I have written before on a challenging topic--- "Christmas. It's Okay... Really!" It is a post I feel pretty good about. Some would say that it is not a very... controversial topiC. However, every year some Christians will put out arguments as to why Christmas is NOT okay. Curiously, the central problem they bring up …
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Top Post Views in 2022
It is November 18, 2022, so I reckon it is late enough in the year to note the posts most viewed this year. I made some minor changes to some of them to make them more useful. This year has been the best year for views on this website with over 20,000 views. That is …
Orality on Youtube
I have been watching some videos on the Orality movement, with focus on Oral Hermeneutics and Character Theology. It has been interesting. The hosts are Billy Coppedge and Ricki Gidoomal. The primary instructors are Tom Steffen and Bill Bjoraker. One of those videos, I was able to join as a (mostly) lurker. I have considerable …
New Article on Orality
I wrote an article for Bukal Life Journal. The journal is the publication of Bukal Life Care and Counseling Center, and deals with topics relating to pastoral care and counseling, and pastoral theology. One of my favorite topics is looking at how Christian Missions and Pastoral Care intersect. The article is titled, " Theological Reflection …
Cultural Relativism and Missions
I wrote a textbook for seminary students in the Philippines. I still use the book ("Ministry in Diversity"). However, I stopped selling the book because I wanted to make some changes. One area I have been struggling with is the use of the term "Cultural Anthropology." The term is used both by missionaries and (secular) …
Orality Webinar
I have been watching a series of Webinars on the Orality Movement. It is a partnership between Lausanne Movement and International Orality Network (ION). The focus has been on the recent work of Tom Steffen and Bill Bjoraker, particularly in terms of Oral Hermeneutics and Character Theology. It is available on Youtube at "Lausanne Orality"---- …
Preventing Theological Tribalism
Yesterday, I attended a theological seminar. I should do it more often. The main speaker was Dr. Federico Villanueva, a Filipino theologian of the Langham Partnership. He is an OT scholar with special focus on the Psalms of Lament. He presented a paper, but also made a strong appeal to the Filipino audience to develop …
An Evangelical Theology of Other Religions?
I will be teaching "Dialogue with Asian Faiths" in a couple of weeks. It is one of my favorite classes. I don't just talk about the beliefs and practices, I also speak of the background associated with holding dialogue with people of other faiths. In this class I do talk considerably on various theological implications …
Continue reading An Evangelical Theology of Other Religions?
Our Ministries
Over 19 years plus our work in the Philippines has been complicated. I decided to make a chart of all of the organizations we have been involved in. History is valuable for self-reflection. I think it shows at least two things. First, we had no idea what we were doing for many years. Second, God …
Contextualization as Finding Meaning
One of the statements given in missions is that contextualization or incarnational ministry is about “walking in another person’s shoes.” Clearly, this is a metaphor, but a metaphor that I think has value to us. But how does one know that one is walking in “another’s shoes” or whether one is imagining the other of …