Biblio Format	Annotation
Ahrens, Theodor. "Concepts of Power in Melanesian and Biblical Perspective." Missiology 5:2 (April 1977): 141-73.	The word "pawa" in Melanesian Pidgin and its equivalents in local vernaculars present key concepts in traditional Melanesian cosmologies as well as in the ideology of adjustment movements and in Christian folk-religion. This study explores Melanesian and biblical perspectives of "pawa", It was designed both to assist pastoral communication and to stimulate further theological discussion on an issue which is vital in a Melanesian context.
Ahrens, Theodor. "The Promise of New Life: Some Remarks on the Dynamics of Christianity in Oceania." Catalyst 25:2 (1995): 188-94.	Presents the result of coming of the missionaries from the perspective of the Oceanic peoples. They received Christianity as a 'new myth' which was somehow already present in their own traditions. Argues that the new writing of old myths through the influence of 'Christ's story' will give life to a 'contextualized' Christianity, with a new vision of man, life, and society.
Andrew, M.E. "Contextual Theology as the Interpretation of God for the Peoples of a Region." Asia Journal of Theology 2:2 (1988): 435-439.	General attempt to define contextual theology based on the author's previous reflections and issues in New Zealand, with specific focus on how a people understand God.
Armstrong, George. "Public Liturgy--A People's Theology in Aotearoa, New Zealand." In Revolution of Spirit: Ecumenical Theology in Global Context: Essays in Honor of Richard Shaull, ed. Nantawan Boonprasat-Lewis, 187-214. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1998.	The last fifty years of this century and millennium are the theme of this chapter. The focus is upon particular intersections of the Christian faith and Church with the prevailing political and economic conditions. The beginning and end of this fifty-year period were marked by a church protest. In 1968 and 1975, the twin gestures were against militarization and nuclearization. The end of the period saw the Cathedral officially "up in arms" against the Parliament over New Right economics. This essay characterizes these two protest gestures, the first consisting of two distinct episodes, as occasions of "public liturgy." They were media-intensive events which made a substantial impact. Yet they were intended as primarily acts of worship and witness and mission, seeking and conveying a divine interpretation of the meaning of the public directions of the nation. This essay is a welcoming of its readers into the essence of Aotearoa, New Zealand. It is a sharing with you some of its deepest realities. More than all of this, it is an invitation to communion with us, itself a call to worship.
Avi, Dick. "Contexualisation in Melanesia." Melanesian Journal of Theology 4:1 (1988): 7-22.	In order for theology to reflect authentically the faith of the Melanesians, it must definitely emerge out of the experiences of the Melanesians themselves and also deal directly with the conditions of their particular context. This is to say their faith in God has much to do with the way they have encountered him through their history, and culture. Their faith, history and culture--their particular context--determine the way they conceive their future; that is, their hope and aspirations. In view of the conditions prevailing in the Melanesian present context, those who call themselves Christians cannot be worthy of the name unless their lives bear that Cross in the struggles for freedom and unity of human society. This is true contextualisation; theology contextualized in the world.
Barr, Kevin J. "Teaching Theology and Doing Theology." Pacific Journal of Theology 8 (1990): 17-26.	During a recent study day on 'Religious and the Poor' I spoke of the necessity for us to be involved in contextual theology. I mentioned that while theology was being taught at the various seminaries or theological colleges around Suva, not much theology was being done - there was very little theologising going on in the local context. Someone asked me afterwards exactly what I meant. I thought perhaps it might be worth elaborating on for a wider audience to get some reactions. Advocates later in article: Unless seminaries are introducing students from the very beginning of their studies to the limitations as well as to the value of academic theology, and introducing them to the methodology of more recent approaches in theology as well as the pastoral methods for encouraging the ordinary people to theologise, we will continue to preserve a clerically dominated 'teaching' Church and we will not enable the laity to take their rightful place in theology and in ministry. Theology will continue to be 'taught' but very little theology will be 'done'. The gap between faith and life will continue to grow. Orthodoxy will continue to be more important than orthopraxis. Teaching about God will continue to obscure the possibility of the discovery of God.
Boseto, Leslie. "Towards a Pacific Theology of Reality: A Grassroots Response to Winds of Change." Pacific Journal of Theology 12 (1994): 53-61.	With gratitude I congratulate Manfred Ernst for the book Winds of Change. It is a very comprehensive study of the new religious groups (NRGs) in the Pacific. I wish this book had been produced and made available to the historic mainline churches fifteen or twenty years ago. I am happy to respond to the book's content. I will begin by focusing my attention on the challenges raised by the author and the NRGs' positive contribution to the general life and work of the church. Then I will focus on certain areas which need our follow-up and consideration for formulating an alternative to the theology of the NRGs which is from the author's standpoint 'oppressive and paternalistic'.
Bromell, David J. "Universal Truth and Local Contexts: Doing Theology in Aotearoa, New Zealand." Colloquium 21 (1989): 39-44.	The problem with which this paper is concerned is the movement front the particular witness of the apostles to faith in God as the source and end of authentic human exitence, as decisively represented in the career of Jesus of Nazareth, a Jew of the first century to the particular witness of Christian faith of the churches in Aotearoa in the late 1980s. Or put differently, how might the theological reflection indigenous to the churches of the first century of Christian witness become properly indigenous to churches half a world away and twenty centuries later? We might elaborate on this question in the following ways: to what extent is the articulation of Christian truth-claims bound up with an ancient, and eastern, culture? Is Christianity inescapably and scandalously particularistic? Or is an indigenous theology for Aotearoa able to remain property and distinctively Christian while occurring within and being an expression of the experience encapsulated in tire mythopoeic framework of, for example, Maori culture?
Brown, Neil, ed. Faith and Culture: Issues for the Australian Church. Manly, N.S.W.: Catholic Institute of Sydney, 1982.
Brown, Neil. "Theology and Australian Literature." In Faith and Culture: Issues for the Australian Church, ed. Neil Brown, 1-9. Manly, N.S.W.: Catholic Institute of Sydney, 1982.	Explores themes in Australian literature and meanings for the larger culture. Notes: Australian culture has not yet been able to develop original forms, but for all that it is no longer entirely derivative in style or content. A degree of self-consciousness is now present that allows a creative blend of elements distinctly its own with material from elsewhere, sifted for its own purposes. In similar vein `Australian theology' does not mean something specifically Australian, without imported elements of any kind. Rather, it means the effort to express in faith-terms our own sense of spiritual identity and, especially, to mediate the Gospel message so that it can effectively challenge the Australian way of life. Western culture and theology will always be an integral part of `faith' in Australia. That is not in question. The task now, however, is to allow our heritage to provide surer direction for theology, so that the questions of our own present culture are addressed, not those of another time or place.
Burrows, William R. "Theologising in the Melanesian Context Today." In Christ in Melanesia, Point Series, ed. James Knight, 242-55. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1977.	Theology is God's talk to man and man's talk about God and the world. God-talk always involves talk about the concrete world. God-talk always involves talk about the concrete world of culture, history and social change. Theology in the Melanesian context must be concerned to be in dialogue with the total picture; though it is interested in the past, it must first see itself as helping believers face and create the sort of future which God wants them to. Only when Melanesian thinkers grapple with the meaning of the Gospel for the whole man will a Melanesian theology emerge.
