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In many communities across the world traditional beliefs and practices are passed down generations and are a feature of day-to-day life, despite the influence of outside sources. Focusing on Luo Muslims in Kenya, Dr Lawrence Oseje looks at the interaction of Islam and traditional Luo practices, especially those around death and burial.Dr Oseje's research with Luo Muslims in Kendu Bay investigates the impact of the traditional Luo conceptualization of death with their current views, and provides new understanding of fundamental issues that affect the lives of ordinary Muslims. From his observation of this community, Oseje encourages a celebration of traditions and customs, showing that an appreciation of traditions and beliefs can help develop ministry to local communities. Dr Oseje's findings result in a deepened understanding of cultures, how they develop from a blend of influences, and provides anthropological and missiological guidelines for cross-cultural ministry, particularly in times of bereavement.

For a long time African history has been dominated by western perspectives through predominantly male accounts of colonial governments and missionaries. In contrast, Dr Emily Onyango provides an African history of mission, education development and women's roles in Kenya. Based on archival research and interviews of primary sources this book explores the relationship of these areas of history with each other, focusing on the Luo culture and the period of 1895 to 2000.With the pre-colonial African context as the foundation for understanding and writing history, Dr Onyango uses gender to analyze the role of Christian missionaries in the development of women's education and their position in Kenyan society. The result of this well-researched study is not only a challenge to the traditional understanding of history, but also a counternarrative to the common view that to be liberated African women must disregard Christianity. Rather she looks at the importance Christianity plays in helping women establish themselves economically, politically and socially, in Kenyan society. This research is a vital contribution to women's history and the history of Christianity in Africa.

1 Samuel is full of riveting narratives related to the beginning of dynastic monarchy in ancient Israel. These narratives provide not only the spiritual wisdom about our relationship with the Lord, but also insights into the outworking of political power. Throughout this commentary, Dr Koowon Kim introduces the reader to relevant aspects of the Chinese historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which has been so influential in forming the worldview of people in much of East Asia since the fourteenth century. Both theologically and historically informed, this commentary will help those from cultures heavily influenced by the story to understand the biblical narrative of 1 Samuel, as well as inform those interested in East Asian culture of commonly held beliefs regarding what constitutes a good ruler.The Asia Bible Commentary series empowers Christian believers in Asia to read the Bible from within their respective contexts. Holistic in its approach to the text, each exposition of the biblical books combines exegesis and application. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the Body of Christ in Asia by providing pastoral and contextual exposition of every book of the Bible.

« Enracinés dans la Parole, engagés dans le monde », tel était le thème de la consultation internationale du Conseil International pour la Formation Théologique Évangélique (ICETE) en 2012, à Nairobi, au Kenya. Deux questions ont émergé de ce thème : Comment savoir si les formations de nos institutions théologiques contribuent bien à la croissance de l'Église ? Peut-on mesurer l'impact de la formation théologique sur l'Église et la société ?Pour répondre à ces deux questions fondamentales, l'ICETE a tenu une consultation triennale internationale en 2015. Des acteurs de la formation théologique issus de divers horizons mondiaux ont présenté le projet de « révision du programme d'études axée sur la recherche », destiné à améliorer la compréhension des besoins réels du ministère et à mieux préparer les étudiants à servir dans leurs propres contextes. Ce livre présente les réflexions et les expériences de divers auteurs, dans leur volonté de comprendre leur contexte pour améliorer la qualité et la pertinence de la formation théologique.

The ICETE Programme for Academic Leadership (IPAL) was officially established in 2010 and arose out of the need to provide training to theological institutions in different regions of the world. IPAL provides a three-year cycle of seminars for the professional development of evangelical academic leaders and administrators to help institutions in their pursuit of quality and excellence in theological education.This publication is the third and final volume intended to accompany and support the IPAL seminars as well as be an independent resource to aid theological institutions with faculty development.Faculty development is at the heart of theological education. This book lays the foundation for institutions to equip, train and release emerging academic leaders to advance their careers and improve the standards of their teaching and research. The contributors to this volume share the findings of research conducted at evangelical academic institutions in various contexts around the world so other senior administrators can enhance the quality of theological education at their own institution.

