Evangelical Review of Theology Reflect the Opinions of the Authors and Reviewers and Do Not Necessarily Represent Those of the Editor Or Publisher
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EVANGELICAL REVIEW OF THEOLOGY VOLUME 16 P. 2 Volume 16 • Number 1 • January 1992 Evangelical Review of Theology Articles and book reviews original and selected from publications worldwide for an international readership for the purpose of discerning the obedience of faith EDITOR: BRUCE J. NICHOLLS Published by THE PATERNOSTER PRESS for WORLD EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP Theological Commission ISSN: 0144–8153 Vol. 16 No. 1 January–March 1992 Copyright © 1992 World Evangelical Fellowship Editor: Bruce J. Nicholls Assisted by Kathleen Nicholls Committee: (The Executive Committee of the WEF Theological Commission): Peter Kuzmič (Chairman), Bong Rin Ro (Secretary) Pedro Arana, Wilson Chow, Rene Daidanso Ma Djongwe, Ward Gasque, Emmanuel Gbonigi, Rolf Hille 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 Publisher. Manuscripts, reports and communications should be addressed to the Editor and sent to 105 Savitri Building, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi - 110 048, India The Editor welcomes 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. Change of address, journal subscription, renewals and back numbers should be sent to the Publisher, Paternoster Press, Paternoster House, 3 Mount Radford Crescent, Exeter UK, EX2 4JW. Subscriptions For the British Isles and Commonwealth (1992) £13.80 For the U.S.A. $44.40 For the Developing Countries (nationals and institutions): 50% discount on the rates shown above. Long-term rates on application to the publishers. p. 3 2 Editorial Witnessing to the Gospel in the market place is the organizing theme of this issue of ERT. We take witness to the wholistic concept for all of God’s mission in the world. Lausanne II reminded us ‘because of evangelism and social concern are inseparable in the mind of Jesus, they must be inseparable in our minds and ministry’. Witness is participating in the ministry of the Kingdom of God, declaring Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of all life and society. Archbishop Carey reminded us in his enthronement sermon that witness and martyr come from the same root. In the words of Paul ‘Necessity is laid upon me; woe to me if I preach not the Gospel’. The 20th century has been an era of enormous church growth especially in the so called ‘third world’, but we must also not forget that there have been more martyrs in this century than in any other. Suffering, servanthood and death is the way the master went. We must always be ready to be martyr—witnesses. It is common among evangelicals to think that evangelism is the church’s primary function. It would be more biblical to recognize worship as central to the church’s life. ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him for ever’ begins the Shorter Cathechism. True and authentic worship is itself a powerful witness to the Gospel especially in cultures where worship is a public event open to believer and critic alike. The symbols of water, bread and wine can be more powerful than spoken words. However, witnessing must also be verbal and propositional—sharing God’s good news to those who have not heard or understood it. Preaching, teaching and dialogue are central to all of biblical witness. The present decline of good preaching in the pulpit and in the market place is to be deeply regretted. The term ‘evangelism’ is best limited to verbal witness for to equate evangelism and mission inevitably blurs their necessary distinction. H. W. Gensichen maintained that everything the Church is and does has a missionary, dimension but not everything has a missionary intention. The Anglican Lambeth Conference (1988) launched a Decade of Evangelism calling for a shift to a dynamic missionary emphasis going beyond care and nurture to proclamation and service. Dialogue as discussed in this issue of ERT points to one area of interpersonal relationships in evangelism and in social service. We can expect sharp differences in understanding the methods employed in this decade of evangelism. As evangelism became more highly organised and publicised through modern technology, the tide of fear and resentment continues to rise among people of other faiths, Jews and Gentiles alike who are struggling for peace and harmony in the market place. Triumphalistic boasting and the manipulation of the media will discredit the Church’s witness in the p. 4 world. Love alone can overcome this fear—the love of God in Christ manifested in the message and life style of his disciples. Central to witness is