FROM CRISIS TO CREATION
LESSLIE NEWBIGIN AND THE REINVENTION OF CHRISTIAN MISSION
MARK T. B. LAING With a foreword by Andrew F. Walls
ISBN 13:978-1-61097-424-0 / $35 / 314 pp. / paper
published May 2012
Review by Murdoch MacKenzie
In the early 1960s as an undergraduate student reading for a degree in Geography at Hertford College Oxford I used to attend both the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (OICCU) meetings and the Student Christian Movement(SCM) meetings. At the end of my first year, on a Monday night, there was a knock on my door. It was Chris Tull, the OICCU Rep asking me if I would become the College Rep for the OICCU for the following year. I said I would pray about it and let him know. On the Wednesday afternoon that same week there was another knock on the door with John Sim of the SCM asking me to become the Rep for the SCM. So here was a dilemma as to do both would take a lot of time. However I discovered that becoming the Rep for OICCU meant signing the Statement defining doctrine and belief. This I declined to do, not because there was anything in the Statement with which I disagreed, but because I had been baptised and was a member of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and do not sign additional statements. Graham Locke, who went on to study at Ridley Hall, said that he wondered if it had ever happened before that someone would have been asked to represent both the OICCU and the SCM at the same time. In fact I became the Rep for the SCM and became Treasurer of the Oxford SCM but still continued to attend the OICCU meetings and Bible Studies. In my view both were and still are authentic Christian bodies each with important things to say and to contribute to the work of the Gospel.
I say all this now because Mark Laing's book 'From Crisis to Creation' about the life and work of Lesslie Newbigin is a very sensitive study of the way in which Bishop Newbigin understood and embraced both the evangelical and ecumenical theologies of mission during the twentieth century. Dr Laing explains with care and sensitivity that Newbigin was the only person who was acceptable to both the evangelicals and the ecumenicals as they approached the uniting of the International Missionary Council and the World Council of Churches which was finally achieved at New Delhi in 1961. For Newbigin the term 'ecumenical' had no meaning unless it stood equally for the mission of the Church and the unity of the Church. Having worked alongside Lesslie for many years I know how deeply he not only believed all of this but also lived it in such a way that he remained something of an enigma to those on either side of this ongoing Christian debate. Dr Laing's book is fascinating in the way in which he helps us to tease out these issues. A book not to be missed.
Publisher's Description of the Book
In the early 1960s as an undergraduate student reading for a degree in Geography at Hertford College Oxford I used to attend both the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (OICCU) meetings and the Student Christian Movement(SCM) meetings. At the end of my first year, on a Monday night, there was a knock on my door. It was Chris Tull, the OICCU Rep asking me if I would become the College Rep for the OICCU for the following year. I said I would pray about it and let him know. On the Wednesday afternoon that same week there was another knock on the door with John Sim of the SCM asking me to become the Rep for the SCM. So here was a dilemma as to do both would take a lot of time. However I discovered that becoming the Rep for OICCU meant signing the Statement defining doctrine and belief. This I declined to do, not because there was anything in the Statement with which I disagreed, but because I had been baptised and was a member of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and do not sign additional statements. Graham Locke, who went on to study at Ridley Hall, said that he wondered if it had ever happened before that someone would have been asked to represent both the OICCU and the SCM at the same time. In fact I became the Rep for the SCM and became Treasurer of the Oxford SCM but still continued to attend the OICCU meetings and Bible Studies. In my view both were and still are authentic Christian bodies each with important things to say and to contribute to the work of the Gospel.
I say all this now because Mark Laing's book 'From Crisis to Creation' about the life and work of Lesslie Newbigin is a very sensitive study of the way in which Bishop Newbigin understood and embraced both the evangelical and ecumenical theologies of mission during the twentieth century. Dr Laing explains with care and sensitivity that Newbigin was the only person who was acceptable to both the evangelicals and the ecumenicals as they approached the uniting of the International Missionary Council and the World Council of Churches which was finally achieved at New Delhi in 1961. For Newbigin the term 'ecumenical' had no meaning unless it stood equally for the mission of the Church and the unity of the Church. Having worked alongside Lesslie for many years I know how deeply he not only believed all of this but also lived it in such a way that he remained something of an enigma to those on either side of this ongoing Christian debate. Dr Laing's book is fascinating in the way in which he helps us to tease out these issues. A book not to be missed.
