Introduction to Mission Studies

Abstract

Mission studies, or missiology, is an interdisciplinary field that utilizes theological, historical, and social scientific methods. It represents over a century of scholarship related to the theology, history, and methodology of the propagation of Christian faith and the development of Christianity worldwide. We examine the current state of the field of mission studies, explaining how the structure of this Handbook mirrors the field’s structure and concerns. Then we analyze current trends in mission studies that emerge across the Handbook’s chapters, areas of growth that will shape the practice of missiology moving forward. In particular, we highlight emerging critical approaches within missiological scholarship to ecumenism, interreligious engagement, the missio Dei paradigm, grassroots agency, human mobility, and academic knowledge production. We underscore the relevance of the study of the history, motives, and operations of missions for academics in diverse fields, and policy makers in contexts of religious plurality, social need, and conflict.