Campbell, Richard. "Contextual Theology and Its Problems." Study Encounter 12:1-2 (1976): 11-25.	Recent insistence on the contextual nature of the theological enterprise is justified, and consequent problems provide the correct setting for future tasks. The presumption that doctrinal formulations present at least approximations to universally valid eternal truths presupposed the Platonic model of truth, an illusory ideal which can never be satisfied in a contingent world. Five consequent problems are discussed: a) in Australia the basic concepts of self-understanding have not yet been articulated, let alone developed into theological models; b) the question of ideological element in concrete Christian hopes cannot be avoided; c) while truth is relativized to context, the criteria for assessing the authenticity of theological formulations need to be identified; d) an authoritative teaching office in a church now needs authorization; e) the ecumenical problem has been transformed into that of achieving inter-contextual unity.
Cariño, Feliciano V. "The Theology of Struggle as Contextual Theology: Some Discordant Notes." Tugón 9:3 (1989): 207-215.
Carrington, Don. "Jesus' Dreaming: Stories in Intercultural Hermeneutics, Australian Aborigines." St. Mark's Review 128 (1986): 3-18.
Cobb, John B. and Kim, Stephen Shin, eds. Christian Responsibility for Pacific Civilization: Doing Theology in the Pacific Region. Claremont CA: Asian Heritage Press, 1992.
Culshaw, Wesley J. "Myths in Melanesia." Practical Anthropology. 16:5 (September-October 1969): 228-31.	Purpose is to suggest certain fields for investigation for missionaries in Melanesia. Myth is used in this article to cover the whole system of belief which explains the world of total experience, makes sense of the existing order of society, and provides the rationale of conduct in the widest possible sense. Most of the material comes from the book Gods, Ghosts, and Men in Melanesia.
Daimoi, Joshua. "The Church in Papua New Guinea: Change and Continuity." Evangelical Review of Theology 8:1 (April 1984): 58-72.	The author gives a helpful survey of the tension between change and continuity in the life of the emerging churches in a newly independent country whose society is confronted with enormous social, religious and political pressures. He has some perceptive comments on the shift in role of the western missionary from being a participant to becoming a spectator. The six main areas addressed are 1. National Churches and Overseas Missionaries, 2. National Policies and Church Work, 3. Weaknesses in the Church at Present, 4. Christian Ways and Ways of our Forefathers, 5. The Church and its Mission, 6. The Next Ten Years.
Daly, T. V. "Some Basic Questions on Context: Can a Religious Message Pass from One Context to Another Unchanged?" In Toward Theology in an Australian Context, ed. Victor C. Hayes, 38-45. Bedford Park, S. Australia: Australian Association for the Study of Religions, 1979.	The notion of context is something that we first come upon indirectly, somewhat as we come upon the notion of consciousness indirectly. A first question concerns the contribution of the context to understanding the message which the expression is meant to convey. A second question concerns the possibility of conveying that same message in a different context, and there is a third main question about whether a new context, quite different from the context in which the message was first expressed, can, besides simply accepting the message and allowing it to be conveyed, even throw new light on it and deepen our understanding of it, so that the message can be said to have expanded to fill the new context, while remaining essentially the same message.
Dawia, Alexander. "Indigenizing Christian Worship." In Christian Worship and Melanesia, Point Series, ed. Melanesian Institute for Pastoral & Socio-Economic Service, 13-59. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1980.	In my paper I have been talking about Indigenizing Christian Worship in Melanesia. I looked at it from the cultural setting and I also looked at it from the Christian point of view. Then I tried to suggest and find ways to indigenize Christianity and Christian worship. This paper is mainly directed to bishops, pastors and laypersons of the United Church. It is hoped that it will stimulate them to some creative thinking and work instead of clinging to and following the established forms.
de Bres, Pieter H. "The Contribution of Maori Religious Movements to Religion in New Zealand." Exchange 7(April 1979): 1-37.	Explores new religious movements among the Maori, especially independent churches. Looks at symbolism, sources of the churches, expressions, sacred times, places and church economics and their contributions to New Zealand's religious scene.
Dicker, Gordon S. "Kerygma and Australian Culture: The Case of the Aussie Battler." In Toward Theology in an Australian Context, ed. Victor C. Hayes, Bedford Park, S. Australia: Australian Association for the Study of Religions, 1979.	The aim of the church in evangelism must be to do it as effectively as possible. That is to say, the good news is to be proclaimed in such a way that it has a fair chance of being heard and of eliciting a positive response in the hearers. The thesis of this paper is that to be effective in Australia evangelism must be undertaken with a much better understanding of the culture and mentality of the Australian people than has been the case in the past. In a paper of this kind it is not possible to deal with every point at which the culture can be seen to impinge on the method and content of evangelism and therefore I propose to confine the paper to two cultural characteristics and their implications for evangelism: namely 1) dislike of authority and 2) the Aussie Battler image.
Dye, T. Wayne. "Toward a Theology of Power for Melanesia: Part 1. " Catalyst 14:1 (1984): 57-75.	Summary of the Melanesian concepts of power with an apologetic as to why such thinking should be taken seriously by the church.
Dye, T. Wayne. "Toward a Theology of Power for Melanesia: Part 2. " Catalyst 14:2 (1984): 158-80.	Summary of the biblical concepts of power with suggestions as to the kind of theology and lifestyle which might answer an inquiring Melanesian Christian's questions.
Eddy, John. "Australian Studies as Resources for Theological Reflection." In Toward Theology in an Australian Context, ed. Victor C. Hayes, 53-58. Bedford Park, S. Australia: Australian Association for the Study of Religions, 1979.	Australian history provides theologians with no excuse for ignorant or barren religious reflection, based on a shallow understanding or a lack of industry, which can give birth only to emotional slogans of left, right or, center--whether about land rights, 'White Australia', the role of the Colonial Office in imperialism, the woes of the convicts and of minority groups, the place of sectarianism in Australia, militarism, secularism, nationalism and so forth. Flexibility and readiness for spiritual change are one thing: a sanctimonious Whig interpretation or bigoted Marxist-progressivist analysis is quite another. In many respects Australian historians have provided theologians over recent years with an extraordinarily varied and substantial amount of first-rate material. There can be little doubt that those whose task it is to engage in professional theology need to understand and digest that material as much and as urgently as the historians, in their turn, need a sense of spiritual perspective and direction in their own work.
Elkins, Richard E. "Blood Sacrifice and the Dynamics of Supernatural Power among the Manobo of Mindanao: Some Missiological Implications." Missiology 21:3 (July 1993): 321-31.	A significant feature of the Manobo world view is the fact that all supernatural beings, including the supreme being, are considered to be ghoul spirits with an insatiable lust for human flesh and blood. This ghoul spirit complex is almost certainly a major reason why this Manobo group seems reluctant to embrace biblical Christianity. Seen from this background, the Christian emphasis on the sacrifice of Christ and the symbolic partaking of flesh and blood in the Lord's Supper is abhorrent to many Manobo people. This article presents a taxonomy of Manobo blood sacrifice and offers some suggestions for Christian workers who are sharing the gospel with Manobo people in this area.
Elkins, Richard E. "Conversion or Acculturation? A Study of Culture Change and its Effect on Evangelism in Mindanao Indigenous Societies." Missiology 22:2 (April 1994): 167-76.	Rapid culture change among tribal groups in Mindanao, Philippines, has produced a generation of young people who are eager to seek a new, more prestigious identity. Western missionaries, influenced by their society's obsession with the future and with youth, run counter to tribal world views when they consider young people the most effective target for evangelism. Targeting the youth can often prevent a tribal society's most effective communicators from a realistic hearing of the gospel and block a valid people movement. This article describes certain processes and problems of rapid culture change and urges some serious rethinking about strategies for evangelism in this area.
