Exploring the New Testament in Asia

Australia is very close to Asia, about 15% of our population has Asian heritage, therefore many of the parishioners in Aussie churches are Asian. So I’m naturally very interested in the topic I periodically read books and articles on the subject. This is why I recommend Simon Chan’s Grassroots Asian Theology, Uncovering the Pearl: The Hidden Story of Christianity in Asia, the Asia Bible Commentary series, and An Asian Introduction to the New Testament among others. Also, there is Mosaic, a podcast by Singapore Bible College, which I recommend.

This volume, Exploring the New Testament in Asia: Evangelical Perspectives, edited by Samson L. Uytanlet and Bennet Lawrence is a terrific collection of studies about the New Testament from a diverse array of Asian voices.

While all the essays are good, let me point to a few particular stand outs!

Johnson Thomaskutty covers “Metaphors of Salvation in the New Testament and their Implications in Asia,” where he points out that biblical language about family, royal lineage, priesthood, war, agriculture, business, fishing, finance, banking, and household are closer to the Asian world than to the western ones. Also, one must consider how such language can be heard in the context of religions as diverse as Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Sikhism, Baha’i, and Islam. They are also more naturally disposed to say salvation in a broader spectrum of deliverance, liberation, and transformation.

Joyce Wai-Lan Sun writes on “The Household of God: Gender Dynamics, Biblical Ethics, and Asian Ideals” where she demonstrates (quite convincingly) how culturally constructed “biblical manhood and womanhood” turns out to be. She argues that the Bible does not deny that hierarchies exist in society, church, and family, only that gender is never made the basis for any church office or ministry. Rather than hierarchy vs. equality, she believes the NT supports an interdependence model for men and women. She argues too, “If the submission of slaves taught in the household codes could be adjusted with the ultimate abolition of slavery after the biblical times, it is also possible for the teaching on women’s subordination to be transformed to embody God’s continuous redemptive and liberation act in history.” In sum, this is a judicious essay that packs a lot in a short space and is brilliantly argued: a concise and compelling take on Eph 5:21-31, 1 Cor 11:2-16, and 1 Tim 2:11-15!!!

Chee-Chiew Lee has a great essay too on “Responding to Persecution and Marginalization of Christians,” which notes the different types of social and official persecution Christians can receive and the overall NT message as one of perseverance. You can read this essay at Academia.edu.

In sum, this is a terrific collection of essays that will edify and inform the readers and I strongly recommend it for something different than the ordinary reading-list of white-western-male authors that most of us consume (yes, I know I am one!). But I compensate for it by eating a lot of Indian and Thai food, so, that makes it even!