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Transforming Mission: Paradigm shifts in Theology of Mission. By David

Bosch (587 pp)
Orbis 1991

David Bosch was professor of Missiology and a lecturer at the University of South Africa
since 1971, after working as a missionary in the Transkei province since 1957. Amongst other
roles he had was that of general secretary for the South African Missionary Association,
editor of the Missionalia journal and chaired various national Christian assemblies in South
Africa. He died from a tragic road accident on April 1992. He was married to Annemarie
Elisabeth.

Introduction.
Mission: The Contemporary Crisis
Between Danger and Opportunity.

Bosch begins his book by looking at the use of the word “mission”. He sees 12 ways which
mission has been seen as namely:

i) The sending of missionaries to designated territory.

ii) The activities they undertake
iii) The geographical areas of missionary activities
iv) Agencies which send missionaries
v) The non Christian world or the mission field
vi) The centre of missionary operation – mission field
vii) A local congregation without minister and depending on an older existing church.
viii) Series of special outreach services with the purpose of deepening people’s faith in
Christ.
ix) Propagation of faith
x) Expanding God’s reign
xi) Conversion of non-believers
xii) Founding of new churches. (Bosch Pp. 1 quoting Muller 1987:31-34).

Bosch continues to explain on the development of the use of the word ‘Mission’ through the
historical development of doctrinal definitions in both Catholic and Protestant traditions and
in church authority, in issues of expansion, occupation, conquest of other religions etc. He
then moves to explain the changes that took place in the 20th century, after receiving various
challenges. These challenges according to Bosch are a crisis, but also may lead to opportunity
because if theology is to be expressed in mission, how will it if the above ways are being
challenged? Here he draws the parallel of the crisis of the church and that of Christ. He sees
this as the point where danger and opportunity meet.

The wider crisis.

Ways in which crisis is manifested.

i) Science and technology advancement and secularisation leading to the rejection of
God.
ii) The dechristianisation of the West, and the growth of neo-paganism, atheism,
secularism, unbelief and superstition.
iii) The pluralism of modern society with other faiths appearing to be more aggressive in
mission than Christians.
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iv) The guilt of the past Western attitudes of superiority and exploitation of other religions
hinder the Western Christians to give witness to other faiths on their faith and hope
(1Pet 3:14).
v) The rich/poor dividing line makes it difficult to share the faith.
vi) The rise of Third World theologies as opposed to Western Theology, such as
Liberation, Black, Contextual, Minjung, African, Asian Theology etc has questioned
on the validity of mission from Western churches and their theology.

It is here that Bosch introduces the concept of paradigm shift. He sees this period of crisis as
in Christian Theology and Mission as another paradigm shift including World War II. This
paradigm shift in the church and in the world has been part of a series of shifts which led to
new opportunities which the church had to undertake, and this is what the church faces now.

Foundation, Aim and Nature of Mission.

Foundations.
Looking at what other missiologists have commented on foundations of mission, Scharer
(1944:5-10), quoting Warneck, Bosch (Pp 4), notes the natural and supernatural foundations.
i) Super natural.
Scripture (i.e. the Great Commission; Matt 28:18-19), and Christian Monotheism
ii) Natural.
Absoluteness and superiority of Christianity, acceptability and adaptability of
Christianity, the superior achievements of Christianity and the way Christianity has
shown to be stronger than other religions.
Bosch (Pp 5), quotes Verkuyl (1978a: 168-75; cf. Durr 1951:2-10) as seeing some motives for
mission as being impure such as:
i) Imperialism
ii) Cultural domination
iii) Romantic experience in far away exotic countries
iv) Ecclesiastical colonialism. (export confession and church order to other countries).

Other motives listed were Theological such as;

i) Desire to convert people’s souls to God.
ii) The desire for people to enter the future, eschatological Kingdom of God.
iii) Church planting
iv) To seek God’s justice and that God’s reign would improve life in the society (Bosch
quoting cf. Freytag 1961:201-17; Verkuyl 1978a: 164-68).
Bosch concludes by showing that within this combination of motives there is a dying
Christian triumphalism against other religions and therefore questions its uniqueness and truth
claims.

From Confidence to malaise.

While in some areas there is despair and withdrawal of traditional mission whereas in some
work has carried on as usual.

A “Pluriverse” of Missiology.

Those who have gone on boldly have seen the opportunity and have seized it although at the
same time they risk the danger and some have only seen the danger and have given up,
without seeing the opportunity. Bosch calls for missiologists to see both the opportunity and
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the danger and to acknowledge the tension in the context of the modern mission movement
and it is here that he calls for a new vision.

Mission: An Interim Definition

Here he points out:
a) The missionary nature of Christianity.
b) Missiology and its relation to theology.
c) The complexity of Christian mission in its definition.
d) He points out the Biblical picture of mission, in how God relates to the world through
Israel and through Christ.
e) The use of scripture in mission and context.
f) The inseparable link between the church and mission
g) Foreign missions and home missions are both part of the same gospel of salvation and the
reign of Jesus Christ, the difference can just be that of scope.
h) The distinction between mission, “missio dei”, God’s wide mission to the world and
missions “the missiones ecclesiae” missions relating to specific times, places, needs etc in
participation to the missio dei.
i) The significance of linking the spiritual/personal to the material/social spheres.
j) The world as a theatre of God’s activities. Mission as participation in God’s activities
k) Evangelism as part of mission.
l) Mission as saying no to evil in society. The need for a balance.
m) The church as a sacrament and sign. A foretaste. A creative tension of being called out of
the world and sent into the world (Pp 11).

PART 1

NEW TEATAMENT MODELS OF MISSION.

Chapter 1

Reflections on the New Testament as a Missionary Document.

The Mother of Theology.

Here Bosch argues that the traditional approach to the Foundations of Mission are found in
the Bible.
Once one has read the scripture, then the person can exegetically develop a “theory” or a
“theology” of mission (p.15). Bosch points out that although for some New Testament
scholars like Fiorenza saw the New Testament as “confessional” history and a struggle
between different Christian parties and theologians in defining doctrines, for others like
Martin Hengel, Heinrich Kasting and Ben Meyer as this was not all. This was the beginning
of the “history” and the “theology” of mission.

In this chapter and in the next four chapters he argues that the coming of Jesus of Nazareth
was the founding paradigm of the “history” and the “theology” of mission. This was a starting
point, which led to further paradigm shifts, which followed. The beginning of missionary
theology was the beginning of Christian theology. He summarises this but quoting Martin
Kahler’s statement that “Mission is the mother of theology”.
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The gospels for example were written as a narrative and not as history, and the theologising
came later. In the New Testament we also find the theologies of mission and not one theology
of mission.(Bosch: P 16, quoting Spindler 1967:10; Kasting 1969:132; Rutti 1972:113f;
Kramm 1979:215 also Frankemolle 1982:94f). Words such as the salt of the earth, the light of
the world, the city on a hill etc are seen as words used in the New Testament to define
mission.

Mission in the Old Testament.

Here Bosch points out the there is no mission in the Old Testament in the way we see mission
today and therefore the decisive difference between the Old and the New Testament is
mission.
 He sees God as the God of history. (in His acts)
 The God of promise (in revelation)
 The God of election for Israel to serve. (especially the needy)

I disagree with Bosch here, for in the heart of the Old Testament we find mission. The
material and the spiritual are to be seen as connected in this aspect when we look at the
Biblical Foundations of Mission.
Bosch contradicts himself when he says that in other religions,

“express themselves as manifestations of the divine at specified holy places, where the human
world can communicate with the divine. This occurs in cults or rituals, in which the
threatening powers of chaos and destruction can be neutralised. At the same time the
religions are caught up in the cycle of seasons, where winter and summer follow each other in
an eternal battle for supremacy. The emphasis, throughout, is on the re-enactment of what
has once been, on repetition and remembrance” (P 17).

