Chan relates some of his theology around ancestors and priesthood to African theology as well: “Sometimes dysfunctional pastors are simply tolerated rather than asked to leave for fear of “touching the Lord’s anointed.” Many African Initiated Churches seem to have similar views about their leaders. They reflect the pervasiveness of […]
Chan concludes his book with this contextualized summary of the story of the world: “The trinitarian family — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — purposed from eternity to enlarge the divine family by including humans so that the extended family could live in perfect communion. The trinitarian family is an […]
There are far too many keen insights and penetrating critiques in Simon Chan’s Grassroots Asian Theology to be contained in a few topics or a few quotes but here are a few that stuck out to me. On changing the world “In spite of a lack of theology of engagement, […]
Late last year, Mike Bird called Simon Chan’s Grassroots Asian Theology ‘one of the best books of the year’ in 2013. So, what is grassroots Asian theology? Here are some quotes, emphases mine. On Theology “Postmodern theologians, having quite rightly done away with positivistic view of doctrines as universal timeless […]
You are one of the ‘subaltern’, having the unique experience of being on the underside of society. How do you live in a world that seems set against you? You are part of the centre, one of the powerful people. (That’s me, by the way, and probably you.) You like […]
Let’s return to Evangelical Postcolonial Conversations and the chapter by Victor Ifeanyi Ezigbo and Reggie L Williams, ‘Converting a colonialist Christ: toward an African postcolonial Christology’. Ezigbo and Williams begin by pointing to the African theological quest to reimagine Jesus’ identity and significance for today. It might sound strange to reimagine […]
Last Friday we looked at some of Vinoth Ramachandra’s theological reflections in Subverting Global Myths — reflections for Christians to take on board. He also has some considerations of what Christians might have to offer in postcolonial conversations. In part these flow out of Ramachandra’s concern for context. He suggests that unless we safeguard the multiplicity and particularity […]
Meet Jesus at uni 