Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture

Lesslie Newbigin

W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986 - Religion - 156 pages

In this book, Lesslie Newbigin attempts to look at modern Western culture through the eyes of an outsider and to ask, "What would it mean to confront this culture with the gospel?" Newbigin looks first at the broad issues raised by any cross-cultural communication of the gospel. He then focuses his discussion on modern Western culture, examining its essential features and the present signs of its disintegration. This leads to the main thrust of the book--the question of how biblical authority can be a reality for those who are shaped by this culture. Newbigin goes on to consider what would be involved in the encounter between the gospel and modern science, politics, and economics. Finally, he discusses the task of the church in bringing about this missionary encounter.

What people are saying

Review: Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture

User Review  - Jp - Goodreads

A great book to help create a framework for sharing the Gospel with moderns and post-moderns.

Review: Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture

User Review  - David Moore - Goodreads

I will probably need to reread the book or relisten to it to get the full value. A difficult book to follow completely in an audio format at least the first time through.

About the author

(1909-1998) Lesslie Newbigin was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, U.K., in 1909. He completed his undergraduate studies in Cambridge and then served as Staff Secretary of the Student Christian Movement in Glasgow, Scotland. He studied theology at Westminster College at Cambridge and was ordained by the Presbytery of Edinburgh, Church of Scotland in 1936. That same year Newbigin married Helen Henderson and the two of them left for India where he was to be missionary of the Church of Scotland In 1947 Reverend Newbigin was consecrated Bishop in the Church of South India, formed by the union of Anglican, Methodist, and Reformed churches. He also served on the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches and as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on the main theme of the Second Assembly. Other members of the committee included famous theologians such as Barth, Brunner, and Niebuhr. In 1959 Newbigin was called to be General Secretary of the International Missionary Council with offices in London and New York. He was responsible for carrying through final negotiations for the merger with the World Council of Churches. In 1962 he became the first director of the Division of World Mission and Evangelism, and Associate General Secretary of the World Council of Churches with headquarters in Geneva.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture; Volume 6 of WCC mission series
• Author: Lesslie Newbigin
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986
• ISBN: 0802801765, 9780802801760
• Length: 156 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Christian Ministry / Evangelism; Religion / Christian Ministry / Missions; Religion / Christianity / History