Vol. 33 (2019)

This is a very special volume of the Witness journal. Given that this is my first year serving as the editor of the journal, perhaps I am biased (every editor must believe the same about their volumes), but there are several reasons that make this particular issue unique.

First, this issue features just one article. Perhaps this appears more strange than unique, but let me be clear that there is editorial intent behind this decision! Last month (June, 2019), the annual gathering of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education (AETE) took place at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. The meeting featured the participation and leadership of three Past Presidents of the AETE: Drs. Ron Johnson, Hal Poe, and David Lowes Watson, as well as an international collection of participants representing three generations of scholarship and service.

Following this celebration of the past, present and future of AETE, it seemed appropriate to feature one key article in this volume, written by the current president of the AETE, Dr. Mark Teasdale and offered as his presidential address. Entitled, The State of Evangelism in Theological Education in 2019, Teasdale briefly describes the historical context for the development of the AETE, articulating the need for and the early steps taken in developing an academic engagement with the theology and practice of evangelism. Teasdale then considers the results of a survey he conducted among contemporary professors of evangelism over the past year. What he finds is interesting, to say the least, and important not only to fellow professors of evangelism, but also to the deans and presidents who employ them. Teasdale’s study affirms the significant roles these scholar-practitioners play in the interpretation and contextualization of evangelism in the crucial, yet complicated space at the intersection of Church and Academy.

The scholarship generated by those who study, teach, and practice evangelism points to the second characteristic that makes this volume unique: the superabundance of book reviews. With thanks to our Book Review Editor, Dr. David Gustafson, for securing so many reviewers and so many reviews, this issue offers a helpful glimpse into several recent additions to the scholarly conversation in our field. Seeing so many new books and reviewers is yet another reminder that the practice, teaching, and scholarship that began more than 33 years ago in the AETE and in this journal continues and thrives in the formation of new scholarship continuing today.

Looking to the future, let me offer my encouragement for all to consider submitting an article or a book review for our next volume. Pertinent information can be found on our journal’s website. I look forward to working with you as we continue this important work in the years ahead.

Dr. Jeffrey Conklin-Miller

Editor, Witness: Journal of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education