
Can the West Be Converted?
Towards a Contextual Theology for the West
Jean-Georges Gantenbein(Author)
Lexington Books (Publisher)
Published on 4. November 2021
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-1-7936-3381-1 (ISBN)
Description
Rather than reconsidering contemporary culture in light of secularization, much of the western church operates with a degree of nostalgia. She has yet to fully embrace prospective, innovative models for what form her task might take in some of Christianity's historic heartlands. Amidst rapidly declining church membership, contextualizing the Gospel for the contemporary West is an urgent task for churches and Christians living in this context.
This book seeks an interdisciplinary, international, and ecumenical response to this challenge, uniting historical, sociological, theological, and missiological perspectives. Benefiting from recent studies in sociology of religion, Dr. Gantenbein offers several detailed contextual case studies before establishing correlations between western cultural-religious characteristics and corresponding theological affirmations. This study includes several unexpected dimensions, including the development of a theological aesthetic in tension with the typically Word-alone tradition of Protestantism; a constructive reading of the book of Revelation as a source for contemporary aesthetic missiology; reflections on a soteriology for the postmodern era; and a proposal for an anonymous ecclesiology within a European context where churches are viewed with growing suspicion. With rare perspicacity, Gantenbein's study creatively calls churches to apply renewed intellectual rigor in faithfulness to their common purpose.
This book seeks an interdisciplinary, international, and ecumenical response to this challenge, uniting historical, sociological, theological, and missiological perspectives. Benefiting from recent studies in sociology of religion, Dr. Gantenbein offers several detailed contextual case studies before establishing correlations between western cultural-religious characteristics and corresponding theological affirmations. This study includes several unexpected dimensions, including the development of a theological aesthetic in tension with the typically Word-alone tradition of Protestantism; a constructive reading of the book of Revelation as a source for contemporary aesthetic missiology; reflections on a soteriology for the postmodern era; and a proposal for an anonymous ecclesiology within a European context where churches are viewed with growing suspicion. With rare perspicacity, Gantenbein's study creatively calls churches to apply renewed intellectual rigor in faithfulness to their common purpose.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
10 b/w illustrations; 7 tables;
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
798 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-7936-3381-1 (9781793633811)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
11/2021
1st Edition
Lexington Books
€124.99
Available for download

E-Book
11/2021
1st Edition
Lexington Books
€124.99
Available for download
Persons
Jean-Georges Gantenbein is lecturer in missiology at Theological Seminary St Chrischona near Basel, Switzerland.
Content
Preface
Chapter 1: Methodological Criteria
Chapter 2: The Current "Religious" Context
Chapter 3: Contextual Characteristics
Chapter 4: Theological Criteria
Chapter 5: A Contextual Theology for the West
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Prospects
Afterword
Postface
Chapter 1: Methodological Criteria
Chapter 2: The Current "Religious" Context
Chapter 3: Contextual Characteristics
Chapter 4: Theological Criteria
Chapter 5: A Contextual Theology for the West
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Prospects
Afterword
Postface