Reviews

Summary <p content-type="flush left">Freikirche mit Mission [Free Church with a Mission] represents a comprehensive study on missionary church formation in Free Church contexts in Germany. Historical and empirical data are interwoven with philosophical and sociological thoughts with the intention to prove that free churches need to adjust to a different context if they want to preserve their missionary inheritance. In this situation, Christianity in the State Church, which up to now represented a starting point for evangelism, is shrinking in favour of a secular way of life. Therefore, mission requires new ways which interact with this secular context.

A Missionary's Relationship to Sending Churches: Communal and Exchange Dimensions

The relationship between a career missionary and a local church should enable each member in the relationship to better accomplish the purposes to which God has called each one. However, the missionary-church relationship can be very complex, even confusing. The concepts of exchange relationships (where relationship members are expected to provide comparable benefits to each other) and communal relationships (where benefits are given to the one member without expectations of receiving something of equal value in response) provides a framework for understanding some of the dynamics of missionary-church relationships. Although a communal relationship may be a biblically-based goal, many aspects of missionary-church relationships can be understood as exchange relationships, which are also modeled and encouraged in the Bible. Ensuring that each member benefits from this relationship may make the relationship more stable during times of transition and distress.

KLASIS DALAM KRISIS: TINJAUAN EKLESIOLOGIS TERHADAP ATURAN MENGENAI KLASIS DALAM TATA GEREJA MASEHI INJILI DI TIMOR TAHUN 1999

The Church’s self-understanding will help the church to organize herself optimally. The understanding cannot be separated from the Trinity. Therefore, this paper uses the communion approach proposed by John D. Zizoulas to understand the Trinitarian nature of the church. The Trinity is three persons who life in communion, based on equality and respect for differences. As the Trinity’s creation, church life and ministry are based on equal relations and respect for diversity.A creation of the Trinity, the Church is a complementary communion of the equals, that respects diversity. In this understanding, GMIT will be more aware of her true nature. GMIT is obligated to build communion not only in herself but also direct that communion outward. In other words, GMIT is by nature a missionary Church. Equality and respect for diversity are the spirit of GMIT as a missionary Church.As a missionary church, GMIT is also called by the triune God to live and serve in East Nusa Tenggara. The contexts of povery and religious plurality in East Nusa Tenggara are the challenges that GMIT needs to addres in her ministry. In addressing such challenges, GMIT needs direct all of her life, including her structure. GMIT also needs to preserve her identity while answering those challenges. Klasis in GMIT as an integral part of the church structure, enables GMIT to carry out her mission by preserving her identity faithful to the nature of GMIT as a communion inspired by equality and respect for diversity.

KLASIS DALAM KRISIS: TINJAUAN EKLESIOLOGIS TERHADAP ATURAN MENGENAI KLASIS DALAM TATA GEREJA MASEHI INJILI DI TIMOR TAHUN 1999

The Church’s self-understanding will help the church to organize herself optimally. The understanding cannot be separated from the Trinity. Therefore, this paper uses the communion approach proposed by John D. Zizoulas to understand the Trinitarian nature of the church. The Trinity is three persons who life in communion, based on equality and respect for differences. As the Trinity’s creation, church life and ministry are based on equal relations and respect for diversity.A creation of the Trinity, the Church is a complementary communion of the equals, that respects diversity. In this understanding, GMIT will be more aware of her true nature. GMIT is obligated to build communion not only in herself but also direct that communion outward. In other words, GMIT is by nature a missionary Church. Equality and respect for diversity are the spirit of GMIT as a missionary Church.As a missionary church, GMIT is also called by the triune God to live and serve in East Nusa Tenggara. The contexts of povery and religious plurality in East Nusa Tenggara are the challenges that GMIT needs to addres in her ministry. In addressing such challenges, GMIT needs direct all of her life, including her structure. GMIT also needs to preserve her identity while answering those challenges. Klasis in GMIT as an integral part of the church structure, enables GMIT to carry out her mission by preserving her identity faithful to the nature of GMIT as a communion inspired by equality and respect for diversity.

