Missiological Perspective Research Articles

Understanding Christian translation and its missiological relevance

Christian translation is integral to Christian missions that benefit the ingenious people and the gospel. Among early missionary activities, translations of the Bible to vernacular language have tremendous implications for the gospel propagation. Its roots are well spelt out in the early church, which endorsed Christianity as a universal faith. The researchers observe the historical and missiological perspective of Bible translation. They used library materials and internet sources to explain the meaning of translation, such as explaining a text language in the context of the recipients. This article contains a biblical basis for Bible translations, as it was from the early scriptures, and it concludes by explaining the relevance of Christian translation in terms of literacy, preservation of culture and freedom from slavery, among others. Christian translation has helped to create different versions of the Bible; the New Testament alone is available in 1551 languages out of over 7100 languages worldwide. Christian translation shows that Christian missionaries are not another form of a colonising agency because their activities resulted in actions that led to the end of colonisation in many parts of Africa. The author used a descriptive research method for this article.Contribution: From the analysis, Christian translation is a vital part of Christian missions that has many benefits for the ingenious people by preserving their cultural practices and language, among others. It also made Christianity not to be perceived as a foreign religion that has no link with the African Belief system. Christians are to seek to translate more materials, especially the Bible, into other peoples’ languages to have a lasting impact on the indigenous people.

Spirituality in Pentecostalism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A missiological reflection on constitutive elements

This article analysed the constituent elements of Pentecostal spirituality from a missiological perspective. It specifically examined the current elements of spirituality in Pentecostalism in the Democratic Republic of Congo and assessed their consequences for doctrine and church growth. To achieve this goal, the study uses the analytical method. It argued that the fundamental components of Pentecostal spirituality are the supernatural encounter with God, the practice of charismatic gifts and missionary passion. These elements interact and overlap, making Pentecostal theology distinctive. The first Pentecostals saw themselves as the prototype of a restored community in this sense. The gestures, including dances, applause and other practices, are a way of expressing faith and demonstrating that the charismatic phenomena experienced are a result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, confirming his empowerment. This also confirms that, like the branches of the vine, the Church is the Body of Christ.Contribution: This article focusses on the present constitutive elements of spirituality in Pentecostalism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It urges Christians to pursue the divine initiative, which is the action of the Holy Spirit in the churches. Understanding the constitutive elements of spirituality will restore the basic characteristics of the early church in present Pentecostalism.

Missio Politica Pro-Refugee Camps: The Case of South Africa

Dissimilar to several countries of the world including some African countries such as both Namibia and Botswana, South Africa continues to be without refugee camps nor camp policy. The problems arising from the lack of such measures have become apparent in recent years, as increasing numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers living in host communities have become victims of violent situations. Among some of the challenges resulting from this absence is that during the heightening of xenophobia or at times during public protests, both unsuspecting refugees and asylum-seekers are left without protection. To this end, this paper relied upon literature and employed a missio politica framework to align the urgent need for refugee camps in South Africa with the objectives of the Missio Dei. Although South Africa is the case in point, the objective was to argue for the establishment of refugee camps in all of Africa permanently open to accommodate refugees and asylum-seekers. In this way, the main goals of the Missio Dei, especially with regard to total salvation, are achieved at the continental level. Consequently, the scope of this paper provided an opportunity to further examine a new and relatively unexplored significance of refugee camps from a theological and missiological perspective. Keywords: Missio Dei, Missio Politica, Asylum-Seekers, Refugee Camps, South Africa.

