Contextualization:Theology and it's limits?

[arapahoepark]

I don't know much about missionology and I am looking to learn. Recently, when I have had time, I have wondered about contextualization. Certainly there are limits like the 'Insider' debacle. Recently, I have run across this and this. While Scripture is undeniably our final arbiter there does seem something wrong with reconfiguring or throwing out historical language or understandings. It is said even those, like Nicaea, are contextual. No doubt, however, and I can't quite put my finger on, but I find the reworking of language troubling. It seems as if the cart is put before the horse with indigenous readings (application) coming before grammatical historical exegesis (the truth of what the Scriptures speak to). Sometimes it's said we are (Western Civilization) in a mission field and we have to retool some ideas but, I don't quite think that fits what's being advocated. Language and theological truths, unless you're a liberal, aren't being changed.
So my question is: are there any good works you all would recommend on mission contextualization?
Perhaps with the world getting smaller there is less of a need of contextualization.

 

[py3ak]

Kosuke Koyama, Water Buffalo Theology is an intriguing and stimulating older take. Lesslie Newbigin's Foolishness to the Greeks is perhaps the classic treatment. Don Richardson, Eternity In Their Hearts gives a more evangelical take from a perspective of unreached people groups. Rich Coffeen, The Discipling of Mytra handles contextualization in a science fiction setting.

Without denying the importance of being intelligible and building bridges, the reality is that teaching people about the Bible always involves communicating information about how things were back then. How much of that work has to be done may vary from culture to culture, but there are some concepts which have to be introduced and explained from building blocks even when no cultural parallel exists. If a culture is not equipped to understand redemption, teaching them about redemption may become more laborious, but it does not cease to be necessary.