Protestant Comparative Theologies from Asia: Methodological Reflections on Recent Works

Comparative theology as a discipline is identified not only as a Western but also as a Catholic enterprise. Such an assumption is not unfounded given that many of the pioneers and notable figures of the field came from the Catholic tradition and Catholic universities located in North America and Europe. It is essential to discuss comparative theology works that integrate specific socio-cultural locations to challenge the assumption and open up more conversations on the development of the field. This paper aims to review the methodologies used in three recent works on comparative theology from Asian perspectives: Joshua Samuel (India), Satanun Bonyakiat (Thailand), and Hans Harmakaputra (Indonesia). The analysis focuses on how their Protestant identity and social location shaped their comparative works. Such an analysis contributes to the ongoing discussion concerning using the denominational lens in comparative theology, particularly identifying distinctive Protestant elements that set them apart from their Catholic counterparts.