Migration, Transnationalism, and Faith in Missiological Perspective: Los Angeles as a Global Crossroads, edited by Kirsteen Kim and Alexia Salvatierra

Migration, Transnationalism, and Faith in Missiological Perspective: Los Angeles as a Global Crossroads, edited by Kirsteen Kim and Alexia Salvatierra

Responsible Entrepreneurship for Environmental Sustainability and Human Wellbeing: A Missiological Perspective

Entrepreneurship is a lucrative occupation that offers its pursuers promises of wealth. However, as much as entrepreneurship is rewarding, it can bear undesirable consequences if it is not guided by a sense of responsibleness to consider seriously sustainability of the earth and flourishing of all humanity. Surely, entrepreneurship which only focuses on profit optimization can contribute to environmental pollution and income and wealth disparity. The earth is experiencing rising temperatures partly due to some entrepreneurial activities as individuals and nations seek to create wealth. Furthermore, the world is experiencing increased human suffering partly due to exploitation by business owners who prioritize personal gain at the expense of their employees. This paper critically reviews relevant literature to highlight the dark side of entrepreneurship and to appeal for responsibleness among entrepreneurs based off missiological perspective on the purpose of humans on earth. The paper points to missiology as a potential academic field that can encourage a sense of responsibleness in entrepreneurial endeavors to enrich scholarship. The main contribution of this paper is that a missiological understanding of the origins and the purpose for which humans exist on earth could help to foster responsible entrepreneurship that could promote environmental sustainability and flourishing of all humanity. By doing so, this paper also appeals to missiologists to engage entrepreneurship seriously in their scholarly work.

Missio Dei in the Context of Self-Proclaimed Spiritual Leaders in South Africa: A Missiological Perspective

Missio Dei in the Context of Self-Proclaimed Spiritual Leaders in South Africa: A Missiological Perspective

Re-imagining a new social contract to address exclusion and marginalisation in Africa Insights from the “Golden Rule and Ubuntu” as value frameworks

The question should be asked whether the glaring failures of countries in the African continent to realise constitutions’ social contracts of those countries is related to a lack of moral intelligence and competence in Africa and the presence of devasting moral viruses. The failures of these countries to realise their social contracts manifest themselves, among other things, through entrenched multi-dimensional exclusion and marginalisation of the masses as far as wealth and exercise of power are concerned. To curb or address exclusion and marginalisation, the author in this article explored how missiology could contribute towards mobilising the Church and its ministries and members to nurture and embrace value frameworks which would help to build moral competence and identity, as well as to identify and end moral viruses. In this contribution, the author delved into two value frameworks namely, “The Golden Rule and Ubuntu” that embrace both religion and culture and their implications for the Church in mission with God in the public sphere to demonstrate value-based responses to address exclusion and marginalisation. Insights shared in this contribution would contribute towards reimagining a new social contract in the African public space from a Missiological perspective.

The Undesirable Promotion of a Servant to Kingship in Prov 30:21–23: A Missiological Perspective

Prov 30:21-23 seems to suggest that there is a fixed social order that cannot be broken. Correspondingly, several scholars have argued that because the sages were mainly conservative, they sought to preserve the universal order. Therefore, walking in wisdom would demand the respect of the same. On the contrary, this article aims to demonstrate that Prov 30:21-23 focuses more on the behavioral character of the individuals that assume new levels as shaped by their social backgrounds than the social order. This approach then brings to light the missional imports adaptable to our missional strategies. The study achieves this by examining the Torah for relevant insights that would give credence to the assertion of this proverb.

Ecological Challenges and Injustice from a Missiological Perspective

Coupled with ecological challenges, injustice such as unfair resource distribution and exploitation over nature and the poor has been disproportionately inflicted upon the powerless. As we look at the nexus of ecological challenges and injustice, we find establishing social sustainability like redressing the issues of injustice is closely linked with attaining environmental sustainability. This paper attempts to look into the nexus of ecological challenges and injustice from a missiological perspective. In a missiological paradigm, a biblical concept of justice for the poor and the integrity of creation help us understand the relations of ecological challenges and injustice and offer insights into how to address these two interlinked issues. This article has academic significance of expanding the horizon of mission theology in linking missiology and environmental issues.

