As the centennial of a landmark mission event approaches in 2010, a global study process is mobilising churches, theological institutions and mission bodies around the world.
The World Mission Conference that took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1910 brought together some 1,200 representatives mainly linked to the Western missionary movement. In addition to its focus on evangelism, the historic gathering emphasised cooperation and unity.
"It is because of this concern for unity that Edinburgh 1910 is widely considered the symbolic starting point of the contemporary ecumenical movement, although there were no Orthodox nor Catholic delegates present at that time," says Nayiri Baljian, an Armenian Orthodox from the US.
"In 2010, as opposed to 1910, we look forward to a gathering and its preceding study process that is much more inclusive and representative of the global church."
Baljian is a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism. In that capacity she sits on the Edinburgh 2010 General Council, a body charged with coordinating the worldwide centennial celebrations on behalf of a network of stakeholders which includes churches, Christian world communions, regional associations of theological institutions and world mission bodies.
Key among the activities marking the centennial is a study process on nine themes that are at the centre of contemporary missiology. Launched in 2005, it has an interdenominational and intercontinental scope and a decentralised approach that allows for the participation of many organisations and movements.
The themes range from the foundations of Christian mission to current forms of missionary engagement, including aspects like inter-religious, postmodern and other contemporary contexts in which the missionary endeavour of the churches takes place. The inter-relations between mission and power, unity and spirituality are also among the themes.
"The study process is certainly polycentric and quite global," says Edinburgh 2010 research coordinator, Dr Kirsteen Kim. "Eight of the nine working groups could be described as having worldwide participation” and "almost all have demonstrated that they are confessionally representative as well", she says.
According to Kim, "a very wide range of institutions and church and mission agencies are represented in the make-up of the groups, with many centres for the study of world Christianity and mission in different parts of the world involved in the Edinburgh process."
