Theological News On-Line

Theological Commission 2008 Program - Plans Develop for Contextualisation Project and TC-08 Bangkok

The WEA Theological Commission study unit on Contextualisation will hold a writing session in Oxford UK in August 2008 to develop papers on its current project. The Convenor, Dr Matt Cook, is leading the group which is at present preparing its work and sharing information electronically. More than a dozen scholars from around the world will assemble to discuss their concepts face to face and to advance the editing of their manuscripts. Representatives of the WEA Missions Commission will also be present and later in the year there will be more collaboration between them as the two groups work on the same topic. The focus of the TC will be on contextualising exegesis and it is hoped that the papers of both groups can be co-published in book form.

Meanwhile, plans are in hand for consultation to be held in October in Bangkok in association with the TC's annual meeting, Oct 22-25. The topic, finalised in talks between the TC and local theologians, will be "Holistic Gospel in a developing community." The TC will contribute two plenary papers on the biblical/theological foundations and historical developments. They will be presented by Dr Brian Edgar (Australia/Asbury Theological Seminary) and Dr Justin Thacker (Head of Theology, EA UK). These presentations will be followed by in-depth discussion on several areas of application of this theme in relation to the practical work of churches in Thailand covering topics such as ministries relating to children, prostitution, HIV/AIDs and the issues of politics and corruption.

In addition there will be another English language discussion group which will focus on international aspects of the topic. It will include contributions from theologians present at the consultation as well as input from participants in an on-line discussion group recently set up by the TC with the intention of gathering insights, experiences and resources from people around the world who are not able to attend in person. Findings from both the Thai language discussions and the international group (including the e-group) will be compiled into a document to be available from the TC display at the WEA General Assembly which follows TC-08 in Pattaya, Oct 25-30.

The annual TC gathering is open to TC commissioners, Global Members and invited guests and observers and other interested friends by arrangement. The Global membership scheme enables anyone interested in the work of international evangelical theological activity to participate fully in the annual gathering of the TC and the rest of its activities. Membership and annual subscription details are available on request and those interested in TC-08 are invited to contact the TC office for more information. tc@worldevangelicalalliance.com

Plans are also progressing for the 2009 annual meeting and consultation to be held in a Latin American venue (to be announced), probably in the third quarter of the year.

Asia Bible Commentary Series Progresses

Rev. Dr. Bruce Nicholls, former Executive Director of WEA Theological Commission, has been working for several years in his retirement as Co-General Editor of the Asia Bible Commentary Series sponsored by the Asia Theological Association. Earlier in 2008 he reported to the ATA General Assembly that 9 volumes had been published so far ( Song of Songs, Daniel, John, Acts, Ephesians and Colossians/Philemon, Ezra-Nehemiah, I Timothy and I Peter) through two Asian publishers, one in a standard edition and the other an economy version. The 10th volume (on Hosea written by an Arabic-speaking scholar from Bethlehem) is currently being edited. All the New Testament volumes and most Old Testament volumes have been assigned and now more than 50 scholars from Asia, the Middle East and Australasia are working on their assigned volume, in most cases two for each - an exegete and a contextual interpreter. Dr Nichollssaid that the goal was to complete the series of 50 volumes by 2015, with 20 completed by 2010. He has visited all the writers in the Middle East, South, South-east and North-east Asia.

Production costs are estimated at around US$2000 per volume. It is proposed that proceeds from the sales should be devoted to a fund for future publishing efforts by ATA, including a series on key theological issues facing the church in Asia. It is suggested that a good way of putting the commentaries to effective use is to have scholarship funds to donate sets to graduating students of some seminaries to assist them in building their libraries. Dr Nicholls works with Dr Sang-Bok David Kim (Korea) as a Co-General Editor, and with series editors Joseph Shao (OT), Tim Meadowcroft (OT), Brian Wintle (NT) and Steven Chang (NT).

For more information, http://www.whizdesign.biz/ataasia/asianbiblecommentaries.html 

WEA Leadership Institute Launched

Fifteen World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) leaders from all around the world convened for a two day conference from April 29-30 on the campus of Olivet University, San Francisco. The conference centered on the creation of the WEA Leadership Institute whose purpose is to meet the organization development needs of WEA's 128 member alliances.

According to Dr. Jonathan Lewis, the Director of WEA Leadership Institute, the Institute has its historic roots in the work that Dr. Jun Vencer realized with the WEA alliance leaders during his long tenure as the WEA International Director (1992 - 2001).

Dr. Lewis says that through Dr. Vencer's efforts and those of WEA's current International Director, Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, the WEA's national alliances have grown both qualitatively and quantitatively to a current count of 128 members, many of which that are asking for the kind of help the institute can provide. In addition to the national alliances, he believes that WEA's Commissions and Global Partners will also benefit from the institute. "We are developing tools that will help us analyze the specific needs of each alliance, and provide case specific training in the following areas: unifying Evangelicals in voice and action; association leadership, governance, and management; sustainable funding; representation before government and other publics; servicing constituencies; and partnership development," said Dr. Lewis.

