Reframing the House: Constructive Feminist Global Ecclesiology for the Western Evangelical Church

Reframing the House continues the conversation of global theology as the future of the church. Jennifer Buck tells how womens voices from Africa Asia and Latin America serve as a critique of Evangelical theology of the church in the West. Three voices are highlights here from the Majority world: Mercy Oduyoye a Ghanaian feminist theologian as representative of Africa; Kwok Pui-lan a Chinese feminist theologian as representative of Asia; and Maria Pilar Aquino a Mexican feminist theologian representative of the Americas. Working with these women along with Quaker political and feminist voices this work presents a constructive global ecclesiology exploring areas such as salvation sin peacemaking and more. LONG ENDORSEMENTS INCLUDED HERE This is a fantastic book. Jen Buck offers a wonderfully original work simultaneously critiquing outmoded models of the church while offering fresh and invigorating options built from the multitude of voices scattered across the earth. She helps us understand some of the most complex features of contemporary and feminist theology without sacrificing a robust commitment and confidence in the person and work of Christ. This is sure to become a leading voice in the field. --Gayle D. Beebe President Westmont College Dr. Buck provides a needed resource for Evangelicals today who search to expand theological and ecclesial frames that may no longer hold increasingly diverse questions concerning faith and life. Bucks search for truth leads her to reap the wisdom of other theological voices and methods ones that are sorely needed for contemporary Evangelicalism and the church. This is one of those works that challenges Evangelicalism out of an ecclesiological and theological past and into a bolder future. --Mark Chung Hearn Director of Contextual Education and Assistant Clinical Professor of Contextual Education and Ministry Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry Jennifer Bucks Reframing the House gives a voice to Majority World women who have not been heard much in Western discussions about the nature of the church. And Buck uses their voice to propose a constructive global ecclesiology that has implications for the way we think about sin salvation and the existence of the church as an alternative society to the sexism racism ethnocentrism individualism and all the other -isms that even infect the contemporary church. She does this with graciousness and humility yet conviction. There is no generic Christianity; the noun always requires an adjective--something we in the West often overlook. That is why Bucks book is needed: it participates in the answer to the Apostle Pauls prayer in Ephesians that we might come to know the dimensions of Christs love with all the saints. --Dennis Okholm Azusa Pacific University This book should be celebrated for its deep feminist ecumenical and global commitments. Buck mines the richness of the work of three trailblazing feminists from the Third World--Mercy Oduyoye Kwok Pui-Lan and Maria Pilar Aquino--to show how and why the Western evangelical house needs to be reframed. Readers will find their theological horizons broadened their appreciation of world Christianity deepened and their understanding of the important contributions that feminism provides enhanced. --Grace Yia-Hei Kao Author; Associate Professor of Ethics Claremont School of Theology; Codirector of the Center for Sexuality Gender and Religion Jennifer Buck holds a PhD in Philosophy of Religion and Theology from Claremont Graduate University and an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary. She teaches theology biblical studies and practical theology at Azusa Pacific University and Hope International University as well as serving in preaching and teaching roles at her church.