Although Bosch does not see this as being the case in the faith of Israel, I can see this to have
applied to Israel’s religion when we look at the religious feasts such as that of the Passover,
Unleavened bread, Weeks (Pentecost), Atonement, Tabernacles etc.
The argument which Bosch develops, that the historical experience of God’s redemption of
Israel from Egypt was the main factor in religion though true it is also connected to the fact
that history is connected to natural events which are all under God’s control.

The other points Bosch develops in arguing on the historical acts of God is Israel, redeeming
them and giving them land is itself a missionary endeavours. That the Kingdom of God
introduced by Jesus was to rule the whole earth, in word and through His mighty acts of
power.
Being the God of history, the feasts as acts of remembrance were experienced by Israel in
rituals and through the cult, and although he elects Israel, He has other nations in mind too
(i.e. Abraham’s story). He is the God of the whole world.
Bosch later admits that there is a missionary element in the Old Testament but he says it is
God who is the missionary (p.19), because it is He who will bring all nations to worship Him
together with Israel (Isa 51:5; 40:5; 45:22; 42:6; 49:6 etc).

The Bible and Mission.

Jesus understanding of mission was based on the Old Testament. The fulfilment of the Old
Testament is seen in Jesus. In order to understand the part Jesus played we need to look at the
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New Testament authors such as those of the four gospels and the early church. Nevertheless,
Bosch points out that there is no direct move towards in mission from the early church to our
times today. He quotes Brueggemann (1982:397, 408) saying that, “The Bible does not
function in such a direct way. There may be, rather, a range of alternative moves, which
remain in deep tension with each other, but may nevertheless all be valid.” (p. 24).

Jesus and Israel.

Bosch begins by quoting A.D. Nock (1933; cf. Grant 1986:29-42), in giving the economic,
social and religious situation in the Israel from the time of the reign of Alexander the Great up
to Augustine, which he describes as fermented. He records the spread of Greek philosophy
and religion and the growth and influence of eastern religions too, and so was the Jewish
faith.
The idea of salvation for the remnant only was strong, that not all Israel will be saved. John
the Baptist as a forerunner of Jesus preached repentance for the Jews and called them “Brood
of Vipers”.

When Jesus was born, there was a lot of sectarianism, fanaticism, religious traffic between the
East and the West and Palestine was under the Romans. In setting the socio-political and
economic scenario, Bosch points out the reason for the Jews in expecting the Messiah.
So Jesus understanding of Himself, was that He was sent to His people from the prophetic
tradition. Jesus came to challenge Judaism and to lead the remnant to repentance and
salvation. We see this in His attitude to the Pharisees, His association with the outcasts,
sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes etc. In Jesus God inaugurates an eschatological reign (p.
28).

An All-inclusive Mission.

Jesus Mission is to breakdown boundaries and to include all, even those who were seen as
enemies, He forgives them. God invites all and it is those who respond who are accepted.

And the Gentiles?

The Gentiles in the Jewish tradition seem to be seen as outside, and unredeemable, but
according to the New Testament, through Christ, (the earthly Jesus) all those who repent are
redeemable. So mission starts with Jesus Himself and at this point, Bosch calls Jesus, “the
primal missionary”(p.31). Bosch then goes on to point out some of Jesus’ own self-
definitions, which implied His negation towards Judaism’s exclusiveness.
The reign of God “malkuth Yahweh/ basileia tou Theou). Bosch looks at the Old Testament
background and the New Testament development of this concept, and building it towards
Jesus own understanding of his own mission in relation to this concept. Bosch sees this
concept as, “a starting point and context for mission” (Bosch: p 32 quoting Senior and
Stuhmueller 1983:144).

Jesus and the kingdom.

Jesus sees God’s reign as both present and future. Jesus Himself inaugurates it. But there still
remains an unresolved tension between the presence and the future of the reign of God, but
this tension of the already and not yet is resolved in the essence of Jesus’ own being. This
tension brings the significance of our own involvement in contemporary mission (Bosch ibid.
quoting Burchard: 1980).
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Jesus sees God’s reign attacks evil. The evil was seen in the form of pain, sickness, death,
demon possession, personal sin, self-righteousness, brokenness in relationships etc. Jesus
healed, taught, preached, forgave sins, removed hostility etc.
Jesus saw God’s reign as eminently political. For instance he declared lepers, tax collectors,
sinners, sinners and the poor to be “children of the kingdom of God”. Jesus is led to
crucifixion because his claims sounded political to the Roman and Jewish authorities.
Gods reign was seen as an expression of caring and authority over the whole of life, though
counter forces remain defiant, but because the kingdom has come and it is still coming, even
the enemies of the kingdom are at the service of the kingdom (Bosch 35 quoting Boff
1983:60).

Jesus and the law.

Jesus has a different way of looking at the law.
1) He condemns the hypocrisy of the Jewish authorities in regard to their attitude towards the
law. He sees it as authoritative but yet not living according to it.
2) He radicalises the law in a unique way.
3) He abrogates parts of the law.

He does this because he sees that:

a) The law is not the decisive principle of action but the reign of God is.
b) In Jesus’ ministry people matter more than rules and rituals.

Jesus and His disciples

The announcement of the coming of the Kingdom of God is followed immediately by the
calling of the disciples.
Bosch points out that the scene at which the first disciples were called (the lake) was a bridge
to the gentiles and therefore having a missionary implication as the disciples are called to be
missionaries and the gospel was to reach the other side of the lake- the gentiles.
Though having disciples was the normal thing to do for the rabbis of his time, there was a
difference with Jesus because
i) Jesus chose and called his disciples whereas with the other rabbis their disciples chose
which rabbi to follow. To be a disciple of Jesus is an act of grace. The disciples of Jesus
are also those who repent and believe in him.
ii) Whereas the authority of the other rabbis’ is in the Torah, the authority of Jesus is in
himself.
iii) Whereas students of rabbis’ expected to become rabbis ultimately, it was not so for the
disciples. They had reached their destiny, their ultimate duty was to witness the
resurrection event.
iv) While the disciples of rabbis were only students, those of Jesus were servants.
v) Disciples of Jesus mean being with him, and also to go out when sent by him to do
acts of preaching, teaching, healing, casting out demons etc, whereas the talmidims of
Jewish teachers were only custodians to the teachings of their rabbis.
vi) Being a disciple of Jesus is connected to future Messianic hopes and expectation.

Central to all the to be a disciple of Jesus was centred on the resurrection experience. It was
the period of new life, victory and exaltation.

EARLY CHRISTIAN MISSION.

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Early Christian mission was focusing only on Jews and later proselytes were accepted too.
Mission to the gentiles came as a spin-off of mission to the Jews. Early Christian mission
involved,
a) The person of Jesus.
b) It was political and revolutionary.
c) The revolutionary aspect was seen in the new relationships it came to bring among Jews,
Greek, free, slave, rich, poor, women etc. Sociologically, this had seemed impossible.
d) The ministry of Jesus was not based on false hope of the future but on real events of the
coming of God’s reign.
e) His ministry was ambiguous, conspicuous and disputed upon, it was only through his
passion and the resurrection that his disciples recognised him (John 20:20).

WHERE THE EARLY CHURCH FAILED.

Here Bosch talks about the imperfection of the early church, beginning with the imperfection
of the disciples such as James and John wanting a prominent place before Jesus. Further we
see this in the disputes in Paul’s Epistle to the Corinthians and in John’s letters to the seven
churches in the book of Revelation.
Bosch then points out on three main weaknesses, which he sees as having been threats of
undoing this new shift of mission paradigm (from the Old to the New Testament).

