Missionary Journey Research Articles

The Formation of the Anthroposen - The Impact of the Preaching of the Risen Christ

The importance of the seeds of the Gospel being sown in cultural and religious treasures requires accurate observation. The preacher of the Gospel, in this case the Prophet Paul, who was rooted in Judeo-Christianity, was very aware of the religious cultural aspect as a bridge for planting the seeds of the Gospel to produce new humans. In the conditions that occurred in Acts 17 on his second missionary journey, the Areopagus was a platform for preaching about the resurrection of Christ to the people of Athens who were rational in philosophy but still limited in understanding. Namely understanding the relationship between humans and God. This article highlights these aspects by using a reflective grammatical approach to issues of human experience, expressions and actions, the diction of the unknown God and the importance of the risen Christ. The findings show that the presence of new social relationships is inevitable. This is traced based on Habermas' theory which emphasizes the function of communication in social relations.

The First Croatian to Arrive in China, Jesuit Ivan Vreman (1583–1620)

Abstract The Croatian Jesuit Ivan Vreman is recorded in historical literature as the first Croatian to arrive in China. He was born in Split, Dalmatia in 1583, joined the Jesuit Order in 1600, set sail from Portugal for Asia in 1615, arrived first in Macao of China in 1616, and then traveled northward into the mainland of China. He died of illness in Nanchang in 1620 at the age of 37. This article, with the help of historical materials in Croatian, Latin, English, Chinese, and other languages, reconstructs the life of Ivan Vreman and the history of cultural exchange between the East and the West in the late Ming dynasty from several aspects, including his educational background, scientific achievements, missionary journey to the East, and experiences in China.

‘There sails the ships; there is the Leveathon’: A Transatlantic Missionary's Journeys

A first-person account of a missionary's return transatlantic voyage linking the Scottish Highlands and Upper Canada in the 1850s offers a valuable insight into church operations and migrant networks as well as the realities of travel at a time of profound societal change. By considering the journal in its local contemporary situations, and by drawing on modern scholarship, this article considers the motivations for keeping the journal, push and pull factors related to religious and socioeconomic influences and observes that previous scholars have been correct in identifying an ongoing trend of episodic or temporary emigration for Highlanders and Scots in the mid-nineteenth century.

The Problematic Meaning of the Greek Term, Genealogia (i.e., “Geneologies”) from 1 Timothy 1:4

This article discusses what later became a sharp controversy in the ancient church over how to properly interpret the Scriptures. The Antiochene School, located in the very city that housed the apostle Paul’s home church during his missionary journeys, emphasized the historical meaning of the Bible. The Alexandrian School, centered in the Greco-Roman Hellenism of Egypt, emphasized allegory. When Paul disparaged the legalism being taught in Ephesus in 1 Timothy 1:4 as “myth and endless genealogies,” the denunciation of allegorism of Scripture was included in his criticism.

Paul’s Visits to Jerusalem

Abstract The problem of how Paul’s visits to Jerusalem noted in Galatians, line up with Luke’s record in Acts, is well known and the debate over this has been going on for a very long time. After exploring a range of papers on this issue that span a century and a half, this paper briefly introduces the reader to Willis J. Beecher, and summarises his thesis. Beecher proposed that the Galatians 1 visit, is the first visit the converted Paul made to Jerusalem, but it is not recorded in the book of Acts. The Galatians 2 visit is then seen to be the visit Luke records in Acts 9. This unique and creative approach to the two documents demands a rethink of the chronology from Paul’s conversion to the first missionary journey. There are also some new questions that arise because of this alignment and the author grapples with these as well. The article concludes with an appeal: it is time to ignore this theory no longer, but rather we should allow it to be seriously considered when the questions arise concerning the way Galatians and Acts inform our understanding of the converted Paul’s early years of activity.

Paul and the Philosophers: Intercultural Communication in Hellenistic Athens (Acts 17:18)

In this article, an encounter of the apostle Paul with Stoic and Epicurean philosophers in Athens during his second missionary journey is interpreted as an instance of intercultural communication in the Hellenistic world. This is shown in only two illocutions which the authorial narrator of the Acts ascribes to narrative charactersrepresenting the two philosophical schools. The article aims at showing what is to be perceived and interpreted as intercultural communication, how textual pragmatics conveys interculturality in communication, and which theoretical concepts of this kind of verbal interaction are visible in the examples.

