CONTENTS Theme: Theology and Church E V

ERT cover 30-1 22/11/05 14:04 Page 1 CONTENTS Theme: Theology and Church E V Editorial – Theology and Church page 3 A N Enabling Congregations to become G E Theological Communities L I C FRANK REES A page 4 L R E The Rise of the Professional Doctor of Ministry V I E Degree in the ATS W DONALD L. TUCKER O page 13 F T H Learning from the African Experience: Bediako and E Critical Contexualisation O L ALAN THOMSON O G page 31 Y V Biblical Hermeneutics in Relation to Conventions of O Articles and book reviews reflecting L Language Use in Africa U M global evangelical theology for the purpose JIM HARRIES E page 49 3 of discerning the obedience of faith 0 , Whither Evangelical Theology? The Work of Veli-Matti N Kärkkäinen as a Case Study of Contemporary Trajectories O 1 MOS ONG , A Y J a n page 60 u a r Toward an Ethic of Shared Responsibility in y 2 Galatians 5:13-15 0 0 PETER MAGETO 6 page 86 Book Reviews page 95 Volume 30 No. 1 January 2006 PATERNOSTER PATERNOSTER PERIODICALS PERIODICALS Evangelical Review of Theology EDITOR: DAVID PARKER Volume 30 • Number 1 • January 2006 Articles and book reviews reflecting global evangelical theology for the purpose of discerning the obedience of faith Published by for WORLD EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE Theological Commission PATERNOSTER PERIODICALS ISSN: 0144-8153 Volume 30 No. 1 January 2006 Copyright © 2006 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] http://www.worldevangelicalalliance.com/commissions/theological.htm 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. ERT (2006) 30:1, 3 Editorial: Theology and Church IN contrast with some earlier periods, the very words that are used in Scrip- the church continues to be a focus of ture and theology, and how they need evangelical thinking. In this opening to be interpreted sensitively within issue for the new year we present some their culture to avoid impairment of the articles which address the combination communication of the gospel and the of theology and church, a link which is theological basis of the church. sometimes difficult to make. Writing Amos Yong’s extensive survey of out of considerable experience, Frank the work of prominent Finnish scholar, Rees of Melbourne, Australia, reports Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, broadens the on ways to create and encourage local scope of our thinking even further. churches to become healthy by devel- Yong interprets him as a ‘world theolo- oping their theological and biblical gian’ and in so doing, gives us some maturity. He says, ‘We must… see guidelines for a ‘model’ of evangelical how the very life of every local church theology that is ‘faithful to the biblical itself involves theological tasks—most narrative, ecumenical in scope… [and] fundamentally the challenge of living anticipates the possibility of the with and responding to God.’ Spirit’s speaking through any language’. At the professional level Donald We conclude this issue with a Bible Tucker turns our attention to the study on Galatians chapter 5, by Peter extremely popular DMin degree, which Mageto, emphasizing the necessity of has so strongly affected seminaries, realizing our ethical responsibility churches and personal ministry within the framework of the believing prospects in recent years. He provides community rather than in isolation. a helpful background to this phenome- ‘For Paul, to be in freedom is to be in non which should prove useful in eval- service to and for others’. This uating the potential value of this approach not only calls attention to the course and its graduates in various importance of the church for the indi- contexts around the world. vidual, but also has implications for We then turn to Africa for two arti- institutions like seminaries which cles which emphasize the importance, serve it, and the attitude of the church once again, of context for theological to those its serves in the community. reflection. Alan Thomson investigates Thus not only theology but also ethics the work of an individual, Kwame Bedi- and spirituality are to be integrated ako of Ghana, as he seeks to make the- within the life of God’s people. ology relevant to the church in its culture. Jim Harries of Kenya discusses David Parker, Editor ERT (2006) 30:1, 4-12 Enabling Congregations to Become Theological Communities Frank Rees KEY-WORDS: Adult Christian their faith, ranging from the nature of Education, social responsibility, wor- the church through to skills in pastoral ship, fellowship, community, priest- care and evangelism. Edge saw a great hood of all believers, discipleship, need for the church to become a mature narrative, contextualization community, conscious of its identity and purpose: ‘It is imperative that we become a people who understand who Introduction we are, who God is, what God is about in the world and what God is calling us AT the height of the ‘Adult Christian to be about in the world.’2 Outlining the Education’ movement which swept core curriculum of the local church as through churches around the world a theological seminary, Edge identified generation ago, Findley Edge proposed five areas: Bible, theology, church his- the idea that every local church should tory, missions and ethics.3 In fact, how- be a miniature theological seminary.1 ever, most local churches do not see He envisaged a new period of growth in themselves as theological seminaries. faith as a result of all people being On the contrary, there is much to sug- engaged in biblical study and reflection gest that pastors and local church lead- upon many practical implications of ers see theology, church history and 1 Findley B. Edge, The Greening of the 2 Edge, The Greening of the Church, p. 37. Church (Waco: Word Books, 1971). 3 Edge, The Greening of the Church, p. 181. Frank Rees, TheolM, PhD (Manchester), is the Dean and Professor of Systematic Theology at Whitley College, the Baptist College of Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia. He has pastored local churches in Australia and more recently has served as ‘Theologian in Residence’ at a number of other churches. His research interests include contextual approaches to Christology and Ecclesiology, and he has an interest in developing theological work in cooperation with colleagues in the Asia-Pacific region. He serves on the Doctrine Commission of the Baptist World Alliance and has been President of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools. Along with many journal articles, he edited and contributed to Fair Dinkum Ministry: Stories of Authentic Australian Spirituality and Struggle (Spectrum Publications, 1999); his most recent book is Wrestling with Doubt (Liturgical Press, 2001). Enabling Congregations to Become Theological Communities 5 many aspects of biblical studies as of the academy or university, and away irrelevant to their concerns.4 from the life of the people into the for- Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson mal and professional training of pas- challenge the contemporary church tors or ‘ministers’.6 As a result of these with their small book, Who Needs The- changes, theology is seen as some- ology? Their answer is that every thing pastors study prior to or at the Christian needs theology in order to beginning of their life in ministry. Here live as a disciple of Jesus. But this idea the ‘banking’ view of knowledge con- can make sense only when theology tributes to the perception of theology itself is seen as directly related to the as a body of information stored up and living witness of Christians, individu- then used (or ignored) when the person ally and collectively. They begin with a moves on from study to practice, from distinctive description of theology, theory to action. which conveys this purpose and rela- If theology is to make a constructive tionship: and enriching contribution to church Christian theology is reflecting on life generally, and not just to the train- and articulating the God-centred ing of pastors before their life in min- life and beliefs that Christians istry, we must move beyond some of share as followers of Jesus Christ, the negative perceptions and polarisa- tions to see how the very life of every and it is done in order that God may local church itself involves theological be glorified in all Christians are and tasks—most fundamentally the chal- do.5 lenge of living with and responding to Here, theology is seen as enabling God. people to discover and articulate the nature of their shared life and beliefs as followers of Jesus. When seen in this A constructive possibility: a way, it is difficult to imagine why any vision of the church with God Christians might object to theology! Doing theology can assist the local Edward Farley has written exten- church to become a community of bibli- sively on the history of theological cally formed and socially responsive study and has documented the shift of Christians, continually engaged in dis- theology from its natural environment, cerning the presence and call of God to the churches, into the formal contexts them and, both individually and collectively, responding in worship and service.

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