Selective Missiological Implications of Bunkhun for Ministry Among the Khon Muang
type: CreativeWork
description: ABSTRACT SELECTIVE MISSIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF BUNKHUN FOR MINISTRY AMONG THE KHON MUANG Thomas Lowell Bohnert, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2018 Chair: Dr. George H. Martin The purpose of this dissertation is to examine a socio-cultural barrier to the gospel among the Khon Muang of Northern Thailand. The thesis of this dissertation is that bunkhun is an essential cultural factor that missionaries must understand to build and maintain healthy relationships among the Khon Muang. Chapter 1 introduces the problem and the methodology for analyzing the problem was described. Chapter 2 contains an ethnographic description of the Khon Muang people along with an examined of the salient literature about bunkhun. The examination of the salient literature revealed that bunkhun relationships are established by two means: they are established either because a client recognizes the ascribed status of a patron, or because individual acts of graciousness overwhelm the client with gratitude. Chapter 3 examines the function of bunkhun among the Khon Muang. A matrix for characterizing bunkhun relationships was developed and presented. A theory for understanding bunkhun was described. Bunkhun is a cultural system that maintains social smoothing values and skills, reinforces traditional ideas about the ideal character qualities of both a patron and a client, and regulates the relationships between a patron and a client among the Khon Muang. Chapter 4 surveys the Bible to define and describe the patron titles of God. The obligations of the client were also presented. Finally, a short survey outlining the biblical concept of grace was detailed. Bunkhun has similarities to grace, but the two are different. Chapter 5 deals with several missiological implications of bunkhun. First, bunkhun is a form of patron-client system thus, it is incumbent upon missionaries to understand the cultural context so that clear communication occurs. Second, honor and shame themes are emb…
abstract: ABSTRACT SELECTIVE MISSIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF BUNKHUN FOR MINISTRY AMONG THE KHON MUANG Thomas Lowell Bohnert, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2018 Chair: Dr. George H. Martin The purpose of this dissertation is to examine a socio-cultural barrier to the gospel among the Khon Muang of Northern Thailand. The thesis of this dissertation is that bunkhun is an essential cultural factor that missionaries must understand to build and maintain healthy relationships among the Khon Muang. Chapter 1 introduces the problem and the methodology for analyzing the problem was described. Chapter 2 contains an ethnographic description of the Khon Muang people along with an examined of the salient literature about bunkhun. The examination of the salient literature revealed that bunkhun relationships are established by two means: they are established either because a client recognizes the ascribed status of a patron, or because individual acts of graciousness overwhelm the client with gratitude. Chapter 3 examines the function of bunkhun among the Khon Muang. A matrix for characterizing bunkhun relationships was developed and presented. A theory for understanding bunkhun was described. Bunkhun is a cultural system that maintains social smoothing values and skills, reinforces traditional ideas about the ideal character qualities of both a patron and a client, and regulates the relationships between a patron and a client among the Khon Muang. Chapter 4 surveys the Bible to define and describe the patron titles of God. The obligations of the client were also presented. Finally, a short survey outlining the biblical concept of grace was detailed. Bunkhun has similarities to grace, but the two are different. Chapter 5 deals with several missiological implications of bunkhun. First, bunkhun is a form of patron-client system thus, it is incumbent upon missionaries to understand the cultural context so that clear communication occurs. Second, honor and shame themes are emb…
author: Bohnert, Thomas Lowell
date published: 2018-06-07
date modified: 2026-07-27T21:04:50Z
provider: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/10392/5599