As we wish you all a full and fruitful 2018, we also want to share some of the exciting updates from INFEMIT Networking Team members and organizations like the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies – OCMS, the American Society of Missiology – ASM, Micah Global, and The Warehouse who partner with us in the work of mission as transformation. Read more here to find out about new publications, resources, and upcoming events.
Oxford Centre for Mission Studies
OCMS published their most recent newsletter, inSpired, in December of 2017. They have shared their updated mission statement and some of the ways they seek to live out that mission:
“Our new mission statement calls us:
To advance study, education and research in God’s mission and to convene practitioners, scholars and leaders in creative and prophetic dialogue.
We do this in at least four ways:
equipping individuals, leaders, churches and institutions, prioritising those on the cutting edge of God’s transforming mission
responding to issues identified by the church with timely, strategic and rigorous research
fostering spaces where scholarship and practice interface for mutual learning
ensuring the fruit of scholarship is accessible to reflective mission practitioners”
Regnum Books International (OCMS)
Mission in Central and Eastern Europe: Realities, Perspectives, Trends was recently published by Regnum Books International, an imprint of OCMS (eds. Corneliu Constantineanu, Marcel V Macelaru, Anne-Marie Kool and Mihai Himcinschi). Two of the editors, Corneliu Constantineanu and Marcel Macelaru, contribute actively to INFEMIT and its programs. We are thankful for the work of OCMS and INFEMIT members to make research like this available! (Click for purchase and download)
Summary: Central and Eastern Europe is one of the areas of the world that has undergone profound transformations during the 100 years delimited by the two Edinburgh gatherings that inspired the Regnum Edinburgh Centenary Series. It is the place in which Marxist ideology gave birth to the Communist hegemony that has impacted the European arena for over 50 years. But this is also the place where Christian churches experienced God’s grace and provision, and even unexpected flourishing in some quarters. The present volume brings together significant contributions from over thirty theologians, missiologists and practitioners from this part of the world. The articles explore the complex missiological thinking and praxis of Central and Eastern Europe, highlight concrete missiological endeavours and pointing to the challenges and opportunities for mission in this part of the world. It also included relevant missiological documents that emerged in the area within the past 25 years.
The American Society of Missiology: Annual Meeting
The American Society of Missiology will meet June 14-17, 2018, at St. Mary’s College, South Bend, IN. The theme for this year’s annual meeting is Interfaith Friendship as Incarnational Mission Practice. For a full statement of the conference theme and for the call to submit papers, visit the ASM website. Registration for the annual meeting will open in February 2018. INFEMIT Networking Team members in North America participate actively in this event each year, and we look forward to this year’s meeting!
Micah Global
Micah Global and its partners offer several events, conversations, and consultations throughout the year. The most recent announcement has been for the Mission Conference: Vulnerable Mission – What It Is and Why We Need It to be held May 31st to June 2nd in the UK this year. Visit Micah Global’s website for other events and more information!
The Warehouse (South Africa)
At the end of 2017, The Warehouse in South Africa began a series of podcasts on “decolonizing the gospel.” These short podcasts are an excellent resource to help us think about the gospel historically, politically and contextually. Click here to listen to the podcasts and visit The Warehouse’s website for more information on their mission and work.
If you have news or events you wish to share with the INFEMIT community, please send your information to admin@infemit.org.
