Bearing the Witness of the Spirit

Lesslie Newbigin's Theology of Cultural Plurality

by George R. Hunsberger

Series: The Gospel and Our Culture Series (GOCS)

Imprint: Eerdmans

353 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in

Paperback
9780802843692
Publication Date: June 15, 1998

$35.99

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Description

What are the theological implications of today's multicultural world? What does cultural plurality mean for the life and mission of the church? According to George Hunsberger, the need for a solid theological assessment of multiculturalism lies at the heart of discussions about church unity, cross -cultural mission, and interreligious relations. In Bearing the Witness of the Spirit Hunsberger shows that just such a "theology of cultural plurality" can be found in the missionary theology of Lesslie Newbigin.

This in-depth study of Newbigin's thought brings into clear view the "theology of cultural plurality" nascent in Newbigin's writings and demonstrates its importance for today's church. Interacting closely with Newbigin's published and unpublished works, Hunsberger describes Newbigin's biblical rationale for the life and witness of the church in a culturally plural world. By teasing out Newbigin's thinking in this realm, Hunsberger gives shape to a theological area of inquiry and reflection badly needed for fruitful discussions of cross-cultural mission and ecumenism.

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Praise

Evangelical Missions Quarterly
"Hunsberger serves us extremely well in many ways. . . The book's title explains its contents exactly, and these are exciting, necessary, and worth very careful reading."

International Bulletin of Missionary Research
"Bearing the Witness of the Spirit is a pioneering work that examines Newbigin's missionary theology. . . The book is clearly written, highly nuanced, and brimming with insight into the structure of Newbigin's theology and into a number of significant issues discussed in missiology today."

Missiology
"This book is a comprehensive study of Lesslie Newbigin's theology of mission and probably the standard work in the field for years to come. . . Hunsberger examines thoroughly, with deep appreciation and occasional gentle critique, the mission theology of this leader, friend, and saint. . . Hunsberger systematizes the thought of a working missionary to a degree that the principal himself never would have achieved and presents it to us as a missiological guide of magnificent proportions."

Modern Theology
"George Hunsberger has written the definitive book on the late Lesslie Newbigin, an ecumenical and missionary theologian whose work both the academy and the church have only begun to appreciate.0802841775"

Theology Today
"Hunsberger focuses this study on Newbigin's theological understanding of mission and cultural plurality. The book makes a major contribution by sifting the bishop's voluminous writings in order to produce a fuller and more systematic perspective on this specific topic than Newbigin himself ever provided. . . Hunsberger succeeds dramatically in his primary aim. His presentation makes it clear that Newbigin is one of the century's key thinkers on the church and its mission. . . The work is not just a tribute worthy of its subject. It is an independent (and sometimes gently critical) contribution to those tasks that Lesslie Newbigin gave such faithful devotion."

Currents in Theology & Mission
"The most interesting and great contribution about this book is its theology of cultural plurality related to the biblical doctrine of election. . . The book is an outstanding contribution to help us learn about the most distinguished missiologist of the twentieth century and to vision true biblical theology of mission and practice for the twenty-first century. This book is commended to all seminarians and theology students to read and discuss."