Introduction
Lesslie Newbigin’s contribution is considered among the brightest minds behind the missionary thought of the twentieth century, even though his reflection on Evangelism has not been widely studied. In the age of rising pragmatism and consumerism, through his writing, Newbigin aimed to comment on the disappearance of hope in society and embark on strengthening the missionary nature of the Church, which he considered highly valuable. After some time, Newbigin created a focus for his work – ‘proper confidence’ that the Church should show in Jesus Christ’s gospel. Instilling deep belief and confidence in faith was imperative to contrast the fundamentalism’s volatile forms or the reductionism inherent to liberal ideologies.
Insights from the Proper Confidence Book by Newbigin
The Gospel as Public Truth
There are several important insights from Newbigin’s book Proper Confidence that illustrate the epistemological shift demanded by the gospel. The first insight is that the gospel should be treated as public truth, with the author asserting that the authority of Jesus Christ affects all areas of life. The ultimate authority, in Newbigin’s writing, entails that its declaration of the gospel should be articulated not spiritually or internally but instead transferred to sociopolitical reality. In this sense, the responsibility of the Church is to exhibit the commitment to the ultimate authority in the public realm. This means that an excessively individualized or spiritualized form of Christian witness and discipleship goes against the Biblical frame of thinking. Instead, Newbigin proposed the followers of Jesus Christ be confident in the worldview that was shaped by the revelation of God as well as the fact of Jesus Christ’s existence being the core “clue to history.”
Biblical Tension: Universal Love vs. Specific Revelations Through Jesus
The second important insight from Newbigin’s work is that there is a Biblical tension between God’s love for all people universally and the specific revelations He made through Jesus. In the author’s view, the “key to the relation between the universal and the particular God’s way of the election – the doctrine that permeates and controls the whole Bible. The one (or few) is chosen for the sake of the many; the particular is chosen for the sake of the universal.” The author comments that the doctrine has been consistently misunderstood and misused, which is why it is important to replace the judgmental narrative regarding the scope of the election with an emphasis on the purpose of those who were elected. Notably, the chosen ones are not the people who are guaranteed exclusive benefits of God’s grace but rather those who are tasked with carrying the blessings for others’ sake.
The Strengths of the Book
The conviction and clarity of Newbigin’s argumentation of proper confidence strike the correct balance. The understanding of truth in this perspective can be continuously reviewed and corrected; however, this can only and always be done within the context of an irreversible commitment to Jesus Christ. Christianity is based not on the complete absence of doubt but rather on the abundant availability of hope.
Moreover, Newbigin underlines the fact that confident faith does not go against reason. In contrast, it is quite unreasonable to suggest that certainty eliminates the existence of doubt. The author shows that understanding the truth will always be an ever-changing process, with doubt having an important influence on helping people shape their perceptions of faith.
Conclusion
To conclude, Newbigin’s idea of proper confidence is instrumental in providing Christians the resources to establish confident pluralism in their thinking while staying clear of unsubstantiated certainty and functional relativism. The confidence that he preaches is better practiced than theorized, which is why it is important for believers to continually renew their witness to the truth and reenact it throughout their lives. This confidence can be attained by the ones who heard and answered the “Follow me” call from God through whom and for whom all things were made. Therefore, for Christians, proper confidence and confident pluralism are not certain ends but rather faithful and spiritual commitments that are made in the hope of resurrection after death.
Personal Reflection
Reflecting on Newbigin’s contribution through Proper Confidence, I can conclude that the missionary wanted to emphasize the available resources that people have in order to have ‘proper confidence’ in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Being a deep Biblical thinker, the author used the modern cultural context to show that missionary work can be both demanding and exciting. Evangelicals who would like to engage with Jesus’s teachings both socially and politically are warned to avoid losing their nerve about the gospel as public truth. Besides, the teaching on election provides significant clarity regarding the unique nature of Christ’s achievement while abandoning the baggage of judgmental attitudes.
Personally, I found Newbigin’s insights into the nature of election as one of the most essential aspects of his work because it emphasizes the importance of solid and confident Christology. It is expected that a believer should acknowledge that God’s deeds, including Jesus Christ’s resurrection, are unique and should be used as symbols through which people can express forgiveness and experience a good life. In addition, it is essential to note that a believer’s commitment to salvation in the name of Jesus does not mean showing judgment toward others. Therefore, judgment should be left to God, with confidence that one day He will bring justice. Such practice allows oneself to remain humble and not be the judge of others even though it is human nature to make inferences about how others should live, behave, or what values they should pursue in their lives.
The understanding of fundamental principles of Newbigin’s proper confidence ideology allows for the understanding that the work of a missionary is the cornerstone of the purpose of what it means to be a religious institution. Without being engaged in missionary work in some way or another, it is impossible to truly follow Jesus Christ: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” To accomplish this, a strong form of proper confidence is necessary, which entails focusing on Jesus, the deeds he accomplished throughout his life, as well as the impact of his death and resurrection.
Bibliography
Braaten, Carl E. “Book Reviews Based on: Graham Adams, Christ and the Other: In Dialogue with Hick and Newbigin.” The Expository Times 123 (2012), 249-257.
Hunsberger, George R. Bearing the Witness of the Spirit: Leslie Newbigin’s Theology of Cultural Plurality. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI: 1998.
Kandiah, Krish “Lesslie Newbigin’s Contribution to a Theology of Evangelism.” Transformation 21(2007), 51-60.
Newbigin, Lesslie. Proper Confidence: Faith, Doubt, and Certainty in Christian Discipleship Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI: 1995.
Newbigin, Lesslie. The Open Secret: An Introduction to the Theology of Mission. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI: 1995.