Christian Mission in the Contemporary World: A Dialogue between 1 Peter and Postcolonial Critics

The modern missions movement’s relationship with colonialism has brought to light many problems with contemporary conceptions of Christian mission. For many, the Bible often becomes, in the words of Tinyiko Sam Maluleke, the “colonial text par excellence.” This paper seeks to highlight – in dialogue with postcolonial critics – how 1 Pet 2:9–17 can instead provide the foundation for a theology of mission relevant to the contemporary context. First Peter distinctively anchors Christian mission in one’s Christian identity and clarifies how that identity transforms one’s relationship to one’s culture as well as to power structures in that culture. In doing so, 1 Peter eschews a triumphalist attitude and instead embodies values shared by theorists of postcolonial mission, namely narrativity, mutuality, and humility.

In the same boat? Jonah and Jesus as wave-beaten heralds

Scholars have noted similarities between the accounts of the stilling of the storm in Mark 4:35–41 and Jonah’s attempt to run from the commission of Yahweh in Jonah 1. Little attention has been paid, however, to how an allusion to the Jonah narrative might serve the purposes of Mark as he presents Jesus to his readers and hearers. The objectives of this article were to discover: (1) whether there were sufficient similarities between the two accounts to suggest a relationship that might be recognised by Mark’s readers and hearers and (2) whether recognition of similarities and differences in the two accounts might lead readers and hearers to a fuller understanding of Mark’s presentation of Jesus’ person and mission. This study paid attention to the literary structure and the specific terminology of both Mark 4:35–41 and Jonah 1, drawing on studies of the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament by scholars such as J.M. Leonard and R.B. Hays. I discovered: (1) several striking narrative features present in both accounts which might lead someone to recognise similarities between the stories; (2) some common terminology that would reinforce an initial sense of similarity; and (3) significant differences that would lead to Jonah and Jesus being contrasted. I concluded that a neglected connection between these two passages is that both Jesus and Jonah are called to be heralds of God’s message to the nations, but that they respond to that calling in very different ways. I have argued that: (1) Mark does intend his hearers and readers to recognise an echo of the story of Jonah in his account, but (2) the primary significance of the comparison between Jonah and Jesus is not in the similarities (which simply serve to bring the Jonah narrative to mind) but in the differences between these two figures. In particular, (3) the wider context of the narrative in Mark indicates that Jesus (unlike Jonah) is making his crossing in obedience to the commission he has received to be the herald of God to the nations and the two narratives agree in showing that God’s mission will not be thwarted.Contribution: This study highlights that Mark’s account of the stilling of the storm not only contributes to Mark’s Christology but also contributes to a theology of mission, emphasising Jesus’ full engagement in the missio Dei. This fits well with the scope of the journal in terms of its emphasis on both theology and missiology.

Exploring the Theology of Selected Hymns: Towards an African Christian Theology of Mission

This paper explores the theological message embedded in the hymns: “The incarnate God appeared” and “Come Holy Spirit, come now”. Theological findings from these hymns are used to formulate an African Christian theology of mission based on thematic areas such as the trinitarian dimension of mission, the centrality of the cross in mission, mission as the core mandate of the Church and mission as incarnational agapaō. By this, the paper makes the message of the selected hymns accessible to the global Christian community, promotes the development of hymnody in the African church and at the same time provides a paradigm for Christian mission in the 21st century African society. This is a literature research that uses data from books, theses, journal articles, among others. The findings indicate that hymns constitute a great tool for the missionary enterprise of the church, therefore Christian hymns should be developed and promoted. It is recommended that, for Christian mission in Africa to be meaningful and relevant to Africans, it must endeavor to address the existential issue in African societies. Key Words: Africa, Hymns, Christology, Mission, Pneumatology, Theology

Salvation in a Wounded World. Towards a Spectral Theology of Mission

This article argues that there is a growing discrepancy between theological and critical approaches to mission: while critical mission studies have abandoned teleological frameworks for the narration of mission history, historico-theological teleologies still prove to be influential in theological conceptualizations of mission. As a result, there is a lack of theological language that can respond constructively to the interdisciplinary re-reading of mission history – mission theology is immunized from the interdisciplinary critique of mission history. Based on this diagnosis, this article asks what kind of theological approach can account for the complex entanglements of Christian knowledge production into the deadly politics of modern colonialism. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that intersects theology and postcolonial trauma studies, it investigates the narratives of decolonization that emerged around the recent renovation of the Afrika Museum in Brussels, Belgium, and develops from this analysis building blocks towards a ‘spectral theology.’

