Course Summary

This course unit introduces students to missiology as an academic discipline, providing them with an overview of key biblical, cultural, historical, and strategic aspects of mission. It exposes students to various expressions of Christian mission and alerts them to the challenges of communicating the gospel message cross-culturally.

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Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

1. explain the biblical and theological basis of Christian mission in relation to the missio dei

2. delineate key historical, cultural and strategic perspectives related to the practice of world mission

3. evaluate strategies to strengthen local church involvement in world mission within a given or selected context

4. analyse recent expressions of Christian mission from theological, cultural and/or strategic perspectives

   5. apply perspectives covered in this unit to the practice of mission and/or evangelism in a

       specific context.

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Course Content

1. Topics will include a broad selection of the following:

2. Biblical/ Theological Perspectives on Mission, such as:

3. biblical definitions of mission, Missio Dei; the uniqueness of Christ and the Gospel

4. the biblical imperative for mission and church growth; an incarnational model of mission

5. theological imperatives for holistic (integral) mission

6. the concept of a ‘call’ to mission; characteristics of an effective missionary

7. key issues in contemporary theology and practice of mission

8. evaluation of contemporary forms of mission from a theological perspective

9. constructing a personal theology of mission

10. Historical Perspectives on Mission, such as:

11. key events in the global expansion of Christianity over the past 2000 years

12. lessons drawn from mission history for the contemporary practice of mission

13. the need to discard legacies of colonialism, paternalism and missionary triumphalism

14. Strategic Perspectives in Mission, such as:

15. the whole Church in the whole world:  an overview of the status of Christianity in today’s world

16. the extent and variety of the worldwide missionary movement

17. detailed consideration of branches of mission related to the denomination or orientation of particular colleges offering this unit

18. mission as proclamation

19. strategies for integral mission:  aid and development; justice; and peace

20. response of mission to special needs, e.g., refugees, children at risk, the challenges of terrorism; health issues, climate change, drugs, famine, the context and aftermath of war, etc.

21. the role of the sending Churches

22. mission in multicultural Australia or New Zealand

23. Cultural Perspectives on Mission, such as:

24. understanding and celebrating culture and its contribution to Christian diversity

25. mission and contextualisation of the Gospel; the “Three Self” movement and beyond - enculturation and the development of indigenous churches 

26. ethnotheology and culturally appropriate expressions of theology

27. the arts in mission; ethnomusicology

28. sociological, anthropological, political, and economic issues and their impact on mission

29. principles of cross-cultural communication