Today, less than a half century after the development of the first working machines, the computer has so completely permeated the life of people that, literally, we could not live without it. Experts say that the greatest peril facing us in the 21st century will not be nuclear war, but the break down of all communications and information systems. These rapid developments in communications technology have changed how people think, learn and communicate. At the same time, however, new communication technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for communicating the gospel and for making educational resources, including theological education, widely accessible. The demographic, global, and technological developments to which I have alluded all contribute to a pervasive sense of cultural pluralism, the fourth, and perhaps, most distinctive characteristic of the current context for mission.
Cultural pluralism shapes the context in two ways.
First, cultural pluralism means sheer diversity. It is manifested in the diversity of races, ethnic groups, religious, life styles, and values in our society. Those demographic trends I cited earlier, indicate that in the 21st century we will continue to experience the influence of a broad spectrum of people from other cultures and races with all their attendant values and life styles. Second, cultural pluralism represents an approach to diversity. Diversity brings with it a variety of truth claims.