Global missionary and New Testament scholar Dean Flemming, Ph.D., brings an international perspective to New Testament literature courses this semester at MNU as a visiting professor from European Nazarene College (EuNC) in Switzerland. The veteran missionary, pastor and professor, is a recognized author -- winner of the 2006 Christianity Today book award for Contextualization in the New Testament: Patterns for Theology and Mission and holds a B.A. in religion and philosophy from MNU, a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in New Testament Exegesis from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

Flemming’s more than 20 years of teaching at Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) in the Philippines and at EuNC, coupled with his scholarly research and study of the Bible, give MNU students a unique view into the scriptures. Flemming strives to help others understand how one’s cultural context affects their understanding of the ancient writings.

Flemming’s latest book is Philippians in the New Beacon Bible Commentary series, and says his interest is to approach New Testament studies from the perspective of missions.

            His award-winning book about contextualization in the New Testament is the culmination of Flemming’s experiential and scholarly research, which explores how different cultures view and understand the Bible.

“Why, for example, do we have four Gospels, not just one?” he asks. “From one perspective, the Gospels are four contextualized accounts of the story of Jesus -- each directed to a different target audience.”

Flemming explains that the Book of Matthew, for example, is written for a primarily Jewish audience. In contrast, Luke writes mainly for Gentiles and has a special emphasis on Jesus’ ministry to “outsiders”—the poor, the lepers, the Samaritans, the Gentiles, women and children.

“Same story, but different ways of presenting it," he says.

            Flemming describes APNTS and EuNC as very international, multicultural learning environments. As a new missionary, he found himself in the middle of that cultural melee and had to learn from experience. He says he loves experiencing different cultures and that when one asks questions respectfully and approaches other cultures as a learner, most people are willing to help him learn about them.

            While Flemming enjoys returning to the U.S. periodically, he says his work in Europe is his calling. He teaches in some of the 15 EuNC learning centers across Europe. His emersion in cultures in which living the Christian faith is more socially difficult has challenged him.

While in Albania, teaching through an interpreter, Flemming met Eda, a young woman preparing for the ministry in a predominantly Muslim country that has also been influenced by Communist atheism. Having been thrown out of her father’s home on a number of occasions because of her Christian faith, Eda has continued her preparation through coursework. She was rewarded last spring when her father attended Good Friday services with her — his first time in a Christian church.

“The European students’ dedication to Christian ministry is enormous,” Flemming says. “I feel humbled around them.”

Flemming returns to Europe in May but his relationship with MNU will continue due to a long-term partnership between MNU and EuNC. The semester abroad program will continue the exchange of students between the two schools as well as MNU professors who teach at the European school for up to a year at a time.

One also senses that Flemming won’t let much time pass without a return visit to his alma mater.

“My years here were formational for the studies and ministry I’ve done since then. Many of my

most significant relationships are rooted in my time at MidAmerica.”