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Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology
Thinking more globally about the formation of theology enriches our understanding of what it means to be a Christian. It's no secret that the center of Christianity has shifted from the West to the global South and East. While the truths of the Christian faith are universal, different contexts and cultures illuminate new questions, understandings, and expressions. What does this mean for theology, as Western theologians understand it? Timothy Tennent argues that the Christian faith is culturally and theologically translatable. Theology in the Context of World Christianity is written to expand our "ecclesiastical cartography" by highlighting—within each of the major themes of systematic theology—studies that are engaging the global church, such as: Each of the ten chapters examines traditional theological categories in conversation with theologians from across the globe, making this volume valuable for students, pastors, missionaries, and theologians alike. Theological reflection is active and exciting in the majority world church, and Tennent invites you to your own reflection and celebration of Christ's global church. These are perspectives that should be heard, considered, and brought into conversation with Western theologians. Global theology can make us aware of our own blind spots and biases and has much to offer toward the revitalization of Western Christianity.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2007
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November 6, 2016
A very well written and accessible book for those interested in missiology coupled with systematic theology. I will highlight just one topic from the book. This topic discusses the role of contextualization in gospel proclamation and kingdom life. In this writing Tennent tackles the dangers of syncretistic tendencies in missions along with the dangers of extractionism. Extractionism being the practice of excessive separation from one's cultural context. Overall Tennent framed the contextualization hot-button issue extremely well. Much compassion is given for those who eagerly embrace the contextualizing of the gospel message who, through good intentions, may be in danger of syncretistic tendencies. Compassion is equally given for those who suffer from extractionism and unintentional disregard of culture. Ultimately though, the good news that is Jesus is universally applicable to every culture on this earth. Contextualization plays an invaluable role to the awareness of the universality of Jesus Christ.
March 24, 2025
Very well written! We have so much to learn from the emerging & vibrant global church. Highly recommend
September 17, 2020
This book should be read widely -- throughout the church, all over the world, but especially in the west. It re-calibrated my vision by drawing attention to the theological discussions of Christian leaders in the Majority World. Timothy Tennent seems like the man to write this book. He has taught theology in the West and in the East, at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and at Luther W. New Jr Theological College in Dehra Dun India. He can speak to the West about what is happening not only in the East, in India, Korea and China, but also in the Global South, in Africa and Latin America. His premise is simple. The church is most vibrant in the Majority World, but theology is still written mostly from the viewpoint of Europe and North America. The growing southern and eastern churches are facing situations that western theologies simply do not address. This is a great opportunity to bring theology and mission together where they belong. It also renews theology by forcing it to think more clearly about long held beliefs. He has organized the book through theological topics: Theology proper, Bibliology, Anthropology, Christology, etc. But in each case he raises an issue that has come from the Majority World and it is fascinating. It challenged me, moved me and inspired me. I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone who wants to broaden their theological vision and connect to what God is doing around the world.
October 8, 2019
Although slightly repetitive at times, the book does an incredible job exploring how the rapid development of the world church (that is, the church outside of the West) necessitates the continuing growth and expansion of our theology. In order to engage the world better, we must learn to think and speak in a language that better contextualizes the gospel to already existing world views. Fascinating read - would recommend!
December 19, 2023
In this book, Tennent looks at how non-Western Christians are translating key theological concepts to enable the spread of the gospel in new cultures. Each chapter looks at a different theological topic and examines a specific cultural context in which it is being discussed in a new way. For example, in the chapter on Christology, Tennent looks at how African Christians describe Jesus as “healer and ancestor,” two terms that resonate strongly in that culture but not in the modern West.
Overall, I thought Tennent did an excellent job of showing how we can learn from the faith of Christians in other cultures and how we can translate the essential gospel message in new contexts. At the same time, he pushed back in some instances where parts of the essential message may be getting lost or distorted. For me, it was a helpful check in seeing parts of my theology that may be overly dependent on a Western worldview, and also an encouraging look at the explosive growth of Christianity in the world at large.
