World Christianity and Postcolonial Mission: A Path Forward for the Twenty-first Century

• Published in: Theology today (Ephrata, Pa.) Vol. 71; no. 2; pp. 192 - 206
• Main Author: Clarke, Sathianathan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.07.2014; Theology Today
• Subjects: 21st century; Christianity; Collaboration; God; Negotiation; Postcolonialism; Theology; post-Western Christianity; Postcolonial mission; Commission on World Mission and Evangelism; world Christianity; Christianity in the non-Western world; Lausanne Movement
• DOI: 10.1177/0040573614529787
• ISSN: 0040-5736

In this article, I first interrogate the in vogue yet ambiguous term “world Christianity.” After assessing alternate nomenclature, I make the case for why “world Christianity” best represents this emerging discipline. Second, I examine two pathways that world Christianity carves out for postcolonial mission in the twenty-first century. While one trajectory falls backward reclaiming and reconfiguring past objectives of evangelization for Christ, the other launches forward engendering dynamic visions of mission made possible by trinitarian reflection. Third, I suggest postcolonial mission is an area of contestation but also negotiation; where these movements intersect paves a way forward for mission thinking and practice. I conclude by reflecting on emerging missiological challenges as these collectives seek to be collaborative and fruitful instruments of God's presence in the world.