A Theology As Big As The City | Book Review

Reviewed by Thomas Scarborough.

Following his graduation from Moody Bible Institute, Ray Bakke found himself propelled from “rural Washington to inner-city Chicago”. This is a book in which he traces his journey, and combines his experience of the city — Chicago in particular — with his own theological reflection. The end product would seem to be an unusual mix of history, theology, and personal experience — and yet it works. It is a warm-hearted book that would unlikely have done better if it had confined itself to theology alone. He describes his method as follows: “I want to tell stories about the people, books, and events . . . that helped revolutionize my theology of the city.” Being an inner-city minister myself, in the very heart of (by some accounts)

Africa’s most densely populated suburb, this was the first book I have read that, in my experience, deeply understands ministry in the city. Ray Bakke has “been there”.

WHAT IS BAKKE’S THEOLOGY?

This is no systematic theology, nor could one imagine Bakke ever fitting the mould of a systematic theologian. While occasionally his theology is explicit, much of it needs to be gleaned from the book. In fact in some ways his theology would seem to be as multifaceted as the city itself. The city, considers Bakke, is no bad place. It is not the case that “all cities are evil”. Rather, a city might be described as a “magnificent ruin’”. It is a ruin on account of its being “sin-scarred”, yet it is magnificent for the reason that, in the city, “there have been ministries of such splendor and significance”. This having been said, city ministry is not merely about human activity, as so many theologies would seem to imply. Above all, it is about “our God as One who engages in external-world activity”. The city is the story of “God’s surprising interventions”. Thus Bakke demonstrates with liveliness and passion how wonderful are God’s works both in and through the city. As an example, he dedicates one chapter to the story of Philemon and Onesimus — “a testimony to urban evangelism” — through which a runaway slave, seeking anonymity in the city, ultimately becomes a bishop of critical influence in the Church. All in all, “large cities are both magnets,” he writes, “drawing the nations into them, and magnifiers, broadcasting the gospel out into the hinterlands”.

HOW DOES BAKKE RECONCILE SPIRITUAL AND SOCIAL MINISTRY?

“I acknowledge Scripture to be the final test”, writes Bakke. With this in mind, he considers that there are two distinct “spiritualities” in the Bible — evangelism and social engagement — and “what God has brought together, let no one put asunder”. The righteous, he writes, “are called to be both salt and light . . . the twin vocations of the Christian”. He broadly surveys the theology of Scripture, its example, and the example of Church history, to make what would seem to be a strong case for the Christian’s twofold calling. On the whole, he considers, this is “beneficial to the security and salvation of individual persons”. That is, the salvation of individuals is deeply bound up with social engagement — it cannot be approached in isolation. He shows how both the prophets and apostles exercised a twofold responsibility — not only did they “preach the gospel”, but they also “served”. Further than this, Bakke suggests a “theology of place” — namely a God who does not “care only about people . . . [but] about places, including cities”. It does not stop there. In view of “Christ’s Lorship”, the Christian’s responsibility extends to the transformation of “city systems and structures”. Bakke shares the experience of a colleague. After having sat in court for a day, he said to the judge: “Your honor . . . Where is the justice in this court?” The judge replied, “Reverend, this is not a court of justice. This is a court of law. If you want justice, change the law!”

WHAT IS BAKKE’S ATTITUDE TO ETHNICITY?

A modern city, writes Bakke, will typically contain many ethnicities. This he approaches largely from the point of view that God makes loving and providential use of ethnicity to proclaim salvation to the world. One need only think of Pentecost, or the prophets and teachers at Antioch (Acts 13:1). He quotes Isaiah 66:19: “They will proclaim my glory among the nations.” He suggests, as an example, that our greatest witness to the Middle East might lie in our own cities, some of which are home to large numbers of people from that region. He demonstrates that the history of Israel itself is in many ways a multi-ethnic one, and that this was greatly used by God for the later blessing of the world through the gospel. Not only this, but Christ’s own blood-line was multi-ethnic: “Jesus not only got His blood from the world, He also shed that blood on the cross for the world.” He notes the influx to Western cities of many who belong to “the Orthodox family of Churches”, and comments: “Isn’t it amazingly gracious of our God to bring our ancient Christian leaders to be side by side with us in Western cities . . . ?” These Christians, he notes, have special spiritual emphases, some of which were formed under oppression and persecution. Therefore “they have lived closer” to certain Biblical perspectives than Westerners. We do not hope for such groups to “totally fold into Chicago”, but we appreciate the Spirit’s work in creating an “authentic ethnic spirituality” in which one may “celebrate the sovereign God’s movement in [their] past”.

SYNTHESIS

Bakke notes that “over 50% of people on the planet” will by now live in cities. For this reason, it is crucial to develop an appropriate attitude towards ministry in the city. With this in mind, this was a refreshing book. Further, Bakke would seem to be one of the few who has understood a crucial truth of inner-city ministry: “We need deep roots to survive in urban ministry.” I particularly enjoyed some of the home truths scattered throughout the book. For instance, in speculating about how Philemon might have reacted to Paul’s epistle, he comments: “One thing we know: Philemon didn’t tear up the letter” — or, with regard to the world’s shift from a 90% Western Church to a majority non-Western Church within a hundred years, he considers: “The missionaries have done many things right”. My sentiment on completing this book is: “Thank God for Ray Bakke.” He has surely done city ministry a great service through this book. My only question is why it should not yet have reached a Second Edition.

CITATION OF REFERENCE

Bakke, Ray. A Theology As Big As The City. Downers Grove, Illionois: InterVarsity Press, 1997.