Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth (Living Theology) [Paperback]

John R. Franke (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0687491959 | ISBN-13: 978-0687491957 | Publication Date: October 1, 2009

If Christians are part of the one body of Christ, how do we account theologically for the multiple expressions of our common faith? If God is ultimate truth, why is it so difficult to agree on issues related to truth? Must we sacrifice a commitment to truth in favor of a pragmatic unity in the church? Or must we hold on to our perception of the truth at the expense of fracturing the church? For John Franke, truth versus unity is a false dichotomy. In this provocative yet thoughtful book, he argues that orthodox and biblical Christian faith is inherently pluralist, and that this diversity, far from being a problem that needs to be overcome, is in fact a blessing from God and part of the divine design and intention for the church. Suggesting that Christians should affirm the reality of ultimate truth, but cautioning humility regarding our grasp of it, Franke sets forth a relational theology in which the many expressions of revealed truth Christ, the Holy Spirit, and Scripture, along with a diverse church together witness to the expansiveness of the one God.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A refreshing study of plurality and diversity as something intrinsic to the nature of Christianity rather than as something extraneous to it. Lucid and lively, the book makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion about the religion s emerging profile in the twenty-first century. I am entirely in agreement with John Franke that faith is embodied, that theology is rooted in practice and experience, and that the gospel shapes and is shaped by culture. Manifold Witness tracks the manifold trails of Christianity s impact on persons and societies. It should find welcome response in theological study and teaching. --Lamin Sanneh, Professor of World Christianity and Director, World Christianity Initiative, at Yale Divinity School, Professor of History at Yale University, and author

John Franke asserts the plurality of truth, not as a capitulation to non- or anti-Christian thought, but rather as an expression of profoundly Christian thought and specifically, of emergent, missional, and Trinitarian Christian thought. In so doing, he gently implies that the dominant alternative view that white, modernist, Western Christian scholars and institutions have a monopoly on truth is actually a capitulation to modes of thought and power that have betrayed the life and gospel of Jesus Christ. --From the foreword from Brian McLaren

Why is there a Trinity of persons and a quartet of Gospels? Do not relation and difference, context and plurality lie at the very heart of the Christian tradition? Is not the infinite resourcefulness of love enhanced by change and alterity? These are the kinds of questions that John Franke addresses in a bold, sweeping, and lucid presentation of the ongoing renewal of the life of the church. Manifold Witness is the fruit of a tenacious faith in the Christian tradition and a no-less-tenacious faith in the power of truth. --John D. Caputo, Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Humanities at Syracuse University and author of What Would Jesus Deconstruct? The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church

A refreshing study of plurality and diversity as something intrinsic to the nature of Christianity rather than as something extraneous to it. Lucid and lively, the book makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion about the religion s emerging profile in the twenty-first century. I am entirely in agreement with John Franke that faith is embodied, that theology is rooted in practice and experience, and that the gospel shapes and is shaped by culture. Manifold Witness tracks the manifold trails of Christianity s impact on persons and societies. It should find welcome response in theological study and teaching. --Lamin Sanneh, Professor of World Christianity and Director, World Christianity Initiative, at Yale Divinity School, Professor of History at Yale University, and author

Why is there a Trinity of persons and a quartet of Gospels? Do not relation and difference, context and plurality lie at the very heart of the Christian tradition? Is not the infinite resourcefulness of love enhanced by change and alterity? These are the kinds of questions that John Franke addresses in a bold, sweeping, and lucid presentation of the ongoing renewal of the life of the church. Manifold Witness is the fruit of a tenacious faith in the Christian tradition and a no-less-tenacious faith in the power of truth. --John D. Caputo, Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Humanities at Syracuse University and author of What Would Jesus Deconstruct? The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0687491959
• ISBN-13: 978-0687491957
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John R. Franke is the Lester and Kay Clemens Professor of Missional Theology at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA. He holds the DPhil degree from the University of Oxford and is particularly interested in engaging postmodern thought and culture from the perspective of missional Christian faith. He has spoken on the relationships between the gospel, theology, mission, and culture throughout the US and around the world and is actively involved in research and writing. In addition to publishing numerous articles and reviews he is the coauthor of Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context (Westminster John Knox Press), the author of The Character of Theology (Baker Academic) and Barth for Armchair Theologians (Westminster John Knox). His most recent book is Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth (Abingdon).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth about truth, January 7, 2010

By 

Julie Clawson (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth (Living Theology) (Paperback)

While the topic of truth gets a lot of air-time these days, few actually take the time to define what they are talking about or move beyond critiquing the "other side." Franke though stays true to an evangelical affirmation of truth while at the same time thoughtfully engaging with the reality of pluralism. His nuanced approach to the discussion doesn't rubber-stamp any extreme, but admits the complexity associated with faith and truth. And for that, I found his work to be refreshing. He admits upfront that "the expression of biblical and orthodox Christian faith is inherently and irreducibly pluralist" (7). But this isn't an in-your-face assertion that must be swallowed whole; it is instead the idea that the whole book seeks to unpack and explore. With a faithful commitment to scripture and a tender compassion for the reader, Franke demonstrates how pluralism is not something to be feared or fought but is instead simply a beautiful intrinsic aspect of not just our faith but all creation.