personal righteousness and social justice. With the decline of living faith in an age of secularism, agnosticism and hedonism, moral values disappear. Violence, poverty and oppression reign. People are enslaved. The church without a salvific message is powerless. The distinction between the Church and the world is lost. The prophetic role of the Church rebuking sin and evil is a priority of our times. But only a Church continually renewed in doctrine, spirituality and mission can become God’s agent to transform society. Salt and light are precious commodities in any market place. The fearless witness of the late Bishop Alexander Muge of Kenya against political oppression points to the function of these symbols of life. None of us can stand against the forces of evil alone; a fragmented Church cannot effectively witness to Christ’s reconciling power. Unity in the body of Christ and the power 3 of the Spirit through prayer are essential to ‘mission in Christ’s way’. Without them there can be no sustained witness. p. 5 Enthronement Sermon Canterbury, England Friday, April 19th 1991 George Carey Reprinted with permission of the Archbishop of Canterbury ‘Wherever a saint has dwelt, wherever a martyr has given his blood for the blood of Christ, there is holy ground, and the sanctity shall not depart from it.’ That sentence, from T. S. Eliot’s play, is about the death of a former Archbishop of Canterbury, whose manner of dying made this place holy ground. My own enthronement, as successor to Thomas Becket, falls on the anniversary of an earlier martyr bishop, St Alphege, who in 1012 was beaten to death with the bones of an ox. Martyrdom is usually messy, often humiliating, never romantic, whatever we make of it later. So another Archbishop would tell us—William Laud—the only other Bishop of Bath and Wells to move to Canterbury, whose blood was shed on the scaffold. Such predecessors make me wonder—a little uneasily—about what may lie ahead, though it is not the particular circumstances of history which occupy my mind but the very nature of the calling to be Christian and a leader of Christians. The clue lies in that word ‘martyr’. It originates from a word meaning ‘witness’, a word which Christians use of anyone who tells their story of what God has done for them in Christ. It expresses what we are doing this afternoon, for Christianity is about proclaiming good news and expressing it in joyful worship and service. Archbishops do not exist for their own sake. They too are witnesses—called to be preachers, pastors, teachers and evangelists. St Paul’s words from our first reading are directed at me today—‘Necessity is laid upon me; woe to me if I preach not the gospel’. Necessity is laid upon me—or as another translation puts it; ‘I am compelled … woe to me if I preach not the gospel’. Knowing and loving and living within the grace of Christ, the church must so tell of its Lord and Master that others are brought to his allegiance. Like Paul I see this as central to the role of Christian leadership. The church is duty bound to call people to the Living God; and it is the Archbishop’s duty and joy to lead that call. Let none think that I say this in disregard of the doubt and secularism p. 6 of much of our nation. I know there are many voices raised in disbelief that anyone can still think there is a God who loves, who hears our prayers and whose will is our good. They point to the blood stains of human history, not least in the Church, and ask, in anger, contempt or amusement, for evidence of this good and gracious God. They suspect that faith is simply a shelter for the weak in mind and spirit against the storms of life or nostalgia for a bygone age. To such sceptics I ask: Is Mother Teresa weak? Is Desmond Tutu weak? Is Terry Waite weak?—he who with all other hostages suffers a living martyrdom and whose release remains a priority of my primacy. Are the Christians of Eastern Europe weak, especially 4 those who have been persecuted or exiled for their faith? In this Cathedral today are Christians from parts of the world whose courage and tenacity in the face of hatred and hostility compel our admiration. We must remind ourselves that there have been more Christian martyrs this century than any other of the previous nineteen. Ours is an age of martyrs. God has not left himself without witnesses. Nor does he now. Among the witnesses here today are my brother Archbishops and bishops of the Anglican Communion now gathered beside me at St. Augustine’s Chair. Many of them bring to our Communion a faith that has matured in terrible adversity and triumphed over suffering. Others come as representatives from different Christian bodies. It is a privilege to welcome you.