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Journal in Entirety EDITOR Robert Danielson EDITORIAL BOARD Kenneth J. Collins Professor of Historical Teology and Wesley Studies J. Steven O’Malley Professor of Methodist Holiness History EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL William Abraham, Perkins School of Teology David Bundy, New York Teological Seminary Ted Campbell, Perkins School of Teology Hyungkeun Choi, Seoul Teological University Richard Heitzenrater, Duke University Divinity School Scott Kisker, Wesley Teological Seminary Sarah Lancaster, Methodist Teological School of Ohio Gareth Lloyd, University of Manchester Randy Maddox, Duke University Divinity School Nantachai Medjuhon, Muang Tai Church, Bangkok, Tailand Stanley Nwoji, Pastor, Lagos, Nigeria Paul Numrich, Teological Consortium of Greater Columbus Dana Robert, Boston University Howard Snyder, Tyndale Seminary, Toronto L. Wesley de Souza, Candler School of Teology Leonard Sweet, Drew University School of Teology Amos Yong, Regent University Hwa Yung, United Methodist Church, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia All inquiries regarding subscriptions, back issues, permissions to reprint, manuscripts for submission, and books for review should be addressed to: Te Asbury Journal Asbury Teological Seminary 204 N. Lexington Avenue, Wilmore, KY 40390 FAX: 859-858-2375 http://place.asburyseminary.edu/asburyjournal/ © Copyright 2015 by Asbury Teological Seminary ISSN 1090-5642 Te Asbury Journal VOLUME 70:1 Spring 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 From the Editor, Robert Danielson 8 Intercultural Hermeneutics: A Word of Introduction Lalsangkima Pachuau 17 Scripture and Context: An Evangelical Exploration Craig S. Keener 63 I am Kneeling on the Outside, but I am Standing on the Inside: Another Look at the Story of Naaman through the Lenses of Kraft Jeremy Chew 76 Hesychasm Encounters Lectio Divina: An Intercultural Analysis of Eastern and Western Christian Contemplative Practices Moe Moe Nyunt 95 Intercultural Hermeneutics: A Step Towards Its Efective Practice as a Clash of Perspectives on John’s Revelation Adrian Reynolds 111 Multicultural Hermeneutics and Mission Hunn Choi 140 “Pia Desideria” Reimagined for Contemporary Teological Education Benjamin D. Espinoza 157 Communitas at the Tables: Jesus, the Marginalized, and the Modern Church J. Derrick Lemons Features 172 From the Archives: Ernest F. Ward: Te First Free Methodist Foreign Missionary 181 Book Reviews 200 Books Received Timothy C. Tennent President and Publisher Douglas Mathews Provost The Asbury Journal publishes scholarly essays and book reviews written from a Wesleyan perspective. The Journal’s authors and audience refect the global reality of the Christian church, the holistic nature of Wesleyan thought, and the importance of both theory and practice in addressing the current issues of the day. Authors include Wesleyan scholars, scholars of Wesleyanism/ Methodism, and scholars writing on issues of theological and theological education importance. The Asbury Journal is a continuation of the Asbury Seminarian (1945-1985, ISSN 1090-5642 vol. 1-40) and The Asbury Theological Journal (1986- 2005, vol. 41-60). Articles Published in April and October in The Asbury Journal are indexed in The Christian Articles and reviews may be copied for personal or Periodical Index and Religion classroom use. Permission to otherwise reprint essays Index One: Periodicals (RIO); and reviews must be granted permission by the editor book reviews are indexed in Index to Book Reviews in and the author. Religion (IBRR). Both RIO Postmaster: Send address changes to: and IBRR are published by the American Theological The Asbury Journal Library Association, 5600 Asbury Theological Seminary South Woodlawn Avenue, 204 North Lexington Avenue Chicago, IL 60637, and are available online through BRS Wilmore, Kentucky 40390 Information Technologies and DIALOG Information Services. Articles starting with volume 43 are abstracted in Religious and Theological Beginning with the Fall 2016 issue of The Asbury Abstracts and New Test- Journal, the journal will become completely online at: ament Abstracts. Volumes in microform of the Asbury Seminarian (vols. 1-40) and http://place.asburyseminary.edu/asburyjournal/. the Asbury Theological Journal (vols. 41-60) are People and institutions wishing to receive print versions, available from University Microfilms International, can buy print copies of the entire volume at the end of 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann the year. Free full volumes will be used to complete any Arbor, Michigan 48106. outstanding subscriptions. Te Asbury Journal 70/1:6-7 © 2015 Asbury Teological Seminary DOI: 10.7252/Journal.01.2015S.01 From the Editor When we think of cross-cultural interactions, we most often think of the classic foreign missionary learning a new