Die teoloog as sendeling – Op soek na ’n sleutel vir Calvyn se sendingbeskouing

Abstract

The contention that the Reformers, and especially Calvin, had little or no interest in mission is not new in church historiography. While many studies, conducted over years, have demonstrated the contrary, this groundless allegation continues to assert itself from time to time, for example as found in a recent best-seller by one of the world’s leading church historians. Given that 2009 marked the world-wide commemoration of Calvin’s birthday 500 years ago with the consequence of many studies published, it is appropriate to elucidate the question in a different manner: What theological motives are important in Calvin’s view of mission? This article examines the issue of the relationship between mission and Calvin with regard to the concept of mission, but also concerning some other theological questions.According to Calvin, every believer has a role to fulfill in evangelism. The ‘mission field’ is comprised of every nation, all peoples, the entire world. Calvin interprets the task of mission ecclesiologically: for him the church (as local congregation) is only church when it has a missionary orientation.