The Edinburgh 1910 World Missionary has often been considered as one of the most famous missions conferences through time. The main reason for this is that it is known as the cradle to the modern ecumenical movements. Nonetheless, it lacks denominational, gender, ethnical and geographical diversity. Despite this, it gave birth to a continuation committee that led to the 1974 Lausanne Movement. It is after effects that gave it its vaunted nickname and not indeed the conference itself. The book in review assesses the unique relationship existing between the 1910 Edinburgh World Missions Conference and the Lausanne World Missions Conference as it was in 1910. The book is essential in understanding the impact of the Lausanne World Missions Conference on the 21st century Missiological trends.
The main argument presented by the author in the book Edinburgh 1910 to Lausanne 2010: 100 Years of Theological Convergence is that the convergence of ecumenical theology with the evangelical theology has had a significant impact on the evangelical Christianity. Many people have perceived this as a positive result, while there are others who believe that the effects are not beneficial to the global Christianity. According to the author, “theological convergence developed out of the ecumenism that existed within the Edinburgh 1910 Global Missions Conference… until the Lausanne Movement that began in 1974, at which it began to flourish.”[1]. The author defines ecumenical as the set of beliefs and initiatives that seek global religious unity. This means that the Edinburgh 1910 Global Missions Conference played a crucial role in theological convergence that has been evident in the 21st century. It from the first conference that many different ideas embraced by numerous Christian denomination were brought together and Christianity saw the need to start acting like one body instead of the divisions that previously existed in this religion. Therefore, according to the author, the unity of Christians from all corners of the world, today would not have existed if it was not for the Edinburgh 1910 Global Missions Conference which triggered the need to redefine the approaches the people have towards evangelism, and generally the role of Christianity in the society.
The book Edinburgh 1910 to Lausanne 2010: 100 Years of Theological Convergence
starts by defining the core terms that will be used throughout the book. The author then discusses the early developments of evangelicalism and ecumenism. In this section, the author establishes a baseline of evangelicalism and how it led to the development of different perspectives which helps in creating the various definitions of evangelicalism. The author then discusses the historical development of ecumenism and how different people played significant roles in its meaning through time. The author extends to illustrate the inception of Edinburgh in 1910 and how it influenced ecumenism that later resulted in theological convergence. These developments then raised concerns as shown through the text. The author closely follows this by giving evidence of the existing pieces of evidence and the factors that have been contributing to theological convergence. The author concludes by providing final thoughts on theological convergence and its significance in the 21st century.
The construction of the book engages with its organization and successfully lends itself to the study of theology and development of ecumenical and evangelism in Christianity in 100 years. Every chapter is broken down into sections that fit logically within the topic and the subject in discussion hence creating a better understanding of what the author is discussing. The chapters are made up of numerous defining parts maintaining a sense of continuity throughout the book. The first chapter discusses the background of evangelicalism and how it played a crucial role in the differing perspectives held by the Christians. In the same chapter, the author introduces ecumenism and its historical development before the Edinburgh 1910. The author here relates bibliographical information with the individuals who played a significant role in shaping the ecumenism history. In the following chapters, the author explicitly explains the inception of Edinburgh 1910 and the development of the ecumenical movement. The book ends with a thorough bibliography explaining all the relevant borrowed information from outside sources that can help the reader easily trace back the original information. The author also offers the Manila Manifesto that offers clear perspective into what the purpose of Lausanne Movement is and the role it is playing into the contemporary society by promoting evangelical ecumenism, hence providing the significance of the book. The author referenced the book well, making skillful utilization of the interviews and first-person sources.
The book plays a significant role in explaining the development of theological convergence. Christianity from its earliest days has been facing challenges that threaten its existence because of the division within the religion. Christianity has often been about evangelism, which means bearing good news. However, the evangelicals have always had differing ways that created divisions instead of bringing people together[2]. Though the 1910 Edinburgh World Missions Conference lacked uniformity and unity that later became the core concept in the Lausanne Movement that began in 1974, the author explains that the division started before the Edinburgh Conference[3]. One of the core factors that led to this division among in the Church of Christ was enlightenment[4]. The author continues to explain that many evangelicals abandoned the original ideas of heaven after life, and embraced heaven is already among us[5]. The book extends its relevance by explaining the six different categories of evangelicals that created separation. These categories include strict fundamentalists, new evangelicals, confessing evangelicals, Pentecostals and charismatics, radical evangelicals, and ecumenical evangelicals. All these highlight the different perspectives that Christians have been having through time. It is true that Christianity as a religion may have started as a single unit but social reformations through time affected how people approached different ideas hence causing the divisions.
The author offers an in-depth analysis of numerous aspects of Edinburgh 2010 and Lausanne concerning the unity of biblical authority that is barely ever discussed in theological books. Some of these areas that the author explored include the impact of the theological convergence on evangelical and ecumenical dimensions. In this, the author supplies insight into the influence of Lausanne movement on global organizations such as the International Mission Board, the DAWN Ministries, the Alliance for Saturation Church Planting and Youth with a Mission. All these are organizations that aim at bringing together people from different denominations and help them create unity in the Church. The book recounts that the 21st-century Christian missionaries need to take more risks and venture into relationships with individuals of different faith to develop theological convergence[6]. As evidenced by the different views offered by the various professionals such as Samartha, Christians can no longer be conservative evangelicals, but instead, they need to venture out and offer salvation to all humankind. The author goes an extra step and provides the opposing views from conservative Christians who believe that this is wrong and that people only need to stick to the old ways that founded the religion. Some of the conservative authors that the book pays close attention to include Hesselgrave, who believed that the emphasis of the Christian mission should remain to be sacred, and spiritual to make sure that it does not separate what God had joined together. Such a perspective only implies that others are not welcomed into the presence of God as long as they do not conform to what the conservatives believe.
It is difficult not to get along with what the author of the book has presented. Nonetheless, there is a weakness to the book that cannot be overlooked. Though the author has answered many questions concerning theological convergence, and the opposing views since the Edinburgh 1910 Global Missions Conference until the Lausanne Movement in 2010, these only invite more questions. For example, what is the perspective of the significant denomination towards theological convergence, and how does the convergence aim to integrate its view into the social issues affecting people as well as the changes in the community such as acceptance of LGBTQ? Though ecumenism seeks to reunite the division that happened in Church because of the different attitudes towards the interpretation of the Bible, what is their role in the society at large? The author fails to address this thus creating areas that need further discussion.
Conclusion
The book offers valuable and absorbing outlook into theology and the role of missionaries in Christianity. The book is a magnificent collection of significant events that have defined theological convergence across the events that influenced its birth and redefinition since the Edinburgh 1910 Global Missions Conference to the Lausanne Movement that began in 1974 till 2010. The style of writing used by the author is eloquent and understandable showing professionalism. The author also organized the work well so that anyone, irrespective of their level of knowledge, can comprehend the subject in discussion and gain valuable information from reading the book.
Bibliography
Pruitt, H. Edward. 2013. Edinburgh 1910 To Lausanne 2010: 100 Years Of Theological Convergence. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform: The author.
[1]Edward, Pruitt. Edinburgh 1910 To Lausanne 2010: 100 Years Of Theological Convergence. (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform: The author, 2013)
[2] Edward, Pruitt. Edinburgh 1910 To Lausanne 2010: 100 Years Of Theological Convergence. (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform: The author, 2013)
[3] Ibid., 12
[4] Ibid., 12
[5] Edward, Pruitt. Edinburgh 1910 To Lausanne 2010: 100 Years Of Theological Convergence. (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform: The author, 2013):13
[6] Ibid., 166
