Books by Kenneth R Ross

This is the first attempt to comprehend the whole of Malawi's church history in a single volume. The focus of this book is about documenting the religious experience which was at the centre of founding the new nation of Malawi as we have come to know it. The book strikes a balance in covering issues pertaining to both mission activities and African agency. In many instances interesting pieces of evidence have been marshalled to corroborate or emphasize some of the conclusions reached.

More than twenty years have passed since this book was first published yet its themes remain vital for understanding the way in which Christian faith is coming to expression in a context like Malawi. It begins with Christology, with the question of the identity of Jesus Christ that is perennially at the centre of the Christian theological task. For a century and more Malawians have been hearing the proclamation, "here comes your king!" This has struck a chord in millions of hearts as individuals, families and communities have named Jesus Christ as Lord. It has also posed the challenge of discovering what this Lordship means in every dimension of life. Much of the rest of the book pursues this question as it explores how church identity has been formed and consolidated, how the faith has been a resource for the nation at critical moments, and the ways in which the faith has shaped national identity and helped to meet political challenges.

In this remarkable volume covering diverse subjects, in a span of three decades, Kenneth R. Ross articulates his views on the meaning and practice of Christian mission and challenges the binary view of mission that prevailed before the 1950s. He further reflects on Scotland's experiences in the world-wide Christian mission and demonstrates the centrality of Africa in any discourse on Christianity. This volume is invaluable in its argument for a rethinking of Christian mission especially in relation to the West, which is now a new frontier for Christian mission. The book will be immensely beneficial to students of missiology and general readers who are interested in the subject of Christian Mission.

Unity of knowledge is not easily achieved in today's Africa where often there is little conscious interaction between traditional beliefs, Christian faith and modern secularity. The challenge is taken up in this book as scholars from a variety of disciplines wrestle with the relation of faith and science at the frontiers of knowledge. The results are important alike for the integrity of faith, for scienti¿c advance and for the attainment of creative cultural unity in society. Readers with such concerns at heart will ¿nd much food for thought as they traverse the broad frontiers explored in these wide-ranging essays.