Ferguson, Graeme. "The Penultimate as a Methodological Category for a Contextual Theology." In Religious Studies in the Pacific, ed. John C. Hinchcliff, Jack Lewis, and Kapil N. Tiwari, 177-184. Auckland, New Zealand: Colloquium Publishers, 1978.	I wish to take up one specific question which arose in most of the situations with which we were concerned (in a doctoral seminar which dealt with several case studies of applying theological thinking to life situations)--the category of the penultimate, of "those things next before the last." The context in which this most often arose, happened when people were trying to relate a human response in its particularity and ambivalence to the possibility of an ultimate disclosure of the divine concern.
Flannery, Wendy. "Symbol and Myth in Melanesian Cultures." Missiology 7:4 (October 1979): 435-49.	Symbols and myth are crucial pastoral concerns to meaningfully communicate across cultural boundaries.
Foreman, Charles W. "The South Pacific Style in the Christian Ministry." Missiology 2:4 (October 1974): 421-35.	Views Christian leadership in the South Pacific in light of cultural leadership styles.
Foster, Warren. "Integrating Maori Culture into Christianity." In Asian Theological Reflections on Suffering and Hope, ed. Kim Hao Yap, 61-64. Singapore: Christian Conference of Asia, 1977.	It is important to see that the urgent need is now to reinstitute the traditional spiritual emphasis of our forefathers on the present and future generations of the Maori people. This may appear to be a backward step but we must look at it as the embodiment into Christianity of those concepts which can restore the cultural stability and sanity into our total way of life. When God created man, he also gave him culture, art, music and language and from these emerged opportunities to proclaim Jesus Christ in a variety of forms--that same Christ image, translated into the very depths of each cultural thought form with all its inherent richness.
Gaden, John R. "Recent Attempts at Australian Theology." Ministerial Formation 32 (1985): 3-10.	Attempts at Australian Theology appear neither prolific nor substantial. This paper seeks to reflect on the process of working at Australian Theology, through a survey of what has been done, our analysis of problems and causes, and the nature of theology.
Gaenszbauer, H. "Clarification of Melanesian Homiletics." Catalyst 5:1 (1975): 54-62.	An attempt to analyze some aspects of preaching in Melanesia ; deals with story and preaching, "lo" and preaching, ritual and preaching, and giving new meaning to traditional concepts.
Gaquare, Joe. "Indigenisation as Incarnation: The Concept of Melanesian Christ." In Christ in Melanesia, Point Series, ed. James Knight, 146-65. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1977.	Christianity came to the Solomon. Islands with Western civilization. Political colonizers and missionaries arrived about the same time. Thus Christianity has been seen and accused as the colonizing race's religion. Certain local people saw Christianity as identical to Western imperialism. Although Christianity has done a lot to reform Melanesian society, certain people are now questioning its destructive orientation in relation to culture. The author believes that Christianity is a universal religion. Therefore, it must not be identified as "the white man's religion." In this paper he argues that Christ is the Melanesian Christ. Christ was in the Solomon Islands before any white men ever landed. The author is also sad to see that the core of Christianity does not seem to sink down into the inner beings of his own people. He discovered that to some people Christ remained a "foreign Christ. " Christ is rather abstract and remote. By advocating the concept of a Melanesian Christ, he suggests a pastoral concern. His aim is. to try and help people see Christ as a Melanesian--the ideal Melanesian. Thus the paper is apologetic and pastoral in emphasis.
Gibbs, Philip. "Akali Andake: Reflections on Engan Christology." Catalyst 24:1 (1994): 27-42.	Deals with the question "Who is Christ for the Enga?" The author presents a brief survey of academic efforts in this field and suggests the use of lived faith of the people (prayers, songs, dreams, movements, and testimonies) as the starting point. The Jesus envisioned by the Enga is compared with the Jesus of history.
Gibbs, Philip. "Blood and Life in a Melanesian Context." In Christ in Melanesia, Point Series, ed. James Knight, 166-77. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1977.	If the Gospel is to become truly incarnate in Melanesia today, we will have to continue our search for an authentically local theology as the proper response to the Christian message. Adaptations or translations of Christian forms and concepts do not go far enough. For a truly Melanesian theology to emerge we must begin at that level of meanings which bear the distinctive stamp of Melanesian life and thinking. Such a task is not easy. We too readily treat culture and cultural forms as factors extrinsic to the Gospel; as historical contingencies within which the Gospel message finds its con text; as factors which can be separated from any appearance of the Gospel in a situation. The Gospel does not present itself as a kernel of truth easily separated from a contextual husk; rather, the notion of the incarnation tells us that they are always given together and have to be read and understood in that way.
Haire, James. "Stories in Animism and Christian Pneumatology." Asia Journal of Theology 5:2 (1991): 397-409.	Explores the interaction of pre-literary religious stories in Indonesia and certain aspects of other religions, particularly Islam and Christianity.
Haire, James. "Visions of the Spirit for the Church in the Great Southern Land." Asia Journal of Theology 6:2 (1992): 250-262.	Endeavors to take some insights from NT missiology see how they apply in the history of the evangelization of the world, and look at how they help us in evangelism in the 1990s in Australia. "Visions" in the title used for imaginative insights about Australia prompted by the Spirit of God.
Hayes, Victor C., ed. Toward Theology in an Australian Context, Bedford Park, S. Australia: Australian Association for the Study of Religions, 1979.
Hayward, Douglas. "Melanesian Millenarian Movements." Evangelical Missions Quarterly 17:4 (October 1981): 205-10.	Many complex factors lie behind the phenomenon of the so-called 'cargo cults' of Melanesia. This article gives basic information and proposes a proper response from missionaries.
Heuter, R. "Conscience and Culture: Sickness and the Spirits of the Dead." Catalyst 4:2 (1974): 3-17.	An effort to show one the least known aspects of illness in New Guinea, the influence of the spirits of the dead. Goal is to open our horizons; to help foster a concept of wanting to learn, of wanting to develop and understand, and thereby become useful tools of medical work in New Guinea.
Hinchcliff, John; Lewis, C. Jack; and Tiwari, Kapil N., eds. Religious Studies in the Pacific. Auckland, New Zealand: Colloquium Publishers, 1978.
Hoiore, Here Jodl. "Elements of an Ethic of Pacific/Oceania Theologising." Pacific Journal of Theology 13 (1995): 49-59.	This paper seeks to point out aspects of the existing retro/perspectives by providing data about trends in beliefs, thoughts and practices. In this sense, one should consider it as providing more a kind of appetizer of provocative affirmations and information than being preoccupied with open discussions and debate. Even so, it is still believed that this paper will stimulate and facilitate conversation and dialogue that might enhance future theological developments. For convenience I have arranged the paper into three interrelated parts. The first will have mainly (auto)biographical tones, since it tries to relate and explain more or less retrospectively the experiential, historical, ministerial and educational backgrounds to the research activities which have evolved around our theme. The second will try to show by expanding the focus and the survey more or less perspectively how reminiscent the above phenomena is of the phenomena in Pacific/Oceania and that of the larger ecumenical arenas. The third will round up more or less prospectively by trying to further reflect on implications, interest and concerns which might reiterate the need for constructive discussions and debate. There seems to be already an urgency for more balanced talks around (Christian) theological fundamentals and methods as they are confronted with contexts and texts of contemporary general ecumenical and particular Pacific/Oceania story-telling or narratives and reflecting or theologising.
