Studies in Christian History

Sanctification is an essential part of every Christian life. But how do its differing theologies shape our Christian walk and wider socio-ethic contexts? Grounded in the East Africa Revival Movement (EARM), this work seeks to answer how the Keswick theology of sanctification contributes to the socio-ethical understanding of "walking in the light" and consequently influences the mission of the Anglican Church in the Mount Kenya region. Dr. Robinson Kariuki Mwangi uses careful exegetical analysis to understand the biblical roots of revival and calls us to action in showing what our faith stands for, integrating practical theology with pastoral practice. Scholars of theology and lived Christianity will find the observations in this work informative for further study.

The history of Christianity in Africa has often been told as a story of Western missions. As such, the contributions of local converts in shaping mission praxis and impacting the success of Christian witness on African soil has often been ignored. In this study, Dr. Francis Omondi seeks to rectify historic omissions by exploring the role of African converts, such as Reuben Omulo, in establishing the Anglican Church in the Nyanza Province of western Kenya. Utilizing Johannes Kritzinger's encounterological approach, Omondi presents the growth of the church in Central Nyanza as the result of complex and dynamic encounters between Luo culture and Church Mission Society (CMS) theology. Examining seven areas of belief and praxis, such as contextual understanding, interpretation of religious and cultural tradition and perspectives on the role of religious leaders, he explores how CMS missionaries were impacted – and ultimately transformed – through their encounters with the Luo people, and vice versa. Filled with practical implications for the church in Kenya and beyond, this study highlights the radical and often surprising power of encounter, as the gospel becomes incarnate in all cultures and all places.

The outpouring of the Spirit as prophesied in Joel 2 and fulfilled in Acts 2 has been a phenomenon to behold throughout the history of the church, particularly within Pentecostalism. Yet, the increasing gap between the espoused theology and the current practice of Assemblies of God Malaysia (AGM) displays the need for a contemporary Pentecostal spirituality for the twenty-first century. Employing Joel 2:28–32 as an interpretive lens, Dr. Eva Wong Suk Kyun conducts a systematic and qualitative investigation of AGM's progression from a classical Pentecostal movement to a "contemporary Pentecostal church movement." The seven key theological themes of the Pentecostal movement's central beliefs and practices, which are derived from Joel-Acts, are presented as the backdrop for the development of the movement's pneumatology, wherein the voice of the Spirit is an essential element of AGM's theological, missiological, ecclesiological, and ministerial aspects. Presenting a way forward for the next generation, Wong emphasizes the need for intentional spiritual discipleship by preserving the Pentecostal distinctives of baptism in the Holy Spirit, glossolalia, and missions. This innovative study offers its readers solid theological foundations and practical insights for a holistic Pentecostal spirituality.

The China Inland Mission (CIM), founded by James Hudson Taylor (1832-1905), has been a major focal point in the research of the history of Christian missions in modern China. Yet there has been a dearth of attention given to Taylor's successor, Dixon Edward Hoste (1861-1946). Hoste led the CIM through some of their most tumultuous periods, believing that the Chinese church would one day grow by itself, without the dependence on foreign missionaries. In this important study, Dr. Patrick Fung examines the life and work of Dixon Edward Hoste in his thirty-five years as general director of the CIM. Hoste's faithful friendship with the Chinese church never wavered and this study demonstrates how we can learn from his leadership, exemplifying a model of servanthood. Bringing fresh insights to this field of research, Dr. Fung shows us how the committed work of Hoste should be duly recognized as an integral part of the indigenous movement of modern Chinese Christianity.