O papel histórico de Aparecida

O Documento de Aparecida está construído em torno de dois eixos, um secundário e outro principal. O eixo secundário é a afirmação da continuidade de Medellín e Puebla. Daí o compromisso com as comunidades eclesiais de base e a opção pelos pobres. O outro eixo é o projeto de transformar a Igreja de uma Igreja centrada nos templos para uma Igreja metida no mundo para evangelizar. O projeto é grandioso. Não se prevê nenhuma mudança estrutural. Então quem vai realizar o projeto? O clero vai poder mudar radicalmente? Era necessário reconhecer essa necessidade de mudança, e agora virá o desafio da aplicação prática. A parte mais fraca é a cristologia de tal sorte que não aparece claramente a mensagem da nova Igreja missionária. Assim mesmo, este Documento abre uma época de esperança, porque os bispos estão descobrindo os desafios da nova sociedade.Abstract: The Aparecida Document has been drawn around two axles, a secondary and a main one. The secondary axle is a statement of the continuity of the Medellin and Puebla Conferences. Hence the document’s commitment to the ecclesial grass-root communities and its option for the poor. The main axle is the project of changing the Church from a church that is centred on the temples to a church that has turned to the world and has an evangelizing role. This is a magnificent project. As no structural changes are foreseen, we ask: who is going to develop the project? Will the clergy be capable of radical change? We had to recognize this need for change and now we will face the challenge of its practical application. The weakest part is Christology, and this weakness is revealed by the fact that the message of the new missionary Church is not clearly shown. In spite of this, the document opens an age of hope, as bishops begin to discover the challenges of the new society.

O desafio de Aparecida. Uma configuração eclesial para a América Latina

O documento de Aparecida representa um desafio para a Igreja. Pede uma mudança de mentalidade (conversão pastoral) por parte de todos. Contudo, o ardor missionário requerido só será uma realidade, se encontrar estruturas adequadas para sua realização. O texto parte de uma configuração eclesial histórica que ainda permanece na imaginação de muitos católicos, mesmo com toda novidade do Concílio Vaticano II. Distingue, em seguida, identidade teológica de configuração institucional da Igreja, mostra a importância da Igreja local para uma fé realmente vivida, e aborda o desafio posto pela Conferência Episcopal de Aparecida. Numa parte final são apresentadas três características de uma Igreja missionária: uma Igreja de místicos, de cristãos missionários e dos pobres.Abstract: The Aparecida Document represents a challenge for the Church. It asks for a change in mentality (a pastoral conversion) on everyone’s part. However, the required missionary ardour will only become true if it finds appropriate structures for its realization. The text starts off in the context of a historical ecclesial configuration that still remains in the imagination of many Catholics despite all the novelties of the Vatican II Council. Next, it distinguishes theological identity from the institutional configuration of the Church; it shows the significance of the local church for a truly experienced faith; and it confronts the challenge set by the Episcopal Conference in Aparecida. In a final section it presents three characteristics of a missionary Church: a Church of mystics, one of missionary Christians and one of the poor.

Spies, Secrets, and Papistry

This chapter examines the double helix of Matthew’s political and pastoral roles. He saw the northern Church as a missionary Church, and, like his contemporaries in Ireland, came to see prosecution as a powerful weapon in the struggle to end support for Catholicism. This led him to stress the importance of the law, alongside preaching and hospitality, as a tool of reformation. This chapter shows that Matthew’s persecution of Catholics was driven by his belief in the urgency of edifying reform as well as his fear of divine punishment. Matthew also played an important role in Anglo-Scottish relations in the last decade of Elizabeth’s reign. Anticipating James VI of Scotland’s succession to the English throne, he coordinated spy networks for Robert Cecil, negotiated border treaties, and oversaw James VI/I peaceful entry into England in 1603.