Mission and Context (Theology in the Age of Empire)

Mission is contrived from and performed over lived contexts, but the visions that guide and drive mission are oftentimes blinded by power, position, protection, and plenitude. This collection visits those matters with queering attention to the shadows that empires cast over the contexts of mission, and to the collusion and complicity of Christians and churches with empires past (as in the case of Rome) and present (as in the case of the United States of America). In the interests of those in mission fields who survived, but continue to agonize under the burdens of empires, the contributors to this work dare to re-vision the course and cause of mission. Writing from minoritized settings in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, the authors interweave the principles and practices of mission with the opportunities in decolonial theology and hermeneutics, minoritized and migrant Christologies, repatriation and the courage to get up and get out, indigenous insights and wisdom, mission archives, stories of resistance and endurance in zones of contact and violence, restless souls and returning spirits, and life-centered spiritual (en)countering. In Mission and Context as with previous volumes in this series—empires do not have the final word, nor are they the final world. Contents Foreword Chapter One: repatriation of native minds 1: Context Matters Chapter Two: Turn to Decolonial Theology Chapter Three: Hermeneutical Embers from the “Zone of Non-being” Chapter Four: Reading Christ in the Neighbor’s Eyes Chapter Five: Who Is Christ for Ali? Chapter Six: Get Out Chapter Seven: The Philippine Nation-State and the Killing of Indigenous Peoples Chapter Eight: Dare Not! Or Fear Not! 2: Mission Matters Chapter Nine: Counter-creating Mission in but not ofEmpire Chapter Ten: Conservative Evangelicalism, Prosperity Gospel, and the Pornification of Western Christianity Chapter Eleven: Calling for Communities of Resistance in the Context of Empire Chapter Twelve: Mission and Violent Conflict Chapter Thirteen: Reassembling the Oikoumenē Chapter Fourteen: Theology at the Nexus of Spirit and Life Bibliography Index About the Contributors The visions that guide and drive mission are oftentimes blinded by power, position, protection, and plenitude. This collection of writings from minoritized settings in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, examines those matters with queering attention to the shadows that empires cast over the contexts of mission and to the collusion and complicity of Christians and churches with empires past and present. The authors interweave the principles and practices of mission with the opportunities in decolonial theology and hermeneutics, minoritized and migrant Christologies, repatriation, indigenous insights and wisdom, stories of resistance and endurance in zones of contact and violence, and life-centered spiritual encountering This book re-visits the principles and practices of mission and re-visions the Christian mission to account for and (en)counter "context matters" in the age of empire. The (en)countered "contexts" include transatlantic slavery and Trumpire, evangelical and refugee camps, conflict zones in Afghanistan and Cambodia, Mā'ohi Nui, and more. This book re-visits the principles and practices of mission and re-visions the Christian mission to account for and (en)counter "context matters" in the age of empire. The (en)countered "contexts" include transatlantic slavery and Trumpire, evangelical and refugee camps, conflict zones in Afghanistan and Cambodia, Ma'ohi Nui, and more.