Global Theology in Evangelical Perspective: Exploring the Contextual Nature of Theology and Mission (Wheaton Theology Conference Series) by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-05-21T21:30:00+00:00

Martin Accad

When we think of the contemporary Middle East, geographically we are looking at the region stretching from Turkey to Yemen, and from the eastern Mediterranean coast, including Egypt on the eastern edges of North Africa, to Iran on the western edges of Central Asia. The present chapter, however, will focus only on the Arab Middle East, and specifically on theological resources published in the Arabic language. No reference will be made to Turkish or Persian theological writing and thinking, nor to Messianic Jewish theological writing and thinking coming out of Israel and written in Hebrew. Strictly speaking, these may be seen as significant gaps in the present survey. However, neither time and space nor linguistic accessibilities have allowed me to include such resources. Perhaps the present contribution will begin to shape an Arab platform from which new ties may be created with the other Middle Eastern traditions that have been left out, and perhaps one day this will become the catalyst for the emergence of a more comprehensive contemporary Middle Eastern theological tradition in the proper sense of the term. But for now, it is important to point out that what this chapter looks at is actually "Arab Middle Eastern Theology," rather than "Middle Eastern Theology" in evangelical perspective.

The present article will convey a sense that the Middle Eastern Christian theological tradition is quite poor, which may sound rather strange, seeing as the Christian tradition altogether emerged originally in the Middle East. Indeed, the words and deeds of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, as well as the further theologizing discourses of the apostle Paul and others in the New Testament, are the starting point and the essence of the Middle Eastern Christian theological tradition. However, this article looks at the contemporary period, and specifically at the last sixty years or so. Finally, at times the study will feel more like an assessment of the Arabic language publishing business than a proper assessment of the Arab Middle Eastern theological tradition.

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