A Theology as Big as the City [Paperback]

Raymond J. Bakke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 1997

"As we look at the world-class cities around our planet, we face five new urban realities: a crack cocaine epidemic, assault weapons, massive numbers of homeless children, HIV/AIDS and (in the U.S.) what Time magazine has called `the browning of America.' The needs of the urban population are greater than ever. . . . As our cities swell with immigrants, I'm reminded that Jesus was born in a borrowed barn in Asia and became an African refugee in Egypt, so the Christmas story is about an international migrant. Furthermore, a whole village full of baby boys died for Jesus before he had the opportunity to die for them on the cross. Surely this Jesus understands the pain of children who die for the sins of adults in our cities." How does God see the city? What does Scripture have to say about urban ministry? These are the questions Ray Bakke has systematically addressed, beginning with Genesis and continuing through to Revelation. Here is a biblical theology that will constantly surprise and challenge as you get a glimpse of how big God's view of the city really is.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Raymond J. Bakke is chancellor and professor of Global Urban Studies at Bakke Graduate University, headquartered in Seattle, Washington. He is a former executive director of International Urban Associates in Chicago, Illinois.

Product Details

• Paperback: 221 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (July 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830818901
• ISBN-13: 978-0830818907
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Theology for Urban Missions and Ministry, April 24, 2003

By 

tdott (Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Theology as Big as the City (Paperback)

The church must learn to minister in an increasingly urban world. Recruitment and motivation for this task involves theologically based worldview change. Bakke renders an important contribution in contextualizing biblical theology to the urban context. His is not a literalist biblical hermeneutic; instead Bakke models theological reflection, bringing to the text questions raised by his own unique traditions and social context (Bakke 1997:29). Insofar as this context is an urban one largely abandoned by much of the Evangelical community and insufficiently explored theologically, he renders a great service. The Trinity doctrine forms the proper foundation for urban ministry: "God lives in community and works in partnership for both the creation and the redemption of the world."

Modern cities are marked by economic classism and social stratification which are the same injustices for which ancient Sodom was judged. Yet because "God's hands are in the mud" and actively involved with both redemption and re-creation even the most corrupt of cities is eminently redeemable. Bakke believes a principle from Nehemiah, the relocation of a "tithe" of godly people into the urban context would have a profound preservative and regenerative effect on cities. Even the weak, imprisoned and powerless faithful in remarkably small numbers have often transformed entire cities. The task of urban ministry must be viewed soberly yet hopefully. Bakke provides an important antidote to the predominant causes of attrition among urban workers: burnout and compassion fatigue.

Proclamation remains at the center of urban evangelism but the gospel's social implications must be fulfilled. Bakke gently and insightfully exposes the inconsistency of a well-meaning suburbanite's criticism of a "social gospel" on the basis that primarily social criteria had been the grounds upon which the suburbs were chosen as his neighborhood. The city's urbanizing influence cannot be avoided by living extramurally. Moreover, the physical presence of godly people within a city is essential for confronting its strongholds.

Bakke demonstrates that mission has been brought near to us through urbanization but urges readers to take the final incarnational step of engaging urban contexts theologically and diaconally. In response, missiology must increasingly support cross-cultural ministries in the pluralistic urban context. The church must increasingly adapt its forms in response to 24/7 urban pluralism. Our hermeneutic historically has reflected a rural, agrarian or even anti-urban bias (Bakke 1997:14) but now theology must grapple with an increasingly urban world context. An urban theology should take into account God's concern for places as well as people. Bakke will motivate many suburbanite and rural Christian readers to emulate the Christ of Philippians 2, by practicing "downward social mobility" (Bakke 1997:46) as they establish a righteous witness in an often corrupt urban community. If urban ministry is better caught than taught, reading this book makes one susceptible to a virulent strain!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative Biblical Theology for Cities, December 11, 2008

By 

Scott T. Arnold "Rev. Dr. Scott T. Arnold" (Quincy, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Theology as Big as the City (Paperback)

Ray Bakke is a biblical theologian whose passion for history makes a wonderful combination for those serving or studying urban ministry. Having been a student of Dr. Bakke while in Chicago I can tell you that his sage advice and insights will stick with you and give you the kind of vision that is trans formative. This book is full of wonderful true stories and a theology that is both biblical and born of blood and sweat. God is working out a grand salvation story, and cities and their people are loved by God. In my estimate, Dr. Bakke offers great hope for those battling in the trenches of urban ministry, his vision is Christ-centered.
- Dr. Scott Arnold (Flint School of Urban Ministry)

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A misleading title, but good content, April 22, 2003

By 

Luke Tallon (abroad) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Theology as Big as the City (Paperback)

The biggest downfall of Bakkes book is the title. When I read Bakkes book for an urban ministry and missions course, I expected a systematic approach in which traditional theology was reinterpreted into the urban context. Instead, Bakke used his urban paradigm to exegete a sampling of biblical texts. Better titles for his book would have been Ministry in Urban Chicago Changed How I Read the Bible or A Hermeneutic as Big as the City. Unfortunately, hermeneutic is a scary word for most people, nearly devoid of the romance of theology.
Aside from the misleading title, the book is a great starting point for anyone wondering how God views the city or what scripture says about urban settings. Bakke allows the reader to follow him as he reads through the Bible and to see how a veteran inner-city worker reads scripture and applies it to the urban context. Bakkes commentary reminded me about Gods love for the city and Gods plan for the city. Too often, Christians have the mindset that the city is inherently dangerous and evil, while suburban and rural settings are inherently good. Bakke unmasks this myth and reminds us of Gods love for the city. When Christians flee the city, the world hears that God does not love the city and it is irredeemable. Bakke proclaims Gods love for the city and especially for the forsaken urban poor. He launches a direct attack on comfortable suburban Christians as they flee the shockingly broken and sinful cities for the suburbs with their hidden brokenness and culturally acceptable sin.
I would recommend this book to anyone contemplating urban ministry or engaged in urban ministry, but I really wish that suburban Christians would read this book. I think that suburban Christians would be confronted by two important ideas, which are easily overlooked. First, they would confront the evidence that the evangelical church seems to be retreating further from seeing our God as One who engages external-world reality to seeing only One who meets our personal needs and solves our personal problems (14). Second, I think that encountering Bakkes urban inspired reading of the Bible would challenge the myth that we can just read the Bible and do what it says without seriously examining the eyes with which we read. Most affluent Christians desperately need to see the Bible through someone elses eyes, and Bakkes eyes, attuned to urban poverty and hopelessness, are a great place to start.