Hoiore, Here Joël. "Elements of an Ethic of Pacific/Oceania Theologizing." Pacific Journal of Theology 13 (1995): 49-59.	For convenience I have arranged the paper into three interrelated parts. The first will have mainly (auto)biographical tones, since it tries to relate and explain more or less retrospectively the experiential, historical, ministerial and educational backgrounds to the research activities which have evolved around our theme. The second will try to show by expanding the focus and the survey more or less perspectively how reminiscent the above phenomena is of the phenomena in Pacific/Oceania and that of the larger ecumenical arenas. The third will round up more or less prospectively by trying to further reflect on implications, interest and concerns which might reiterate the need for constructive discussions and debate. There seems to be already an urgency for more balanced talks around (Christian) theological fundamentals and methods as they are confronted with contexts and texts of contemporary general ecumenical and particular Pacific/Oceania story-telling or narratives and reflecting or theologising.
Idusulia, Penuel Ben. "Biblical Sacrifice through Melanesian Eyes." In Living Theology in Melanesia: A Reader, Point Series, ed. John D'Arcy May, 256-303. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1985.	Our aim is to try and find out how closely related the Toabaita (a people group on the tip of North Malaita in the Solomon Islands) concept of sacrifice is to the biblical concept of sacrifice. By doing so we hope to uncover some rich areas of this element of worship which we could employ in relating the Gospel more effectively to the societies in which this element exists, as well to prevent syncretism within this area. Therefore we should be clear about the fact that in this study of Toabaita traditional religion, we do not set out to glorify the dead past of Toabaita but rather to glorify the sacrificed Lamb of God--"Jesus Christ".
Irwin, James. "Towards a Maori Theology." Colloquium 16:1 (1983): 13-21.	The paper suggests lines of enquiry that Maori Christians might follow as they seek to say what it means to "follow Jesus" in a Maori context. This cannot be undertaken by non-Maoris reared and nurtured in the philosophies of Western man. The lines of enquiry are what might be considered essential for a theology to be termed Christian. "Maori Christian theology" indicates that theological thought does not take place in a vacuum but always in a particular cultural context. Maoris hold a holistic view of the cosmos and Maori Independent Prophet Movements and indigenous Maori churches thus reflect a Maori form of Christianity steeped in this and in Maori cultural values. Nine topics are suggested as "raw materials" for Maori theologians. Eight themes are briefly discussed as themes central to a Maori theology. The paper concludes with seven key Maori words calling for theological evaluation.
Kadiba, John. "In Search of Melanesian Theology." In The Gospel is Not Western: Black Theologies from the Southwest Pacific, ed. Garry W. Trompf, 139-47. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1987.	The task of searching for a systematic Melanesian theology has not even begun in Melanesia. We have started to think theologically, at least in a limited way, but we have not begun to develop our own theology in a systematic manner. I think the time is ripe to do this. But how should we go about this task? I present in this limited space a discussion of themes and issues that need to be addressed if the systematization of theological thinking in Melanesia is to be achieved. A Melanesian theology must address itself to the total life situation in Melanesia, taking into account the past, the present, and the future. Its agenda must come from the concrete experiences of the people. The time is ripe for a systematic Melanesian theology to develop. But it will be a slow and a long process so long as the foreign theologies and foreign Christian traditions are maintained in and through the theological institutions and churches. The churches must be open and sensitive to God's work among God's people, seeking to look through Melanesian eyes and not be bound by present traditions and foreign theologies.
Kambao, Lawrence. "Enga Christology." Catalyst 24:2 (1994): 32-49.	An attempt to portray Christ in terms of relevance to the Engan frame of thinking and believing. The article traces Engan titles (e.g., Kamongo, or Big Man; Tipoli, or Healer) to help the process.
Kambao, Lawrence. "The Discovery of Weapo Yahweh in Enga Laiapu." Catalyst 19:4 (1989): 385-98.	A traditional concept of God was Weapo, now seen as the Christian God. However, there is a gulf between the traditional concept and the biblical one. This paper points out some similarities and challenges of a traditional religious belief of the Laiapu Enga people.
Kanongata'a, Keiti Ann. "A Pacific Woman's Theology of Birthing and Liberation." In Constructive Christian Theology in the Worldwide Church, ed. William R. Barr, 195-201. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997.	In the past three years I have been involved as a facilitator and resource person in a number of workshops and consultations with women in the Pacific. In these meetings the main input was stories of women themselves. These meetings were an opportune forum for the women to tell their stories. . . their stories of "days gone by," of today, and their dream-stories for the future. I have been privileged to be a listener to these stories told by women from practically all the islands in the Pacific. It has been a moving picture of life experiences--of their happiness, their sorrows, their land, their relationships, their food, their clans, their cultures, and so forth. Our stories are ourselves! Now there is a need for us to try to read more into our stories and to discover how they become the raw material for a women's theology in the Pacific. Collectively, the image that our stories project is that of birthing. The Pacific woman is emerging from a life of confinement in a womb to a new world of complex realities.
Kanongata'a, Keiti Ann. "Pacific Women and Theology." Pacific Journal of Theology 13 (1995): 17-33.	Both faith and hope are nourished by women theologians who are studying, reflecting and writing specifically on women. It is nourished by the organizations and associations of women throughout the world, who toil relentlessly that the Spirit in their own voices might be finally recognized. And it is nourished by the men who stand with them and share in the vision of the church converted. To do Pacific women's theology, I believe that we must begin by addressing the issues of village and town women's experiences. It takes the life and experience of simple and poor women as a point of departure and as the basic content of theological thinking and doing. From the depths of their own oppression, women theologians must be with them--must be participating in the process of liberation of their own sisters. Women theologians must feel the strong need to be present with poor women in their struggles and at their meetings and assemblies. Women theologians must try to understand, to receive and to accept their stories, to hear their songs and lamentations and to translate these subsequently into articulate, rigorous, theological discourse. We must have our theology originate from the very ground of reality, the body, the mystery, the struggle of poor women.
Kelly, Anthony. "Theology in an Australian Context: Towards ‘A Framework of Collaborative Creativity'." In Toward Theology in an Australian Context, ed. Victor C. Hayes, 29-37. Bedford Park, S. Australia: Australian Association for the Study of Religions, 1979.	I am presuming at the beginning that the Australian context makes some difference to our theology. In an obvious sense, we can't help being Australian. This fact evokes a particular accent, emphasis and style. It implies an inheritance of a particular historical experience. It presents us with that particular bundle of concerns and outlooks that somehow can be said to form one national mind. The way we think and feel is earthed here, in this place, this time, within the aspirations and resentments, the capacities and the limitations of this society and this historical process of living. This, then, is the question: how do we make our context one of genuine collaboration and mutual enrichment? What is good theological method? Method should not be thought of as a set of rules to be followed; I conceive of it as a "framework of collaborative creativity". It's that grasp of the whole process of theology that keeps it coherent and open to its concrete situation. Instead of thinking of method as a set of rules to be followed, we might think of it as a model of a process by which those working in the field of theology can achieve a kind of fruitful interaction. What follows are some very cryptic suggestions along these lines.
Kelty, Matthew. "Dreams and Visions and Voices." In Christ in Melanesia, Point Series, ed. James Knight, 13-20. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1977.	I privately maintain that the only important thing going on here is the Church. I do not feel any consensus on that view. Development is good, but unless that development is of the whole man, it will not work, not for long. If attention is not given to the spirit, to the immaterial, the unconscious, if you will, the development will be schizoid, split. The frustrated area will eventually erupt. Within this orientation dreams, visions, and voices in the context of Papua New Guinea are discussed.