Reinhold Niebuhr is largely regarded as the leading twentieth-century theologian of sin. However, many feminist theologians criticize Niebuhr's view of pride as the primary sin, arguing that it fits only with men's experience. In this detailed study, Dr Luping Huang engages with Niebuhr and his feminist critics to provide a response to the feminist critique of Niebuhr's theology of sin.Dr Huang provides a thorough analysis and examination of both the Niebuhrian and feminist understandings of sin, highlighting the strengths and limitations of both arguments. While some aspects of the feminists' opposition to Niebuhr's doctrine of sin are valid, there are weaknesses and limitations within its own framework. Through her research and interaction with women's testimonies, Huang's argument bridges these two competing views of women and sin resulting in a more accurate understanding and application of the theology of sin, particularly in reference to women.

The Asia Bible Commentary Series empowers Christian believers in Asia to read the Bible from within their respective contexts. Holistic in its approach to the text, each exposition of the biblical books combines exegesis and application. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the Body of Christ in Asia by providing pastoral and contextual exposition of every book of the Bible.Set in Persia, the book of Esther seems to show little interest in the temple, the Promised Land, prayer or other signs of the Israelite religion. Most peculiarly for a book of the Bible, there is no explicit mention of God! Yet there are many similarities with the setting of Esther and situations in Asia today, which open ways for God to speak into present realities. This commentary examines the book of Esther in its original context, and considers how to interpret and apply it in light of the rest of Scripture - both the Old Testament and the New.

Comment savoir si nos programmes d'études théologiques contribuent bien à la croissance de l'Église ? Est-il possible de mesurer et d'évaluer le résultat et l'impact de la formation théologique, à la fois sur l'Église et sur la société environnante ? Comment s'assurer que nos formations préparent bien les diplômés à exercer leur ministère dans leur contexte ?Dans un monde pluraliste où les diplômés d'institutions théologiques exercent leurs ministères dans des contextes et cultures très différents, la pertinence de la formation théologique devient de plus en plus importante. L'impact d'une formation peut se mesurer à partir de l'efficacité des diplômés dans les contextes spécifiques où ils exercent leurs ministères. Par conséquent, le programme d'études théologique doit être relié aux contextes des diplômés. En clarifiant ce qu'elles cherchent à accomplir, les institutions théologiques pourront déterminer le modèle de formation théologique à suivre. Ce livre explore différents modèles de formation théologique et présente les étapes à suivre pour relier les études théologiques et le contexte.

Everyone who has "eyes to see" acknowledges the growing importance of the African church to the future of global Christianity. But what does it mean for the church to take root in Africa? How should the message of the gospel and the practice of Christianity be contextualized for Africa? African Contextual Realities addresses many of the questions surrounding contextualization from a practical point of view and is the fruit of the 6th Annual Conference of the Africa Society of Evangelical Theology held in Nairobi in 2016. The book explores such questions as: In what ways should the mission of God be universally recognizable in every cultural context?In our efforts to contextualize, how do we avoid compromising the very gospel we are to proclaim?How can the African church wean itself away from dependency on the Western church?How does Christianity speak into some of the cultural and social issues arising out of contemporary African settings - issues like widow cleansing, Christian-Muslim relations, and peace-building?All those who are interested to learn more about the contextualization of African Christianity will find this volume to be an important resource.

À travers le monde émergent, la formation théologique évangélique connaît actuellement une croissance sans précédent. L'une des tendances les plus importantes de cette croissance est l'émergence progressive de programmes de doctorat évangéliques.Après une rencontre majeure à Beyrouth en 2010, le Conseil International de la Formation Théologique Évangélique (ICETE) a décidé de développer des ressources pour soutenir les écoles doctorales du monde émergent et les aider dans leur aspiration à une amélioration continue. Cet ouvrage présente ainsi ces ressources, y compris « les standards de Beyrouth » pour les programmes de doctorat, et une série de bonnes pratiques pour la formation doctorale.Inspiré par un engagement envers l'excellence, qui honore Dieu et se met au service de son Église, ce travail profitera aux écoles doctorales, aux étudiants et aux directeurs de thèse, aussi bien dans le monde émergent que dans le monde occidental.

