A Promising Dialogue
Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism: Contemporary Issues in Global Perspective edited by Bradley Nassif and Tim Grass
This collection of essays takes the dialogue between Orthodox and Evangelical theology to a new level. Bradley Nassif and Tim Grass have edited a volume of contributions of first-rate scholarship that reflect the diversity of both theological traditions. The included pieces address both Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy as well as a variety of different strands of Evangelicalism. The book lives up to its "global" subtitle by bringing voices from Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, Asia, and other regions into conversation on matters that reflect the theological and spiritual depth of both the Orthodox and Evangelical traditions. The breadth and substance of the volume will challenge the assumptions of readers inclined to view either community of discourse as embodying an overly narrow range of perspectives and concerns.
Surprisingly Fruitful
Since Evangelicalism is a product of the Protestant Reformation, with no direct historical link to Orthodoxy, some readers may be surprised at how fruitful the seventeen chapters of the book prove to be for Catholics, mainline Protestants, and others open to engaging theological topics that strike at the heart of Christian belief and practice. There is an engaging freshness, for example, in reading the argument of a Russian Evangelical for the "Christus Victor" theory of the Atonement over that of penal substitution, which is more traditionally associated with Protestant theology. A piece by a Taiwanese scholar argues that the Orthodox Dumitru Stăniloae's influence on the Protestant Jürgen Moltmann's social trinitarian anthropology provides a basis for a view of relational selfhood that avoids certain difficulties raised by Confucian assumptions that have informed some varieties of Chinese Evangelicalism. Another essay analyzes the reception of the teachings of Symeon the New Theologian by Pentecostal and Charismatic scholars, with particular attention to his view of asceticism.
These and other contributions bring voices from different perspectives into conversation in unanticipated ways, challenging readers to rethink their assumptions about how the characteristic stances of Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism may properly engage each other.
A comparative study of N. T. Wright and John Zizioulas on eschatology and liturgy, the final piece in the collection, contributes to the value of the volume for Christians of any theological stripe, as both these theologians are read across denominational divides. Regarding the Virgin Mary, an essay from a Greek Evangelical contrasts the views of the Theotokos held by Nicolas Cabasilas and by Martin Luther, placing their teachings about her in the context of their respective theological stances and suggesting that focusing on Christology may provide a way forward for future conversations between these communions about the proper honor due to her.
Other essays are similarly refreshing in their concern for the practice of the Christian life. For example, one contribution discusses how the non-Chalcedonian Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Ethiopia, and India have used Christian education programs that draw on monasticism, the sacraments, the witness of martyrdom, and other dimensions of their spiritually rich heritage to foster a strengthened commitment to the imitation of Christ. The author notes points of similarity and difference in these efforts to the ways Evangelicals have promoted personal dedication to the Lord. Comparative analyses of icon veneration, monasticism, environmental stewardship, and evangelism serve to highlight points of commonality and distinction between Orthodoxy and various strands of Evangelicalism in practical ways.
Discussion of points of contact between Orthodox and Evangelicals on moral issues, such as abortion and marriage, raise the prospect of the two communities moving away from mistrust and toward collaboration. One essay sees potential for improved relations in Romania in light of the work of Romanian Evangelical theologians on issues of concern to both traditions, such as the interpretation of the Bible, the process of salvation, and a perichoretic view of the Church.
A Growing Dialogue
Taken together, these essays demonstrate that it is an error to relegate either Orthodoxy or Evangelicalism to its respective stereotypical ghetto of ethnocentrism and partisan politics. The lucid and thoughtful contributions contained in Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism challenge readers to attend to central questions addressed throughout the history of Christian thought in both the East and the West.
This book should be of interest not only to professional researchers and scholars, but also to clergy, catechists, and others who want to strengthen their ability to think clearly and responsibly about how Orthodox and Evangelicals may learn from one another and come to recognize previously unappreciated areas of agreement. Teachers of seminarians and of advanced undergraduates will find the volume quite useful in the classroom for exposing students to the depth and breadth of the growing dialogue between Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism. Bradley Nassif and Tim Grass have edited a volume that deserves to be widely read and that will inspire continued development of this fascinating theological conversation.
Philip LeMasters is Professor of Religion at McMurry University and pastor of Saint Luke Antiochian Orthodox Church in Abilene, Texas. He holds a Ph.D. in Theology and Ethics from Duke University and studies Orthodox moral theology and social ethics.
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