New Directions in Mission and Evangelization 1: Basic Statements 1974-1991.New Directions is the first of what hopes to be a multivolumed sourcebook series on missions, evangelization e·van·gel·ize v. e·van·gel·ized, e·van·gel·iz·ing, e·van·gel·iz·es v.tr. 1. To preach the gospel to. 2. To convert to Christianity. v.intr. To preach the gospel. , Christian conversion, inculturation Inculturation is a term used in Christian missiology referring to the adaptation of the way the Gospel is presented for the specific cultures being evangelized. It is attuned - but not identical - to the term enculturation used in Sociology. , and world ministries considered from the angle of the different Christian responses to these issues. If the other volumes are as useful, I would judge the series to be off to an auspicious aus·pi·cious adj. 1. Attended by favorable circumstances; propitious: an auspicious time to ask for a raise in salary. See Synonyms at favorable. 2. Marked by success; prosperous. start. This first volume basically gathers together major contemporary institutional statements. The first section reproduces the major affirmations of the World Council of Churches over the last generation; part 2, by contrast, provides the major Roman Catholic statements beginning with the crucial Evangelii nuntiandi (1975) of the late Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (Latin: Paulus PP. VI; Italian: Paolo VI), born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (September 26, 1897 – August 6, 1978), reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978. marking the tenth anniversary of the conciliar con·cil·i·ar adj. Of, relating to, or generated by a council: a conciliar appointment made by the governor; conciliar edicts. statement on missions. Pail 3 gathers together some very fine public affirmations and position papers of the Orthodox church (which are especially good on the relation of worship to mission). The final section gathers significant affirmations of Evangelicals. This collection is a very rich resource not only because it brings together widely scattered documents but because of its usefulness as an instrument of study for both theologians and pastoral workers. What a contrast there is, for example, about some theological discussions on the unique role of Christ in salvation and the unvarnished declarations of the Evangelicals on mission. The Evangelical emphasis on direct witness and proclamation stands in counterpoint counterpoint, in music, the art of combining melodies each of which is independent though forming part of a homogeneous texture. The term derives from the Latin for "point against point," meaning note against note in referring to the notation of plainsong. to the Orthodox insistence on the witness of the eucharistic community at prayer and/or the Roman Catholic interest in Christianity as an inculturated experience. Standing behind these differences are differences in more fundamental issues of, say, Christology and ecclesiology ec·cle·si·ol·o·gy n. 1. The branch of theology that is concerned with the nature, constitution, and functions of a church. 2. The study of ecclesiastical architecture and ornamentation. . A volume like this not only helps us see the status questionis but, implicitly, reminds us how serious the task of the deep ecumenical theological discussion really is. A careful comparative study of some of these documents would help a great deal in setting out the tension points still unresolved in ecumenical discussion. |
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