Presented By- Sunil Kumar 30 June 2010

Distinctives of Ecumenical Missiology

As we are dealing with ecumenical missiology, so at the very outset it is appropriate to ask what missiology is. There are different definitions given for missiology, but we take here Verkuyls definition of missiology: Missiology is the study of the salvation activities of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit throughout the world geared toward bringing the kingdom of God into existence.1 Now what is ecumenical missiology? Ecumenical missiology is studying the salvation activities of the Triune God in regard to ecumenical movement. The word ecumenism comes from Greek word, oikoumene, which means the whole world. This word also can be understood as making the whole world united. The efforts for ecumenism in general can be traced from the very beginning with different church councils. In this paper I will attempt to trace out some missiological concepts of ecumenism. David Bosch says that ecumenical movement is wider than WCC,2 it is right but our scope of ecumenical missiology is limited to WCC affiliated ecumenical efforts which started from Edinburgh 1910. As a methodology I have humbly taken into account the different ecumenical conferences and tried to trace out their emphases on certain issues in mission with the help of the missiologists who have already done it in the past. The purpose of this paper is to present the Distinctives of Ecumenical Missiology. To have a foretaste of ecumenical mission it is appropriate to just glance through the mission statement of WCC at the very outset:
It sees the mission challenges for the churches as finding a balance between a clear witness to the gospel, the respect for people's dignity, and solidarity with those who suffer, e.g. from exclusion, injustice or sickness. Mission emanates from worshipping churches and includes evangelism, the search for inclusive communities, various forms of healing ministries, as well as covenanting for justice. In WCC's perspective, mission must be in Christ's way and strive for authentic reconciliation and peace, counting on the presence and power of God's healing Spirit, in particular in situations of religious plurality.3

This statement of WCC reflects ecumenical missiology as to how to go ahead with mission in this world. So let us now reflect on the different ecumenical missiological concepts. (WCC, IMC, CWME are respectively, World Council of Churches, International Missionary Conference and Commission on World Mission and Evangelism.) Let Us Be United: Unity of Church The essential ingredient of ecumenical missiology is the pursuit for the unity of the church. It is a pursuit which aims to the kingdom of God and participates in human divergence in the name of the good news of Jesus Christ. Ecumenical missiology regards that we as the followers of Christ are called to present the witness of a united church which can symbolize, anticipate and serve the reconciliation of all humanity and the whole of creation.4 Emilio Castro says that we have to grow in one traditioncommunion- of the one church.5 At the foundation of WCC itself the call for unity was so clear. At its founding Amsterdam Assembly in 1948 it was said, Here at Amsterdamwe intend to stay together. We call upon Christian congregations everywhere to endorse and fulfill this covenant in their relations one with another.6 IMC, Willingen in 1952, spoke on churchs sole calling to mission and unity, Scherer quotes, the calling of the church is to be one family in Him and to make known the whole world, in word and deed, His gospel of the kingdom.7 At New Delhi Assembly in 1961, where IMC and WCC were integrated, the call to the churches was that we must together look for the richness of