1) Although Jesus had no intention of starting a new religion, Christianity later became a
new religion. Jesus’ movement was to announce the Kingdom of God and the church
came into being.
2) Instead of Christianity being a movement, it became an institution. Instead of being
progressive it became conservative. He draws the contrast between the church in
Jerusalem and that of Antioch and points out the dichotomies between;
Mission and consolidation; grace and law; crossing frontiers and fixing them; life and
doctrine; movement and institution. This led to the settled ministry of the bishops (elders)
and deacons on the one hand and the mobile ministry of the apostles, prophets and
evangelists on he other. This led to a creative tension.
3) The church failed to make Jews feel at home, especially on issues of circumcision and the
inclusion of the Gentiles.
Finally Bosch explains in detail how due to sociological reasons, these failures could not have
been avoided.
Having set that New Testament foundation on mission, Bosch then moves on to explore three
New Testament authors, Matthew, Luke and Paul. He sees each representing a New
Testament sub-paradigm of mission and how that can be made as a model for today.
a) Matthew as a unique Jew with focus to the Jews and the Great Commission in mind.
b) Luke, with his unique Luke – Acts volume.
c) Paul as the great Apostle to the Gentiles.
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CHAPTER 2:

MATTHEW: Mission as Disciple-Making

A “GREAT COMMISSION”?

Here Bosch focuses his attention on the Great Commission. He sees Matthew’s main purpose
as being to make his community aware of its calling and mission, in that case it was pastoral
with reference to the Old Testament helping them in seeing their identity and connection to
the law, and it was missionary, by giving them the awareness of seeing opportunities for
witness and service, led by the Holy Spirit. Bosch sees a contradiction in this gospel, that in
some places it has a strong sense of support to Judaism and in some places it has a strong
gentile bias. Through this contradiction he guides his readers towards mission to the gentiles,
although he shows that it is the gentiles who came to Jesus and not vice versa.

Matthew shows great judgement towards the Jews (Matthew 27:24-25), bringing an
opportunity for the gentiles to be saved (Matthew 28:19-20). Mission to the gentiles was only
possible after the rejection, the death and the resurrection of the Jewish Messiah.

Key Notions in Matthew

Bosch then moves on to pick up and explain in detail, themes and words, which Matthew uses
in talking about mission in order to help us see that Matthew was neither pro- Pharisaic
Judaism nor was he pro-gentile antinomianism. These notions were those such as;
The reign of God (or of heaven), God’s will, justice, commandments, the challenge to be
perfect, to surpass, to observe (or keep), to bear fruit, baptising, preaching and teaching.

Other terms used by Matthew which have missionary implication are those such as:
Send, go, proclaim, heal, exorcise, make peace, and witness.

Bosch looks at the Beatitudes (Matthew’s Pentateuch), in the light of other sermons in
Matthew. He sees the Beatitudes to be emphasising on discipleship. Other sermons are on:
a) The apostolic mission (Matthew 10)
b) How God’s reign comes (Ch 13)
c) Church discipline (Ch 18)
d) False teachers and the end (Ch 23-25)

Bosch sees God’s reign, Justice and Righteousness and discipleship as being key issues in
understanding mission in Matthew’s gospel. Lastly, Bosch concludes that Matthew’s intention
was to show:
a) The identity of Christians within the context of Jew/ Gentile tension.
b) A low Christology, that Jesus was human, yet through His divinity was worthy of
worship. Not the ascended one but the one who was with them until the end of the age.
c) He wanted to show the balance between the obedience to the Law and the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, evangelism on one hand and social involvement on the other.
d) The balance the tension between the Pastoral and the Prophetic
e) He brings in the concept of the church (ecclesia), putting the word in Jesus’ mouth (16:18
& 18:17).
Bosch sees that the intention of Matthew was to see that the true Christian identity is
involvement in mission.
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CHAPTER 3

Luke – Acts Practising Forgiveness and Solidarity with the Poor.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LUKE

Bosch sees Jesus’ sermon in Luke chapter 4 as being a replacement of the “Great
Commission” in Matthew 28, and points out the focus of Luke’s attention to the poor.

Jews Samaritans and Gentiles in Luke – Acts.

Bosch sees that from the beginning Luke had planned to write two volumes (Luke/Acts), to
show that Jesus’ mission was universal (Luke 27:47 & Acts 1:8). While Jesus inaugurated
New Testament mission paradigm, mission to the gentiles was to be the task of the church
according to Luke. For Luke we see Jesus beginning in Galilee, then to Jerusalem, and finally
in Jerusalem. In Acts the mission of the church begins in Jerusalem all the way to Rome.
Geography brings in a theological/missiological point.
Bosch (p.96), quoting Jervell (1972:49) and Meyer (1986:97f), points out that the Jews did
not reject the gospel of Jesus as many people would contend, but that they were divided on
the issue and that led to the acceptance of the gentiles.

Encounters with the Samaritans and Jews

Here Bosch points out the fact that in a unique way Jesus’ mission was to include the
Samaritans, even if the Samaritans themselves rejected Jesus and even though the Jews
despised the Samaritans. He uses examples of Jesus rejection by the Samaritans in Luke 9,
and the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, then he goes on to show the Jesus healing
of the 10 lepers and the only one who comes to say Thankyou is he Samaritan. Then in Acts
1, Jesus points out that after Jerusalem and Judea, Samaria is to receive the gospel. Bosch sees
Luke 24:46-49 as being Luke’s “Great Commission”. Mission to the nations is based on the
promise, before pointing out how Luke compared to Matthew and Mark, is more sympathetic
to the Jews. Jesus parents were Jews. Luke also is seen to avoid accusing the Jews of
hypocrisy, in the passion narratives, Jesus says “Father forgive”, in the Magnificat Mary sings
“(God) has helped His servant Israel”, mentioning Abraham, and he mentions David in
Zechariah’s song. But central to all is Luke’s focus on Jerusalem. All the significant events
such as the passion, death, resurrection, post resurrection appearances, the ascension, the
pouring of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church all take place in Jerusalem. And mission
was to begin in Jerusalem. So the restoration of Israel has been an important theme for Luke,
although it does not work out in the way the Jews themselves had expected.

Then Bosch goes on to elaborate in detail the other major themes on mission in Luke’s gospel.
These themes include the gospel to the poor and the rich (social concern), repentance,
forgiveness and salvation.

THE GOSPEL FOR THE POOR- AND THE RICH.

In the gospel Luke is very concerned with the poor and the marginalised. Eg: The socially and
economically deprived and marginalised.
The Magnificat
The beatitude of the blessedness of the poor
The parable of the rich fool
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The parable of the rich man and Lazarus

Zachaeus, the rich tax collector in Jericho.
The sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4), Luke’s Manifesto of Jesus.
Luke sees the rich in the light of the poor. The rich as those who are greedy and exploit the
poor, they are those who worship Mammon (Bosch 99; quoting D’Sa 1988:172-75). They are
those who are arrogant and abuse power, and are focused on the things of the world.
Both rich and poor need repentance.

SALVATION IN LUKE-ACTS
Salvation involves repentance, conversion and forgiveness of sins and is closely linked to
sinners and Bosch gives a list of contexts in Luke where the concept applies. All this is based
on the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus and faith in him for both Jews and
gentiles. Those who receive salvation are justified.

Jesus’ sermon in Nazareth carries a lot of weight in the understanding of salvation in Luke
act, and this is why there was a mixed response from his audience. On the one hand there was
admiration (for the amazing way he spoke), and on the other hand rejection ( for not fulfilling
the expectation of the Jews).

