Global Theology or World Theologies

As you may know my major interest professional interest is in mission and theology. I have been writing a module called "Methods and Models of Contextual Theology" and time and again the issue has been raised in my mind over whether we should be talking about Global Theology or World Theologies. 

Evangelicals have tended to talk in terms of the unity of theologies and therefore Global Theology (sing.). See Jeffrey P. Greenman and Gene L. Green (eds.) Global Theology in Evangelical Perspective: Exploring the Contextual Nature of Theology and Mission (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012) or the older Craig Ott and Harold Netland (eds.) Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an era of World Christianity (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2007). The danger, which both of these books seek to avoid is homogenization of theology. The globalizating power of economic, social and cultural forces are slipping into church life and theology.

Is a way to combate this to emphasise diversity of theologies. A good Evangelical example is A. Scott Moreau's Contextualization in World Missions: Mapping and Assessing Evangelical Models (Grand Rapids: Kregal, 2013). The fear for most Evangelicals is how do assess this diversity in theologies? The other related fear how do we maintain orthodoxy and avoid syncretism? The question that lies behind both of these is "how do we assess world theologies"?

José Míguez Bonino suggested the way forward is to move beyond dialogue to mutual accountability. He proposes that mutual accountability should be applied at both international and ecumenical levels in the context of a ‘disciplined, continuous and committed conversation at each level of life and thought in the worldwide Christian community’. There should be accountability in three areas; ‘our hermeneutical approach and our understanding of the authority of scripture, the way theology is related to the ‘manifold tradition of the church,’ and in interpretation of reality ‘as an economically, socially and politically structured system’.