Overall, I thought Tennent did an excellent job of showing how we can learn from the faith of Christians in other cultures and how we can translate the essential gospel message in new contexts. At the same time, he pushed back in some instances where parts of the essential message may be getting lost or distorted. For me, it was a helpful check in seeing parts of my theology that may be overly dependent on a Western worldview, and also an encouraging look at the explosive growth of Christianity in the world at large.
April 27, 2020
Pretty fantastic missiological text. I enjoyed Tennent's lectures for missions last fall and have enjoyed following it up with this read.
November 29, 2024
Absolutely fascinating. I was particularly interested in the sections that focused on Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.
February 3, 2018
The New Testament was born out of God’s mission in the world. Paul’s theology was forged in response to new questions that emerged as the grace of God found a home in Gentile contexts. And ever since then, mission has been the impetus for theological reflection. Opportunities for theological advance are numerous today in a globalized, pluralistic world where the majority of the world’s Christians are no longer found in the West. While Tennent affirms “the magnificent universal truths of the gospel that are true for all peoples, of all cultures, throughout all of time,” he also affirms “that there is much we can learn from the particular insights of the emerging global church.” (Location 531) His premise is “that the theological reflections of the Majority World church need to be heard as part of the normal course of theological study in the West.” (Location 587)
However, globalized theology is difficult for western Christians accustomed to being the theological center. “We continue to think that our theological reflections are normative and universally applicable to all people from all cultures.” (Location 190) More than this, the theological center is shifting from the West to Africa, Asia and Latin America. Western theology no longer carries the weight it once did. Though Tennant affirms the kyrgamatic center of Christian truth, which is universally true, he attempts a theology that is formed in dialog with Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and indigenous Christian movements from the Majority World. This is different than western theology that has developed in light of Greek philosophy, European heresies and Christendom values. While the West is increasingly post-Christian, Christianity is increasingly post-Western. This book will encourage you that Christianity is alive and well.
The first question that Tennent wrestles with concerns the identity and nature of God: theology. “Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad?” He analyzes linguistic, philosophical, and theological understanding of God the Father in light of Allah as worshipped in Islam. He seeks to apply his findings to the question of whether Muslims and Christians worship the same God, and concludes that the attributes ascribed to Hod in the Bible are different than those in the Quran.
His second question concerns bibliology in light of how Indian Christians interact with pre-Christian Hindu texts. “It is not uncommon to hear Indian Christian theologians refer to the Upanishads as their Old Testament.” (Location 1801) Though such a claim would be heretical for western Christians, the point is that the Upanishads reveal the questions Hindus ask that can be answered in Christ. But if we misunderstand the questions, we’ll provide unsatisfactory answers – even if those answers come from the Bible. Tennent addresses the uniqueness of Christian revelation in light of non-Christian religious texts, and he suggests guidelines for how Christians can interact with the texts of other religions in evangelism.
The third theological discipline Tennent addresses is anthropology; specifically, “Human Identity in Shame Based Cultures of the Far East.” The difference between shame and guilt-based cultures is that “shame arises from the pressure of external sanctions formed in the court of human opinion, whereas guilt arises from some internalized value system.” (2510-2512) In a shame-based culture, the needs of the community come before individual needs. This is often accompanied by an emphasis on external authority and the practice of ancestor veneration. Tennent explores the biblical texts that address shame and honor, and explains why western presentations of the gospel, which often focus on guilt rather than shame, often fall on deaf ears in honor-shame cultures. He explores atonement theories that address shame issues, and applies this to the difficulties to conversion in shame-based cultures.
Tennent tackles Christology by looking at Christ as Healer and Ancestor in Africa. African Christology focuses more on the work of Christ than his nature. Christology blends with soteriology, ecclesiology and eschatology. Six of the most common images of Christ found in Africa are: Christ as Healer and Life-Giver, Christ as Liberator, Christ as Chief, Christ as Master of Initiation, Christ as Ancestor/Elder Brother. Christ as Healer takes on three dimensions. Soteriologically, he provides physical healing. Ecclesiologically, he restores and creates a community. Eschatologically, he overcomes Satan and the principalities.