CHAPTER 4

Mission in Paul: Invitation To Join the Eschatological Community

FIRST MISSIONARY: FIRST THEOLOGIAN.

Bosch concentrates exclusively on the seven letters, which are indisputably held as primarily
Pauline. These are Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1Thessalonians, and
Philemon, all written between AD 49 – AD 56.
He sees Paul as being viewed first as a creator of dogmatics, then as an ecclesiastical Paul
before being seen as an apostolic missionary. Bosch (124), quoting Hengel (1983b:53; cf Dahl
1977a:70; Russell 1988), sees Paul as the first Christian missionary and the first Christian
theologian. His Christian vision, Christian life and mission are synonymous.
Paul’s theology is a missionary theology (Bosch: 124).
So there is no mission text in Paul but we see the whole of his theology as mission focused,
and with Paul’s complex mind, Bosch admits on the difficulty of the task.

Bosch (126), begins with Paul’s conversion and call, which he sees as a transformational
experience. He joins other scholars such as Wilckens (1959:274), Hengel (1983b: 53), Beker
(1980:6-10), Hultgren (1985:125), Stendahl (1976:7-23), and Dietzfelbinger (1985:44-82,
88f), to say that Paul’s Damascus road experience should not be seen as a conversion but
rather as a call to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Gal 1:16), although not exclusively. This was
a paradigm shift in Paul’s life.

“Paul’s ministry thus unfolds in a creative tension between loyalty to the first apostles
and their message on the one hand and an overpowering awareness of the uniqueness of his
own calling and commission on the other” (Bosch: 129).

Distinctive Features in Paul’s vision.

His Missionary Strategy.
Mission to the cities (metropolises).
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1) He was a wondering preacher proclaiming the imminent reign of God.

2) He was a Greek speaking Jewish Christian who carried out his mission among the
Gentiles starting in Jerusalem.

Bosch points out how diverse Paul’s acquaintances were, where he had the inner circle
(Barnabas, Silvanus and Timothy), then his co-workers, thirdly the church representatives,
through these relationships, Paul operated his mission. In doing mission, Paul was motivated
by:
a) A sense of concern over the destiny of humanity, both Jews and Gentiles. He sees that
without Christ all are lost.
b) A sense of responsibility to bring the revelation he himself had received to those who had
not heard.
c) A sense of gratitude for the grace of Christ’s love which he himself had received.

On the focus on mission, Paul points out the centrality of Christ over the law. In this he
focuses more on the death, resurrection and ascension events. He sees this as a centre of the
eschatological hope in which the tension between the joy and agony, the now and not yet lies.
He sees that success in mission to the Jews lies in success in mission to the Gentiles (154),
and points out that Paul is not totally against the Jews as many have seen him to be.
Paul sees belonging to God as including sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of
the law, the worship and the promises (157).
These he sees as being gifts. The law was meant to point out to the distinctiveness of the
people of God. But he opposed the exclusiveness, and the self-righteousness connotation,
brought by the law, instead of the unconditional acceptance in Christ.

THE CHURCH: AN INTERIM ESCHATOLOGICAL COMMUNITY.

Paul’s churches were still unstable, experiencing a lot of tension within and with the wider
society unorganised and still young in faith.
The distinctive characteristics of the church:
- The righteousness of God as community rather than individual. Christians are unique.
- Support those in need among them and far beyond. Provide hospitality and discipline and
the unity achieved through baptism in Christ.
- The church lives in tension between being exclusive and being in solidarity with others.
The church is “the world in obedience to God, the redeemed …creation” (168). The
church is in the world for the world.

PAULINE MISSIONARY PARADIGM

We can not separate Paul’s theology with Paul’s mission. Paul’s apostolic task was mission
and his thinking and theology was mission focused. We need to make use of what Paul’s
letters meant in the first century and work out what that may mean today, to be faithful to the
old text in a new situation. In the case of Jews, Gentiles place in salvation a lot of focus needs
to be put on Romans 9-11. He therefore sees mission as:
1) The church as a new community (Reconciled and righteous).
2) A mission to Jews (Gentiles then Jews: Romans 9-11).
3) Mission in the context of God’s imminent triumph (Christ’s Perousia).
4) Mission and the Transformation of Society (Apocalyptic expectations of churches
involvement in society [175]).
5) Mission in weakness (Weakness, suffering and death are inevitable in the present evil age,
i.e. Christ’s experience).
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6) The aim of Mission (set apart for the service of the gospel).

PART 2

HISTORICAL PARADIGMS OF MISSION

Chapter 5

Paradigm Changes in Missiology

Bosch approaches Christian missiology basing on the fact that Christianity is a historical faith
and that God communicates His revelation through people and events and sees this as
incarnaional. Following Hans Kung’s (1984:25; 1987:157) paradigms he highlights and
expounds on the following.
1) The Apocalyptic paradigm of primitive Christianity
2) The Hellenistic paradigm of the patristic period
3) The medieval Roman Catholic paradigm
4) The Protestant Reformation paradigm
5) The modern Enlightenment paradigm
6) The emerging ecumenical paradigm.

He looks at these paradigms in terms of Christian faith and mission, also deriving the idea
from Thomas Kuhn’s theory of paradigm shifts. These different periods have affected various
ways of looking at the text and doing theology, which is further influenced by our
ecclesiastical tradition, personal context (sex, age, marital status, education), social position
(social class, profession, wealth, environment), personality and culture (world view, language,
etc) (182).

How do we do Mission today?

THE PARADIGM THEORY OF THOMAS KUHN.

Here Bosch looks at the concept paradigm as seen by Kuhn as primarily being, “the entire
constellation of beliefs, values, techniques etc shared by the members of a given community”
(Bosch quoting Kuhn: 1970:175). Kung uses the words, “models of interpretation” (Bosch
quoting Kung: 1987:163). Others quoted are such as van Huyssteen, Hiebert and Martin (see
Bosch: 185). He sees paradigms as one replacing another, the new replacing the old and
sometimes different paradigms working together.

PARADIGM SHIFTS IN THEOLOGY

He sees for instance the micro paradigms one replacing the other such as the Hellenistic
paradigm, the Roman Catholic paradigm, the Protestant reformation paradigm and the
Enlightenment paradigm.
He points out the importance of relevance and context in theology yet emphasising the
centrality of the Christ event. He sees that Christians should share their different experiences
and to allow the church to function as a hermeneutical community” (187).

PARADIGMS IN MISSIOLOGY.
Based on the above models, Bosch moves on to focus on different historical periods of
Christianity. These periods are seen to have contributed a lot to Biblical interpretation.
Although Hans Kung saw the six paradigm epochs, Bosch notes that James Martin saw
 13

mainly three epochs, namely the “pre-critical (vitalistic, symbolic), the critical (analytical,
mechanistic), and the post-critical (Holistic, ecumenical). (188).
Kung also classifies these paradigms into three, namely the macro, the meso and the micro
paradigms (ibid.), and sees the above as representing the macro. These represent a whole shift
in theology. In this, although theologians may differ substantially in many areas, yet they will
share the same ideas on God, humanity and the world.
He then lists seven areas, which he sees as a challenge to contemporary mission.
1) The rise of Christianity in the non-western world to the point of acceding that of the West.
2) The rise of challenge towards exploitative and oppressive structures (eg racism and
sexism).
3) Progress as the god of the enlightenment is now seen as a false god.
4) The danger of damaging the environment and exhausting the resources.
5) Risk of the nuclear holocaust.
6) Western theology is no longer able to claim superiority over non-western theology.
7) The decline of Christian monopoly over other faiths.

