of their life, only to note of dangers in seeking dreams as an end by
themselves. Any attempts to seek meaning or guidance in dreams for personal,
magical or manipulative use may cross over into divination. A believer should
be cautious of any recommendations to seriously seek dreams and find personal
meaning in them.
Besides evangelistic opportunities, disciplers must be open if given an opportunity or ability
to continue interpreting dreams of the saved person. In doing so, they must
also note that a person�s dream experiences and the dreamer�s culture exert a
mutual influence on one another (Jedrej 1992) as the
influence of culture and the dream is reflexive both ways (Bulkeley
1995:9). Viewed in this way, Muslims thus may dream of Jesus because he is
among their Quranic prophets which in turn reinforces
or reshapes their internal worldview. However, in instances where external and
inexplicable dream images are found (i.e. supernatural elements angelic,
demonic or otherwise) such influences exerting their presence into the
dreamscape of the dreamer may be a likely explanation. We must not be trapped
in the naturalistic-materialistic worldview of society. Just
as the Lord can speak through dreams, so can Satan and his demons (Hiebert 1999:193).
Where the phenomena are not
spiritual, one must note that not all oneiric
manifestations may be significant. Some may arise as random, spontaneous, unmeaningful collections of thoughts the mind plays during
sleep. Undue preoccupation or repeated attempts to read meanings into every
dream may be unfruitful. When dreams are experienced as real and considered
significant by the dreamer (and ontologically proven so by those whom God has
given insights into the dreamer�s life and can verify to real signifiers in a
person�s life), we must also not deny their reality as reported by the dreamer.
Doing so will lead to a split-level Christianity that affirms Biblical truths
on one level but conceal deep and private beliefs on another (ibid:15). Where it is tested ontologically against Scripture and
found real, Christians should affirm this mode of communication that the Lord
has apparently chosen to speak to the dreamer. Where there are avenues of
providing reliable means of interpretation (such as a gift of interpretation or
wise Christian counselor or pastor that is able to shepherd and counsel the
dreamer in assessing its credibility and relevance), we must not ignore it nor dismiss
it. A proper methodology and understanding in how one interprets dreams merits
further careful study among Christians. A Jungian view that dreams signify
fixed universal symbols that are inherently identifiable with clarity to the
dreamer is not always true (Bulkeley 1992: 200). This
is similar to a Saussarian understanding of signs
that there is a one-to-one correspondence that a symbol signifies a fixed
mental image. Dreams have some form of reality to them that is not always clear
to the dreamer. However, these oneiric symbols are
also influenced largely by the dreamer�s socio-cultural background.
Besides a possible ministry of dream
interpretation (i.e. Joseph or Daniel of the Bible), Padwick
(1939:205-7) points out some benefits of keeping a diary on the mission field
as a means of recording dream stories shared by the locals. They may provide
key insights into the lives and concerns of ordinary people, serving to form
deeper understandings and relationship with those who take the time to listen and
share out of their innermost thoughts. This also enables Christians to be
better ministers of the gospel.
Only recently have social
anthropologists categorized dreams as a social phenomenon having effects being
felt by the people, society and culture of the dreamer rather than as
individualistic preoccupation that relegates them to private thoughts and
emotions in the realm of psychology (Jedrej 1992:6).
They also have continuing relevance to the lives of ordinary people even today.
If Joel 2:28 still awaits its complete fulfillment, then we have reason to take
the study of dreams seriously. Stories of people who have had dreams or visions
of someone bringing them God�s word still abound (Hiebert
1999:131).
The Bible also informs us capably of
the efficacy and possibility of dreams as a valid form of divine communication.
However, much is still unknown to us such as our understanding of what
constitutes reality, and the relationship between the soul and dreams. Musk
(1988:170) asks, if dreams are a part of reality, ��can our horizons of what
constitutes �reality� expand toward a more biblical norm?�
In light of the above, what are some
broad missiological lessons we can learn from and
apply concerning dreams? Besides some specific examples already discussed in
evangelism and discipleship, I suggest the following for further engagement
concerning:
(1) The influence of the
Enlightenment and its emphasis on logic and rationalism in ministry. For
missions to be more effective, we must guard against a mindset that splits the
supernatural and the natural that produces an excluded middle (Hiebert 2000:418) (a worldview that distorts a recognition of unseen, spiritual realities that our
rationalistic emphasis dismisses easily). Additionally, we should not
overemphasis human logic while minimizing divine mystery in our witness. For
example, much Muslim-Christian discussion (and evangelism) on God has centered around logical (as much as possible) explanations of the
incarnation and the Trinity, overemphasizing logic while minimizing the
mysteries of these concepts. This produces a thorough-going rationalistic
approach to evangelism in expositing the Bible and Christianity that leaves
Muslims cold. Instead, might missionaries ask Muslims to pray about these
matters and ask for God to reveal these mysteries to them (by dreams or
otherwise?) instead of relying wholly on our theological outlines and
apologetics memorized from seminary days?
(2) Our
understanding of how God works in missions, with regard to the Holy Spirit and
our theology of missions. If the Holy Spirit is rightly accorded his place in
evangelism and discipleship, we understand his role in the convicting,
converting and sanctification process of the unbeliever and in the empowerment
and gifting of the believer for the ministry. However, less stressed is his
role in making the presence of God known to unbelievers in illuminating God�s
mystery and revelation through the Bible, signs (i.e. miracles), creation (i.e.
nature) and through dreams. To what extent is our under appreciation of the
Holy Spirit�s role in these aspects of ministry a blind spot in allowing us to
be flexible and open to the various ways in which God reaches out to people? If
missionaries are susceptible to this, then it may be greater among theologians,
much less systematic theology treatments of it.
(3) The
phenomenon of dreams among American Indians, New Agers, and psychologist to
mention a few. Because they are taken seriously among such groups of people,
fruitful means of evangelism may be yet unexplored by Christians among these
audiences. After all, if we can understand better how folk Muslims view the
world and experience it through their dreams and evangelize to them, how much more
among others who reckon dreams seriously? An intriguing question to
consider is if God may capably witness to Hindus (entrenched in a worldview
that considers the world as a dream) through dreams as well? Further
anthropological studies combined with missiological
strategies engaged in people and cultures whose see the dream as continuing
significance still await us all.
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