Drawing from postliberal, revisionary and Latin American liberation theological perspectives, David Kamitsuka offers proposals on theological method and doctrine responsive to the intellectual, pastoral and socio-political challenges of contemporary culture. He recasts inter-movement polemics in order to forge a theological approach which promotes what are often considered to be competing values among these three theological movements: solidarity with the oppressed (liberationist), redescribing the Christian communal sense of scripture (postliberal), and fully critical reflection (revisionist). The author advocates an apologetic strategy entailing coherentist and consensus elements for justifying Christian claims in the pluralistic public realm. He provides a model for reading scripture theologically which addresses the challenges of poststructuralism and a globally diverse Church. Kamitsuka uses rule theory to adjudicate doctrinal disputes on the relationship between salvation and political liberation, and he proposes methodological 'virtues' for theological practice rooted in practical judgements concerning the vitality and fidelity of Christian communities.

"Kamitsuka presents a dynamic synthesis of insights from postliberal, revisionary, and liberation perspectives which reveal a shared commitment to Christian theology as a form of ecclesial service and offer a heurisitc model for thinking about the Bible theologically as the church's book. Interestingly, he addresses a widespread North Atlantic academic disdain for liberation theology by identifying significant common ground between liberation and postliberal perspectives. This is a tough read for the philosophically unschooled and those inclined to choke on jargon and a lack of examples, but it is worth the trouble." Interpretation

"Kamitsuka is to be congratulated for this clear, elegant and creative approach to theological dialogue. Of benefit to all beyond a basic undergradate level and especially to working theologians." Paul Lakeland, Fairfield Univ.

"...Kamitsuka is to be congratulated for this clear, elegant and creative approach to theological dialogue. Of benefit to all beyond a basic undergraduate level and especially to working theologians." Religious Studies Review

"David Kamitsuka's book is a refreshingly honest and thoughtful analysis of some of the most intractable debates in contemporary theological method." Modern Theology