RADICAL EVANGELICALISM AND THE POOR: A CHALLENGE TO ASPECTS OF EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT

The general question addressed in this thesis is: What difference does a theology in which the poor are a central category make to the way in which evangelical theology is formulated? The thesis argues that radical evangel icalism is an identif iable movement within the evangelical community in which commitment to the poor is a primary characteristic. This commitment is expressed in a theological formuldtion which challenges ways in which evangelical theology, hermeneutic, and mission have traditionally been un-derstood and practised. In its opening chapter the thesis commences by identifying radical evangelicalism and then proceeds in chapter two to identify the poor, first in the light of the South African context, and second in the light of scripture. This foundation is followed by a section in which histor ical and theological developments of the centra