One of the biggest questions facing Christians today is, 'How can I live wisely?'. Given all that we say about the Christian faith, is it possible to live an authentic, credible Christian life that demonstrates faith that works? Covering a wide range of practical challenges - whether trial and temptation, or poverty and riches, or our use of words, or our patience in suffering, or our struggle with the world, the flesh and the devil - James helps us become wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ.This book is ideal for individual or group use and includes questions, discussion points, ideas for action and further study.

The Middle East is in a period of profound change. In the midst of turbulence, trauma, tragedy and the hopelessness felt by many, an increasing number of indigenous churches are finding ever more imaginative ways to be active in the societies of which they are a long-standing and integral part. This book describes some of these developments. It seeks to inspire Christians worldwide to stand alongside such people and to provoke everyone, in the Middle East and elsewhere, to ask what they should be doing to encourage transformation of societies to the glory of God.How can we be the salt, light and yeast that Scripture exhorts us to be when faced with despair? How can we live as active heroes when others expect us to be passive victims? The expert contributors of this book delve into these issues to give churches direction in these disorienting times.The Institute of Middle East Studies Series provides academic theological books that are contextually appropriate to the MENA region and prophetically, sensitively and in a non-partisan manner inspire people and society. These resources represent the output of the Institute of Middle East Studies (IMES), founded by the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, Beirut, Lebanon, which seeks to bring about positive transformation in thinking and practice between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East and beyond. The purpose of IMES is to increase general awareness about Middle East realities and to resource evangelicals to serve specific needs in the Arab World and among Arab communities.

Durante varias décadas ha existido preocupación sobre la necesidad de una mayor integración y de un significado contextual en el diseño curricular de la educación teológica. Además, ha habido una creciente concientización acerca del papel que juegan las escuelas teológicas en el fortalecimiento de la visión y la práctica misionera en las iglesias locales.Desde 2008, el Seminario Bautista Árabe en el Líbano ha estado involucrado en un experimento continuo sobre el diseño e implementación de un currículo integrado y contextualizado. A partir del diseño de lecciones aprendidas en esta experiencia y del discurso más amplio que está teniendo lugar actualmente en la educación superior, Transformando la educación teológica provee fundamentos teóricos y principios prácticos para el diseño de un currículo bien enfocado, así como herramientas para un aprendizaje significativamente contextualizado en el aula.

This interdisciplinary study tackles the controversy of translating nephesh ( ¿¿¿¿¿¿ ) by using an intergenerational translation team to deepen our understanding of this term and providing a more valuable translation in Chinese, especially for use in specialist Children's Bibles.Traditionally nephesh is often translated in the Bible as 'soul', but despite the limitations of this popular rendering, it has led Christians in Chinese contexts to falsely understand views regarding the nature of human beings as a trichotomy. Dr Hui Er Yu's study offers different options for translating nephesh using the context of where the word appears in Scripture as well as in reference to linguistic and cultural meanings in Chinese contexts. The findings in this book will help to remove anthropological misunderstandings among many Chinese Christians related to nephesh as a result of historic translation decisions.Dr Yu takes a unique approach to translation by using an intergenerational Bible translation team, ranging from seven to fifty-one years of age, which not only demonstrates the importance of intergenerational ministry but also presents a way to fulfill the growing need for well-translated Children's Bibles in China for thousands of young believers. This book provides important lessons for the many translation projects working towards Children's Bibles but also for how translation of biblical terms can be better reached through this intergenerational process.

Shorter books in the Bible like 2 Peter and Jude are often overlooked by believers as they flick through pages of Scripture. Furthermore, because these two books deal with the unpopular theme of God’s judgement they end up being further neglected in the believer’s life and understanding of Scripture. Yet the evils these authors speak about are still very much present in the church in Africa, and are no less deserving of judgment today. But these books also bear glorious testimony to God’s power to preserve his people, and encourage us to stay steadfast and conform to the pattern of holiness in which we have been rooted.The landmark Africa Bible Commentary compiled the scholarship of seventy African scholars in one volume. Now, the Africa Bible Commentary Series provides deeper insights into each biblical book, explaining the meaning of Scripture in smaller, separate volumes. The series emphasizes the relevance of biblical concepts for the life of the local church and the case studies and African illustrations accomplish this in ways that mere explanations cannot. In addition, each commentary is divided into sermon units for easy use in developing a preaching series on the biblical books and includes discussion questions to assist further study.

