BOOK REVIEW

J. ANDREW KIRK, What is Mission, Theological Explorations, Dorton, Longman, Todd, London, 1999.

Author

J. ANDREW KIRK is a dean and head of the School of Mission and World Christianity at Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham. He has lived in Latin America and travelled extensively, and is the author of several books in the area of mission studies, including The Meaning of Freedom: A study of Secular, Muslim and Christian view (Peternoster, 1998).

Acknowledgement

He engages with the thinking of others in case one has to come up with sound mission, with the crucial mission issues of the moment. What is Mission to J. Andrew Kirk is a matter for the whole people of God, listening to what the Spirit of Jesus says t the Churches, hearing the sorrows and joys of people’s daily lives and listening to one another. He captures it well in the statement of ‘I am because you are’. (Ubuntu Philosophy).

Introduction

A number of years in mission education of searching for a proper book for mission, dedicated in that line. David Bosch’s Magnum opus, Transforming Mission, to him is the standard text book in the foreseeable future. He says, ‘there are few people who are able to master so expertly such a wide range of material with such care, balance and sensitivity.’

 J. Andrew Kirk states that David Bosch presents the subject of Christian Mission like a journey of exploration in which the traveller takes sufficient time both to cover a wide territory and to do so with such attention to details. J. Andrews Kirk’s book is simply an introduction, presenting material of Mission Theology in a convenient form, guiding the students in some of the current relevant discussions on various issues.

 The difference between the two can be likened to the scale of a map. David Bosch is the large Map with all details of what a map ought to have, while J. Andrew Kirk is smaller scale indicating the location of the large villages, small towns and cities. Both are required. Transforming Mission and other books which cover a large terrain are resource books to which one returns once and time again. 

Some people find J. Andrew Kirk intimidating especially if English is not your first language, the courage to penetrate through murky waters, without being superficial.

The difference comes when him and David handle emerging ecumenical Missionary paradigm are not covered in David Bosch’s text book, previous situations of south Africa under apartheid when the book was written. He is indeed indebted to David Bosch as a scholar and as a person, he had a privilege to know him personally. To not acknowledge any contribution or significant studies, the reason will be ignorance rather than lack of appreciation.

Outline and scope

Providing students with a book that covers a range of issues in mission theology, current hot topics in the academia, breaking those issues in small bits and pieces to grip the gist of the discussion and trends, setting out various opinions as clearly as possible.

He divides the book in three parts. The opening three chapters deal with the question of foundations and methods, difference in opinion over the nature of the Missio Dei and the Church's relationship to it. How we approach fundamental matters to do with God and his purposes and the place that Jesus and the Christian community.

The second section is dedicated to seven main themes the choices are based on many years involvement in mission education on more than one continent.

The third part consists of one chapter only. The review of what the Church might be and do is she was sufficiently conscious of its nature as a church for the sake of mission. It also gives an opportunity to tie up some loose ends by including discussions not properly addressed elsewhere. The topics have to be look at with particular interest not to just read the book from page to page, but over view of scope.

J. Andrew Kirk states that he is not giving the impression that he has settled view on the all the questions raised in mission theology, far from it. For example, legitimisation of violence, the church involvement in politics, inculturation, preferential option for the poor, care of the environment all these raise storms which Christians have to sail through before reaching calmer waters. 

Even those who appear to reject firm beliefs about the Church’s mission have their firm reasons to do so. The problem is not to ascribing to God.in equal measure both masculine and feminine attributes. A human tragedy almost as old as humanity itself, the masculine must not be equated with domination, authoritarianism and control.

Interest of the book

When I finished my missioning experience, so as to embark on mission studies, I told the Christians I am going to study missiology and they were like what is that? That spark off a an exploration journey to answer to that question…to me this is book on  mission exploration contextualizing my missionary experience of 3 years in Tarija Bolivia, srla.