How Christians Should View Other Religions—and What Is the Southgate Statement?

Dan Strange and a growing group of theologians are concerned about the direction of mainstream missions. Why?

We know missionaries should have a theology of God, the Bible, and salvation—but what does it mean to develop a theology of religions? And what are the bigger problems plaguing evangelical missiology? Dr. Dan Strange, theological director at Oak Hill College and co-chair of The Southgate Fellowship, joins us from London to discuss his new book Their Rock Is Not Like Our Rock: A Theology of Religions, the problem of pluralism, and why his fellowship is pushing back on some emerging trends in missions through its thorough statement of affirmations and denials.

Dan received his Ph.D. from Bristol University, publishing his dissertation The Possibility of Salvation among the Unevangelised (Paternoster, 2000). His speciality is in the area of Christianity’s relationship to other religions. You can follow him on Twitter.

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Alex Kocman & Scott Dunford

Alex Kocman is the Director of Communications and Engagement for ABWE. He serves as general editor for Message Magazine and co-hosts The Missions Podcast. After earning his M.A. in Communication and B.S. in Biblical Studies, he served as an online apologetics instructor with Liberty University and a youth pastor in Pennsylvania, where he now resides with his wife and three children. Read his blog or follow him on X/Twitter.

Scott Dunford is the pastor of Western Hills Church in San Mateo, Calif. Previously, Scott served as Vice President of Mobilization and Communications for ABWE and as a missionary in East Asia. Scott graduated from Northland International University (B.A. in Pastoral Studies), earned his M.A. in biblical studies from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, his M.B.A. from Cornerstone University, and is currently enrolled in Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s D.Min. program with an emphasis on missions.