David E. Stevens

Gods New Humanity: a Biblical Theology of Multiethnicity for the Church David E. Stevens

I pray . . . that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. . . . May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me. -Jesus Christ What if? What if believers of multiple ethnicities manifested the diversity in unity for which Jesus prayed? What if largely separate, homogeneous congregations-which account for nearly 92.5 percent of all churches in the United States-increasingly became connected, multiethnic congregations? What if, at eleven o'clock on Sunday mornings-or whenever believers gather to worship-local congregations were comprised of believing whites, African Americans, Koreans, Hispanics, Romanians, Native Americans, as well as the diverse mosaic of other ethnicities represented in our increasingly multicultural society? Would this not say something about the supernatural character of the gospel of reconciliation we proclaim? Jesus believed it would. That is why after praying for such diversity in unity among his followers, Jesus Christ-the Man for all nations-extended his arms and laid down his life to make it happen. This book, God's New Humanity, examines the biblical-theological vision and motivation for living in response to Jesus' prayer.