CHAPTER 6
The Missionary Paradigm of the Eastern Church
“TO THE JEW FIRST BUT ALSO TO THE GREEK”

Here Bosch is pointing out how theology evolved and was enculturated within the
contemporary cultures, starting from the Jews and into the Greeks.
In pointing at the Patristic period, Bosch shows how theology moved from being God
revelation in the history of Israel to being more of an objective theoretical theology, based on
Greek philosophy. As the church became less of a movement and more of an institution, it
began to adopt aspects of the Hellenistic culture. While the Jews emphasised on hearing, the
Greek emphasised on seeing, and knowledge, “gnosis”. The development of doctrinal
definitions and dogma entered the church. Salvation was to be found in knowledge and ideas,
and a lot of Greek philosophers became influential in the process.

Eschatology
Bosch sees this to be the area, which bring the greatest difference and therefore tension
between Jews and Greeks. He focuses on the historical development of prophecy and
promises to Israel leading to the death and resurrection of Jesus, marking the inauguration of
the eschatological age. This means that Christ has come to confirm and guarantee the Old
Testament promises. Preaching of the expected coming Kingdom was replaced by the
preaching of the Kingdom already inaugurated. The Eastern Church then developed an
allegorical theology, with eschatological expectation as not being future but heavenly.
Hellenistic thinking was more used in defining the theology. At the same time the church had
to work hard in fighting against Gnosticism.

The church began to evolve too, where the apostles and itinerant preachers were replaced by
bishops (elders), and deacons, and later the monastic office. The spirit was not to empower for
mission but to purify the church. The emperor was to rule in time and Christ in eternity (202).

Mission to the non-Roman Asia spread mainly by the Nestorian monastic orders who went as
missionaries in around 225 AD. They healed the sick, fed the poor and hungry and preached
the gospel. Their work was in three dimensions namely, Theology, monasticism and mission,
 14

and Bosch states that the inter-relatedness of these three made it a missionary church of the
medieval period. Islam and Buddhism later suppressed these, with little of Christianity
remaining in India.

THE PATRISTIC AND ORTHODOX MISSIONARY PARADIGM

This was the period which led to the great schism of 1054 took place between the Eastern and
the Western church. This was the beginning of the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church
respectively. Constantine the Great had moved the headquarters of the Empire from Rome to
Constantinople. The tension developing was both political and ecclesiastical. The church then
began to compromise with the state politically, especially in the West because the emperor
had now gained the ecclesiastical authority, and mission became a concern of both the empire
and the church. The Orthodox Church has contributed a lot to dogma or theology as we see it
today, which was a rational and intellectual approach to the bible. Christians were trying to be
rational towards matters of faith as they began to encounter the pluralistic environment.
Everything became church centred, which meant that the centre of the mission was the church
in its liturgy, its life and worship and sacraments.
Bosch goes on to explain that the Orthodox Church emphasises the cosmic dimension of
salvation rather than the individual aspect. He sees the objects of mission as being the State,
society, culture and nature in the light of the incarnation. Mission is therefore the whole
involvement in society although a wrong understanding of Orthodoxy has led people to think
that Orthodoxy tends to divorce itself from the difficulties in society.
So liturgy being the centre of church life, the centre of society is seen in the Eucharist, and the
mission of church into the world is seen as the second liturgy.

THE FIRST PARADIGM SHIFT: AN INTERIM BALANCE.

This Bosch sees as being the shift from Primitive Christianity (confined to Jewish Christians),
to Greek theology/Eastern Orthodoxy. This was when Christianity was imerging and fitting
itself into the new Hellenistic culture it was finding itself in. There have been groups then
which the church has had to defend itself from Extreme Semitism such as the Ebionites’ and
Montanists. Now the church had to be aware of extreme Hellenism such as Gnosticism.

Issues relating to the canon of scripture, the historicity, humanity, death and resurrection of
Jesus had to be laid down and defended.
Monasticism led to a strong attention and focus on mission with the gospel of love and
charity. Discipline was necessary in a society hit by syncretism and relativism and unity was
crucial in a divided society.

Problem: The church and society became one thing (the church was secularised) which was
beyond enculturation and contextualisation. The church became more of a stabiliser and
mythical rather than emancipator and messianic.
“The key words were tradition, orthodoxy and the Fathers, and the church became the
bulwark of right doctrine” (Bosch: 212 quoting Kung 1984:20). The church became exclusive
and Platonic in its thinking. Christ’s reign had come and realised through the church
institution and the ministry of its sacraments. Salvation was a gradual progress that leads into
the divine.

Chapter 7
 15

The Medieval Roman Catholic Missionary Paradigm.

CHANGED CONTEXT

Bosch here covers the period between 500-1500 AD, marked by the papacy of Gregory the
Great until the fall of Constantinople to the hands of the Muslims in 1453, and calls it the
medieval theological paradigm. Bosch sees though that the groundwork for his period was
laid by a preceding church Father, St Augustine of Hippo. During that period, Europe had just
tasted the influence and Christianity and the Portuguese and the Spanish had begun their
world discovery voyages. The move was from Greek to Latin, from origin of Christ and His
pre-existence to Soteriology through the cross. Yet the all emphasised on the visual rather
than the audible. They were united too on the doctrinal definitions, and this was seen from the
results of the Vatican councils.
St Augustine seen as a trendsetter with much to be honoured for in that had to stand against
and English Monk (Pelagius), and the North African Donatists.

THE INDIVIDUALISATION OF SALVATION

Bosch goes on to explain the complexity and development of theological thinking into
doctrines such as that of sin and salvation. He portrays Pelagius’s positivism towards human
capability of doing good without the need of Christ’s saving act (to a person rather than a
community), as he saw Jesus as merely a model. Augustine’s reaction was the doctrine of
original sin and predestination. He joined the understanding of Clement, Origen and other
Greek theologians, on total human depravity in the light of God’s grace. Christology had to
develop to explain the humanity and divinity of Jesus.

THE ECCLESIASTICIZATION OF SALVATION

Here Bosch begins by showing the contrast between Donatists and their support towards
Tertullian (on the teachings relating to sin), on the one hand, and Augustine’s defence
concerning the fallen state of humanity and those who make up the church. For Augustine, the
church represents God though sinful the members are, and the church and its hierarchy
therefore do mission.
In further understanding over salvation, the Catholics believed and taught that there is no
salvation outside the [Catholic] Church. The baptismal rites were made important for
sometimes they sounded more important than the faith of the individual.

MISSION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE

The Roman Empire became equated to the Roman Catholic Church. Augustine’s response
was with the concept of the two cities. The city of God was destined for eternal rule, and the
city on earth was striving towards the ideal form of human society, where perfect justice and
peace might reign. This later developed its expression in the relationship between the papacy
and the emperor, that the former was supreme over the latter. The Catholic Church became
extremely influential over State and loyalty to the state was being loyal to the church, and
rebellion to one was the same as rebelling to the other.

INDIRECT AND DIRECT “MISSIONARY WARS”,

The concept of war was to do with conversion, how to get people to become Christians.
At the beginning, converts were gained by rewarding them. Augustine started the use of
external pressure. Gregory the Great carried this on by chastising those who would not accept
 16

conversion. What followed was that non-Christians could not access the privileges Christians
had. This principal developed into “indirect” and later “direct” war. . But Bosch still sees this
to be an exceptional practise and not a norm.
Although at first war was accepted only for defensive purposes, and this was seen as “just
war” (bellum justum), which was “sanctioned by God” (bellum Deo auctore). So defence of
Christendom became a duty of the ruler. Pagans had to be baptised even if it was against their
will and according to Anselm of Lucca, war was seen as an act of love to the non-converted.

This was the structure of the society, and the monopoly of secular affairs was in the hands of
the Catholic Church. Apart from the Jews who were slightly tolerated, others such as the
heretics and schismatics were not.

COLONIALISM AND MISSION.

