After Mission Beyond Evangelicalism

After-Mission touches on on three questions.The first question is about self-perception and identity-formation strategies, and the various views that we have on the Protestants’ relation to their Arab Muslim Middle Eastern context. The second question, about the theological dimension, asks what kind of a theological discourse do the Protestants need to develop, and how do they need to re-form their own theological heritage, in such a manner that will allow them to heal the historical enmity and suspicion towards them from the Eastern Orthodox Christian community in the region? Finally, the third question touches on the Protestants’ future in the Arab Muslim Middle East by viewing this inquiry from a broader perspective that is related to all the Middle Eastern Christian communities’ presence and role in the Muslim-majority context. The question of identity formation, and the managing of difference without trapping it in the mud of ‘otherizing and self-otherizing’, will also be tackled, so that the theological dimension is integrated with the broader, multifaceted contextual one.

Lausanne '74 (the First International Congress on World Evangelization) inspired evangelicals around the world to take seriously the full implications of the gospel for mission. This was especially true of a worldwide network of radical evangelical mission theologians and practitioners, whose post-Lausanne reflections found harbor in the notion of Mission as Transformation. This missiology integrated evangelism and social concern like no other, and it lifted up theological voices coming from the Two-Thirds World to places of prominence. This book documents the definitive gatherings, theological tensions, and social forces within and beyond evangelicalism that led up to Mission as Transformation. And it does so through a global-local grid that points the way toward greater holistic mission in the twenty-first century.

After-Missiontouches on on three questions.The first question is about self-perception and identity-formation strategies, and the various views that we have on the Protestants' relation to their Arab Muslim Middle Eastern context. This will furnish the basis for the ensuing parts, as it will provide the study with coherent and analytical readings of the cultural situation and intellectual views of the Arab Eastern Protestants in their Sitz im Leben from the perspective of the hermeneutic tripod of 'identity-othering-relationality'.The second question, about the theological dimension, asks what kind of a theological discourse do the Protestants need to develop, and how do they need to re-form their own theological heritage, in such a manner that will allow them to heal the historical enmity and suspicion towards them from the Eastern Orthodox Christian community in the region? How should they re-think their traditional view on theological subjects common to them and the Eastern Christian tradition? Traditional Protestant attitudes towards Eastern Christianity, which have been viewed through the lens of evangelicalism and mission, have failed to grant the Protestants an influential and truly indigenous presence in the region and have led to them being constantly accused of being a foreign transplant and alien entity. In the light of this, it is clear that going beyond missiology and traditional evangelicalism demands re-thinking certain mutually shared but contentious theological subjects from a new perspective with the focus on more constructive attempts to build fellowship through dialogue.Finally, the third question touches on the Protestants' future in the Arab Muslim Middle East by viewing this inquiry from a broader perspective that is related to all the Middle Eastern Christian communities' presence and role in the Muslim-majority context. It will discuss questions about the kind of presence and role that Christians, Protestants included, should hope to play in order to guarantee survival and a continuing presence in the region. The question of identity formation, and the managing of difference without trapping it in the mud of 'otherizing and self-otherizing', will also be tackled, so that the theological dimension is integrated with the broader, multifaceted contextual one.

Beyond Fragmentation is an inquiry into the development of mission studies in evangelical theological education in Germany and German-speaking Switzerland between 1960-1995. This is carried out by a detailed examination of the paradigm shifts, which have taken place in recent years in both the theology of mission and the understanding of theological education. David Bosch's proposal of an emerging ecumenical mission paradigm is examined with reference to the schools in membership with the Konferenz Bibeltreuer Ausbildungsstatten (KBA). The KBA schools have been greatly influenced by the work of Peter Beyerhaus and the Frankfurt Declaration (1970), and, as such, defend a conservative theological position and resist the challenge of Bosch's mission paradigm shift, the key issue being that of hermeneutics. Ott further explores the emerging new paradigm of theological education in both the Western and Two Thirds World contexts. While the evangelical Bible school movement has historically embodied many of the features of this new paradigm, they nevertheless have jeopardized these by their pursuit of academic accreditation. Ott believes that theological conservatism has caused the KBA schools to resist changes in the areas of contextual and inductive learning. Finally, Ott studies the schools' pattern of change and change-resistance through combining the insights of Thomas Kuhn, Hans Kung and Alasdair MacIntyre to hermeneutical and epistemological issues.

The Christian church was born in the Middle East and grew there for centuries. Its interaction with Islam turned Christianity in this once predominantly Christian region into a marginalized jewel, surviving at great peril within a difficult, even sometimes hostile, political and religious climate. Of course, the story of Christianity over the last 1,300 years is not solely one of conflict, marginalization, and persecution but is also about accommodation, interchange, and cooperation. This introductory book details the history of the church in its Middle Eastern birthplace through the past two thousand years. It is a story described as “a lost history” by Philip Jenkins, but it is here uncovered and placed on display. For those with eyes to see, the church of the Middle East is here revealed as a precious jewel, still catching the light.

In many societies all over the world, an increasing polarization between contrasting groups can be observed. Polarization arises when a fear born of difference turns into ‘us-versus-them’ thinking and rules out any form of compromise. This volume addresses polarizations within societies as well as within churches, and asks the question: given these dynamics, what may be the calling of the church? The authors offer new approaches to polarizing debates on topics such as racism, social justice, sexuality and gender, euthanasia, and ecology and agriculture in various contexts. They engage in profound theological and ecclesiological reflection, in particular from the Reformed tradition. Contributors to this volume are: Najib George Awad, Henk van den Belt, Nadine Bowers Du Toit, Jaeseung Cha, David Daniels, David Fergusson, Jan Jorrit Hasselaar, Jozef Hehanussa, Allan Janssen, Klaas-Willem de Jong, Viktória Kóczián, Philipp Pattberg, Louise Prideaux, Emanuel Gerrit Singgih, Peter-Ben Smit, Thandi Soko-de Jong, Wim van Vlastuin, Jan Dirk Wassenaar, Elizabeth Welch, Annemarieke van der Woude, and Heleen Zorgdrager.

"Lausanne '74 inspired evangelicals around the world to take seriously the full implications of the Gospel for mission. This was especially true of a worldwide network of radical evangelical mission theologians and practitioners, whose post-Lausanne reflections found harbour in the notion of "Mission as Transformation". This missiology integrated evangelism and social concern like no other, and it lifted up theological voices coming from the Two Thirds World to places of prominence. This book documents the definitive gatherings, theological tensions, and social forces within and without evangelicalism that led up to Mission as Transformation. And it does so through a global-local grid that points the way toward greater holistic mission in the 21st century."--BOOK JACKET.