SWEDISH MISSIOLOGICAL THEMES SVENSK MISSIONSTIDSKRIFT

522 Jan-Martin Berentsen
Figure 3
The third figure tells that in the century we have now entered the countries with the largest
Christian population will be found in south/east, not in north/west. That was certainly not
the case a hundred years ago. And – note! – the churches in the South, both “mainline” and
“independent”, are already missionary churches active in missionary enterprises – not the
least in Europe. 5
In other words, to reflect about mission and missionaries solely in white
categories, is anachronistic, an old-fashioned idea that has passed. 6 Does
this mean something for our theme? Definitely.
Problematic ideas about the missional character and identity of the
missionary vocation
5 To confirm this figure see e.g. the numbers given in the chapter “Evangelizing the North”
in Philip Jenkins, op.cit. pp. 204-209: “Great Britain today plays host to some 1500
missionaries from fifty nations. Many come from African countries, and they express
disbelief at the spiritual desert they encounter in this “green and pagan land””(p. 205).
6 Here it could have be shown, if time had allowed, that ”missiology” is no more an academic
discipline only in Europe/USA. The interest in our subject today produces a wide range of
articles and books originating in the South.