Human Culture and the Integrity of Creation: Biblical Reflections on Genesis 1-11

The debate about gospel and culture generally focuses on the problem of the authentic inculturation of the gospel in "indigenous" culture contexts. Indeed, no one can be universal outside his/her own yard; there is no universality without identity. But any authentic model of indigenization must be transparent in terms of the universal dimension of the gospel. More than ever today our world is one. Even the remotest South Pacific island cannot escape the effects of the predominant economic, military and communication orders of the world. "Coconut-time" is not beyond world-time which in the opinion of many concerned people is quickly rushing forward to the zero-hour of global destruction. The worldwide proclamation of the gospel today is far less a geographical than a theological task