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CURRENTLY IN BOOKS
A clear call to witness Jesus to all

Cornelius A. Buller

Practicing Truth: Confident Witness in Our Pluralistic World David W. Shenk and Linford Stutzman, eds. Waterloo, Ont.: Herald Press, 1999. 265 pp. $23.79

This book emerged out of a conference sponsored by Eastern Mennonite Missions. The contributors are mostly involved in Christian higher education and many have had significant involvement in mission. The result is a very stimulating array of essays focused on answering the question: “How can we Christians confidently bear witness to the claim that Jesus is the risen Lord, one Saviour and one God for all humanity, in an era committed to pluralism?” The question goes to the heart of our faith, our self-understanding, and has been the downfall of many young people.

The chapters of the book range from biblical perspectives (Old and New Testaments) to direct engagement with various cultures (African and North American) and religions (Hinduism and Islam). They provide insights into modernity and postmodernity, into pluralism and ethics, into history and theology. Above all, they provide a clear and consistent call to confident Christian witness to the truth that Jesus is the Christ for every tongue and tribe and nation. A few of the chapters will be too abstract and/or too philosophical for many readers. However, the book is well thought out and, for the most part, well written.

My biggest complaint is that many of the authors could have done more with the role of the Holy Spirit in the development of a confident faith and witness. However, such disagreements are part of good reading, which helps readers along on their own faith journey. And this book is good reading.

Cornelius A. Buller is staff ethicist for The Salvation Army in Winnipeg and is a member of McIvor Avenue MB Church.

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Last modified January 31, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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