Review of Contextualization: A Theology of Gospel and Culture by Bruce J. Nicholls

Abstract

Bruce J. Nicholls first published this excellent volume in the late 1970’s when he was executive secretary of the World Evangelical Fellowship Theological Commission. Regent College has wisely chosen to re-issue it because it was and remains one of the most excellent foundational summaries of the issues involved. I only wish that he had added a few pages to update the development of the concept of contextualization. As it is, he ends his historical survey in the mid-seventies. I also think that he should have in­teracted with a couple of others in the development of his central section on the “supra- cultural.” But these two weaknesses are minor compared to the strengths of this intro­duction to the topic.