PERSPECTIVE ON THE BIBLE

Mission Tool Today

Luke
Introduction

I am very grateful to Thara Hlaing Bwa, our lecturer on Mission & Evangelism—to give
us this opportunity to evaluate our own comments on Perspectives on the Bible Today. By this
assignment paper I gain a great deal of advantages on biblical knowledges and other religion’s
perspectives on their context with status quo. Inasmuch as this far reaching my thanks to him is
unpronounceable and unspeakable.
First I would like to put my address of the question itself. “The Bible is viewed
exclusively as the Christian Literature and used as a ground of faith, and a tool for the
missionary propaganda. But from the Pluralist perspective, it is a witness of God’s liberative
activity from the undersides regardless of their race and religious persuasion. More
significantly, it is a result of the religious, cultural, political, economic interactions of the
nations in their pursuit of a more matured co-humanhood as fully and perfectly signified and
symbolized in the life and person of Jesus. Give your own comment on that with some
foundational event of OT & NT.”
For this concern I read several books which are containing the encounter of Christians
and other religion faiths. I try to grasp each book of their perspectives and contents in this paper.
These books are recently written books after the great Enlightenment of the world, and are
depended by modern pluralists. I do not make so much quotation from the book of “Towards a
New Relationship” written by Kenneth Cracknell because I suppose it as already understood in
this paper for our concern. Logically and theologically, and philosophically I agree on this book
with its content of pluralism, because it supports and embraces polytheism. Actually it is true and
undeniable that there is One Supreme Being (Polytheism).
I also suppose that our subject now is a very wide concern. Until 18th century there was
no crisis for Christian missionaries using the Bible as the best tool for mission. But after that
time on now with the vast developments and experiments of science it turns to another direction.
In other words, we can call it “universal revelations of God through Sacred books.”

God Before and After Abraham

When we think about creation story (before Abraham was called), God had been revealed
with Adam and Eve, then Noah. With Noah God made special covenant what He (God) likes and
His (God’s) instructions (Gen 9:1ff.). After this happening, Abraham was called round about
2000 BC only after human history was civilized. Especially ancient Babylonian Empire and
Egyptian Empire were so great and powerful in human history and had developed. We can say it
in other words, they were developing under God’s presence for a long time before Abraham was
called. We cannot deny them in our notion now that they were out of God’s peoples. Although
they were wicked and sinful people as shown by the Bible, God is always with them.
God made His revelation and His way more completely by calling Abraham. So Abraham
was the one who manifested God’s law better than other ancient peoples before him. When we
think about the history of human religion before Abraham, every religion or cults turns to truth
and encouraged to good deeds. The punishment is obvious as a result of sin and wickedness.
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Even in Israelite history (after Abraham), the same result was evidently happened throughout
their history.
After Abraham, Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God (i.e., ultimate revelation and
most authentic) as we firmly believe today. It is the fulfillment and final authenticity as Jesus had
told the Jews (Matt 5:17) … “For I do not come to exterminate but to fulfill your religion.”
Between Abraham and Jesus Christ there were revelations and manifestations of God through
Zoroaster (in the time of King Darius of Persia), through Buddha in India, and through
Confucius of China, etc. They all turned and subjected to the universal truth and holiness.
Exceptionally Muhammad appeared the same being after Jesus Christ. But all of them who bore
God’s revelations were purely men and there was no claim of their deity. But Jesus Christ is the
real incarnation of God—He himself claimed His deity. In my tenet and conception it is
undeniable truth scripturally, historically, logically and chronologically (more precisely the
resurrection and sinlessness of Jesus Christ). My statement of chronology:

• God revealed / spoke through / with Adam and Eve

• God revealed through Ancient peoples
• God revealed through Abraham
• God revealed through Buddha, Zoroaster, and so on
• God revealed through Jesus of Palestine, then
• God revealed through Muhammad of Arab.

