In his book Word and Church Anglican theologian John Webster writes, “At its best… attention to ‘context’ can remind theology that there is no pure language of Zion, and that theology’s conceptual equipment is borrowed from elsewhere. But at its worst it is a form of mental and spiritual laziness, an unwillingness to admit that theology must go about its own business if it is to speak prophetically and compassionately about the gospel to its neighbors.”
In other words, when theology ceases to be a distinctive discipline (and when the church ceases to be a distinctive community), it ceases to be of any restorative value to the world. At a time when both Catholics and evangelicals are reconsidering their approach to adult outreach, Catholics doing so under the New Evangelization and evangelicals doing the same in the name of being “missional,” Webster’s words are essential.
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