Hospitality and the Other: Pentecost, Christian Practices, and the Neighbor

Faith Meets Faith

by Amos Yong

Building on a life of careful Biblical scholarship and insights into the practices of Jesus and the early Church, launched on the day of Pentecost, Amos Yong shows (1) that the religious "other" is not a mere object for conversion but a neighbor to whom hospitality must be extended and from whom Christians should be open to receiving hospitality; and (2) that the practices of the Christian community must reflect this insight if they are to be faithful to the trinitarian God of Jesus Christ. This book is pivotal in the shift to a new paradigm of theology of religion, interreligious interchange, and the nature of missionary theory and practice. Yong's argument is all the more impressive in not reducing Christian theological categories to modern insights. Instead, he shows how contemporary practice needs to catch up with the revolutionary Biblical notion of extending hospitality beyond every boundary of faith, nation, and ethnicity.

Genres: Theology, Evangelism, Christianity

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Amos Yong is the J. Rodman Williams Professor of Theology and Director of the Ph.D. in Renewal Studies program at Regent University Divinity School in Virginia Beach, VA. He is the Co-editor of Pneuma, the journal of the Society of Pentecostal Studies.

Reviews

[Mark Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the theology of hospitality was well thought out and much (though not all) I agreed with. It is written in such an unapproachable way. It could have been easily written in a easier to digest way but instead I found his PHD got in the way.

[Ethan Coke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book on pluralism that proposes the church ought to take the posture of hospitality as they find themselves in positions of hosting and being hosted by 'others'. It strive to offer a fourth way to approach pluralism that centers the practices of the church instead of the eschatological vision of inclusivism, pluralism, and exclusivism. Ultimately this still presents a cultural-linguistic approach to an inclusive theology of religions by urging the church to listen and be guest within their context.

[R.W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book suggesting that Spirit-empowered practices of hospitality provide a robust biblical and existential basis for interfaith dialogue in a post-9/11 world.

I read this book hoping to find ways to modify Yong's suggestions for to strengthen dialogue between queer and pentecostal Christians and theologies, and I think he brings up many hopeful and useful points.

[Andrew M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yong's assessment of a Holy Spirit-empowered hospitality practice as central to how we love the neighbor and the "other" is really important for our consideration as Christian leaders.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yong writes an excellent book that opens the way for Pentecostals (and other more conservative Christians) to relate more positively with people from other faiths. He uses the Biblical concept of hospitality and shows how we are both guests and hosts at different times and in different ways. In theological terms we are God's guests of grace in receiving God's hospitality of salvation. In turn the manner in which we are called upon to relate to others (no matter their religion) is that of hospitality, where we again relate both as hosts and as guests. We often prefer to be hosts, because it allows us a measure of control, but we must learn to be good guests and receive hospitality from those of other religions, which may mean listening and learning from others.

I find Yong's vision more compelling than those of pluralist theologians that homogenize all religions into one non-descript (and frequently uninteresting) entity. His vision is also more compelling that those of exclusivists, who seem to prefer judging others and imagining ways to defeat the other in debate, more than ways to be spiritually hospitable.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amos Yong has offered us a clearly stated, Holy Spirit-based, rationale for engaging in the hospitality of God with our neighbors of different faith traditions. The book develops a thoughtful and useful theology of interreligious practices that rest in the hospitality of God who comes as both host and guest.

If you're interested in interfaith dialogue you'll want to explore this most helpful book.

[Tim Bomgardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting insight into how we can rely on the Holy Spirit and our faith practices to engage in dialog with those who are different from us, particularly those of other faiths. I especially enjoyed the concept of Jesus as both guest and host as well as the importance for us to make ourselves vulnerable and seek out opportunities to be the guest.

[Rivkah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a great book on Christianity in the context of other societies and how it needs to be translated. I like how he mentions "kingdom culture" and does indeed call it out, but also mentions the culture of the area and how to separate which is wich.