Each of all revelations is unambiguous and credible to the truth, good, holiness, etc.
which are attributes of God. But in this point we must be cautious one thing that Jesus is the most
authentic and God incarnated. Even Mohammedans confess that Jesus was sinless, most high and
eminent teacher. And the Koran says in Surah 33:69—Jesus is “illustrious in this world and the
next. Jesus is superior to all other prophets.”
In this promoting Jesus (to) the super state I do not mean that only God’s revelation to
Jesus is unique. Others are also undisputable. But Jesus required all people strikingly to confess,
to know that He was God’s Son. No religious founder and their sacred scriptures exclaimed that
the founder is God’s begotten Son but Jesus alone. Koran says again, Jesus was raised again after
his death and ascended to heaven (Surah 3:55).
The last revelation and manifestation of God through Mohammad confessed Jesus’ deity.
So it is logically true, chronologically coincide and relevant. So we cannot say in our
perspectives that other sacred scriptures are invaluable. We, therefore, could conclude in our
mind and faith that Jesus is the most unique and the real incarnation of God. Jesus Christ
requested the disciples to teach his uniqueness to all the nations (Matt 28:19-20). In my own
opinion it may be different from what Jesus’ request in His lifetime and in the age of
Christianization today. But now especially the renowned and reverend persons of all faith of
religions turn to what God has incarnated and it is a result of religious, cultural, political,
economic interactions of the nations and perfectly signified in the life and person of Jesus. I hope
all faiths will confess Jesus’ deity before the end of the world (i.e., before eschatology).

Toward a Wider Perspective

Fransen warned people against judging religious objectively and as an outsider because in
this way one could not do justice to them. Precisely because the non-Christians, in so far as they
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were people of goodwill, already belonged to Christ, they had to be made aware of his existence
and the fullness in Christ had to be offered to them.
Panikkar said that “non-Christian surroundings” had therefore to be understood as a
world in which Christ was not yet explicitly recognized as the Lord. On the contrary, they were
the conscious fellow workers of Christ in his creative, redeeming and exalting actions in the
whole wide world. Christian faith, hope and love did not create a barrier between God and the
world; quite the opposite, they lived in the same light. What was necessary was to believe in God
(not in action of Christian world) to God, to hope in Him and to love the world in Him in a
theological acts towards the world.
The relationship of a Christian to non-Christian surroundings did not initially consist of
offering a new moral code of behavior and new religious rites, but it was first and foremost
concerned with the sacramental order that every one was already sanctified by the sacramental
actions of the Christians. The Christians are channels of the Eucharist for those who do not
receive it. The parables of Christ’s Kingdom and the function of Christians do not say that
everyone should become Christians, but rather that His disciples should be the light, salt, seed
and leaven which are there to bring light to people’s lives, to provide a yearning, to die and to
grow, to transform the entire mass of human beings, it is completely new theological light.
Hans Kung said again, the non-Christian religions were roads to salvation to the
following: “For the person who is not confronted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an
existentialist way, this religion can be a channel for the grace of the salvation of Christ.”
One new happening and strange status in Indonesia is the liberation and toleration of
religion (it may call quasi R.). Indonesia is a Muslim country (Muslims do not allow other faith
missionaries) but when president Suharto became president all religions are recognized and
supported by the government. President’s speech is: “By the grace of God Almighty, only three
weeks before he had opened the majestic and beautiful new Istiglah Mosque in the capital. This
mosque was the pride not only of all Muslims but also of the citizens of Indonesia. It stands side
by side with the beautiful Catholic Cathedral. Let us then accept this fact as a symbol of the
harmony between the followers of the different religions in our state, which is founded on the
Pancasila.” Thus Indonesia continues on its way into a brighter future. I hope this happening in
Indonesia will become a notion of new perspective in coming future towards 2020 AD world
quasi-religion.
Let us go on to further statement. Mahatma Gandhi had a great reverence for Christ, the
Sermon on the Mount was his constant study; at the end of his great fasts he asked for the hymn,
“When I survey the wondrous Cross.” One of American missionary Stanley Jones asked him—
what advice he would give to a Christian missionary about to begin work in India. His reply was:
“Be a little more like your Jesus”. Teach your converts that when they become Christians they do
not cease to be Indians. Don’t water down your religion, don’t reduce your demands hold your
people up to the highest.”
Let us observe again a prayer of Rabiah (a Muslim woman mystic):

• Lord make us instruments of the peace

where there is hatred, let us show love
where there is injury, pardon
where there is discord, union
where there is doubts, faith
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
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where there is sadness, joy

for thy mercy and thy truth’s sake.

