The strategic level spiritual warfare theology of C. Peter Wagner and its implications for Chritian mission in Malawi

摘要

Strategic level spiritual warfare has been an emerging trend within Evangelical missiologyever since C. Peter Wagner published his Spiritual Power and Church Growth (1986). Thedistinctive doctrines of Wagner’s SLSW are 1. The doctrine of territorial spirits, whichentails the belief that powerful demons control specific geographical territories and its humaninhabitants. Through a variety of spiritual warfare techniques such demons can be overcome.2. The doctrine of territorial defilement. The assumption here is that a territorial spirit canonly hold people in a location in bondage if it has obtained the legal right to do so because ofsins and evils committed in that locality in the past. Identificational repentance on behalf ofthe people living in such territories removes the legal right of the territorial spirits. 3. Thedoctrine of Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare prayer. The underlying assumption is thatterritorial spirits can only be removed by means of aggressive spiritual warfare in the form ofa variety of prayer and exorcism methods for dealing with territorial spirits. (4) The doctrineof territorial commitment. This doctrine justifies the exercise of spiritual power and authorityby modern apostles in their communities. Wagner’s missiology has been largely shaped bythe church growth movement. In his quest for better techniques to bring about massconversions Wagner, impressed by the Latin American Pentecostal churches, embracedPentecostalism and developed SLSW. However, a thorough biblical study demonstrates thatSLSW is mostly unbiblical. A study of SLSW in Church history also demonstrates thatSLSW was never accepted in orthodox Christianity. From a contextual point of view SLSWturns out to be a North American missiology with nationalist and political biases. Finally,when looking at the potential effects of a SLSW style missiology in the context of Malawi itemerges that Wagner’s SLSW is likely to reinforce rather than diminish the prevalentwitchcraft fears in the Malawian society. At the same time SLSW tends to ‘demonize’ othercultures and thus hinders genuine contextualization. In the final analysis SLSW turns out notto be a commendable strategy for Christian Mission in Malawi.