The middle ages marks the period of the expansion of Islam in the East leading to the Capture
of Constantinople in 1453. At the same time the expansion of Europe, the discovery and
colonisation of the Americas, Africa and Asia was taking place. The concept of Just War did
play its part on this which led some people to say that colonisation was a modern continuation
of crusades (Bosch: 226, quoting Fisher 1982:23). Slave trade was also later introduced.

Pope Alexander VI divided the colonised world into two for mission purposes. One was under
the king of Spain and the other under the king of Portugal, as the two countries were the first
to advance in the new discoveries, and that the Pope was regarded as having authority over
the whole world. During this period, the mission of the church was linked to the mission of
the state. Those sent to Christianise the colonised territories were called “Missionaries”, and
their assignment was called, “Mission”, terms first used by Ignatius of Loyola. As the pope
held supreme power, everything he said had to be endorsed by the king. The churches in the
new areas did not have any autonomy, they were hierarchical and were under Rome.

THE MISSION OF MONASTICISM

Europe was broadly seen as Christendom and therefore no real need for evangelism, but it had
to keep its vision. This was made possibly by the monastic movement. Monasteries became
centres for culture, civilisation and mission. Monasticism and Christian mission went
together.

THE MEDIEVAL PARADIGM: AN APPRAISAL

This is the period when the church moved from being a small-persecuted minority, into a
large powerful, influential organisation. Its link with Judaism had been broken and instead it
was now linked to the Roman Empire and its previous apocalyptic expectation by spreading
out with a vision to reach the ends of the earth. During this period pagans and Jews were to be
forced into conversion and baptism, basing on Luke 14:23 and John 3:16, and because there
was no salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church. The conversion of the pagans and Jews
was for there own benefit so that they can not face eternal condemnation.

While Augustine is attributed to the role of starting this paradigm, Thomas Aquinas was to
close it. The universe was seen as a whole, with every part interconnected to other parts. “The
key to it all was a double order of knowledge and being, the one natural the other
supernatural: reason and faith, nature and grace, state and church, philosophy and theology.
 17

Whereas the first of each pair refers to the natural, the second to the supernatural” (Bosch
237). This idea dominated throughout this period into the 20th century.

Chapter 8

The Missionary Paradigm of the Protestant Reformation

THE NATURE OF THE NEW MOVEMENT.

Luther was the pioneer of this paradigm, which rejected the two storey structure in society,
that of putting faith, grace the church and theology in the upper storey and reason, nature,
state and philosophy to occupy the lower. Luther saw tension and even opposition between
faith (grace) and reason, church and the world, theology and philosophy, this became the
Protestant view ever since the Lutheran Reformation, the power of God was to be expressed
in the lives of believers (Rom 1:16). John 3:16 was for the Greek Patristic period, and Luke
14:23 was for the Medieval Catholicism.

For the Reformers the link between church and state was maintained and at the centre of the
teaching was salvation by faith and grace. Correct doctrine was important just as it was in
Medieval Catholicism and the creeds remained Orthodox. The Roman Catholic Church lost
some of its hegemony in some parts of Europe that had become Protestant and the pope did
not carry absolute power any more. The final settlement of the dispute over papal authority
was made at the Peace of Augsberg in 1555 and the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The
agreement was that every region was to follow the religion of its own ruler.

While there were similarities between the Catholic and the Protestant Churches, Bosch notes
five differences.
1) Justification by faith alone through grace (sola gratia).
2) Humanity was seen from the aspect of the fall.
3) Salvation was seen from the personal aspect, it was subjective.
4) Personal responsibility led to the priesthood of all believers. (Anabaptists took it to
extreme.
5) The centrality of scripture, thus moving the pulpit to the centre.

THE REFORMERS AND MISSION

The Reformers were seen by Catholics as heretics and had no concept of mission. On the
other hand, Luther is seen as, “a creative and original missionary thinker” (244). The main
thrust of reformed theology was not what people should do to be saved, but what God has
already done in Christ. This truth continues to spread out to the ends of the earth, just as the
rippling effect of water when one throws water in a pond or lake and this is not dependant on
mans effort, but on God’s work. Though that is the case, works of love, preaching and witness
are expected in a Christian as a responsibility, and that becomes a missionary thrust. Through
this view on mission, the Reformers rejected the Catholic idea of using force to Christianise
pagans and Jews.

Bosch then shows that although the idea of mission was there among the Protestants, their
active involvement was limited. This was due to:
 Their primary task was to reform the church and not to replace it (as Anabaptists thought).
 18

 Protestants contact with non-Christians was little, and the nations they belonged to were
pre-dominantly Catholic and had already established colonies.
 These Protestant churches were struggling to survive, a condition, which prevailed until
after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.
 Because monastic orders had been the sending missions, the Protestant’s denial of these
orders meant denying themselves of important aspects of access to these agencies.
 Protestants were still going through their own internal struggles.

The Anabaptists moved a bit faster in mission due to their radicalisation of the idea of the
priesthood of all believers and regarded Germany and its surroundings as a mission field with
no parish or diocesan boundaries. For them the Great Commission”, was mandatory to all
believers (not like other reformers who thought it only applied to the Apostles).
While the Reformers saw the church and state were united in mission, the Anabaptists could
not bring the two together, Reformers took missionaries only to countries with Reformed
governments.

Although eschatological expectations have sometimes been seen as reasons for stagnating the
missionary movement of the reformers, but it has also be known to be an impetus towards
reformers involvement in mission.

LUTHERAN ORTHODOXY AND MISSION

Luther’s reform led to territorial distribution between denominations except for the
Anabaptists. Protestant and Catholic definitions of the church followed after the Peace of
Westphalia. The Catholics put more emphasis on the outward expression (the legal and
institutional), whereas the Protestants put their emphasis on the internals (true teachings,
proper administration of sacraments). This led to more division among Protestants.

The church became defined in the lines of, “what is happening behind its four walls”, or “a
place where something is done not a living organism doing something” (249). Such
definitions says Neill (1968:75 quoted by Bosch et al), fit a typical environment where the
majority of the people are baptised and living a Christian life and where evangelism is not
required.

Bosch attributes to Philip Nicolai the responsibility to bringing the transition in the Orthodox
Lutheran understanding of mission. Nicolai,

a) Like other reformers (except Anabaptists), sees the Great Commission to have only
applied to the Apostles yet the church is still called fore mission. Although he was
positive to the Catholic role on mission he still regarded the three enemies of Christianity
as, the Turks, papacy and Calvinism (250).
b) Initiative towards salvation is in God’s hands not us. (I.e. Luther’s salvation by grace
through faith, and Calvin’s predestination). This meant we should not go out in mission
but just look at the need for the gospel around where you are and attend to it.
c) His positivism over the world and his eschatology led him to disappointment and
pessimism over the Catholics and inspired him for mission.
d) Lutheran mission was to areas ruled by Lutherans and therefore Lutheran colonial masters
had a responsibility for missionary involvement.
e) The Lutheran church had no responsibility to take the gospel to pagans because the
Apostles had done it.
 19

THE PIETIST BREAKTHROUGH

What followed was the Pietist movement. The aim of the will, personal experience and the
desire to proclaim the gospel to all was important. Nikolaus Von Zinzendorf was a product of
this movement. This moved the church from cold cerebral faith to a warm union with Christ,
from sound doctrine to a disciplined life, from theory to practice, from ecclesiastical
authoritarianism to individual personal faith.

Pietists and Moravians rejected the connection between church and state as an expression of
Christianity, but instead the emphasised on personal decision and this aspect of Pietism
brought them more in line with the Anabaptists. Pietists also became involved with social
responsibility, which they called, “service of the body” (254). Eg hospitals, schools for the
poor, orphanages etc. Soul and body, conversion and development were not to be divided.

