THEOLOGY AND MISSIOLOGY

Tallskinnykiwi is having a great discussion on the relationship between theology and missiology, asking if mission is the mother of theology. I chimed in a bit over there and won't repeat those comments here.

Honestly, I'm posting this here to add it as thought fodder for my thesis (on emerging church and missional ecclesiology).

I'm thinking theology--what we know about God and God's work, explained in human language--and missiology--"the Spirit-prompted alignment with God's redemptive plan in Christ's work of redemption" (McKnight's comment on TSK Apr 11, 2007 3:01:17 AM)--are perspectives of the same thing rather than two different things.

Could it be that theology moves from cognition to volition and missiology from volition to cognition?

A bit from John's gospel to ponder:

John 5:16-19

And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working."

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

I'm not sure where this is going. It will be exciting to find out.


“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

NOTE: This is a rumination ("1. The act of pondering; meditation. 2. The act or process of chewing cud." American Heritage Dictionary) in search of synergy ("1. The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.")

Tag(s): missional ecclesiology

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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/