A. INTENDED
OUTCOMES
The
upcoming centenary of the Edinburgh 1910 World
Missionary Conference is proving to be a suggestive moment for many people
who are seeking direction for Christian mission in the 21st century.
Several different constituencies within world Christianity have begun to plan
significant events in the centenary year. Since 2005 a number have been working
collaboratively under the aegis of “Towards 2010”. This initiative seeks to bring
together representatives of many different strands of mission and church life
for a well-focussed and well-organised process of preparation for the centenary.
The memory of the 1910 Conference brings people together in a creative way and
opens up new perspectives on mission today. The intercontinental and
multidenominational initiative has the following intended
outcomes:
1. The
churches will be provided with an opportunity to celebrate what God has done in
the growth of the Church worldwide over the past century and to prayerfully
commit to God the witness of the churches in the 21st
Century.
2. he
biblical call to mission will be affirmed and articulated within our
contemporary contexts in terms of mission in the world with particular focus on
evangelization.
3.
A
key conversation on mission will be initiated between e.g.
·
Mission
leaders from the older mission movements of the North and the new mission
movements from the South and East (on dynamics of new mission
movements)
·
Church
leaders and mission leaders (on who does what?)
·
Representatives
of different Christian traditions (on defining mission
theology).
4.
Guidelines
will be developed to help church and mission leaders evaluate for their own
situation models of mission which are proving effective
elsewhere.
5.
Networks
will be mobilized and alliances formed so as to develop greater strategic
collaboration and greater synergy in fulfilling the mission
mandate.
6. Based
on a critical assessment of the status of the world, a new vision in terms of
God’s purposes for creation in Christ and a renewed spirituality and mission
ethos will be developed in the life of the churches worldwide.
B.
A DECENTRALISED STUDY AND DIALOGUE
PROCESS: MISSION IN HUMILITY AND
HOPE
In
important ways the celebration of Edinburgh 2010 and the process leading towards
it will be different from the Edinburgh 1910 Conference and study
process.
1.
Rather
than being centred in Edinburgh, a polycentric
approach will be taken, both for the study process and for 2010 events which
will take place in many locations
around the world including Edinburgh.
2.
Whereas
1910 was confined to mainline Protestantism, the participants in 2010 will be
drawn from the whole range of Christian traditions and
confessions.
3.
Instead
of being largely limited to the North Atlantic,
there will be an intentional bias to the South, recognising that Christianity’s
centre of gravity has moved markedly southwards during the past century. The
process will aim to be truly worldwide in its scope.
This
chapter summarises some plans for reaching the intended outcomes. First, it
outlines the major themes to be considered by the common study process. It will
then describe how such a process could be envisaged. Finally, additional themes
considered as ”transversals” will be presented. The approach should not be
limited to an academic one only, but should – where applicable – seek to include
non-formal ways of creating action-based learning.
Pilot
projects can be organized / encouraged in select countries, which will engage
Christians in ecumenical mission in such action-reflection processes, focused on
one of the nine study themes.
The 2010 mission
themes
1.
Foundations
for mission
The
task will be to explore how a Trinitarian understanding of God as Father, Son
and Holy Spirit relates to the theory and practice of mission; how the
confession that God has a missionary identity impacts Christian witness; how a
discernment of the Trinitarian God’s inner relationships and love impacts
ecclesiology, community life and society. The meaning of salvation will be
considered in its biblical witness and in relation to freedom from every form of
slavery in every context and culture. The interfaces between the Trinity,
mission, salvation and the interpretation of scripture (hermeneutics) will have
to be explored.
2.
Christian mission among other faiths
This
study track will investigate ways of witnessing to Christ while acknowledging
the religious and cultural plurality of a world experiencing a resurgence of
religious belief and an escalation of conflict. It will explore the theological
meaning of religious plurality reflecting on how it bears on Christian
soteriology and missiology and address questions of conversion, proselytism,
dialogue and encounter. It will
explore issues such as religious fundamentalism, persecution, ‘secret’ and
‘churchless’ believers and the continuing growth of many different forms of
religious conviction. Studies undertaken under this theme will as much as
possible be conducted together with or in consultation with representatives of
other faiths.
