Beyond Fragmentation

Book excerpt: Beyond Fragmentation is an inquiry into the development of mission studies in evangelical theological education in Germany and German-speaking Switzerland between 1960-1995. This is carried out by a detailed examination of the paradigm shifts, which have taken place in recent years in both the theology of mission and the understanding of theological education. David Bosch's proposal of an emerging ecumenical mission paradigm is examined with reference to the schools in membership with the Konferenz Bibeltreuer Ausbildungsstatten (KBA). The KBA schools have been greatly influenced by the work of Peter Beyerhaus and the Frankfurt Declaration (1970), and, as such, defend a conservative theological position and resist the challenge of Bosch's mission paradigm shift, the key issue being that of hermeneutics. Ott further explores the emerging new paradigm of theological education in both the Western and Two Thirds World contexts. While the evangelical Bible school movement has historically embodied many of the features of this new paradigm, they nevertheless have jeopardized these by their pursuit of academic accreditation. Ott believes that theological conservatism has caused the KBA schools to resist changes in the areas of contextual and inductive learning. Finally, Ott studies the schools' pattern of change and change-resistance through combining the insights of Thomas Kuhn, Hans Kung and Alasdair MacIntyre to hermeneutical and epistemological issues.