ABSTRACT
The church in the West has shifted towards a marginal position in a post-Christian society. In non-Western parts of the world the Christian community has long been a minority. This contribution presents empirical research conducted with focus groups consisting of Christians living in minority situations, discussing the identity and vocation of Christian communities from a minority perspective, inspired by the Biblical text of 1 Pet. 2, a text written to a Christian minority community in the early church. Discussing the theologies and practices emerging from within minority situations might be of help in moving towards a renewed paradigm as to the identity and vocation of the church in changing circumstances.
