Models of Contextual Theology: The Struggle for Cultural Relevance

Models of Contextual Theology: The Struggle for Cultural Relevance
Ecumenical Review, The, July, 1995 by Cyris H. Moon

The book begins with an assumption that "there has never been a genuine theology that was articulated in an ivory tower with no referent to or dependence on the events, the thought forms, or the culture of its particular place and time" (p.4), and he argues that this phenomenon of contextualization is both "new and traditional". In a certain sense, he is correct. But this reviewer and others involved in formulating contextual theologies of today would take issue with this point. In fact, ever since the Constantinian era, the predominant theological perspective has been that of the rich, the powerful and the elite.





There is no question in the mind of this reviewer that it is only in the late 20th-century that many contextual theologies have emerged from the perspectives of uprooted and oppressed people. Examples include liberation theology in Latin America, black theology in the United States and Africa, minjung theology (Korea), third-eye theology (Taiwan), Dalit theology (India), people's power theology (Philippines), Pancha Sila theology (Indonesia) and so on. Indeed, the author rightly points out that Christians in the other parts of the world "are becoming increasingly convinced that traditional approaches to theology do not really make sense within their own cultural patterns and thought forms" (p.5). However, he still attempts to associate contextual theologies with traditional and Western theology, while at the same time admitting that, "because contextualization is a new way of doing theology... the contextual theologian faces a number of issues and questions that were seldom dealt with in classical theology" (p. 11). This reviewer believes that the distinctions between the two types of theology are more important and compelling than their similarities. In fact, the problem with trying to draw connections between the two is that such associations ignore the fundamental insight upon which the contextual theologies are formulated: the realization, on the part of indigenous people, that their theology has traditionally been dictated by the Western world. The new contextual theologies have emerged out of their desire to formulate their own theologies, i.e., to find their own subjecthood in their theological thinking.

Bevans also suggests five models of contextual theology. They are: (1) the translation model; (2) the anthropological model; (3) the praxis model; (4) the synthetic model; (5) the transcendental model. These models are helpful in understanding the relationship between the gospel message and culture. Yet the attempt to systematize contextual theologies into a logical and ordered set of models seems to contradict the situational, cultural and political idiosyncrasies that these theologies embody.

Throughout the book the author attempts to summarize all the contextual theologies and frame them into a category of models. Personally, the reviewer does not feel comfortable with this approach. The reason for this is simple. Each indigenous theology was expressly created by people wanting to voice their feelings of dissatisfaction with traditional ways of thinking. Traditional theology was not providing solutions to their particular third-world problems. Thus the creators of contextual theologies were driven by their specific economic and political situations; they did not intend for their theologies to be logically articulated in the manner of traditional and Hegelian types of theology.

Bevans identifies some important principles for understanding the role of particular theologies. For instance, he states that all theologies have some limitations, and that any good theology must be open to criticism from other points of view. In addition, the author makes the point that there is but one gospel among many cultures, each of which might develop its own theological reflection. Thus no theology can have a monopoly over all theologies. In particular, Bevans has done a marvelous job of pointing out the very similar characteristics that distinguish contextual theologies from traditional theologies. These are, he notes, as follows:

1. They are situational theologies. It is not possible to understand any contextual theology apart from the social, political, economic, cultural and pluralistic religious history of that country.

2. They are political theologies. The suffering of the people under successive oppressive regimes has set an agenda of engagement and commitment to social, economic and political change. Thus, contextual theologies ask the critical question, What God is doing in this world? The answer: God is doing "politics", i.e.. God is doing the political economy of God, the solidarity "messianic politics" of Jesus, and the experience of humanization in the new life of the Spirit.

3. They are cultural theologies. They cannot be understood apart from the deep religious and cultural heritage of the people.

4. They are narrative theologies. The primary methodology of contextual theologies is story-telling. Contextual theologies are not systematic theologies; rather, they are a recitation of events, experiences, drama and narratives. The interaction is not so much between the teacher and the student as between the teller and the hearer of stories, an open and dynamic story-telling that transforms reality in and through the telling. Through story-telling, contextual theologians have their hermeneutic of experience. It is through story that the false powers of this world are unmasked and dethroned.


Bevans should be commended for the book. I also wish to recommend the book to theological students and pastors as a means of enriching their current understanding of contextual theologies.



Cyris H.S. Moon, formerly professor of Old Testament at Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea, and associate director of the Ecumenical Institute (Bossey), Switzerland, is professor of Old Testament at the San Francisco Theological Seminary. He has written several articles and books on contextual theologies.

COPYRIGHT 1995 World Council of Churches
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