Learning About Theology from the Third World

By William A. Dyrness

Book Overview

With the growing awareness of cultural diversity, evangelicals are beginning to realize that "growing up into Christ in all things" (Eph. 4:15) is a corporate enterprise. Due to involvement in mission and international travel, many Westerners are beginning to realize how much they have to learn from different cultural traditions. LEARNING ABOUT THEOLOGY FROM THE THIRD WORLD is designed to introduce western Christians to discussions about theology going on in the Third World. The assumption is that western thinking about theology has not taken third world perspectives into account, and the day has come for us to bring these brothers and sisters into our conversations about Christianity. For the churches in this part of the world are rapidly becoming a significant force in the world and their leaders are becoming increasingly articulate about their faith (and about distortions the feel missionaries have introduced ). It is Dyrness' thesis that if we approach these sometimes unsettling writings as learners rather than teachers, we will find our own perspectives significantly altered. The maturity of the whole church demands this kind of inter-change. After an introductory chapter on the nature and problems of contextualization, the book gives major overviews of the theology of Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Issues are presented in such a way as to show that each area of the world has developed a unique approach to theological issues, and that each perspective has something to contribute to the development of theology. To illustrate this a final chapter discusses Christology form this cross-cultural perspective and the conclusion sketches out ways in which both western and non-western traditions may interact to enrich theology.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310209714
• ISBN13: 9780310209713
• Release Date: September 1990
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up

Customer Reviews

Changing Face of Theology

Theology is not what it used to be. Gone are the days when Christian theology was considered a white man's profession. Today, and thankfully so other cultures are beginning the long and great journey of doing theology.Christian Theology is no longer in a Western European context but has reached out into what has been called the "Third World." Dyrness seeks to give an introduction to "Third World Theology." The First chapter covers introductory materials and argues for the change in theology. The second chapter deals with certain facets of African Theology and their culture ramifications which they bring to the task. Thirdly, he deals with Latin American Theology, giving emphasis to Liberation Theology. The fourth chapter deals with Asian Theology and the idea of the transcedent and wholly other. In the fifth chapter he takes a particular doctrine (Christology) and examines it in light of the three "Third World Theologies." Lastly he charts a course for the future of theology.This book was especially helpful in showing that all theology contains pressupositions that shape and mold the particular theology. This book will surely raise many questions and will also help "enlighten" the American Theologian.