Missions

Missions, also known as missiology, is the area of practical theology which studies the mandate, message and work of the Christian missionary. It is a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural reflection on all aspects of the spread of the Christian faith, embracing theology, anthropology, history, geography, theories and methods of communication, comparative religion, Christian apologetics, methodology, and inter-denominational relations. Because missiology considers both the positive and the negative consequences, as well as the strategies of the spread of Christianity, missiology also touches on the environmental impact of evangelization and charitable work, including practical facets of international politics and economic development.

One of missiology's most difficult challenges is to distinguish between Christian practices that are essential to Christianity and therefore must be practiced by Christians in all cultures, and other strictly cultural expressions of Christianity that can be changed and adapted to a different culture.

Multimedia

History of missions

Resources

  • John Corrie, ed. Dictionary of Mission Theology: Evangelical Foundations. InterVarsity Press, 2007.
  • John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad. Baker Academic, 2004 (fourth printing).
  • Ralph Winter, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement
  • Eckhard J. Schnabel, Early Christian Mission, 2 vols. InterVarsity Press, 2004.
  • Patrick Johnstone , Operation World: When We Pray God Works

See also

External links