Thoughts on Lesslie Newbigin

[tantely]

Hi,

Has anyone here ever read a book written by Lesslie Newbigin and can anyone give an account of his orthodoxy, teaching? I am trying to read his 'Foolishness to the greeks', is it worth it?

Thanks

T.A

 

[johnny]

I haven't read any of his material but I would be a bit careful with him.

He seems to have been involved in the ecumenical movement and the World Council of Churches.
((( I'm also interested to see what others on PB think..)))

WIKI QUOTE:
In 1959 he became the General Secretary of the International Missionary Council and oversaw its integration with the World Council of Churches, of which he became Associate General Secretary.

 

[Jack K]

He isn't pure Reformed and may have had some liberal leanings, but his writings still challenge the church today in many excellent ways. He challenges us to make the Christian faith bigger than the cheap-grace formula of get-your-sin-forgiven-in-Jesus-and-you're-into-heaven. He calls us to look deeply into who Christ is, who we are in Christ, and how that changes everything about how we relate to others, our culture, and the world. And he does it with intelligence. There's value in that, especially in today's tepid church culture. I think you can get something profitable out of his writings even if you don't swallow everything whole.

 

[Philip]

Has anyone here ever read a book written by Lesslie Newbigin and can anyone give an account of his orthodoxy, teaching?

It depends on what you mean. If you mean to ask whether he actually believed the historic Christian faith, then yes he was orthodox. If you mean to ask whether he holds inerrancy and would be confessionally reformed, then no. He's orthodox in the sense that C.S. Lewis was. It's not to say that he doesn't have severe flaws, but he still deserves to be taken seriously, and much of his work is more relevant now than it was when he wrote it.