Power and Identity in the Global Church: : Six Contemporary Cases

Power and Identity in the Global Church: Six Contemporary Cases applies contemporary sociological, theological, and New Testament insights to better understand how God's people can, do, and should interact in the field, thereby laying the groundwork for better multicultural approaches to mission partnership. The authors—six evangelical anthropologists and theologians—also show that faithfulness in mission requires increased attention to local identities, cultural themes, and concerns, including the desire to grow spiritually through direct engagement with God's word. In this context, failure to attend to power imbalances can stunt spiritual and leadership growth. Attending to those imbalances should make Christian churches more truly brothers and sisters in Christ, equal members of the one global body of which Christ alone is the head.|Power and Identity in the Global Church: Six Contemporary Cases applies contemporary sociological, theological, and New Testament insights to better understand how God's people can, do, and should interact in the field, thereby laying the groundwork for better multicultural approaches to mission partnership. The authors—six evangelical anthropologists and theologians—also show that faithfulness in mission requires increased attention to local identities, cultural themes, and concerns, including the desire to grow spiritually through direct engagement with God's word. In this context, failure to attend to power imbalances can stunt spiritual and leadership growth. Attending to those imbalances should make Christian churches more truly brothers and sisters in Christ, equal members of the one global body of which Christ alone is the head. Contextualizing Context : Exploring Christian Identity In The Global Church Through Six Contemporary Cases / Brian M. Howell -- Paul In Japan : A Fresh Reading Of Romans And Galatians / J. Nelson Jennings -- Contextualization From The Ground : Longuda Lutherans In Nigeria / Todd Vanden Berg -- Local Language And Global Faith : Choosing Church Language In The Philippines / Brian M. Howell -- Identity Matters : Christianity And Ethnic Identity In The Peninsular Basque Country / Steven J. Ybarrola -- Contextualization And Ethnicity : Millenarian Discource Among The Bayano Kuna In Panama / Eric J. Moeller -- Beyond Anti-syncretism : Gospel, Context And Authority In The New Testament And In Thai Conversions To Christianity / Edwin Zehner. Brian M. Howell And Edwin Zehner, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [193]-208) And Index. Contextualizing context : exploring Christian identity in the global church through six contemporary cases / Brian M. Howell Paul in Japan : a fresh reading of Romans and Galatians / J. Nelson Jennings Contextualization from the ground : Longuda Lutherans in Nigeria / Todd Vanden Berg Local language and global faith : choosing church language in the Philippines / Brian M. Howell Identity matters : Christianity and ethnic identity in the peninsular Basque Country / Steven J. Ybarrola Kuna Christianity : ethnicity and religion in postcolonial Panama / Eric J. Moeller Beyond anti-syncretism : gospel, context, and authority in the New Testament and in Thai conversions to Christianity / Edwin Zehner Afterword: Concluding missiological reflection / Robert J. Priest.