An exploration into the missiology of the emerging church in the UK through the narrative of Sanctus1

Abstract

Manchester city centre, which has been transformed into a modern regional centre, is the location of Sanctus1, one of Britain's pioneering emerging churches. This discussion analyses four themes informing the missiology of Sanctus1: contextualization; the hermeneutic of communitas; ‘missional’ DNA; and cultural correlation. The first of these themes, it is argued, is the most significant, in that each of the other three can only be understood in relation to the overall process of contextualization. Drawing particularly on the work of Lesslie Newbigin and Victor Turner, the missiological significance of communitas is explored. Following this, the theology informing ‘missional’ perspectives is both affirmed and challenged, in that the language and the process needs to be anglicized – both of which Sanctus1 has sought to do. Finally, it is argued that missiology in this context must build on a revised version of correlation theory, which affirms culture and the movement of God within it.