This book examines how the Asian Catholic bishops have received and put into practice the reforms initiated by the Second Vatican Council. With a good reason the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference can be described as Asia’s continuing Vatican II.

In recent decades there has been a seismic shift in world Christianity. Whereas formerly Christianity existed as a Caucasian Euro-American phenomenon, the majority of Christians today reside in the Southern Hemisphere, or the Global South. And what is true for the demographics of Christianity has followed lockstep for its theological developments. The era of German theologians setting the tone for global church are gone. Today, some of the loudest and most creative voices in theology speak from the emerging contingencies of the Global South, for example, promoting Latinx, Black, Caribbean, and Asian theologies and their influence often influences the conversation in the United States and Europe. In addition, just as the center of Christianity has moved geographically from north to south, so with theological seminaries in the west, which have declined as training centers for clergy. These events coincide with new theological centers are opening in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. The bottom line is—contemporary Christianity today looks significantly different than it did a century ago, and publications have been slow to acknowledge, let alone describe and elaborate upon, this major shift to the largest religion in the world. These shifts guide our intentions in this book. Such a reference book, which could also be used as a textbook, therefore is very much needed. In fact, there is nothing like the contents of this single-volume book in the publishing market which allows for high-quality, interdisciplinary, and international dialogue.

Although Jesus was born in the western part of Asia, it was not until fifteen hundred years later that Asia experienced the full impact of Jesus' personality and teaching. Western missionaries, the primary transmitters of Christianity, left behind a Western understanding of Jesus. Today, Asians are seeking the face of the original Jesus - his Asian face. For them, all understanding of Jesus arise out of their particular contextual needs. Enriching the Western understanding of Jesus, Asians employ new interpretative resources, cultural symbols, and thought patterns as they make sense of Jesus for their own time and place.

Gospel, Culture and Transformation explores the practice of mission especially in relation to transforming cultures and communities. Mission as Transformation has become a mainstream definition of mission in orthodox Christian circles, especially in the Two-Thirds World and among those involved in ministry with the poor. Vinay Samuel has played a leading role in developing this understanding of mission which he defines as follows: Transformation is to enable God's vision of society to be actualized in all relationships, social, economic and spiritual, so that God's will may be reflected in human society and his love be experienced by all communities, especially the poor. Christian faith is faith in the incarnation of God in a particular place in history so all theology should have to do with the particular. This work studies mission in the work of the leading Indian Mission Theologian, Canon Dr. Vinay Samuel between 1984-1996. It is taken from the author's larger work Seeking the Asian Face of Jesus (Wipf and Stock, 2011). Lamin Sanneh (D. Willis Professor of Mission and World Christianity, Yale University) wrote of that book, Dr. Sugden brings a sharp theological focus to bear on issues of context, identity and cultural particularity . . . The literature on contextual theology and situational ethics now has a standard to rise to. A companion volume, Mission as Transformation, is edited by Viney Samuel and Chris Sugden (Wipf and Stock, 2009).

More Christians live in the Majority World than in Europe and North America. Yet most theological literature does not reflect the rising tide of Christian reflection coming from these regions. Bringing together theological resources from past and present, East and West, this work engages conversations with leading global scholars on theology, faith, and mission for the enrichment of the entire church.

Jesus and the Incarnation Reflections of Christians from Islamic Contexts In the dialogues of Christians with Muslims nothing is more fundamental than the Cross, the Incarnation and the Resurrection of Jesus. An open and honest conversation on these is a necessity as Christians all over the world meet with Muslims on a daily basis. Building on the volume on the Cross, published in 2009, this book contains voices of Christians living in various 'Islamic contexts' and reflecting on the Incarnation of Jesus. The aim of these reflections is constructive and the hope is that the papers weaved around the notion of 'the Word' will not only promote dialogue among Christians on the roles of the Person and the Book but, also, create a positive environment for their conversations with Muslim neighbors.

Though the makeup of the church worldwide has undeniably shifted south and east over the past few decades, very few theological resources have taken account of these changes. Jesus without Borders — the first volume in the emerging Majority World Theology series — begins to remedy that lack, bringing together select theologians and biblical scholars from various parts of the world to discuss the significance of Jesus in their respective contexts. Offering an excellent glimpse of contemporary global, evangelical dialogue on the person and work of Jesus, this volume epitomizes the best Christian thinking from the Majority World in relation to Western Christian tradition and Scripture. The contributors engage throughout with historic Christian confessions — especially the Creed of Chalcedon — and unpack their continuing relevance for Christian teaching about Jesus today.