Why Evangelical Theology Needs the Global Church

If one reads a typical newspaper in America, one would notice how skewed the mass media is toward American issues and perspectives. One might mistakenly assume that America is the world! The Church in the West also parallels this trend. A lot has been written about the Western Church. Relatively fewer talks about matters outside of the Western hemisphere. Sometimes it feels like all the experts happen to reside in the West. As the Church in the North-West continues to decline, churches in the Southern and Eastern parts of the world are seeing remarkable revivals. In spite of this trend, many missionaries and ministry workers continue to be sent from the West to the East, and from the Northern Hemisphere to the South. One wonders, why then is the perception that the best professors and lecturers are from a place where the Church is declining and waning in influence? Perhaps, after zooming in on the Western influence for so long, it is time to zoom out into the wider world to gain a better perspective of reality. Based on his work and interactions with his Asian counterparts, Philippines-based Pardue helps us expand our minds beyond the West toward the global Church. He acknowledges the challenges that prevent the Western Church from learning from the rest of the world. These include the barriers of contexts, culture, language, philosophy, and theology. There are five theses in this book with regard to evangelical contextual theology. First, any evangelical contextual theology must be based on the authority of Scripture. Second, culture needs to be seen as a gift from God for the Church. Third, the ecclesiology of the Church should be a uniting factor for the diverse expressions of faith in the real world. Fourth, theology should incorporate Christian witness everywhere, both locally and globally. Fifth, the theology should engage the "Great Tradition of the Church." Each chapter will deal with a particular thesis and ends with a practical engagement with a global Church.

In Chapter 1, he surveys some objections to contextual theology. One objection insists on a "pure theology" devoid of any cultural influences. Another is the fear of idolatry that avoids any cultural influences. Pardue makes a case by dealing with each objection and concludes that human context is both a necessary and practical concern. At the same time, he asserts his role as a theologian to show us how various theologies can teach us about contextual application in various places. In Chapter 2, the author looks at Scripture as the "soul of theology." It is a carefully written chapter to show us that any contextual theology must be anchored on the Word of God. He defines the terms used and gives us a history of contextual theology so far. He gives us an overview of the various models of contextual theology such as Stephen Bevans's six models of contextual theology, Scott Moreau's "translation and countercultural models," Victor Ezigbo's distinction between "explanatory and constitutive approaches," Marc Cortez's modification of Bevans's model, and many more. He then applies "Liberation Theology" in the context of Latin America, pointing out both the necessity in the Latin American context and the need for discernment whether the use is for "social analysis" or for "controlling authority." One key observation is the socio-economic differences between Latin America and North America. The former dwells with the norms of poverty, oppression, and violence, something that the latter does not generally experience.

Chapter 3 deals with the second thesis which sees culture as a gift from God. Noting how culture today has changed from the time of Richard Niebuhr, Pardue argues that we should engage the culture as a "web of patterns." In doing contextual theology, one needs to place culture in the light of the Christian covenant and see culture as theologically as possible. Using the example of Chinese Christians like the HK-based theologian, Carver Yu, we learn how culture helps us succinctly apply the theological task. He notes how many local Christians in China have not understood the Chinese cultural sensitivities that continue to view Christianity as a Western religion. Address these cultural concerns with theological covenantal promises. Chapter 4 looks at how Christian doctrine helps contextualize culture. Doctrines like the Trinity, the Incarnation, and Ecclesiology all have an important role to shape contextual theologies. Using the Asian context as an illustration of how Ecclesiology can be applied, Pardue cites the work of Simon Chan, a Singaporean theologian who identifies the flaws in many contextual theologies, namely the false dichotomy of "Western" vs "Eastern" thinking. Rather, the focus should be on what is spiritual and what is not, especially with regard to the working of the Spirit inside the local Church. There are several other unique contextualization observations that merit a closer look and further research. Chapter 5 deals with the fourth thesis which is to develop a discernment to accept those that engage and reject those that do not. Using the four traditional marks of the Church (Apostolicity, Catholicity, Holiness, and Unity), Pardue shows us the impact of Christology in the Latin American context. We learn of how contextualization should not be the absolute way to do theology, but to be distinguished carefully in the light of Scripture and spiritual discernment. Using the example of Puerto Rican theologian Jules Martinez-Olivieri, he shows us the importance of finding common ground in establishing common catholicity in the midst of the diversity of churches. Chapter 6 looks at Great Tradition of the Church, and Pardue chooses the African context to show us the importance of unity and diversity, in which is found in the Great Tradition of the Church to prevent slavish obedience to the theological present.

My Thoughts
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This is an important work for three reasons. First, it reminds us that Church is larger than our local congregation and much bigger than what we might think. Far too often, church leaders have become so myopic in their own churches that they fail to see the Church according to the Great Commission. Many are so bogged down by their own church issues and programs that global concerns often become an afterthought or a passing mention. When this happens, their short-sighted concerns fuel an evergrowing inclination toward individual needs instead of community concerns. Small-mindedness will eventually replace any desire to reach out to others. Hogging resources for self replaces outward charity toward others. If left unchecked, the Great Commission may very well become the Great Omission. Pardue's work helps lift us out of any self-conceived deceptions about our small world and invites us to embrace the mission of God both inside and outside the four walls of our own local churches.

Second, learning goes both ways. We can learn from the global Church and the rest of the world can learn from us. Earlier on, I mention how the declining Western Church in the Northern Hemisphere increasingly needs to learn from the movements in the South. This does not mean that the rest of the world has nothing more to learn. On the contrary, there are rich history lessons that the world can learn. At the same time, both the West and the East can help each other write their own histories, and better still, write a common history together. I find it extremely helpful to think and grow beyond oft-misplaced horizontal dichotomies toward the vertical mindset. Instead of distinguishing issues according to East vs West, why not see it from the lens of spiritual vs non-spiritual? Instead of comparing the merits according to mere cultural differences, why not compare them theologically? Being able to lift ourselves out of our cultural aquariums frees us to see the ocean of truth, and a whole new perspective of seeing what God is seeing.

Third, I want to add a personal thought. In this book, author Stephen Pardue shares with us a global perspective on what we can all learn from the Church in Latin America, China, Asia, Africa, and the Early Church. He writes as a Westerner, trained in the West, living in the East, and constantly interacting with people from all walks of life. I can identify with him in terms of growing up in one culture, trained in another, and living in yet another culture as our world increasingly becomes more global than before. Whatever it is, I believe that as disciples, we need to adopt a constant readiness to learn, with the Bible as our lens for all discernment. Precious lessons can be learned all over. There is no place for any forms of cultural pride that inhibits learning from others.

Thanks to Pardue, we see five reasons why evangelical theology needs the global church. I believe readers can easily find much more after reading this book.

Stephen T. Pardue (PhD, Wheaton College) directs the ThM/PhD in Theological Studies and Church History at the Asia Graduate School of Theology and teaches theology at the International Graduate School of Leadership in Manila, Philippines. He is the author of The Mind of Christ: Humility and the Intellect in Early Christian Theology and the coeditor of ten books, including Majority World Theology and Asian Christian Theology.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.