1. Critique of PostmodernityCritique of Postmodernity
Joshva RajaJoshva Raja
Session 6Session 6

2. A few critical remarksA few critical remarks
 Truths? No Truth? What to hold on to?Truths? No Truth? What to hold on to?
 Self boundaries to justify one’s own interestsSelf boundaries to justify one’s own interests
 Chaotic – Rights for everything?! Using rights toChaotic – Rights for everything?! Using rights to
defend one’s selfishnessdefend one’s selfishness
 Overlapping of claims of truth or convergence ofOverlapping of claims of truth or convergence of
truths – hiding!?truths – hiding!?
 Truths need to collide, margins and acceptedTruths need to collide, margins and accepted
truths need to negotiate and wrestletruths need to negotiate and wrestle
continuouslycontinuously

3. Mission – What is?Mission – What is?
UniversalizationUniversalization
Truth establishedTruth established
RationalisationRationalisation
Scientific religionScientific religion
Superior to anySuperior to any
ApplicationApplication
ModernizationModernization
RelativisationRelativisation

4. Words related to MissionWords related to Mission
 SendingSending
 CommissioningCommissioning
 ProclaimingProclaiming
 ConvertingConverting
 BuildingBuilding
 SponsoringSponsoring
 SupportingSupporting
 PersuadingPersuading
 PromotingPromoting
Being
Participating
Liberating
Listening
Humanising
Sharing
Witnessing
Accepting
Receiving

5. Mission includesMission includes
 An Action of emptyingAn Action of emptying
 A Process of learning andA Process of learning and
listeninglistening
 Content – good newsContent – good news
 Effect – transformed livesEffect – transformed lives
 People – all no barriersPeople – all no barriers
 Place – any wherePlace – any where
 Culture – dignity restoredCulture – dignity restored
 Method – prophetic, dialogicMethod – prophetic, dialogic
 Means – community basedMeans – community based
 Reflection – critical improvementReflection – critical improvement
 Institution - supportiveInstitution - supportive
 Relationship – reign of GodRelationship – reign of God
Does not include
Fixed doctrines
Rejection
Ethno-centric attitude
Superiority complex
Denominationalism
Fundamentalism
Exclusive dualism
Allurement
Monetary persuasion
Offensive words
Proselytising

6. Mission
Creative
Tension
Church with
others missio Dei
Mediating
Salvation
Quest for
Justice
Evangelism
Liberation
Common
Witness
Ministry by
(Whole) People
of God
Witness to
people of
Other Living
Faiths
Action in
Hope
Theology
David Bosch’s Transforming Mission
Additions by Norman E Thomas to
Bosch – Contextualization, and
Inculturation, dialogue in Classic Texts

7. Holistic Mission
Plurality of Mission
Prophetic Liberative
Nourishes
Culture
Building
Communities
Proclamation
Development-
oriented
Participatory
Dialogic
and
interactive
Developed from WCC’s Statements 1980 -2005
You are the light of
the world Unity

8. Prophetic
Liberative
Nourishes
Culture
Building
Communities
Development-
oriented
Dialogic
Plurality
of
Mission
Evangelization
conversion

9. Believing without Belonging?Believing without Belonging?
A study on Mission in Secular and Postmodern Contexts byA study on Mission in Secular and Postmodern Contexts by
WCCWCC
 A shift from missioning the crowd to missioningA shift from missioning the crowd to missioning
IndividualsIndividuals
 Re-spiritualising Christian SpiritualityRe-spiritualising Christian Spirituality
 Challenges of relationships, community andChallenges of relationships, community and
commitmentcommitment
 Faith seekers within non-Institutionalised zonesFaith seekers within non-Institutionalised zones
 Rethinking language of missionRethinking language of mission
 Recognising the tensionRecognising the tension
 Accommodating Varieties of expressions ofAccommodating Varieties of expressions of
religiosityreligiosity

10. Believing without Belonging?Believing without Belonging?
A study on Mission in Secular and Postmodern Contexts byA study on Mission in Secular and Postmodern Contexts by
WCCWCC
 A shift from missioning the crowd to missioningA shift from missioning the crowd to missioning
IndividualsIndividuals
 Re-spiritualising Christian SpiritualityRe-spiritualising Christian Spirituality
 Challenges of relationships, community andChallenges of relationships, community and
commitmentcommitment
 Faith seekers within non-Institutionalised zonesFaith seekers within non-Institutionalised zones
 Rethinking language of missionRethinking language of mission
 Recognising the tensionRecognising the tension
 Accommodating Varieties of expressions ofAccommodating Varieties of expressions of
religiosityreligiosity