Recently the missionaries of Christian are trying to establish social uplifts, economic
improvement, political justice and peace on the world. They are trying also for the third world
countries to promote them wholly. Meanwhile most organizations (not religious affairs) are
trying the same efforts. More significantly we can find them such as United Nations
Organization, European Common Market, etc.
For such status quo in the world (now 20th century and onward) we (Christians) must not
be exclusively serve the Lord. If we are eager to serve the Lord and really ambitious to win
people to God (in other words, to Christ) we must rather infiltrate them inclusively then we can
win them by our Christ-like life and faithfulness to the truth. Actually Jesus Christ did not
commissioned us to live exclusively but to serve in such dangerous environments and
circumstances. For he said, “I send you out as a sheep into the wolf” (Luke 10:3); and “I was
sent only to the lost …” (Matt 15:24). This can be interpreted in our context of 21st century now
those who are aggressors; and those who are lost politically, socially, economically and
educationally low most out-castes.
Here is a new direction about non-Christian religions, confirmed by the average theology
of the present time. The first is—we have to bury past ways of thinking and speaking, bewailing,
they were able so stubbornly to assert themselves for centuries. Certainly one should not now go
to the other extreme and canonize these religions. There is no such thing as a perfect religion, a
religion of pure culture. In every religion (including Christianity) alongside faith, there is
superstition, alongside the spirit: money, alongside mysticism: routine, alongside God: the devil,
alongside grace: sin, alongside truth: error. But these global judgments about that paganism and
that idolatry date from a time when our eyes were blinded by priggishness. For this, we have to
say today in their temples an honest and in our churches a prayer of thanks that in the meantime
we have received sight.
In those religions, in their sacred books, in their religious practice, among their monks
and mystics there are in fact thoughts, sayings, attitudes to life which simply surprise us, there
are pearls which we wonder at, men whom we admire greatly when we meet them. They form
the better part of the human race; they do not attract attention but they compensate for all the
conflicts and crimes and in the storm of the world. They, in a prayerful way, give the right
answer to the real questions of all human beings.

What Salvation Means?

