You are
a missions-minded collegian. Your heart's desire is to have an impact
in the process of world evangelism. So what`s the big deal about
missiology? You may or may not have heard of the term before. You
might be very familiar with the whole discipline. In either case,
you need to be aware of the following.
How did this get started?
The concept of studying missions was not considered an academic
pursuit until the late nineteenth century. Since that time the name
accompanying this discipline has been evolving. Over the last few
decades there has been a global acceptance of this term missiology,
by theologians and scholars, for the scientific study of missions.
What does the term
mean?
Missiology, according to Alan Tippett, is the "academic discipline
or science which researches, records, and applies data relating
to the biblical origin, the history (including the use of documentary
materials), the anthropological principles and techniques and the
theological base of the Christian mission." Another scholar states
that missiology "depends heavily on theology, history, and the practical
disciplines, but it also must dip into the behavioral sciences,
namely anthropology, sociology, psychology, and linguistics. It
is not a mere borrower from other fields, for these dimensions are
related to each other in dynamic symbiosis. They interact, influence
and modify one another." The above definitions have been given by
popular evangelical authors. They have made this discipline - missiology
- a blending of several practices to guide them in their efforts
of world evangelization. They will use extensively, but not exclusively,
anthropological theories to determine their evangelistic methods.
What implications
does this term carry?
As a globally minded collegian, you need to be aware of what this
term could imply. When you read articles of well known evangelical
missiologists, you need to be aware that simply because he has a
doctorate in the field of missions does not mean he is expressing
biblical views. Many times a missiologist will have an anthropological
theory and then apply his theory to how evangelism should be accomplished
in a certain culture. Of course we should not throw out the baby
with the bath water. There is some legitimacy to certain conclusions
of missiologists, but too often their starting premise is anthropological
and not necessarily biblical. It is difficult to balance the legitimacy
of missiology with the overriding tendencies of the discipline.
Balance!
There is a need for our student movement to have an understanding
of missiology. As collegians, though, we cannot venture out to define
the balance on our own. We need help. SGI will seek to provide your
student-led mission group with biblically based missiological information
authored by men in Fundamentalism.
Ben Eckman grew up in Argentina as a missionary kid. He graduated
from Northland Baptist
Bible College and now serves as coordinator for Student Global
Impact. He can be reached at ben@studentglobalimpact.com