During these two days, an outcomes-based training profile based on a functional description of the alliances was generated as well as some general planning for implementation of the Leadership Institute. The LI instruction will be based on this profile and focus on broadly applicable principles, use adult education methodology, and a discovery method leading to unique and context specific organizational strategies for development.

WEA International Director Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe also expressed his hope in the vision of the Institute to develop the alliances. "A healthy and vibrant national alliance can play a critical role in the spiritual transformation of a country," said Dr. Tunnicliffe. "It is the goal of the Leadership Institute to provide practical training and mentoring that will help WEA serve leaders around the world to develop such alliances."

The Institute will be officially launched at the WEA General Assembly in Thailand on October 25-30, 2008 where the first training seminars will be conducted.

Kwame Bediako: A Legacy for Ghana and the Global Church

by Chris Wright, International Director, Langham Partnership International

Kwame Bediako passed away this week. Langham Literature Director Pieter Kwant and I had the opportunity to visit him at the Global Church Tour in Grand Rapids in April, where he and his wife were spending some sabbatical time at Calvin College. Mark Hunt, Langham Partnership International's board chair, had also met with him earlier in the year when he was among the speakers at the National Pastors Convention in San Diego.

Kwame was one of the most remarkable senior African leaders I have ever met. He had a surpassing level of scholarship (two doctorates - one in English and one in French). He had a range of knowledge of the history of the church in Africa (and Europe) that could keep us spellbound for hours just listening to his stories. And he had a most profound understanding of the relationship between the gospel and African culture. He also had a huge passion to bring African Christians together to affirm their Christian identity in authentic ways that would overcome some of the worst legacies of the colonial era. And yet he wore all this learning with such a light touch. His twinkling eyes and sparkling humour and laughter were a constant tonic. It has been such a joy and privilege to know him for many years.

The Akrofi Christaller Memorial Centre for Mission Studies, that he established at Akropong, Ghana, has a fine record of research and publication in African Christianity and contextual theology, and just recently got its charter from the government of Ghana for the awarding ofKwame Bediako degrees including doctorates. Kwame also had a deep love for John Stott, and the whole work and ethos of the Langham Partnership. He was not himself a Langham scholar, but he knew many of them, and was regarded as a mentor and father figure by many. Though a man under incredible pressures of work and leadership, Kwame stepped up immediately when I asked him, to arrange and chair the first Regional Council for West Africa (Anglophone) in Ghana 2006 , and to co-chair the first meeting of the Regional Council for Francophone Africa in Cameroon in 2007. When I last spoke to him, he was full of enthusiastic plans for the next meeting of both combined, to be held in Ghana in October 2008.

So we shall miss him greatly. He is a sad loss to Ghana, to Africa, and indeed to the world church.

Langham Partnership Australia eNews June 2008

LBCS Hosts Planning Session for SAGST

Lanka Bible College and Seminary, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, hosted the inaugural planning session for the South Asia Graduate School of Theology. The meeting was held on April 22nd - 23rd on the LBC campus with Drs. Narendra John , Brian Wintle and Theresa Lua from Asia Theological Association. Dr. Theresa Lua, chaired the proceedings. LBCS Principal Lal Senanayke commenting on this significant meeting said "the setting up of the South Asia Graduate School of Theology is in keeping with LBCS's vision to serve the Church in Asia and meets a long felt need for faculty development in the South Asian Context ". The next planning session was scheduled for June 2008.

LBC Update May 2008

Micah Network Sponsors Joint Consultation of Theological Educators and Church Leaders in North East India on HIV and AIDS

Micah Network sponsored a Joint Consultation of Theological Educators and Church Leaders in North East India on HIV and AIDS at Jorhat, Assam on 7-9 March 2008. The convenor, Dr Razouselie Lasetso, has provided the following report of this conference which is part of the working group’s three-year project on HIV & AIDS.

Working Group of Theological Educators in North East India on HIV & AIDS (WGTENEIHA) Northeast India is today severely threatened by HIV & AIDS. Of the seven states in the region two states namely Manipur and Nagaland have the distinction of having the highest rate of HIV & AIDS prevalence in the region. In this region there are about 50 Theological Institutions training church leaders and theological educators for tomorrow. The attempt of the Working Group so far has been to mobilize all theological colleges in the region to come together to combat this pandemic through theological education. The past two years' attempt has seen more than a dozen theological institutions in the region offering a course on Ministerial Formation and HIV & AIDS.