language and exotic culture in some remote locale. On the cover of this issue, and in From the Archives, we see this traditional image in the story of E.F. Ward, the frst Free Methodist missionary, and his wife who lived and worked in India. From his scrapbooks we see his drawing of the human body as he labeled words in English and Hindi, and some of his early scripts for Gospel talks given in the bazaars of India. But this is only one type of intercultural work needed in today’s Church. There is also a growing need for scholars who can help us navigate the cultural boundaries of history, theology, and even the Bible itself. Every culture provides a unique lens through which one group of people sees the world, perceives God’s work, and even reads scripture. These cultures might be ethnic, linguistic, or even generational. What might it mean to read the story of the woman at the well through African eyes, or understand a Christian theology of suffering through Chinese perspectives? What new, rich insights might we gain, not just to communicate the Gospel to people in other places, but also to help develop our own understanding of God at a deeper, more complete level? On October 10, 2014 the Advanced Research Programs of Asbury Theological Seminary held their Advanced Research Interdisciplinary Colloquium entitled “Intercultural Hermeneutics,” and in our regular practice, The Asbury Journal is publishing the four papers presented by the doctoral students, as well as the two presentations by Asbury faculty. Dr. Lalsangkima Pachuau introduces the topic of intercultural hermeneutics, explaining some of the complexities that come with reading scripture through different cultural lenses, while Dr. Craig Keener, in his keynote address explores the many layers of this subject, and demonstrates how intercultural hermeneutics work at the practical level in the cases of miracles and spirits/ witchcraft. Jeremy Chew examines how Naaman in 2 Kings 5 represents an Old Testament model of cross-cultural conversion in the socio-political world of his ancient Syrian context. Moe Moe Nyunt compares Eastern and Western modes of Christian mediation to demonstrate how they refect the deep cultural foundations from which they emerged. Adrian Reynolds explores how his own background growing up in Zimbabwe enables him to interact more easily within 6 Danielson: From the Editor 7 theological boundaries with other Christian scholars, in this case, Stephen D. Moore, an Irish postcolonial biblical critic. Hunn Choi presents how his own perspective as a Korean born pastor of a multicultural church, helps develop guidelines for reading scripture through other cultural lenses at the margins of society here in the United States. Two more articles round out this fascinating exploration of understanding scripture and theology across cultural boundaries. Benjamin Espinoza explores how reimagining Phillip Spener’s 1675 work Pia Desideria can help us develop stronger Christian pedagogy in our current context. J. Derrick Lemons looks at how the powerful cultural experience of table fellowship established in the frst century can help bring a sense of community to marginalized people within our own church communities today. Reading scripture and developing theology almost always involves crossing borders of some type, be they historical, theological, or cultural. Especially in today’s globalized and rapidly changing world, developing the skills to cross such borders has become an issue of critical importance to theological education, and indeed the growth and survival of the Church itself. Robert Danielson Ph.D. Te Asbury Journal 70/1:8-16 © 2015 Asbury Teological Seminary DOI: 10.7252/Journal.01.2015S.02 Lalsangkima Pachuau Intercultural Hermeneutics: A Word of Introduction Abstract This paper introduces the theme of intercultural hermeneutics for the Advanced Research Programs interdisciplinary colloquium. By focusing on recent literature in the feld of intercultural hermeneutics, this paper distinguishes this feld of study from traditional cross-cultural communication and indicates its relevance to the current feld of biblical studies and missiology. The importance of postcolonial studies to the feld of intercultural hermeneutics is also addressed. Keywords: intercultural hermeneutics, postcolonialism, biblical studies, missiology Lalsangkima Pachuau is the Dean of Advanced Research Programs and the J.W. Beeson Professor of Christian Mission at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. 8 Pachuau: Intercultural Hermeneutics 9 Intercultural Hermeneutics in a Globalizing World To deal with culture in relation to hermeneutics (or the science of interpretation), we have to approach that complex whole we call culture from a particular angle, namely the semiotic understanding of culture. The semiotics of culture studies
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