Mission Agencies in Crisis?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin David Arthur
Keyword(s):  
1985 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 168-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
William B. Frazier

Maryknoll, the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, holds its General Chapter, or assembly, every six years. This is a gathering of leaders and delegates, representing Maryknoll Missioners from around the world, to reflect on the affairs and concerns of the society. The General Chapter provides a prime occasion for reflecting on missional principles and reassessing priorities. In preparation for the most recent chapter, held in late 1984, Father William B. Frazier, M.M., Professor of Systematic Theology at Maryknoll School of Theology, Maryknoll, New York, prepared a painstaking and comprehensive study entitled “Mission Theology Revisited.” Although this was prepared as an “in-house” document to help fellow Maryknollers clarify their thinking about fundamental issues Maryknoll has been confronting in recent years, the society and Father Frazier have kindly agreed to share the study with the readers of the International Bulletin. Two decades ago Frazier captured the attention of missiologists when, in the aftermath of Vatican Council II, he published “Guidelines for a New Theology of Mission” (Worldmission 18, No. 4, Winter 1967–68; reprinted in Gerald H. Anderson and Thomas F. Stransky, eds., Mission Trends No. 1 [1974]). In the current study, he analyzes the tension—and the implications far mission theory and practice—between those missioners who retain a more or less traditional focus on the evangelization of persons and those who wish to emphasize the “evangelization” of societal institutions and systemic structures. Although lengthy and at times occupied with developments particular to Maryknoll, Frazier's study, we believe, makes a major contribution toward explicating the current missiological debate and ferment. Few, if any, of today's mission agencies—Protestant or Catholic—can hope to remain aloof from the dynamics of the issues he discusses. Testimony to the seriousness of the situation and the debate is found in the reflections of three mission leaders invited by the editors to respond to Father Frazier's study. Their responses appear following Frazier's article below.


