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Exploring the Old Testament in Asia is the first evangelical Old Testament textbook written both from and for an Asian cultural context. Rooted in the theological conviction that God still speaks through the Old Testament in all its fullness, the twelve essays in this book address key theological issues pertinent to the diverse cultures and contexts of Asia. Touching on topics from polytheism and kinship bonds to Scripture translation and the biblical conception of wisdom, the writers position themselves in conversation with Asia’s rich spiritual, cultural, and literary heritage. The result is a theological contribution that is both contextually relevant and biblically faithful.
While a Christian understanding of divine judgement tends to focus on the afterlife, the Hebrew Bible is far more concerned with divine retribution as something experienced in this life. Yet if the same God enacts both, should there not be significant continuity between biblical accounts of divine retribution, whether experienced in this world or the hereafter? In this study, Dr. Angukali Rotokha provides an overview of Old Testament and Second Temple sources that express conceptions of post-mortem judgement. Alongside these passages, she examines the perspective on judgement presented in Deuteronomy, with its orientation towards divine retribution as experienced on this side of death. She e...
This commentary presents the book of Ruth through a uniquely Asian lens that helps bring out the nuances of this Old Testament text that are often missed or misunderstood. The deep and skillful exegesis presented will satisfy a scholarly reader, yet the language used is accessible enough for lay preachers and teachers to understand, appreciate, and use. This commentary brings the text to life; Ruth is no longer a story in a time long gone, but one that effortlessly unfolds right in front of your eyes. The Asia Bible Commentary Series empowers Christian believers in Asia to read the Bible from within their respective contexts. Holistic in its approach to the text, each exposition of the biblical books combines exegesis and application. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the Body of Christ in Asia by providing pastoral and contextual exposition of every book of the Bible.
Andrew B. Spurgeon works directly from the Greek text of 1 Corinthians in a study of reverse-contextualisation, highlighting the commonalities between the contexts of Corinthian and Indian cultures and applying the epistle’s principles to Indian Christians today. In this unique commentary, Spurgeon first presents Indian similarities to those in Corinth, moves on to biblical principles the Apostle Paul raises for the Corinthian church’s attention–especially where culture was in conflict with biblical standards–and finally reapplies these principles to the context of life in twenty-first century India. This is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to study 1 Corinthians, showing that God’s Word is not only true, but is just as relevant centuries later as when it was written.
God’s love in Jesus Christ for the salvation and recreation of all things is still the hope of the world. This Christian affirmation is the reality that “holds all things” and “holds all things together.” Yet in today’s world, it is easy to understand why the church is in pain and declining in its Christian and moral influence. Rethinking Church in the 21st Century is the culmination of three years of exploration into the condition of the church around the world today. Bringing together a diverse community of Christian voices, these essays offer reflections and admonitions to ignite the hearts of pastors and leaders during the dynamic, vulnerable, and hopeful times we face. In this first volume, scholars and church leaders from across the globe respond to writings on suffering and persecution. The authors examine the universal themes of suffering and address topics such as violence, natural disasters, and persecution through contextually rooted lenses. The resulting essays are an authentic, richly diverse collection that offers fresh perspectives for the church to reflect on together.
Culture is defined as the shared values and practices found in a community. Cultural values are then varied from one social group to the other. In contrast, gospel is static. The values and principles from Scripture do not change. Moreover, when gospel and culture tensions occur--especially in the application of the gospel message in a specific culture--do believers from a specific culture adopt the culture of the Bible? If so, is there one unified culture in the Bible? From the Canaanite culture to the Greco-Roman and Jewish cultures, Scripture exhibits many cultures. Should the believers from a specific worldview follow all the cultural practices of the Bible? Can the believers from Kerala or Bihar in India hold on to their own indigenous cultures? How might one appropriate the message of the gospel in their respective cultures? Contextualizing the gospel is an important task in the practice of Christianity. This means that the identification of the principles of contextualization is important in order to answer the aforementioned questions. One Gospel, Many Cultures will be a valuable addition as these pertinent questions on gospel and culture are addressed by renowned scholars.
The poignant narrative of Exodus, which involves leaving one’s homeland, traveling, settling, unsettling, wrestling with identity, seeking a home, and pursuing aspirations, resonates with the present circumstances of the Chinese diaspora. This commentary delves into the concept of exodus, tracing its roots from the biblical exodus to its modern manifestation in the Chinese diaspora – “the new exodus.” This approach forefronts the nuances of otherness, minority status, liminality, and hybridity in a dominant culture while simultaneously accentuating the transnational, global, and multifaceted roots of such an existence. This diasporic reading of Exodus seeks to facilitate transformati...
Employment in the field of biblical studies has changed significantly in recent years, and the coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated the resulting challenges. The purpose of this anthology is to inform and inspire evangelical students and graduates of biblical studies programs about the wide variety of training-related vocational paths they can pursue, both conventional and unconventional. The book does this by listing and categorizing twenty-five relevant pathways, sharing the stories and insights of insiders within each pathway, and calling for further creativity in putting one’s biblical training to work. Each contributor shares (1) how they settled into their represented occupation, (2) the ways in which they have used their biblical training in that occupation, (3) the “joys” and “trials” of their work, and (4) advice for those who would like to follow in their footsteps. The volume stands in the tradition of several nuts-and-bolts-like resources within the guild (e.g., Nijay Gupta’s Prepare, Succeed, Advance and Ben Witherington’s Is There a Doctor in the House?), and it seeks to develop that tradition considerably.
Indian and Christian: Changing Identities in Modern India is a collection of essays from the 1st SAIACS Consultation that took place during November 2010 at SAIACS, Bangalore. ‘Who am I?’ is a question that every human needs to ask themselves. In this book, this question is looked at from a dual perspective—Indian and Christian. Can one be both ‘Indian’ and ‘Christian’ in the modern world? Should one have a single identity or can one have multiple identities? The book attempts to address these issues with clarity and conviction through sixteen articles covering areas of Biblical Studies, Theology & Philosophy, Religion & Culture, and Pastoral Theology & Psychology.
Christianity is often viewed in Asia as a Western imposition. Challenging this, Dr. Jerry Hwang examines the Old Testament’s cultural engagement of its ancient Near Eastern context, arguing that Scripture itself provides the ultimate model for contextualizing theology in Asia. While it is common for missiological studies to ignore the Old Testament in their discussion of contextualization, truly biblical contextualization must include the whole Bible, not simply the New Testament. This study provides insightful discourse between the Old Testament and various Asian contexts, while demonstrating how Asian perspectives can help overcome the Eurocentrism prevalent in Old Testament scholarship. This is an ideal resource for scholars and practitioners interested in a biblical perspective of contextualization, especially as related to constructing theology that honors the truth of Scripture in the context of Asia.