Download or read book Ecclesial Identities in a Multi-Faith Context written by Darren Todd Duerksen and published by Lutterworth Press. This book was released on 2015-07-30 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Hindus and Sikhs become followers of Christ, what happens next? Should they join Christian churches that often look and feel very unfamiliar to them? Or to what degree can or should they remain a part of their Hindu/Sikh communities and practices? Uncomfortable with the answers that were provided to them by Christian leaders in northwest India, six followers of Christ began Yeshu satsangs that sought to follow Christ and the teachings of the Bible while remaining connected to their Hindu and/or Sikhcommunities. 'Ecclesial Identities in a Multi-Faith Context' contextualises the practices and identities of these leaders and their gatherings, situating these in the religious history of the region and the personal histories of the leaders themselves. Whereas some Christians worry that the Yeshu satsangs and related 'insider movements' are syncretising their beliefs and are not properly identifiable as 'churches', Darren Todd Duerksen analyses the Yeshu satsang's narratives and practices to find vibrantexpressions of local church that are grappling with questions and tensions of social and religious identity. In addition to his ethnographic approach, Duerksen also uses recent sociological and anthropological theory in identity formation and critical realism, as well as discussions of biblical ecclesiology from the Book of Acts. This study will be a helpful resource for those interested in global Christianity, the practices and identities of churches in religiously plural environments, and the creative ways in which Christfollowers can engage people of other faiths.