BISAM
Biblical Studies and Mission (BISAM) is one of the oldest study groups of IAMS and has been convened by Marc Spindler (1976-1988), John Pobee (1988-1996), Teresa Okure SHCJ (1996-2004) John Mansford Prior, SVD (2004-2012), and vanThanh Nguyen, SVD (2012-2016). BISAM members at Seoul 2016 have elected Sarita D. Gallagher, of George Fox University, and vanThanh Nguyen, SVD, of CTU Chicago, as the new BISAM co-conveners.
The network of missiologists and biblical scholars is active during IAMS Assemblies and undertakes a research project between the four-yearly assemblies.
Aim
Since 1976 the BISAM network has been studying the interface between the bible and mission.
The Study Group seeks to study collaboratively, in the true spirit of mission, various ways in which the bible is used today in mission, and the multifaceted questions which it raises among peoples of different race, gender, class, culture, creed, faith, and social location; as such BISAM operates on an inter-disciplinary basis.
The BISAM network is conscious of the need for deepening awareness of the interpretive methods we use; of the need for ongoing studies of how the bible is actually used in specific contexts by faith communities; and of the need for the development of creative imagination in “weaving together” the story of Jesus with stories of people in a particular context.
BISAM remains open to new ideas and suggestions from IAMS members and friends, especially where these suggestions are related to real life concerns in one’s concrete social context.
BISAM List
There are 65 contacts on the BISAM email list of whom 18 are living in Europe, 16 in Africa, 11 in Asia, another 9 in North America, 8 in Latin America and 3 in Oceania. There are 13 women and 52 men.
More women members and an increasing membership from the South would make the BISAM network further representative of the present state of biblical and mission studies today and better reflect both IAMS and the world church.
BISAM study group’s Convener:
Lukwikilu credo Mangayi
Email: mangal[@]unisa.ac.za
Siu Fung Wu
Email: swu.communityoc[@]gmail.com