Review

The Concept of Ethnicity in the Bible: A Theological Analysis
Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press. 2004

ISBN10: 0-7734-4898-5 — ISBN13: 978-0-7734-4898-8 — 484 pages.
By Mark  R.  Kreitzer, Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies,
Reformed Theological Seminary.

Lewiston, NY: Mellen. 

Reviewed by Enoch Wan.

Published in www.Global Missiology.org, Review & Preview, April 2009,

Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations
List of Figures
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Ethnicity: Background Literature
2. Ethnicity: Ethnicity and Interdisciplinary
3. Ethnic Solidarity: Preliminary Definitions
4. Dominion Covenant, Babel, Ethnic Solidarity
5. Primal History, Abraham, and Mission
6. Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants Impact Esol
7. Esol and the Covenants in Wisdom Literature
8. Esol in the Prophets and Mission Success
9. Esol, Babel-Pentecost, and the New Covenant
10. Esol, Paul, and Covenant Theology
11. Conclusion and Application
Glossary of Philosophical Terms
Reference Terms

This volume is a progress report of Dr, Mark R Kreitzer’s extensive study on the topic of ”ethnicity, ” prompted by  His professional service as a        missionary in South Africa, full-time study in the two doctoral programs at Reformed Theological Seminary, and personal reflections on his missionary career and in-depth research of many years on “ethnicity”

This volume should be a prescribed reading for those who are interested in issues related to:

• The topic of “ethnicity” discussed within the framework of a biblical worldview;
• The turmoil of inter-ethnic conflicts both internally in many countries and internationally among cultural-distinctive groups that have Kingdom implications;
• The challenge of pluralism, multiculturalism and post-modernism to evangelicals in the 21^st Century;
• The search for an alternative epistemological paradigm for evangelical Christian scholars;
• The best option in research methodology for students of many disciplines and scholars of different persuasions.

This is not a volume for light reading for it is: a book of 400+ pages, extensive “reference list, carefully documented footnotes, complicated framework, multi-disciplinary approach, etc.  

The book is consistently and convincingly framed in the covenantal tradition of Reformed orientation that might not sit well with those of Armenian persuasion.  It is a bold attempt to critique popular convictions, shared by evangelical scholars, such as “homogeneous unit principle,” critical realism epistemology, church growth movement, etc.  Yet evangelical researchers on “ethnicity” cannot easily dismiss the argument of the author who has developed strong biblical foundation, sound theological conviction and systematic/theoretical formulation of ethnicity.

The readers will find the “Glossary of Philosophical Terms” at the end of the book to be very helpful. The comprehensive “Reference List” with hundreds of helpful publications is handy for those who desire to pursue the topic further.

Here are some suggestions for those who are ready to make the most of this book of extensive length, complicated argument, wordy style, and other challenges:

• Start with “Glossary of Philosophical Terms” of pages 425-430 to have the basic understanding of many key-terms;
• Then read the last chapter “Conclusions and Applications” of pages 399-423 to have a good grasp of the theory, theology and major themes covered by the author
• Then peruse the many figures (see listing on page xvii) to familiarize with the the theoretical framework of the author;
• Then scan through the various chapters for a general understanding without being distracted by word study (of Hebrew and Greek) and extensive footnotes.

If one can persevere, the reward of reading a challenging book like this volume is to journey with the author through selected biblical passages of OT and NT on “ethnicity,” exciting theoretical formulation and missiological implication of “ethnicity.”