Review
The Concept of Ethnicity in the Bible: A Theological Analysis by
Mark Kreitzer
Reviewed by
.
Published in Global Missiology, Review & Preview, April 2009,
List of Abbreviations ISBN10: 0-7734-4898-5 ISBN13:
978-0-7734-4898-8 Pages:
516 Year: 2008
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Ethnicity: Background Literature
2. Ethnicity: Ethnicity and Interdisciplinary
3. Ethnic Solidarity: Preliminary Definitions
4. Dominion Covenant,
5. Primal History, Abraham, and
6. Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants Impact Esol
7. Esol and the Covenants in Wisdom Literature
8. Esol in the Prophets and
9. Esol, Babel-Pentecost, and the New Covenant
10. Esol, Paul, and Covenant Theology
11. Conclusion and Application
Glossary of Philosophical Terms
Reference Terms
This volume is a progress report
of Dr, Mark
R Kreitzer’s
extensive
study on the topic of
”ethnicity,
” prompted by
·
His professional
service as a
missionary
in
·
Full-time study in the
two
doctoral programs
at
Reformed Theological
Seminary;
·
Personal reflections
on his missionary career and in-depth research of many years on “ethnicity”
This volume should be a prescribed reading for those who
are interested in issues related to:
·
The topic of
“ethnicity” discussed within the framework of a biblical worldview;
·
The turmoil of
inter-ethnic conflicts both internally in many countries and internationally
among cultural-distinctive groups that have Kingdom implications;
·
The challenge of
pluralism, multiculturalism and post-modernism to evangelicals in the 21st
Century;
·
The search for an
alternative epistemological paradigm for evangelical Christian scholars;
·
The best option in research
methodology for students of many disciplines and scholars of different
persuasions.
This is not a volume for light reading for it is: a book of
400+ pages, extensive “reference list, carefully documented footnotes,
complicated framework, multi-disciplinary approach, etc.
The book is consistently and convincingly framed in the
covenantal tradition of Reformed orientation that might not sit well with those
of Armenian persuasion. It is a
bold attempt to critique popular convictions, shared by evangelical scholars, such
as “homogeneous unit principle,” critical realism epistemology, church growth
movement, etc. Yet evangelical
researchers on “ethnicity” cannot easily dismiss the argument of the author who
has developed strong biblical foundation, sound theological conviction and systematic/theoretical
formulation of ethnicity.
The readers will find the “Glossary of Philosophical Terms” at the end of the book to be very helpful. The comprehensive “Reference List” with hundreds of helpful publications is handy for those who desire to pursue the topic further.
Here are some suggestions for those who are ready to make the most of this book of extensive length, complicated argument, wordy style, and other challenges:
- Start with “Glossary of Philosophical Terms” of pages 425-430 to have the basic understanding of many key-terms;
- Then read the last chapter “Conclusions and Applications” of pages 399-423 to have a good grasp of the theory, theology and major themes covered by the author
- Then peruse the many figures (see listing on page xvii) to familiarize with the the theoretical framework of the author;
- Then scan through the various chapters for a general understanding without being distracted by word study (of Hebrew and Greek) and extensive footnotes.
If one can persevere, the reward of reading a challenging book like this volume is to journey with the author through selected biblical passages of OT and NT on “ethnicity,” exciting theoretical formulation and missiological implication of “ethnicity.”