Imagining Mutual Christian Theological Identity: From Apologia to Dialogic Theologizing

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In response to the quest for a globally shared Christian theological identity that has gained considerable currency in the wake of the discourse between “world Christianity” and “contextual theology,” it has become customary for Christian institutions to bring theologians from different contexts to work together on a theological project with the aim of exchanging ideas and sometimes criticisms. The primary question with which this essay is concerned is: In what way can contextual theologies contribute to the formation of a shared Christian theological identity in the present era of world Christianity? I argue that it is by bringing contextual theologies into dialogic communication tailored toward developing in common “theological materials,” some of which can be used to construct Christian theological identity. Such communication requires dialogic theologizing that is governed by four interrelated principles: the “fragmentary-mentality” principle, the “more presence of contextual theologies” principle, the “other-referential” principle, and the “global issue” principle.