J. Verkuyl, Contemporary Missiology: An Introduction, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978), 5. David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (New York: Orbis Books, 1991), 461. 3 http://www.oikoumene.org/programmes/unity-mission-evangelism-and-spirituality/mission-and-unity.html (24 June 2010). 4 Emilio Castro, A Passion For Unity: Essays on Ecumenical Hopes and Challenges, (Geneva: WCC Publication, 1992), 1. 5 Castro, A Passion For Unity, 2. 6 Ans J. Van der Bent, Vital Ecumenical Concerns, (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1986), 67. 7 James A. Scherer, Gospel Church & Kingdom: Comparative Studies in World Mission Theology (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1987), 96.
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Christian unity.8 The theme of unity of church was the key concept in almost all the ecumenical meetings, and it played the foundational role in articulating other concepts of ecumenical missiology. Joining Each Others Hands: Partnership in Evangelism At Jerusalem Conference in 1928 one of the discussed subjects was international missionary cooperation9 which was initiated at Edinburgh, 1910. At Whitby, Canada in 1947, under the theme Partnership in Obedience, delegates from the older and the younger churches came together with the responsibility to prepare themselves for universal partnership in evangelism. They were requested to become partners in evangelizing the world where the gospel of Jesus Christ is yet to be made known. Here, it was emphasized that even though the older churches still need to contribute to the life of the younger churches, but at the same time to fulfill the task ahead older and younger churches have to work together in participation.10 In the course of time this became an important missiological concept in ecumenical thinking. It Is All About God- Missio Dei At IMC Willingen the traditional understanding of mission as converting the heathen, planting the churches etc. gave way to a new concept of mission as Gods mission. One hope of Willingen was to bring missio Dei and Trinity together as theological warrants for mission.11 Willingen changed the focus from the missio ecclesea to missio Dei. David Bosch summarizes conclusions at Willingen as follows: Mission was understood as being derived from the very nature of God. It was thus put in the context of the doctrine of the Trinity, not of ecclesiology, or soteriology.12 So in ecumenical missiology the mission is understood as the mission of God and the human efforts as participation in Gods mission towards whole of humanity. Therefore, mission is the very heart of God and thus missio Dei became a key concept in ecumenical missiology. Salvation Today- Salvation as Humanization M.M. Thomas is one of the strong supporters of this understanding of salvation. In 1972 Bangkok, with the theme Salvation Today, he shared the meaning of salvation today as human spirituality committed to structures of ultimate meaning and sacredness - not in any pietistic or individualistic isolation, but related to and expressed within the material, social and cultural revolution of our time.13 In the same meeting, Castro said that Christian participation in struggles for social justice, especially in actions favoring the powerless of the world is not a deviation from the main concern of the Christian faith but precisely the relevant manifestation of it in todays world.14 Once in the editorial of IRM, he wrote that evangelization is basically concerns to the struggle for social justice in the world.15 Reflecting on Geneva Conference of CWME, T.V. Philip says that salvation expresses Gods concern and love for all humanity. Within this inclusive view of salvation, the Conference saw the saving work of Christ in four social dimensions- salvation works in the struggle for economic justice against the exploitation of people by people; in the struggle for human self-esteem against the political domination of human beings; in the struggle for harmony against the alienation of person from person; and in the struggle of hope against despair in personal life. 16
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Van der Bent, Vital Ecumenical Concerns, 73. Roger E. Hedlund, Roots of Great Debate in Mission: Mission in Historical and Theological Perspective (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1993), 62. 10 Scherer, Gospel Church & Kingdom, 95. 11 Jannie Swart, et al, Missiology: An International Review of Mission, Vol. XXXVII, (January 2009), 76. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=110&sid=fbda960c-c115-459d-8992e9e4a8bb4e82%40sessionmgr104 (25 June 2010) 12 Bosch, Transforming Mission, 390. 13 T.V. Philip, Edinburgh to Salvador: Twentieth Century Ecumenical Missiology http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1573&C=1521 (25 June 2010) 14 Emilio Castro, Bangkok, The New Opportunity, International Review of Mission, Vol. LXII, No. 246 (April 1973): 139. 15 Emilio Castro, That the World may Believe, International Review of Mission, Vol. LXIV No. 255 (July, 1975): 240. 16 Philip, Edinburgh to Salvador http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1573&C=1521 (25 June 2010).

