The following is an analytical review on Lesslie Newbigin’s The Open Secret: An Introduction to the Theology of Mission Revised Edition.
Leslie Newbigin (1909-1998) was a theological missiologist/missionary and a missiological theologian. There are over six decades worth of his writings on mission theology and practice. Thus, he is considered to have had one of the greatest influences on the theology of mission in the twentieth century. Furthermore, Newbigin was a scholar practitioner since his works were always rooted in his living relationship with Jesus Christ; after all, he modeled what he wrote. He was also a Western missionary to India from 1936-1974, and upon returning to Great Britain, his missionary focus turned to the West (Shenk 1998).
The thesis of this book is that Christian mission is an open secret. It is open in the sense that the gospel is proclaimed to all without any boundaries, but it is a secret in that “it is manifest only to the eyes of faith” (Location 2556). As a result, mission cannot be relegated as a side task of the church, but it is the central calling and purpose of the church, yet the church does not own the mission, the mission is God’s (Location 256). Newbigin’s prophetic call to the church is for it to reemphasize its missionary character “to bring all things to their true end in the glory of the triune God” (Location 2556).
In the first section (Ch.1-3), Newbigin presents a historical background of missions and what the church’s current situation is in the West. Although, this book was initially published in 1978, Newbigin’s assessment of the state of the church is still profoundly accurate today in the twenty-first century. The missionary character of the church needs to be rediscovered, particularly in the West, in order for the church to live out its mission (Location 89). In the second part (Ch.4-6), Newbigin outlines the church’s mission within a Trinitarian framework. Christian mission is all about proclaiming the Kingdom of the Father, sharing the life of the Son, and bearing the witness of the Spirit. This Trinitarian framework provides the proper foundation for the third part (Ch.7-10), where Newbigin examines contemporary issues in mission. In particular, he examines “some of the theoretical and practical problems that the church must meet in pursuing its missionary calling” (Location 902).
Newbigin’s advice on dialoguing with non-Christians is such a powerful message that needs to be a regular part of every church’s discipleship pathway. Not only does he reject an imperialistic mindset, but he also advises Christians to come to dialogue in humility and with an understanding that we will learn and be transformed as much as the non-Christian will because we are entering into the presence of the cross (Location 2472).
Thus, the purpose of dialogue is not to “win” the other person to Christ, but it is to allow Christ to transform the hearer as much as the proclaimer, just like what happened to Peter when he “won” Cornelius to Christ (Location 2474).
Behind this methodology is the understanding that Christians do not posses the truth, but rather that we, as Christians, bear witness to the truth (Location 2465). In order to dialogue with non-Christians, Newbigin advises Christians to “meet them and share with them in a common life, not as strangers but as those who live by the same life-giving Word, and in whom the same life-giving light shines” (Location 2381). When Christians do this, there will be mutual learning and teaching, in addition to both sides receiving and giving (Location 2381). When this kind of dialogue happens, the Christian must put his Christianity at risk as much as the non-Christian should put their religion at risk – otherwise true learning cannot take place. However, the Christian does this “within the ultimate commitment to Jesus Christ as finally determinative of his or her way of understanding and responding to all experience” (Location 2521).
Consequently, I have never heard of such a radical way to dialogue with non-Christians, and the fact that Newbigin writes with significant field experience makes it all the more credible. As I interact and dialogue with others in my post-modern, post-Christian Canadian culture, I believe this is the way that evangelism needs to happen in order to see people enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ: Dialogical evangelism that takes place within an inclusive community.
I give this book five stars out of five.
If you want to learn more about Lesslie Newbigin, check out this site http://www.newbigin.net/
Thanks. Very helpful.