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Read more about Welcome to WitnessThis past year, 2023, the AETE celebrated its 50th anniversary, drawing focus to the theme: "Gospel Witness: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow." In addition to the many papers and presentations on the theme at the annual gathering, it is a pleasure to feature articles in this volume that reflect the theme, as well, attending to the gifts of the past, the challenges of the present, and the complexities of the future in evangelism.
Marilyn Draper suggests a closer relationship be made between evangelism and Christian worship so as to reframe evangelism less as a function of human agency and more as "an an extension of God's invitation to vibrant doxological living offered those inside and outside the Christian community." Honoring the anniversary of AETE, Laceye Warner builds on the work of one of its founding members: George Hunter. In her article, Warner draws from the Celtic Christian traditions to suggest that the Celtic Christian relationship to creation, pilgrimage practices, and distinctive witness by women saints can "offer further texture for Celtic inspired ministries of evangelism among contemporary congregations in the United States." Peter Bellini draws attention to theological questions related to the emergence of artificial intelligence, asking, if such intelligence allows machines independent agency, "What is our response as the church?" More specifically, and provocatively, he focuses the question further: "will the church have to evangelize them?" Thomas Seckler offers a study on the experience of religious conversion and the relationship between conversion and the practice of evangelism. He grounds this work on contextual research in Cambodia, particularly with Muslim backgrounds, and identifies primary and secondary factors that he argues affect conversion. Michael Urton continues this focus on Christian engagement with people from other religious traditions, offering theological and practical frameworks to assist evangelical churches to develop faithful and compassionate forms of service and outreach. Several new book reviews add helpfully to the conversations, as well (with thanks to those authors and to our Book Review Editor).
I would encourage you to join the AETE, to make plans now to participate in the annual meeting in June, 2024, and to consider submitting your work for consideration in future volumes of the Journal. Further information about all of these opportunities can be found at our website: aete.online.
Jeffrey Conklin-Miller
Editor
