3N: Mission Theology
Today there is a revolution in our understanding of mission. It has been brought on by the marginalisation of the church and the rise of secular and pluralistic society; by immigration, multiculturalism and the increasing importance the churches in Latin America, Africa and Asia; and finally by the new mission theology of Pope Francis. Francis is calling us all to be “missionary disciples” with the “smell of the sheep” able to converse with people and “warm their hearts”. To do this effectively we will need to give up our “crusader minds” and our “teacher complexes” and learn to be on mission “with” people rather than “to” them. It is no longer a case of us having a spiritual message to which all must listen. We too must hear a Gospel word from our contemporaries and especially from the poor and marginalised and from peoples of other cultures and beliefs.
Today there is a revolution in our understanding of mission. It has been brought on by the marginalisation of the church and the rise of secular and pluralistic society; by immigration, multiculturalism and the increasing importance the churches in Latin America, Africa and Asia; and finally by the new mission theology of Pope Francis. Francis is calling us all to be “missionary disciples” with the “smell of the sheep” able to converse with people and “warm their hearts”. To do this effectively we will need to give up our “crusader minds” and our “teacher complexes” and learn to be on mission “with” people rather than “to” them. It is no longer a case of us having a spiritual message to which all must listen. We too must hear a Gospel word from our contemporaries and especially from the poor and marginalised and from peoples of other cultures and beliefs.
Fr Noel Connolly SSC
Fr Noel is a Columban missionary priest and a member of the Columban Mission Institute. He has worked in Korea, was Rector of the Pacific Mission Institute, Vicar General of the Columbans throughout the world and Director of the Columbans in Australia and New Zealand. He is Head of and Lecturer in Mission and Culture at BBI – The Australian Institute of Theological Education and also lectures in mission at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. Besides mission, his major interest is in our growing multicultural Australian Church.