Missional Church Leadership in the Pneumatological Perspective

This study intends to find missional leadership in the pneumatological perspective by focusing on bibllical, historical, missiological and theological appraoches. God send us to His mission fields and He is also doing mission with us. Missional church is about the nature and purpose of the church. The church is sending public spheres as well as individual people as an alternative community. For this reason, the missional leaders also needs to fulfill the public calling in their public and social roles for mission and evangelism in the Holy Spirit. In this study, I concentrate on a biblical, historical, missiological and theological understanding of the missional leadership through the Holy Spirit. I attempt to deal with the concept of ‘missional church in the missiological perspective. The mission of Trintarian God is crucial for practicing missional church leadership because the Son and the Spirit through the Father are doing mission as missionary God. In the Bible, Jesus’ Great commission is fulfilled in the Holy Spirit. Harry R. Boer recognizes the Great Commission and missions on Pentecost. Roland Allen is an great model of practicing missionary task in the doctrine of the Spirit as a missionary. Craig Van Gelder also develops a biblical and historical approach for a missional ecclesiology in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit encourages the missional church leaders to fulfill God’s redemptive reign in the world. Theologically, Jürgen Moltmann’s pneumatology is important for understanding missional church leadership through the Holy Spirit. He deals with the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit: 1) the church of Jesus Christ, 2) the missionary church, 3) ecumenical church, and 4) the political church. The missionary church emphasizes “Missio Dei in the Trinitarian history.”

Leadership functions and church decline in the Reformed Churches in South Africa: Considering Ephesians 4:11–16

Multiple studies from Ephesians 4:11–16 have been carried out that focused mostly on aspects of the believers’ priesthood. This article highlights the significance of adhering to the biblical instructions of God as a means to attain church growth. The church was instituted by God and as such he directs the process of church growth. Nevertheless, the ongoing membership decline in the World Protestant Churches globally and the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA) locally is an indicator that the church is failing to meet the will and purpose of God with the church. In the World Protestant Churches and the RCSA, the decline trends are basically the same, and the loopholes are pointing at church leadership. This article seeks to describe the leadership failure to uphold the blueprint of church health according to Ephesians 4:11–16. These are the keys to real church revitalisation and growth. The exegesis of the problem verse (Eph 4:11) was carried out to indicate the various leadership gifts that are necessary for church growth to occur. The Bible and related literature are the sources of data. This article identifies how an omission of the gift-oriented tasks in a congregation leads to church decline.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Within the context of the continued church decline within Western Christianity (Christendom), this article reflects on the historical, mostly ‘Practical theological’ focus on church growth by exegeting the source texts from a ‘missiological perspective’. This study is also very conscious of modernity’s onslaught on the evangelical church through the therapeutic and managerial revolutions, which functions with an attitude of anti-clericalism when focusing on church growth.

Ndadhinhiwa (I am fed up): A Missiological Framing of the Gendered Notions of African Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe

Pentecostalism remains one of the fastest growing forms of Christianity on the African continent. Early scholarship on African Pentecostalism had shown it to be gender inclusive. However, current scholarship has begun to question the continued marginalisation of women, especially from leadership positions in Pentecostal churches in Africa. Women marginalisation from leadership positions in the church is a missiological concern. Frustrated by the continued marginalisation, women in African Pentecostalism are finding innovative and subversive ways of protesting. One of these ways is the formation of women only prayer groups such as the Ndadhinhiwa Prayer Group in Harare, Zimbabwe, led by Memory Matimbire. This article, therefore, seeks to establish how this group helps us to frame the gendered notions of Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe from a missiological perspective. The focus of the article is on analysing how the prayer group is pushing beyond the boundaries of patriarchy by creating spaces where women can freely express their spirituality with no patriarchal demands placed upon them. A missiological gender analysis is critical in analysing this group as it offers new insights on the gendered inequalities in mission, particularly as they relate to African Pentecostal ecclesiastical spaces. Using the African womanist theoretical framework, the article analysed the covert subversion of patriarchal dominance to women empowerment through Pentecostal performance by this group. In doing this, an engagement with Allan Heaton Anderson’s analysis of gender in global Pentecostalism was done. Data for the article were gathered through online media (social media included) as well as an analysis of YouTube videos

