Contextualization Bibliographies
General:
 
Religious
Dimensions:
 
Theologies:
Topics:
 
Regions:

Geographic: Caribbean

Biblio Format Annotation
Barrow, Darryl R. "Carnival in Trinidad and Religion: An Exploration of Trinidad's Culture and Theology." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 13:2 (Sept. 1992): 5-22. All of come to our faith with an enculturated world view. The Carnival experience in the Caribbean is examined as one which helped to deepen cultural life and give a deep sense of appreciation for what 'belongs' to the Caribbean people within the parameters of the Church and the larger community. Examines the tension of the mutual influences of culture and religious life.
Boothe, Hyacinth I. "A Theological Journey for an Emancipatory Theology." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 17:1 (April 1996): 15-21. Per the title, discussing culture, gospel, and their interaction in Jamaica.
Chanson, Philippe. "From the Creole God to the God of Jesus--An Essay on the Concept of God in French Guiana." Exchange 22:1 (April 1993): 18-45. Research on the question of what kind of God might be in the conceptual universe--especially how the Creole God differed from the God of Jesus Christ (or between the popular God and the biblical God).
Chatfield, Adrian. "African Independency in the Caribbean: The Case of the Spiritual Baptists." Missionalia 26:1 (April 1998): 94-115. The missiological Impact of the rapid growth of African Independent Churches (AICs) has often been noted in the African context. The recognition of the existence of equivalent groups In the African diaspora broadens the debates about the contextualization and indigenization of Christianity. This paper draws attention to the community of Spiritual Baptists in Trinidad, West Indies, founded by free slaves from the Southern States in the early 19th century. Their dual emphasis on baptism and possession by the Spirit of God Is accompanied by a high regard for healing and the ministry of every believer. Such a synthesis of African patterns of worship, Pentecostal practice and revivalist preaching offers to the wider church a model of ecclesiology which values the laity, rejects "powerful church" and holds within itself many cultural and theological traditions.
Chevannes, Barry. "Some Notes on African Religious Survivals in the Caribbean." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 5:2 (Sept. 1983): 18-28. Discussion of elements of African religions which survive in Caribbean religions. The article is confined to discussing religious survivals, although it is recognized that survivals in the secular areas, e.g. languages, gestures, games, work, still abound, and many are closely connected to religion. Also, within the focus on religious survivals, the discussion excludes forms through which African-derived religions express themselves, e.g., dancing, hand-clapping, musical forms such as harmony, lyrical structure and rhythm-forms through which basic rituals and beliefs may be adapted and expressed.
Gordon, Ernle. "Emancipatory Theology (A Theological Journey)." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 17:1 (April 1996): 22-37. The search for an emancipation theology within the Caribbean context must recognize the African heritage and the effects of plantation slavery.
Gregory, Howard. "En Route to a Pastoral Counselling Model for the Caribbean: A Survey of the Methodology of Caribbean Theology." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 11:2 (Sept. 1990): 3-39. An adequate mode of counseling for Caribbean needs to have contextual grounding and relevance. A starting point for this is 1) the theological methodology evident in Caribbean life especially seen in 2) the literary and oral mode of Caribbean theology which has 3) certain common methodological themes or elements.
Jennings, Stephen C. A. "Caribbean Theology or Theologies of the Caribbean." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 8:2 (Sept. 1987): 1-9. There is a diversity of theologies in the Caribbean corresponding to the diversity of cultures found there. This article highlights varieties of theologies in the Caribbean.
Jennings, Stephen C. A. "Sorting Out Spirituality in Jamaica: Pluralism and Particularities in Caribbean Theological Reality." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 15:1 (April 1994): 3-20. The need to sort our spirituality in the Jamaican context is explored. Implications for the church discussed: architecture and furnishings, pulpiteering and teaching, hymnody. Ethical ramifications are also discussed.
Jennings, Stephen C. A. "The Word in Context: The Essential Criterion for Doing and Reflecting Authentic Caribbean Theology." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 9:1 (April 1988): 1-12. Focuses on one of several formative factors in theology: Scripture, examining its role in the history of theologies of the region and in authentic Caribbean theology.
