Toward a contextualized approach to reaching the Bamar Buddhists in Mandalay, Upper Myanmar

Abstract

Although Adventist mission work in Upper Myanmar Mission has been conducted for almost a hundred years, reaching the Bamar Buddhists has always been a massive challenge. The challenge for this ethnic majority group is that they put themselves above other ethnic groups as great nationalists and accept Buddhism as their state religion and national heritage. Moreover, it seems that the Adventist Church’s past and current approaches of public evangelism and doctrinal preaching do not work effectively among the Bamar Buddhists. Thus, there is a need for a research-based mission approach to working with the Burmese Buddhists to build bridges and help deliver the gospel message in their cultural context. Therefore, this study explored a contextualized approach to the mission work among the Bamar Buddhists, specifically in Mandalay City, Myanmar. It focused on the cultural, religious, and social-political factors that influence engagement strategies. As the heartland of Theravada Buddhism, Mandalay presents unique challenges and opportunities for Christian mission efforts. Through a qualitative mini-ethnographic case study design, this research examined the past and current missiological approaches, identified the barriers to effective outreach, and analyzed the contextual factors that shape receptivity among the Bamar Buddhists. By integrating mini-ethnographic insights and theological reflections, and conducting semi-structured interviews with both local practitioners and Adventist workers in Mandalay City, the study proposes a more effective mission framework that respects Buddhist beliefs while fostering meaningful dialogue. The mini-ethnographic case study is a condensed form of ethnographic research that takes place over a shorter period (often weeks) due to time or resource constraints. The findings contribute to the development of steps for a contextualized approach to meet the needs of Adventists in Mandalay City, offering practical recommendations for church leaders and missionaries in Mandalay and similar settings.