Mission in post-Christendom: Anabaptist and Free Church perspectives

Abstract

The idea that the missional context in the West is a ‘post-Christendom’ context is increasingly seen as something not only to be acknowledged but celebrated. For several influential writers, Christian identity in the post-Christendom world is clarified when the church loses official power. This article examines how ‘post-Christendom’ thinking has evolved, looking at the influence of views drawn from the sixteenth-century Anabaptists, who rejected the Christendom model. The recovery of Anabaptist perspectives means more attention has been given to mission in pre-Christendom. The article then explores what the Free Church tradition offers when thinking about contemporary mission. While the Free Church view has been that church and state should be separate, the Free Church story includes many examples of mission that seeks to transform society. Finally, the article argues that the growth of non-Western Christianity suggests that Christian communities in non-Christendom settings can increase their influence – without state power.