Moseley, Romney M. "Decolonizing Theology in the Caribbean: Prospects for Hermeneutical Reconstruction." In Constructive Christian Theology in the Worldwide Church, ed. William R. Barr, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997. For the past two decades Caribbean theologians have been trying to "decolonize" theology in order to lend theological support to the subversion of colonial domination. Given the thoroughness of colonization in church and state by the British, French, Dutch and Spanish, decolonization requires a radical transformation in religious and political consciousness. In the political domain, decolonization is the forming of national and regional identities to complement the development of new structures of self-governance, independence and interdependence. In the theological domain, decolonization entails hermeneutical reconstruction--"critical discrimination as to what is primary and what is secondary, what is accidental, what is authentic and what is distortion" in the meaning and praxis of Christianity. How do we decolonize theology in the Caribbean? It seems to me that the decolonization of theology is both a retrieval of tradition and a hermeneutics of suspicion regarding the moral principles, values and truth claims of the tradition. Clearly, decolonization in the Caribbean does not entail the retrieval of its African, Asian or Carib religious heritage. There is certainly no attempt to formulate an African, Asian or native Carib Indian theology of liberation in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Conference of Churches stands out as the most significant agent of hermeneutical reconstruction, and a survey of its orientation and work will provide understanding of the decolonization process.
Mulrain, George M. "African Cosmology and Caribbean Religion." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 10:2 (Sept. 1989): 4-16. Main purpose is to examine the impact which African cosmology has had upon religious beliefs and practices in the Caribbean.
Mulrain, George M. "Baptism and Belief in Spirits." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 7:1(April 1986): 31-40. Is belief in spirits compatible with baptism? Goes beyond just intellectual assent to ask whether a baptized person can rely or use the spirits, which is happening in folk religions in the Caribbean.
Noelliste, Dieumene. "Faith Transforming Context: In Search of a Theology for a Viable Caribbean." Evangelical Review of Theology 20:4 (October 1996): 327-342. Our task calls for an analysis of the Caribbean reality and the presentation in broad strokes of a theology that might assist in its transformation. The problem is that the Caribbean reality is not homogeneous but complex and multifaceted. Hence no one theology can accomplish this task satisfactorily. All that can be attempted here is to identify some overarching and trans-contextual issues and suggest how theology might bring faith to bear on them. The issues which will be identified in the course of an analysis of the Caribbean context, will all relate to the overall concern of the Caribbean at this time, namely its viability. The Caribbean faces enormous challenges which have led many to wonder whether it will survive. It will be argued that survival and viability are possible goals and efforts toward these objectives can be enhanced if due consideration is given to certain aspects of the Christian understanding of creation, redemption, stewardship and providence.
Sang, David Ho and Ringenberg, Roger. "Towards an Evangelical Caribbean Theology," Evangelical Review of Theology 7:1 (April 1983): 132-46. The first half is an analysis of Caribbean history to place theology in its context. In the second half of the authors outline the thinking of ecumenical Caribbean theologians in the relation of context and praxis under the categories of The Bible, God, Christ, Man, Sin and Salvation, The Church, Eschatology. They suggest in general terms possible lines of an evangelical alternative but without reference to the writing of contemporary evangelical Caribbean theologians. They appeal for a theology that is faithful to Scripture and relevant to the needs of the Caribbean.
Taylor, Burchell K. "Caribbean Theology." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 3:2 (Sept. 1980): 13-27. Explores the origin and tasks of Caribbean theology from an ecumenical perspective.
Williams, Lewin. "The Reformed Calling: A View from the Caribbean." Reformed World 43 (1993): 15-23. Calvin perceived that change was a desirable reality within the workings of society. Furthermore, Calvin argued that the process of change was within the scope of the responsibility of the Christian. The Christian is called into obedience to God to so labor within society that its transformation may be reflective of divine will. Thus whose we are, what we are to be, and what we are to do must be defined within the broad spectrum of the divine mandate, with reference to the transformation of society. I use the phrase 'broad spectrum of the divine mandate' deliberately because I believe that within it there is necessarily a variety of methods by which the Christian response is made. Indeed, I believe that the method by which the mandate is executed is determined by the context in which the Christian, operates. I am aware that contextualization flies in the face of some concepts of the global nature of the Reformed family. But I will! argue that contextualization is not fragmentation of that family. For over 20 years we in the Caribbean have been employing skillful arguments to convince some of our own people (many of them in the Reformed. family) that contextualization is an important part of Third World method.
Williams, Lewin. "What, Why, and Wherefore of Caribbean Theology." Caribbean Journal of Religious Studies 12:1 (April 1991): 29-40. Reflection on the questions as to why liberational thinking is not reflected in the common Christians across the Caribbean. Is it necessary? If so, is not yet perceived as necessary? If so, how can that perception be created?