Author: HonorShame
resources for Majority World ministry
Dr. Evertt W. Huffard is Professor Emeritus at Harding School of Theology. This post is an excerpt from his book The Honor Of God: More About Character Than Reputation Or The Radiance Of Glory (WestBow Press, 2026). To understand the kabod …
The Problem with Bruce Malina’s Cultural Frameworks
Dr. Melissa C. M. Tan (PhD., University of Aberdeen) wrote her doctoral dissertation on the methodology of Bruce Malina, the scholar who introduced honor-shame, patronage, and related anthropological categories to New Testament studies and even missiology. Forty-five years have passed …
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“Gnashing Of Teeth” as Status Resentment
Jesus described Gehenna as a place characterized by “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The vivid phrase, “gnashing of teeth,” is often equated with sorrow and regret, as if it were synonymous with “weeping.” That is, the unrighteous would anguish over …
Short Book on Honor & Shame
Arley Loewen has published the book: Another Look at Honor-Shame Cultures. Preserving personal and family honor, and avoiding shame, are basic social goals in honor-shame cultures. But, how do these values play out for Christians? How do we receive or give …
The Agora as a Court of Public Honor in Acts
Jason Borges (Ph.D., Durham University) works at the Asia Minor Research Center in Turkey, researching and teaching early Christianity. His latest book, Christian Life in the Greco-Roman City (Baker Academic, 2026), examines how the ancient city shaped the lives and …
The Glory and Honor of Roman Monuments
Jason Borges (Ph.D., Durham University) works at the Asia Minor Research Center in Turkey, researching and teaching early Christianity. His latest book, Christian Life in the Greco-Roman City (Baker Academic, 2026), examines how the ancient city shaped the lives and …
The Shamelessness of God in Prayer (Luke 11:5–13)
In Luke 11, Jesus tells a parable about someone requesting help at midnight. Unfortunately, most translations indicate that Jesus’ parable teaches that prayer is difficult and laborious, so we must be stubbornly persistent to receive anything from God. Rather, I …
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The Forgiven Debtor Who Loves (Luke 7:41–43)
A certain loan-maker had two debtors—one owed $50,000, and the other owed $5,000. When they had no money to repay, he forgave both of them. So, which debtor would love him more? Jesus told this short parable after Simon the Pharisee gawked …
The 3D Gospel after 10 Years
The 3D Gospel was published over 10 years ago. The initial idea was to create a two-page PDF handout. When it mushroomed into 70 pages, I thought, ‘Well, if I put it on Amazon, maybe a few people might buy …
New Article about Honor, Discipleship, and Christian Identity
Dr. Chris Flanders has published a new article, “Honor, Discipleship, and Christian Identity: How Attention to Cultural Honor Can Facilitate Christian Movements in the Buddhist World” in the Journal of Asian Mission (Vol. 26, No. 1; May 2025), which is available (for …
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How to Eat and Drink “Unworthily” (1 Cor 11:27)
In 1 Cor 11:27, Paul says, “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is culpable of the body and the blood of the Lord” (Ὥστε ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ …
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New Book: One New Humanity
This is an excerpt from a new book by Kristin Caynor and Werner Mischke, One New Humanity: Glory, Violence, and the Gospel of Peace, which is available at Amazon and William Carey Publishing. Consider Peter’s visit in Joppa to the …
History of HS Missiology
Chris Flanders (Abilene Christian University) has written an excellent article about the development of honor-shame in evangelical missiology in the last 50 years. You can read the open-source publication at: http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/article/view/2910 This article will be helpful for people doing research …
Discussion Questions for Honor-Shame
Adults learn best by practicing and engaging with material. So, when I teach honor-shame, I strive to incorporate non-lecture activities at least 30% of the time. Last week, I led a 10-hour training on honor-shame. Usually, I would use various …
5 Levels of Honor-Shame Understanding
People approach honor-shame in five different ways. These can be organized as stages people progress through as their understanding grows. The five phases are painted with a broad brush, and each person has their own learning journey. Yet, here is …
Lectures by Dr. Te-Li Lau
On Thursday, November 7, Dr. Te-Li Lau Trinity Evangelical Divinity School will present research about emotion and shame in Paul. You may join us in Abilene, Texas, or register for free to join online. To stream the lectures, register at https://acu-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8z0mpw_SS5WoxWzUhJ03eA#/registration …
Honor and Anger
There is a connection between honor and anger. Anger is an intense emotion of annoyance and displeasure that leads to hostility and combat. Something happens, you feel displeased, then you react aggressively. Anger is an aggressive reaction to stress, a …
Update Bibliography on Honor-Shame
Dr. Chris Flanders (Abilene Christian University) has provided an invaluable service to anyone interested in honor-shame, especially researchers—a thorough bibliography of publications on honor and shame. The list includes cultural, biblical, theological, and missiological works. You can access the Zotero …
New Honor-Shame Book on Galatians
This post is an short excerpt from Mark Baker’s new book, Freedom From Religiosity and Judgmentalism: Studies in Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. The book interprets Galatians through the lens of charis (grace/gift), honor-shame, and centered-church theory, all topics he …
A Revealing Letter about Ancient Christianity
After Constantine converted to Christianity in AD 312, every Roman emperor was Christian (at least nominally). This fact is remarkable, considering both the great pride Romans had long placed in worshiping their Gods and the fact the (Eastern) Roman Empire …
