Evangelicals and African Commentary

Christianity today has listed the top 50 most influential books for evangelicalism. Some are scary (Left Behind, Purpose Driven Life), but some leave hope for us all (The Divine Conspiracy, Mere Christianity, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, Cost of Discipleship).

More importantly, I think, is this commentary coming out of Africa. I really think Western Christianity needs to listen to the voices of Christianity in the 2/3's world. Here are Scot McKnights salient points

• Commentary on the whole Bible, every single verse. The only problem I see is that the authors are all educated in America and Europe, so I wonder if they write with Western motifs.
• Essay cover a wide variety of subjects: scripture, translations in Africa, environment, debt, democracy, homosexuality, persecution, principles of interpretation, etc.
• Specialized essays: cultural issues, dreams, female genital mutilation, AIDS and HIV, initiation rites, refugees, tribalism, widow inheritance, etc.
• This commentary is written from a conservative evangelical viewpoint, thus it will be the equipping this generation to grapple with orthodoxy in their own context. In a way I hope this commentary is not at all defining, but only a starting point. The reason is, is that I believe we need some heresies, at least heresies against the Western church to be effective Christ followers in the new world, in the 2/3 world.