The first-century Judaic understanding of the identity and nature of the Messiah has been a much-debated topic among biblical scholars and preachers alike. So too has the messianic identity and nature of Jesus himself. Bekele Deboch informs these debates with fresh evidence outside the traditional scriptural references to miracles, and supernatural identifications by demons and God himself, as well as earthly identification by human beings. With thorough narrative criticism and analysis of contemporaneous literature, this book brings insightful new conclusions that transform our understanding of the biblical messianic identity revealed in the person of Jesus.Jesus not only self-identified with the marginalized and liminal but also experienced extreme marginality himself, to the point of shameful death on a tree. Jesus' church around the world has the responsibility to herald his messianic identity and salvation to the marginalized of today. Bekele Deboch has followed Christ's example of walking with the marginalized and makes here a powerful case for the church to do the same.

The book of Numbers is a misunderstood book of the Bible. It is about a lot more than just numbers. Rather, it is about the people’s journey with God in the desert. The Hebrew title of the book, Bammidbar, means “In the Desert” indicating that the setting is the most important part of the story. The God who delivered his people from Egypt is the same God who will lead them through the wilderness and give them the Promised Land. But as the book of Numbers shows us, often it is through the experience of being in a desert that God fulfils his purpose. It is the same thing for God’s people today. This commentary opens up the value of this often overlooked Old Testament book to those who find themselves or their churches in a barren place but with the presence of the Lord alongside them.The Asia Bible Commentary Series empowers Christian believers in Asia to read the Bible from within their respective contexts. Holistic in its approach to the text, each exposition of the biblical books combines exegesis and application. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the Body of Christ in Asia by providing pastoral and contextual exposition of every book of the Bible.

It is a bold thing to ask, "Is what we are doing working?" We know the danger of evaluating things as the world does - with measurements and financial strength. We rightly rejoice at the stories of faithful ministry with little fruit and know that it says something profound about our God and his true servants.And yet . . . Good leadership has always asked whether the wineskins are adequate for the new wine. Traditional Western theology has brought various benefits throughout the world but has failed to sufficiently encourage the development of local theologizing required in every context.At the triennial ICETE international consultation in 2015, institutional leaders from a diverse global background presented research-driven revision of theological education designed to improve understanding of the real ministry needs and better equip students to minister in their own contexts. These reports of institutional change and their insights, compiled in this publication, show a new path to effective theological education. With widespread support across the world from educators involved with ICETE, the concept of research-driven change in theological education institutions is here to stay and will continue to grow in importance. This book is an invitation to courageously embrace these concepts and join in understanding and theologizing for your own context.

Christian professionals, through their daily work, have important roles in God's mission. However, little empirical research has been done to understand their journey to connect their daily work with God's. If the church of Jesus Christ is to have the transformational impact that the world needs then we must better understand our vocations from a biblical and missional perspective.In this thorough study, Dr Sutrisna Harjanto explores the formational elements of the integration of faith, work and mission among Indonesian Christian professionals. From detailed semi-structured interviews with twenty-eight participants, this study provides deeper insight into the development of vocational stewardship and the role of empowering relationships and communities. Through careful analysis and evaluation the resulting book is an educational perspective on the theology of work and mission, beneficial for those in positions to equip and support Christian professionals as they work to fulfil God's mission through daily work.

In recent decades, scholars have tended to interpret what Job says about death in one of two ways. They interpret it either as part of the broader reading of death in the Old Testament, or by imposing Ancient Near Eastern mythological concepts upon the text disregarding its nature as part of the Old Testament's wisdom tradition. Varunaj Churnai attempts to redress the latter interpretation and treats the book of Job, and its development and understanding of death, contextually. Churnai specifically looks at how Job presents the two faces of God: God's wrathful face and God's gracious face. Beyond Justice demonstrates that the retribution principle allows humans to know the hidden God as it illuminates the relationship between individual and Creator. Through Job's experiences and heartfelt outpouring of his soul before both God's wrathful face and God's gracious face we can know God more fully. Churnai shows how these faces of God are reconciled in the two divine speeches of YHWH, which invite both Job and the reader to move beyond retribution theology to trust in the graciousness of God.

