Christian Mission Reread in the Freedom of the Spirit

Abstract

General impression Certainly present statement will mark a milestone in ecumenical--and Christian--concept mission and evangelism. It does not reveal a mere aggiornamento--a simple update--to reality changing contexts, but it is result experience a living organism, experiencing the below in view the Above. The word and concept life, already present in rifle, is not mere rhetoric, for, in my own personal perception, document is a result itself--the a community people that is looking for best way to break out and share the first fruits kingdom. Thus, authority and range document certainly emerge experience Christian body that is revitalized and renewed continuously by power Spirit. In this regard, text has not been product a mere technical process exploration and interpretation a reality foreign to body. Quite contrary! The statement emerges reality body itself; this body, conscious its and being, proceeds to describe, interpret, and provide insights on matter. This concept life, present throughout length and depth document, necessarily evokes Holy Spirit--the life-giving ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.])--according to Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. And it is this Spirit that leads human beings through their most sublime and most miserable realities to become reacquainted, renewed, relinked, reinterpreted, and finally reconfigured in present reality. From this perspective, I would have no objection to consider document as moved by Spirit ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]) as it is born and grows reality of below seeking that from Above. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Not only does concept evoke divine Spirit: breadth and maturity concepts, audacity and effortlessness in their articulation, and finally opening and reception a plethora traditions, modes, and ways seeing, accepting, and interpreting same reality all reveal that content, structure, and articulation text have been made in an experiential and necessarily pneumatic harmony. Also, affirmative and positive tone constantly refers to attitude created by Spirit in an organism that is formed by His constant presence and action. Thus, ten concluding affirmations statement clearly seal multi dimensional concept mission as the extension life already in this realm, and towards future one. Aspects to consider Regarding content declaration, I would like to highlight some concepts that, according to my understanding, build originality text: 1. The sub-version an old theological and missiological pattern, according to which mission is based on an anthropocentric and religious parameter: in text results are clear that reading key whole reflection is no longer human beings--or their religion--but God. In my view, this displacement is absolutely necessary and constitutes major goal main rereading Christian mission. Finally, we return to base and origin--and end--of all things: that is, God. Indeed, it is more than clear that Christian mission--that coming out to the other--is an image erotic divine creative impulse. The text refers to act creation itself, in which God by natural and ecstatic love ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]) place to the other to heterousion--liber et liberaliter--through his energies. Indeed, we Orthodox speak about energies or uncreated progresses ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]). The origin--and end--of Christian mission is that loving God, who still being who-he-is comes out and becomes participable to created. Indeed, God comes out his essential intimacy and inner life--through his progresses--which paradoxically are God himself--remaining ontologically unmutated, and wants to be participable to his creatures, as he gives to them existence, life, logic, wisdom, and deification. …