From ‘Christification’ to Mission of Salvation: Impact of Damascus Event on Saint Paul

Saint Paul is one of the most important apostles in Christianity. The mission of evangelism he carried out was fruitful in various parts of the world. Paul’s missionary journey brought great risks to himself through the challenges and the sufferings, while he was also previously known as a persecutor of Christ’s followers. His radical change or conversion occurred since his spiritual encounter with the Lord Jesus on his journey to Damascus. This article explores the impact of the unforgettable encounter that brings to Paul more admiration and love for Christ, that also brings an extraordinary mystical experience of ‘christification’, an experience of becoming more and more alike and united with the Christ. The Damascus event and the christification open the divine revelation of human salvation. As a Jew, Paul recognises that salvation is obtained by obeying the law, but now he believes that only the risen Jesus Christ is able to save humankind. Paul’s christification brings direct implications to his courage in becoming a follower of Christ with a burning passion to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. God’s choice for an apostle is unfathomable, even for Paul himself who considers himself as the most sinful and unworthy person.

A Narratological Re-examination of John Mark’s Departure from the First Missionary Journey in Light of Lukan Name-Structures

Acts 13:13 describes one of the most puzzling events of the nascent Christian Church—John Mark’s departure from Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–14:28). Although Luke appears to offer no details on the motive for John Mark’s actions, this study argues that Luke did not remain completely silent on this issue. Through a distinctive literary strategy, Luke depicted John Mark as an evolving character, thus pointing the informed first century Christian reader to the reason for his departure at Perga. To wit, this article proposes that, because John Mark’s departure was driven by theological differences with Paul, based on his view that the Gentiles could not live sanctified lives apart from submission to certain ceremonial Second-Temple idiosyncrasies, Luke contextualized John Mark’s progression towards embracing the Gentile mission by using four variant Markan name-structures as literary emblems of his missiological evolution. In light of Paul’s pro-Gentile mission, affirmed at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), the rift between Paul and his young co-laborer, likely theological in nature, may have manifested itself upon their arrival at Paphos and subsequent voyage to Perga in Pamphylia.

Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism in Society, in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Paradigmatic Focus on ‘St. Paul’s Route’ in the Central Macedonia Region, Greece

The adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have transformed the worldwide socio-economic environment in various and unpredicted ways. More specifically, the pandemic restrictions and the necessary social distancing have generated questions concerning the ‘day after’ of religious tourism, especially in association with the value attributed to proximity, sharing, and communal worship in the Orthodox Church tradition. For the time being, pilgrimages and religious tourism in the Greek Orthodox context are quite stable and resilient, and seem to be intertwined with cultural heritage, the modern search for authenticity, and the touristic experience. This analysis aims to explore the key factors that may shape the future trends and plans for pilgrimage and religious tourism in the Greek Orthodox segment. For this reason, it will focus paradigmatically on the region of Central Macedonia in Greece, which is known for its religious and cultural heritage. This is an area in Northern Greece, linked to the missionary journeys of Apostle Paul, and to iconic religious destinations, such as mount Athos and UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Byzantine monuments in Thessaloniki. The analysis will further examine the possibilities of developing new and multidimensional forms of tourism, focused on visits to religious sites.

Bishop Charles Davis’ Management and Leadership Skills as Coadjutor to Archbishop John Bede Polding (1848–54)

Davis arrived in Sydney in December 1848 from Downside Abbey and immediately took up administrative duties at St Mary’s monastery attached to St Mary’s cathedral. Australia's first Catholic Archbishop, John Bede Polding osb, lacked business expertise and found it hindered his missionary work within the colony, causing him to depend on others to introduce planning policies, along with the general management of the Sydney Archdiocese. Davis was hand-picked by Polding to achieve this. During Polding’s lengthy missionary journeys, Davis showed guidance, compassion and understanding towards the monks at St Mary’s, especially given feelings of dissatisfaction were developing within the monastery during the late 1840s due to Gregory’s questionable leadership style. This article will explore the management and leadership skills of Bishop Charles Davis (1815–1854), during his role as coadjutor to Australia’s first Catholic Archbishop, John Bede Polding.

St. Paul, an inspiring leader of the Early Christian Communities (2 Cor 11:23-29) – Points for Reflection for Priests and Christian Leaders

St. Paul is often referred to as the most important and creative figure in the history of the early Church, as is evident from his life, works, missionary journeys and general evangelizational legacy. He was, in fact, the leading missionary of that early Christianity. But most Christians may not be fully aware of these noble facts, as Paul was also really notorious for his earlier brutal persecution of the same Church. This article aims at bringing out the laudable merits and legacy of this great apostle which remain exemplary for all Christians, especially the Christian leaders, to this day – a fact for which the Church specially celebrated the Year of St. Paul from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009. The methodology employed in this work is the historical-exegetical method. With the help of this method, the shining examples and general legacy of this great apostle in the early Church have been more deeply unearthed with the result that they would now become a constant and lasting encouragement for all Christian leaders, and Christians in general, as well as biblical scholars and students. It is on that note that this article, which was initially a reflection for priests and Christian leaders here in Nigeria, has now been updated and is being published for the benefit of a wider audience.