In his section of soteriology, Tennent asks the question, “Is salvation by grace through faith unique to Christianity?” He asks whether or not it’s true “that Christianity alone offers a doctrine of divine grace, whereas other religions only offer some version of works-righteousness — earning one’s salvation through various forms of human effort.” He explores the concept of grace in Mahayana Buddhism, where certain Buddhist saints voluntarily delayed Nirvana in order to help others on their path to enlightenment. From this emerged “Pure Land Buddhism,” which includes a teaching where individuals can claim “refuge” in a Buddhist saint. There is “Other Power,” which enables people to advance by receiving merit from Amida, a celestial Buddha. This merit is received through faith. Pure Land Buddhists even call for a conversion experience initiated by faith. Though there are similarities and common language between Pure Land Buddhism and Christianity, the former rejects the concept of a personal God and sin against Him. However, Buddhist concepts of grace can be a bridge for the gospel.
Chapter 7 addresses Pneumatology in light of Latin American Pentecostalism. Three quarters of all Latin American Protestants are Pentecostal. The western nations, influenced by the Enlightenment, have divided the world into two tiers where God breaks through in the incarnation and we go to him in prayer. However, for those people living outside the influence of the Enlightenment, there is no wall of separation. The Holy Spirit is real and active in the world. But western missionaries, focusing on the mind and theology, promoted a more “secular” worldview where God told us what to believe but was for the most part uninvolved. For Pentecostals, the Holy Spirit brings the “not-yet” nature of the kingdom into this world. Pentecostals can show us again how God is active in the world. Pentecostalism demonstrates that Christianity most influences the world not from the halls of politics or academia, but from the bottom up. In Pentecostal churches, the Holy Spirit empowers everyone for ministry. He unleashes the laity.
In the chapter on Ecclesiology, Tennent acknowledges that in countries where Christianity is a new addition, the idea of “church” is associated with foreign cultures. Can someone say yes to Jesus and no to the church? He explores this question in the context of Muslims who follow Jesus and remain in the mosque. Between the two dangers of extractionism and syncretism is contextualization. The difficulties come when Muslim followers of Jesus don’t simply remain culturally Muslim, but religiously Muslim. To what degree does one’s identity in Christ require a break with Islamic identity? This discussion gets more complicated when looking at the biblical theology of the church in light of the individualization faith has undergone in the West. Personal faith is marked by relationship, but the faith of the Church is defined by corporate creed, confession and identity. “Churchless Christianity” runs the danger of separating the personal from the propositional. The personal metanarrative takes precedence over the corporate.
Regarding eschatology, Tennent explores Jonathan Edwards and the Chinese “Back to Jerusalem” movement. Eschatology and the Back to Jerusalem movement are linked because of the widespread belief that the second coming of Christ would be preceded by the preaching of the gospel to all nations.
The Three Self Patriotic Movement, which cut the Chinese church off from external associations, encouraged a truly indigenous Chinese expression of the Church. It also enabled them to work in repressive environments such as Muslim contexts, and they learned to do ministry without complicated or expensive forms. They grew in sustainable ways. It was in this context that a missions initiative to take the gospel from China back to Jerusalem was birthed. One Chinese leader described Western strategies as “elephant plans” that are hard to hide and require a lot of food, whereas the Back to Jerusalem movement was an army of insects.
Tennent’s book is important for missiologists and theologians alike. It’s a strong encouragement to western Christians to celebrate non-Western theologies that don’t emerge out of European history. It’s a reminder that theology is best done in the context of mission, and that God truly is at work around the world. Encountering other theologies is a challenge to western Christians accustomed to defining theological orthodoxy from their vantage point, yet it’s an opportunity for theological and church growth.
