Theology of Mission

N. S. Jesudoss S.H.J.,
Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Bangalore.
The Great Commission
Mark 16 : 15-16
He said to them,
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all
creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
What is Missiology
 Missiology simply means “Study of Mission”.

What is Mission
 Evangelistic and church planting efforts.
 Mission means Propagation of Faith.
 Mission comes from the latin word “Missio” which means “to send”
 Greek parallel to the word Mission is “apostello”
 The focus is on Missiological studies and the concept of “Missio Dei”
or the “Mission Of God”
What is Missiology …Contd…
 It is an integrative study of the expansion of Christianity
 Draws together scholarship in biblical, historical, doctrinal and
practical theological studies.
 Seeks to develop strategies for effective missionary work and Church
planting.
 Pope John Paul II said Mission is “Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples”
Definitiion of Missiology
“Mission is a complex and dynamic process by which the church
leads people to a real conversion or transformation .We
transform individual life and the life of communities.”

………….. Evangelium Nuntiandi by Paul VI, 1975

Why study Missiology
 To know the teachings and norms of the Church.
 To look at the history of the Mission of the Church.
 The present condition of the Church.
 To know the relevant methods or paradigms that are effective in the
missionary scenario.
Objectives of Missiology
 To study “Mission of the Church”.
 To know the present condition of the Church.
 To know the relevant effective methods involved in Missions.
 Propagation of Faith.
Evolution of Missiology
 Ramon Lull-forerunner in 13th Century.
Advocated study of Arabian language to bring back Christians
from Islam.
 Gustav Warneck among the protestants, involved in church planting
 Joseph Schmdidlin –Catholic ,
 Pierre Charles
All of them were involved mainly in
 Proclamation of Gospel
 Proclamation leading to conversion

 Organization of the Church

 Establishment of a hierarchy.
What is Missiology
Missiology is a theological discipline which studies Church Mission in
the light of Scripture, tradition and context.

 Evangelisation is the new norm in the field of Missions.

 The first church was the eastern Church
 The second Church was the western Church
 The third Church-Christianity shifts south towards the third world
countries namely Asia and Africa and the surrounding countries.
Biblical Foundations of Missiology
 Mission as liberation-Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, jubilee year
freeing of the slaves.
 Mission as going forth-Abraham left his familiar grounds and went
forth in obedience to the call of God.
 Mission as Dialogue-living with people of different faiths
 Inculturation -Christian liturgy adapted to a non Christian cultural
background.
 Mission as witness – To be a witness to one’s experience of salvation.
 Centripetal Movement –religious conviction that God chooses one
community out of many. Metaphorically Chosen people, the Lord’s
Vine, Bride ,the prodigal son.
 Centrifugal Movement- God’s plan of salvation for the whole world ,
universalism.
Mission in the Old Testament
Lays the foundation of New Testament theology of
Missions
No Divine Commission but the plan of saving mankind was
being fulfilled through Israel.
The nations came to Israel
Jonah’s Mission was the beginning of Mission activity
Israel to bear witness to the goodness and greatness of
Yahweh
Salvation was not to the Jews only but through the Jews to
all humanity.
Mission in the new Testament
Fulfilment of the Old Testament
God-love is at the origin of Christ’s mission
Jesus Christ the Word of God: His “being with the God” is
the foundation
The divine mission concretized: “the Word became flesh”
God’s incarnation as the “missionary language” of God
Realization of God’s Kingdom is the central theme
through the New Testament
Mission in the Indian Context
The Church in India is affected by Caste system, Materialism and
Consumerism.

Four types of witnessing is relevant in Indian Context

 Individual Witnessing,
 Witnessing to the the local Christian Community
 Institutional Witnessing
 Common Witness (irrespective of the denominations)
Mission as per the gospels
Mission in the book of Mathew

To be the salt and light of the earth- Mt.28

Revelation- All authority is given to me ( v 16-17)
Mission command-(v 19-20)
Promise-(v 20 b To the “lost sheep”- can be the whole of Israel and also those who have
wavered in their faith.(v 5 & 6)

Holistic approach- Proclamation and deeds-service and healing actions.

Spirit of Freedom (ch 10 v 9 )-freedom from material possessions, freedom from family
ties, detachment from our own self.
No expectations of a monetary reward (v 8)-( We have received freely and so must give
freely)
Freedom from family ties ( v 37)
Should carry our own cross and follow after Lord Jesus.
Mission as per the gospels contd….
Important :Mission of Lord Jesus on earth was to the Jewish community but
Mission of the resurrected Savior is to the whole world .
Mission of the Gospel Of Mark
• Jesus Mission was Kingdom centered
• Galilee was a place of outcastes. Jesus loved the poor and the outcastes.
• God is the Creator and Liberator.
• Repentance to God’s unconditional love is the essence to Mission.

