BOOK REVIEW: Thomaskutty, Johnson. The Gospel of John: A Universalistic Reading

 

 

BOOK REVIEW:

Thomaskutty, Johnson. The Gospel of John: A Universalistic Reading. Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2020. ISBN: 978-93-5148-400-4. Pages: i-xix, 1-302.

By

Kailengou Kipgen

The title GOSPEL OF JOHN: A UNIVERSALISTIC READING is a new book authored by Dr. Johnson Thomaskutty, a New Testament professor at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune. This book was published by Christian World Imprints in 2020, and it can be considered as one of the most recent books dealing on this particular topic. It consists of 15 chapters reading the Gospel of John in the universal context. This book aims to connect the sitz im leben Jesu and sitz im leben kirche with a gnomic intent. Basically, this book deals with three significant aspects: first, “Universalistic Linguistics and Literary Characteristics of John”; second, “Universalistic Nature of Themes and Characters in John”; and third, “Dynamic Localization: Johannine Texts and the Contexts.”

In his essay Universalistic Language and Literary Style of the Fourth Gospel, he argues that the Fourth Gospel is a gnomic truth. His stance is based on four things: first, universalistic aspect that occurs all the time (light, shines, darkness); second, dialogue as literary means; third, events and objects from everyday life to communicate a message in natural ways; fourth, uses history symbolically and connect his message in universal situations.

His essay Re-reading the Gospel of John in the Light of William Carey’s Linguistic Methods attempts to understand William Carey’s linguistic in the Bengali context by stating his linguistic approaches. He sees Carey’s linguistic method as hermeneutical tools for understanding the core realities of John’s community and he also relates Carey’s emphasized of Bengali grammar, day to day affairs of the common people, the different approached of Carey, with the Fourth Gospel.

In his essay Dialogical Nature of John’s Prologue, he argues that the prologue remains as an excellent entrance for the subsequent chapters. He also sees the Prologue as rhythmical responsive style, a chiasm, three levels of dialogical role, and a vertical dialogue drama where the world from above is in conversation with the world from below.

In his essay Dialogue as a Literary Genre in the Book of Signs (John 1:19-12:50), he argues that the narrator uses dialogues as the micro-meso-macro levels so that the readers can easily relate to themselves with the setting. He also sees Platonic rhetorical in Johannine dialogues, the I AM statements to relate to every people, and the context of Jesus’ dialogues as his life and ministry.

In his essay Glo[b/c]alization and Mission[s]: Reading John’s Gospel, he argues that vertical eschatological phenomenon is the major thinking of John and that Johannine theology is Trinitarian in nature, global in focus, and missional in outcome. He also sees the fourth Gospel as two levels readings if not tri levels.

His essay Missional-Pneumatology of the Fourth Gospel argues that the fourth Gospel introduces the role of the Holy Spirit in relation to the mission and ministry of Jesus. He further argues that the mission of Jesus begins with the empowerment of the Spirit, so, Johannine pneumatology cannot be understood without having a reference to Christology.

His essay Explorations of Prosperity in the Fourth Gospel discusses that the Johannine aspects of health, wealth, and happiness are entirely different. He sees prosperity as people’s faith in Jesus. He also sees Johannine aspects of prosperity as prospering in faith, in love, in knowledge, and in having the experience of abundant life.

In his essay Characterization of Thomas in the Fourth Gospel, he sees Thomas as a significant person who encourages the disciples to follow Jesus and who is a connecting link between the ending of the Book of Glory and the beginning of the epilogue. Dr. Thomaskutty also states that Thomas might have touched the hands of Jesus.

His essay Biblical Interpretation in the Global-Indian Context: Reading John 4:1-42 as a Paradigm aims to see ways in which biblical worldviews and pluralistic worldviews cooperate in the process of interpretation. He argues that methodologies of pure localization should be deemphasized and that the text should be link to Indian realities and Indian realities should be connected to a universal worldview. The interpreter should search for a “third space” in the process of interpretation.

His essay Religious Freedom and Conversion in India Today: Reading John’s Gospel as a Jewish-Christian Conflict Narrative attempts to investigate how the narrator of the Fourth Gospel captures the socio-religious realities of the First century CE through John’s narrative. In doing so, he argues John’s story as tri-level drama and Jesus as the replacement of Israel. He also suggests that the Christianity in India can derive the meaning of the Gospel in their terms according to the situation.

His essay Johannine Women as Paradigms in the Indian Context discusses the prominent figures of women and their roles in the Fourth Gospel. Like Mary the Mother of Jesus, Samaritan woman, and Mary and Martha, the women of modern India can be effective agents of liberation and transformation. He also suggests to develop a hermeneutics of suspicion and an Indian feminist methodology in India.

His essay The Event of Foot Washing in John 13:1-20 as a Paradigm for Witnessing Christ in the Indian Context emphasizes the being, becoming, and doing nature of Jesus. He connotes that Jesus’ being nature is presented at vertical level and his becoming nature is shown at a horizontal level. This washing of feet demonstrate Jesus’ serving attitude and teaches a new lesson to his disciples. He suggests that the Indian church should take active steps in witnessing Christ to the suffering humanity of the country and prioritize servant leadership.

His essay Faith and Theology in the Johannine Community and in the Reformation: A Paradigm in the Indian Context attempts to look at the connection between the Johannine understanding of faith and theology and its significance in the Reformation context. He brought the faith and theology of the Johannine Community, the Reformation, and in the Indian contexts and discusses their parallelisms.

His essay Reading John’s Gospel in the Nepali Context contextualizes the Johannine Gospel in the Nepali context. In doing so, he brings out the Samaritans worship and their sitz im leben and relate with the modern Nepalese.  He states that John’s Gospel can be used as a paradigm for the Nepali context in order to transform people. Similarly, his essay Reading John’s Gospel in the Bangladeshi Context attempts to contextualize the Gospel in the Bangladeshi context. He states that the Bangladeshi church should help to liberate children from both physical and spiritual bondage, function as an agent of social transformation and liberation.

Dr. Johnson Thomaskutty has done profound job in contextualizing the Fourth Gospel in the gnomic perspective. This book will be a great help for the readers to understand John’s Gospel in another level. However, Dr. Thomaskutty has to consider and answer the following questions: Did Thomas really accepts Jesus’ command to put his fingers in his hands (pages 135-36)? Did John really identify Jesus as the replacement of Israel (page 161)? Would not deriving the meaning of the Fourth Gospel in their own terms for the Indian readers be Post Colonial readings (page 171)? Does the Greek word in 20:31 really a “πιστεύητε” (page 213)? Besides, the author made some repetitions which he could have done it better by putting it differently. Overall, the author has achieved his goal in contextualizing the sitz im leben Jesu and sitz im leben kirche with a gnomic intent. This book is worth reading for those who are interested in Johannine scholarship and for those who seek to contextualize the Gospel of John to proclaim the resurrected Jesus.