Now the radiance, which shines forth in these religions, is the rays of the one Light,
Christ. If “all things were created … for him” (Col 1:16 RSV) and if he “enlightens everyman
who comes into this world” (John 1:19) then Christ must always have been present and effective
in the whole of humanity as well before the missionaries arrived anywhere and proclaimed him
and even in those areas and in those hearts which the gospel has not yet reached or which it has
not yet convinced and led to faith. The Father of Jesus Christ was never one to discriminate; he
was never a “respecter of persons” as the scriptures tell us repeatedly, almost obstinately (Col
3:25; Eph 6:9; Rom 2:11). The Father has not given bread and grace to the Christians and only
serpents and scorpions to the pagans. Wherever and whenever just by their prayers and
sacrifices, but also by their dedicated service to their fellows, their zeal for justice, their bravery
in living and dying, they did this already in the order of grace and it worked towards their
salvation.
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To this extent we may take literally and very seriously what Saint Paul wrote to Titus
(2:11): “In this the grace of God had been revealed to us that God wills the salvation of all men.”
(RSV has: “for the grace of God has prepared for the salvation of all men …”). That is, in a
single sentence, the heart of the Christian message which we have to proclaim and the good news
for everyone. This possibility of individuals even outside the visible church being saved was
officially settled by Vatican II. To say this includes the admission that God sent the persons
belonging to those other religions rays of light, insights; he gave them seers and prophets and let
them have a kind of revelation.
Thomas Aquinas spoke the possible providential anticipation of revelation outside the
Jewish-Christian tradition. Now the sacred books of the non-Christian religions came into being
as a result of that revelation. And even though they do not carry the seal of authenticity as the
word of God like the writings of the Old and New Testament canon, it is nonetheless fitting that
we read them with reverence and with a certain readiness in some ways to hears from them the
voice of God. However, we can nowadays defend our Christian claim (faith) to revelation and
inspiration more honestly if we understand this in a not too exclusive way but recognize a similar
action by God in other religions too. In this point the most important fact which we should bear
in mind is ideology (tenet) and practical issue that taking all the circumstances into consideration
we can argue theologically and pastoral point of view we should not.
The saving action of God with “his people” does not exclude, it includes his saving action
with all peoples and religions and is a sign and guarantee of / with Christ as the center and the
climax of all salvation history. When we spoke of “salvation through the religions,” this is to be
understood as salvation in and through Christ. No one saves himself, but he is saved. Therefore,
we still confess that no other name under heaven is given to us whereby we can be saved (Acts
4:12). We cannot give up this claim without giving up our Christianity. Of course, we must
remain aware of the fact that this belief nowadays is very much attacked and that we have to be
careful how we handle this treasure of belief in the presence of people of other faith.
If God is the Father of all humankind, then He is also the Father of the whole human
person and wills the total salvation of his people and not just the salvation of their souls. The
interpreters of primitive history are aware from their deeper knowledge of the living God that the
same living God spoke in many and various ways to the father’s (Heb 1:1). That was true
religion coming into being.
We are right to present Christianity as the fulfillment of the non-Christian religions, but
to a certain degree this fulfillment ought to be understood as something mutual. This does not
mean that we expect an angel to come down from heaven and bring us another revelation (Gal
1:8). But some of their values, experiences, techniques—of meditation which we have not
developed to the same degree can help us to grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2
Pet 3:18). M. Mildenberger said, “Asia, with its own religious qualities, is coming into the post-
Christian West, is bringing Jesus Christ back to the West … people are asking hesitatingly,
gropingly and sometimes with great happiness once again for Jesus Christ. This Jesus who is
found here is different from the Jesus of conventional Christianity; he is, as it were, a
“meditative” Jesus, who has the characteristics of Saint John’s Gospel. This is how many
Buddhists and Hindus have understood him, and they are asking about him and his spirituality.
Salvation is indeed a fundamental concern of every religion. For Christians, the
conviction that God has decisively wrought salvation for all in and through Jesus Christ stands at
the very center of their lives. After all, the very name Jesus means “savior.” Luke, for instance,
uses “salvation language” in respect of a very wide spectrum of human circumstances—the
termination of poverty, discrimination, illness, demon possession, sin, and so forth—or as
Scheffler (1988) puts it, in respect of economic, social, political, psychological, and spiritual
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suffering. Moreover, for Luke (gospel Luke writer) salvation is, above all, something that
realizes itself in this life, today. And salvation is present salvation. These tenors of salvation is to
be found (we can find) in Jesus’ sayings recorded in Luke 4:21; 19:9; 23:43.
In modern paradigm, salvation now meant liberation from religious superstition, attention
to human welfare, and the moral improvements of humanity: so salvation in 4 dimensions are:
(WCC 1973:98, Bangkok).
- economic justice against exploitation;
- for human dignity against oppression;
- for solidarity against alienation;
- for hope against despair in personal life.
We have to pray that the reign of God should come and God’s wills will be done on earth as it is
in heaven (Matt 6:10); and to make realized that salvation is worldly seasonings (or core).
Now we come to our subject that the Bible is only Christian literature for mission
exclusively regard. The core of the Bible is its salvation history, unless this salvific action no
exclusiveness as the only authentic literature. So it is true to say that pluralists perspectives on
the Bible is a witness of God’s liberative activity. And it is obvious to say that it is a result of the
religious, cultural, political, economic interactions of the nations perfectly signified and
symbolized in the life and person of Jesus.
Then, this is another fact what we should make in our outlook to think the distinction and
to differentiate on what was said by Snyder. He said “the church is to be viewed
pneumatologically, as a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph 2:22), as a movement of the
Spirit towards a world route to the future. Its life and work are intimately bound up with God’s
cosmic-historical plan for the salvation of the world. We are called, therefore, to be “kingdom
people,” not “Church people.” And he continues:
Kingdom people seek first the Kingdom of God and its justice; Church people often put
Church work above concerns of justice, mercy and truth. Church people think about how to
get people into the church; kingdom people think about how to get the church into the world.
Church people worry that the world might change the church; kingdom people work to see
the church change in the world.”
The Church fathers emphasized the universal presence of the logos; the world, the
principle of divine self-manifestation, in all religious and cultures. The logos is present
everywhere, like the seed on the land, and this presence is a preparation for the central
appearance of the logos in the historical person, the Christ. So Augustine could say that the true
religion had existed always and was called Christian only after the appearance of the Christ. The
famous word of Jesus, “you, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,”
would according to recent research, be better translated, “you must be all-inclusive as your
heavenly Father is all-inclusive.” Zwingli acknowledged the work of the Divine Spirit beyond
the boundaries of the Christian Church.
Schleiermacher gives a construction of the history of religions in which Christianity takes
the highest place in the highest type of religion. Karl Barth also stated that the Christians Church,
the embodiment of Christianity, is based on the only revelation that has ever occurred, namely,
that in Jesus Christ. Up to this point, my statements are not contradicting each other. All are
supporting a wide view and perspectives toward what was (is) meant by salvation with the
foundation of Jesus’ deity (as stated in previous page). When we talk and confront with other
religions followers we might well use St. John’s title, “the Word,” for Jesus; it is one which the
non-confessors would understand. They may still reject Jesus, but we owe it to them to make
sure that they know what they are rejecting (to realize Jesus is God incarnated).
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My Own Comments

