The text, ‘Transforming Mission’ which the Professor of Missiology of the University of South Africa, David Bosch published the year before his death, surveys the history, thought and theology of Christian mission. He begins by considering various definitions of mission, and looking at how it has evolved and been enacted in the world. He does this initially from a Jewish perspective, then through the time of Christ and the early church, through the development of Christendom and post-Christendom, and finally looking into the mission paradigm of post-modernity. Bosch is careful in highlighting the difference between what the church perceives to be its missionary mandate, and the missio dei, or the Mission of God. Rather than being the instigator of mission, the church is but an ever learning, ever developing partner in the process.

I found Bosch’s engagement with the missiology of Matthew and Luke to be very interesting. As one moving into the field of discipleship education the section of discipleship in Matthew’s Gospel affirmed a great deal of my previous education and experience; particularly in light of what a disciple ‘is not’ – an expert or theologian – but is fellow journeyer attempting to live out the teachings of Jesus. His analysis of Matthew’s Great Commission was very enlightening, as it was my commissioning text when I was ‘sent out’ from my home church in Adelaide, to begin the journey towards ordained ministry. Having just spent the year preaching from Matthew’s Gospel, particularly around the theme of the cost of discipleship, I particularly appreciated Bosch’s use of Lippert’s exploration of the Christian mandate to love, where he said:

Christians should relinquish all desires to judge others; their behaviour should be exemplary over against the civil order; they should be ready to serve others; they are called upon to forgive, pray for and bless others…The Christian lifestyle should not only be exemplary, but also winsome. It should attract outsiders and invite them to join the community. Put differently, the believers should practice a missionary lifestyle.

My current operational theology suggests that the ‘love’ command of the Gospels, should be the basis for all our existential interactions. This notion from Lippert’s work, also resonated with my current personal definition of mission, which I was asked to submit as part of my application for provisional endorsement as a Churches of Christ minister. In my application I wrote “I do not see Mission as something the church does, but something the church is;” where the church consists for followers of Jesus who are practicing a missionary lifestyle, ground in a love for all humankind and its condition.

I appreciated Bosch’s exploration of the multifaceted missionary motivations which are so much greater than the traditional paradigm. This paradigm which until very recently for me, was the underlying motive of the majority of church based agencies, that being paternalistic ‘conversion of the heathen.’ Beginning with the Apostle Paul’s missionary motive of “a sense of gratitude, a sense of responsibility, and a sense of concern” Bosch’s examination of the history of missionary motivation moved through many facets, then into the paternalistic approach which is now considered an old and debunked paradigm.

I found Bosch’s use of the ‘paradigm shift’ concept of missiological development, rather than a clean break in mission thinking and practice, very creative and encouraged me to see our present time, in both ecclesiological and missiological terms as being on the cusp of a paradigm shift. Each paradigm shift being like Kuhn’s example of revolutions or as I prefer, like waves breaking on the beach – each wave retreats including that which had gone before, but moving higher, and breaking new ground. However, I found that as Bosch explored each subsequent paradigm shift, he seemed to become increasingly hostile towards the Protestant Reformation and the resultant new expression of church and mission. In reference to the mission of the church post Enlightenment, among a number of less than encouraging remarks, he comments “…the Protestant Reformation, which destroyed the centuries-old unity and therefore power of the Western church…” While I can appreciate the foundation of such a comment, I feel that in this area and in others, that his survey was much too negative towards Protestantism, whilst ignoring much of the Roman Catholic excesses, ‘abuses’ and schisms which triggered amongst other things, the alternating power structure of the church and the Protestant Reformation.

It was interesting to read Bosch’s observations as to the church’s reading of scripture in support of some of the more ‘destructive’ missionary techniques. In particular the quoting of 1 Samuel 15:3 when applied to the British colonists in America and subjugation of the Indigenous Indian inhabitants. With this insight we are all reminded of how scripture can be used to reinforce almost any belief, no matter how contrary it is when compared the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Another interesting insight gained from Bosch’s book in relation to the United States of America is in relation to their perceived role in the eschatology of the church. Their Puritan heritage influenced by Calvin lead them to consider themselves special in the eyes of God, in fact:

They were convinced that they were already living in the last days. Slowly but surely the conviction grew that God’s last and eminently successful attack on the forces of the Antichrist would be launched from the shores of North America and that the Puritan saints would play a key role in this final drama of history.

This revelation cited by Bosch from the work of Hutchinson (1987) goes along way in explaining the United States self belief in its role as ‘world police.’ It could be suggested that this historical bedrock has informed the current U.S. Administration’s Foreign Policy, in particular when you consider their presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, but their policy of blindness towards the Sudan and the plight of the Darfur people.

In the final section of the book, “Toward a Relevant Missiology” Bosch highlights something from the work of Baker (1986) which churches, in at least my tradition have been coming to terms with in the last 20 years or so. He comments, that

“The church exists only as an organic and integral part of the human community. As soon as it tries to view sits own life as meaningful in independence from the total human community it betrays the major purpose of its existence.”

This notion of ‘church’ or as I prefer ‘followers of Jesus Christ’ as existing in and being part of the secular community has informed, and allowed the Churches of Christ to reframe its definition of mission. As part of the ‘Future Directions’ process, which our Conference is encouraging its churches to take part in, it hopes that it can reframe a church’s notion of mission and community engagement to include its own backyard. This reframing of mission whilst being positive for the continued existence of the local church has the potential to harm future local church involvement in global mission work and community development.

As Lesslie Newbigin wrote for the back cover, Bosch’s book, Transforming Mission ‘is kind of a Summa Missiologica…it will surely be the indispensable foundation for the teaching of missiology for many years to come.’ For me, this book was an excellent introduction to the history of practical mission, and the surrounding evolution of the thought and theology of mission. Although a little heavy at times on the discussions of various conferences, overall it was readable and contained enough good information to generate thoughts and discussion. Hopefully one day, someone will take David Bosch’s ‘magnum opus’ of pre 1990s missiology, and include the developments of the last 15 years.

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