Kunnen protestanten in Mexico zonder het Oude Testament?

Samenvatting

While Mexico suffers corruption, violence, and an economic crisis, social issues are seldom voiced in the preaching and theology of Mexican Protestant Christians in general and Presbyterians in particular. This allows these Christians to live their lives in a ‘spiritual bubble’ that keeps the evil world outside, and results in a practical and social irrelevance of the Christian message. This article argues that near absence of the Old Testament in the ministry of many churches is the underlying source of this problem, surprising given the relevance of OT themes in the Mexican context. Factors leading to this problem include theological training, fear of sectarian excesses, hermeneutics, and the desire to keep Christians in their comfort zone. Relevant examples of local Christians’ reading the OT show significant impact for daily personal and social life. The article concludes that this recovery of the OT should be led by local Christians (not by missionaries and not necessarily Protestants) in a process of discovery. Where the Word, Old and New Testaments, is opened, the Spirit will apply it.