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Strange Virtues: Ethics in a Multicultural World

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This book focuses on how Christians (and especially evangelicals) are to deal with the fact that many other cultures have moral standards that differ radically from those we take for granted here in the West (bribery for example). This book is written by one who has spent much of his life living and working in non-western cultures, and is targeted primarily for a mission minded audience who will likely be facing some of the issues covered in his book. Despite his evangelical beliefs Adeney is not afraid to question the assumed absoluteness of certain ethical principles that most Christians in the West would affirm. He asks whether our perceptions may be skewed by our culture, and whether certain moral issues may ultimately be relative to the cultural context in which they arise. I appreciated the level of balance Adeney brought to this discussion. He avoided embracing a wishy washy relativism and tolerance based on a disbelief in any solid truths, and yet he also recognized the complexity of experience and the limited abilities of human cognition and judgement. In short, he strives to maintain the delicate balance of intellectual integrity by avoiding the opposite pitfalls of uncritical relativism on one side and unthinking, unreflective dogmatism on the other. Because of this his own position sometimes comes across as unclear or weak, but it is always genuine and honest.

One chapter I especially appreciated was his discussion of the challege of other religions to the Christian. He recognizes that other religions can often seem to surpass Christianity in aesthetic beauty, spiritual meaningfulness, and ethical excellence. However, he also balances this with the admission that religions are often the source of demonic and/or social oppression. Adeney, then weighs the philosophical options of inclusivism, exclusivism, and pluralism in relation to religions. Adeney's own position is fuzzy but at least he is one of the few authors to admit the validity and difficulties in each option.

REVIEW OF STRANGE VIRTUES: ETHICS IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD
By Bernard Adeney

I am into my 2nd reading of this remarkable book which is probably more appropriate for today than when it was written 10 years ago. I am using it as a resource for spiritual direction, with formal sessions and a guide.

Adeney has clearly set forth the notion that ethics means actions not just belief in laws and abstract principles. Laws and principles are helpful, but they grow out of actions not vice versa. Moral action means doing good appropriately in a real life context of a culture. The context, for Adeney, is the combination of the cultures of the actors in the event and the host community. That rings true to me.

He points out that traditions and rituals are important in the formation of our culture and in its practice, both of which we often engage in unconsciously, just as we learn our native language. It is in the praxis of our ethics that we become "good." Praxis is "the practice of theology or theory in experience..." (p. 48) I translate that to be what it means to be good at a certain time, in a certain place, with certain individuals. This is different from saying that all ethics are relative. It is saying that ethics must depend on context. Universal principles must have flesh and bones and become alive to foster good behavior, and some moral judgments take precedent over other lesser values. We must choose between good and good.

Adeney has written from his heart and his experience as well as his extensive knowledge, but most of all from his own ethics which includes a good dose of compassion for those whose path to goodness differs from his. He welcomes them and listens to them tell their story. Rather than judging them, Adeney shares his own experience, strength and hope and invites dialogue.

His propositions are based on relevant biblical passages and sound scholarship. He has presented different interpretations of a number of moral dilemmas and invites the reader to choose between them or find an alternative. This book can serve as the text for academic study or for discussion groups in business, church, or community. It also can be a help to all who want to maximize their visit in another culture-whether across town or across the world-and not be seen as "The Ugly American" by default; that is, by making social blunders from not knowing the rituals and traditions of the community. Learning its lessons can also reduce one's fear of being taken advantage of in a foreign environment.

I've read few nonfiction books lately that brought tears to my eyes. This one did-more than once, as it reconnected me with an experience similar to the one the author was describing. Though the details of my story were somewhat different, the deep feeling and the moral dilemma were the same. I highly recommend this book.
Carolyn A. Martin, Ph.D.
71 Amaryllis Lane
Tiger, GA 30576

Strange Virtues: Ethics in a Multicultural World, by Bernard T. Adeney is a wonderful tool for anybody living or working in a different culture. This includes different cultures within one's home country. Especially in heavily multinational countries (like America or Britain) interacting with those of differing fundamental worldviews is almost unavoidable. In fact, Adeney has no problem with "the elasticity of the concept of culture," and reminds the reader that even under the same roof there can be dwelling two highly unique cultures within man and wife. For this reason, Strange Virtues would be appropriate inside the generic library of any person seeking insight into how to respond to someone whose values are significantly different than their own. Needless to say, no one culture holds a monopoly on truth and this seems to be why Adeney has written Strange Virtues. His thesis might be that there is good within all cultures and only by studying the values of those radically different is one able to be shocked into a clearer recognition of what s/he believes because for the first time, basic assumptions are challenged.

