Abrahamic Blessing

Is the Abrahamic blessing of Genesis 12:1-3 still active in the world today? Does God still extend his blessing to the nations through his people? The author found the answer to these questions in one of the most isolated regions of the world, Papua New Guinea. In this book Sarita D. Gallagher compares the missional nature of the Abrahamic blessing motif in Scripture to a national revival that took place in Papua New Guinea. By identifying the shared missional patterns, she illustrates the continued fulfillment of the Abrahamic blessing through the Old and New Testaments and the contemporary Papua New Guinean Church. The significance of this research is multifaceted: the text contributes new insights to the global Church’s understanding of the missio Dei, records an unexplored chapter of Melanesian indigenous mission history, and impacts the foundational motivations and methodology of contemporary mission praxis.''Gallagher creatively brings a biblical understanding of Abrahamic blessing and contemporary socio-religious issues to demonstrate the relevance of studying apparently disparate contexts. The balance of a narrative approach to exegesis and ethnographic interviewing enables a missional appreciation of both the Bible and Melanesian contexts. The outcome is an appreciation of blessing as a biblical expression within a cultural context where the Holy Spirit enables God’s blessing.''--R. Daniel Shaw, Professor of Anthropology and Translation, Fuller Theological Seminary''Blessing is not for wimps. Most people around the world don’t expect it. Fun? Yes. Happiness? Maybe. But that full-orbed concept of blessing? That is unique to the Abrahamic faiths. Blessing comes from the omnipotent Creator who communicates personally and mercifully. Surprisingly, blessing shows up in tough places, sometimes almost at the ends of the earth. Gallagher has been there, and has brought back a report. Read it, and be blessed.''--Miriam Adeney, Associate Professor of World Christian Studies, Seattle Pacific University''This excellent work is carefully and thoroughly researched, well documented, insightful, and passionate. [Abrahamic Blessing] should be read by anyone interested in God’s mission who wants to learn to read the Bible with a missiological lens. . . . All of us who teach missiology are indebted to Sarita Gallagher for her outstanding contribution to the field. The reader will be inspired and challenged by this work.''--Charles Van Engen, Arthur Glasser Professor of Biblical Theology of Mission, School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological SeminarySarita D. Gallagher is Assistant Professor of Religion at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. She previously served as a missionary with the CRC Churches International in Australia and Papua New Guinea where she taught missiology, biblical theology, and anthropology.