Knight, James. "Towards a Grassroots Theology among the Numai." Catalyst 16:2 (1986): 100-26.	Relates a covenant made with a Numai Catholic Community in Simbu province of the highlands of Papua New Guinea; reviews the culture prior to Christian contact, the changes that have taken place since Christian (and Western) contact, and makes theological comments on the significance of their own life and covenant with the Lord.
Koch, John B. "Contextualization and a Confessional Church." Lutheran Theological Journal 19 (1985): 131-141.	The author gives an overview of the concept of contextualization used in the church today and identifies the stance of a confessional church, here the Lutheran Church of Australia, over against emphases in contextualization. He notes the use of the word contextualization since the early 1970s and gives subsequent developments. Stresses in contextualization are related to particular statements made by the LCA. The conclusion is that while the LCA can identify with much in contextualization, it cannot agree to disregard the normative role of Scripture and the centrality of Christ in any Christian message.
Lilburne, Geoffrey. "Contextualising Australian Theology: An Enquiry into Method." Pacifica 10 (1997): 350-364.
Lively, Rich. "Understanding God in the Payback System: A Model for Christian Discipleship." Catalyst 24:1 (1994): 54-68.	Uses the ritual process as a starting point for reflection on cross-cultural ministry. Proposes a Christian discipleship model based on the traditional payback system to communicate effectively and facilitate a greater understanding of God and his requirement for believers.
Maeliau, Michael. "Searching for a Melanesian Way of Worship." In The Gospel is Not Western: Black Theologies from the Southwest Pacific, ed. Garry W. Trompf, 119-27. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1987.	I believe that most of the distinctly Melanesian ways of worship and theology are going to arise spontaneously out of the revival movements, which are bound to spread throughout the churches of the region. The established churches must be flexible enough to accommodate these movements. There is a danger that most of the leaders of Melanesia's established churches, as well as the sponsoring churches in the West, are going to be highly critical and may even consciously seek to stifle such revivalism. They must apply the incarnation principle, which some of their theologians talk about, if they are going to lead, guide, and correct any errors in these movements; otherwise participants in the revivals will break away, either to join other churches that allow them to exercise their freedom or to found Melanesian Independent Churches, comparable to those in black Africa. I do not think we need to work hard to find indigenous forms of worship. They are now emerging, ready to be identified, encouraged, and refined. I believe that this also applies to indigenous theology. I suggest that we start our search for indigenous theologies wherever new patterns of worship are forthcoming.
Malone, Anthony. "Doing Moral Theology Cross-Culturally." Catalyst 17:2 (1987): 183-98.	Reviews certain foundational values of the Papua New Guinean context and discusses implications for moral theology.
Mantovani, Ennio. "Ancestors in Melanesia: Towards a Melanesian and Christian Understanding." Catalyst 20:1 (1990): 21-40.	Presents an alternative to the traditional interpretation of 'offerings' to the ancestors; they are not necessarily sacrifices, but, most likely, exchanges of a social nature between members of the same social community. In effect, ancestral practices may be viewed more as secular exchanges than acts of worship. This helps clarify the nature of the relationship to the ancestors, and has resulting pastoral consequences.
Mantovani, Ennio. "Christian Dialogue with Melanesian Values and Ethics." Catalyst 20:2 (1990): 97-105.	Deals with the interaction between Christianity and traditional Melanesian values and ethics, founded on life, which is found in one's community which consists of relationships which are expressed and established through exchange (and the resulting ethical system).
May, John d'Arcy. "The Prospects of Melanesian Theology." Catalyst 14:4 (1984): 290-301.	Even though the idea of 'Melanesian theology' is suspect in some circles, there is a great need to find how to articulate ways in which Melanesian philosophy of life would mesh with a systematic account of the Gospel faith. The essay maintains that only Melanesians can adequately answer this question; and addresses 1) indigenous theologies in general; 2) theology in Melanesia; 3) some practical steps that can be taken to encourage Melanesian theologians
May, John D'Arcy. "The Trinity in Melanesia: The Understanding of the Christian God in a Pacific Culture." In The Christian Understanding of God Today: Theological Colloquium on the Occasion of the 400th Anniversary of the Foundation of Trinity College, Dublin, ed. James M. Byrne, 154-165. Dublin, Ireland: Columba Press, 1993.	It is one thing to discuss the Trinity in the security of a European tradition. It is quite another to contemplate the introduction of such a revolutionary religious idea into a culture in which it was utterly alien. This is what happened many times over in the Pacific, and the result not only provides the anthropologist with fascinating case studies in cultural interaction, it also affords the theologian an opportunity to reexamine the doctrine of the Trinity from a functional point of view. The Pacific, with its generally pragmatic and life-affirming cultures, should have unlocked the liberative potential which recent theology tells us is characteristic of the 'social doctrine of the Trinity'. The author asks whether this happened and explores the issues involved. Concludes: We are left with the question whether the doctrine of the Trinity has been enabling or oppressive in the Melanesian cultural and social context. The most prudent answer is that its real interaction with Melanesian religion is taking place in oral and ritual media largely inaccessible to Westerners and only imperfectly articulated as yet even by Melanesian theologians. One thing, however, is certain: authentic Christian faith, built on the creedal affirmation of one God in three Persons, has taken a deep hold on the hearts and minds of Pacific Islanders everywhere in the region.
McGregor, Don E. "Learning from Wape Mythology." Practical Anthropology. 16:5 (September-October 1969): 201-15.	The purpose of this article is to highlight (1) the part mythology plays in Wape culture, (2) what can be learned about the people from their mythology, and (3) some problems in helping the people themselves work out a satisfactory relationship between the world of their mythology the world of the Bible, and the scientific world into which they are being orientated.
McGregor, Donald E. "Communicating the Christian Message to the Wape People of Papua New Guinea." International Review of Mission 63:252 (October 1974): 530-38.	The relationship between Christianity and culture is of much relevance in Papua New Guinea where time-honored traditional community living means so much to its peoples. While it is difficult to generalize in this country with its 700 different languages and widely disparate cultures, it is true to say that the main difficulties encountered in communicating the Christian message center around its complex relationship to culture. The contribution of the following pages to the ongoing world dialogue on the subject of this relationship emerge from fifteen years' personal experience of missionary endeavor with the Wape people of the West Sepik District in North West Papua New Guinea.
McGregor, Donald E. "New Guinea Myths and Scriptural Similarities." Missiology 2:1 (January 1974): 35-46.	Fundamental questions are often raised by rather typical incidents. This article will discuss four Wape myths that raise questions about deeper problems concerning the relationship of Christianity to the traditional culture and religion. In what sense is Christianity unique? In what sense is it the fulfillment of other religions and cultures? Can we have indigenization without syncretism? Is all syncretism bad?
Mercado, Leonardo N. "Power and Spiritual Discipline among Philippine Folk Healers." Mission Studies 7:1 (1990): 63-75.	In recent years the Philippines have attracted the worldwide attention of scientists and an increasing number of non-Filipino patients who come to be treated for various diseases. The object of their visits are Filipino faith-healers who do psychic surgery with their bare hands and close the wounds without scars. In fact these healers seem to follow the ancient tradition of the Filipino shamans. This paper will study two related topics, namely the concept of power and the spiritual discipline among Filipino folk healers. How do the Filipino healers think of power? Is it acquired, inherited, or God-given? Is the power of healing lost through commercialization and vice? What are the spiritual disciplines connected with acquiring the power of healing and conserving it? What is the Filipino healer's concept of asceticism? Since the therapeutic aspect of Philippine faith healing has sufficient literature, we shall not deal with it in detail.
