An Introduction to Third World Theologies

Introduction to Religion

by John Parratt (Editor)

Providing the first overview of the main trends and contributions to Christian thought of Third World theologies, this book gathers essays from experts on Latin America, India, East Asia, West and East Africa, Southern Africa and the Caribbean. It analyzes the common context of the Third World theologies in their experience of colonialism and Western missions, and suggests that they provide different perspectives on what it means to be a Christian in today's world.

Genres: Theology

198 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2004

Reviews

[Aftab]

The core argument of "An Introduction to Third World Theologies by John Parratt (Editor) is "All theology is ultimately ‘contextual’, that is it arises from a specific historical context and it addresses that context" (Pg. 2). John Parratt the editor of this book digging deep into context using a contextual approach to resolve the existing issues of the world as an important step to make. Parratt further notes that nothing good is produced in history without any serious need. Moreover, there was always a context behind every good theology developed in the past. Augustine's work and Karl Barth's work all are the episodes of it. Thus, Parratt's conviction based on historical, political, and social scenarios is needed to be kept in mind while doing your theologies. Furthermore, this book makes it clear that every context has different challenges and agendas. Therefore, this book asserts that discussing the particular problem in different contexts would not solve the issue. The existing problem should be solved within the problem existing context. Additionally, it also highlights that the contextual approach becomes catholic when it should not be limited to its own benefits, but rather, it responds to other contexts too. This book articulates the life of Jesus Christ that is a role model who incarnated in a particular context, culture, and human history, however, he gave his life and grace to all. Although the editor's approach to show the importance of context makes sense, however, this book does not show the place of the Bible, if the context is everything to resolve every issue of any context what is the place of the Bible.
The important point here is to see that the writers of the Bible inspired by the Holy Spirit were also writing it in different contexts with almost similar crises of today's world. Although in that time people were living in different contexts, however, the challenges were the same in the Old and New Testament writing times. For instance, issues related to racism, cast system, cultural distinctions, hate, anger, socio-political and economic struggles were also there. Also, as the world is going through pandemic crises, in a similar way these challenges were there many many centuries before. Ecological challenges are not the new products they were begun in Noah's time. Therefore, based on this conviction that context is important to theologize is not the right approach to handle the present crises of the world. The utmost need is to go back to the Word of God to see it as a "context" and bring that context as a "way" to face the present challenges of this world to make this world a better place to live, otherwise, the efforts without the help of the "living Word of God" would all go in vain.

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out the Chapter on East and West Africa.