THE CHURCH AND MISSION
BUILDING THE KINGDOM
A Series of 10 Monographs
Written and published by Peter Back
In the 1st monograph on Ramadan, Back challenges the idea of whether missionaries should keep the Fast of Ramadan with their Muslim friends. Is Ramadan a cultural and sociological event more than a theological one?
From his research into the origins of the fast according to the Qur'an, the Hadith and the views of Muslim theologians, Back concludes that it is primarily a theological event because of its strong links to forgiveness of sin, one of the main duties or components of the faith, and to the belief that the Qur'an was revealed during that month.
The 2nd monograph follows on the discussion of the first, as those who participate in activities with their Muslim friends base their argument for doing so on 1 Corinthians 9.19-23. They are just being 'all things to all men'. Back examines the exegesis of this passage and Matthew 6.18, the teaching of Christ on how to fast. He believes that the passage will not support the case for missionaries to observe Ramadan. The reader is challenged to answer the question: What will the Muslim think when he realises the missionary kept Ramadan with an ulterior motive of 'all things to all men' in order to bring him to Christ?
In number 3, Back begins his discussion of the biblical parameters of spiritual warfare with statements of what it is not: it does not of itself create converts to Christianity; it is not synonymous with church growth nor is it the 'penultimate solution to rejection of the Christian message.' Then the timescale of spiritual warfare is presented: its past - the Calvary event; its present - holding back lawlessness and the spiritual warfare ministry of believers using truth, righteousness, faith, the use of the Word of God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and prayer; its future - completion of the visible victory - the return of Christ.
Monographs 4 and 5 are related to the topic of dynamic equivalents of biblical concepts in other cultures, four dealing with the issues of meaningful ones for Arabic speakers in the Islamic world view and five giving the background of the growth of ethnotheological studies into missiology. The main issue is the relationship of ethnotheology to biblical authority. What is the role of the receptor and his culture? Booklet four also addresses the problem of whether there are adequate dynamic equivalent terms and concepts in Islam to adapt for baptism, conversion and the nature of the church which carry the same meaning as the biblical concepts. Back even feels the use of the Arabic word Allah for God is inadequate and unhelpful.
Monograph 8 addresses this matter in further detail. This topic is seen as extremely important in the communication of the Gospel in speech and Bible translation.
These booklets come out of the author's PhD work at the University of Wales in Lampeter and are important as they raise challenging questions about modern missiological ideas concerning contextualisation, ethnotheology and mission structures which many Christian workers are using in ministry with Muslims. The booklets are short, most of them less than 40 pages, but would be would be very useful to stimulate discussion on relevant and important issues in present day ministry.
Elsie Maxwell,
Centre for Islamic Studies and Muslim-Christian Relations, London Bible College