2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rev Dave Bookless

AbstractIt remains true that an objective overview of Christian environmentalism – both theologically and practically – would see the contribution of evangelical mission agencies as fairly peripheral (a notable exception being an organisation called A Rocha). However, this paper argues that in terms both of a biblical theology of "five acts" (creation, fall, Israel, Jesus, and the present and future age) and also of evangelical culture (characterised by the "Bebbington quadrilateral" of biblicism, crucicentrism, conversionism and activism) there are good reasons why evangelicalism should engage with environment, and growing evidence that it is beginning to do so. Some of the most significant thinkers and some of the largest mission agencies have begun asking key questions about God's mission towards the whole creation and ours. The next few years will be critical as to whether evangelicals accept the challenge to rethink and rework mission to take God's creation seriously, or whether they choose to remain in an other-worldly sub-culture. Il est vrai qu'un survol objectif du point de vue chrétien sur l'environnement – à la fois théologique et pratique – considérerait l'apport des organismes missionnaires évangéliques comme assez périphérique (à l'exception notable de celui de l'Association A Rocha). Cet article soutient cependant que du point de vue des « cinq actes » (la création, la chute, Israël, Jésus et l'âge présent et à venir) comme de celui de la culture évangélique (caractérisée par le « quadrilatère de Bebbington » que sont l'axe biblique, l'axe de la Croix, l'axe de la conversion et celui de l'engagement) il y aurait de bonnes raisons pour que les évangéliques s'engagent dans les questions d'environnement et des preuves que c'est en fait de plus en plus le cas. Quelques-uns des principaux penseurs et certains des organismes les plus importants ont commencé à poser des questions cruciales sur la mission de Dieu pour la création tout entière et la nôtre. Les années à venir vont être décisives pour voir si les évangéliques acceptent ce défi de repenser et de refaire la mission en prenant au sérieux la création de Dieu, ou s'ils choisissent de se cantonner dans une subculture de l'autre monde. Es ist immer noch richtig, dass ein objektiver Überblick über das christliche Engagement in Umweltfragen – sowohl theologisch wie auch praktisch – den Beitrag der evangelikalen Missionsgesellschaften für ziemlich unbedeutend einschätzen würde (eine Organisation, die A Rocha heißt, ist eine bemerkenswerte Ausnahme). Dieser Artikel behauptet, dass es sowohl von Seiten der biblischen Theologie der "fünf Akte" (Schöpfung, Sündenfall, Israel, Jesus, Gegenwart und Zukunft) als auch der evangelikalen Kultur (die sich im ,,Bebbington Ring" von Biblizismus, Konzentration auf das Kreuz, Bekehrung und Aktivismus ausdrückt) gute Gründe gibt, warum sich der Evangelikalismus in Umweltfragen engagieren sollte; es gibt auch immer mehr Anzeichen, dass das tatsächlich schon geschieht. Einige der bedeutendsten Denker und der größten Missionsgesellschaften haben begonnen, grundlegende Fragen über die Mission Gottes der ganzen Schöpfung gegenüber und unsere Mission zu stellen. Die nächsten paar Jahre werden bedeutend sein für die Akzeptanz der Evangelikalen, diese Herausforderung anzunehmen, die Mission neu zu überdenken und auszuarbeiten, um so die Schöpfung Gottes ernstzunehmen – oder sich dafür zu entscheiden, eine Subkultur zu bleiben, die auf die andere Welt ausgerichtet ist. Sigue siendo cierto que un resumen objetivo de una ecología cristiana – tanto teológica como prácticamente – vería el aporte de agencias misioneras evangelicales como bastante marginales (una excepción importante sería una organización que se llama A Rocha [La Roca]). Sin embargo, este artículo propone que en términos tanto de la teología bíblica de los "cinco hechos" (creación, pecado, Israel, Jesús, el tiempo presente y el futuro) como de una cultura evangelical (caracterizada por el "cuadrilátero de Bebbington": centrado en la Biblia, en la cruz, en la conversión y el activismo) existen buenas razones por qué el evangelicalismo debería comprometerse con el ambiente, y que hay crecientes pruebas de que esto comienza a ser realidad. Algunos de los pensadores más significativos y algunas de las agencias misioneras más grandes han comenzado a plantearse preguntas claves sobre la misión de Dios hacia la creación entera y nuestra misión. Los próximos años serán decisivos para que los evangelicales acepten la tarea de repensar y retrabajar la misión para tomar en serio la creación de Dios, o para que opten a quedarse como una subcultura orientada hacia el otro mundo.


2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-318
Author(s):  
Jared Bok

Abstract How religious organizations distinguish themselves from one another influences the extent to which they compete (or cooperate) with other similar organizations, thus serving to shape both their survivability and efficacy in achieving their goals. Although theological differences provide one source of distinction, organizations also strategically distinguish themselves not only by what they do but also what they avoid doing. Adopting a Bourdieu(s)ian field theory approach to the study of transnational American Protestant mission agencies, this article explores how agencies’ ministry activities are organized into symbolically distinctive repertoires of activism that vary by agencies’ differing levels of religious and economic capital. Based on how these repertoires are diversified (versus concentrated) and focused on inner- (as opposed to other-worldly) goals, the article discusses the implications of these organizational patterns for the survivability and efficacy of agencies in the transnational missions field, as well as their prospects for interorganizational cooperation and coordination.


2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-319
Author(s):  
Edvard Torjesen ◽  
H. Wilbert (Will) Torjesen

Rev. Fredrik Franson was the founding director of the Scandinavian Alliance Mission (now The Evangelical Alliance Mission, TEAM). The English-speaking world knows very little about the contribution to the global mission of the church by Swedish-born Fredrik Franson. He was a product of the spiritual revivals in nineteenth-century Scandinavia. Franson was a world evangelist, recruiter, teacher, and trainer of missionaries to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He collaborated with Hudson Taylor and A. B. Simpson in sending missionaries to inland China. Franson founded sixteen mission agencies and church denominations in six nations during his ministry of 33 years. Scores of missionaries were motivated to missionary service by Fredrik Franson's incredible ministry. In this article H. Wilbert Norton uses the 858-page definitive biography, A Study of Fredrick Franson, by Edvard Paul Torjesen, to sketch a portrait of Franson's life and work.