Publisher's Description of the Book
Mark T. B. Laing taught missiology at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India, for several years, where he also coordinated the Centre for Mission Studies. This book is a revised form of his PhD thesis, which he recently completed at the University of Edinburgh.
Lesslie Newbigin (1909–1998) was one of the seminal theologians of mission in the twentieth century, and perhaps the most important in the English-speaking world. His thinking was anchored in the practice of mission: he was a missionary in India, a bishop of the Indian church, and a leader in emerging international mission structures. In his late years, he pioneered research on how the gospel could engage with Western culture. For many he is the founding father of the missional church movement. This book is the first to address the crucial role Newbigin played in shaping ecumenical thinking on mission during the twentieth century, filling an important gap in our knowledge of the development of twentieth-century missional theology. It does so by seeking to answer a central question in Newbigin’s thinking: How does “mission” relate to “church”?
Taking the integration of the International Missionary Council with the World Council of Churches as its central focus, this book provides a unique history of crucial events in the ecumenical movement. But more importantly, through a study of Newbigin’s role in the theological debate, this book demonstrates how missional theology evolved during the postwar period when there was a “sea change” in understandings both of mission and church.
Other Reviews
Lesslie Newbigin (1909–1998) was one of the seminal theologians of mission in the twentieth century, and perhaps the most important in the English-speaking world. His thinking was anchored in the practice of mission: he was a missionary in India, a bishop of the Indian church, and a leader in emerging international mission structures. In his late years, he pioneered research on how the gospel could engage with Western culture. For many he is the founding father of the missional church movement. This book is the first to address the crucial role Newbigin played in shaping ecumenical thinking on mission during the twentieth century, filling an important gap in our knowledge of the development of twentieth-century missional theology. It does so by seeking to answer a central question in Newbigin’s thinking: How does “mission” relate to “church”?
Taking the integration of the International Missionary Council with the World Council of Churches as its central focus, this book provides a unique history of crucial events in the ecumenical movement. But more importantly, through a study of Newbigin’s role in the theological debate, this book demonstrates how missional theology evolved during the postwar period when there was a “sea change” in understandings both of mission and church.
Other Reviews
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“Mark Laing’s work makes an important contribution to scholarship, not simply on Newbigin, but more broadly to understanding the development of both ecumenical and evangelical theologies of mission during the twentieth century.”
Brian Stanley Professor of World Christianity, University of Edinburgh “Mark Laing’s study on Newbigin’s decisive role during the most creative, but also critical, period in the recent history of the WCC is a major contribution to a detailed knowledge of developments and debates that bear a lasting influence on present theologies, memories, structures, as well as conflicts. I consider this book a ‘must’ for theologians and leaders in mission and church.” Jacques Matthey Former Director of WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism “This is a book that goes to the heart of the relationship of church and mission among Protestant Christians. Newbigin has attracted much attention in recent years and will attract more, but there is, to my knowledge, no equivalent of this work currently available. It is much needed.” Andrew F. Walls Honorary Professor in the University of Edinburgh “This is a pioneering study of a neglected aspect of Newbigin’s work. Dr. Mark Laing provides a balanced, reliable, and insightful evaluation of Newbigin’s role and contribution.” Wilbert R. Shenk Senior Professor, Mission History and Contemporary Culture Fuller Graduate School of Intercultural Studies |
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Orders: Contact your favourite bookseller or order directly from the publisher via phone (541) 344-1528, fax (541) 344-1506 or e-mail orders@wipfandstock.com.
Media, Examination, and Review Copies: Contact: James Stock (541) 344-1528, ext 103 or e-mail James@wipfandstock.com
PICKWICK Publications
An imprint of WIPF and STOCK Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401
Tel. (541) 344-1528 • Fax (541) 344-1506
Visit our Web site at: www.wipfandstock.com
Orders: Contact your favourite bookseller or order directly from the publisher via phone (541) 344-1528, fax (541) 344-1506 or e-mail orders@wipfandstock.com.
Media, Examination, and Review Copies: Contact: James Stock (541) 344-1528, ext 103 or e-mail James@wipfandstock.com
