Contemporary Ecumenical Missiology and the Renewal of Christian Theology

Abstract

There is a symbiotic relationship between mission and theology – they need each other. Just as the conception and practice of Christian mission have been renewed and refreshed through theological creativity, this article explores how Christian theology might be enriched by insights from contemporary ecumenical missiology. It makes particular reference to the World Council of Churches 2012 mission affirmation Together Towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes and the Arusha Call to Discipleship issued by the 2018 WCC World Mission Conference held at Arusha, Tanzania. Drawing on these seminal texts, the article considers what it means to do theology with life itself at stake, the question of agency in theology, and the role of spirituality, discipleship and transformation in the construction of theology. It concludes by turning to the question of education and formation, proposing that in today's context, theologians need to be formed as “organic intellectuals.”