CONCEPTS OF MISSION - Orbis Books

Mission in Contemporary Missiology 29
frequent since the 1970s (at Xicotepec and Iquitos in 1971), in spite of some
overgeneralizations, have helped mission studies appreciate the value of local
cultures in evangelization. This effort gained momentum immediately after
the attainment of political independence of countries in the Third World.
This reality was very much felt at the 1974 synod on evangelization, in which
a good number of the delegates came from the young churches. At the synod,
these young churches tried to identify their own identity and specificity in the
context of the conciliar teaching on church communion and the role of cultures
in evangelization. The real sense of authenticity in the young churches
is later expressed in the postsynodal exhortation (see EN 62-64). The issue
of indigenization receives new emphasis in the present practice of the theology
of inculturation and contextual theology.
Again, one major positive aspect of this development is the interest in
social and religious anthropology and the discovery of the role of the latter
in missiological studies. This development has at least helped to rediscover
the important place culture has in the process of evangelization. The new
scholarship and its subsequent application to missionary activity opened up
new prospects for evangelization. People considered uncivilized and uncultured
were discovered, after careful study, to have complex cultural systems,
religious beliefs, and high moral standards. It was also realized that culture
had much deeper influence on the person than was previously thought.
Merely converting individuals and isolating them from their cultural milieu
so as to protect their faith was a useless endeavor. Rather, what is required
is authentic conversion through a real penetration of the cultural milieu itself
with gospel values (see Oborji 1998, 73-74). This aspect of the new development
in social anthropology needs to be maintained.
Theological Tendencies
For some time now, contemporary missiology has been dominated by a certain
type of debate concerning research about mission and theocentrism as
well as by the theme of ecumenism. But underneath this is the discussion of
the term missio Dei (“mission of God”) (see Rosin 1972). As we shall see,
the debate on missio Dei began with Protestants at the Wellingen Congress
of 1952 and was inspired by the thesis of Karl Barth on the term actio Dei.
This was taken up by Vicedom in his book: From Christ-centrism to Theology
of God’s Sovereignty (1958; Eng. 1965). This tendency emphasizes the
fact that God is the protagonist of mission. The real aim of the missio Dei is
the reign of God, not the ecclesia viatorium. Thus, mission is defined as
God’s action (Ghana Congress 1958). God’s presence in the world and
human history are also emphasized (New Delhi Congress 1961). From these
beginnings we arrive at the Uppsala Congress, where the term missio Dei is
accepted in its historical evolution.