Abounding in all sorts of churches is the cry to interpret the Bible within its context and not to pull out random phrases and use them for personal deduction. The Scriptures are God's words to man in a specific cultural historical context. What may be good or acceptable in one culture may not be in another. For example, using the bare foot to touch someone is highly offensive in Thai culture, but rarely would an American give it a second thought. Therefore, it's necessary to get at the kernel of what God considers good, not only for the Israelites but for all humankind. Is it crucial to salvation for women to remain plain and unadorned? Adeney points out that the fruits of the Spirit transcend culture for "against such there is no law."(Galatians 5:23) These should be the ultimate guidelines.

Adeney keeps this in mind throughout Strange Virtues as he deals with the Christian's response to bribery and other "obvious" wrongs, what a Christian does with the goodness found in other religions (a chapter I found especially stimulating and refreshing), and handling of cultural differences in gender roles. His thinking is extremely necessary, especially for those working abroad with intentions in ministry. In the last chapter Adeney provides a thought-provoking case study about an expatriate family coping with the tremendous abuse of the local power structure. In his example, the family succeeds to a certain extent because they respond to their God-driven urge for love and justice instead of responding like many of their cultural peers. Their expatiate friends strongly encouraged them not to meddle in local affairs, but they could not remain silent despite what the culturally acceptable course was.

I found Adeney's arguments very convincing and he has in fact persuaded me to see things differently. In my mind, this is the mark of a good author and a truly useful book.

I read this book as an assignment for a bioethics class. It is written in an easy to read style. It made me thankfull of our American way of life but also gave me some understanding into other cultrues and their way of thinking about religion and society

Ethics, both in study and in practice, is a not-trivial exercise. In many ways it is where the rubber meets the proverbial road, that place where religion, philosophy and human interactions intersect (sometimes violently) as people try to "do right" by each other. In a world as divergent and varied as this one, there seem to be as many ethical standards, codes and systems as there are people to implement them. Violent collisions of different ethical assumptions and practices occur daily as people deal with one another. As the world networks and becomes truly global, these cross-cultural ethical conundrums become more and more frequent and harried. Travel is no longer needed to experience this distinctly human phenomenon, as the world has truly "come to our door", both in the form of immigrants and the world wide internets. It is no longer a question of if one will endure these ethical collisions, but a question of how to handle it when it does happen. Thankfully, this is a situation that men like Bernard Adeney attempt to understand and while there are some conclusions that some authors such as Adeney come to, their advice is helpful and frankly, necessary.

Adeney's purpose for writing Strange Virtues is clearly stated in the form of a question: "How do we respond to situations where our values are incongruent with those of another culture?" (14) Simply put, people believe differently from each other. They have different values and different understandings of right and wrong. They have different political systems, religious convictions and cultural ceremonies. Different cultures have different views on what constitutes morality, manners, relations and proper epistemology. Cultures vary in how virtue is achieved and what is "...the vision of a virtuous person in a good community." (15) Rightly understanding these various perspectives and rightly responding to them can be a tricky business. The job becomes more difficult, in some respects, when one approaches the conundrum from the perspective of Christianity. Christian belief and doctrine are at their core exclusive. There are things that Christianity states are Truth and which it cannot budge from, or else it ceases to be biblical Christianity. It is not generally a religion of plurality and diversity of beliefs when it comes down to its core issues. Yet the Bible does not lay out patterns of expected behavior for every particular ethical possibility. In "Strange Virtues" Adeney brings up issues of bribery, theft, lying and honor where at first glance the appropriate ethical action may be obvious to our western sensibilities, but when viewed from the context of another culture, there is always more than meets the eye. As such, "Strange Virtues" is written by a Christian to Christians (particularly in the West) to encourage them to think out of and think through their ethical and cultural boxes and consider what Christianity teaches from other cultural perspectives. Doing so can be fraught with danger, but it can also be enriching and rewarding.

If anything, "Strange Virtues" is a book seeking balance. Prescriptionist applications of Biblical commands and principles can be a good thing. Absolutist understandings of culture and the world about can be healthy and in fact is actually necessary and natural. Yet Adeney also understands the dangers of prescriptionism and absolutism in the realm of Christian Ethics when they are divorced from the Word and Will of God. It is a good thing to behave a certain way based on what God says in Scripture. Yet doing "good" based on your interpretation of what God says in Scripture can be another story entirely. Realistically, it is next to impossible to do one without the other. Yet, it is all too easy to allow culture assumptions and perspectives to creep in; taking the place of authority that should be kept for the Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.

As a parallel, in asking Westerners to think outside of their cultural shells (while encouraging them to remain in them), Adeney does a fair job in presenting the perspectives of other cultures. When it comes to issues like bribery, most Americans would recoil at the thought of paying money to civil servants in payment for some service rendered. There are rules of law in America that discourage such practices. Adeney reminds the reader that this practice can be quite common in Asian countries, but not for the reasons Americans might think. In pointing to different cultural assumptions within peoples of the West and the East, the Author points out that it is quite possible that the gift or favor might be done, not out of greed or a desire for more wealth by the official, but because of Eastern focus on relationships and honor. To his credit, Adeney does not allow that this by definition should free such practices from the charges of bribery, but he does ask the reader to consider the situation more fully from an ethical perspective before rendering judgment.

