Reading 1 Peter Missiologically
Abeneazer G. Urga (PhD, Columbia International University) lectures at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology and is Director of Research at the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA). He has served as the department head for the MA in Biblical Studies, has lectured in biblical studies at the Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is an adjunct professor at Columbia International University. He is a member of Equip International, SIL Ethiopia/International, and an associate member of Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS). He is the author of Intercession of Jesus in Hebrews (Mohr Siebeck, 2023) and co-edited Reading Hebrews and 1 Peter from Majority World Perspectives (Bloomsbury, T&T Clark, 2024), An African Introduction to the New Testament (Fortress Press, 2026), and the Reading Missiologically Series (William Carey Publishing).
Jessica A. Udall (PhD, Columbia International University) lectures at Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is also adjunct professor of Intercultural Studies at Columbia International University. She has been active in cross-cultural ministry in Ethiopia and among immigrants in the United States for the past seventeen years. She is the author of Loving the Stranger: Welcoming Immigrants in the Name of Jesus.
Edward L. Smither (PhD, University of Wales-Trinity Saint David; PhD, University of Pretoria) is Dean of the School of Missions and Intercultural Ministry and Professor of History of Global Christianity at Columbia International University. Previously, he served for fourteen years in intercultural ministry in North Africa, France, and the USA. His previous books include Christian Mission: A Concise Global History and Mission as Hospitality.
Gaining Fresh Insights for Missions
In today’s world, the church on mission faces the immense challenge of engaging an array of cultures and ideologies. To address these issues, theologians and missiologists usually focus on Jesus and Paul. However, the Apostle Peter’s words, steeped in wisdom, are another vital link between foundational Christian truths and the complexities of our global context.
For this reason, Reading 1 Peter Missiologically is a significant contribution to both biblical scholarship and mission practice. Examining 1 Peter through a missiological lens unveils the apostle’s strategic approach to cross-cultural evangelism amidst persecution and cultural diversity. It is not just an academic exercise; the authors provide practical insights for missionaries, church leaders, and theologians, helping them to contextualize the gospel in a culturally sensitive manner. This book bridges the gap between theological study and real-world application.
Reading 1 Peter Missiologically is an essential resource for anyone seeking to participate in Christian outreach more effectively. It challenges readers to rethink modern missionary strategies. If you want to deepen your understanding of the Bible’s teaching on global mission and apply it across the world, this book is a must-read.
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The field of missional hermeneutics of Scripture, to our great encouragement, continues to produce abundant fruit. This collection of essays offering a diverse range of missional readings of 1 Peter is a worthy successor to the editors’ earlier collaboration in Reading Hebrews Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, and Methods of Hebrews. The book is outstanding not only in the breadth and detail of the topics covered along with extensive bibliographies for further enquiry, but significantly for the diversity of the contributors, many of whom bring illuminating insights and applications from their majority world contexts. A most welcome and enriching contribution to the task of reading the whole Bible with a missional lens.
— Christopher J. H. Wright, PhD, Langham PartnershipAuthor, The Great Story and the Great Commission -
Whether you are a seasoned scholar, a seminary student or a minister, Reading 1 Peter Missiologically invites you to step into a world where exegesis meets missiology and theology encounters culture. The essays present both traditional and fresh readings of 1 Peter informed by exegetical analysis and socio-cultural locatedness in specific and diverse settings from around the world. Written by an international team, the book presents a biblically rooted and theologically sophisticated visions of mission that draw together countless exegetical, missiological and theological threads. Readers will find this a resource for many questions that arise from the interpretation and application of 1 Peter, but even more, they will find an inspiring and enriching chorus of appreciation for the Word and mission of God.
— Sofanit T. Abebe, PhD, Lecturer in New Testament and Greek, Oak Hill College, London
Preface
PART 1: THE MISSIONARY MOTIVE OF 1 PETER
Chapter 1: Salvation of the Nations: The Vision of God’s Mission in 1 Peter 1:10–12 by Joshua Bowman
Chapter 2: Like Father Like Son: Holiness and Missio Dei in 1 Peter by Gift Mtukwa
Chapter 3: Mission by God’s Living Stones: Watchman Nee’s Missional Exegesis of 1 Peter 2:5–11 by Jacob Chengwei Feng
Chapter 4: Embodying God’s Mission in an Unfriendly World: The Identity and Missionary Mandate of the Church in 1 Peter by Boubakar Sanou
Chapter 5: The Role of the Spirit in Mission in 1 Peter by Yimenu Adimass Belay
Chapter 6: Eschatology and Mission in 1 Peter by Grant LeMarquand
PART 2: THE MISSIONARY MESSAGE OF 1 PETER
Chapter 7: Salvation and Judgment as Missionary Message in 1 Peter by Markus T. Klausli
Chapter 8: The Missiological Message of Hope in 1 Peter by Sarah Lunsford
Chapter 9: Mission to the Dead and the Resurrection of Jesus: 1 Peter 3:18–22 and Ancestor Christology in Africa by Rudolf K. Gaisie
PART 3: THE MISSIONARY METHODS OF 1 PETER
Chapter 10: Missional Hospitality: Responding to Physical and Spiritual Alienation by Tricia Stephens
Chapter 11: Suffering in God’s Mission: Reflections from 1 Peter by Edward L. Smither
Chapter 12: Ethical Living as Proto-Evangelion: Holiness, Honor, and Hope in 1 Peter by Jessica A. Udall
Chapter 13: Evangelism in 1 Peter: The Verbal Proclamation of a People Awaiting the Return of Their King by Will Brooks
Chapter 14: Missional Implications of Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits in 1 Peter 3:18–22 by Sigurd Grindheim
Chapter 15: The Pilgrimage Motif in 1 Peter and Its Implications for Evangelism by Sofia Papaspyrou
About the Contributors
Scripture Index
Authors
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Abeneazer G. Urga
Abeneazer G. Urga
Abeneazer G. Urga (PhD, Columbia International University) lectures at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology and is Director of Research at the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA). He has served as the department head for the MA in Biblical Studies, has lectured in biblical studies at the Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is an adjunct professor at Columbia International University. He is a member of Equip International, SIL Ethiopia/International, and an associate member of Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS). He is the author of Intercession of Jesus in Hebrews (Mohr Siebeck, 2023) and co-edited Reading Hebrews and 1 Peter from Majority World Perspectives (Bloomsbury, T&T Clark, 2024), An African Introduction to the New Testament (Fortress Press, 2026), and the Reading Missiologically Series (William Carey Publishing).
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Jessica A. Udall
Jessica A. Udall
Jessica A. Udall (PhD, Columbia International University) lectures at Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is also adjunct professor of Intercultural Studies at Columbia International University. She has been active in cross-cultural ministry in Ethiopia and among immigrants in the United States for the past seventeen years. She is the author of Loving the Stranger: Welcoming Immigrants in the Name of Jesus.
Editor
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Edward L. Smither
Edward L. Smither
Edward L. Smither (PhD, University of Wales-Trinity Saint David; PhD, University of Pretoria) is Dean of the School of Missions and Intercultural Ministry and Professor of History of Global Christianity at Columbia International University. Previously, he served for fourteen years in intercultural ministry in North Africa, France, and the USA. His previous books include Christian Mission: A Concise Global History and Mission as Hospitality.
- Pages: 264
- Publisher:
William Carey Publishing
William Carey Publishing
- Binding: Paperback
- Publish Year: 2024
- Vendor: William Carey Publishing
