Learning about Theology from the Third World

by William A. Dyrness

With the growing awareness of cultural diversity, evangelicals are beginning to realize that "growing up into Christ in all things" (Eph. 4:15) is a corporate enterprise. Due to involvement in mission and international travel, many Westerners are beginning to realize how much they have to learn from different cultural traditions. LEARNING ABOUT THEOLOGY FROM THE THIRD WORLD is designed to introduce western Christians to discussions about theology going on in the Third World. The assumption is that western thinking about theology has not taken third world perspectives into account, and the day has come for us to bring these brothers and sisters into our conversations about Christianity. For the churches in this part of the world are rapidly becoming a significant force in the world and their leaders are becoming increasingly articulate about their faith (and about distortions the feel missionaries have introduced!). It is Dyrness' thesis that if we approach these sometimes unsettling writings as learners rather than teachers, we will find our own perspectives significantly altered. The maturity of the whole church demands this kind of inter-change. After an introductory chapter on the nature and problems of contextualization, the book gives major overviews of the theology of Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Issues are presented in such a way as to show that each area of the world has developed a unique approach to theological issues, and that each perspective has something to contribute to the development of theology. To illustrate this a final chapter discusses Christology form this cross-cultural perspective and the conclusion sketches out ways in which both western and non-western traditions may interact to enrich theology.

Genres: Theology

221 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 1990

About the author

William A. Dyrness (DTheol, University of Strasbourg; Doctorandus, Free University) is dean emeritus and professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and is the author of several books on global theology.

Dyrness' specializations include theology and culture (especially theology and the visual arts), Protestant vision since the Reformation in relation to the visual arts, non-Western theology, Christian apologetics, global theology, Interfaith aesthetics.

Reviews

[Dan Seely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that illustrates the blindness of the "West" to certain problems and applications of our theology and describes how reading Scripture and doing theology from the perspective of a different culture can give us insights that we could never see otherwise.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

overall, i thought it was an okay book. i do have to admit that i approached it w/ some level of suspicion only because i tend to be biased against sociological studies. one of the flaws i found, as suspected, was the descriptions of characters of each regions that seemed too rigid - i felt some of those can be overlapped. but, i do understand that the nature of the book forces it.

on the other hand, the biggest disappointment was the absence of the korean theology in his description of the asian continent. i might be a little biased here. but, i couldn't understand how one can describe the asian theology w/out mentioning korea, which is one of the few success stories of modern missionary movement, not to mention its rapid growth w/in last century.

[Luuya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Христитгэл шинээр хөгжиж буй орнуудад тулгарч буй бэрхшээл болоод тэндээс Барууныхан юу сурч болох вэ гэх мэт маш чухал зүйлсийг хөндөж бичсэн, өргөн мэдлэгтэй бичигч байна. Олон удаа уншиж үзэх ёстой л ном байна даа.