Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Careers, Workplace and Religion
Contextualizing the Gospel for the Postmodern Culture

Contextualizing the Gospel for the Postmodern Culture

Last updated on: June 20, 2014 at 1:43 pm by Bob Robinson

Contextualizing the Gospel for the Postmodern Culture 2014-06-20T13:43:22-04:00 Bob Robinson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

ross hastings

Ross Hastings

Ross Hastings, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at Regent College, offers this very helpful list of what it takes to contextualize the gospel in our postmodern culture, not only for the sake of evangelism, but also for the sake of the health of the local church and our teaching.

______

“With respect to the West in particular, what are the contextualizations required in a postmodern context?

a humble posture of “faith seeking understanding,” which has always been theology at its best
presenting Christianity as a metanarrative, yet one that is not oppressive
a story of trinitarian love—presenting a gospel of the God who is in his being most fundamentally love
a story of the Father heart of God
a story of the incarnate Son of God—a God who has become one with humanity, who is not distant from our suffering and plight
a story and a gospel of an incarnation and death that expressed solidarity with the poor
a story of a servant, crucified Christ, who is truly represented by servant, crucified Christians in churches that serve their communities
a story told in reliance on the Spirit, who through us and the Word pronounced brings regeneration, not by human coercion or argumentation but by his sovereign and gracious wooing
a story told with fundamental respect for the human person being addressed in nonmanipulative fashion, and that seeks restoration of the full humanity of persons (not just salvation from sin’s judgment) that emphasizes the primal filial (not just the forensic intentions of God)
a story lived out in communal life that is attractive because it is fraught with the love of God and hospitality. Though this community is open for relations with all, it is loving enough to seek the transformation of all within it.”

______

From Missional God, Missional Church: Hope for Re-Evangelizing the West by Ross Hastings (IVP Academic, 2012)

Available at Hearts & Minds Bookstore

Image by gritty-but-pretty. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr.

Previous Post

June 17, 2014

Who Am I? Rooting Your Identity in the Image of God

Next Post

June 23, 2014 Missional: Sent to "Where?"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category arts and entertainment audio/video bible / theology business church college community culture education faith family government/politics leadership media medicine podcast science & tech social sector tech Uncategorized work and calling

Select a Month November 2025 May 2025 October 2024 September 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 July 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 July 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 July 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 November 2016 September 2016 August 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus do at the wedding in Cana?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fed the guests Walked on water Healed a sick child Turned water into wine