Out of left field: Klaus Fiedler as theologian for the nondescript
Date
2023-04
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Abstract
[It is baseball terminology that has added to the English language the phrase, “out of left field.” It refers to the action of the left fielder when they throw the ball to home plate or first base, taking the runner by surprise. It is a phrase that evokes the unexpected and the unusual. Klaus Fiedler is a scholar distinguished by his capacity to be alert to what comes “out of left field.” He has not been content to follow convention or stick to the mainstream. He has preferred to move off the “beaten track” and to explore alternative pathways. This has led him to often focus his work on those who are discounted and despised. Hence, he can be considered a theologian for the “nondescript” – a pejorative term once favored by Malawi’s colonial government to describe missions that did not fit the expected mold. When something is “nondescript” it defies description since it lacks distinctive qualities. Fiedler’s scholarship champions the nondescript, inviting us to take a second look at those who have been discounted, and demonstrating what they have to offer. For those who find themselves excluded, pushed to the margins, not taken seriously, Klaus Fiedler is one theologian who is ready to give them his full attention.]
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