Foust, Thomas F, George R. Hunsberger, J. Andrew Kirk, Werner Ustorf, ed. A Scandalous Prophet : The Way of Mission after Newbigin. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2002. 

Scandalous Prophet is the report of an extraordinarily intense two-day consultation on mission after Newbigin held in November 1998, and is a major bibliographical resource.[1] It may be compared with Willem Saayman and Klippies Kritzinger’s compilation of articles on the legacy of David Bosch published as Mission in Bold Humility. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1996. Although there is huge overlap in the constituencies of these outstanding personalities, and both share a Reformed heritage, significant cross-cultural missionary experience, ecumenical values and an international stage, yet their approaches, and those of their critics, differ.  

Neither are kind to visual learners, but Bosch was more analytical and synthetic, and frankly, more of a teacher, scholar and researcher. His Transforming Mission remains the standard text of missiology more than ten years after publication.  Criticism leveled at Bosch about his theology being from above more than below seems to me to apply more justly to Newbigin. Yet while hardly “scandalous” outside some parts of the Western world, Newbigin’s voice is fairly called prophetic, addressing key issues arising out of his experience of the Church in India and Britain, and from his involvement in countless international forums during his long life. His Open Secret also remains a standard missiological text that is withstanding the test of time.  

David Bosch addressed the particularity and historical themes of Christian mission and explored the elements of an emerging paradigm for a post-enlightenment age. Lesslie Newbigin, also concerned for the dangers of Western intellectual traditions for Christian faith, argued from central theological premises – particularly a Trinitarian basis for mission - for perspectives that need to be maintained in any era of the church. He focused on the issues he believed mattered most; he was not concerned to survey the field of possibilities. It is perhaps this that makes it of the nature of the case that Newbigin more than Bosch stands in danger of generating the sort of loyalty that makes criticism difficult. It is important to learn from each of them, and to dialogue with other Christian traditions whose methodology and questions are different again. The challenge from Bosch is to learn from each other and from history. The challenge from Newbigin is to keep the faith. It is no accident that the base cultures of each embodied the risks these challenges address – a fragmented church mirroring the divisions of apartheid, and an ecumenical movement needing to be reminded of its roots. 

The papers in Scandalous Prophet are stronger at addressing Newbigin’s theological legacy than exposing the understandable gaps of a busy life. That his Trinitarian missiology did not address all the missiological differences of our generation is unsurprising, but the rejoinder implying religious studies is the enemy and that phenomenological perspectives are irrelevant is not acceptable. That Newbigin was weak in his detailed appreciation of other faiths is consistent with his Barthian orientation. What may be more important is that his theology of religion and culture enabled him and others to engage with courtesy and without fear. Newbigin’s theology is about restoring the nerve and defending the integrity of Christian faith more than about the dialogues that need to result. 

The debates from this conference are important indications of the directions Newbigin’s legacy is taking, particularly the Gospel and Culture movements, and further work on the significance of Trinitarian theology for mission. These projects deserve serious Evangelical engagement. 

John Roxborogh, Lay and Recognised Ministry Training, Presbyterian School of Ministry, Knox College, Dunedin.