Missions in the Third Millennium
On the back cover of Peter Rollins’ How (Not) to Speak of God, Phyllis Tickle uses the phrase “third millennium Christianity.” Ever since reading Tickle’s phrase, I’ve been certain that this is exactly what I am interested in. I am interested in where Christianity and the church is going, how it is changing and evolving, and the new forms it is taking. I don’t think these new forms are going to eliminate the current forms, but I do think the current forms will occupy a smaller and smaller amount of space as we move further into the third millennium. I also think the diversity of forms is only going to increase more and more.
This semester I am starting to take classes more seriously at Truett Seminary. I’ve already taken a couple classes over the past years, but starting this semester I am committed to taking multiple classes each term. One course I am taking this semester is “Christian World Mission.” I am a little nervous about this course because of how my own perspective on missions has been changing over the past few years. I’m not sure how my perspective will fit in with the class…I guess we’ll find out…
Because I will be taking this course, I’ve been thinking about missions more than usual lately. And as I think about this topic I am increasingly convinced that we need a new kind of a missions for a new world. Perhaps we need to do away with missions altogether, which might even allow it to come again in a new form. There is a lot of talk about “mission” (singular) and “missional” these days, but I’m not convinced there’s much that’s really new in these conversations.
So, I’m wondering what missions might look like in this new millennium. Like I’ve already said, part of me wants to abandon the idea altogether, but I do still believe in the transforming power of the Christian message. What might a new kind of missionary look like? I’m pretty sure he/she wouldn’t be called a missionary. Anyway, there’s a lot to think about. I’m sure there will be more about this as the semester gets going – class starts this week.
