Contextualizing Theology in the South Pacific

Contextualizing Theology in the South Pacific PDF Author: Randall G. Prior
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532658591
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 279

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Book Description
This book engages with a widespread contemporary dilemma--how do we do theology in a context where the cultures of the people are oral and not literate? The nations of the South Pacific, from their missionary beginnings, inherited an approach to theology that was dominated by Western cultural categories. The global movement of contextualization began to impact upon Pacific churches in the 1960s, and challenged this inherited approach. Significant changes have resulted, but the dilemma has remained. The dominant approach is still one that is defined by and better suited to literate cultures. The consequence is that theology remains an alien enterprise, distant from the life of the local churches, and distant from the hearts and minds of the indigenous people. In facing the dilemma, this book exposes the fundamental differences between primary oral cultures and primary literate cultures, and identifies the key factors that lie at the heart of the theological problem. By addressing each of these in turn, the author then paves the way ahead. He offers a methodology for theology that is rooted within the oral cultural context of the South Pacific . . . and potentially in any context where oral cultures are the norm. The consequences for theology and for theological education are profound.

Contextualizing Theology in the South Pacific

Contextualizing Theology in the South Pacific PDF Author: Randall G. Prior
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532658591
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 279

Get Book

Book Description
This book engages with a widespread contemporary dilemma--how do we do theology in a context where the cultures of the people are oral and not literate? The nations of the South Pacific, from their missionary beginnings, inherited an approach to theology that was dominated by Western cultural categories. The global movement of contextualization began to impact upon Pacific churches in the 1960s, and challenged this inherited approach. Significant changes have resulted, but the dilemma has remained. The dominant approach is still one that is defined by and better suited to literate cultures. The consequence is that theology remains an alien enterprise, distant from the life of the local churches, and distant from the hearts and minds of the indigenous people. In facing the dilemma, this book exposes the fundamental differences between primary oral cultures and primary literate cultures, and identifies the key factors that lie at the heart of the theological problem. By addressing each of these in turn, the author then paves the way ahead. He offers a methodology for theology that is rooted within the oral cultural context of the South Pacific . . . and potentially in any context where oral cultures are the norm. The consequences for theology and for theological education are profound.

South Pacific Theology

South Pacific Theology PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Christianity
Languages : en
Pages : 118

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Book Description


Restoring Identities

Restoring Identities PDF Author: Upolu Lumā Vaai
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1666729760
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 313

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Book Description
In a sense, Oceania can be considered a microcosm of World Christianity. Within this region are many of the same observable trends on the global level that impact Christian life, faith, and witness. The geography of Oceania—the “liquid continent”—is unique. Christianity arrived in Australia and New Zealand in the late eighteenth century via British colonial powers. Indigenous Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islanders, and Māori peoples were dispossessed of land, property, rights, and dignity. Christianity grew by migration and conversion (not always voluntary), and over time became tightly intertwined with culture. In the twentieth century, rapid secularization moved Christianity into the private sphere, and by 2020 Christian affiliation had dropped from 97 percent to 57 percent. However, the history of Christianity in the Pacific Islands—Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia—is quite different. Christianity arrived via Protestant and Catholic missionaries between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries and grew substantially in the twentieth century largely due to indigenous Christian efforts. Islanders brought Christianity to neighboring islands, indigenous theologies developed, and churches gradually separated from their Western mission founders. One of the great “success stories” of World Christianity is Papua New Guinea, which grew from just 4 percent Christian in 1900 to 95 percent in 2020. However, growth is never the entire story. Violence against women is endemic in Papua New Guinea and is often combined with accusations of witchcraft. An estimated 59 percent of women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime (and 48 percent in the last year). As Christianity continues its shift to the global South, it becomes increasingly critical to heed the experiences, perspectives, and theologies of Christians, particularly women, in the Pacific Islands.

Emerging Theologies from the Global South

Emerging Theologies from the Global South PDF Author: Mitri Raheb
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1666711837
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 545

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Book Description
In recent decades there has been a seismic shift in world Christianity. Whereas formerly Christianity existed as a Caucasian Euro-American phenomenon, the majority of Christians today reside in the Southern Hemisphere, or the Global South. And what is true for the demographics of Christianity has followed lockstep for its theological developments. The era of German theologians setting the tone for global church are gone. Today, some of the loudest and most creative voices in theology speak from the emerging contingencies of the Global South, for example, promoting Latinx, Black, Caribbean, and Asian theologies and their influence often influences the conversation in the United States and Europe. In addition, just as the center of Christianity has moved geographically from north to south, so with theological seminaries in the west, which have declined as training centers for clergy. These events coincide with new theological centers are opening in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. The bottom line is—contemporary Christianity today looks significantly different than it did a century ago, and publications have been slow to acknowledge, let alone describe and elaborate upon, this major shift to the largest religion in the world. These shifts guide our intentions in this book. Such a reference book, which could also be used as a textbook, therefore is very much needed. In fact, there is nothing like the contents of this single-volume book in the publishing market which allows for high-quality, interdisciplinary, and international dialogue.