However, globalized theology is difficult for western Christians accustomed to being the theological center. “We continue to think that our theological reflections are normative and universally applicable to all people from all cultures.” (Location 190) More than this, the theological center is shifting from the West to Africa, Asia and Latin America. Western theology no longer carries the weight it once did. Though Tennant affirms the kyrgamatic center of Christian truth, which is universally true, he attempts a theology that is formed in dialog with Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and indigenous Christian movements from the Majority World. This is different than western theology that has developed in light of Greek philosophy, European heresies and Christendom values. While the West is increasingly post-Christian, Christianity is increasingly post-Western. This book will encourage you that Christianity is alive and well.
The first question that Tennent wrestles with concerns the identity and nature of God: theology. “Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad?” He analyzes linguistic, philosophical, and theological understanding of God the Father in light of Allah as worshipped in Islam. He seeks to apply his findings to the question of whether Muslims and Christians worship the same God, and concludes that the attributes ascribed to Hod in the Bible are different than those in the Quran.
His second question concerns bibliology in light of how Indian Christians interact with pre-Christian Hindu texts. “It is not uncommon to hear Indian Christian theologians refer to the Upanishads as their Old Testament.” (Location 1801) Though such a claim would be heretical for western Christians, the point is that the Upanishads reveal the questions Hindus ask that can be answered in Christ. But if we misunderstand the questions, we’ll provide unsatisfactory answers – even if those answers come from the Bible. Tennent addresses the uniqueness of Christian revelation in light of non-Christian religious texts, and he suggests guidelines for how Christians can interact with the texts of other religions in evangelism.
The third theological discipline Tennent addresses is anthropology; specifically, “Human Identity in Shame Based Cultures of the Far East.” The difference between shame and guilt-based cultures is that “shame arises from the pressure of external sanctions formed in the court of human opinion, whereas guilt arises from some internalized value system.” (2510-2512) In a shame-based culture, the needs of the community come before individual needs. This is often accompanied by an emphasis on external authority and the practice of ancestor veneration. Tennent explores the biblical texts that address shame and honor, and explains why western presentations of the gospel, which often focus on guilt rather than shame, often fall on deaf ears in honor-shame cultures. He explores atonement theories that address shame issues, and applies this to the difficulties to conversion in shame-based cultures.
Tennent tackles Christology by looking at Christ as Healer and Ancestor in Africa. African Christology focuses more on the work of Christ than his nature. Christology blends with soteriology, ecclesiology and eschatology. Six of the most common images of Christ found in Africa are: Christ as Healer and Life-Giver, Christ as Liberator, Christ as Chief, Christ as Master of Initiation, Christ as Ancestor/Elder Brother. Christ as Healer takes on three dimensions. Soteriologically, he provides physical healing. Ecclesiologically, he restores and creates a community. Eschatologically, he overcomes Satan and the principalities.
In his section of soteriology, Tennent asks the question, “Is salvation by grace through faith unique to Christianity?” He asks whether or not it’s true “that Christianity alone offers a doctrine of divine grace, whereas other religions only offer some version of works-righteousness — earning one’s salvation through various forms of human effort.” He explores the concept of grace in Mahayana Buddhism, where certain Buddhist saints voluntarily delayed Nirvana in order to help others on their path to enlightenment. From this emerged “Pure Land Buddhism,” which includes a teaching where individuals can claim “refuge” in a Buddhist saint. There is “Other Power,” which enables people to advance by receiving merit from Amida, a celestial Buddha. This merit is received through faith. Pure Land Buddhists even call for a conversion experience initiated by faith. Though there are similarities and common language between Pure Land Buddhism and Christianity, the former rejects the concept of a personal God and sin against Him. However, Buddhist concepts of grace can be a bridge for the gospel.