“A СANDLE IS BURNING IN MY BOAT…”: THE IMAGE OF THE RIVER IN THE «THE TRAVEL NOTES» OF ARCHBISHOP NIL (N. F. ISAKOVICH)

The article is devoted to studying the travel prose of the Orthodox clergy in the 19th century as a phenomenon of the Siberian regional literature and one of the classical versions of the “Siberian text.” The boundaries of the “Siberian text” in Russian literature are defined by the characteristics of regional identity, which is reflected in this text and is shaped by the Siberian geographical space. The hypothesis of the importance of the river image — as the most obvious space-time coordinate — in Siberian literature is put forward. The specifics of the representation of this image in the works of the clergy are examined on the example of “Travel Notes” by Nil (Isakovich), Archbishop of Irkutsk (1838–1853). The notes recount missionary journey along the Lena and other rivers in its basin in the summer of 1843. Archbishop Nil constructs the image of the river as a multi-faceted model of human interaction with space — in the context of a Christian worldview, as well as personal and cultural memory. This model is revealed in historical, emotional-psychological, mythopoetic and ontological terms in relation to the categories of chaos and cosmos, border and transition, existential solitude and spiritual transformation. The author's intention is aimed at overcoming the prehistoric pagan essence of the river in the traveler's mind through its aestheticization, conceptualization and sacralization as a space of meeting with the Creator. This correlates with the genre strategy of the Christian pilgrimage. The image of the river recreates a dynamic image of all of Siberia — ancient, steeped in primeval chaos, pagan and mythological in its essence, but open to Christian transfiguration and rebirth. The significance of Archbishop Nil's travel notes, and clergy travelogues in general, in the history of Russian literature is determined by the fact that the Siberian space is reflected in their writings in its spiritual dimension. This approach, in turn, makes it possible to present the process of Siberian exploration in its ontological and axiological essence — as an incorporation into the Russian national consciousness, Christian in its basis.

The Hope of Israel: The Resurrection of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles.

The Hope of Israel: The Resurrection of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles.

수도사 윌리엄 루브룩의 몽골 선교여행 연구 ‐ 『순례기』 (Itinerarium) 연구

본 논문은 수도사 윌리엄 루브룩(William of Rubruk)의 『순례기』(Itinerarium) 연구를 통하여 그의 몽골 선교여행에 대한 역사적, 신학적 평가를 시도했다. 본 연구의 사료인 그의 『순례기』는 1245년-1247년 동안 교황 인노켄티우스 4세의 명에 따라 몽골제국의 교황특사로서 파견되었던 프란체스코 수도사 카르피니의 『몽골인들의 역사』(Ystoria Mongalorum)와 비견되는 매우 중요한 사료로서, 몽골제국의 상황에 대한 정보수집에 집중했던 카르피니와는 달리, 몽골제국의 기독교 선교가능성을 진지하게 탐구했던 여행의 기록으로서 루이 9세에게 보고하는 형식으로 기술되어 있다. 본 연구는 루브룩의 몽골제국 방문이 몽골 가톨릭 선교의 토대를 최초로 구축했다는 사실에 주목했다.<BR> 루이 9세는 헝가리에서 몽골군에 의하여 포로로 잡혀온 게르만 노예들을 위한 윌리엄 루브룩의 사제직 수행을 위하여 그의 몽골 선교여행 경비를 지원했다. 루이 9세의 십자군 원정에 참전했던 그는 몽골인들의 기독교 개종을 통하여 몽골제국을 프랑스의 동맹국가로 만들고자 하는 은밀한 희망 또한 부가적으로 가지고 있었다. 비록 윌리엄 루브룩의 가톨릭 선교는 실패했지만, 중세시기 유럽과 아시아의 문화교류를 위하여 기여했으며, 이후 원나라 시대 최초로 칸발리크(Khanbaliq, 북경)의 대주교로서 서임받아 활동했던 프란체스코회 수도사 몬테코르비노의 요한과 명청시대 예수회 선교사들에 의하여 계승되었다.

(RETRACTED) MENIMBANG DAKWAH DALAM KUBUR SEBAGAI DAKWAH INOVATIF DI ERA MILENIAL

This article tries to analyze the phenomenon of da'wah in the grave carried out by several religious leaders in the last five years. Da'wah which had been predicted as one of the innovative da'wah, is now no longer seen done by some of the perpetrators. So preaching with a model like this needs to be reconsidered. For this reason, this paper outlines whether this propaganda is still innovative at this time, especially in millennial circles. To find this out, the authors use Rogers' perspective on innovation. This perspective will look in more detail, whether propaganda in this way is an innovative propaganda. How if applied to millennial today, and how then Islam views an innovation. These issues are described in the discussions in this article, to answer some of the questions that arise, to later be a reflection of the missionary journey in Indonesia.

