An evangelical understanding of the Missio Dei as inclusion of social justice : a critical theological reflection
Date
2019
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AFRICAJOURNALS
Abstract
The term missionary was initially employed in its contemporary sense for
emissaries of the Pope and the royal families of Portugal and also Spain who were sent
to convert people to Catholicism. Over the last two hundred years, the evangelical idea
of mission has been inclined to be defined by people various theological scholars and
some have concentrated on the “Great Commission” of Matthew 28. This article
critically calls for a re-evaluation of the understanding of mission of within
Evangelicalism that focuses on evangelism to be reconstructed to the Integral
understanding of the Missio Dei which is a Latin Christian theological term that is
generally translated as the "mission of God," or the "sending of God." It is a notion
which has become progressively significant in missiology and in obtaining a clear
understanding the mission of the church. This refocusing, positions God, the Father, at
the centre of his mission and through Jesus Christ invites his church to participate with
him on mission. This radical shift, calls for an understanding that the church is on a
mission and this mission includes the praxis of social justice. While the contemporary
Western world is preoccupied with individualism a belief in the Holy Trinity impels us to
be concerned about relationships and society and social justice in general, and thus
the values of individual accomplishment in a materialistic world and inter-person and
national rivalries must take up very little, if any time at all
Description
CITATION: Harold, G. 2019. An evangelical understanding of the Missio Dei as inclusion of social justice : a critical theological reflection. Pharos Journal of Theology, 100:1-10.
The original publication is available at https://www.pharosjot.com
The original publication is available at https://www.pharosjot.com
Keywords
Evangelicalism, Missio Dei, Theodicy, Open theism
Citation
Harold, G. 2019. An evangelical understanding of the Missio Dei as inclusion of social justice : a critical theological reflection. Pharos Journal of Theology, 100:1-10