‘Discerning the Obedience of Faith’: A Short History of the World Evangelical Alliance Theological Commission

Die autorisierte Geschichte der Theologischen Kommission der Weltweiten Evangelischen Allianz, die auch die Ökumenischen Beziehungen der 600 Millionen Protestanten verantwortet, liegt hier in einer bis in die Gegenwart aktualisierten Ausgabe vor. Der Australier Dr. David Parker ist Herausgeber des Executive Editor of Evangelical Review of Theology, war Direktor der Theologischen Kommission der Weltweiten Evangelischen Allianz, für die er in verschiedenen Positionen 30 Jahre arbeitete. The Theological Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance (formerly World Evangelical Fellowship) was established in 1974, but its origins go back to 1968 when the inspiration of Scripture was under intense discussion in a meeting of the WEF in Lausanne, Switzerland. This book tells the story of how at that meeting, New Zealand missionary theologian, Bruce J Nicholls (then working in India), gave a stimulating paper on theological issues involved in the growth of Christian witness in Asia, which resulted in the recognition of a need for organised efforts to promote theological reflection. After a pilot program, the TC was formed and went on to harness the best evangelical theological life around the world to develop higher standards of theological education, provide direction on key issues through many conferences, books and journals, and to help the WEA present the evangelical voice on important platforms. This volume marks forty years of activity and shows how the Theological Commission, under its vision of ‘discerning the obedience of faith’, makes a unique contribution to evangelical life and witness around the world. David Parker, BD (London), MA, PhD (University of Queensland) is Executive Editor of Evangelical Review of Theology and a former Executive Director of the WEA Theological Commission. He has been involved with the Theological Commission for nearly thirty years. Dr Parker is a former Academic Dean of the Bible College of Queensland (now Brisbane School of Theology) and Adjunct Lecturer at Malyon College, The Queensland Baptist College of Ministries in Brisbane. He is also a member of the Baptist World Alliance Heritage and Identity Commission.