Picturing Christian Witness: New Testament Images of Disciples in Mission (review)

Conceptualising an understanding of mission is not a straightforward task. Skreslet assesses the way in which both the text of the New Testament and various images, both visual and non-visual, function to shape such an understanding. Yet the relationship between the New Testament and mission is not linear, nor is the text the generative seed for mission. Asis noted, 'the New Testament can be seen as a product of mission, but,at the same time, we can appreciate how it has served the church as the pre-eminent means of Christian witness over the past two millennia'(p. 21). In this sense the written record of the first generations of the Jesus movement is in large part a stylised 'history' of the expansion of Christianity. Thus, while the text may not strictly be formative of the missionising endeavour, it has become normative and allowed creative reflection on the meaning and forms of mission in successive generations.

As a taxonomy, Skreslet organises the various images of the disciples involved in mission into five categories. The first looks at those portrayals where they are characterised as heralds sent be an authoritative ruler. Imitation of Jesus' own proclamatory activities is a key feature of this type of image and itinerancy is a hallmark of this understanding of mission (pp. 38–9). Skreslet notes that the initial image of 'fishing for people' 'largely failed to catch on in the early church as a living metaphor' (p. 40). Instead, he argues, the related image of casting-nets was more attractive since it spoke of a great ingathering. However, for those involved in this model of missionary activity a decisive break with one's own past was necessary: leaving nets and not putting the hand back to the plough reveal that there was a need to renounce the former way of life. Here the discussion looks at the reception of this model by analysing works of art that have reflected upon the original New Testament stories of 'announcing good news'. The images of the Preaching of Peter by Masolino or Paul before Agrippa by Linton (among other images) are discussed in order to show the manner in which the New Testament model is modified or even enriched to incorporate other complexities that make the act of proclaiming the good news an ongoing viable pattern for contemporary believers.

The next chapter considers the pattern of missionising that is characterised as 'sharing Christ with friends' (pp. 79–117). It is noted that this model involves an entirely different social-setting and a new realm of discourse. Here stories of personal introduction to Jesus by friends form the bedrock of this model. Philip's summons to Nathanael to meet Jesus is a prime example (Jn 1.45). Skreslet sees this pattern reflected most fully in Johannine stories of disciple-making. Jesus' own encounter with the Samaritan women, also depicted by T'oros of Taron, is used to highlight this category (pp. 88–98). In the later portrayal of such stories in art, Skreslet notes the changes in depictions of social situations and theway the posture of the various hearers are characterised. The final three categories employed are 'interpreting the gospel', 'shepherding' and 'building and planting'. Following the pattern developed in earlier sections, Skreslet discusses key New Testament texts and their re-interpretation in later artistic representations.

In the concluding chapter the practical aim of the volume is highlighted. Skreslet states, 'my intention has been to discover a fresh wayfor the New Testament to inform contemporary thinking about mission theology by stimulating the renewal of mission imagery' (p. 227). Although only time will show whether this larger goal is achieved, it is nonetheless possible to state that Skreslet has conceived of a new approach by not only utilising the five organising categories, but by employing images from various artistic media to highlight how these categories have been modified throughout the course of the development of Christian reflection on...