Christianity in Iran
To provide clarity to the greater historical context of Christianity in Iran in the 1960s and 1970s, the history of Protestant missions in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is summarised. To provide clarity to the greater historical context of Christ
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American Missionaries in Iran during the 1960s and 1970s “The title, American Missionaries in Iran during the 1960s and 1970s, certainly got my attention! The author explains well the history of mainly American Missions in Iran, and their relationship with the US government, the Iranian authorities, and most of all their relationship with Iranian Christians. The author has used primary sources from these years to help clarify the understandings and reactions of Iranians to the presence and strategies of the denominational American mission agencies in the country. Is ‘Madness’ too strong a word to describe these relationships? Maybe. But for me the important goal of this book is to help mission leaders and church historians to understand and evaluate the strategies of missions in Iran so that today’s mission activity will be culturally sensitive and glorifying to God.” —David Jones, a Mission to the World missionary (Presbyterian Church of America, PCA) to Iran who has lived overseas for over 40 years “When a historian/missiologist/theologian makes the case that missionaries, through well-meaning but misguided efforts, actually thwarted expansion of the gospel—the Church must take note and reconsider its strategies. Failure to recognize how cultural overtones tint delivery of the gospel message is a common missiological problem. This book tells the story of how this happened in Iran—with both positive and negative results. More than a critique, this well-documented project charts a path forward to consider to how best to share the gospel across cultures, rather than being bound by culture of origin expectations.” —Jeff Iorg, President, Gateway Seminary, Ontario, CA “This book by Philip Hopkins has been helpful and challenging to me on several different levels. It has served to clarify my understanding of Persian history, church history in Iran and the history of Christian missions in Iran. Another benefit for me in reading American Missionaries in Iran during the 1960s and 1970s has been to see how God has used the “house church” movement in postrevolution Iran to build His church. In the face of a seeming setback for His church there, God has triumphed again. Phil’s book has personally been challenging to me as well, causing me to ask, “As I minister to Iranians, am I unconsciously imparting some of my own cultural biases?”
This book has been meticulously researched and is clearly presented. It is well worth the read for those interested in missions and particularly God’s amazing work among Iranians in recent years and how it should precede in the future. I highly recommend it.” —Chuck Phillips, The International Presbyterian Church, West London, UK “Phil Hopkins is a faithful historian, theologian and missionary, and he has served the church and the academy well with his latest book American Missionaries in Iran during the 1960s and 1970s. He is an expert on this particular topic, and readers will glean important historical and missiological insights along the way. Moever, the story illustrates a common missiol
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