Gender and Mission
The aim of Gender and Mission study group is to bring together scholars who in different ways examine the role gender plays in the area of mission studies, mission history and world Christianity. Acknowledging how different contexts inform research and the different conceptualizations of gender we have, will attribute in creating both a safe and challenging arena for rethinking the gender implications of varied themes related to mission studies.
The IAMS’ Gender and Mission study group began first as ‘Women in Mission’ under the direction of Jocelyn Murray in 1993 for the purposes of exploring women’s role in mission theory and praxis. The group has gathered in the following assemblies: Hammanskraal 2000, Port Dickson 2004 (under the leadership of Katjia Heidmann), Balaton 2008, (moderated by Martha Fredericks), and in Toronto 2012 and Seoul 2016 (under the leadership of Rose Uchem). Initially, the ‘Women in Mission’ study group brought to the fore the enormous contribution of women to mission both international mission work and in their home churches all over the world, largely ignored by mainline missiology and church history. While women’s role in mission history still remains an popular theme in presentations, through the name change that was suggested in 2008 and took place in 2010, to ‘Gender and Mission‘ the Executive Committee desired to broaden the perspective and encourage broader conceptions of gender as the basis of analysis, including all genders.
In its current form Gender and Mission study group exists to highlight the importance of producing contextually reflective missiological research that takes gender dimensions into account gender dimension and/or contains gender analysis. In Seoul assembly in 2016 topics of presented papers varied greatly both methodologically and thematically. Papers dealt with diverse contexts and all the continents were represented. The discussion underlined the need to be open and reflective about the different positions and places from where we work with gender/s as analytical lenses as well as the different understandings of gender as a concept. While all the participants did not identify themselves as feminists, the group acknowledged that there is need to discuss the different conceptualization of gender in relation to feminist theory.
If you are interested in joining, knowing more, or want to acquire papers presented, please contact the study group below.
Gender and mission study group’s Convener:
Evelyn Hibbert
Email: evelyn.hibbert[@]gmail.com
Seonyi Lee
Email: seonyi-lee@hanmail.net