The task still remains to get the other theological institutions in the region to come forward too. For this more theological consultations need to be organized and at the same time there is a growing need for a joint consultation of theological educators and church leaders to come together to discuss the matter seriously so that the church can also start addressing the issue openly instead of waiting for the present theological students to graduate and take up leadership tomorrow. Therefore, keeping this in mind the Working Group of Theological Educators in North East India on HIV & AIDS organized a Joint Consultation of Theological Educators and Church Leaders on HIV & AIDS in North East India, at the Eastern Theological College, Jorhat from 7-9 March 2008, which is a part of our three years project on HIV & AIDS. The Working Group of Theological Educators in North East India on HIV and AIDS was formed in June 2006 basically to bring all theological institutions in the region to come together to combat the HIV pandemic which has entered the region in a severe way.

The main objective of the consultation was to get the theological educators and church leaders to come together and build a common platform from which they can start addressing the pandemic as co-partners. If theological institutions and the churches come together they can form a formidable team against the pandemic in the region. The gathering was a success with both the theological educators and churches leaders expressing the need for the two bodies to come together to combat the pandemic jointly. The participants felt that even as we need to continue to organize joint consultation of such kind until we are able to bring all churches and theological institutions in the region into a common platform, we also need to take the next step forward.

The report concluded with a list of 21 action points which participants could implement to assist in dealing with the issue. The full report can be accessed from http://en.micahnetwork.org/news 

Verbum: Peru's theology-in-practice

No 12: July 2008

By Rob Haskell, Director of Senderis   www.senderis.com 

When most people think about Latin American theology they probably think Liberation Theology. With its social and political orientation and Marxist emphasis on praxis, this thinking has deep roots in Peru, especially because Peruvian Catholic Gustavo Gutierrez's influential book Theology of Liberation set the theological agenda for the movement in the seventies. The specific Marxist insight that guides Liberation Theology is the idea that philosophy is not for describing the world but for changing it. One can see how, when applied to theology, this would lead to a heightened interest in practice.

This emphasis on practice and transformation is actually prior to Gutierrez's ideas and can be seen in, for example, in the work of Juan Mackay, an influential Scottish missionary to Peru in the middle of the 20th century. In later times there have also been several other prominent evangelical theologians from Peru who have contributed significantly to the life and work of the church. In a recent trip to Peru I had the opportunity to speak with some evangelical leaders there and noted that the emphasis on a theology of practice is also important in Protestant circles. For example, I asked Pedro Arana, president of the Peruvian Bible Society and former TC member, what was the hot theological topic in Peru; he responded immediately that it was creation care and global warming. Arana gave me the latest copy of the journal he helps edit, Textos para la Acción (Texts for action)-the latest issue is dedicated to the oppression and liberation of women. In another publication on evangelism he presents the gospel as necessary for the social, political, economic and cultural renewal of Peru. The reality of future, eternal salvation is implied in the work as well but the greater emphasis falls on the gospel's power to transform the present.

Other leaders explicitly stated that in Latin America there is no interest in issues related to systematic theology. The hot topics are the practical ones like leadership, informal theological education, the family and other such questions. A striking example of how this works out in practice can be seen in the fact that at the Seminario Evangelico de Lima there are no courses in systematic theology in the curriculum. The only 'theology' class is the history of doctrine course and this is a single class as opposed to the traditional three. Cesar Morales, the academic dean of SEL, rejects the distinction between systematic and practical theology because it seems to denigrate the importance of practice. But although Morales is passionate about practice and the social impact of the gospel, he is not as interested in the political arena because in Peru, he says, the political system in Peru is too corrupt and therefore the only possible way to gain political influence is to sell one's soul in the process. One can understand such sentiments in a nation whose former president (Alberto Fujimori) is on trial for running a secret death squad.

Peruvian Dario Lopez documents some of the perils of evangelical involvement in Peruvian politics in his recent book La Seducción del Poder: Los evangelicos y la política del Perú en los noventa (The Seduction of Power: Evangelicals and the politics of power of Peru in the nineties). Evangelicals, says Lopez, have been influential in society and politics since the late 80s. But many evangelicals in power in the 90s could not be distinguished as Christians from others and did not use their power to serve the interests of citizens or defend democracy against Fujimori's attacks; they simply enjoyed the benefits of political power for themselves.

However, Lopez still holds hope for evangelical involvement in Peruvian politics. He encourages Peruvian evangelicals to realize that they should be involved because of the need for the gospel to transform public morality and political process. This disagreement over political involvement is a question of strategy, not of theology. Underlying both options is still a strong notion of practice as the substance of the theological task. This perspective is well worth investigation and could lead to important discussions about the nature of the theological task as it is carried out in other areas of the world.

For further reading:

The Other Spanish Christ by John A. MacKay (Wipf and Stock, 2001)

Internet: http://www.integral-mission.org/PDF_files/Evangelical_Theology_in_LA_context.pdf 

Verbum: Welcome to Verbum-a page of thoughtful comment and insight giving perspectives and overviews of topical issues. It appears in both our print and electronic versions. Reproduction and wider circulation is encouraged. Please acknowledge as "Verbum: WEA Theological News July 2008" Contributions from readers of ideas and articles (700 words) are warmly welcomed.

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