Pietism began to lead missionary involvement more on the religious sphere and less on the
civic sphere by the 1730’s. Pietism faced a challenging attack from orthodoxy in its
theological validity and the Enlightenment’s rationalism challenged the mysteries of faith.

Pietism’s contribution to missionary movement.

1) Mission was no longer a duty of colonial governments Christians could participate.
2) From being a responsibility of rulers now it was a responsibility of individual Christians.
3) It brought in the ecumenical aspect of mission.
4) In one century (18th), Pietism made Germany a missionary country through people like
Zinzendorf.
5) True dedication (other than monasticism) was demonstrated in the way ordinary people
got involved in mission.

SECOND REFORMATION AND PURITANISM

While Lutheran Reformation made little sense of this world, Calvinism (in Holland) and
Puritanism (in England) did. Both these countries had strong powers in overseas colonies.
While the idea of mission was on discussion among the Lutherans, among the Reformed
Churches it was put into action. Calvinism brought the balance between the inward renewal
and the outward transformation, the vertical and the horizontal. These two were held in a
creative tension (256).

Bosch then refers to Gisbertus Voetius’s threefold model of the theology of mission. He sees
these dimensions as
(i) Conversion of the Gentiles
(ii) The planting of the church
(iii) The glory and manifestation of divine grace (257).
This might have made him the first proponent of the modern missio-Dei. He saw the
churches both new and old standing as equal.
He rejected the Roman Catholic patronage and coercion of non-Christians.

The Protestant missionary movement was then began and was carried on through the Puritan
movement as missionaries began to spread out to distant lands in the 17th century pioneered
by people like John Eliot, Richard Sibbes, Richard Baxter and Cotton Mather.
 20

Characteristics of Puritanism.
(i) The doctrine of predestination
(ii) Ultimate goal of mission was to God’s glory
(iii) God’s love and grace to believers and sinners.
(iv) Mission was closely connected to colonial expansion and theocracy. Theocracy was
later to be shattered by the Enlightenment in some areas and reason took over.
(v) Linking mission with eschatology strengthened theocracy (in Calvinism).
(vi) The idea that Western culture was superior over other cultures. Mission and Western
culture was interconnected.
(vii) They went as a response to the “Great Commission”.

AMBIVALENCES IN THE REFORMATION PARADIGM.

The missionary paradigm in the first two centuries of Protestantism,

a) Emphasised on God’s sovereignty to the detriment of missionary involvement.
b) Though the fall was emphasised but humanity was seen as redeemable.
c) There were three prongs of Protestant theology. Extreme subjectivity (Pietism), extreme
objectivity (orthodoxy) and in between.
d) Mission responsibility was for both church and state except for Anabaptists, Pietists, and
second reformation movement.
e) Calvinists, due to their theocratic view held strongly on the rule of Christ in society.

Chapter 9

Mission in the Wake of the Enlightenment

CONTOURS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT WORLDVIEW

All that happened in the Protestant Church in the 18th century was influenced by the
enlightenment, but the Catholic Church and its theology was able to stay away from that
influence until after the second Vatican Council. At that point, the Catholic Church made two
paradigm shifts in one (20th) century, whereas it took the Protestant Church two centuries to
go through the two paradigm shifts. These paradigms were those of the Enlightenment and the
other was that of Postmodernity (262).

The change from medieval thinking to enlightenment thinking made the supernatural
redundant and the natural attracted more attention. God, the church and the nobles were no
longer revered, but nature was. Those who influenced the minds of the enlightenment were
people like Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543), Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Galileo Galilei
(1564-1642), Rene Descartes (1596-1650) etc. One or two generations later, the
enlightenment world view came to its final form through the influence of John Locke (1632-
1704), Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), Gottfried Wilhelm Liebnitz (1646-1716), and Isaac
Newton (1642-1717).

Characteristics of the enlightenment. (Very important to note for MAMDP) p.265

* The enlightenment was an age of reason / Reason became important in Christianity and
theology’s response was to separate religion from reason and locate it on feelings and
experience / response was the privatisation of religion and its removal from public
sphere / response was to declare theology as a science, which was superior to other
 21

sciences / response was to create a Christian society in which Christianity will be the
official religion / response by secularising religion.

* The enlightenment separated humans from the environment and therefore made it possible
for them to study the environment objectively / response was to do the same in theology
eg inerrancy of objective text.
* The enlightenment looked at reality in the cause and effect concept and eliminated purpose /
Trust in God was emphasised in knowing purpose.
* The focus of the enlightenment was progress, as seen in development programmes
(modernisation). The desire to spread wealth to the less privileged / Christian triumph in
this world, reforming the world, eradicating poverty, restoring justice etc.
* Enlightenment believed that knowledge is factual, value free and neutral. It is objective.
Over facts, there are disputable values based on opinions and on belief, and that is the place of
religion. So a belief can only be true when there is a corresponding fact / Christianity was
made a fact not values/ religion (values), being separate from facts (science), was
transcendent, spiritual and supreme (Platonic). The problem Christianity became other
non-worldly.
* All problems are solvable / theology warns of the danger of seeking false security and
avoiding responsibility.
* People were seen as emancipated autonomous individuals. God and the church were no
longer needed. All individuals were equal and had equal rights. Natural rights / It brought
individualism in the church.

ENLIGHTENMENT AND CHRISTIAN FAITH

Religion became anthropocentric. Christian Apologetic theology began to develop.

Christianity lost its superiority above other religions.

(See solutions of the above problems).

The enlightenment was meant to create a society of which all people were equal but that idea
was not materialised.

MISSION IN THE MIRROR OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT

The modern missionary enterprise has been greatly influenced by the enlightenment’s concept
of ecclesiastical and cultural expansion

Church and State.

Colonisation and Christianisation went together, and were two sides of the same coin (275).
Later, during the enlightenment the two went onto separate paths. Expansion in the America
became imperialistic, in India mercantile etc, but no longer religio-political-cultural. Christian
mission became a concern to win souls and confined to the church only. What such as other
Reformers such as Zinzendorf had done had long been forgotten and defeated by rationalism.
Mission organisations such as SPCK (1699) and SPG (1701) which had a synthesis between
the rationalism and Pietism were started.
 22

Forces of Renewal.
The Great Awakening in the Americas’ (1726-1760), Methodism (1703-1791 John & 1707-
1788 Charles) and Evangelical Anglicanism (1787-1825) were forces of renewal, which made
a great impact on mission thinking and practise.
The Great Awakening was a national conversion (Bosch: 277 quoting Niebuhr). They taught a
balance between objectivity and subjectivity in understanding our faith from the Scriptures,
the main character being Jonathan Edwards.
The Wesley brothers and George Whitefield in starting the Methodist movement saw no
difference between nominal Christianity and pagans, thus John saying, “The whole world is
my parish”(278). Saving souls meant society would change. The Methodist movement led to
the Anglican Evangelical Revival.

The Second Awakening. (1766 onwards)

This brought rise to foreign missions also prompted by the discovery of new land by
explorers. The number of Christians increased too. In the UK, “expect great things from God,
attempt great things for God” (Bosch: 279, quoting Carey), was the motto.

The 19th century

Church and state harmony and intension in mission were restored. Missionaries were sent by
the church but with interest on expanding the empire.
In America materialism and capitalism were seen as blessings and the Kingdom was here and
now. Mission was a way of sharing those blessings with a deprived world.

The 20th century

The social gospel had taken root, and sin was merely ignorance.

