Abstract
Unity in Mission: Theological Reflections on Pilgrimage of Mission. Edited by Mitzi J. Budde and Don Thorsen. Faith and Order Commission Theological Series, National Council of Churches. Mahwah, N.J.: Paulist Press, 2013. 352 pp. $24.95 (paper).While this is a collection of recent essays from Faith and Order Commission of National Council of Churches, it explores one of oldest questions in ecumenical movement: How can theological dialogue be in service of mission and ministry together in world? The Edinburgh Missionary Conference of 1910, considered birth of modem ecumenical movement, dealt with same issue: called to address issues related to global mission work, members realized that attention needed to be given to exploring theological differences as well. Two movements-Faith and Order (examining theological differences) and Life and Work (focusing on areas of joint mission and ministry)-were formed in wake of Edinburgh 1910, and this book echoes many of same concerns over a century later, albeit reflecting our radically changed contexts.Reviewing a collection of twenty essays delivered over course of four years from scholars ranging from Roman Catholic to mainline Protestant to Christian Scientist can be a daunting task, but central theme of volume as stated by Thorsen and Budde in introduction-how mission is perhaps best path to unity-manages to hold disparate elements together. The collection breaks theme down into five sections: foundations of unity in mission; how unity is proclaimed through Word and Sacrament; particular issues needing reconciliation between churches; personal, experiential reflections related to mission and unity; and a collection of Bible studies on mission and unity presented at Faith and Order meetings.As is often case with collections, essays vary from scholarly to conversational, from lengthy to brief, from those more closely related to topic to those less so. There are two aspects of collection that are particularly important. First is essay by Mitzi Budde, Baptism: Sacrament of Unity, Sacrament of Mission, notable for way it recapitulates many of themes expressed not only throughout volume as a whole, but throughout entire ecumenical movement. Budde deftly summarizes ecumenical consensus on how baptism is understood as both a sacrament of unity (we are all baptized in one body of Christ) and a call to mission and ministry for all members (quoting World Council of Churches' statement Nature and Purpose of Church that baptism is the ordination of all believers). …
Published Version
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