Contents:

Introduction / Tim Meadowcroft --I: Melanesian examples --1 Authenticating Melanesian biblical theology: a response to foreign theologies / William Kenny Longgar --2 A theological and missiological response to the wantok system in Melanesia / Maxon Mani --3 Jesus as or Wapiken: seeking a model of holiness amonst the Abelam people / Gearog Mombi --4 Bikman and the text in context: contextualizing the Gospel in Papua New Guinea / Geovanne Bustos --5 A Melanesian theology of Christ as leader: reading Hebrews 1 / Joshua Daimoi --6 Seeking a Rennell Bellona form of worship / Aaron Hu'aikaba Abia --II: Melanesian challenges --7 The Gospel in an emerging society / R. Daniel Shaw --8 When different teachings divide the Jesus family: reading First Timothy in context / John M. Hitchen --9 The missiological implications of a counter-cultural Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: reflections on six and a half years in Papua New Guinea / Scott D. Charlesworth --10 Contextualizing Scripture for Melanesians through narrative interpretation / Doug Hanson --III: Examples from the wider Pacific and Asia --11 "If we live, we live, and if we die, we die": Polynesian Wesleyan missionaries in Papua New Guinea / Michael A. Rynkiewich --12 Coming of the Gospel to Mitiaro / Mata Tumu-Makara --13 Tutu te Puehu and the tears of Joseph: reflections and insights on conflict resolution and reconciliation / Simon Moetara --14 A missiological investigation of Christian response to Japanese ancestor practices / Christopher D.H. Hill --15 Missiology at the movies: the apostle Paul meets Avatar / Les Taylor --IV: Reflections on critical contextualization --16 Loyalty to Christ: conversion, contextualization, and religious syncretism / John Roxborogh --17 Contextualization and human rights law: a future area of contest? / John G. Flett --18 "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians": lessons from the career of Daniel / Tim Meadowcroft --Response / John M. Hitchen.

With its myriad people groups, Melanesia has much to teach the rest of the world about what happens when Christ encounters local culture. This collection begins with a look at specific case studies of the Gospel's encounter with local culture in Melanesia itself, before turning to broader themes particularly raised by the Melanesian context. Case studies from Asia and the wider Pacific then throw further light on the incarnational process of encounter, demonstrating that there is much for the rest of the world to learn from the Melanesian experience. The book concludes with some penetrating analyses of the dynamics at work when the Gospel encounters human cultures for the first time. The process of critical contextualization of the Gospel is never complete, and is inevitably the product of conversation and experimentation. As such it is a communal process. This set of essays models one such conversation while at the same time enabling the rest of the church to listen in on important insights.