Contextual Theology for the Twenty-First Century

Description: Scholars from the United States, Latin America, and Oceania reflect in this volume on the importance of contextual theology for our twenty-first century. Contextual theology offers fresh voices from every culture, and not just from the West. It calls for new ways of doing theology that embrace cultural values, but at the same time challenges them to the core. And it opens up new and fresh topics out of which and about which people can theologize. If the church is to be faithful to its mission, it needs to provide a feast at which all can be nourished. Endorsements: ""Rarely do collections of contextual theology deal with both specific contexts and more general questions of contextual method. In this compact collection every essay grapples with both aspects in a lively way. It is on the forefront of missiological thinking. A significant book with some real gems, particularly for Australasia and the South Pacific, but ranging beyond the region."" --Ross Langmead Dean and Professor of Missiology, Whitley College, Melbourne College of Divinity, Australia ""I have been looking for such a book! The eight essays in this volume provide challenging, fresh insight for our theological agenda. It addresses critical issues on both method and content for contextual theology today."" --Philip Gibbs, SVD Commission for Social Concerns, Catholic Bishops' Conference, Papua New Guinea ""Contextual Theology for the Twenty-first Century demonstrates how contextual theology should shape the work of contemporary theologians and missiologists. The different authors convincingly argue that contextual theology is not an option, but a theological imperative as Christian churches respond to the challenges of being disciples of Jesus in the postmodern, postcolonial world. One of the book's strengths is the inclusion of Oceanic voices, so often forgotten by the theological community."" --Susan Smith, Adjunct Faculty, School of theology, the University of Auckland ""This volume offers thoughtful and sometimes provocative reflection on contextual theology for our era. Contextual theology is both critiqued and affirmed as the authors, who span a range of continents and contexts, wrestle with just how theology can be in dialogue with daily life. New agendas for engaging with culture, Christology, and theological education are also suggested. This collection of essays is indeed a stimulating and challenging read."" --Cathy Ross Tutor in Contextual Theology, Ripon College, Cuddesdon, Oxford ""Christians in the twenty-first-century must no longer engage in mission or do theology that is not faithful to Christ and relevant to their context. Steve Bevans's illuminating essays accompanied by other voices should be heard as important steps as we join God's missional journey in this century. With some critique of the past and hope for the future we are reminded that contextual theology has never been more important for our understanding and practice of mission."" --Darrell Whiteman, Former Professor and Dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism, Asbury Theological Seminary About the Contributor(s): Stephen Bevans is Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD, Professor of Mission and Culture at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, USA. He is the author of Models of Contextual Theology (2002) and An Introduction to Theology in Global Perspective (2009). Katalina Tahaafe-Williams is the Director of Communitas, a program of contextual and public theology at United Theological College, Paramatta, NSW, Australia. She is a coauthor of The Multicultural Toolkit (2005) and Mission and Ministry in Multicultural Contexts (2009).