Transforming the World 1 (Patrick Mitchel)

Today’s post kicks off a series with my friend, Patrick Mitchel, who teaches theology in Dublin. This series, which examines the relation of our Christian faith to the public square and to social justice, will show how the Bible, theology and Christian activism belong together, and it will show how the European voice is one we need to hear. I’m very excited about this series.

Transforming the World 1 (by Patrick Mitchel, at IBI)

“Evangelical Christianity has long been plagued by a dichotomy.”

“For the past half century evangelicals have been trying to ‘exorcize the demon’ of associating social action with liberalism.”

These are two comments in the introduction of an important book published in the UK on a much discussed theme.

The book is Transforming the World, edited by Dewi Hughes and Jamie Grant, published in the UK and as yet not available in the USA. [Hughes is theological advisor to Tearfund (the major evangelical relief agency in the UK) and member of the Lausanne Movement’s Theology Working Group. Grant is lecturer in Biblical Studies in The Highland Theological College in Scotland.]  It has an impressive list of contributors, mostly but not exclusively within the UK.

Today we begin a 10 part series, and we will post one on most weekdays through June 24th.

This is the short introductory post – the ones to come will be more substantial. So as we get stuck in, here are a couple of questions:

Do you agree that evangelicalism has been plagued by a dichotomy between the gospel and social responsibility?

If so, how successfully has this dichotomy been ‘exorcised’?

In your experience, how rooted in actual church practice is a more holistic understanding of the gospel?

I’m going to have to be selective and look at only some chapters in each part of the book. But to get thing started, I’ll sketch the overall structure as it argues for a holistic understanding of the gospel.

Part 1 gives a resounding ‘YES’ to this question: ‘Should evangelicals be attempting to make this world a better place in tune with God’s will as well as prepare people for life in a better world? In 7 chapters, it offers a biblical-theological basis for a holistic gospel through examining the Old and New Testaments’ consistent concern for those in need.

Part 2, made up of another 7 chapters, explores the ‘how’ of this call to transform this world – using the lens of social ethics, systematic theology, church history and applied theology.

The big picture being proposed, and that we will unpack in more detail over the coming days, is this:

The Bible’s teaching regarding the believer’s responsibilities towards those in need makes it absolutely plain that God’s salvific work is both spiritual and physical. Therefore the church – as God’s representative on this earth – should be characterized as those who bring a message of salvation that deals with humanity in every respect, practical as well as spiritual. (12)