Liberating Mission: When Gospel meets Culture (DM9016Y)

Content

The unit explores understandings and realities of the meeting between cultures and the Gospel. Past and more recent examples from Africa, Australia and the South Pacific are examined. By examining selected texts, such as Thomas Grenham’s writings on theological inculturation, the students are challenged to move towards a ‘process’ rather than static based approach to, and description of Gospel contextualisation, by becoming more attuned to the developing understandings of both ‘Mission’ and ‘Culture’. Unit content draws on the understanding and experience of the student while aiming to describe a spirituality for mission in today’s inter-religious and inter-cultural world.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

DT8330Y Introduction to the Theology of Mission or equivalent

Pedagogy

The ‘information, formation and transformation’ model underpins this Unit. Pedagogy for the unit is informed, framed and modified in relation to the religious and cultural experience and context of students. The teaching methodology fosters dialogue and critical reflection skills.

Indicative Bibliography

• Adeney, Frances. Women and Christian Mission: Ways of Knowing and Doing Theology. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2015.
• Andraos, Michael, Bernadeth Caero Bustillos, Geraldo de Mori, eds. Christianity and Indigenous People, London: SCM Press, 2019.
• Stephen Bevans and Katalina Tahaafe-Williams, eds. Contextual Theology for the Twenty-First Century. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2011.
• Brazal, Agnes M., Theology of Southeast Asia: Liberation-Postcolonial Ethics in the Philippines. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2019.
• Gallagher, Robert L., and Paul Hertig, eds., Landmark Essays in Mission and World Christianity, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2009.
• Gittins, Anthony J. Living Mission Interculturally: Faith, Culture and the renewal of Praxis. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2006.
• Grenham, Thomas, G. The Unknown God: Religious and Theological Inculturation. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2005.
• Hall, Gerald, and Joan Hendriks, eds. Dreaming a New Earth. Melbourne: Mosaic Press, 2012.
• Oborji, Francis A. Concepts of Mission: The Evolution of Contemporary Missiology. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2006.
• Pocock, M. The Changing Faces of World Missions: Engaging Contemporary Issues and Trends. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2005.
• Ross, Cathy and Stephen B. Bevans, Mission on the Road to Emmaus: Constants, Context and Prophetic Dialogue, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2015.
• Schreiter, Robert J. and Knud Jorgensen, eds., Mission as Ministry of Reconciliation, Eugene:Wipf & Stock, 2013.
• Tan, Jonathan Y. Christian Mission among the Peoples of Asia. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2014.
• Tanner, Kathryn. Theories of Culture:A New Agenda for Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997.

Assessment