Breaking the Bondages: Liberation McGavran says that according to ecumenical theology of mission, the supreme task of the church today is to liberate congregations and denominations from their egocentricity and mobilize them for new tasks in the world.17 The theme of Bangkok Assembly, 1973 was Salvation Today. It discussed about the liberation of humanity from various captivities. Salvation was understood as an experience of being liberated from all kinds of bondages, poverty, race, color and others in this world itself. Reflections and reports were presented on Nazareth Manifesto (Luke 4:18), and it was emphasized that through Christ the whole humanity is liberated and we need to participate in liberating the people who are still under various bondages.18 Therefore, liberation is a strong missiological idea of ecumenical thinking. Christ-likeness: Witness The Willingen Conference in its report on The Missionary Calling of the Church exhorted the churches to be in harmony with the world. It encouraged that the churchs words and works, its entire existence of mission, are to be a witness of Gods work in Christ.19 Regarding witness, at Vancouver Assembly in 1983 it was clarified that witness may be described as those acts and words by which a Christian or community gives testimony to Christ and invites others to make their response to him. In witness we expect to share the good news of Jesus and be challenged in relation to our understanding of, and our obedience to the good news.20 Witness can be done in number of ways and in different contexts i.e. in culture, in worship, among the poor and among living faiths.21 Therefore, living the life of Christ and witnessing it in and through our life has been a strong missiological implication for ecumenical movement from its beginning onwards. World in the Center: God-World-Church Johannes C. Hoekendijk, an ecumenical theologian, was a fervent opponent of the church-centric outlook of mission. In his view, the Kingdom of God is designed for the world. He says that the kingdom of God is at the focus in missiology, not the church.22 The world is the field in which the seeds of the Kingdom are sown. The proclamation of the early Christians was aimed at the liberative act of God. He thinks that the world is in the center of Gods plan not the church. He argues that God is directly active in the present-day world history setting up signs of his Kingdom. The Christian individual should participate in these actions and so the church must be involved in the missio Dei.23 Scherer refers Hoekendijk saying that church must never be overemphasized but should be meant as a tool of Gods redemptive work and means of creating peace in the world.24 Reflecting on the ecumenical theology of mission McGavran says that for them God-world-church is the right order, not God-church-world. The church has to consider itself as one of the means of God through which He reforms the world and sometimes God uses other means than the church.25 Ecumenical missiology holds that it is for the world that God sent his Son and the concern for the whole world forms a strong missiological emphasis. Let Us Talk: Dialogue and Inter-faith Dialogue Ecumenical understanding in regard to dialogue is engaging in mutual discussion regarding ones faith within the different traditions and denominations of Christianity for unity and with other faiths to
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Donald McGavran, The Current Conciliar Theology of Mission, in Contemporary Theologies of Mission, by Arthur F. Glasser and Donald McGavran (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983), 68. 18 Scherer, Gospel Church & Kingdom, 121-122. 19 Philip, Edinburgh to Salvador http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1573&C=1521 (25 June 2010) 20 Scherer, Gospel Church & Kingdom, 155. 21 Scherer, Gospel Church & Kingdom, 154. 22 J.A.B. Jongeneel and J.M. van Engelen, Contemporary Currents in Missiology, in Missiology: An Ecumenical Introduction, edited by A. Camps et al. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995), 442. 23 Philip, Edinburgh to Salvador http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1573&C=1521 (25 June 2010). 24 Scherer, Gospel Church & Kingdom, 97. 25 McGavran, The Current Conciliar Theology of Mission, 65.

witness Jesus Christ and to learn from them. It is done to promote greater mutual understanding and more intimate fellowship among Christians of differing traditions.26 Uppsala 1968s report talks about interfaith dialogue: In dialogue we share our common humanity, its dignity and fallen-ness, and express our common concern for that humanity.27 In Vancouver Assembly in 1983, dialogue was understood as an encounter where people holding different claims about ultimate reality can meet and explore these claims in the context of mutual respect.28 Ecumenical missiology is of the view that in all religions there is some truth which can contribute to the wisdom and the salvation of the world. Mission, therefore, is dialogue among equals.29 Siga Arles says that ecumenical theology of mission understood mission in the context of religious pluralism and promoted inter-faith dialogue with a view to religious harmony.30 People like Lesslie Newbigin, M.M. Thomas and Stanley Samartha contributed significantly to this concept of ecumenical missiology. Let Us Care: Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Caring others, establishing peace and justice and having ecological concerns are at the center of ecumenical agenda in present context of violence and religious tensions. Quoting Goodal, T.V. Philip says that Willingen conference emphasized that the Church is required to identify itself with the world, not only in its perplexity and distress, its guilt and its sorrow, but also in its real acts of love and justice.31 At Melbourne (1980) the poor were given a central place in missiological discussion. Quoting Castro, Bosch says that at Melbourne considering the poor was missiological principal par excellence.32 The sixth assembly of WCC at Vancouver called for the development of a concilar process for justice, peace and integrity of creation (JPIC). Emilo Castro mentions three fundamental concerns in modern ecumenical movement: the growing inventions of nuclear and chemical weapons, the rift between rich and poor and the ecological threat.33 The Seventh Assembly of WCC at Canberra in 1991 met under the theme Come Holy Spirit- Renew the Whole Creation. In this assembly the scope was on the whole creation. It took the form of a prayer for the presence of Holy Spirit which would make human being to have concern for the whole creation of God.34 Therefore, looking at the world with compassion, as Jesus did, and establishing justice in an unjust world by creating peace and taking care of the creation of God has gained the missiological approach in ecumenical thinking. Evaluation and Conclusion These are some of the distinctive key concepts of missiological thinking of ecumenical movement, sprouted from their different conferences and assemblies. There may be many other concepts which might find their place in their thinking, but I have brought out these within the limitations of this paper. The important thing is not that how good and promising concepts our missiological thinking has, the important thing is that how far we are able to implement them. Ecumenical missiology has been criticized by many, mainly by the evangelicals, for neglecting the most important concept of mission as evangelism, the eternal life aspect. Therefore, it is very important to implement our missiological ideas in right manner to reach the world with the gospel of Christ.