3.
Mission and
postmodernities
Work
under this theme will concern issues raised by the new phenomena of
postmodernity in its various forms in North and South and its significance for
mission. This will involve an investigation of 21st century thought
structures, religious beliefs and practices as well as ethical principles in a
world of information technology. It will also require consideration of the
influence of post-colonialism, economic structures, internationalism and
engagement (or disengagement) with institutions and particularly with
institutional religion. People involved in this study will discern commonalities
and particularities in postmodern developments in different regions of the
world.
4.
Mission and
power
The
task will be to discern how mission is practised in a world shaped by various
forms of power: spiritual, political, military, financial and international;
raising issues of culture change, human rights, ecological sustainability and
inequalities in the production, distribution and consumption of resources. This
track will consider tensions and asymmetries resulting from the exercise of
power and how these affect the sharing and communication of the Gospel message
and life. It will assess the function of both power and weakness in our
understanding and practice of Christian mission.
5.
Forms of missionary engagement
Work
on this theme will have to start by recognising and considering the huge variety
of groups, organisations, trends, methods and new expressions of church life
involved in mission today. The task will then involve seeking to discern where
initiative lies in today’s missionary movement. It will be forward looking in
assessing patterns, initiatives and developments as they emerge and consider
their implications for the future. It will treat issues of mission and
evangelisation strategy, diversity and cooperation and identify problems of
conflict and misuse of resources.
6.
Theological education and formation
The
need is to examine the connection between the catechetical and missional
mandates of the Church, consider how to strengthen the missional aspects of the
training and formation of every church member, as well as the ordained and lay
leaders. Included in the study will be educational methodologies, theological
curricula, character development, spiritual formation and the contemporary
context. People involved in this theme will further examine the relation between
academy and society, clergy and laity, local and global issues, resources,
relevance and gifts.
7.
Christian communities in contemporary contexts
The
task is to examine the variety of Christian communities as they draw on
different traditions and engage with specific contexts. It will take cognisance
of such issues as urbanisation, immigrant communities, migrant workers,
affluence, poverty and virtual worlds. It will note underlying forms of
Christian expression including such concepts as world view, language, customs,
traditions, inculturation, transformation, etc. It will examine ways in which
churches can become holistic healing and reconciling communities, expressing
both the welcoming and the transforming character of Christ’s Gospel. It will
explore what is involved in deep-level conversion.
8.
Mission
and unity – ecclesiology and mission
The
1910 Edinburgh Conference is considered the starting point of the contemporary
ecumenical movement, due to its insistence on the importance of unity and
cooperation in worldwide mission. Today, there is a need to revisit the intimate
relationship as well as underlying tensions between a focus on mission and a
focus on church unity. This track will deal with various interpretations of the link between ecclesiology and
mission in theological and practical terms. Interface with the work on the
history of mission and ecumenism in the last century (in particular as to the
evaluation of “integration” in 1961) will be key for this
area.
9. Mission spirituality and authentic
discipleship
Approaching
mission spirituality will request to articulate a motivation and dynamic for
mission that is rooted in God’s trinitarian identity and led by the vision of
God’s kingdom. The study will deal with both individual and community forms of
spirituality, drawing on the experience of the early church, of Christians from
all ages, of new Christian movements, as well as of the many new churches in the South.
It will seek to understand mission in relation to such concepts as new creation,
spiritual gifts, renewal, reconstruction, identity, holistic witness and
service, but also suffering and martyrdom. It will explore the role of the
Spirit and of the Church as signs and portents of the goal of all endeavour in
the glory of God.
These
themes have been developed through a wide-ranging consultative process during
2004-05 and have been affirmed by many mission leaders. However, the process is
an open one and the common study programme may well lead to some of the mission
themes being expressed in a different way or to entirely new themes being
introduced.
Decentralised
study bases and a coordinating office
Recognising
the worldwide character of the Church today, it is proposed that institutions,
networks and agencies in different parts of the world be invited to contribute
to the process in whatever way is best suited to their particular circumstances.
Through a coordinating office and a central website, study of the mission themes
will be developed through a diversity of contributions. Suggested ways of
contributing are:
1)
An institution, backed by its governing body, taking the main responsibility for
one of the mentioned 2010 mission themes, including provisions for all needed
personnel and financial resources. In that case, one can speak of a study
commission on one of the themes.