1986 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly S. O'Donnell

This article explores the relationship between community psychology and frontier missions. Similarities between these two fields, such as their common perspectives on delivering services to underserved populations, provide points of contact between them. Specific focus is placed on community psychology contributions to missionaries and mission agencies in the area of needs and resource assessment The application of community psychology assessment techniques is discussed by highlighting their use on a frontier project targeting the Nahuatl people of Mexico. Some suggestions for additional applications of community psychology are given.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-181
Author(s):  
Branko Bjelajac

SummaryThis book contains a large collection of papers which report on missional activities in Central and Eastern Europe, especially on initiatives based in local churches and oriented towards society. It looks across denominational lines, from Eastern Orthodox to Roman Catholic, Protestant and various neo-Protestant churches. This is a very stimulating volume which discusses a much-neglected area in Europe from the perspective of missionary practice, presenting old and new forms of mission, as well as ways forward. It is one of the few publications that addresses aspects of mission in this part of Europe, and presents valuable reading for mission agencies, seminaries and churches.The book contains contributions by more than thirty authors and has sections on reasons for mission; the Orthodox and mission; the Catholics and mission; ecumenical mission; mission in Romania; immigrants, churches, dialogue; theological education as mission; and dialogue, public sphere and mission.RésuméCet ouvrage contient un ensemble de nombreux essais relatant l’activité missionnelle en Europe centrale et en Europe de l’Est, et faisant état plus particulièrement d’initiatives à partir d’Églises locales et orientées vers la société. Il considère ce qui se fait dans des dénominations très diverses, allant des Églises orientales orthodoxes aux communautés catholiques romaines en passant par les Églises protestantes et néo-protestantes. L’ouvrage est très stimulant et aborde un domaine très négligé en Europe sous l’angle de la pratique missionnaire, en présentant des formes anciennes et nouvelles d’activité missionnaire et en proposant des pistes pour l’avenir. C’est l’une des rares publications traitant des aspects de l’entreprise missionnaire en Europe, et son apport est utile pour les sociétés missionnaires, les facultés de théologie et les Églises.Plus de trente auteurs ont contribué à cet ouvrage qui comporte des sections sur : les raisons de l’oeuvre missionnaire, les chrétiens orthodoxes et la mission, les catholiques et la mission, la mission oecuménique, la mission en Roumanie, les Églises et les immigrés, l’aspect missionnaire de la formation théologique, la mission et l’espace public.ZusammenfassungDieses Buch enthält eine umfangreiche Sammlung von Vorträgen über Missionsaktivitäten in Zentralund Osteuropa, die vor allem auf die Initiativen von Ortsgemeinden zurückgehen und auf die Gesellschaft abzielen. Es weitet den Horizont über die Grenzen von Denominationen hinaus, von den orthodoxen Kirchen Osteuropas bis zur römisch-katholischen Kirche, zu den protestantischen Kirchen und den neoprotestantischen Freikirchen. Dieser ausnehmend inspirierende Band erörtert einen in Europa sehr vernachlässigten Bereich aus der Perspektive missionarischer Praxis; er behandelt traditionelle und neuere Formen von Mission sowie mögliche Wege in die Zukunft. Dabei handelt es sich um eine von wenigen Veröffentlichungen, die sich mit Aspekten von Mission in diesem Teil Europas befassen und wertvollen Lesestoff für Missionsgesellschaften, Ausbildungsstätten und Gemeinden bieten.Das Werk enthält Beiträge von mehr als dreißig Autoren und Abschnitte über Motive und Ziele von Mission, Orthodoxe und Mission, Katholiken und Mission sowie über ökumenische Mission; es befasst sich mit Mission in Rumänien, Immigranten, Gemeinden und Dialog; es reflektiert über theologische Ausbildung als Mission und über Dialog, den öffentlichen Raum und Mission.


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