A Reflection on Nominal Christians in Contemporary England

This article attends to the religious landscape in contemporary England, particularly those who display some Christian beliefs and practices loosely, while their church attendance is slight, occasional or non-existent. In Western society and churches, they are predominantly characterised as “nominal Christians.” From a missiological perspective, I examine the adequacy of this characterisation, drawing upon my empirical findings of non-diasporic Korean missionaries’ engagement with the phenomenon of interest. Firstly, I show how nominalism is addressed in the two major sociological approaches that attempt to characterise the religious trend in the contemporary Western culture, namely, secularization theories and de-institutionalization theories. Secondly, I present empirical findings of Korean missionaries’ reflection on nominalism in the light of such a sociological debate. Finally, I examine the missiological implication of their reflection for nominalism in reference to the concept of missio Dei. I argue that Korean missionaries’ accounts disclose what I call “religious nominals” who have some valid elements of Christian faith in an increasingly deinstitutionalized ecclesial context. They represent a distinctive religious constituency among whom God carries out the redemptive work of Christ, the manner of which is as yet to be explored. This disclosure invites us to review our understanding of nominalism with a serious theological exploration of such a redemptive intervention of God. This exploration also invites further reflection on our current discourse of missional church in this particular theological context.

‘선교적 성찬’(Missional Eucharist)의 신학적 구성요소와 예전에 관한 연구: 존 웨슬리(John Wesley)의 성찬신학과 선교신학적 관점에서

The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning of the sacrament in the missiological perspective and to use it as a missional power of the church by illustrating the ‘Missional Eucharist’ which can be applied to the pastoral field. Theological bases of this attempt are first, John Wesley’s Lord’s Supper theology, and second, the Eucharist itself is not only already missional, but interestingly, the theological perspectives of the ‘Missional Church’ are abundant in its meaning. However, the Eucharist of the Korean church has long been a ‘Nominal Eucharist.’ Therefore, in order to become a Eucharist pursuing God’s mission as the inner power of the missional church, it is necessary to harmonize emotions and reason, tradition and theology, and wholeness.

Integrating Theory and Praxis in Empirical Missiology

Lectures on contextual theology rightly belong to the standard repertoire of academic training in missiology. While academic lectures on contextual theologies often focus on macro contexts or meso contexts, the concept of the lecture on context analysis at Ewersbach University of Applied Arts strives to focus on the micro context of missionary action. This lecture and the ensuing two-week internship “Missionary social space analysis” take place at the end of the BA programme. This concept leads to an investigation of a concrete micro context, using the methods of empirical social research and social space-oriented action research. The article aims to explore a theory-practice correlation in the training and application of empirical missiology as a practical science in cooperation with an actual local church. The article briefly presents the pedagogical model and the methodology behind this concept and then reflects critically, from a missiological perspective, on the prospects and limits of teaching practical science and action research in the academic setting of a University of Applied Science in Germany and beyond.

Die Ligdraer as a Grassroots Engagement on URCSA’s Church Unification and Reconciliation between 1990-1997

One of the pre-occupations of God’s mission on earth ( missio Dei ) includes unity and reconciliation. This is well documented in the work of the catholic missiologist, Robert Schreiter (reconciliation), David J Bosch (unity) as well as the ecumenical World Mission Conferences (New Delhi, 1961; Athens, 2005). Unification processes of all the South African Churches (especially between traditionally/originally black and white race-based Churches) coincided with the transition period since 1990. The Churches, including the DRMC and the DRCA, went on a path of unification. This did not come without a wide range of “stumbling blocks.” Die Ligdraer , as the official newspaper of the DRMC, announced the date of the founding Synod between 14-17 April 1994 using the metaphor of a ‘wedding’ to reflect on the union between the two separate, racially-based Churches (NGSK, 1993) . From a missiological perspective, this paper deals with the case of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) in presenting the perspectives and sentiments on the ‘stumbling blocks’ experienced, particularly the informal conversations and discussions that are mostly presented in the Church’s newspaper ( Die Ligdraer/Ligstraal ). It focuses specifically on the 1990-1997 period of the Church, where most of the letters from members of the congregations, emotions and sensitive issues on the road towards unity were discussed. The paper limits itself to the newspaper of the DRMC, with a focus on the discussions and voices from members at the grassroots but also ministers that were listening to members in congregations to reflect on the ‘sacrifices’, compromises, accommodation and mutual trust that was at play and the strategies of the leadership of these Churches to facilitate reconciliation.

