Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism, and

Christocentrism

We have discussed a number of culturally divergent practices recently. You now get to
choose one (e.g. Faroe Islands hunting, haka dancing, bullfighting, sati, human
sacrifice), and individually respond to the following questions and statements. After you
have finished answering these six questions, gather with three or four others who chose
the same practice and talk through your responses. Then, working collectively, try to
formulate the strongest answers you can to each question and statement.
Human Sacrifice

1. Write an ethnocentric interpretation of the practice of your choice. Make

sure you show that you clearly understand ethnocentrism.

Human sacrifice treats the human life wrong and cruel. They sacrifice the human

life in order to achieve something which might not even exist. I think it is cruel to

human life. For those people who could not choose the way they died, it is

unethical for others to decide to sacrifice them for the culture purpose. Therefore,

I oppose to human sacrifice.

2. Write a culturally relative interpretation of the practice of your choice. Make

sure you show that you clearly understand cultural relativism.

People who practice this act have their own purpose that to sacrifice human life

would bring benefits to the whole culture. Therefore, since it is their culture and

decision to sacrifice human life in order to do something, it is ok for them and for

the society to have human sacrifice in certain culture.

3. Write a Christocentric interpretation of the practice of your choice (be

careful here). Make sure you show that you clearly understand

Christocentrism.
 From the Bible, people should not murder is in one of the Ten Commandments.
The human sacrifice is clearly wrong according to the Bible. It is sinful to take
others life or to sacrifice their own life in order to bring the unknown benefits to
the culture. Therefore, look through the view point of Bible, I against to the
practice of human sacrifice.

When you are done with the above, find a culturally based story/resource and interpret
it from an ethnocentric, culturally relative, and Christocentric point of view (have a
peer check your work here before submitting).

Source (URL):

Summary of topic:

Ethnocentric interpretation:

Culturally relativist interpretation:

Christocentric interpretation: