Category Archives: Theology

Understanding Oral Hermeneutics and Relational Hermeneutics

Enoch Wan. In 2011, Tom Steffen and William Bjoraker proposed“oral hermeneutics” (The Return of Oral Hermeneuticswhich is quite different from conventional “textualhermeneutics.” In this paper, the author proposes“relational hermeneutics” which is based onthe paradigm of “relational interactionism” thatcan integrate “textual hermeneutics” and “oralhermeneutics.” A simple comparison of the threehermeneutical approaches to Scriptures (i.e.comparison of textual/oral/relationalContinue reading “Understanding Oral Hermeneutics and Relational Hermeneutics”

Back to the Branches: Recovering the Early Alliance Movement that Bore Fruit

GlobalSouthAdvance.blogspot.com. When the early Christian and Missionary Alliance gatherings were first formed, they were not called churches. They were called branches. That distinction, subtle on the surface, is deeply theological — and perhaps the key to recovering the Alliance’s original calling as a movement rather than a denomination. https://globalsouthadvance.blogspot.com/p/back-to-branches-recovering-early.html

Transform: Gospel-Centered Resources for the Local Church

Western Seminary. In our increasingly post-Christian world, our churches need leaders who can communicate biblical truth with clarity and compassion. That’s why we’ve created Transform – a collection of gospel-centered resources from the faculty and friends of Western Seminary. We believe that the good news of Jesus Christ should impact every area of life andContinue reading “Transform: Gospel-Centered Resources for the Local Church”

The Cross and the Kaleidoscope: Substitutionary Atonement and our Relationships (Relational)

Alex Early and Enoch Wan. The phenomenal and explosive proliferation of social media over the last decade is strong evidence that modern human beings are in desperate need for genuine relational connection between God, self, and others. In a digital age that is more connected than ever before, loneliness, anxiety, and a sense of estrangementContinue reading “The Cross and the Kaleidoscope: Substitutionary Atonement and our Relationships (Relational)”

Exploring Sino-Spirituality

Enoch Wan. Dichotomized Views: Western and Chinese Cultural Influence Chinese ministers from different backgrounds tend to hold different views on the spirituality of a servant. Generally speaking, those who receive Western theological training insist that the spirituality of a servant should include: having been called by God and ordained by the church, blessed with spiritualContinue reading “Exploring Sino-Spirituality”

A Critique of Charles Kraft’s Use/Misuse of Communication and Social Sciences in Biblical Interpretation and Missiological Formulation

Enoch Wan. This paper is written with a single purpose of providing a critique by answering the question whether Dr. Charles Kraft has used/misused the communication and social sciences in his biblical interpretation and missiological formulation. http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/article/view/120/346

Jesus Christ for the Chinese: A Contextual Reflection

Enoch Wan. The final article in a series, we examine three factors (i.e. historical reality, geographic proximity and cultural identity) that caused the traditional Chinese’s perception of Christianity being “Jesus Christ from the West.” A Sino-Christology is proposed which includes a method of “relational theologizing”, a definition of salvation as reconciled relationship vertically with GodContinue reading “Jesus Christ for the Chinese: A Contextual Reflection”

Critiquing the Method of Traditional Western Theology and Calling for Sino-Theology

Enoch Wan. This article is written as a warning that some Chinese Christians might have blindly swallowed some Western cultural elements (both the good and the bad) in the process of theologizing when receiving the sound Christian doctrine from Western theological tradition. This subtle form of westernization is not easily detected and the bad elementsContinue reading “Critiquing the Method of Traditional Western Theology and Calling for Sino-Theology”

Sailing in the Western Wind

Enoch Wan. First in a series of six articles concerning Christianity and evangelism within the contexts of the two very different systems of contemporary USA and the overseas-born Chinese, this article identifies elements of Western influence on Chinese culture and Chinese Christianity. http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/article/view/442/1141

Chinese Diaspora Kingdom Workers: In Action and With Guidance

Enoch Wan and Jacky Lau. This volume is a description and explanation of Chinese diaspora Kingdom workers who are on the move for Kingdom involvement; yet with divine provision of God’s sovereignty and ministerial guidance. The purpose of this book is to develop a field support ministry guidebook for mission leaders to provide on-field assistanceContinue reading “Chinese Diaspora Kingdom Workers: In Action and With Guidance”