My God, My Land

My God, My Land PDF Author: Jacqueline Ryle
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351916165
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 340

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Book Description
Examining the multifaceted nature of Christianity in Fiji, My God, My Land reveals the deeply complex and often paradoxical dynamics and tensions between processes of change and continuity as they unfold in representations and practices of Christianity and tradition in people's everyday lives. The book draws on extensive, multi-sited fieldwork in different denominations to explore how shared values and cultural belonging are employed to strengthen relations. As such My God, My Land will be of interest to anthropologists of Oceania as well as scholars and students researching into social and cultural change, ritual, religion, Christianity, enculturation and contextual theology.

Christianity and COVID-19

Christianity and COVID-19 PDF Author: Chammah J. Kaunda
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000522296
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
This volume explores current understandings of the global meaning of faith and suffering in the context of COVID-19 and interrogates responses to the pandemic that have emerged from World Christianity. It includes chapters by a range of international contributors approached from a variety of angles within Global Christian theology. They provide reflections and analyses focused on the question of God, human suffering, structural injustice, the role of the church and Christian praxis in the milieu of COVID-19, where misery and dying is a daily routine. This book will be of interest to scholars of Missiology, World Christianity, biblical/public/contextual theology and various Contemporary Christian studies.

Practical Theology in Church and Society

Practical Theology in Church and Society PDF Author: Joseph E. Bush Jr.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 149828275X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
The church exists in the world, and our ministry is inextricably social in nature. Practical theology takes this seriously and asks us to reflect on our practice of ministry in both church and society. This book attends to our practice as individuals in ministry, to our corporate practice as congregations in ministry, and to our practice as Christians within the wider social and natural world. Practical Theology in Church and Society brings into sharper focus two perspectives on practical theology. One is the view through the wide-angle lens of justice-oriented action, which hopes for liberation. This view encompasses a broad vista of social forces for justice and injustice when evaluating local movements and local ministries. The other perspective takes the narrower focus of the action-reflection model as it is used to zoom in on individual actions and particular practices of ministry such as pastoral care. The purpose of the book is to integrate these two perspectives on practical theology. It explicates a cyclical method for doing theology that has corollaries within the disciplines of practical theology, liberation theology, missiology, congregation studies, and ministerial leadership. The volume provides resources for developing more socially and ecologically engaged ministries, and it draws implications for ministerial education.

Practical Theology in Church and Society

Practical Theology in Church and Society PDF Author: Joseph E. Bush
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1498282741
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
The church exists in the world, and our ministry is inextricably social in nature. Practical theology takes this seriously and asks us to reflect on our practice of ministry in both church and society. This book attends to our practice as individuals in ministry, to our corporate practice as congregations in ministry, and to our practice as Christians within the wider social and natural world. Practical Theology in Church and Society brings into sharper focus two perspectives on practical theology. One is the view through the wide-angle lens of justice-oriented action, which hopes for liberation. This view encompasses a broad vista of social forces for justice and injustice when evaluating local movements and local ministries. The other perspective takes the narrower focus of the action-reflection model as it is used to zoom in on individual actions and particular practices of ministry such as pastoral care. The purpose of the book is to integrate these two perspectives on practical theology. It explicates a cyclical method for doing theology that has corollaries within the disciplines of practical theology, liberation theology, missiology, congregation studies, and ministerial leadership. The volume provides resources for developing more socially and ecologically engaged ministries, and it draws implications for ministerial education.

Shepherds of the Steppes

Shepherds of the Steppes PDF Author: Mark D. Wood
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1666799572
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description
The evangelical Mongolian church has experienced significant growth since the country opened to the world in 1990. Despite the growth and emergence of the evangelical church in Mongolia, relatively little has been written on the church from the perspective of the leaders themselves. This ethnographic study seeks to express the experience of male, evangelical, Mongolian church leaders in their own words. The book focuses specifically on the leaders' experiences of conversion, discipleship, navigation of Mongolian culture and traditions, and theological education. Readers will hear from evangelical church leaders why they became Christians and what their experience with discipleship was like for them. The issue of contextualization for evangelical Christians is also a central focus. In particular, the translation of the term for God in Mongolian and the perspective of the church leaders are explored. This book will be of interest to those exploring Christianity in Asia and post-socialist contexts as well as seeking to better understand contemporary Mongolian culture.

Shifting Climates, Shifting People

Shifting Climates, Shifting People PDF Author: Miguel A. De La Torre
Publisher: The Pilgrim Press
ISBN: 0829800131
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 140

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Book Description
Marginalized by Colonialism, Forced Out by Climate Change As climate change reshapes the Earth's habitability, millions are forced to migrate . . . while millions more are constrained from escaping environmental hardship. Shifting Climates, Shifting People grapples with the disparate impacts of climate change on nations impoverished by colonialism: What happens when people have no choice but to leave their homes due to environmental devastation? What happens when they cannot leave or are prevented from leaving? Whose stories are shared and whose imaginations are empowered—and whose are erased from public knowledge—as communities are endangered or uprooted? How has White colonialism undermined the indigenous protectors of ecosystems? How is White capitalism usurping green industries? Shifting Climates, Shifting People centers the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and non-white communities for perspective on environmental destruction and the wellbeing of humanity. Contributing writers are scholars and pastors, preachers and organizers; they come to this work from Fiji and from the Osage Nation, from Ghana and from Canada, from the United States and from Indonesia, and many places in between.