Re-imagining Peace and Reconciliation between South and North Korea in the Missiological Perspective

This study intends to find reconciliation, justice, and peace between South and North Korea in the missiological perspective. This year(2020) marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War and the 20th anniversary of the June 15 Inter-Korean Joint Declaration. However, a complete end to the War is not yet achieved. Otherwise, North Korea has blown up a joint liaison office that is symbolized as a communicational place between North and South Korea. In this crisis on the Korean Peninsula, we need to find a moral imagination to achieve peace and reconciliation. There are two opposite (the Conservative and the Progressive) opinions about peace and reconciliation at the Korean Church. Although the Conservative and the Progressive Korean Protestant Church have different approaches to build relationships with North Korea, they must respond to a cooperative way for reunification. For this reason, I attempt to rethink about peace and reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula by understanding sociological, theological, and missological perspectives. First, there are three different sociological methods for North Koran studies: 1) A Totalitarian Approach, 2) An Immanent Approach, and 3) a Micro Approach. Especially, “An Immanent Approach” was developed by focusing on the emic approach (‘study how North Koreans think’). Contextual theology is similar to an immanent approach because it considers the significance of a particular culture. However, contextual theology has emphasis on Christian faith in the Christian worldview. Second, in order to find peace and reconciliation in Korean Peninsula, I discuss the theological and missiological concepts that are the Jubilee, forgiveness, embrace, the alternative community, Kingdom of God, and Kyum-Hu (humility). Without forgiveness, embrace, and humility, it is impossible to make authentic reunification in Korea.

A perspective on God’s view of human diversity: A missiological application of joy in diversity

This article considers a missiological perspective that emphasizes God’s creation of and joy in human diversity. Beginning with a concrete experience of personal challenge, four questions are explored: (1) Did diversity of human biology and racial phenotype come as a result of God’s original (before sin) creation design? If not then; (2) Is uniformity of race and biological phenotype the best understanding of God’s original (before sin) creation design? (3) Shall we read the Genesis 1:28; 9:1 “cultural mandate” to fill and subdue the earth as instructions to spread and ethnically/racially diversify across the face of the earth? And, finally, (4) How shall we read the diversity of languages in Genesis 11:1–9 brought up by God: as a curse from God to punish Babel’s pride, or as a remedy from God against Babel’s attempt at uniformity?

Pneumatological Considerations for Christian-Muslim Peacebuilding Engagement

Abstract This essay explores the understanding of the Holy Spirit in Islam and his role in missio Dei from a Christian missiological perspective, and then argues for pneumatological considerations that Jesus’s followers can employ to promote Christian-Muslim peacebuilding engagement. It asserts that the task of reconciling all things belongs primarily to the domain of missio Dei and, consequently, that the Holy Spirit is the One who initiates and creates occasions and circumstances that birth enduring, holistic, and true peace. Armed with such understanding, peacebuilding enthusiasts who follow Jesus can engage in christo-pneumatological peacebuilding that entails the practice of faithful presence—dwelling with the “other” as the temple of the Holy Spirit, who glorifies the Son and the Father through the human participant in the missio Dei.

Social media and religion: Missiological perspective on the link between Facebook and the emergence of prophetic churches in southern Africa

Recent works on social media and religion have paid particular attention to the role of social media in the development of religious values, improvement of social values and gratification of faith-based content by using various methodologies. A missiological perspective or approach to social media and religion will assist in exploring the role of Facebook in the emergence of prophetic churches. The background of prophetic churches is discussed here to demonstrate the growth of these churches and how such growth is linked to the use of Facebook. The shortcomings of the use of Facebook are highlighted and recommendations are made on how such shortcomings can be addressed in future.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article demonstrates the link between social media and religion on one hand and a link between Facebook and the emergence of prophetic churches on the other.