Culture: The Arena of Missions

The social sciences--anthropology, sociology, and psychology--form the second layer of missiology. These social sciences inform missionaries of the cultural context in which they are living and the nature of the human psyche. Cultural similarities and differences and the difficulty of communicating across cultural barriers become apparent. Specific studies of marriage customs, kinship patterns, cultural roles, and patterns of organizing thought greatly impact how the gospel is communicated. Effective strategies take into consideration the cultural context.