Morikawa, Jitsuo. "Need of a Theology for the Pacific Basin." In Christian Responsibility for Pacific Civilization: Doing Theology in the Pacific Region, ed. John B. Cobb and Stephen Shin Kim, 1-7. Claremont CA: Asian Heritage Press, 1992.	We Asian Americans have been made particularly sensitive to the need of theological illumination of public policy and practice, because our lives have been severely affected by political and economic actions taken by nations of the Pacific Basin, whether through wars, colonialism, trade embargo, immigration restrictions, trade wars, denials of land ownership, employment restrictions or evacuations. For us Asian Americans our theological enterprise can be informed not only by the Old and New Testament Scriptures, Christian tradition and Christian history, but by the history, culture, and religions of the Pacific Basin which can bring fresh dimensions of truth to Christian theology which has been largely shaped by the European and American contexts. Since I as an Asian American have little conscious perception that is unique arising out of my dual culture, all I intend to do in this paper is to identify some critical areas of our common public life in the Pacific Basin which require theological work. The areas of crises are not peculiar to the Pacific; in fact they are world crises, and hence are fundamentally important also for this section of the world. The crises addressed are the economic, the ecological, religious pluralism, the domination of science and scientific research to the exclusion of morals, ethics, and values research.
Nagai, Yasuko. "Being Indigenous As Well As Christian: A Case of Maiwala Christians in Papua New Guinea." Missiology 27:3 (July 1999): 393-402.	This article is a case study of contextualization in a Melanesian community and explores the challenge of how to life faithfully as a Christian and relate effectively to one's own culture. After discussing the difference between contextualization and syncretism, the author portrays several examples of how Maiwala Christians in Papua New Guinea are trying to affirm much of their traditional culture while remaining faithful to the claims of the gospel on their lives. While practices of feasting, fighting, and killing have stopped, the practice of and belief in magic continues underground.
Nagano, Paul. "The Morikawa Vision: Developing a Theology for the Pacific Rim." In Christian Responsibility for Pacific Civilization: Doing Theology in the Pacific Region, ed. John B. Cobb and Stephen Shin Kim, 8-11. Claremont CA: Asian Heritage Press, 1992.	While living, Jitsuo Morikawa. recognized the shifting of history from the Atlantic to the Pacific arena. He challenged the theology and church of the West to meet the challenge of the emerging history. He challenged the church by declaring: "The Church does have a message of hope for the future of the Pacific Basin, and the power of that message must emerge out of the corporate theological reflection on God's purpose for the purpose for the world, and in particular for the future of the Pacific region of the world." This is our present task--the development of a theology for the Pacific Rim as Morikawa urgently stated: "The purpose and mission then is to engage theologically toward the future of the pacific region, that peace, justice and unity may prevail in this emerging center of world history." Let me suggest some components for the development of a theology for the Pacific Rim. There are at least three: the contextual, the global or cosmic and the doing or praxis.
Namunu, Simeon. "Christian Worship and Melanesian Vision of the Cosmos." Catalyst 26:2 (1996): 79-95.	This article explores Christian worship as it is perceived by Melanesians from the background of biocosmic tradition. it is an effort to inculturate Melanesians' sense of life within the cosmic realities. It is also an effort to bridging the gap between Melanesians' sense of biocosmic relationship and the ultimate source of power and life.
Narokobi, Bernard. "What is Religious Experience for a Melanesian?" In Christ in Melanesia, Point Series, ed. James Knight, 7-12. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1977.	A fundamental problem for a Melanesian to describe a Melanesian religious experience is that he has to use non-Melanesian language and techniques to characterize and concretize and make real his cosmos. It is like using blacksmith tools to perform an operation. Although the net result of a person's total, experience, in terms of salvation, might be the same for any religious experience, the approaches would differ greatly. Concludes: Melanesian experience is not, of course, always right. But it has almost always been held to be wrong. Time is long overdue for some of our religious experience to be given its proper dignity, as has been given to the religious experience of all the great religions of the world.
Nevell, Marvin J. "The Belief System of the Biak/Numfoor People." Catalyst 19:3 (1989): 265-76.	Introduction to an Indonesian people group and their belief system with implications for communicating the Gospel among them.
Nilles, John. "Simbu Ancestors and Christian Worship: Ancestor Worship and Cults of the Spirits of the Dead among the Peoples of the Highlands of Papua New Guinea and Their Compatibility with Christian Rites and Liturgy. Catalyst 7:3 (1977): 163-90.	Overviews of Simbu beliefs and practices and discusses compatibility with Christian beliefs and liturgy together with proposals for adopting certain Simbu beliefs and practices into the liturgy.
Orowae, Arnold. "Comparative Pastoral Approach in Context." Catalyst 26:2 (1996): 53-78.	The church in Papua New Guinea should go back to its people to see where they are in order to embed the Gospel in their daily lives. The goal is to enable a Melanesian to express Christianity in a Melanesian way.
Orowae, Arnold. "Interpretation of a Myth in the Christian Context. " Catalyst 23:2 (1993): 8-32.	Presents a myth from the Mai Enga of the upper Ambum valley in the Enga Province of Papua New Guinea and interprets some aspects of the story which are identical to the Christian message.
Pattell-Gray, Anne and Trompf, Garry W. "Styles of Australian Aboriginal and Melanesian Theology." International Review of Mission 82:326 (April 1993): 167-88.	At the present time various types and/or styles of Aboriginal and Melanesian theology are manifest enough for an introductory survey--which is here presented on the understanding that black theologies from this part of the globe are very much emergent and only just beginning to crystallize. In what follows we place the kinds of theology in evidence under the most basic categories, simply for introductory purposes. Because of the differing experiences of Australian Aboriginals and Melanesians, it is probably also useful to have a few helpful preliminary guidelines for a better understanding of the material In nuce, striking differences between most Aboriginal and most Melanesian theologies relate to social psychological factors at work in each region and to the nature of the opportunities to express oneself along theological lines.
Pech, Rufus. "Models Towards a Melanesian Christianity." Catalyst 14:2 (1984): 144-57.	Shares insights from an historical perspective on ministry in Melanesia and makes some suggestions on different models of ministry by pointing to some missionary emphases which were positive factors in developing genuinely indigenous features in the Melanesian Christianity of previous generations but which we of the post-war generation have by and large neglected, thereby contributing to the deindigenizing of the Christian movement in Melanesia.
Perkins, Harvey L. "Issues of Contextual Theology: An Australian Perspective." The Ecumenical Review 28:3 (July 1976): 286-95.	Introduction to contextual theology from an ecumenical perspective--noting at the outset that "An Australian theology could be horrible. It could be a theology which reflects the prevailing ideologies of this country, accommodates the Gospel to it, and provides a religious justification for it as it is."