Chapter 7 addresses Pneumatology in light of Latin American Pentecostalism. Three quarters of all Latin American Protestants are Pentecostal. The western nations, influenced by the Enlightenment, have divided the world into two tiers where God breaks through in the incarnation and we go to him in prayer. However, for those people living outside the influence of the Enlightenment, there is no wall of separation. The Holy Spirit is real and active in the world. But western missionaries, focusing on the mind and theology, promoted a more “secular” worldview where God told us what to believe but was for the most part uninvolved. For Pentecostals, the Holy Spirit brings the “not-yet” nature of the kingdom into this world. Pentecostals can show us again how God is active in the world. Pentecostalism demonstrates that Christianity most influences the world not from the halls of politics or academia, but from the bottom up. In Pentecostal churches, the Holy Spirit empowers everyone for ministry. He unleashes the laity.
In the chapter on Ecclesiology, Tennent acknowledges that in countries where Christianity is a new addition, the idea of “church” is associated with foreign cultures. Can someone say yes to Jesus and no to the church? He explores this question in the context of Muslims who follow Jesus and remain in the mosque. Between the two dangers of extractionism and syncretism is contextualization. The difficulties come when Muslim followers of Jesus don’t simply remain culturally Muslim, but religiously Muslim. To what degree does one’s identity in Christ require a break with Islamic identity? This discussion gets more complicated when looking at the biblical theology of the church in light of the individualization faith has undergone in the West. Personal faith is marked by relationship, but the faith of the Church is defined by corporate creed, confession and identity. “Churchless Christianity” runs the danger of separating the personal from the propositional. The personal metanarrative takes precedence over the corporate.
Regarding eschatology, Tennent explores Jonathan Edwards and the Chinese “Back to Jerusalem” movement. Eschatology and the Back to Jerusalem movement are linked because of the widespread belief that the second coming of Christ would be preceded by the preaching of the gospel to all nations.
The Three Self Patriotic Movement, which cut the Chinese church off from external associations, encouraged a truly indigenous Chinese expression of the Church. It also enabled them to work in repressive environments such as Muslim contexts, and they learned to do ministry without complicated or expensive forms. They grew in sustainable ways. It was in this context that a missions initiative to take the gospel from China back to Jerusalem was birthed. One Chinese leader described Western strategies as “elephant plans” that are hard to hide and require a lot of food, whereas the Back to Jerusalem movement was an army of insects.
Tennent’s book is important for missiologists and theologians alike. It’s a strong encouragement to western Christians to celebrate non-Western theologies that don’t emerge out of European history. It’s a reminder that theology is best done in the context of mission, and that God truly is at work around the world. Encountering other theologies is a challenge to western Christians accustomed to defining theological orthodoxy from their vantage point, yet it’s an opportunity for theological and church growth.
February 7, 2016
What Timothy Tennent has accomplished in this relatively short book is remarkable. Structured in a typically systematic pattern (topics such as God, Bibliology, Christology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, etc.), Tennent manages to bring a non-Western perspective to each topic in a fresh way. The result is an energizing re-engagement with very familiar ideas and themes. In particular, the chapters on atonement (considering honor/shame cultures in the Far East), soteriology (considering the saved-by-grace doctrine in threads of Buddhism) and ecclesiology (considering "followers of Jesus" in Islamic mosques) left my head spinning, in a good way.
In general, for an Evangelical who desires to speak intelligently on theological topics in an increasingly globalized American culture, this book is worth its weight in gold. I highly, highly recommend it for ministry practitioners, and anyone who wants to reach people from other parts of the world, or simply learn more deeply about the majority of the world that is not from the West.
In general, for an Evangelical who desires to speak intelligently on theological topics in an increasingly globalized American culture, this book is worth its weight in gold. I highly, highly recommend it for ministry practitioners, and anyone who wants to reach people from other parts of the world, or simply learn more deeply about the majority of the world that is not from the West.
