I've been reading Soong-Chan Rah's book, The New Evangelicalism, and I am struck by the insight of Dr. Rah concerning power and Western hegemony within U.S. Evangelicalism. In light of this I continue to advocate for a "New Mosaic" of Christianity that is inclusive and respective of the great diversity of Christians around the globe. What does this mean? It means taking the vision of Isaiah 11, the Peaceable Realm, seriously. I am praying that we can get the Lion and the Lamb to live together in the way that shows an equitable distribution of power and agency. If we are to be the Global Church Revelation 7:9 can not just be an eschatological vision but rather a missional imperative. This missional imperative reflects our willingness to see the "other" as our equal, as our sister and brother.
The New Evangelicalism says in the words of C. René Padilla, there is no citizenship test to belong to the Church. The Church is the great multitude of saints, independent of their language, race, or geography. May we press on to be the church, the whole church, for the sake of Christ and humanity. Every denomination, movement, and institution must continously wrestle with this mosaic in ways that challenges tribalism, and the privilege of the few.