2)
Two or more institutions in different parts of the world could combine to form a
study commission on one of the 2010 mission themes. Pooling resources, they
could collaborate to bring a range of perspectives to the topic which no
institution could achieve alone.
3)
Existing networks, conferences, colloquia etc could devote part of their
programme to consideration of one or more of the 2010 mission
themes.
4)
Churches and mission agencies could offer case studies of particular situations
where significant mission engagement is taking place and which are of relevance
to the 2010 mission themes.
5)
Individual mission scholars and practitioners could contribute reports, essays
etc which shed light on one or more of the 2010 mission
themes.
It
is hoped that through these different approaches, and perhaps others, many
people with mission at heart will be able to contribute to the process. In order
to give it coherence, there is a
need for coordination. A plan is in preparation to establish a coordinating
office in Edinburgh, at the site of the original 1910
Conference. In order to be as light as possible on resources, it is proposed to
employ simply one coordinator. The Areopagus Foundation in Denmark has agreed to make staff time available
to help support the common study process and the Commission on World Mission and
Evangelism at the World Council of Churches in Geneva envisages a similar contribution. These
centres will work closely together to provide informed and effective
coordination.
In
bringing together the diverse network of engagement with the mission themes, the
attempt will be made to balance high academic standards, strong links to church
life and missionary outreach, good
communications infrastructure, and access to necessary financial resources. In
order to allow the participation of a broad constituency, it was agreed that
there would be a need to ensure the effective participation of Orthodox,
Pentecostal and Roman Catholic institutions, as well as the Protestant
successors of the bodies which gathered at the original 1910
conference.
Transversal
themes
It
was recognised that a number of “transversals” will need to be developed, i.e.
important themes which will run like a thread across all ”2010 mission themes”.
Several of these, such as Women and mission, Reconciliation and healing, or
Bible and mission, may well be followed up by specially constituted groups to
ensure that they take effect. This means that the distinction between the
above-mentioned
”2010 mission themes” and the ”tranversals” is somewhat artificial. Most
mentioned themes are overlapping. For the time being the distinction is kept,
but flexibility will be needed, as the processes move on.
The following ”transversals”
have been identified:
·
Women and
mission
·
Youth and
mission
·
Reconciliation and
healing
·
Bible
and mission, mission in the Bible
·
Contextualization,
inculturation (gospel and cultures) and dialogue of
worldviews
·
Subaltern
voices
·
Ecological
perspectives
The
kind of critical analysis which would be offered by each transversal is
exemplified by the following proposal in regard to Women and
mission:
Women
and mission
Women
and mission is envisaged as a specific group that will observe the process of
each of the study tracks with the brief of (a) ensuring that women's
perspectives and issues are properly represented (b) effecting coordination
among the individual studies on these issues and (c) dealing with issues of
women and mission that do not find place elsewhere.
C. FRESH PERSPECTIVES ON MISSION: HISTORICAL,
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ARTISTIC
Three
important additional approaches are being prepared by specialised
groups:
1.
A
realistic look at where we have come from by means of a penetrating and critical
historical survey of some specific moments in Christian mission since 1910 which
impact the present at world or regional levels.
2.
An
informative look at where we are now by the creation of an Atlas of Global
Christianity. This will show the global spread of present-day Christianity and
its difference from the 1910 situation.
3.
An
international art exhibition, on the theme “Who is Christ?”, as an event for
2010. This will draw on Christian art worldwide and create an exhibition which
will be accessible both physically and on the web.
D. PARTICIPATION AND
PRAYER
There
still exists a high degree of flexibility in planning for 2010. The hope is to
generate a unique resource for the worldwide Church through a cooperative and
serious study work and dialogues between representatives of various mission
efforts, and to feed the fruits of this process into the major 2010 events.
Prayer
for this process is the primary form of participation that is needed and
invited. Since it is an initiative which is seeking to engage with today’s
realities at a spiritual level it will only be as strong as its life of prayer.
July 7,
2006
NB:
This paper is also available in
French and
Spanish