MISSIONARY MOTIFS IN THE ENLIGHTENMENT ERA

1) Gods’ Sovereignty and His glory (derived from the doctrine of Predestination).
2) Constrained by the love of Jesus (brotherhood).
3) The gospel and culture. The compromise with other cultures. Religion and culture went
together and there was a sense of the West passing on the Western culture, which went
together with the gospel. Issues of accommodation and indigenisation were addressed
(291-298).

This period saw the

a) Abolition of slavery
b) Spread of better methods of agriculture
c) Improvement on schools and hospitals
d) Elevation of women in society
e) Emphasis on improved international relations
f) Leadership training for newly independent states (Bosch: 294 quoting Smith: 1968:71).

The 20th century came to see a shift as culture and religion became increasingly separated.

Mission and Manifest Destiny.

The West had believed that they were the chosen people and they were to rule over other
nations. This was especially seen between 1880-1920, during the “Heyday of colonialism”.
(Bosch: 298 quoting Neill 1966a: 322-396).
 23

Mission and Colonialism

Although at the beginning colonisation and mission work went together, later on in the 17th
century they were separated. Merchants, who went out for trading purposes, sometimes even
did not want missionaries, because they felt threatened that missionaries might spoil their
trade links. Later in the 19th century the two were connected again. While the colonial
governments ran and traded, the missionaries evangelised. They prepared people for
government service.
The idea of colonialism was Christianity, commerce and civilisation.

Mission and the Millennium

Bosch sees this as the golden age. Mission work has been seen as the process of the golden
age, the dawn of the millennium. Although it began by reaching out to the Americas’ now it
was expanding elsewhere until the ends of the earth. The reign of God had begun through the
church.
British Evangelical Alliance (1846) raised a hermeneutical problem. It suggested that
Scripture should speak for itself to each individual, and therefore they did not want to be told
by ecclesiastical bodies what to do. This idea was in tension with the inerrancy of Scripture.
In mid 17th century, the return of Christ was expected and many mission organisations were
founded. The understanding the Pre-millenialists was that the return of Christ will come
when the preaching of the gospel is complete and the message has reached the ends of the
earth (Matt 24:14).

Mission began to emphasise on God’s judgement rather than His love. Dwight.L.Moody
(1837-1899) came up with the three “R’s”:
Ruined by sin
Redeemed by Christ
Regenerated by the Holy Spirit

He was known as a pragmatic, choosing doctrines, which were simple and positive to society.
Emphasis became on personal rather than structural sin and verbal evangelism rather than the
social gospel. Issues of race and class began to emerge. Eg in America the revivalists were
middle class whites Protestants. The challenge of Socialism until after the Second World War,
political undertones were attached to Premillenialism followed by the prosperity gospel.

People were converted to middle class American culture of materialism, capitalism,

patriotism, respectability etc. Churches were run like a business.

Postmillennialism and Amillenialism.

Around 1859 onwards these ideas began as a continuation of he teaching and preaching
during the Awakening movements of Edwards and Hopkins. The Perousia was replaced by
the coming of the Kingdom step by step (see 319-327).

Voluntarism
The Enlightenment saw the emergence of missionary societies, inspired by the
enlightenment’s spirit of enterprise and initiative (327). I.e. the hermeneutical freedom.
These were voluntary societies, which at the time of the Reformation could not be thought of,
but only the institutional church and its hierarchy could talk about mission.
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Chapter 12

Elements of an Emerging Ecumenical Missionary Paradigm.

In this we find a very high view of the church especially emphasised by the Catholics. The
definition of the church was turning from being an institution to being the body of Christ, and
the outlook on mission was again emphasised in a new way. Missionary conferences began to
emerge, “ecclesiological reflections of missionary conferences from Edinburgh 1910 to
Mexico City in 1963” (p.369: Bosch referring to Gunther: 1970).
Issues of discussion ranged from, inspiring missionary enthusiasm in the churches of the
West, the relationship between the church and mission, the relationship between the younger
and older churches and the distinctions between Christians and non Christians.

Challenges from other ideologies such as Communism, Fascism, Marxism and Socialism
grew, and not forgetting the impact of World War Two. The Church and Mission were
brought together and there was a strong call for the need
a) Not to separate the two, i.e. Church and Mission.
b) Mission is from everywhere to everywhere
c) Partnership in Mission

The church in Mission

Mission was to be an integral part of the World Council of Churches. This was a Missio Dei
statement, although there still remained differences in its definition from different schools of
thought. The differences were the some stressed on:
a) Salvation
b) Ecclesiology
c) Sacraments
d) And others Eschatology (p.371).

There was a shift from the centrality of the Pope as emphasised in Vatican I to a more
integrated one, with focus on the local church. After Vatican II, both Catholic and Protestant
united in defining the church in terms of:
i) The sacrament of Salvation
ii) Assembly of God
iii) People of God
iv) Body of Christ
v) Temple of the Holy Spirit
vi) Community of the faithful (P.372 Bosch quoting Michiels: 1989:89 and Dulles: 1976).

By the Catholics recognising the church as universal and the place of the local church in
mission, it brought the Third World church closer than ever before.

Creative tension
But Bosch sees a creative tension develop from the definition and understanding of the
church, that is:
i) As the bearer of the message of salvation on which it carries the monopoly.
ii) As an illustration in word and deed of God’s involvement with the world (p.381).

The two views were being brought together as the church continued to emphasise on Church
planting as primary in mission, and the church definition and role continued to be discussed in
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the following Ecumenical councils on the role of the church in mission and the definition of
salvation whether it was only spiritual or included social action (i.e. humanisation of people).
Issues of Christology and Pneumatology were discussed too (p.384). The issue of the two
mandates facing the church, the social on one hand and the spiritual on the other, became a
way of looking at the relationship between the evangelism and social action, and followed by
detailed discussions on both evangelical and ecumenical councils on the relationship between
the two. On the one hand Evangelicals held to the primacy of evangelism although social
action was still very important, and on the other, Catholics held to both with a greater bias
towards social action.

Bosch then goes on to explain what the heart of evangelism. He sees evangelism as both
saying and doing, and he clearly distinguishes between evangelism, evangelisation and
mission (p.409-420).

Mission as contextualisation

Quoting Ukpong (1987163), Bosch traces the origins of the word “contextualization” from the
1970’s. He continues to quote Ukpong in showing the two streams of contextualization as
i) Indigenisation: namely translation and inculturation
ii) Socio-political: namely liberation theology, black theology, feminist theology etc)
(p. 421).

Bosch then goes on to trace the background of the contextualization pattern from Arianism,
Donatism, Pelagianism, Nestorianism, Monophysitism etc in which culture and politics
shaped heir understanding of the scripture. The whole development in theologising, through
the middle ages the Reformation and the Enlightenment, theology has been adapted to the
thinking of the time. Now we find theologies adapting to the socio political experience of
people such as feminist and liberation to the issues of culture. Bosch sees al these to have a
great impact on mission today as we see the tension between Western Theology and Third
World Theology.

This has led to what Bosch calls the re-birth of the Ecumenical idea of mission, with a strong
sense of interdenominational unity. Interdenominational Mission organisations began to be
formed such as YMCA, YWCA etc, and Edinburgh 1910 marked this new development. This
new dimension has gone to he extent as seeing mission as dialogue, especially when reaching
out to people of other faiths such as Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus etc. The issues of clergy and
laity in ecclesiology were discussed with arguments supported by the threefold offices of
Jesus Christ, that of the Prophet, Priest and King, legitimising the office of Pastor, Elder and
Deacon (p.469).

Conclusion
For Bosch, the Christ events remain central to his understanding on mission and he sees this
as he concludes his chapters. He looks at the incarnation, the cross, the resurrection, the
ascension, Pentecost and the expectations of the second coming (the Perousia), as focal points
in the identity of the mission of the church at all times.
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