January 15, 2013
Tennent’s writing is masterful as he alerts the reader to the need for a global and missiological approach to systematic theology. His first and last chapters work as a sort of prolegomena, asking the question, “Why do we spend so much time in theology talking about the heresies of dead Europeans when we should be thinking about the global context, including interfacing with Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism?” It is now a required text in my Systematic Theology courses, a favorite of my international studentes, and has caused me to rethink my approach to teaching the basic theology sequence.
March 26, 2023
A magnificent book and wide-reaching in scope. Dr Tennent takes an even-handed approach to the Christian way in a pluralist world. He stays true to the Biblical Christian faith, while acknowledging the very real and often fruitful impact of different cultures on the Gospel.
Properly understood, cultural diversity can allow the light of Christ to shine on new areas. He gives plenty of examples to highlight this point - from Hindus in India, where he lived, to Muslims and others coming to Jesus.
Dr Tennent brings out Christ the Tao, the ancestor, and more with incredible nuance. This doesn't take away from Him being the Logos but shows how He has not left any people without a witness and is a stranger to no culture in its entirety.
Towards the end of the book, he makes a brief comment basically suggesting that all theologies are valid and names those like Cone's. That's not correct because it is not a genuine theology. It is Marxism with a Christian gloss. The black and white notion of conflict theory is not the same as the layered picture of justice in the Bible, as a reading of Ellul or Kolakowski makes clear. If pushed, I suspect he'd agree and the rest of the book didn't give that impression.
Timothy's book is a breathe of fresh air and shines a light on the nuances of the historical and global church, paying close attention to the majority world church. That's all welcome and the kind of concern for the marginalised that really does align with the Christian faith.
Overall, it's a great book.
Properly understood, cultural diversity can allow the light of Christ to shine on new areas. He gives plenty of examples to highlight this point - from Hindus in India, where he lived, to Muslims and others coming to Jesus.
Dr Tennent brings out Christ the Tao, the ancestor, and more with incredible nuance. This doesn't take away from Him being the Logos but shows how He has not left any people without a witness and is a stranger to no culture in its entirety.
Towards the end of the book, he makes a brief comment basically suggesting that all theologies are valid and names those like Cone's. That's not correct because it is not a genuine theology. It is Marxism with a Christian gloss. The black and white notion of conflict theory is not the same as the layered picture of justice in the Bible, as a reading of Ellul or Kolakowski makes clear. If pushed, I suspect he'd agree and the rest of the book didn't give that impression.
Timothy's book is a breathe of fresh air and shines a light on the nuances of the historical and global church, paying close attention to the majority world church. That's all welcome and the kind of concern for the marginalised that really does align with the Christian faith.
Overall, it's a great book.
July 21, 2025
This book is an enjoyable, thought-provoking read. Tennent works through standard theological topics (ie, doctrine of God, Scripture, salvation, eschatology), but instead of doing it from usual Western perspective, he brings up questions mostly related to those topics that the global church is wrestling with.
With the center of Christianity shifting away from the West, many of these conversations are necessary. Tennent's book doesn't replace a standard systematic theology as he does not seek to be systematic, but it's a good add-on to one.
My favorite chapters are on eschatology (Jonathan Edwards and the Chinese Back to Jerusalem Movement) and soteriology (Shinran and True Pure Land Buddhism vs salvation by grace alone).
I don't agree with everywhere Tennent lands (there are a few areas he is more charitable than I think he should be due to the effect certain beliefs can have on the mission field), and the way he lays things out before stating his conclusion bothers me sometimes. But, it's very thought-provoking and I always enjoy reading it. It's also very helpful to spark further prayer for the global church.
With the center of Christianity shifting away from the West, many of these conversations are necessary. Tennent's book doesn't replace a standard systematic theology as he does not seek to be systematic, but it's a good add-on to one.
My favorite chapters are on eschatology (Jonathan Edwards and the Chinese Back to Jerusalem Movement) and soteriology (Shinran and True Pure Land Buddhism vs salvation by grace alone).