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Paulus Mar Gregorios On Ecumenism, edited by Jacob Kurian, (New Delhi: ISPCK, 2006), 65. Philip, Edinburgh to Salvador http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1573&C=1521 (25 June 2010) 28 Scherer, Gospel Church & Kingdom, 155 29 McGavran, The Current Conciliar Theology of Mission, 66. 30 Siga Arles, Ecumenical Missiology Challenges from an Evangelical Perspective, in Ecumenical Missiology: Contemporary Trends, Issues and Themes, edited by Lalsangkima Pachuau (Bangalore: United Theological College, 2002), 53. 31 Philip, Edinburgh to Salvador http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1573&C=1521 (25 June 2010). 32 Bosch, Transforming Mission, 547. 33 Castro, A Passion For Unity, 83. 34 Castro, A Passion For Unity, 84.

Bibliography Arles, Siga Ecumenical Missiology: Challenges from an Evangelical Perspective. In Ecumenical Missiology: Contemporary Trends, Issues and Themes. Edited by Lalsangkima Pachuau. Bangalore: United Theological College, 2002. Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. New York: Orbis Books, 1991. Castro, Emilio. A Passion For Unity: Essays on Ecumenical Hopes and Challenges. Geneva: WCC Publication, 1992. Castro, Emilio That the World may Believe. International Review of Mission, Vol. LXIV No. 255 July, 1975. Castro, Emilio. Bangkok, The New Opportunity. International Review of Mission, Vol. LXII, No. 246 April 1973. Hedlund, Roger E. Roots of Great Debate in Mission: Mission in Historical and Theological Perspective. Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1993. http://www.oikoumene.org/programmes/unity-mission-evangelism-and-spirituality/mission-andunity.html (24 June 2010). Jongeneel, J.A.B. and J.M. van Engelen. Contemporary Currents in Missiology. In Missiology: An Ecumenical Introduction. Edited by A. Camps et al. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995. Kurian, Jacob. Ed. Paulus Mar Gregorios: On Ecumenism. New Delhi: ISPCK, 2006. McGavran, Donald. The Current Conciliar Theology of Mission. In Contemporary Theologies of Mission, by Arthur F. Glasser and Donald McGavran. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983. Philip, T.V. Edinburgh to Salvador: Twentieth Century Ecumenical Missiology http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1573&C=1521 (25 June 2010). Scherer, James A. Gospel Church & Kingdom: Comparative Studies in World Mission Theology. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1987. Swart, Jannie, et al., Missiology: An International Review, Vol. XXXVII, January 2009. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=110&sid=fbda960c-c115-459d-8992e9e4a8bb4e82%40sessionmgr104 (25 June 2010). Van der Bent, Ans J. Vital Ecumenical Concerns. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1986.
Verkuyl, J. Contemporary Missiology: An Introduction. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978.