Puloka, Mohenoa. "An Attempt at Contextualizing Theology for the Tongan Church." In South Pacific Theology: Papers from the Consultation on Pacific Theology Papua New Guinea, January 1986, ed. Evangelical Consultation on Pacific Theology, 82-100. Oxford: Regnum Books, 1987	The basic assumption of this paper is that since the Tongan context is predominantly rural, the Tongan Church must acknowledge that its ministry must always consist in the continuous interaction between the Gospel and the struggles and aspirations of the rural community. In order to carry out a holistic ministry within a context that is totally affected by rapid and radical social changes, the Tongan Church must as a top priority develop and implement an applicable theological methodology. The theological task of the Church is precisely to rediscover the very reason for its existence and the true meaning of the Gospel. The liberation movement in Tonga (which has yet to be started) is a theological task in the truest meaning of the term. The family, more than anything else, is the strongest institution in Tongan society. The Church in Tonga is a family church, in which the Church is sustained and protected by family units and their cultural influence. This is the reality of the secular base of the visible Church. Therefore, the theological task compels the Church to address itself to the entirety of the problem--that is the cultural, social, political, economic, and religious contexts in which it finds itself
Rayawa, Josaia J. "Pacific Theology." In South Pacific Theology: Papers from the Consultation on Pacific Theology Papua New Guinea, January 1986, ed. Evangelical Consultation on Pacific Theology, 16-41. Oxford: Regnum Books, 1987	In our efforts to evangelize the Pacific, we cannot afford to stay above the culture line and deal only with matters of the soul. If we do, our effort is as hopeless as is the effort of the social scientist to eliminate God from his world and explain Christianity in cultural terms only. We cannot communicate without concerning ourselves with culture because communication is inextricable from culture. Christ entered the context of the peoples of His day and dwelt among them. So propositional truth must have a cultural incarnation to be meaningful. Although Christianity is supracultural in its origin and truth, it is cultural in its application.
Roach, Elizabeth M. "Transformation of Christian Ritual in the Pacific: Samoan White Sunday." Missiology 16:2 (April 1988): 173-82.	Nineteenth-century LMS agents brought to Samoa, along with other elements of Christianity, the festival of Pentecost. In its new home, however, the celebration of this festival was changed from May or June each year to October. More important, in Samoa it is also a ritual of status reversal. This article gives a detailed description of Pentecost, referred to in Samoa as White Sunday or as Children's Sunday, in a Western Samoan village and shows how a Christian festival has been reinterpreted in terms of traditional values and meanings.
Ryan, Noel. "Sociological Perspectives for Australian Theologians." In Toward Theology in an Australian Context, ed. Victor C. Hayes, 74-84. Bedford Park, S. Australia: Australian Association for the Study of Religions, 1979.	Sociology is a discipline in continual need of definition. This is required not only to curb the pretensions of her more ardent partisans, who would make her the arbiter of the universe, but also to reply to her critics, who complain that she merely reiterates the obvious. We therefore began our workshop with a demarcation of territory especially with an eye to the other disciplines represented at the Conference--literature, the visual arts and history. We went on to state what we expected sociology might contribute to theological reflection, then tested our expectation by exploring the Australian context with the aid of sociological models. In the present workshop three models were chosen for the analysis of the Australian scene. The first viewed Australia in its place in the world, the second the inner processes of Australian society itself, and the third the individual members in their status and roles in the structure of the Australian community. Finally a critique was instituted of the use and abuse of the models in preparing a basis for a contextual theology.
Rzepkowski, Horst. "Stepping Stones to a Pacific Theology: A Report." Mission Studies 9:1 (1992): 40-61.	Historical survey of proposals and missionary treatments of Melanesian theological issues as seen in art, music, and prayer from a Catholic perspective.
Schwarz, Brian. "Seeking to Understand Cargo as a Symbol." Catalyst 10:1 (1980): 14-27.	Melanesians have compared themselves to outsiders, and, since wealth is important to them, they compare their own wealth (unfavorably) to the cargo of the outsiders. The significance of "cargo" must be found initially within the traditional cultural context, and this article explores that idea.
Shaw, R. Daniel. "Every Person a Shaman." Missiology 9:3 (July 1981): 359-65.	An anthropological look at the rituals of the Sarno reveals many bridges that can be used to communicate the gospel within their own context. This case study uncovers valuable universal principles which can be applied in all cross-cultural situations.
Shirres, M. P. "Towards a Maori Theology." In Religious Studies in the Pacific, ed. John C. Hinchcliff, Jack Lewis, and Kapil N. Tiwari, 29-35. Auckland, New Zealand: Colloquium Publishers, 1978.	The central problem facing the Church and the Maori is a problem of reconciliation, the reconciliation of Maoritanga, Maori culture, and Christianity. This is all the more urgent in that we are seeing a return to Maoritanga, a Maoritanga often little or badly understood, and a Maoritanga which more and more is being chosen as an alternative religion. "What is my religion? Maoritanga." There is no need to tell you that this is a New Zealand version of a world wide movement of people seeking their own ethnic identity. This paper is an attempt to describe a family reunion at Mangamuka and to show its significance--a Maori theology revealed in and through a Maori Easter liturgy. It is an attempt to show that we can have unity in Faith and Love without uniformity, a unity in which there is no watering down of the Faith and which fully respects Maori culture.
Steffen, Tom A. "Selecting a Church Planting Model that Works." Missiology 22:3 (July 1994): 361-76.	Unlike a decade ago, a plethora of church planting models now exists from which church planters can select. New models continue to roll off the presses. While the multiplication of models provide valuable new insights into the ambiguous task of church planting, they also create a new dilemma How can church planters select or design a church planting model that matches a specific people group? This article critiques six church planting models, probes how the church planter's personal philosophy and vision impacts such selection, and provides a two-dimensional model to show how to wade through the options and craft an effective church planting model for a specific people group.
Stilwell, Ewan. "An Investigation into the Relationship between Melanesian Cargo and Revival Movements." Catalyst 19:3 (1989): 221-37.	Revival movements have not been as well examined as Cargo cults. This article examines the relationship between the two with missiological implications for consideration.
Strelan, John G. "Eschatology, Myth and History in Melanesia." In Christ in Melanesia, Point Series, ed. James Knight, 197-207. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1977.	Eschatology, myth and history barely survived the onslaught by twentieth century theology; therefore the theologian must show more-than-usual humility as he approaches the task set down in the title of this paper. Eschatology and myth are well-known categories in Papua New Guinean religious thinking. But what of history? Two case studies drawn from cargo movements (Mambu and the Vailala Madness) suggest that history is not a meaningful category for Papua New Guinean eschatology. A great deal of serious thinking and writing needs to be done in order to clarify the concept of history in Papua New Guinea and to determine its place in religious thought and hope in Papua New Guinea. From the point of view of Christian theology, such investigation is needed because Christianity is both an historical and and eschatological religion.
Strelan, John G. "Our Common Ancestor: Toward a Theological Interpretation of Cargo Cults." Catalyst 5:2 (1975): 33-40.	Assumes that cargo cults in Melanesia may be interpreted theologically as a search for salvation, and based on that assumption examines major aspects of the ideology of cargo cults and attempts to interpret them using NT categories.
Talapusi, Faitala. "The Future of Theology in the Pacific." Pacific Journal of Theology 13 (1995): 39-45.	Our title begs two questions. First, is there any future for theology in the Pacific? Second, can the speaker actually look through a crystal-ball to tell you what the future of theology in the Pacific will be? Fortunately, the latter is not true, If the straightforward question is asked about the future of theology in the Pacific, I will have no trouble in affirming that there is a future for theology in the Pacific. I believe it has a future, for I believe in the existence of God and I believe in our own human existence. Theology has been defined in various ways throughout the history of Christianity--classical, philosophical and so forth. However it is labeled, there is always the dialectical relationship and involvement of God and human beings. I believe theology is the human response in faith to the living God that can never be contained in any one tradition of human response. It is unfortunate that with the emergence of different responses to the gospel of Jesus Christ from around the world, people, especially from the Western white male-dominated academic world, are quick to label these life experiences as other: Black, Asian, Liberation, Buffalo theologies etc., and now most probably Pacific.