I don't agree with everywhere Tennent lands (there are a few areas he is more charitable than I think he should be due to the effect certain beliefs can have on the mission field), and the way he lays things out before stating his conclusion bothers me sometimes. But, it's very thought-provoking and I always enjoy reading it. It's also very helpful to spark further prayer for the global church.
May 22, 2019
This is by far one of the best books I've read this year and sure to make the top ten list. I disagree with Tennent on a few things in general (namely his definition of evangelism and advocation of an integral/holistic mission), and yet, he remains one of my favorite, current missiologists. If I ever have the opportunity to teach Systematic Theology, this would be on the reading list. It'll definitely be on lists related to missiology and theology and mission.
Tennent, in a Protestantly helpful manner, calls Westerners to consider their brothers and sisters in other global contexts when it comes to their articulation and teaching of theology. The best part of the book is Tennent's continual hammering of the point that we must take into account the major World Religions and worldviews that exist when we are "doing" theology.
I hope he writes a "global, systematic theology" that he advocates at the conclusion of the book.
Tennent, in a Protestantly helpful manner, calls Westerners to consider their brothers and sisters in other global contexts when it comes to their articulation and teaching of theology. The best part of the book is Tennent's continual hammering of the point that we must take into account the major World Religions and worldviews that exist when we are "doing" theology.
I hope he writes a "global, systematic theology" that he advocates at the conclusion of the book.
March 4, 2022
For the Christian in the West, this book is an excellent introduction to both global Christianity and Christianity as it interacts with other world religions. The systematic theological categories (christology, bibliology, etc.) allow for Tennant to cover a vast array of issues pertaining to Christianity in its global context. His extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter gives the curious reader many avenues for continued study.
Western Christianity is no longer the most dominant breed of Christianity (whether it ever was is a question for another time); therefore, Christians in the West ought to engage with books like this one in order to see how God is at work through his church throughout the world. I believe that when Christians in the West engage in this conversation, they will be edified, their horizons will expand, and their faith will be strengthened by the witness of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church throughout the world.
Western Christianity is no longer the most dominant breed of Christianity (whether it ever was is a question for another time); therefore, Christians in the West ought to engage with books like this one in order to see how God is at work through his church throughout the world. I believe that when Christians in the West engage in this conversation, they will be edified, their horizons will expand, and their faith will be strengthened by the witness of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church throughout the world.
March 24, 2021
What a refreshing book to read when considering Systematic Theology. It went through all the standard systematic theology categories but did so with an eye on how the issue is dealt with in global Christian communities. Some interesting chapters were about is the Father of Jesus the same God as Allah?, how does Jonathan Edward's eschatology relate to the Chinese Back to Jerusalem movement, what does the insider movement within Islam have to say about ecclesiology, and how can African Christianity inform our understanding of Christology? It was eminently readable, interesting, and enjoyable. It is also a great way to see theology beyond just something to know and instead as a means of transforming our communities and praxis.
August 14, 2018
The book is designed for church historians (myself), systematic theologians, and above all missiologists. Though it isnt until the final chapter that he says so, the theme of the book is to take the lessons of church history and apply them to the broader context. Systematic theologies can be so limiting and do not give much to missions or application. Tennet wants a systematic that would do both. Not be so choppy and go further in detail. Yet, systematics cannot because the flaw that he sees is thier design. They are designed to paint with broad strokes.
September 30, 2018
Read this for an intro to theology class at Gordon Conwell. Such an important book because it draws us out of our West (and often white) world and forces us to ask and approach theological questions that we might not have otherwise asked but our brothers and sisters around the world are asking and wrestling with. Not only this, but it helps the reader walk through these questions in a way that is faithful to orthodoxy.
While the entire book was outstanding, the introduction and the chapters on Ecclesiology and Human Identity were especially beneficial.
While the entire book was outstanding, the introduction and the chapters on Ecclesiology and Human Identity were especially beneficial.
