Christianity is not only a global but also an intercultural phenomenon. The diversity of world Christianity is evident not merely outside our borders but even within our own neighborhoods. Over the past half century theologians and missiologists have addressed this reality by developing local and contextual theologies and by exploring issues like contextualization, inculturation, and translation. In recent years these various trajectories have coalesced into a new field called intercultural theology. Bringing together missiology, religious studies, social science research, and Christian theology, the field of intercultural theology is a fresh attempt to rethink the discipline of theology in light of the diversity and pluriformity of Christianity today. Henning Wrogemann, one of the leading missiologists and scholars of religion in Europe, has written the most comprehensive textbook on the subject of Christianity and culture today. In three volumes his Intercultural Theology provides an exhaustive account of the history, theory, and practice of Christian mission. Volume one introduces the concepts of culture and context, volume two surveys theologies of mission both past and present, and volume three explores theologies of religion and interreligious relationships. In this first volume on intercultural hermeneutics, Wrogemann introduces the term "e;intercultural theology"e; and investigates what it means to understand another cultural context. In addition to surveying different hermeneutical theories and concepts of culture, he assesses how intercultural understanding has taken place throughout the history of Christian mission. Wrogemann also provides an extensive discussion of contextual theologies with a special focus on African theologies. Intercultural Theology is an indispensable resource for all people-especially students, pastors, and scholars-that explores the defining issues of Christian identity and practice in the context of an increasingly intercultural and interreligious world.

Preface to the English Edition (2016)Preface to the German Edition (2011)Part I: Intercultural Theology: What Does This Mean?1. The Gospel of Life in the Midst of Cultures: An African Case Study2. Intercultural Theology: A PrimerPart II: Intercultural Hermeneutics and the Concept of Culture3. Intercultural Hermeneutics: Introduction4. The History of Hermeneutics in the West and Interculturality: An Overview5. Globalization and Interculturality: Is "Foreignness" Dying Out?6. Is Inculturation Permissible? Concerning Symbolic Forms and Their Use7. On Scientific Discourses and Power: What Is Culture?8. Cultural Semiotics, Discourse Theory and Intercultural HermeneuticsPart III: On the Plurality of Contextual Theologies: The Example of Africa9. Contextual Theologies Worldwide: Some Preliminary Remarks10. The Development of Contextual Theologies in Africa: An Overview11. African Theologies: Jesus Christ as (Proto-)Ancestor, Master of Initiation, and Healer12. Jesus Christ and an African Women's Theology13. The Contextual Theologies of African Evangelical Theologians14. African Theologians and the Reality of the Congregation15. On the Contextuality of Contextual Theologies: An Interim AppraisalPart IV: Christian Missions and Foreign Cultures: Historical Perspectives16. The Replacement Model and Covert Resistance in the New World17. The Indifference Model: The Example of the Herrnhuter Mission18. The Ennoblement Model19. The Indigenization Model: The Example of Bruno Gutmann20. The Appropriation Model: The Example of "Intuitive" InculturationsPart V: Theology and Interculturality: Systematic Perspectives21. Inculturation22. Syncretism: What Is That?23. The "Postcolonial Turn"-and Then What?: On the Newer Terminology24. So Much for Ecumenism!: Appreciating Christianity as a Global Formation25. Contexts: Contextual Theologies and Their Cultural Impregnation26. Theology and Interculturality: Walking the Path TogetherBibliographyName IndexSubject Index