It is no secret that Christianity has been widely rejected in Japan with less than two percent of the population identifying as Christian. The dominant worldview in Japan is deeply animistic, with beliefs such as the Japanese mana-concept, ki (¿), the Japanese soul-concept, and the concept of God/god(s), kami (¿), being deeply rooted in the culture and fundamentally influencing society. Dr Martin Heißwolf, with his years of experience in Japan, critically examines Japanese animism in light of core Christian beliefs, such as the concepts of "peace" and "salvation."Central to Japanese people's rejection of Christian truth is the diametric opposition of its supernatural message to the natural focus of Japanese animistic folk religion. Heißwolf's meticulous study is framed squarely within missiological thought and praxis so Christians serving in Japanese contexts are better able to communicate the message of the gospel by more fully understanding Japanese people, people by whom God wants to be known.

Dr Fohle Lygunda li-M provides a thorough analysis of missiological teaching in theological institutions in Africa, with special reference to ten Christian universities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His detailed examination of current teaching of mission theory and practice builds a solid foundation for the articulation of a new paradigm of missiological education. In this book, Dr Lygunda presents the case for a transformed approach to raising up seminarians who are equipped to lead indigenous missional churches that will fulfil the Great Commission in their own communities and beyond their national borders.

The Asia Bible Commentary Series empowers Christian believers in Asia to read the Bible from within their respective contexts. Holistic in its approach to the text, each exposition of the biblical books combines exegesis and application. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the Body of Christ in Asia by providing pastoral and contextual exposition of every book of the Bible.The book of Leviticus has a two-fold mission. Leviticus 1-16 symbolizes the order of the world through sacrifices, purity law, and sacred boundaries, so that God's people can acknowledge his presence and lordship in their different aspects of life. The second part of the book, from Leviticus 17-27, extends the belief of holiness through moral laws of sex and social justice, so that God's people can be holy, as he is holy. This commentary helps believers to integrate God's holiness into their daily lifestyle with particular attention to Asian contexts.

The surge of theological education in the rapidly growing church of the Majority World has highlighted the inadequacy of traditional Western methods of thinking and learning to fully accomplish the task at hand. The limitations of current theological education are embodied in the formation and assessment of the master's or doctoral dissertation; processes that follow a linear-empiricist tradition developed in the West and exported to the Majority World. Challenging Tradition: Innovation in Advanced Theological Studies highlights the need for these traditions to be reconsidered in every context throughout the world. Drs Shaw and Dharamraj, with their team of contributors, present innovations in research and documentation that demonstrate how we may better prepare theological leadership through means that are contextually relevant and locally meaningful.

In this well-researched work, Dr Albín Masarik explores various features of funeral sermons arising from their unique context and homiletic process. While funeral sermons are an important element in pastoral care of churches and the wider community, theological reflection of this weighty responsibility can be hard to find. Addressing the definition of a funeral sermon, their categorization, purpose and context, this book brings clarity to inform the exercise of preaching a funeral sermon and help pastors and theologians grapple with how to best shepherd their flock and exalt our Saviour in the midst of bereavement.

We often hear these days that the center of Christianity is moving toward the Global South and Africa is a key player in that movement. This makes the study of African Christianity and African realities important – even more so when it is being done by Africans themselves in their own context. The Africa Society of Evangelical Theology (ASET) was created to encourage research and sustained theological reflection on key issues facing Africa by and for African Christians and those working within African contexts. The volumes in the ASET series constitute the best papers presented at the annual conferences of ASET and together they seek to fill this important gap in the literature of Christianity.Africa is all too familiar with suffering. Yet there is a dearth of sustained theological reflection on suffering by Africans, or for Africans. Christianity and Suffering: African Perspectives addresses this need and is the fruit of the 5th Annual Conference of the Africa Society of Evangelical Theology. The contributions address age-old issues like why God does not prevent or relieve human suffering; they wrestle with causes of suffering including witchcraft, poverty, curses, and war; and they also explore appropriate Christian responses to suffering, all from within the African context.