Thimme, Hans-Martin. "Manarmakeri: Theological Evaluation of an Old Biak Myth." In Christ in Melanesia, Point Series, ed. James Knight, 21-49. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1977.	Students of a course on Biblical Theology studied the most influential myth in the area of Irian Jaya. Although this myth is the basis of numerous messianic movements in both the religious and the political spheres, the text itself did not allow a millienarianistic interpretation at all. On the contrary, the intent of the myth was seen as. an explanation of the futility and impossibility of creating or entering another, better world. Mansen does not come back, nor does he bring the beginning of a better world with him. The separating wall between earthly and eternal life is confirmed by the story of Manarmakeri, but it is broken down by Jesus Christ. The real mode of the presence of the Kingdom of God has to be seen in the cross and suffering of Jesus Christ.
Tippett, Alan R. "Contextualization of the Gospel in Fiji: A Case Study from Oceania." In Down to Earth: Studies in Christianity and Culture: The Papers of the Lausanne Consultation on Gospel and Culture, ed. Robert T. Coote and John Stott, 287-307. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980.	The Gospel came to the Fiji Islands in 1835. In the subsequent century and a half, the Fijian church faced fundamental shifts in its cultural environment as the islands passed from pre-colonial into colonial and finally post-colonial history. Because of these cultural shifts, and because of the rich and innovative dynamics of indigenous Fijian life, we have in the Fijian church an ideal focus for the study of the contextualization of the Gospel-contextualization being defined as the process of making evangelism and the Christian life-style relevant to the specifics of time and place.
Tippett, Alan R. "Formal Transformation and Faith Distortion." In Christopaganism or Indigenous Christianity?, ed. Tetsunao Yamamori and Charles Russell Taber, 97-118. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1975.	In my first chapter my focus was on the nature of syncretism rather than on indigenous Christianity. In this chapter I shall dig more deeply into the subject from the position of the indigenous church confronting syncretism, and the dynamics of the experience of the Christian fellowship group (church) in its encounter with the world and with its culture.
Tuwere, I. S. "An Agenda for the Theological Task of the Church in Oceania." Pacific Journal of Theology 13 (1995): 5-13.	What is expected of us as theologians of the churches is to seek for the 'restoration of the presence of God within the created order'. This view has always been an integral part of our belief and value system in Oceania and is essentially a Christian idea. Our deeply troubled humanity badly needs it at this present time. The following are some areas of concern for future discussions of theology in Oceania: 1) People's theology: A theology of the laity which I do not hear very much in the Pacific today needs to be revisited. 2) Fundamentalism: This is on the rise in the world today (including here in Oceania) at all level-political, economic, ethnic and religious. Closely related to this is the swelling trend of nationalism. 3) A common vision: Is there a unifying focus that can constantly capture our attention and enlarge our hearts? Is there a vision of the future that we can all claim to feed our imagination and empower our zeal? Is there a dream that we can all dream together as we each seek to proclaim Christ and let his way be followed? Is there a critical principle that must constantly hold in check our evangelistic campaign and missiological drive? I believe there is. It is the eschatological vision of the reuniting of all things in Christ as found in Ephesians 1:10.
Tuwere, Sevati. "Thinking Theology Aloud in Fiji." In The Gospel is Not Western: Black Theologies from the Southwest Pacific, ed. Garry W. Trompf, 148-54. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1987.	My case study focuses on Fiji. By "contemporary" I mean that which is more than just "indigenous." Indigenizaton carries strong overtones of the past and its continuing influences and thus tends to neglect the present realities of radical social transformation. The term "contemporary" falls much more in line with the need to contextualize theology, an activity generally accepted in the ecumenical circles of Third World countries. Certainly I intend to take up all that is implied in indigenization in this paper, but it is necessary to press further to take account of other issues, especially the political, economic, and social dimensions of modernization. I do not seek here to theologize systematically, but rather to set out from a convinced pragmatic basis, insisting that we do not simply theologize. We also act on the pressing question: "What can be done in Fiji now?" We require a theology that urgently invites us to reflection, yet which leads us to appropriate action. Theology should produce a reflection-action dynamic. To take up one side of the exercise at the expense of the other will lead theology to become an unnecessary "consumer item"--something that makes a lot of smoke but has no fire.
van der Laan, Henk. "The Contextualisation of Theology." In Toward Theology in an Australian Context, ed. Victor C. Hayes, 87-95. Bedford Park, S. Australia: Australian Association for the Study of Religions, 1979.	Our thesis is that theology is a scholarly discipline concerning the aspect of faith as one of the aspects of created reality, within the whole order of creation and of societal forms. Its activity is a theoretical-logical one, i.e. a critical investigation of the life of faith in communal relationships, its content, object and norm. As a theoretical reflection it tries to comprehend and to clarify the structure of faith in a logical-analytical way.
Vaninara, Caspar To. "Melanesian Stepping Stones for the Preaching of the Kingdom." In Living Theology in Melanesia: A Reader, Point Series, ed. John D'Arcy May, 132-71. Goroka, Papua New Guinea: Melanesian Institute for Pastoral and Socio-Economic Service, 1985.	Three elements of the Biblical tradition have great appeal in Melanesia. They are: 1)Hope for Salvation; 2) The Big Man Aspect; and 3) Adoption into Sonship. The prime purpose of this article is to investigate the possibility for a transition of the above three points into the Melanesian context. What the Bible furnishes is the norm. Applying this to a context where a Melanesian has a better perception may enable him or her to have a clearer understanding of what the Scriptures have to say about the Kingdom notion.
Vincent, David. "Dreams as an Aid to Personal Development." Catalyst 22:1 (1992): 31-50.	Accepting that dreams often reflect inner tension over events in daily life, the author outlines an approach to dreams which can be of use to ordinary individuals. After consideration of how dreams can be understood, the author discusses the question of God's working in and through these experiences. Finally, some suggestions are offered for the practical use of dreams as an enrichment to life and ministry.
Vincent, David. "Evangelism for Melanesia: Towards a More Culturally Appropriate Ministry." Catalyst 22:2 (1992): 71-80.	Presents research findings that Christian witness in Melanesia should ideally be set within the context of community life. A number of implications are then outlined as suggestions for developing the ministry of evangelism.
Waekane, George. "Theology of Water from the Engan Point of View." Catalyst 28:2 (1998): 125-41.	God's presence can be perceived within the environment. People's awareness of this is shaped by culture. As it is into the ordinary elements of life that Jesus comes, the gospel must be preached in terms of ordinary life that people can relate to. For the Engans, the sentiments attached to water is a possible starting point for contextualizing the Christian message.
Whiteman, Darrell L. "Christian Mission and Culture Change in New Guinea." Missiology 2:1 (January 1974): 17-33.	A perennial problem in mission has been the preparation of "leaders" for the church. In fact, one of the excuses most often advanced to justify prolonged postponement of "independence" for the "younger" churches has been the allegation that they did not have adequate "leadership." It is not the purpose of this brief paper to discuss the issue in depth, but rather to raise some probing questions and suggestions which commenters can discuss for our mutual benefit.
Zocca, Franco. "Millenarianism in Melanesia." Catalyst 28:1 (1998): 67-90.	Surveys the numerous publications on millenarian movements in Melanesia, and then explores the cultural roots of these 'cargo cults'. He concludes with advice on how to deal with new outbreaks at the turn of the next century.