David W. Smith - Stumbling toward Zion: Recovering the Biblical Tradition of Lament in the Era of World Christianity

As we celebrate the start of the year 2020, the world is already troubled with environmental hazards and strain in international relations. At a personal level lurks the sad news of the loss of a loved one and the abducting of a 20-year-old daughter of a close family friend by Boko Haram in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The harsh realities of a broken world can either drive us to despair or pretence. In despairing we seem hopeless; in pretending we lie. Even the neatest of theological paradigms can let us down with regard to answers in the face of real suffering.

In Stumbling Toward Zion: Recovering the Biblical Tradition of Lament in the Era of World Christianity, Dr David Smith brings an age-old biblical tradition back on the table. He points out biblical examples of what was sometimes a long and hard struggle between things promised or hoped for and fears arising from a contradicting reality. Such tension between promise and brokenness is still with us to this day.

In affirming the spirituality of lament, Dr Smith helps us to see how the troubles of a broken world can interact with the reliable promises of a faithful God. He bravely ventures into thoughtful expressions on how the understanding of biblical modes of lament can be insightful basis for real hope and change. The book rightfully reckons with Christianity today as being increasingly shaped by the experiences of non-Western communities. While acknowledging that human suffering is universal, this book brims with examples of adversity from non-Western contexts, underscoring how such hardship can breed unique perspectives on the spirituality of lament, thereby leading to hopes of social transformation and healing.

For all who yearn to see a bridge in the gap between faith and suffering, promise and reality, vision and limitation, divinity and humanity, through deep reflections on prayerful lament, this book is a very promising read. Dr Smiths reflection is also a brotherly solidarity with many around the world who find it hard to sing the Lords song in a strange land.

Samuel O. N. G. Nwokoro

Lecturer in Early Christian-Muslim Relations and Church History,

Department of Public Theology,

Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Jos, Nigeria

Stumbling toward Zion is an outstanding book that makes a unique contribution to Recovering theBiblical Tradition of Lament in the Era of World Christianity. There is a deep authenticity about David Smiths approach. He listens carefully to the biblical text, is attentive to a rich diversity of voices from the Majority World church and crucially, demonstrates an honest and vulnerable spirituality in his own writing. After reading this stunning work, the reader is left in no doubt that the church in the West must recover the biblical tradition of praise and lament if its witness is to be in any way authentic for our twenty-first-century contexts. A critical factor in that recovery, as Smith points out, is the Western churchs willingness to listen to the global chorus singing new songs from the world Christian movement across the southern hemisphere. It is in those contexts that we see a spirituality of lament connecting with a broken world in such ways that the church in its worship and witness embodies the good news of Christ crucified, buried and raised. I warmly commend this book and its author.

Peter Rowan, PhD

Co-National Director, OMF (UK)

Stumbling toward Zion offers a penetrating analysis regarding the loss of lament amidst global and cultural changes that are overtaking Christian faith and witness. The book is pregnant with biblical scholarship and insights from the world church; David Smith weaves personal stories of loss and hope and includes thoughts for reflection at the end of each chapter. I recommend this treasured gift warmly to mission workers and church leaders for careful study and application.

Kang-San Tan, PhD

General Director, BMS World Mission

Stumbling toward Zion

Recovering the Biblical Tradition of Lament in the Era of World Christianity

David W. Smith

2020 David W. Smith

Published 2020 by Langham Global Library

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, Anglicised, NIV. Copyright 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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ISBN: 978-1-78368-777-0

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Cover Image: Painting by Anneke Kaai Psalm 119 : 105 from series In a Word. www.annekekaai.nl

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For all who suffer the absence of God and experience the pain of his silence, longing for the renewed presence of the Father who comforts those who mourn and runs to embrace his returning children.