MT520: Biblical
Foundations of Mission (4 units)
Robert L. Gallagher, Visiting Assistant Professor
of Biblical Theology of Mission
Charles Van Engen, Arthur F. Glasser Professor of Biblical Theology of Mission
Summer 2005 Pasadena
Description:
A central theme of the Scriptures
is the mission of God as it relates to the present and coming Kingdom of God.
By this is meant the sovereign, living God exercising absolute reign in and
through history, and establishing a covenant relationship with the People of God
redeemed and called to be God’s instruments among and for the nations. This
means continuity with the Old Testament expectation and New Testament
fulfillment. This also means Jesus Christ is the “hinge of history,” the Great
Commission is the culmination of Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom of God and the
descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is the climatic event that creates the
Church. From Pentecost onward the mission of the Church can be viewed
eschatologically because the glorious appearing of the Kingdom at our Lord’s
coming marks the end of the Church’s mission. There is no separate “theology of
mission” district from a theology of the Spirit and the Church, as developed in
Pauline theology of mission.
LEARNING
OUTCOMES:
• Develop a missiological hermeneutic which will be applied to
Scripture
• Re-read the Bible in order to understand the nature of God's mission in
Scripture
• Allow biblical understanding and mission practice to influence one another
• Develop practical mission applications based on biblical theology of mission
Course Format: Bible reading and summarization, outside reading
and reports, coupled with class lectures and discussion following the sequences
of the syllabus.
Required Reading: (Total of 1200 Pages):
1. The Bible (Several books of the Bible
may be read. Minimum: 50 chapters, equivalent to 50 pages.)
Students
will read 5 chapters each from the Pentateuch, Historical Writings, Poetic
Literature, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets, Gospels, Acts, Pauline Literature,
General Epistles and Revelation for a total of 50 chapters.
2.
Glasser, Arthur, Charles Van Engen, Dean Gilliland and Shawn Redford, Announcing the Kingdom: The Story of God’s
Mission in the Bible. G.R.:Baker, 2003.
3. Six Required Texts to be read in this order:
Briscoe, Jill. Jonah
and the Worm. New Berlin, WI: Jilcoe/Hemp, 1983.
Kaiser, Walter C. Mission in the Old Testament.
Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2000.
Montgomery, Helen. The Bible and Mission
(Chapters 1&2). (Available in class.)
Nissen, Johannes. New Testament and Mission.
New York, Peter Lang, 1999.
Newbigin, Lesslie. Open Secret. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1978.
Gallagher, Robert L. and Paul Hertig, eds. Mission in
Acts: Ancient Narratives in Contemporar Context. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis
Books, 2004.
4. Supplemental Readings in the Syllabus are for the
students’ own self-study, enrichment, and resourcing – particularly to help
students prepare for writing the paper, and for greater understanding of the
course material.
5. Recommended Texts:
Bright, John. The
Kingdom of God. Nashville: Abingdon, 1953
De Ridder, Richard. Discipling the Nations. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1971.
Kraybill, Donald B. The Upside Down Kingdom. Scottdale: Herald, 1990.
Ladd, George, E. The Gospel of the Kingdom. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959.
Padilla, René. Mission Between the Times. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985.
Scherer, James. Gospel, Church and Kingdom. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1987.
Shenk, Wilbert, ed. The Transfiguration of Mission. Scottdale: Herald, 1993.
Van Engen, Gilliland, and Pierson, eds. The Good News of the Kingdom.
Maryknoll: Orbis, 1993.
Assignments:
1. A summary paragraph for
each book of the Bible read, describing the mission of God as depicted in
that book.
2. Seven Book Reviews (MT620 students will do nine book reviews)
following the instructions given in the syllabus and in class: one report for
each of the books read.
3. One 15-page
(minimum) to 20-page (maximum) typed, double-spaced paper (MT620 students will
do a 20 to 25 page paper) tracing a biblical theme of missiological significance
through the Old and New Testaments, examining at least 2 and at most 3 passages
selected from each Testament. The theme will be selected by the student and
related to the student’s pilgrimage in ministry and to the mission of the
people of God touching the nations. The paper must show extensive interaction
with the books read, should develop the missiological meaning of the theme
chosen, and demonstrate the missiological implications for ministry in the
student’s particular context.
Special instructions:
•
A reserve shelf of books and articles will be available as additional resources
for paper-writing.
•
Grades are given only for completed work; due to the nature of the course,
partial work is not accepted.
Prerequisites:
No auditors permitted.
Relationship to
Curriculum: A required course for all
masters programs in SIS/FTS. Meets Min 8 requirement in M.Div. Program.
Final Exam: None.