I have already mentioned Luke’s view of salvation and more completely we read from
“Luke’s Second Volume and the Gentiles” and we now can grasp the focus explicitly. We,
fortunately have opportunity to read the book “Towards a New Relationship,” in which we can
refer some views to our paper now.
Now I will try to evaluate my own comments with the biblical foundations besides all,
which are already presented in previous preceding pages. Some are:

1) Psalms 24:3-5
“Who has the right to go up the Lord’s hill? Who may enter his holy temple? Those who
are pure in act and in thought, … the Lord will bless them and save them; God will
declare them innocent.”

Ancient cults (religions) have their own ritual forms, liturgical system, and adore to God.
Especially Israelites were the chosen people and they have given special observation and
covenant, ritual system, etc. to Yahweh. Any how, in Psalms the Psalter clearly gives us the real
status and standpoint which we should observe now. Since God is just, righteous, Psalms 24:3-5
encourages us to be pure in our action, and in our thought. We can put this verse contemporary to
our day and it should deal within our political, economic, and social situations to a pure actions
and thoughts. This is the way what salvation means before Christ.

2) Amos 5:21-24
The Lord says, “I hate your religious festivals; I cannot stand them! When you bring me
burnt-offerings, I will not accept them; I will not accept … Stop your noisy songs; I do
not want to listen to your harps. In stead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness
like a river that never goes dry.”

As we have already known that Amos was a prophet when the nation, Israel was in
prosperous and has a pride for her economy. And there was social evil, economical oppression;
lawlessness and ignorance of Yahweh’s covenant. The merchants were in high estate and the
poor were in low estate (outcast). There was no justice and righteousness; peace and joy, love
and charity. The Israelites were lost from what God wills them to do and what was the purpose
of their chosenness (selection). They lost from the way of salvation. So prophet Amos strongly
argued against such kind of happenings, with the proclamation of justice and righteousness is the
real worship to Yahweh instead worldly prosperity (v. 21-23).
When we consider about the story of the relationship between Abraham and God we
strikingly see that God does not want to sacrifice his son Isaac nor animals. Instead, God want to
sacrifice his heart, his being. The writer of Proverbs clearly taught us again to sacrifice our heart,
not our material things and superficial sacrifices. But inner sacrifices—Proverbs 23:26—“My
son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (cf. Joel 2:13). To compare this
verse to the New Testament, the same request is obvious in Romans 12:1—“… by the mercy of
God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship.”

3) Habakkuk 2:4
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“And this is the message: those who are evil will not survive, but those who are righteous
will live because they are faithful to God.”

Like Jeremiah, Habakkuk complains injustices. Hab 1:2-4—“… How can you endure to
look on such wrong doings? … there was fighting and quarrelling everywhere. The law is weak
and useless, and justice is never done. Evil men get the better of the righteous, and so justice is
perverted.” And Hab 1:13—“Your eyes are too holy to look at evil, and you cannot stand the
sight of people doing wrong. So why are you silent while they destroy people who are more
righteous than they are?”
For such questions to God Habakkuk was clearly answered that righteousness and
faithfulness is the way to liberation (2:4c). The précis ministry of Jeremiah and his answers from
God are like Habakkuk. The core and motif of their ministry is to oppose such kind of injustices,
wickedness, etc. and to proclaim and to promote liberation from such aggression and gloom. We
can compare with our situation nowadays especially in withholding of human rights, abortion
(disgust of government), and inflation of money and economy in our country. This is the thing
we (Christians) must try to liberate like preceding liberators of the Old Testament faithfully.
Here faithfulness is obvious as the most important. Also when we study the life of Daniel
(the Book of Daniel), faithfulness is the greatest core and signal in Daniel’s life. By his
faithfulness God made him as a witness before the cruel kings. In this point if Daniel was
unfaithful, no significant power will be found upon him. Faithfulness and righteousness, justice
are inseparable elements as peace and justice are inseparable qualities. So faithfulness
throughout the cruel kingdom, wicked ages, impressions, etc were the way of salvation which the
Old Testament prophets displayed previously before Christ.

