Evangelism among African American Presbyterians: Making Plain the Sacred Journey

by Marsha Snulligan Haney

Overview

As Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, Disciples of Christ, and other predominantly European-centered Christian denominations of North America seek to respond as a faith community to the increasingly dynamic ethnic and cultural diversity within our society, this book offers a sobering yet valuable perspective. By understanding the ministry of Christian evangelism as a construct that speaks of the power of divine transformation (personal and communal) and the embrace of a way of life, this work argues for a multi-variant approach that values the philosophical aspects of cultural differences, which are effective and faithful models of Christian evangelism.

An analysis of key missiological concepts, such as mission histories, ethno-theologies, worldview, culture, ethnic cohesion, and contextualization is appropriated to illuminate the theological voices and evangelical practices of a specific people, or ethnicity, shaped by a journey of spiritual faith. While the numerical significance of self-identified African-American Presbyterians may appear small, their synergistic encounter of human identity and religious faith, historical experience in the church, and the impact of their evangelical presence provide an excellent case study for discerning the twenty-first-century challenges of evangelism. This thorough study of history, theology, organizational structures, methods, and techniques will serve as a valuable tool in evaluating the impact of the faith journey of African-American Presbyterians and its challenges for today and the future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761837732
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	05/23/2007
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.01(h) x 0.85(d)

About the Author

Marsha Snulligan Haney, an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. and former missionary in the Sudan (North Africa) and the Republic of Cameroon (West Africa) received her Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies/Missiology and Th.M. in Missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She received her M. Div. and M.R.E. degrees from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center. Among her previous publications are Islam and Protestant African-American Churches: Responses and Challenges to Religious Pluralism (1999) and Africentric Approaches to Christian Ministry: Strengthening Urban Congregations in African-American Communities (2006). Dr. Haney is currently serving as associate professor of Missiology and Religions of the World at the Interdenominational Theological Center, and is director of the Urban Theological Institute, Atlanta, Georgia.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Foreword
Part 2 Preface
Chapter 3 Introduction: The Ministry of Evangelism
Chapter 4 An Overview of the Black Church in America
Chapter 5 Evangelism, African Americans, and Historical Tradition
Chapter 6 A Biblical Theology of Church and Evangelism
Chapter 7 Confessional Stances Regarding the Church as Sent into the World
Chapter 8 Contemporary Dynamics Shaping Evangelism
Chapter 9 A New Paradigm of Ministry and Evangelism
Chapter 10 Communicating along the Journey
Chapter 11 Congregational Transformation: Pastor, Session, Laity
Chapter 12 Envisioning the Mission and Ministry in a Pluralistic Denomination: Implications for the Ministry of Evangelism