Pieris confronts two of the most urgent and complex questions facing Christians today - so many poor people and so many religions. He believes that the approaches of the Christian Churches to these questions will determine whether Christianity will continue to have any relevance for Asia or not.

In Life in Freedom Michael Amaladoss analyzes the many rich and complex strands of Asian religious thought on the notion and nature of the path toward liberation. As he shows, Asian "liberation theology" departs significantly from the Latin American model, with which it is commonly compared. Rather than put primary emphasis on economic issues, Asian cultures give much greater priority to the role of religion in the composition of a healthy society. In Part One Amaladoss discusses current liberation movements and thought in Korea, the Philippines, and India. In two other chapters, he shows also that the awakening of women is integral to the search for human freedom and development and the growing importance sound ecological policies in any valid approach to liberation in Asia. In Part Two Amaladoss discusses non-Christian approaches to human liberation and freedom, showing how the lives and thought of influential figures of other faiths have given distinctive shape to Asian approaches to liberation. Buddhists such as Thich Nhat Hanh and Hindus such as Mahatma Gandhi and E.V. Ramaswamy show that hostility to religion is remote from the most characteristic Asian liberation movements. Gandhi's entire politics was rooted in the notion that "to attain Truth or to realize God is the goal of human life." But God [for Gandhi] is realized concretely in the world and particularly in other people. Service to others then becomes a way to God and ultimately to human liberation. Similarly, Confucian traditions embody a deeply indigenous, Asian way of constructing reality as a sacred whole. In that construct, liberation and freedom take on meanings and dimensions functionally religious in the way they anchor individuals and the community to the cosmic whole. In Part Three, Amaladoss gives his own analysis and prophetic overview on how the plurality of images of liberation enriches the possibility for interreligious cooperation in overcoming the forces of oppression in Asia.

A dynamic chapter of church history is now being written in Asia. But the theological inflections at its heart are not well understood by outsiders. Simon Chan explores Asian Christianity at its grassroots, sustaining level and finds a vibrant, implicit theology that is authentically Asian. More than a survey, this is a serious and constructive contribution to Asian theology.

The purpose of this handbook is to introduce the reader to Christian concepts from the perspective of U.S. marginalized communities. It explores the interrelationship between religion, community, and culture in the social context of different marginalized groups, specifically those rooted in the African American, Amerindian, Asian American, feminist, gay/lesbian, and Hispanic experiences, and their impact on the development of U.S. theologies of liberation. The handbook gives attention to the history, nature, sources, and development of these theologies and the theologians who contributed to their formation. Of particular interest is how Handbook of U.S. Theologies of Liberation clearly distinguishes both the differences and similarities between these U.S. theologies and their Latin American counterparts. The handbook is divided into two sections: Thematic Essays that provide a general overview of a specific theological theme from the perspectives of different marginalized groups; and Contextual Essays that focus on the specific contributions of scholars from various racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds.

This book provides a comprehensive exploration of Asian Christianity and Theology, with emphasis on how it has developed in different parts of the continent and in the different eras, especially since the end of colonialism in Asia. Asian Theology refers to a unique way of theological reflection characterized by specific methodologies that evolved in postcolonial Asia. Premised on the thinking of Asian Church leaders and scholars, its focus is on the dialogue with the many cultures (inculturation), many religions (interreligious dialogue), and many poor (integral liberation) of Asia. The book looks at each of these ministries in detail, foregrounding Asian biblical hermeneutics, Christianity’s engagement with Hinduism, Confucianism, and Islam, Asian Women’s Theology, and the rise of Pentecostalism. The volume is valuable reading for scholars of religious studies, theology, world Christianity, Asian religions, and Asian studies.

Pieris confronts two of the most urgent and complex questions facing Christians today - so many poor people and so many religions. He believes that the approaches of the Christian Churches to these questions will determine whether Christianity will continue to have any relevance for Asia or not.

In this exciting volume, Peniel Rajkumar has assembled the work of nearly twenty prominent Asian theologians, making their writings accessible to the introductory-level student. The result is an ideal introduction to the wealth of Asian theologies and the major questions they raise. It is ecumenical in scope with emphasis on the contemporary concerns within Asian theology and some attention to the development of these theologies. Regional and subject specialists capture the ongoing conversation, incorporating new emphases and trends, thus making the book a fresh introduction to Christian theology in Asia.