Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an Era of World Christianity
Overview
It is no secret that globalization is one of the most powerful forces in the twenty-first century. In nearly every realm—political, economic, cultural, ethnic, and religious—traditional boundaries are disappearing and people worldwide are more interconnected than ever. Recent decades have also seen the globalization of Christianity and the accompanying shift in the center of gravity of Christianity from the West to the southern hemisphere and Asia. As these realities take deeper root, scholars, students, and church leaders must grapple with the implications for theological reflection and method, not to mention missiological practice.
An international and internationally recognized group of scholars present a multidisciplinary approach to the questions involved, including not only theological and missiological perspectives but also insights from history, sociology, ecclesiology, and anthropology. Part one examines the challenges for theology brought about by globalization. Part two focuses on methodological issues. Part three examines the implications of a global theology on various practical issues. Here is a vital text for courses in theology, missions, and cultural studies.
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- Offers theological and missiological perspectives on globalization
- Includes insights from history, sociology, ecclesiology, and anthropology
- Examines the challenges for theology brought about by globalization
- “Christian Theology in an Era of World Christianity” by Tite Tiénou
- “Anthropological Reflections on Contextualizing Theology in a Globalizing World” by Darrell L. Whiteman
- “Globalization and the Study of Christian History” by Andrew F. Walls
- “‘One Rule to Rule Them All?’ Theological Method in an Era of World Christianity” by Kevin J. Vanhoozer
- “The Globalizing Hermeneutic of the Jerusalem Council” by David K. Strong and Cynthia A. Strong
- “Creeds, Confessions, and Global Theologizing: A Case Study in Comparative Christologies” by Steve Strauss
- “The Glocal Church: Locality and Catholicity in a Globalizing World” by Charles E. Van Engen
- “‘Experience-Near Theologizing’ in Diverse Human Contexts” by Robert J. Priest
- “The Challenge of Economic Globalization for Theology: From Latin America to a Hermeneutics of Responsibility” by M. Daniel Carroll R.
- “Globalization, Nationalism, and Religious Resurgence” by Vinoth Ramachandra
- “Bearing Witness in Rome with Theology from the Whole Church: Globalization, Theology, and Nationalism” by Eloise Hiebert Meneses
- “Theological Implications of Globalizing Missions” by James E. Plueddemann
- “Globalizing Theology and Theological Education” by Lois McKinney Douglas
- “The Missionary as Mediator of Global Theologizing” by Paul G. Hiebert
Top Highlights
“Globalizing theology is theological reflection rooted in God’s self-revelation in Scripture and informed by the historical legacy of the Christian community through the ages, the current realities in the world, and the diverse perspectives of Christian communities throughout the world, with a view to greater holiness in living and faithfulness in fulfilling God’s mission in all the world through the church.” (Page 30)
“Surely they do. But will not self-theologizing result in the proliferation of local theologies and thus the relativizing of theology? To avoid this, Hiebert calls for a ‘metatheology’—a set of procedures for Christian communities globally that enables local Christian communities to do theology within their own local contexts but in conversation with other Christians globally.” (Page 29)
“But theology must be distinguished from God’s revelatory Word” (Page 16)
“Hiebert advocates a fourth self: self-theologizing.” (Page 29)
“On the one hand, since Constantine, the Christian church has tended to do its theology from a predominantly monocentric and monocultural perspective, formulating a set of theological dogmas that were assumed to be universally true for everyone, everywhere, always. This produced the concept of theology as a singular noun understood as the systematic aggregate of a set of unchanging propositions. This monocentric view of doing theology dominated not only the Roman and Eastern churches but the various branches of Protestantism after the Reformation as well. This perspective also permeated Protestant missions for over 150 years during the time of colonial missions.” (Page 173)
I hope this important volume is widely--and carefully--studied. It addresses a crucial need for the contemporary Christian movement: a globalized theology for a globalized church. The writers take us to new levels of exploration of what the gospel of Jesus Christ means for the multicultural, multiethnic, multinational community of the Lamb.
—Richard J. Mouw, president and professor of Christian philosophy, Fuller Theological Seminary
- Title: Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an Era of World Christianity
- Authors: Harold Netland, Craig Ott
- Publisher: Baker Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2006
- Logos Release Date: 2011
- Pages: 382
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Globalization › Religious aspects--Christianity; Theology › Methodology
- ISBNs: 9781441249685, 9780801031120, 1441249680, 0801031125
- Resource ID: LLS:A0CDA3F0784B5A2CCEA96B535736059E
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-01-06T21:11:20Z
Craig Ott is associate professor of mission and intercultural studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he occupies the ReachGlobal Chair of Mission. He is the coauthor of Encountering Theology of Mission.
Harold A. Netland is professor of philosophy of religion and intercultural studies and the Naomi A. Fausch Chair of Missions at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of Encountering Religious Pluralism and Dissonant Voices.
