Theology of Mission

“Theology of mission” attends to the use of Christian doctrine in mission studies, to the systematic development of theologies that support or inform mission practice in different contexts, and to the ways that mission studies might shape expressions in other Christian theological disciplines.

This is an important area of mission studies especially in view of the recent statements of mission theology by global bodies, including:

  • The Cape Town Commitment: A Confession of Faith and a Call to Action (Lausanne Movement, 2011);
  • Together Towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes (World Council of Churches’, 2013);
  • Evangelii Gaudium: Apostolic Exhortation on the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World (Pope Francis, 2013).

This is a new study group which met for the first time at the IAMS Assembly in Seoul in 2016. It attracted a great deal of interest and thirty papers addressing the above themes were presented in Seoul.

In the run-up to the next assembly in 2020, the conveners are stimulating debate on Theology of Mission through two activities in 2019:

American Academy of Religion, South Bend, IN, 14-16 June 2019
Panel on “Theology and World Christianity: Doing Mission Theology in Conversation with Studies of Globalization” with:

  • Wonsuk Ma, Oral Roberts University, USA
  • Lalsangkima Pachuau, Asbury Theological Seminary, USA
  • Wanjiru M. Gitau, St. Thomas University, Miami-Gardens, FL, USA

IAMS Europe, St. Augustin, Bonn, Germany, 23-27 August 2019
Plenary on “Complicity and Mission in a Wounded World: Theological Perspectives” with

  • Anthony G. Reddie, University of South Africa
  • Judith Gruber, KU Leuven, Belgium

 
Theology of mission study group’s Convener:
 
Kirsteen Kim
Email: kirsteenkim[@]fuller.edu

Stephen Bevans
Email:sbevans@ctu.edu

Pavol Bargar
Email: bargarp[@]yahoo.com