Additionally, Adeney shares some very helpful advice on communication in his chapter "Strange Communication". Any person who has been married for any amount of time knows just how important communication is. In marriage, there is in some sense a wedding of cultures. There is a man and a woman being married. Both think different, function differently and feel differently. Likewise, marriage is the joining of two people from different families. Families form their own miniature sub-cultures, complete with family dialects, philosophies and perspectives. For two such different people to have a successful, faithful marriage, communication and understanding must be a driving focus. Likewise, cross-cultural understanding starts at cross-cultural communication.

I will never forget a weekend we spent with a French family in 1970. My wife and I picked up Jean Marie, who was hitchhiking outside Paris. We were just beginning to study French, and he spoke no English. When we left him off, he invited us to his home in a small village for the weekend. There, through music, laughter, food, wine, children, flowers, chores and shared grief over the injustice of the world, we became like brothers and sisters. Of the few words that we were able to exchange, only one do I remember as significant: the French word simpatique expressed what we had found together. (127)

Adeney goes on to explain that communication need not even be purely verbal. As stated above, it can take the form of laughter, music, food and beauty, but it does require the effort of two or more parties submitting their ignorance and swallowing their pride to become a learner in a strange situation or setting.

Adeney's most helpful portion of the book follows along the same lines, and that is his discussion on the "adaptation of the role of a stranger" (130). In particular, his explanation of the three stages of assimilation is especially enlightening. The first stage is the "preliminary stage" or the "honeymoon stage". This is the time in the transition where the stranger is new and strange to the host culture, and the host culture is new and strange to the stranger. It is a time of new experiences and sensory overload, where everything is exciting, and both the host and the stranger tends to put their best feet forwards. Close on its heels, though, is the "Transition Stage". While the stranger is now accepted in this stage, his novelty has worn off and he might often be ignored. "The host wants to know how committed the guest really is and how long they are likely to stay. The guest wants to know if he or she is really still welcome and how long that is likely to continue. Neither side wants to be simply exploited for the interests of the other." (135) Finally, if he is accepted, the stranger becomes incorporated into the culture. She is now completely free to be one of the members of the host culture. Yet, a former stranger, while completely accepted, will never be "blood kin" but will be accepted as an adopted child. Quoting Gittins, Adeney goes so far as to say that "...if strangers are unwilling to accept this and show it in their attitudes, they are unlikely to be incorporated into the culture." (136).

As helpful as this book is, it is not without its weaknesses and shortfalls. Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of the book is Adeney's attempted pluralistic tightrope act. It is one thing to be a pluralist, but Adeney becomes something of a meta-pluralist by attempting to be a pluralistic, inclusivistic and exclusivistic all at once. To be fair, Adeney does pose the proper questioning observation "If all religions are equal and truth is equally unknown by all, then there is no standpoint from which to condemn any religious practices". This is a problem that pure pluralism has no solution for, but Adeney tries too hard to balance too much. He wants to sympathize with liberal Christians as well as with conservative evangelical Christians, but his attempts at doing so ring hollow. In particular, his chapter titled "The Ethical Challenges of Other Religions" is rather unfortunate as he does a poor job of understanding other religions from a Christian perspective. In fact, his critique could really masquerade as a critique from a fair minded agnostic discussing all the major religions of the world. His repeated statements of the "goodness" of committed, sincere practitioners of these religions (even Christianity!) are troublesome at best when considered in light of the Ten Commandments and Romans 3.

"Strange Virtues" is most helpful to the Christian man or woman considering cross-cultural work. Adeney's discussion on humbly submitting to the host culture as a stranger is golden and is extremely helpful and encouraging. Likewise, his repeated focus on encouraging Christians to consider their beliefs in light of possible inherent cultural assumptions is very helpful. It is all too easy to supersede God's Word and Law with what culture and personality says and then judge people by it. Such behavior is especially unfortunate when it comes to poor cross-cultural communication. Quiet respect for one man might be rank rudeness to another. It would be sad indeed for the second man to become angry, when the first man was simply attempting to be respectful. Yet, not being mindful of such cross-cultural intricacies can cause great harm.

Still, understanding one's own culture is even more important than understanding another. Human beings often unknowingly create cross-cultural blind spots and immunities. Learning from other cultures help to reveal those blind spots and allow the Christian to better submit himself to God and to His Word. Such a man is then better prepared to move into a strange culture with strange virtues because he is better grounded in the Word of God, the Truth that transcends all cultures and peoples and time.

"Strange Virtues", while not without some serious problems, is a thoughtful, thought-provoking, and ultimately encouraging treatise on the problem of cross-cultural ethics and how the Christian is to understand them, live with them and honor God by them.