THEOLOGICAL CONSULTATION, LONDON APRIL 9-14, 1996

Theme: Faith and Hope for the Future

- Towards a Vital and Coherent Evangelical Theology for the 21st Century

Abstracts of Plenary Papers

(These abstracts provided courtesy of Dr. David Parker, former administrator of the WEA Theological Commission)

Index to Papers

Paper 1: The Christian Calling in the Modern World by Dr Rolf Hille

Paper 2: The Joyous Return! by Dr Thomas Oden

Paper 3: Faith Transforming Context by Dr Dieumème Noëlliste

Paper 4: A Theology for Asia by Dr Ken Gnanakan

Paper 5: Mañana - Discerning the Spirit in Latin America by Prof. Samuel Escobar

Paper 6: The Crisis of Maturity by Dr Isaac Zokoué

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Paper 1

The Christian Calling in the Modern World

by Dr Rolf Hille, Tübingen, Germany

Given the background of Roman, Post-Constantinian and Modern periods of Western history, we are now living as Christians in what is certainly a post-Christian era. But following the pattern of our Lord, we have a mission to live in this very world as his disciples and witnesses.

Our calling in this world is firstly one of confessing the Christian assurance of faith, seen so clearly in the Pauline gospel of grace, over against the agnosticism which now characterises western science and philosophy; the apologetic task calls us to understand modern thought and so clearly mark out the limitations of human reason to make way for the gospel message.

In a world that has lost the focus, direction and optimism that once drove it on to develop the ideal human society and discover the secrets of the universe, and is consequently turned in on itself in hedonistic pursuits and grasps after reincarnation to disguise its fear of death, the Christian dynamic of hope is a vital theme of evangelical witness. It centres in Jesus who conquered death and through his resurrection gave us a living hope; through the judgement of sin, he also gives us the ability to come to terms with the sense of failure, confusion and guilt which are so prevalent in contemporary Western experience.

Through his gift of love, the continual presence of the living Lord also enables us to overcome the destructive legacies of post-modernism - bondage to autonomous personality and its alternative, enslavement to external powers and traditions. We do not look back on some distant figure of history preserved in literary records, but rejoice in his presence and power. As we hear his voice, we follow him in the way.

So, both at the personal level and in fellowship with the "priesthood of all believers", we are called to be "leaven" in a secular society, knowing that it takes only a little substance to influence the whole. Confident that the Lord of church ever renews his body, we go forward in certain hope, bearing witness to his Word.