Anna Irbe un misijas darbs Karunagarapuri

This year, we celebrate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Latvian missionary Anna Irbe (1890–1973). She was an extraordinary woman and one of the first missionaries that went from Latvia into the mission field in Southern India. This paper examines her approach to missionary work, which was very innovative at the time and quite successful. It also discusses Irbe’s motives and philosophy of missionary service. Irbe very strongly stood against the theology of mission of the time, which held that Western missionaries were the ones bringing the culture to the poor heathens. She very acutely recognized that many of the Westerners, including some missionaries, held a supremacy attitude. She was willing to learn – she acquired the Tamil language, sought to understand the culture, differences in the caste system, and the attitudes of fellow missionaries. From her observations, she made a decision to do everything with an Indian style so that her work would not be considered foreign by local beneficiaries of the mission, which allowed her to be very successful in her ministry. Soon after the start of her ministry, Irbe developed a “Latvian village in India” called Karunagarapuri, which is located in the Coimbatore area, Tamil Nadu state. The name of the ­village means “The village of the most merciful God.” Irbe also recognized that the Gospel was always connected with culture, and therefore she was very open to discover and learn new things about Indian culture by visiting various temples and museums and meeting people of different castes. She was very open to ecumenism and was ready to use any opportunity to see where signs of God’s mercy could be noticed. During her ministry, she tried to fully identify with the local people, which was not the most common attitude among missionaries of that time. Overall, Irbe’s mission service and sacrifice brought plentiful fruit and it could be said that in her attitude and love towards the people of India, she was an extraordinary woman ahead of her time

The Secularization of the Church

The aim of this paper is to explore a few factors that contribute to the tendency towards secularization in the evangelical churches in Central and Eastern Europe. It further suggests theological remedies to address the causes of secularization. The thesis of this paper is that there are three causes for the tendency towards secularization. First is the secularization of theological education, second is the crisis of ecclesial identity, and third is the secularization of leadership. The first proposal of this paper is that the remedy for the secularization of theological education is redefining theology as communion, theological education as transformation, and theological formation as discipleship. Second, the remedy for the crisis of ecclesial identity that leads to negative identity markers is the replacement of the external conformation model of Christian life (which leads to social isolation, subculturality, and spiritual abuse) with the internal transformation model, which leads to a healthy spirituality and a meaningful theology of mission. Third and finally, the remedy for the secularization of leadership is the rediscovery of the kenotic model of Christian life and ministry.

Who Said, No Mission In The Old Testament: A Theological Framework Of Mission In The Isaianic Literature

This paper delineates the theological framework of the Isaianic theology of mission and how mission contributes to the overall theology of Isaianic literature. In the theological synthesis, the investigation established that there is a connection between YHWH, His attributes, mission, Israel, and the nations. The article revealed how YHWH relates to His mission and creation as well as to His redemptive purpose for all humanity. The abundant evidence in Isaianic literature concerning the theology of mission is related to the realization that YHWH’s redemptive or salvific plans and work are inescapable when His mission to all humanity is a concern. When these are misjudged, a disconnect between YHWH’s attributes and His redemptive purpose for the peoples of the whole universe occurs. YHWH has established an inseparable union between His mission and salvation to all humanity. Through the mission theology, Isaiah’s language of redemption is sharpened, and the tenor of his salvific purpose espoused. Keywords: YHWH, Mission, Isaianic literature, theology, Isreal, Nations