STRATEGI DAKWAH RASULULLAH DI MADINAH

This study discusses the Prophet's preaching strategy in Medina. The issue is then broken down into research questions, namely: what are the steps of the Prophet's propaganda strategy in Medina? The object of this research is the steps of the propaganda strategy of the Prophet practised in Medina. The method used is using the method of documentation and analysis of historical texts. The results showed that the Messenger of Allāh do in carrying out da'wah had used the tactics and preaching strategy steps in Medina, starting from Mecca to his missionary journey in Medina. The implementation of the Prophet's preaching strategy steps in the form of preaching planning strategy, preaching organization strategy, preaching implementation strategy and preaching and controlling strategy and evaluation, all of which have been implemented in a strict and structured manner.

ЕВРЕИ, ПОВЕРИВШИЕ В ИИСУСА, И ХРИСТИАНЕ, ОБРАЩЕННЫЕ ИЗ ЯЗЫЧНИКОВ, ДО МИССИОНЕРСКИХ ПУТЕШЕСТВИЙ ПАВЛА, СОГЛАСНО ИСТОРИЧЕСКИМ СВИДЕТЕЛЬСТВАМ

The purpose of this article is to show how the Acts of the Apostles and the Didache characterize Jews who believed in Jesus and Greeks (including Greek-speaking Syrians) who already called themselves Christians, in the period preceding Paul’s missionary journeys, which began ca. 46 AD. To achieve that, the author sets outto consider various aspects related to the mission of the former to the latter in the period spanning the decade from ca. 35/36 to ca. 46 AD. Special attention is paid to the argumentation showing that Didache acts as the first monument of the Apostolic mission to the Gentiles, which appeared ca. 36 AD, but not later than 43 AD. Here one can find an evidence of what the author characterizes as the ipsissima doctrina Jesu (the authentic teaching of Jesus) and the disciplines of the early Christians.

Praxeis as praxis: Odegeology as practical theology in the book of Acts

This article introduces the neologism ‘odegeology’ to encompass theological discussion concerning divine guidance, a significant issue for spiritual formation and discipleship in the church. Jesus’ promise of power and his commission to be witnesses in Acts 1:8 establish the theme for the book called Praxeis in the Greek text. Acts is replete with examples of guidance for completing that mission, particularly in the ministries of Peter and Paul. Can Paul’s experiences with guidance, whether natural or supernatural, be considered a matter of praxis for Christians today? In answering that question, this study will use Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts as a heuristic model for decision-making. The article will discuss the place of divine guidance in publications by Pentecostal/charismatic publishers and whether it is a subject addressed in the faculties of practical theology in their theological schools. The article closes with a discussion whether odegeology as practised in Acts should be normative for Christians today.

Biblical cartography and the (mis)representation of Paul’s missionary travels

Biblical cartography has elaborated a master narrative of Paul’s missionary activity. This master narrative, which clearly distinguishes between three different journeys, is omnipresent and can easily be found in Bibles and atlases. Nevertheless, Paul’s letters and the book of Acts do not support such a clear distinction. The present study contends that the distinction between three missionary journeys is a modern construct and that this way of representing Paul’s missionary activity has a significant impact on how we understand it. By representing Paul’s missionary activity as an orderly sequence of three travels, the maps not only minimise the novelty of his independent mission but also minimise Paul’s confrontation with the Jerusalem church. In this representation, he is no longer the marginal leader of a minority movement within the nascent church, but ‘the’ missionary. The portrayal of the missionary activity of Paul in biblical maps is an example of the uncritical transfer of exegetical traditions, and of the role of these traditions in the creation of a master narrative of Christian origins.

BIMBINGAN KEAGAMAAN DALAM MENINGKATKAN KECERDASAN SPIRITUAL REMAJA

The development of Islam in its history was built with various kinds of problems that support the continuity of its teachings to convey to the people, and not a few often these problems are often also decorated with romantic challenges that must be passed in reaching the peak of its power. At the time of the Prophet Muhammad among the problems that existed was the existence of Arabian traditions at that time full of heresy, wrath and tyranny or better known as the era of jahilliyah, and many other munkar acts carried out by the Arabs in the era before da'wah Islam emerged. Reading the situation of the Arab nation so that this problem caused the Prophet Muhammad to begin his missionary journey by bringing the vision of '' liutammimamakarimulakhlak '' perfecting human morals especially at that time to glory, namely the formation of noble human behavior in order to realize a new civilization order well.the life of the Indonesian people, besides the word religion, also known as the word ad-din which comes from Arabic and the religious word from the European language. When viewed from the origin, "religion" actually comes from the Sanskrit words a and gam. A = no, and gam = leave. So, the word means "do not go away", "stay in place", "lasting", is inherited from generation to generation. Religion does have this nature. There are others who say that religion means the text or scripture, and religions do have scriptures