Contextualizing the Faith - (Paperback)

About the Book

This major statement by a leading missiologist presents a comprehensive textbook on contextualization, offering his unique take on the challenge of adapting the faith in local cultures.

Book Synopsis

This major statement by a leading missiologist represents a lifetime of wrestling with a topic every cross-cultural leader must address: how to adapt the universal gospel to particular settings. This comprehensive yet accessible textbook organizes contextualization, which includes "everything the church is and does," into seven dimensions. Filled with examples, case studies, and diagrams and conversant with contemporary arguments and debates, it offers the author's unique take on the challenge of adapting the faith in local cultures.

From the Back Cover

"While the majority of the literature on contextualization focuses on theology and theological issues, Moreau shows contextualization to be a product of seven dimensions that together constitute the bulk of what it means to be the church. His approach gives us an overarching map to guide us at the four-way intersection of culture, gospel, gospel bearers, and recipients. The numerous examples for each dimension offer, without bogging down the discussion in minutiae, fascinating glimpses of what it means, across the globe, to follow Christ well."
--Ed Stetzer, Wheaton College Graduate School

"Contextualizing the Faith is now my go-to book for contextualization! Moreau's remarkable text is a gift to the reader, capturing over thirty years of the author's academic research, ministry experience, and personal reflection on the topic of contextualization. Moreau's masterful analysis of the multidimensional nature of contextualization provides a valuable framework through which the church's identity, rituals, and beliefs can be analyzed and understood. For everyone interested in the critical intersections between the gospel, culture, and Christian witness this text is a must-read."
--Sarita D. Gallagher, George Fox University

"This book goes beyond surface-level contextualization in order to provide much-needed depth and breadth for this urgent topic in missiology. Scott provides fresh insight through his thoughtful reflection and practical applications based on his many years of engaging various aspects of contextualization. Practitioners and academics alike will gain new perspectives for mission."
--Jay Moon, Asbury Theological Seminary

"Moreau is a missionary-scholar with the uncanny ability to think critically about issues without falling prey to academic cynicism. He pulls together a range of thoughtful missiologists and scholars, including his own work over the years, molding the respective contributions into an integrated study of contextualization from seven different dimensions. The book is a thorough review of contextualization that should be studied by missiologists and missionaries across the globe."
--Doug McConnell, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Brilliant and monumental, this book navigates the various global systems and landscape with staggering breadth and academic depth. This is one of the most engaging and provocative books that I have read in the last two decades on the subject of contextualization. I commend this excellent work to you."
--Samuel E. Chiang, president and CEO, The Wycliffe Seed Company

About the Author

A. Scott Moreau (DMiss, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is associate academic dean and professor of intercultural studies at Wheaton College Graduate School in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the editor of Evangelical Missions Quarterly and has authored, coauthored, or edited numerous books, including Introducing World Missions.