Western colonial governments and missionary movements over centuries brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to many parts of the world. At the turn of this new century, with most African, Asian, and South American countries having gained independence from their former colonists, Third World Christians struggle with a heritage of Western theology, expectations, and abuses. New generations in a maturing church are questioning the need for Christ's message to be filtered through, and approved by, Western scholarship. With some sense of hurt and resentment, yet with a desire to effectively bring the gospel to their own peoples, Third World theologians support creative biblical hermeneutics that fit their cultures. This book is a collection of thirty-four writings by authors from twenty-two countries.
The term "Third World" is used by editor Sugirtharajah as "a socio-political designation of a people who have been excluded from power and authority to mould and shape their future." He takes the original Western view of poor, underdeveloped countries and turns it around to define the people from their own position. Sugirtharajah also chose the word "margin" for his title and to describe Third World peoples not because he wishes to continue any negative impression; rather he finds the theologians at the fringes of acceptable Christian thinking to be doing the most lively and exciting work.

Some American Christians could be surprised by some articles. Re-write the Bible? Reject the liberation theology of the Exodus story as oppressive to his people? Question the biblical canon sealed long ago by Western church fathers, and add Asian scriptures to it? Many writers want to interpret Christ in ways that honor ancient, rich cultures that may have been crushed by colonization or rejected as evil by early missionaries. Others simply want the message of the Bible to be embraced by needy people of their country: the overwhelming theme of the book is that our God notices, loves, and defends the marginalized - that is, poor, oppressed, and powerless people.