Longom S Phom
Longleng
Christian life is meant to be centered on Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Over the years, Christians have experienced significant cultural and religious transformation with the introduction of Christianity and with the help of the Western missionaries and local evangelists. However, today! One of the major challenges faced by many churches is syncretism.
Syncretism can be understood as a mixing of two or more different religious beliefs or and practices. In Christian setting, it refers to the blending of Christian faith with elements of tribal superstitious practice. The arrival of Christianity brought great transformation, yet the old animistic traditions, superstitions, and even modern influences have continued to exist within the church. This creates a serious challenge for the church leaders, because syncretism weakens the spiritual life of the Gospel.
A hidden challenge to true Christian
Paul Hiebert defines syncretism as “the mixing of Christian beliefs or doctrine with cultural practices in a way that distorts the gospel.” it occurs when the foundational truth of the Christian faith are compromised to accommodate cultural beliefs, leading to a confused understanding of the gospel. Similarly, Gailyn Van Rheenen describes syncretism as “the reshaping of Christian beliefs and practices through cultural accommodation so that they consciously or unconsciously blend with those of the dominant culture.”
Before the arrival of the gospel, most tribal communities practiced animism, including spirits worship, sacrifices, taboos, and rituals. When the Western missionaries and the local evangelist introduced Christianity, many people accepted Christ, leading to a period of redemptive transformation. However, those whose lives were touched by Gospel often did not fully abandon their old practices, as a result, syncretism slowly entered the church.
According to Michael Pocock, “syncretism is a worldwide religious challenge.” In other word, syncretism is a threat found among Christians universally as they express their faith either within their own cultures or in cross-cultural settings. Even today, syncretism can be seen in different forms. Some people continue to hold into traditional fears of spirit and omens while actively participating spiritual activities or Christian activities.
Today, outwardly we may be good Christian yet most fellow Christian still depend on superstitions, rituals, or cultural taboo for protection and blessing in times of trouble. This hidden dart of traditional beliefs remains deeply rooted in our faith community. Sometimes even good Christians, who pray to God, still perform traditional sacrifices or consult local spirits for protection, and continue to trusting other deities or forces for blessing and healing. Sadly, this remains a reality within our community.
Guiding the flock
The Bible gives us clear guidance on how Christian should live and to respond. We are called to worship God alone (Exodus 20:3). We are called to live holy lives. According to 1 Peter 2:9 describes God’s people as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nations.” Our life style should reflect our new identity in Christ and not be mixed with old practices. Christian are call to transform our community sand culture not to blend faith with cultural beliefs. Our culture is rich and beautiful, and when dedicated to Christ, it can glorify God. Therefore, folksongs, folkdance, festival can be reinterpreted in Christ and used to celebrate and give thanks to God, without retaining their old religious meanings.
It is necessary to guide believers to discern difference between cultural expression and spiritual compromise. In this scenario, spiritual leaders must live as an example of pure faith in Christ. When the Spiritual leaders avoid the practice of favoritism, materialism, tribalism, and superstitions, they inspire people to do the same. As the saying goes “a faithful example speaks louder than many sermons.”
Holding fast to Biblical Truth
Core biblical teachings, such as the uniqueness of Christ (John 14:6) and salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9) must not reinterpret through the lens of traditional religious. By doing so can distort the true message of the Gospel and led to a theology that is no longer consistent with Scripture. When traditional customs or spiritual practices are given equal or greater authority than the Bible, the Word of God is no longer final standard for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
When animistic or mystical beliefs are incorporated into Christian faith, God may be viewed merely as one among many spiritual powers rather than the one true and sovereign Creator (Isaiah 45:5). This result in a distorted understanding of His holiness and sovereignty. The gospel must be solely emphasizes repentance, faith in Christ, and new life through the Spirit. When the church tolerates syncretism, believers may remain spiritually stagnant, mixing old beliefs with new faith rather than being transformed into Christlikeness (Romans 12:2).
In essence, syncretism undermines the church’s ability to teach “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). It produces a belief system that may feel culturally familiar but spiritually counterfeit. This clearly shows that how blending traditional customs weaken our faith if we are not careful. Therefore, as a true Christian, we are call to measure everything by Scripture, allowing the Bible to remain our final and unchanging standard for beliefs and practice. The unchanging Word of God must be interprets with sound doctrine and lived out faithfully in a changing world.
