Overview
- Proposes a transformative shift in Christian theology
- Offers an incisive critique of missiology and its role in the church
- Provides a passionate account of Christian independence informed by the experience of the Global South
Part of the book series: Postcolonialism and Religions (PCR)
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Table of contents (7 chapters)
Keywords
About this book
Indeed, there is an intense tension within this book, and in fact a twin tension at that. The tension is between those seeking to keep the current mission paradigm alive out of habit or as a self-serving device, thus corrupting and withering away a bequeathal that essentially set free the voluntary/independent spirit of Christian individuals and their intentional collectives from both the ecclesiastical and political authorities. On the otherside are those who enlist mission both as a subsequent activity and as a basis to pursue innocuous, and at times apparently heroic options that would seemingly satisfy a supposed missional mandatory.
This work enlists postcolonial and poststructuralist resources pedagogically, to teach of mission, missiology, World Christianity, and intercultural theology.
Reviews
--Catherine Keller, George T. Cobb Professor of Constructive Theology, Drew University Theological School
“I have long considered the conception and the prevailing interpretation of mission as Missio Dei as inadequate, which continues to rest on the assumption of a complete, sufficient, and self-enclosed Christianity that engages in mission, whether through conversion or in the form of charitable and socio-political engagement, to those who are deemed inferior, incomplete, and no equally salvific significance to offer. We must engage in postcolonial deconstruction of this notion of mission and welcome the ancient/new understanding of mission as witness, which demands repentance on our part. This work by Sarosh Koshy is a breakthrough in this direction! It’s a great delight to endorse a book that I have been waiting to be written and published for quite some time!”--Eleazar S. Fernandez, Professor of Constructive Theology, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, USA
“Beyond Missio Dei: Contesting Mission, Rethinking Witness is a profound and informed critique that confronts and contests the theological foundation of missio Dei vigorously. Sarosh Koshy disturbingly, yet affectionately, exposes the pitfalls of the shifting concepts and practices of mission throughout the history of Christianity and demands to move beyond the colonial, charitable, and liberationist mission models and to behold the marturion Dei, the God of witness. This book can potentially serve as a textbook in multiple fields of study such as mission studies, world Christianity, interculturaltheology, and empire studies.”
--Gladson Jathanna, Senior Lecturer in History of Christianity and Mission Studies, The Pacific Theological College, Fiji Islands
“Erudite and passionate in its argument, this book persuasively disputes the (still) prevalent concept of Christian ‘mission’ and its lacking consistency between ‘Word’ and ‘works.’ With impressive interdisciplinary dexterity the author draws on a wide range of theoretical and theological resources, among them a stimulating liberationist relectura of Matthew and Paul, two chief providers of biblical proof and pretexts for missional endeavors in the wake of imperialism and colonialism. Koshy boldly counter-reads Matthew’s Great Commission in light of the fruit-bearing faith-praxis required by the Sermon on the Mount and the Last Judgment, and Paul as a chief advocate, rather than customary antagonistof such integral faith-works that contest the ‘law’ of legalized injustice. With this, the Protestant grammar of ‘justification by faith alone’ gets a thorough makeover; mission in terms of an abstract, individualized gospel-proclamation morphs into the concrete here and now of credible contextual life-witness. It is no longer the Jewish, pagan, Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu Other who need to be ‘converted’ but the laws and structures of otherizing themselves. A timely and thought-provoking intervention into a broad array of both inter-religious and intra-theological debates!”
--Brigitte Kahl, Professor of New Testament, Union Theological Seminary New York
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Sarosh Koshy holds a PhD in Christian theology from Drew University, USA. He is a researcher with decades-long work experience with social action groups, faith organizations, and social movements, both in India and the US, and is currently based in New York, USA.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Beyond Missio Dei
Book Subtitle: Contesting Mission, Rethinking Witness
Authors: Sarosh Koshy
Series Title: Postcolonialism and Religions
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82068-8
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-82067-1Published: 25 November 2021
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-82070-1Published: 26 November 2022
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-82068-8Published: 24 November 2021
Series ISSN: 2946-2312
Series E-ISSN: 2946-2320
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVIII, 374