I appreciated how Franke in his discussion of truth quickly moved beyond the absolute and relative dichotomies. Neither accurately represents truth as the first tries to commoditize it for the sake of power and the second deny it in the name of tolerance. Pluralism and truth are far more complex than the extreme camps allow us to admit. Our world is diverse, as is our faith. And Franke rightly points out that culture and our faith is always changing, God never leaves us where we are at, but is constantly transforming us with the gospel. The constant renewing of our minds allows us to faithfully claim traditions in the church as well as celebrate the new things God is doing. The celebration of plurality affirms the "importance of multiple perspectives in the apprehension and communication of truth" (40). Just as The Father, Son, and Spirit are one even as they are different, the church can be one while living fully into our own diversity.

I also was grateful for Franke's assertion that we can never let our particular cultural setting trump our commitment to truth. We are situated in culture, but when we start to assume that our cultural habits are the only way to present truth, we are in fact limiting God and truth. Scripture and God cannot be subject to cultural assumptions, but must be celebrated in their plurality. Similarly, we should remember that God doesn't seek to assimilate the Other and make us all the same either. Franke brilliantly reminds us that we can be silencing God when we do not listen to voices that might not fit our accepted cultural theological norms. He writes, "theology is not a universal language. It is situated language that reflects the goals, aspirations, and beliefs of a particular people, a particular community" (94). If we are to affirm the plurality that God affirms, we must thoughtfully seek out the diversity of theological voices. This was a poignant wake-up call for me as I too often only listen to the voices of those similar to me. I need to be striving to affirm God by affirming the truth of the many legitimate enculturations of the faith.

Manifold Witness is accessible, but it is also challenging. Franke goes places that others have avoided - not for the sake of controversy, but out of a deep desire to be faithful. His commitment to loving and serving God is apparent on every page of this book making his exploration of the plural nature of truth a gift to the Christian community. I highly recommend this book not just for those caught up in the discussion of truth, but to all Christians eager to celebrate our expansive God in the full diversity of his church.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, But Unfulfilling, March 5, 2010

By 

Benjamin A. Simpson (De Soto, KS) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth (Living Theology) (Paperback)

John Franke has written an engaging book, and the subject matter is eternally relevant and always controversial: truth. In Manifold Witness, Franke is arguing for an ever-present plurality within Christian truth claims. Throughout his work, Franke engages questions concerning the nature of truth, the nature of God, explains deconstruction as a vital practice for Christian theological reflection, and adds a proposed approach to theology based on his concept of "manifold witness." From start to finish, this is an interesting read that takes up many important contemporary concerns.

Franke raises some helpful questions, such as whether a historic Christian faith exists. Relying on the work of Andrew Wall, Franke posits what the Christian faith would look like overtime to a space alien researching human religious culture. Focusing on Christianity in particular, Franke asks if the alien would recognize any coherence at all, and if the Vincentian rule of the faith, that which has been believed "everywhere and by all," could be successfully applied. Franke believes it could not. While there would be some similarities found within the Christian faith as it has been professed across time, Franke believes there is more diversity than there is unity, and as such can be considered an evidence for the plurality of truth. While Franke's scenario is plausible, I humbly disagree. Plurality of expression, and particular emphases on certain facets of Christian doctrine and practice over time to meet specific needs and specific cultural situations does not automatically negate a unified "deposit" of Christian faith that has been constant across traditions and across time. Plurality of expression does not exclude unity and singularity of truth.

Franke's work also is Trinitarian, and for this reason is to be commended. The resurgence of Trinitarian theology has been good news for Christianity, and has led to deepening reflection in particular on the social nature of the Godhead, which is Franke's focus here. Franke extends the sociality of the Trinity to the loving, missional impulse of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who are now at work to bring to full expression the redemption that has been made possible through Jesus Christ. This presentation of the Trinity does have some strengths, as it can serve as grounds for the ministry of the local church and the imperative for engagement and service to the world. However, throughout Franke's discussion of the Trinity, I couldn't shake the sense that the plurality of God was being stressed over and above the unity of the Godhead in a way that is unwarranted. It is as though the commitment to truth as plural was driving the assertion that the Trinity's plurality takes precedence over the Divine Oneness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In the final analysis, I can't help but wonder how Franke's presentation in Manifold Witness is able to discern which expressions of the plurality of truth can be upheld and considered authoritative for the body of Christ. While his critiques of cultural superiority (the belief that one particular cultural expression of Christianity can be universalized over all others) are extremely helpful and humbling, for the Church as a whole, I cannot see how such an approach to truth allows for discernment between what, in fact, is true and false. It seems that in the end, the plurality would be favored over the unity, for the ground for unity is evasive.

This is an interesting read in contemporary theology, and those with a postmodern bent might particularly find it compelling. But in the end, I found the book a good read that left me a bit empty, hoping for more. While I recognize that mystery is a facet of Christian faith, I'm seeking for some firm ground to stand upon while engaging in contemplation of Christian truth. The search continues.