Christianity In Culture: A Study In Biblical Theologizing In Cross-cultural Perspective

by Charles H. Kraft, Marguerite G. Kraft

Christianity In A Study In Biblical Theologizing In Cross-cultural P...

Genres: Theology, Religion, Anthropology

376 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1979

About the author

Rev. Dr. Charles H. Kraft is an anthropologist and linguist whose work since the early 1980s has focused on inner healing and spiritual warfare. He is the Sun-Hee Kwak Professor of Anthropology and Intercultural Communication in the School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, teaching primarily in the school's spiritual dynamics concentration. He joined Fuller's faculty in 1969. In the 1950s he served as a Brethren missionary in northern Nigeria. He has been a professor of African languages at Michigan State University and UCLA, and taught anthropology part-time at Biola University. He holds a BA from Wheaton College, a BD from Ashland Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the Hartford Seminary Foundation.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Joyce del Rosario · Rating 3 out of 5]

The model is largely based on communication theory through the lens of Biblical theologizing. While I appreciate this method, I am also cautious around a universalized methods developed in the West for the purpose of cross-cultural missions.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am fascinated by the relationship between Christianity and Culture and found this book to be very helpful in my research on the topic.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely academic book (and therefore not for everyone) and he applies his principles in ways that I don't agree with at times--particularly in his emphasis on the benefits of slow cultural change even in situations with horrible injustice. But while those things are true, I loved this book. A ton of excellent material that applies well beyond the author's main audience of Western missionaries going to non-Western contexts. Helpful in thinking about how our cultural effects our perspective on theology, church, biblical interpretation, and what it means to live out faith. I particularly appreciated the ways that his principles apply to evangelism in any context.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a paradigm changer for me when I first read it back in the late 1980's. Dr. Kraft was way ahead of the curve as far as Evangelical understanding of culture was (and is) concerned. This book was viewed as quite radical at the time of publication. It's still a valuable read, thus the anniversary reprint.

[Zack Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is all about understanding cultures. It helped me to understand that everyone has a view of the world and is operating under these ideas. We have to understand where people are coming from in order to effectively communicate the Gospel in their context. We have to get rid of ethnocentricity and the idea that our culture is "THE" culture.

[Thomas Wisley]

That I need to pursue a theological anthropology in my understanding how God "fits" into human cultures.

[Byron Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Kirk Lowery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice theories. Underdelivers, however.