- Leading thinkers and practitioners consider intercultural diversity from the perspective of the church, theology and racial justice.- Includes leading voices such as Sharon Prentis, Kate Colman and Israel Oluwole Olofinjana- The success or otherwise of multiculturalism is a hot topic in both UK secular and church contexts.
In a fragmented, fragile and fractured world, what kind of churches do we need that can speak prophetically to the nations? We are living through a suffering context and a polarized world that requires a new ecclesiology, that is, way of doing church. Polyphonic God introduces the idea that the Trinity speaks more than one language and inhabits multiple worldviews, yet is one in essence. It offers new interdisciplinary perspectives on ecclesiology and missiology. This book envisions a re-imagined church that is intercultural, intergenerational and interdenominational.
In Polyphonic God, theologians and practitioners together contend that intercultural churches are significant in multicultural British society, and serve to create a counter-cultural kingdom narrative demonstrating how we can find unity in the midst of diversity and how this can enrich the lives of everybody involved.
List of Contributors vii
Introduction: Intercultural Church Conversations in Britain 1
Part 1 Intercultural Theology: Foundational Thought and Perspectives
1 Politics of Multiculturalism, Theology of Interculturality: Towards an
Intercultural Ecclesiology 15
Israel Oluwole Olofinjana
2 The Metaphor of Tapestry: A Theological Framing for Inter-ethnic
Congregations 37
David Wise
3 You Are Home! The Family Metaphor and Its Impact on Understanding Church
and Intercultural Communities in Ephesians 50
Oscar Jiménez
Part 2 Intercultural Churches and Practices: Ecclesiology Re-imagined
4 Re-tuning Worship: Biblical Principles for a Culturally Diverse Age 73
Ian Collinge
5 Intercultural Church as a Direction of Travel: Exploring the Journey of a
Korean Diaspora Church (KDC) 94
MiJa Wi
6 Feeling Welcome and Accepted: A Case Study of Greenford Baptist Church 111
David Wise
7 Among the Nations, for the Nations: Championing Diversity in the Church in
Edinburgh 130
Màiri MacPherson
8 What Even Is My Culture? Exploring Identity in an Intercultural Church 147
Jessie Tang
9 Laying Firm Foundations for a Healthy Intercultural Church 159
Adam and Karina Martin
10 New Northern Irish! Intercultural Developments in Northern Ireland 173
Nathaniel Jennings
Part 3 Intercultural Justice: Racial Justice and Reconciliation
11 Just Leadership: Developing Radical Empathy to Break Systemic Strongholds
191
Kate Coleman
12 Intercultural Life Together: Racial Justice as Love Lived Out in Worship,
Fellowship and Mission 215
Sharon Prentis
13 Intercultural Holiness and Justice: Challenge, Cross, Community and
Celebration 234
Mohan Seevaratnam
14 Intercultural Churches as Catalysts for Racial Justice 252
Dominic De Souza and Catherine De Souza
15 Antiracist Mission in Postcolonial Britain 266
Usha Reifsnider
Revd Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana is Director of the One People Commission of the Evangelical Alliance.
Revd Dr David Wise is an accredited Baptist minister. He is a professional mentor and coach for Christian leaders and a speaker in local church and conference contexts.
Dr Usha Reifsnider is Co-Regional Director of Lausanne Europe, as well as a cross cultural consultant, cultural anthropologist and missiologist.