May 6, 2019
This is a helpful collection of topics which aims to supplement a traditional systematic theology. Tennent is very much in tune with the current global character of Christianity and his analysis is definitely interesting, if not 100% applicable to the American context. I have a few quibbles, like his small amount of defensiveness towards "liberal" theology and his also small endorsement of inerrancy at the end of the book, but I still see this volume as very helpful to everyone from the lay person to the scholar.
April 7, 2025
Phenomenal book! Tennent looks to address the issues of western based thoughts of supremacy in theology and theological application. Christianity is a global faith, any attempt to make it regional, or to make regional application global is missing major fundamentals of the gospel's spread.
Anyone serious about theological study and the advancement of the gospel should read this primer. It is by no means exhaustive, but it will encourage you to hold onto the faith while broadening your view of God's work in the world.
Anyone serious about theological study and the advancement of the gospel should read this primer. It is by no means exhaustive, but it will encourage you to hold onto the faith while broadening your view of God's work in the world.
January 10, 2018
Absolutely brilliant
An incredibly creative and academically rigorous approach to systematic theology. It includes many questions and insights that most Christians would not consider if they have been trained primarily in western theology or grew up in a primarily western context. A must read for any missionary or theologian in light of the shift of Christianity into the global south and east.
An incredibly creative and academically rigorous approach to systematic theology. It includes many questions and insights that most Christians would not consider if they have been trained primarily in western theology or grew up in a primarily western context. A must read for any missionary or theologian in light of the shift of Christianity into the global south and east.
March 12, 2018
Well worth the read for the focus on the global east, where Christianity is growing rapidly even as it shrinks in the east. The introduction may have been the best part of the book. Tennent does stick quite close to evangelical orthodoxy and rarely takes into account the views of the Eastern Church when addressing the issues raised by Christians in the east. This book starts some necessary conversations, but the answers it provides are still fairly western.
July 21, 2018
Great book to see Christian theology from outside the classic Westerner perspective. It is clear and easy to read. A great book for western missionaries or anyone trying to engage with the gospel to cultures from the "majority south." More and more the Christian faith is flourishing outside of Europe and North America, and there are great things we can learn from our brothers and sisters in Asia, Africa, and South America.
February 14, 2021
Excellent & thought-provoking!
I was assigned to read this book for a Theology class, and I am so glad I did. As a pastor & mssnry it has challenged me to consider the implications of the shifting of the "geographic center" of Christianity from the West, to the South & East. Well organized, accessible, diverse, and compelling--while at the same time theologically biblical, conservative, and orthodox. I have grown as a theologian, as a result of reading it. Highly recommend!
I was assigned to read this book for a Theology class, and I am so glad I did. As a pastor & mssnry it has challenged me to consider the implications of the shifting of the "geographic center" of Christianity from the West, to the South & East. Well organized, accessible, diverse, and compelling--while at the same time theologically biblical, conservative, and orthodox. I have grown as a theologian, as a result of reading it. Highly recommend!
December 2, 2025
A much needed book! The author makes the case that we need the global church in order to do theology well. We cannot ignore the fact that the majority of Christians now live outside of the West. The author explores how various global perspectives can shed light to Western theological categories and assumptions. I'm glad I read this book!
December 10, 2025
I will definitely come back to this book. The 3 stars is not for content but about my context. This book was assigned to me in a semester with a few thousand of pages to read and this one felt the least related to the content of the class. I’d like to go back and look it over when it’s not forced on me during a stressful semester.
May 5, 2018
Read for an Intro to Christian Theology Class. Great read! Easy language to follow along with, and each chapter discussed topics that can help with apologetics and understanding Christianity in other cultures. Highly recommend!
December 14, 2023
Tennent's book is helpful to consider different systematic theological issues all over the world. Different chapters were stronger than others, and overall the book was encouraging. This book exposed me to a new world of theology that I was not familiar with previously.
November 23, 2017
He deals with some great questions but with hardly thoughtful answers.
March 2, 2019
Wonderful book on the Christian broad spectrum in the world.
April 24, 2019
Excellent book for a bible study on World Christology
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews