Contextual Theology : A Reading Guide

Compiled by John Roxborogh

1. Journals

2. Key Texts

Anderson, Gerald H and Thomas F Stransky, Mission trends no. 3. Third World Theologies, Paulist/Eerdmans, 1976.

Bevans, Stephen B. Models of contextual theology, Orbis, 1992.

Dyrness, William A. Learning about theology from the Third World, Zondervan, 1990.

Schreiter, Robert J. Constructing local theologies, Orbis, 1985.

Sugirtharajah, R S., ed., Voices from the margin. Interpreting the Bible in the Third World, Orbis, 1991.

 

3. Introductory articles

‘African Theology,’ ‘Black Theology,’ ‘Chinese Theology,’ ‘Contextual Theology,’ ‘EATWOT,’ ‘Filipino Theology,’ ‘Indian Theology,’ ‘Intercultural Theology,’ ‘Japanese Theology,’ ‘Korean Theology,’ ‘Latin American Theology’. Karl Müller et al eds. Dictionary of Mission, Orbis, 1997.

‘African Theology,’ ‘Black Theology,’ Asian Christian Theology,’ ‘Contextualization,’ in S B Ferguson and D F Wright, New Dictionary of Theology, IVP, 1988.

‘Arab Christian thought,’ ‘Black theology,’ ‘Chinese Christian thought,’ ‘Culture and theology,’ ‘Eastern Orthodox theology,’ ‘Indian Christian thought,’ ‘Japanese Christian thought,’ ‘Korean Christian thought’ and ‘Liberation theology.’  Alister McGrath. ed. Blackwell Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Thought, Blackwell, 1993.

‘Asian Theology,’ ‘Contextualization of Theology,’ in W A Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Baker, 1984.

‘Theology African,’ ‘Theology Asian,’ ‘Theology Black,’ ‘Theology by the people,’ ‘Theology contextual,’ ‘Theology Liberation,’ ‘Theology Minjung,’ ‘Theology Pacific,’ ‘Third World,’ in N Lossky, et al, eds. Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement, Eerdman/WCC, 1991.

 

4. The question of method: Universal truths and contextualised theology

Baum, Gregory. ‘Three theses on contextual theology,’ The Ecumenist 24(4), May-June 1986, pp.49-59.

Bevans, Stephen B. Models of contextual theology, Orbis, 1992. [BR118]

Frei, Hans W. ‘Five types of theology,’ chap 5 in his Types of Christian Theology, Yale, 1992, pp.28-55.

Gibbs, Philip. The Word in the Third World. Divine Revelation in the Theology of Jean-Marc Éla, Aloysius Pieris and Gustavo Gutiérrez, Pontifica Università Gregoriana, Roma, 1996.

Hinsdale, Mary Ann. ‘Surfacing local theology in Appalachia: the use of participatory research in theological reflection,’ Missiology 21(2) Apr 1993, 155-172.

Larkin, William J. Culture and biblical hermeneutics, University Press of America, 1993.

Kato, Byang. ‘The Gospel, cultural context and religious syncretism,’ in J D Douglas, ed., Let the earth hear his voice, Worldwide, 1975.

Kraft, Charles H. ‘The contextualization of theology,’ Evangelical Missions Quarterly, Jan 1978 14(1).

Ormerod, Neil. Introducing contemporary theologies. The what and the who of theology today, Dwyer, Australia.

Pobee, John S, ‘Oral theology and Christian oral tradition,’ Mission Studies 6(1), 1989, 87-93.

Schreiter, Robert J. Constructing local theologies, Orbis, 1985.

Smith-Christopher, Daniel. Text and experience. Towards a cultural exegesis of the bible, Sheffield Academic Press, 1995.

‘Theology contextual,’ ‘Third World,’ in N Lossky, et al, eds., Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement, Eerdman/WCC, 1991.

 

5. General References

Abraham, K C, ed. Third World theologies: commonalities and divergences, Orbis, 1990. [BR30]

Amirtham, Samuel and John S Pobee, Theology by the people. Reflections on doing theology in community, WCC, 1986.

Anderson, Gerald H and Thomas F Stransky, Mission trends no. 3. Third World Theologies, Paulist/Eerdmans, 1976.

Boff, Leonardo and Virgil Elizondo. Theologies of the Third World. Convergences and differences, Concilium 199, T&T Clark, 1988.

Davis, Kortright. ‘Third World theological priorities,’ Scottish Journal of Theology, 40, 85-105.

Dyrness, William A. Invitation to Cross-cultural theology. Case studies in vernacular theologies, Zondervan, 1992. 

‘Final document, International Ecumenical Congress of Theology ... 1980, Sao Paulo, Brazil,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 4(3) Jul 1980, 127-133.

Ferme, Deane William. Third World Liberation Theologies. A reader, Orbis, 1986.

Gilliand, Dean S. The Word among us. Contextualising theology for mission today, Word, Dallas, 1989.

Kirk, J Andrew. Theology and the Third World Church Paternoster/IVP, 1983.

Lossky, N. et al, eds., Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement, Eerdman/WCC, 1991.

Missiology, 12(4) Oct 1984.

‘Statement of the Ecumenical Dialogue of Third World Theologians,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 1(1) Jan 1977.

Sugden C and V Samuel, Sharing Jesus in the Two-Thirds World, Regnum, Oxford, 1983.

Wessels, Anton. Images of Jesus: How Jesus is perceived and portrayed in non-European cultures, Eerdmans, 1990.

 

6. Asian Theology

 

‘Asian Christian Theology,’ ‘Pain of God Theology,’ in S B Ferguson and D F Wright, New Dictionary of Theology, IVP, 1988.

‘Asian Theology’ in W A Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Baker, 1984.

‘Statement of the Asian Theological Conference of Third World Theologians,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 3(3) July 1979, 99-102.

 

Anderson Gerald H and Thomas F Stransky eds Mission trends No.3 Third world theologies, Paulist/Eerdmans, 1976.

Asian Women doing theology, Exchange 47, September 1987.

Batumalai, S. An introduction to Asian theology, ISPCK, Delhi, 1991.

Bennett, A A & Kwang-Ching Liu. ‘Christianity in the Chinese idiom: Young J Allen and the early Chiao-hui hsin-pao, 1868-1870.’

Boyd, R S. India and the Latin captivity of the Church, CUP, 1974. [Reviews: Church History 45, 1976, p.125; Theology 77, 1974, pp483-485; Churchman 89(2), 1975, pp.139-141; Scottish Journal of Theology 28(1), 90-92); Expository Times, 86(1974), pp59-60.]

Boyd, R H S. ‘Indian Christian thinking in relation to Christ,’ Scottish Journal of Theology 19(4) Dec 1966, 446-456.

Boyd, Robin. An introduction to Indian Christian Theology, CLS, Madras, 1969.

Chao, S H. ‘The Chinese Church and theology: a discussion,’ East Asia Journal of Theology,   2(1) 1984, 82-93.

Covell, Ralph R. Confucius, the Buddha and Christ, Orbis, 1986.

Diaz, Hector. A Korean Theology: Chu-Gyu Yo Ji: Essentials of the Lord’s teaching by Chong Yak-Jong Augustine (1760-1801), Neue Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft, 1986.

Din, Khin Maung. ‘Some problems and possibilities for Burmese Christian theology,’ South East Asia Journal of Theology, 16(2), 1975, 17-30;

Drummond, Richard Henry. ‘A new history of Japanese theology’ Mission Studies 11(2), 22, 1994, 243-253.

Elwood, Douglas J. What Asian Christians are thinking, New Day Publishers, 1976.

England, John C. Living theology in Asia, SCM, 1981.

England, John C. ‘Contextual theology in Asian countries: a selected annotated bibliography,’ Missiology 12(4), October 1984, 477-489.

Furuya, Yasuo. A history of Japanese Theology, Eerdmans, 1996.

Glüer, Winfried, ‘The legacy of T C Chao,’ International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 6(4) Oct 1982, 165-169.

Harwood, H J. ‘Salvation and the Burman Buddhist,’ International Review of Mission, 38(152), Oct 1949, 422-431.

Hughes, P J. ‘The use of actual beliefs in contextualizing theology,’ East Asia Journal of Theology, 2(2), 1984, 251-258.

Hwa Yung. Mangoes or Bananas? The quest for authentic Asian Christian theology. Biblical theology in an Asian context. Regnum, 1977.

Kitamori, Theology of the pain of God.

Koyama, Kosuke. ‘Asian Theology,’ David F Ford, The modern theologians, Blackwell, 1989, 217-234.

Koyama, Kosuke. Mount Fuji and Mount Sinai. A pilgrimage in theology, SCM 1984, Orbis, 1985.

Küster, Volker, ‘Minjung theology and Minjung art,’ Mission Studies 11(1), 21, 1994, 108-129.

Lam Wing-hung, ‘Patterns of Chinese theology,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 4(1) Jan 1980, 20-24; Evangelical Review of Theology, 6(2) Oct 1982.

Lam, Wing-Hung. Chinese theology in construction, William Carey Library, 1983.

Laschenski, S J. ‘The meaning of the incarnation for the church in Thailand,’ East Asia Journal of Theology, 2(1), 1984, 75-81.

Mackie, Steven G. ‘God’s people in Asia: A key concept in Asian theology,’ Scottish Journal of Theology, 42(2), 1989, 215-240.

McKenzie, Douglas G. The Mango Tree Church. The story of the Protestant Christian Church in Bali, Boolarong, Brisbane, 1988.

Michaelson, Carl. Japanese contributions to Christian theology, Westminster, 1960.

Minjung Theology. People as the subjects of history, Orbis, 1983.

Miura, Hiroshi. The life and thought of Kanzo Uchimura, 1861-1930, Eerdmans, 1996.

Nacpil, Emerito P and Douglas J Elwood, The human and the holy. Asian perspectives in Christian theology New Day Publishers, 1978.

Niles, D Preman and Charles C West, ‘Reviewing and responding to the thought of Choan-Seng Song,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 1(3) Jul 1977, 9-15.

Niles, D Preman. ‘The Word of God and the People of Asia,’ in James T Butler, E W Conrad and B C Ollenburger, eds., Understanding the Word. Essays in honour of Bernhard W Anderson, JSOT, 1985, 281-313.

Noble, Colin. ‘Endo Shusaku’s Jesus - introduction to Japanese Christology,’ Crux, 27(4), Dec 1991, 28-32.

Partonadi, Sutarman S. Sadrach’s community and its contextual roots: A nineteenth century Javanese expression of Christianity, Rodopi, Amsterdam, 1988.

Pieris, Aloysius. An Asian theology of liberation, Orbis/T&T Clark, 1988.

Pieris, Aloysius. ‘The place of non-Christian religions and cultures in the evolution of a Third-World Theology, CTC Bulletin, 3(2) August 1982, 43-61.

Ro, Bong Rin and Mark C Albrecht, God in Asian contexts, Asia Theological Association, 1988.

Ro, Bong Rin, and Ruth Eshenour, The bible and theology in Asian contexts, Asia Theological Association, 1984.

Ro, Bong Rin , Christian alternatives to ancestor practices, Asia Theological Association, 1985. [BLU 67]

Roxborogh, John. ‘Whose history and whose theology? Reflections from Malaysia on the study of non-Western Christianity,’ Mission Studies, 8(1), April 1991, 93-103.

Schilling, S Paul. ‘Emerging ecumenical theology in south East Asia,’ South East Asia Journal of Theology, 1970, (12), 65-73.

Sheldon Sawatzky ‘Review and critique of C S Song’s theology of mission,’ Taiwan Journal of Theology March(4) 1982 229-248.

Simatupang, T B. ‘Doing theology in Indonesia today,’ CTC Bulletin 3(2) August 1982, 20-29.

Song, C S. The compassionate God, Orbis, 1982.

Song, C S. Theology from the womb of Asia, SCM, 1988.

Sound the Bamboo, CCA Hymnal 1990, Christian Conference of Asia, 1990.

Sugirtharajah, R S., ed., Asian faces of Jesus, SCM, 1993.

Takenaka, Masao and Ron O’Grady, The Bible through Asian eyes, Auckland and Kyoto, 1991.

Thaiwatcharamas, Pracha. ‘God and Christ in the context of Buddhism,’ in V Samuel and C Sugden, Sharing Jesus in the Two-thirds world, 204-216.

Thomas, M M. ‘My pilgrimage in mission,’ International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 13(1) 1989, 28-31.

Ting, K H. ‘Theological mass movements in China,’ International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 9(3) 1985 98-102.

Yu, Carver T. ‘Chinese Christian Thought’ in A E McGrath, ed., Blackwell Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Thought, 1995, 71-77.

 

7. African Theology

 ‘African Theology,’ Black Theology,’ in S B Ferguson and D F Wright, New Dictionary of Theology, IVP, 1988. 

Adelowo, E Ada. ‘A comparative look ... Yoruba oral tradition,’ Asia Journal of Theology (1) October 1987, 334-354.

Anderson, Allan. ‘African Pentecostalism and the Ancestor cult: confrontation or compromise?’ Missionalia 21(1) April 1993, 26-39.

Akinade, Akitunde E, ‘‘Who do you say that I am?’ : An assessment of some Christological constructs in Africa,’ Asia Journal of Theology 9(1) April 1995 181-200.

Bediako, Kwame. ‘Biblical Christologies in the context of African Traditional Religions,’ in C Sugden and V Samuel, Sharing Jesus in the Two-Thirds World, Regnum, Oxford, 1983, 115-175.

Bediako, Kwame. ‘Jesus in African culture,’ Evangelical Review of Theology, 17(1), Jan 1993, 54-64.

Bediako, Kwame. ‘The roots of African theology,’ International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 13(2) Apr 1989 58-65.

Bediako, Kwame. Theology and identity. The impact of culture upon Christian thought in the second century and in modern Africa, Regnum, Oxford, 1992.

‘Communique of the Pan African Conference of Third World Theologians,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 2(3) Jul 1978, 92-94.

Daneel, M L. ‘African Christian theology and the challenge of earthkeeping,’ Neue Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft, 47, 1991(2) 129-142; 1991(3), 225-246.

De la Haye, Sophie, Byang Kato: Ambassador for Christ, Africa Christian Press, Ghana, 1986.

Dickson, Kwesi A. ‘Development of African Theologies,’ Mission Studies 1(2) 1984, 53-61.

Gehman, Richard J. Doing African Theology. An Evangelical perspective, Evangel, Nairobi, 1987.

Gitari, David. ‘The claims of Jesus in the African context,’ Evangelical Review of Theology, 6(2) Oct 1982, International Review of Mission, January 1982.

Kato, Byang H. ‘Black Theology and African Theology,’ Evangelical Review of Theology, 1(1) Oct 1977, 35-48.

Kato, Byang H. Theological Pitfalls in Africa, Evangelical Publishing House, Nairobi, 1975.

Kalu, Ogbu U. African Church Historiography: An ecumenical perspective, Evangelische Arbeitsstelle Oekumene Schwiez, Bern, 1988.

King, Fergus J. ‘Angels and Ancestors: A basis for Christology?’ Mission Studies 11(1), 21, 1994, 10-26.

Kinney, John W. ‘The theology of John Mbiti: his sources, norms and method,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 3(2) Apr 1979, 65-68. [And the comment by John Mbiti, p.68.]

Martey, Emmanuel. African theology. Inculturation and Liberation, Orbis, 1993.

Mbiti, John. The Bible and Theology in African Christianity, 1986.

Mbiti, John. ‘The biblical basis for present trends in African theology,’ Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research, 4(3) Jul 1980, 119-124.

Mugabe, H J. ‘Christology in an African context,’ Review and Expositor 88(4) 1991, 343-355.

Musasiwa, Roy B. ‘The finality of Jesus in Africa,’ Evangelical Review of Theology, 17(1), Jan 1993, 65-69.

Okorocha, Cyril. The meaning of religious conversion in Africa, Avebury, 1987.

Parratt, John ed. A reader in African theology, SPCK TEF Study Guide 23, 1987.

Priest, Doug. Doing theology with the Maasai, William Carey Library, 1990.

Taylor, J T V. Primal Vision, 146-163.

Tienou, Tite. ‘Indigenous African Christian theologies: the uphill road,’ International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 14(2) Apr 1990, 73-77

Tienou, Tite. ‘Biblical Foundations for African theology,’ Missiology 10(4) October 1982, 435-448.

Tienou, Tite. ‘Threats and dangers in the theological task in Africa,’ Evangelical Review of Theology, 5(1) April 1981, 40-47.

Turner, Harold W. ‘Interactions of Bible and cultures. Contrasting receptions - Africa and New Zealand,’ Stimulus 1(4), November 1993, pp.6-12.

Van Rheenen, Gailyn. ‘Cultural concepts of power in Biblical perspective,’ Missiology 21(1) January 1993, 41-53.

 

8. Black Theology

‘Black Christian Interpretation,’ in R J Coggins and J L Houlden, A Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation, SCM, 1990.

Black Theology,’ in W A Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Baker, 1984.

Black Theology,’ in S B Ferguson and D F Wright, New Dictionary of Theology, IVP, 1988.

‘Theology Black,’ in N Lossky, et al, eds., Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement, Eerdman/WCC, 1991.

Gerloff, Roswith. A plea for British Black Theologies ... with special reference to the Pentecostal Oneness (Apostolic) and Sabbatarian Movements, Peter Lang, Frankfurt, 1992.

Kalilombe, Patrick A. ‘Black theology’ in David F Ford, The modern theologians, Blackwell, 1989, 193-216.

 

9. Pacific (Melanesia, Maori, New Zealand, Oceania) Theology

Aerts, Theo. ‘Man and his world: Biblical and Melanesian world views,’ Melanesian Journal of Theology, 5(1) April 1989.

Andrew, M E. The Old Testament and New Zealand theology, Faculty of Theology, Dunedin, 1982.

Brown, Andrew. ‘What constitutes a New Zealand theology?’ Study Leave Report, Auckland, 1992.

Carrington, Don. ‘Jesus’ dreaming; doing theology through Aboriginal stories,’ J Houston, ed., The cultured pearl, Joint Board for Christian Education, Melbourne, 1988, pp.261-272.

Christ in Melanesia. Exploring Theological Issues, Point Series, Melanesian Institute, 1977.

Hagesi, Robert. ‘Towards a Melanesian Christian Theology,’ Melanesian Journal of Theology, 1(1) 1985.

Haire, James. ‘Visions of the Spirit for the Church in the Great Southern Land,’ Asia Journal of Theology, 6(2), 1992, 250-262.

Irwin, J. ‘Towards a Maori Theology,’ Colloquium, 1983, 1-19.

Ker, John M and Kevin J Sharpe, Toward an authentic New Zealand theology, University of Auckland Chaplaincy, 1984.

Lane, C. ‘The breath of God: A primer in Pacific/Asian theology,’ Mission Studies 8(1), 1991, 49-56.

May, John D’Arcy. Living Theology in Melanesia: A reader, Point Series, 8, Melanesian Institute, 1985.

‘Theology Pacific,’ in N Lossky, et al, eds., Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement, Eerdman/WCC, 1991.

Pech, Rufus. ‘The name of God in Melanesia,’ Melanesian Journal of Theology, 1(1) 1985

Rzepkowski, Horst. ‘Stepping stones to a Pacific Theology,’ Mission Studies 9(1), 1992, 40-61.

Strelan, John G. Search for Salvation. Studies in the history and theology of cargo cults, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide, 1977.

Trompf, G W. The Gospel is not Western. Black Theologies from the Southwest Pacific, Orbis, 1987.

World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Consultation, March 1993, papers.

 

10. Liberation Theology

Anderson, Gerald H and Thomas F Stransky, eds. Mission trends No.4, Liberation theologies, Paulist/Eerdmans, 1979.

Chopp, Rebecca S. ‘Liberation theology,’ in David F Ford, The modern theologians, Blackwell, 1989, 173-192.

Escobar, S. ‘Evangelical theology in Latin America: The development of a missiological Christology,’ Missiology 19(3), July 1991, 315-332.

Ferm, Deane William. Third world Liberation Theologies, a reader, Orbis, 1986.

Gutierrez, Gustavo. A theology of liberation, SCM, 1974.

Kee, Alistair. The scope of political theology, SCM, 1978.

Kirk J Andrew. Liberation theology: an Evangelical view from the Third World, John Knox/MMS, 1979.

Kirk, J Andrew. Theology encounters revolution, IVP, 1980.

‘Liberation Theology,’ in R J Coggins and J L Houlden, A Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation, SCM, 1990.

Thrower, James. ‘Marxism: the liberation of theology or a theology of liberation?’ Theology, November 1984, 420-426.