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THE EVANGELICAL REVIEW OF THEOLOGY/VOLUME 26/No. 2/APRIL 2002 Theme: Global Trends Contents Editorial 99 Dynamics and Directions of World Evangelical Theology for the 21st 100 Century David Parker On Women and Men Working together in the Church 119 Thomas C. Oden The Church’s Responsibility within the East African Context 136 Robert Lang’at Volume 26 Philippine Tongues of Fire? Latin American Pentecostalism and 153 the Future of Filipino Christianity No. 2 George W. Harper April 2002 Book Reviews 181 GLOBAL TRENDS WORLD EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE Barcode Scaled Theological Commission paternoster Laser Proof periodicals 0144-8153(200204)26:2;1-S Evangelical Review of Theology EDITOR: DAVID PARKER Volume 26 • Number 2 • April 2002 Articles and book reviews original and selected from publications worldwide for an international readership for the purpose of discerning the obedience of faith Published by PATERNOSTER PERIODICALS for WORLD EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE Theological Commission ISSN: 0144-8153 Volume 26 No. 2 April 2002 Copyright © 2002 World Evangelical Alliance Theological Commission Editor David Parker Committee The Executive Committee of the WEA Theological Commission Dr Rolf Hille, Executive Chair Editorial Policy The articles in the Evangelical Review of Theology reflect the opinions of the authors and reviewers and do not necessarily represent those of the Editor or the Publisher. Manuscripts, reports and communications should be addressed to the Editor and sent to Dr David Parker, 17 Disraeli St, Indooroopilly, 4068, Qld, Australia The Editors welcome recommendations of original or published articles or book reviews that relate to forthcoming issues for inclusion in the Review. Please send clear copies of details to the above address. Email enquiries welcome: [email protected] Typeset by Profile, Culmdale, Rewe, Exeter, Devon EX5 4ES and Printed in Great Britain for Paternoster Periodicals, PO Box 300, Carlisle, Cumbria CA3 0QS by Polestar Wheatons Ltd., Exeter, Devon. 0144-8153 ERT (2002) 26:2, 99 Editorial Whatever may be the resolution of God. In difficult circumstances, we the ‘war on terror’ being waged (at are called to stand with the lowly and the time of writing) in the wake of the marginalized in the name of Christ Sept 11, 2001 events in New York over against the loud voices that seek and Washington, the context for other ways to solve the problems of global theology is now quite different the world. from before. So these age-old themes which are In this new climate of international of deep concern to evangelicals–sov- relationships in which religion has ereignty and judgement, grace and been thrust to the forefront, the ini- forgiveness, sin and salvation, humil- tial events raised anew the question ity and discipleship, mission and the of our approach to justice and for- God of love–are once again central giveness at a national level and in the to our thinking. context of national policies and cul- Thus it is appropriate to open this tural pride. This is an issue which has issue of our journal with a review of many pastoral implications as well. trends in global evangelical theology Closely linked to it is the Christian and then to pass on to some detailed ministry of reconciliation and our studies drawn from around the attitudes towards people of other world. Dr Thomas Oden sums up his faiths and cultures. Here then is a call thinking on the place and role of to radical mission in the name of the women and men together in the God of love and sacrifice. church, a practical issue which raises We have also been forced us to fundamental theological considera- think once again about the reality of tions. Dr Robert Lang’at of Kenya evil and the ease with which person- calls our attention once more to the al thoughts can turn to revenge and responsibilities of the church in evan- even hatred. This, no doubt, reveals gelism, compassion and social jus- our sense of insecurity in a world that tice. Finally, Dr George W. Harper is is suddenly so uncertain, but we need interested in trends in church growth to pay more attention to the biblical and provides a meticulous analysis of witness which urges us to place our the situation in the Philippines set confidence in the sovereign God against the background of trends in alone. Even more than that, we need Latin America to remember that we have a saving, Together these papers highlight redeeming God who works in the both local and global issues which most unlikely circumstances. typify our call to theological reflec- The shock of the events on Sept tion that is both honest to God and 11 and their aftermath, as well as potent in its application to our forces surrounding them, have human context. reminded us again how precious