One Gospel, Many Cultures
Doing Theology in Context
- Theology
- Publisher: Fortress Press (Augsburg Fortress)
- Published: 2022
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Publisher's Description
Culture is defined as the shared values and practices found in a community. Cultural values are then varied from one social group to the other. In contrast, gospel is static. The values and principles from Scripture do not change. Moreover, when gospel and culture tensions occur--especially in the application of the gospel message in a specific culture--do believers from a specific culture adopt the culture of the Bible? If so, is there one unified culture in the Bible? From the Canaanite culture to the Greco-Roman and Jewish cultures, Scripture exhibits many cultures. Should the believers from a specific worldview follow all the cultural practices of the Bible? Can the believers from Kerala or Bihar in India hold on to their own indigenous cultures? How might one appropriate the message of the gospel in their respective cultures? Contextualizing the gospel is an important task in the practice of Christianity. This means that the identification of the principles of contextualization is important in order to answer the aforementioned questions. One Gospel, Many Cultures will be a valuable addition as these pertinent questions on gospel and culture are addressed by renowned scholars.
Endorsements (5)
“This new collection derived primarily from evangelical scholars working in the South Asian context provides new impetus to reconsider Christian faith in relationship to the plurality of religious and faith traditions, especially in India but also beyond. The authors make their case especially through in-depth dialogue with the scriptural traditions that the gospel resounds through many cultural frames, not just one, and therefore invite ever more dialogical postures and practices for Christian witness amid the many religio-cultural realities of the human condition.”
“Taking the discussion on the relationship between the gospel and culture to another level, this book is definitely an essential read for theologians, missiologists, and ministry practitioners. Not only do the essays offer a clear methodology for decontextualizing gospel truths and reclothing them in new cultural contexts, but they also incisively demonstrate this practical outworking in biblical texts and in engaging current theological and missiological issues. The arguments are cogent and well balanced, the complexities sensitively nuanced and boldly addressed. This truly is an indispensable resource.”
“For centuries the church of the Global South has struggled to make practical sense of the relationship of the gospel and culture. We have either vilified our cultures as fundamentally antithetical to the values of the gospel or we have sanctified their every manifestation as consonant with the message of Christ. To borrow Ken Gnanakan’s words, ‘The truth must be discovered somewhere in between.’ One Gospel, Many Cultures turns to a global team of eminent scholars to mount a renewed argument: only a culturally coherent gospel can be transformatively embraced and lead to lifestyles shaped by the culture of the kingdom of Christ.”
“This book is a beautiful tapestry of the gospel message in the multicultural context of India. The authors posit the power of culture as a primary vehicle for communicating the gospel. Cultural expressions of the gospel do not diminish its transforming power. Instead, the expression articulates the intellectual and affective dimensions that reveal the loving presence of the risen Savior among every people-group. The writers show how people see, hear, and experience God in their context when the gospel of Jesus Christ wears the cultural garment. These scholarly reflections embolden Indian believers to be unapologetically Christian in their diverse cultures. I recommend this compendium to anyone seeking to effectively communicate the gospel in the church.”
“Culture shapes people’s perception and expression of the gospel; thus, communication and application of the gospel must take into consideration local cultural contexts to be meaningful and relevant. One Gospel, Many Cultures addresses this need, providing principles and examples of the crucial task of contextualizing the gospel in diverse cultures. A highly recommended reading for all serious students of theology in India and even all across Asia!”
Dr. Theresa Roco Lua
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