In the present era of universal interrogation, missionaries find themselves in the unaccustomed situation of having to explain the raison d’etre of their work. The average hardworking missionary, overwhelmed by practical problems, has little time for theological reflection. This book is an attempt to come to his aid, by discussing the main themes relevant to the theology of mission in the 1970s.
It indicates the historical roots of the present malaise and of the questioning of missionary motives and methods. A first section places missionary activity in the context of the nature and function of the Church as re-stated by the Second Vatican Council. It then examines the biblical evidence-to show how the Old Testament presents the missionary ideal, and to explain why this ideal never became an operative force in Israelite religious activity. A chapter on the New Testament concentrates on Christ's attitude to non-Jews and on the significance of the missionary mandate that appears in the concluding verses of the synoptic gospel.