4) Matthew 5:8, 9.
“Happy (Blessed RSV) are the pure in heart; they will see God.” “Happy are those who
work for peace; God will call them his children.”

These verses (Sermon on the Mount) are the vital scripture throughout Christian history.
Especially Monasticism firmly held and follows strictly and by this Monasticism Christian
reached its peak with so many scholars and theologians. In our Christian history the Monasticism
movement is the backbone and monumental monument. Because the monks in Monasteries were
working incredibly, they worked not only for spiritual growth but also for physical, educational,
economical uplifts. Even secular historians acknowledged that the agricultural restoration of the
largest part of Europe has to be attributed to them. They are the main instruments in reforming
European society and many colleges of education and workshops were by them.
So this is clear enough what was meant by salvation throughout our history of Christians.
Today most of evangelical missionaries claim that we should not serve worldly improvement but
spiritual. But they have to know and realize that what was our former result by the great
achievements and accomplishments of Monasteries. We cannot deny it and rather we need to
have a wider view by this.
As Ganhdi had said (in previous page) we must behave a Christ-like life with
faithfulness, pure acts and thought, and work for peace and justice. The monks in monasteries
were practiced Christ-like life and worked hardly for the Kingdom, not for the Church (as Snyder
said), and make peace and justice, and also a worldwide development. I firmly believe that God
will call them as His children and they shall see Him in the eschatological time.

5) Matthew 9:9-13.
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“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew (in Luke-Levi) sitting at
the tax office; … he followed him. And … why your teacher eat with tax collectors and
sinners?” but when Jesus heard it, he said, “those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, and not
sacrifice. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

“Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see thee, or thirsty and give thee
drink? … And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you as you did it to one of the
least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Matt 25:37-40).

“The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear,
and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” (Matt 11:5)

By thinking and studying these passages we can find that the very focus was Jesus’
salvavic work is begun within and by the oppressives, the poor, etc. actually Judaism is not a real
essence of religious standpoint but worldly. This is and that obviously appeared in our history
that the true, real one authentic reality or essence or vitality of religion come out from the
outcast, not from the luxurious, prosperous situation. (We can see clearly in the life of Buddha
and Muhammad also). This way of living is taught by Jesus and manifested by himself as Islamic
faith confessed this precious lifestyle.

Conclusion

One of the most important facts about the faiths by which men live is this: each name of a
religion is a label that can be attached to many varieties of belief and practice. Basic concepts of
how God works and how he intends man to worship and behave would be different. Most
Christians now believe that their faith requires them to work for a brotherhood of regardless of
race.
When Israel Kings were politically, religiously, racially disorder and upset God punished
them. By punishment God always instructed them to a higher standard not only their religious
consecration but also political and social justices and orderliness. When we try to grasp the
whole idea of the New Testament Jesus Christ, Paul, Luke, are teaching racial equality, peace on
the world, even to be obedient in political rulers.
Anyhow, to sum up our concern to the views on Bible, it is the highest state of among the
other books and the best teaching method of love in the world as the world is now yearning for
peace. But one fact, we must be careful is how to handle how to apply it in modern status quo.
Eventually God will accomplish his best revelation to all people in the world. Let us not recede
from our great opportunity as being Christians and let us welcome the 20th century outlook and
status as our precious chance for applying our Bible to the world. May God bless this paper
(assignment) for His glory. Amen!
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REFERENCE

Appleton, George. Glad Encounter: Jesus Christ and the living faiths of men. London:
Edinburgh House Press, 1959.

Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: paradigm shifts in theology of mission. Maryknoll, N.Y.:
Orbis Books, 1991.

Buhlmann, Walbert. The Search for God: an encounter with the peoples and religions of Asia.
Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1980 ©1979.

__________. The Church of the Future: a model for the year 2001. Maryknoll: Orbis ; Slough :
St Paul, 1986.

Cracknell, Kenneth. Towards A New Relationship: Christians and people of other faith.
Westminster, London: Epworth Press, 1986.

Kan, J. Herbert. A Concise History of the Christian World Mission: a panoramic view of
missions from Pentecost to the present. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1982.

Stowe, David M. When Faith Meets Faith. New York: Friendship Press, 1963.

Tillich, Paul. Christianity and the Encounter of the World Religions. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1963.

Presidential Address (on the first commencement of Advancing Christ Theological Seminary),
1993.

Other books reliable for this Assignment.