Street Signs

by David P Leong, Ray Bakke (Foreword by)

Overview

Street Signs is an Engaging Missiological Inquiry into the Cultural and Theological Meaning of the City. Through the lens if Seattle's Rainier Valley, one of the most ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities in the US, this work constructs an urban, missional, and contextual theology that is shaped by the local realities of urban neighborhoods but relevant to cities everywhere. Focused on the themes of incarnation, confrontation, and imagination, Street Signs explores the contours of missional theology in urban contexts marked by physical density, social diversity, and economic disparity. In addition to examining contextualization and culture theory, Street Signs also utilizes creative research methods like urban exegesis, cultural semiotics, and theology of the built environment. For the urban ministry practitioner or the theologian in the city, this work aims to engage thoughtful Christians with missiological and theological reflections on place, neighbor, and community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610974523
Publisher:	Pickwick Publications
Publication date:	07/01/2012
Series:	American Society of Missiology Monograph , #12
Pages:	270
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

David P. Leong is Assistant Professor of Missiology in the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xix

List of Figures xx

Introduction 1

Part 1 Urbanism and Contextualization

1 Urbanization in Context 11

2 Faith and Culture 23

Part 2 A Missional Theology of Cultural Engagement

3 Incarnation: The Missional Task 33

4 Confrontation: The Prophetic Task 53

5 Imagination: The Creative Task 79

Part 3 An Urban Exegesis of the Rainier Valley

6 Unpacking Urban Exegesis 97

7 Observation: The Urban Context of Rainier Valley 115

8 Interpretation: A Local Urban Theology of Rainier Valley 132

Part 4 An Urban Contextual Theology

9 Contextualization as Process 153

10 The Urban Context 178

11 Toward an Urban Contextual Theology 198

Conclusion: The Church Engaging the City 221

Bibliography 229

Name Index 243

Subject Index 247

Scripture Index 249

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"The world continues its march toward urbanization; and the church continues to struggle to catch up to the new global (and particular) urban realities. Street Signs gives the reader valuable tools and perspectives for observing, interpreting, and engaging these realities. Whether the reader is a novice or veteran of the city, Street Signs is an excellent resource from one of the new voices in urban missiology."
—Jude Tiersma Watson, Associate Professor of Urban Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary

"Seattle serves as a microcosm of our new global reality—where East and West meet in postmodern context. David Leong understands this reality . . . The issues he addresses are not abstract, but rooted in the concrete practices of the church. Street Signs is essential reading for those who hope to foster multicultural and multi-socioeconomic Christian communities in contemporary global contexts."
—Ryan K. Bolger, Associate Professor of Church in Contemporary Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary

"Pain shows up on our streets, but so do parties. David Leong captures both in the street signs of his own urban neighborhood. Here, he and his family live as signs of God's grace. Street Signs invites us to twenty-first-century urban ministry with sensibility and nuance."
—Miriam Adeney, Associate Professor of World Christian Studies at Seattle Pacific University

"Leong fires my imagination . . . He uses biblical, historical, theological, missiological, and contextual lenses to show me what urban communities once were and what they could become . . . Believe me, you'll love this book!"
—Ray Bakke, Professor of Global Urban Studies at Bakke Graduate University

Editorial Reviews

"The world continues its march toward urbanization; and the church continues to struggle to catch up to the new global (and particular) urban realities. Street Signs gives the reader valuable tools and perspectives for observing, interpreting, and engaging these realities. Whether the reader is a novice or veteran of the city, Street Signs is an excellent resource from one of the new voices in urban missiology."
—Jude Tiersma Watson, Associate Professor of Urban Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary

"Seattle serves as a microcosm of our new global reality—where East and West meet in postmodern context. David Leong understands this reality . . . The issues he addresses are not abstract, but rooted in the concrete practices of the church. Street Signs is essential reading for those who hope to foster multicultural and multi-socioeconomic Christian communities in contemporary global contexts."
—Ryan K. Bolger, Associate Professor of Church in Contemporary Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary

"Pain shows up on our streets, but so do parties. David Leong captures both in the street signs of his own urban neighborhood. Here, he and his family live as signs of God's grace. Street Signs invites us to twenty-first-century urban ministry with sensibility and nuance."
—Miriam Adeney, Associate Professor of World Christian Studies at Seattle Pacific University

"Leong fires my imagination . . . He uses biblical, historical, theological, missiological, and contextual lenses to show me what urban communities once were and what they could become . . . Believe me, you'll love this book!"
—Ray Bakke, Professor of Global Urban Studies at Bakke Graduate University

From the Publisher