Customs and Cultures (Revised Edition): The Communication of the Christian Faith

How can the church meaningfully and intelligently engage cultures with Christianity?

Oftentimes, it is not the message but the messenger that provides the greatest stumbling block for the average non-Christian. A missionary's ability to identify with the people, not in sympathy, but in empathy, is one of the keys. Language is another crucial factor. Anthropology and missions have much to learn from each other.

Customs and Cultures provides practical ways missionaries can become acquainted with the cultural anthropology of the local community. Eugene Nida, a leading scholar and devout Christian, presents a thorough study of the means and methods which best communicate Christianity to people of diverse backgrounds. Dr. Nida is uniquely equipped to write this book because he is a well-known specialist in linguistics, anthropology studies, and the interpretation of the Christian faith, who worked with missionaries on translation problems for over thirty years.

The development of the church is the real goal. The power of Jesus Christ working through his consecrated servants can sanctify all of life to the glory of God.

Eugene A. Nida (November 11, 1914 - August 25, 2011) was an American linguist who developed the dynamic-equivalence Bible-translation theory and was one of the founders of the modern discipline of translation studies. He received his PhD in Linguistics from the University of Michigan and was an ordained Baptist minister. Dr. Nida was a consultant on translations for the American Bible Society and the United Bible Societies. He worked in more than 85 different countries with translators producing texts in more than 200 languages. He is the author of over 30 books on translation, linguistics, anthropology, and missions, and through the years contributed to numerous scientific journals.