Dictionary of Mission Theology (review)

It is becoming increasingly obvious that there are vast theological implications which are inherent in the demographic reality that the majority of Christians now live outside the West. The Dictionary of Mission Theology edited by John Corrie fills a needed gap in not only reconnecting the discipline of missiology with theology, but addressing a number of new theological issues. The volume seeks to achieve three main aims: First, to better integrate the disciplines of theology and mission; second, to draw out the contextual nature of all theologizing; and third, to assist in the development of an evangelical theology of missions which is more properly rooted in a theological discourse.

The 451 page volume contains over 150 articles from 139 contributors, from every region of the world. Many important topics, which have been neglected in comparative works, are addressed by this volume. For example, entries on African Christology, holistic mission, migration, and post-modernity are all found in this volume. Furthermore, several classic themes such as contextualization, missio dei, conversion, and culture are developed, but from a more global, post-Christendom perspective. Occasionally, some of the contributors fail to recognize the theological implications of the topic at hand, and the volume becomes more of a dictionary of missionary themes, than a dictionary of mission theology. Also, the volume employs some out-dated terms, such as the 'two-thirds world', without an awareness of recent discussions concerning the appropriateness of the phrase.

Nevertheless, on the whole, the volume meets the three aims which have been set forth. For a discipline which has been overly dependent on the social sciences, this volume will certainly aid in giving a stronger theological voice to evangelical missions.

I would recommend this very accessible volume to mission scholars, students, missionaries, and laypersons alike.