Interpretations of Philippians 2 have a conspicuous place in the theological imagination of Asian Christians. This is a paradoxical state of affairs. The biblical pericope is kenotic in content, but its function in Asia has been to assert liberation. Asian scholarship on the passage has generated a variety of goals: economic justice, social equality, interfaith relations, and national development. The choice of the passage as a catch-all anchor is not an accident. Its kenotic content constitutes the very ground used by marginal voices to theologize for influence. As a result, a study of theological interpretations of Philippians 2 in Asia reveals the particular goals of Asian theologies and constitutes a case study on the religious imagination of Christians in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Asian Christianity is the property of Brill Academic Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)