Missiology

Missiology is the area of practical theology that investigates the mandate, message, and mission of the Christian church, especially the nature of missionary work. Missiology is a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural field of study incorporating theology, anthropology, history, geography, theories and methods of communication, comparative religion, Christian apologetics, education methodology, and interdenominational relations.

History

Christian theology developed over the centuries, starting in early 2nd century and continuing its development up to now. Missiology as a theological discipline appeared quite late in the Christian era, only in 19th century. It was the Scottish missionary Alexander Duff who first developed a systematic theory of mission and was appointed in 1867 to a new chair of Evangelistic Theology in Edinburgh. This first chair of missiology was closed after Duff’s departure but the path was laid. Some years later another theologian, Gustav Warneck, was recognized as the founder of missiology as a discipline in its own right.