a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

the ‘impressive success’ of Pentecostalism in the ‘underdeveloped regions’ and its
‘inroad into the established churches’ attest to the vitality of the movement. 13
However, in the light of the present changes in the religio-political milieu of
Rajasthan, it might be difficult to continue serving the tribal communities. Thus, it
appears that Pentecostals are in what I will term a ‘missio-ethical dilemma.’ 14
However, this thesis will argue that ‘a new contextual missiology’ is emerging
both from the particular context of Rajasthan and from the mission theory and
practice of Pentecostals there. Stephen Bevans, a leading Catholic theologian,
convincingly argues that developing contextual theologies is a ‘theological
imperative.’ According to him, both the external and internal factors point towards
such an imperative. 15 The particular Indian situation shows that constructing
contextual theologies is a ‘contextual imperative’ also. The accusation that
Pentecostalism is an imported religion from the West calls for the necessity to
develop contextual theologies in India. Both Paul M. Collins 16 and Hwa Yung, 17
identify the impact of colonization as one of the major impulses behind
contextualization. 18 Pentecostals are at a significant stage as their socio-economic
status and the change in the religio-political context of Rajasthan, as well as the
13
Robert Mapes Anderson, Vision of the Disinherited: The Making of American Pentecostalism
(New York: OUP, 1979), 5.
14
Discussion on the ‘missio-ethical dilemma’ will be given in chapter five.
15
For more details of the discussion, see Stephen B. Bevans, Models of Contextual Theology, rev.
ed. (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2002), 3-15.
16
Collins, Christian Inculturation, 11-22. According to him, inculturation emerges from two
different imperatives, ‘academic and political.’ ‘The academic relates to the developments in
theology, anthropology, ethnography and sociology,’ and the political relates to colonization, as
there is ‘direct relationship between colonization, movements for independence and moves
towards inculturation by the churches.’ (See p.11).
17
Hwa Yung, Mangoes or Bananas? Quest for an Authentic Asian Christian Theology (Oxford:
Regnum, 1997), 62.
18
The terms contextualization and inculturation are used interchangeably in this study to mean
attempts to make Christian faith meaningful to a particular context, unless otherwise stated.
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