Culture in the U.S. often sees tradition as a threat that can impede progress or reinforce discriminatory behaviors. However, as demonstrated at the recent Lausanne Conference (L4) in Seoul, some traditions are essential to Christian practice because of the Gospel values they reflect. Ever since Rene Padilla challenged the first participants at Lausanne in 1974, the movement has embraced a “new tradition” in the global church by uniting evangelism and public action through the concept of “integral mission.” Integral mission calls Christians to “embrace the ‘full gospel’ that does not dichotomize evangelism and social action,” as Nathanael Somanathan summarizes. 

Therefore, as Kazusa Okaya wrote following L4, “The 50th anniversary of Lausanne was supposed to be a celebration of… diversity and the power of the gospel that unites us all.” While Majority World theologians have played a crucial role in shaping the Lausanne Movement in the past, although L4 included many Majority World theologians as participants, their voices were silenced. Indeed, both Okaya and Somanathan note that L4 not only marginalized Majority World voices but also returned to Western traditions of consumerism, lack of lament, and assumption of access to expensive technologies. This situation saddens many of us who are involved in global theology, as it represents a violation of Lausanne’s foundational values.

The Fall 2024 issue of the InSights Journal presents five articles that explore intersections of tradition and transformation – both positive and negative – in global contexts. In it, theologians and practitioners rooted in the Majority World highlight how historical, political, and theological dynamics influence institutions and individuals. 

Benno van den Toren’s article, “Integral Salvation and Integrated Theology: African Contributions to Global Theology,” draws on his experience at the Faculté de Théologie Evangélique de Bangui (FATEB) in the Central African Republic. Van den Toren contrasts African theology’s valuing of holistic salvation and integrated theological inquiry with the fragmentation often seen in Western academic institutions. He argues that African theologians should develop programs that are faithful to their context while maintaining their awareness of global theological conversations. In doing so, African theological institutions can summon both the West and themselves to pursue theological inquiry that remains connected to the church’s mission of serving God’s people.

Continuing the consideration of African contexts, Verena Schafroth’s article, “Women in Male Spaces: Female Faculty in Theological Education in Africa,” delves into the biases that hinder women’s participation in theological institutions across Africa. Schafroth’s data shows that women make up only 22.8% of the faculty in these settings. She discusses the impact of cultural expectations, lack of mentorship, and exclusion from informal networks on women’s careers. Similarly, Mwawi N. Chilongozi’s article, “Theological Education for Women in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian,” surveys the history of women’s inclusion in theological training and ministry in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP). Chilongozi traces the denomination’s slow progress toward ordaining women and the ongoing struggles women face in taking their places as students, ministers, and educators.

Whereas Schafroth’s research highlights the systemic underrepresentation of female faculty in theological institutions, Chilongozi gives a slightly more optimistic perspective on women’s transition into theological education and leadership. In addition, while Schafroth’s article offers a cross-institutional and cross-contextual view of women’s experiences as faculty, Chilongozi’s article concentrates on women in education and in leadership at the denominational level. Both authors argue for the need for equity and support for women. 

Moving toward the theological but maintaining an institutional attentiveness, the article by Seung Hyun Kim, “Humankind as Agent of the End: Eschatology in the Korean Church 1960s to 1980s,” examines how Korean eschatology evolved in response to politics. During Japanese rule, many Korean Christians anticipated Christ’s return, as this hope helped them resist violent oppression. However, the devastation of the Korean War, the country’s subsequent division, and the national government’s drive to rebuild South Korea shifted the church’s focus from awaiting the Second Coming to prioritizing material wellbeing and building the Kingdom of God here-and-now. This shift both responded to and hastened Korea’s rapid industrialization; it also both augmented and undercut Christian witness as the church came to see itself as God’s agent to bring about material prosperity. 

Finally, Ruhama Gezahegn Worku’s article, “Reason, Knowledge and Prayer: The Philosophy of Ze’ra Ya’aqob,” analyzes Ze’ra Ya’aqob’s philosophy within Ethiopian Orthodox and Western rationalist traditions. From Ze’ra Ya’aqob’s writing, Worku positions reason as a divine tool to critique blind acceptance of tradition and promote the wise integration of faith, ethics, and rationality. She describes how prayer can serve as a means of pedagogy, enhancing the individual’s reason and bringing the learner closer to God. While the other four articles take up institutional contexts, Worku’s article unfolds key considerations for personal faith and individual interaction with God. Yet this philosophical analysis remains connected to themes of how tradition may be reinterpreted.

Together, these articles offer valuable insights into the intersections of theology, education, gender, culture, politics, and philosophy in the Majority World. All five reflect on the interplays between tradition and transformation, as they trace how traditions may or should be opposed or upheld in response to evolving circumstances and to foundational Christian concepts. Van den Toren’s advocacy for Western theologians to question their patterns against African theology complements Schafroth’s and Chilongozi’s calls for inclusion of women in African theological education and leadership; all three pieces challenge readers to consider how traditions may need to be revised. Meanwhile, Kim’s exploration of the transformation of Korean eschatology and Worku’s analysis of Ze’ra Ya’aqob’s thought show how theological traditions may adapt under pressure. Across all five articles, traditions are negotiated, reinterpreted, or resisted on the basis of fluctuating realities and, importantly, of enduring truth.

Author Bio: Evelyn Reynolds directs the Leader Studies program for Scholar Leaders. She also serves as the Executive Editor of the InSights Journal. She has a PhD in medieval English literature and an MFA in poetry.

References

Okaya, Kazusa. “Lausanne and the Voice of the ‘Flies’: Concerns From a Majority World Church Leader.” Church Leaders. 1 October 2024. https://churchleaders.com/voices/exchange/497826-lausanne-and-the-voice-of-the-flies.html.

Somanathan, Nathanael. “A Sri Lankan’s Reflections on L4 and Integral Mission.” Church Leaders. 3 October 2024. https://churchleaders.com/voices/exchange/498131-a-sri-lankans-reflections-lausanne.html/2.