Mission of the Gospel of Luke

 Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles.
 Salvation is linked only to Jesus.
Mission as per the gospels contd….
Mission of the Gospel of John
 To continue the Mission through authentic witness.
 No one has seen God except Jesus.
 Jesus‘ Mission is to reveal the face of God
 The Church can continue the Mission only with the Holy Spirit.
 According to St. Paul, Mission is a call to conversion.
 Paul says that when an encounter with Christ happens, this is the root of
Missionary work” for me to live is Christ and to die is gain”
Jesus the missionary
 Focus was on the Kingdom of God and divine reign on earth.
 Had a very unconventional way of doing things by touching the untouchables,
standing against the systemic injustice by the religious institutions.
 Jubilee year was supposed to be the divine revelation by which the original
equality and fraternity was restored.
 Table Fellowship was a symbol of radical egalitarianism
 Was against the prevalent hierarchy and division among the people
 Was more human centered and concerned about the reinstatement of human
dignity.
 He insisted that the Sabbath was made for man and that man was not made for
the Sabbath.
 He hated the sin but loved the sinner.
 Wanted the people to address God as “Abba” Father when people were even
afraid to take the name of God.
Evolution of mission in the church since
early times.
 It was a minority yet a transformative movement.
 There was no world wide organisation.
 No uniform patterns of Authority.
 No socio political influence.
 Mission was an overflow of the Christian experience.
 There was no geographical centre.
 The earlier church had conformed to the local social customs.
 The early Church was built on the blood of the martyrs (Martyrdom
Mission)
 But during the reign of Constantine, Christianity became the State religion.
 Thereafter the Church became institutionalized and gradually metaphysics
became the norm to define God rather than an experience of a relationship
with God.(Imperial Mission)
Evolution of mission in the church since
early times…contd
 Salvation gradually became a private affair.
 The Church began to conform more to the worldly values.
 Baptism was a way to differentiate between paganization and Christianity.
 This led to monastic Mission and monks were considered to be radical
Christians.
 The Church and the State supported each other and the Kings played an
important role in the Mission of the Church.
 The Cluny reform movement started in the 11th century and stressed on works,
penance and prayer.
 This gave rise to pilgrimages and crusades to get access to the Holy Land which
was under the Muslim control.
 After Constantinople was conquered, Spain and Portugal became two
important colonies and this gave rise to colonial Mission.
Documents on mission of the church by
vat II
Lumen Gentium
Nostra Aetate
Gaudium et Spes
Ad Gentes
Theology of mission in LG 1964
Principal document of the Second Vatican Council

 LG 1 –Christ is the light of the nations and rediance of Christ illumines

the countenance of the Church.
 LG 14 –Church is the universal sacrament of salvation.
 LG 13-The Gospel is the fulfilment of other traditions and cultures.
 If people seek God with a sincere heart they will find Christ.
Theology of mission in nostra aetate
1965
Nostra aetate  is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-
Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. 
 Church accepts and respects other religions as they are.
 Other religions contain rays of truth, but Christ is to be proclaimed because
fullness is achieved only through Christ.
 Prudent and loving dialogue is encouraged with people of other religions.
Theology of mission in Gaudium et
spes (1965)
It is the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

 God has spoken in other cultures too which has resulted in the enrichment of
the Gospel.
 There is no culturally normative manner of being Christians.
 Commission in Ecclesiology could mean communion of culturally different
churches.
 The Holy Spirit offers to all in a mysterious way and enables other cultures to
be united with pastoral mystery.
Theology of mission in adgentes divinitus
(1965)
 The whole Church is missionary.
 Church based on the Trinitarian Foundation is participating in the Mission of
God.
 It makes a distinction between Mission and Missions.
 It also makes a distinction between Pastoral activities(to the Christians ) and
Missionary Activities(to the non Christians)
 Christianity is the fulfillment of other religions.
 Christianity is supposed to draw from other religions so that the divine
revelation is fulfilled.
 It also reveals the incarnation of Christ as the foundation for inculteration.
Missiological encyclical during the post
vatican scenario
Evangelii Nuntiandi
 Brought about by Pope Paul VI in 1975.
 Theme was to proclaim Christ in the 20th century.
 It popularized Evangelisation .
 Both pastoral and missionary activity becomes an act of Mission.
 Dialogue with other religious leaders
 Inculturation leading to transformation from within
 Working towards justice, peace and liberation and human dignity.
 Was very much influenced by Liberation Theology
Missiological encyclical during the post Vatican
scenario contd.....
Redemptoris Missio
 Pastoral Care
 Bringing those who left the church to come back
 Mission Ad Gentes
Evangelii Gaudium
 Not to be too obsessed with doctrines and dogmas which are
philosophical
 The focus should be on the way of Jesus.
Different paradigms of missions
 Spiritual paradigm
 very dominant in the colonial period
 Ecclesio Centric Mission
 to plant institutional hierarchical churches
 Proclaiming the Gospel and planting the church
 combination of spiritual and ecclesio centric paradigm
 Kingdom centered (wholistic approach)-
 Goal is to establish the kingdom of God
federation of asian bishops conference (in the
context of Asia)
 Dialogue of life
 Cultural diversities in harmony
 Dialogue of Action
 Different people working together
 Dialogue of Theological Exchange
 Involves the professionals alone
 Dialogue of religious experience
 Different people sharing their religious experiences
 Dialogue with the poor
 Dialogue with the cultures
 Dialogue with the religions
Thank You