Abstract
Beate Fagerli, Knud Jorgensen, Rolv Olsen, Karl Storstein Haug, and Knut Tveitereid, eds., A Learning Church: Reflections from Young Missiologists. Oxford: Regnum Books International, 2012. 218pp. This volume originated in celebrations of centenary of Edinburgh 1910 in Norway and paints picture of learning Church from reflections and perspectives of young missiologists. The aim of volume is to provide space for contributions from young missiologists and missiological students on themes related to mission in 21st century. The missiologists come from Cameroon, China, Ethiopia, India, Norway and South Africa and their ages range from 29 to 49 years, but volume is overshadowed by Norwegians since all five editors and five out of eleven contributors are from that country. The book comprises four thematic sections. The first deals with theme of Missional second with Encounter between Religions, third with Migrant Perspectives. The fourth addresses Missional Challenges. Due to limitations of space, I shall focus on seven of eleven contributions. In first section I focus on contributions of Norwegian Ragnhild Kristensen and John Amalraj. The value of essay by Kristensen is that she starts by defining what is meant by missional church. is defined as the essential nature and vocation of Church as God's called and sent people (p. 16). It could also be said that being-ness (the church) and sent-ness (the missionary praxis) of church are inextricably linked and that such church understands its participation in missio Dei as contextual, addressing faithfully challenges of ever changing and complex contexts in comprehensive and holistic way. Being contextual, church gathers for fellowship and worship (come) and disperses to serve God (go). That is being-ness and sent-hess of church (p. 29). Amalraj starts by declaring that than two thousand years have passed since gospel was first preached in southern part of and more than a century has gone by since first structured expression of indigenous movement began in (p. 68). Consequently Amalraj investigates how far Indian churches, coming from Eastern and Western Churches such as Syrian Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church and Protestant and Evangelical churches, are really Indian. The identity of Church's ministry in India is, for author, very important factor for discussion of emergence of church in India (p. 69). The specific contribution of church in India is two-fold. First, in South India many local churches founded by Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Baptists formed one of world's first modern ecumenical churches, Church of South India; similar event took place in North India when Church of North India was formed. Second, India is today one of major missionary sending nations, reflection of geographical change in global mission. In second section we are introduced to one of major missionary themes of 21 se century, namely whether closer geographic proximity between Christians and Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists will result in interfaith relationships and dialogue or result in greater conflict. The essay by Norwegian Ingunn Flokestad Breistein is insightful in this regard. Breistein focuses on Rules for Missionary issued in 2009 by project group on Missionary Activities and Human Rights of Oslo Coalition of Freedom of Religion or Belief. These Ground Rules are rooted in ideas of UN conventions and declarations, UN Human Rights Committee, European Court of Human Rights and what other regional human rights courts and commissions say about missionary activities (p. …
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