Bible, Nation, Empire: The use of the bible by scholars and by local congregations: 2008 – 2011

Seven papers were submitted from Argentina, Ghana, Kenya, Denmark, and Australia. Three papers focused on the topic. They are:

Exorcising the Mind: Practicing Justice in a Disordered World by Dario Barolin of the Instituto Superior Evangélico de Estudios Teológicos Buenos Aires, Argentina. For complete article: http://missionstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/dario-practice-of-justice.pdf

Payment of Taxes to Empires and Governments: The Matthean and Abokobi Communities (Matthew 22: 15-22), by Eric Nii Bortey Anum, Dept. of Religion & Human Values, University of Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa. For complete article: http://missionstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eric-anum-payment-of-taxes-to-empires.pdf

Creating a Space for the Others: The Minorities as a Challenge to Church and State by Johannes Nissen, Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Aarhus, Marslevvej 5, DK-8270 Højbjerg, Denmark. For complete article: http://missionstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/johannes-nissen-creating-a-space-for-the-others1.pdf

The other four papers submitted are:

Lectura de la Biblia en contexto Zona popular de Guatemala, by Verónica Pérez, Coordinadora FBT-Cedepca, Pastora Pentecostal, Guatemala. For complete paper: http://missionstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/veronika-perez-lectura-de-la-biblia.pdf

A Conversation with the Bible on the Living Dead, Necromancy and Transfiguration: The case of the Nandi in Kenya, by Susan M. Kilonzo & Christopher K. Rutto, Maseno University Department of Religion, Theology & Philosophy, P.O. Box 333, Maseno-40105, Kenya.

The last two papers form parts 1 and 2 of a single essay:

Commending the Gospel through Praxis. Part 1 Toward a Shared Praxis of Faith beyond Structure and Content. Part 2 Stories from the Mission Field, by D. Paul Dalzell, Parish priest, Anglican Parish of Alexandra, Victoria Australia.

Identity and Reconciliation: 2008

Two papers read during the Balaton Assembly of 2008 on the theme of Identity and Reconciliation were published together with other papers from the assembly in 2009 and 2010 editions of Mission Studies, namely:

“Missiological Reflections on Difference: Foundations in the Gospel of Luke” by Elizabeth “Betsy” Glanville (Mission Studies Vol.26 No.1, 2009)

“Integration, Isolation or Deviation: Reading Galatians 3:27-28 in Indonesia Today” by John Mansford Prior, SVD (Mission Studies Vol.27 No.1, 2010)

Power and the Other: 2004 – 2006:

Six biblical studies from six countries (UK, Indonesia, Argentina, India, USA & Nigeria), three women and three men, on “Power and the Other: Missiological Readings of the Bible”, with a concluding editorial, were published after the Port Dickson Assembly of 2004 (Mission Studies 23/1, 2006).

“The Genesis of Reconciliation: The Reconciliation of Genesis” by Clare Amos (UK);

“‘Power’ and ‘the Other’ in Joshua: The Brutal Birthing of Group Identity” by John Mansford Prior (Indonesia);

“Conflicting Visions of Jonah – or Rather Diversity?” by Mercedes Garcia Bachmann (Argentina);

“From Areopagus to Corinth (Acts 17:22-31; 1 Cor 2:1-5): A Study on the Transition from the Power of Knowledge to the Power of the Spirit” by Joseph Pathrapankal (India);

“Thinking Mission with Paul and the Romans: Romans 15:1-33” by Daniel Patte (USA);

“The Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor 5:14-21): Paul’s Key to the Problem of ‘the Other’ in Corinth” by Teresa Okure (Nigeria);

Afterthoughts: A Guest Editorial” by Christian Tauchner (Ecuador / Austria).

Bible Studies and Mission: 2002

In collaboration with the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) of the World Council of Churches, no less than 11 articles by BISAM members were published after the Pretoria Assembly of 2000 in International Review of Mission (Vol. XVI, No.360, 2002).

There were four intercultural, missiological readings of Wisdom Books: Ecclesiastes (John Prior, Indonesia), Job (Danie C. van Zyl, South Africa), Song of Songs (Stephen J. Bennett, Philippines) & Jonah (Karel Steenbrink, Netherlands).

There were also two readings of Colossians: Helmut Renard with Cristian Tauchner (Ecuador); Teresa Okure (Nigeria)

and five readings of Matthew: Johannes Nissen (Denmark); Francis Anekwe Oborji (Nigeria); Emmanuel M. Jacob (UK); Bov Wielenga (South Africa); Jacques Matthey (Switzerland).

To Cast Fire upon the Earth: 1996 – 2000

The theme of bible and mission in today’s multi-cultural global context was published as To Cast Fire upon the Earth (ed. Teresa Okure, Cluster Publications, 2000) after the Buenos Aires Assembly of 1996 and a mini-consultation in Durban, South Africa in 1998.

Apart from ten biblical studies, John Roxborogh outlines “The History and Scope of BISAM within IAMS 1972-1992” while Teresa Okure maps the vision of BISAM in “Enkindling Fire in the Mission: Spirit and Scope of the BISAM Project.

The biblical studies hail from South Africa (Stuart C. Bate, Susan Rakoczy, Tinyiko Sam Maluleke, Madge Karecki and Gerald West), UK (Chris Sugden), Netherlands (Karel Steenbrink), Denmark (Johannes Nissen) & Australia (Andrew Curtis).

Biblical Foundations for Mission: 1976 – 1988

A number of manuscripts were published from IIMO Leiden and numerous articles in IAMS Newsletter and in the earlier volumes of Mission Studies on theme of biblical foundations for mission. Impressive bibliographical work published by IIMO was followed by exploring the theme of Witness.

The key researcher was Marc R. Spindler. Other contributors to the ongoing discussion included David Bosch (South Africa), Lesslie Newbigin (India, UK), George S. Soares-Prabhu SJ (India), H. Dan Beeby and John Parratt (UK).