Papers by Stephen Davis
Missiology has been described “as a gadfly in the house of theology, creating unrest and resistin... more Missiology has been described “as a gadfly in the house of theology, creating unrest and resisting complacency, opposing every ecclesiastical impulse to self-preservation, every desire to stay what we are, every inclination toward provincialism and parochialism” (Bosch 1991, 496). Just as New Testament theology was often developed in missionary encounters with an unbelieving world, so the challenges of ministry in other cultures should always force us to return to Scripture in order that we might see more clearly and speak with greater clarity to the world around us. We need to be reminded that “just as the church ceases to be church when it is not missionary, theology ceases to be theology if it loses its missionary character” (Bosch 1991, 494).
The thorny issue of contextualization continues to bring new challenges to the way we do missions... more The thorny issue of contextualization continues to bring new challenges to the way we do missions. Isolation from or ignorance of global realities may lead some to assume that all think as we do and that preaching the Gospel or missionary activity will be done abroad just as it is done at home. There has been a growing realization that contextualization, in spite of the origins of the word and certain concepts associated with it, is absolutely necessary when one goes abroad but that this need does not exist on the home front as a concomitant necessity. My contention will be that contextualization should not be only a "third world" concern but a theological and missiological necessity in all contexts, in all places, for all people. As we study the Word of God and in particular the Book of Acts we become convinced that the Apostles contextualized the Gospel while avoiding syncretism. No one can read the abridged messages of Paul and imagine that he was indifferent to the make-up of his audience. The audience did not determine the essence of his message but was taken into consideration in order that he might communicate not only words but understandable truth. The fixed and unchanging Gospel content was embodied differently when preached to different peoples with diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Paul preached Christ wherever he went and insisted on the
Anyone familiar with the defense of biblical separation has heard the prophet Amos invoked to sup... more Anyone familiar with the defense of biblical separation has heard the prophet Amos invoked to support the requirement of agreement in order to walk together. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (KJV). Who can argue with that limpid question? I do not know if I have ever heard an exposition of this verse in its context. What I have heard and do hear is a call for separation from brothers in Christ based on a lack of agreement in some area not even remotely connected with the prophet’s concerns.
As N. T. Wright observes, “kingdom of God has been a flag of convenience under which all sorts of... more As N. T. Wright observes, “kingdom of God has been a flag of convenience under which all sorts of ships have sailed.” These ships are social, political, nationalistic, and theological. Their corresponding agendas often have little to do with the arrival of the kingdom of God announced by Jesus. The kingdom as found and presented in the New Testament will not be pressed into a one-dimensional box. There are passages which indicate a present kingdom aspect (Luke 17:21) and others which indicate a future aspect (Matthew 25:34; Luke 21:17, 31). Multiple texts demonstrate that the gospel of the kingdom was the message of Jesus and the apostles (Luke 4:43; 9:1, 2). Jesus “instructed the seventy to proclaim, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’" (Luke 10:1, 9). In Acts we find Philip who “preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ …." (Acts 8:12). The Apostle Paul in Ephesus "entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God" (Acts 19:8). Near the end of his ministry, Paul “expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God …." (Acts 28:23).
What I hope to accomplish in this brief article is a simple reflection on the validity of churche... more What I hope to accomplish in this brief article is a simple reflection on the validity of churches and Christians adopting a missional stance regarding those who are outside the church and who are in desperate need of an encounter with followers of Jesus Christ. Many churches are mission-minded. They love missions. They support missionaries. They even allow missionaries to plant churches that reflect the culture and community in which missionaries live. Yet often they themselves remain locked in a cultural time-warp, fight battles that were won or lost long ago, debate issues that matter little or matter only to them and their regional or relational sub-culture, and ignore the enormous changes in our society and the challenges we face in reaching people for Christ with the gospel. Disagree if you must with missional churches but do something to get out of the religious ghetto where you have lost contact with the world and get out of your office occasionally to be on mission rather than on management.
Evangelicals do not agree on how to understand the creation account in Genesis chapter 1. This ma... more Evangelicals do not agree on how to understand the creation account in Genesis chapter 1. This may come as a surprise to many evangelicals who might be unaware of the diversity of interpretation to say nothing of their lack of comfort with any view that diverges from their own beliefs. Further, even raising the issue might seem untenable to many evangelical Christians since divergent views are often associated with either liberal views of Scripture, which deny inerrancy, or with atheistic, Darwinian evolution. From the outset we can anticipate the affirmation of those who hold that there is only one evangelical view of original creation and who elevate their interpretation to a level of certitude to that of doctrines considered as fundamental to the Christian faith. However, we cannot ignore the fact that “the doctrine of creation has proved vulnerable because it works in territory where the rights of Christian theology to operate have been subject to sustained challenge, first by natural philosophy and more recently by natural science”(McGrath 1993, 95).
Frequently in speaking on the subject of Islam I've encountered opposition to the idea that Arab ... more Frequently in speaking on the subject of Islam I've encountered opposition to the idea that Arab believers use the word " Allah " in referring to God. Most of the objections stem from a misunderstanding of the Arabic language and of the historical and cultural use and development of the word " Allah. " It is understandable that to untrained Western ears and in the midst of current world crises that the word " Allah " be almost exclusively associated with radical Islam. However, it is unacceptable for American Christians to insist that Arab Christians not use " Allah " and find another word for deity. How then should we respond to the question, " Is Allah the Father of Jesus? " From my travels to the Middle East I have seen and heard " Allah " used by Christians in their prayers, singing, and in reading Scripture. Whatever the origin of the word, it means " God " or " god " just like the English word. It is true that " Allah " does not specifically refer to the Christian God. Neither does our English word. Do we require more precision for Arab believers than we do for ourselves? Of course as Christians we also use Jesus, Jehovah, Lord, etc. Arab believers do the same, but in no way does that negate the use of Allah. For example, John 1:1 in an Arabic translation reads " And the word was with Allah and the word was Allah. " A recent suggestion that Arab believers use the phrase " God of Israel " does little to clarify the issue. Apart from reading " God of Israel " in the Bible, I do not
Book Reviews by Stephen Davis
Evangelical Missions Quarterly, 2019
Criswell Theological Review, 2019
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Papers by Stephen Davis
Book Reviews by Stephen Davis