is each person made in the image of David Parker, Editor. ERT (2002) 26:2, 100–118 0144-8153 Dynamics and Directions of World Evangelical Theology for the 21st Century David Parker Keywords: Salvation, hermeneutics, unity, social responsibility, globalisation, spirituality, fellowship, reform, scholarship 1. Introduction particular regions, confessions or I compliment the Korea Evangelical denominations, schools or areas of Theological Society on its desire to theological interest. But our special include the global perspective in this interest is to serve the international conference. The Korean church is evangelical community by publishing well known for its global missions quality articles and book reviews perspective and so it is natural for (both original and re-published) you to have this topic on your pro- which foster global perspectives and gram. It is a delight for me too to par- interchange. ticipate in this way, not only because It is more obvious than ever that of my own personal interest, but also Christianity as a whole is truly a glob- because of the purpose of Evangeli- al phenomenon—that is, it is cal Review of Theology to be a ‘catholic’ or ‘universal’—already in forum and channel for global evan- these days we are able to experience gelical theology. I think this is a something of the perspective of the unique perspective in the field of the- book of Revelation when it speaks of ological journals. Many other fine ‘every tribe and tongue and people journals are, of course, devoted to and nation’ who share in the fellowship of Christ our Lord. For more than two hundred years now, Protes- Dr David Parker is Editor of Evangelical Review of Theology. He is an Adjunct Lec- tant Christians have been able to turer at Queensland Baptist College of Min- have something of this global per- istries and Bible College of Queensland in spective—ever since William Carey Brisbane Australia in Theology and New Tes- tament, and holds degrees from the Universi- read the journals of English explorer, ty of Queensland and the University of Lon- Captain James Cook (whom we don. This is a slighted edited version of a paper delivered at the Korea Evangelical The- honour in Australia), and as a result, ological Society International Conference on commenced the first major effort in ‘Evangelical Theology for 21st Century’ held the modern period to express a at SungKyul University, Anyang City, Korea, October 25-27th, 2001. world missionary vision in practical WORLD EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY 101 terms. Before Carey’s time, the faith the developing world, which con- had reached many countries, trasts strongly with the situation in although sometimes at the edge of western European countries where sword and in company with colonial- traditional Christianity is in decline. ists and merchants. In many cases, Yet this rapidly growing church these links were too close for safety, needs to be matured and deepened and this is still a continuing problem to strengthen it and to ensure it does for us today. not make the same mistakes as the But now more than ever we do not West.1 It also needs to be more indi- have to travel or look at world Chris- genised to refute claims that it is only tianity from a foreign missions per- a western or colonial religion. At the spective. With the advent of globali- recent Triennial Assembly of the sation, mass communication, travel Asian Theological Association held and migration, the many splen- in Malaysia August 7-10, 2001, the doured fabric of the Christian family chairman, Dr Sang-bok David Kim, (Eph. 3:10; 1 Pet. 4:10) is close at emphasized this point by saying it hand geographically and in terms of was not a post-Christian situation in information and relationships—we Asia but pre-Christian, and that are are urged to ‘think globally, act while much had already been done locally’. We need only to consider for the kingdom of God, much more the large numbers of people from remained to be done in the future. various parts of the world now resi- My task is to bring some perspec- dent in other locations, and the fact tive on this global scene, both past that there are now thriving churches and present, and to think about the based on these immigrant communi- future trends. I can do so only from ties. For example, in the state of New my own particular perspective2 and South Wales in Australia, there are within the very limited range of my about 300 Baptist Churches but knowledge—the amount and extent there are fifty churches and fellow- of activity makes it difficult for any- ships based on migrant communities body to have much more than a par- representing 23 different lan- tial view of the whole. Yet, despite guages—Korean is the largest single this, it is impossible for theologians group.

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