Deconstructing colonial spirituality

Ethnocentrism and homogeneity

Abstract

The transformation of a culturally and racially homogeneous church into an intercultural church inherently carries a postcolonial, decolonial dimension. The term colonialism is usually discussed in terms of power, violence, and coercion. But its ultimate goal is to suppress, control, and eliminate all cultural and racial differences in order to establish a single, uniform culture (homogeneity) rooted in self-centered thinking (ethnocentrism).

Therefore, when we say we are moving toward an intercultural church, two fundamental reflections are required: on ethnocentrism and homogeneity. These are not only the driving forces of colonialism but also core aspects of humanity’s sinful nature.

Without a thorough repentance and overcoming of these two tendencies, all intercultural or multicultural church efforts—no matter how well-intentioned—will inevitably regress to their original state. That is, they will once again become racially homogeneous and confined to self-centered ways of thinking. And in the end, the spirit of colonization will triumph once again: One Unholy Uniform Church.

From this point forward, I will explore ethnocentrism and homogeneity as the most persistent spiritual adversaries that remain in the postcolonial context of church life, including for the Mennonite church.