Missio hominum guided by an understanding of Ubuntu for missio Dei: Nico Smith’s discovery

Jonas S Thinane

doi:10.4102/hts.v77i4.7075

Abstract

Missio hominum as a theological framework within the discipline of missiology in understanding missio Dei still lacks proper exploration. Few attempts have been made by theologians in the past but in different disciplines other than missiology. The exception is the previous studies by Nico Smith who investigated and conceptualised the subject at great length. This article builds on Smith’s perspectives on missio hominum with the aim of providing an in-depth understanding of the subject in an African context. This shall be achieved by juxtaposing missio hominum with an African concept of Ubuntu through a literary analysis. Ubuntu is imperative in understanding the significance of human beings within the Christian mission in fulfilling the purpose of missio Dei.Contribution: This article makes two important contributions in the field of missiology – first, by illustrating through missio hominum that human beings are God’s partners in accomplishing his mission on earth, and second, by illustrating through Ubuntu that human beings should partner with one another for the same purpose.

Highlights

All Christian missions such as missio Christos, missio Spiritus and missio ecclesiae play an important role in fulfilling the mandate of the missio Dei
Nico Smith, wrote an article in 2002, ‘From Missio Dei to Missio Hominum: En route in Christian mission and missiology,’ in which he describes his personal path or commitment in Christian mission since the days of apartheid in South Africa, his encounter, described the concept of the missio Dei, his earlier understanding of Christian responsibility in fulfilling the missio Dei’s mandate, and how he was faced with a series of questions that eventually led him to adopt a new much-needed paradigm for mission discover and introduce it as missio Hominum
This article goes much deeper into interpreting missio hominum from the perspective of Nico Smith, who uses the concept of Ubuntu to conceptualise what he meant by calling for mission hominum to be considered in the broader context of missio Dei

Summary

Introduction

All Christian missions such as missio Christos, missio Spiritus and missio ecclesiae play an important role in fulfilling the mandate of the missio Dei.

Results

Conclusion