Because God calls his people to be a living witness to him, morality is mission. Conversely, immorality is “anti-mission” a failure to give true testimony or witness. This, in essence, is the theme of this stimulating and challenging volume. The whole life of the people of God, not just verbal proclamation, testifies to the church’s faith-or lack of faith-in her Lord. The contributors explain that mission and ethics are intricately and necessarily interwoven, and explore why this is so by unpacking the biblical and theological roots of “missional ethics” probing its limits and exploring its possibilities through examination of some foundational themes and a selection of specific issues. Intended primarily for pastors and church leaders, this volume encourages reflection and conversation that will feed the life of the body of Christ. “Missional ethics” concerns all the ways in which Christian ethical practice flows out of, supports, and advances the wider mission of the church to proclaim the gospel. The contributors are Brian Brock, M. Daniel Carroll R, Jonathan Chaplin, Guido de Graaff, Sean Doherty, Andy Draycott, Joshua Hordern, Matt Jenson, Grant Macaskill, Nathan Moser, Jonathan Rowe, Sarah Ruble, and Christopher J. H. Wright.
Editorial Reviews
The Western church needs to rediscover not only its missional identity in an increasingly post-Christian context, but also its missional theology. So it’s a delight to welcome this look at ethics from a missional perspective. But the significance of Living Witness goes beyond the academy, for it offers a thought-provoking contribution to the discussion of how we can be missional in the context of ordinary life.
Tim Chester
This stimulating and groundbreaking collection explores the connections between two disciplines that are often treated separately: ethics and mission. In doing so, it sets God’s calling to ethical living in a missionary context, arguing that the whole of our lives, not just our words, are to be a living testimony to the reality of the gospel. It deserves a wide readership, and will doubtless inspire fresh biblical reflection, challenge complacency, and encourage Christians to live out the whole of life as a response to the gospel.
Paul Weston, Lecturer in Mission Studies, Ridley Hall, Cambridge
Here, at last, is a genuine step forward for the ‘missional’ conversation. Exploring the integral link between morality and mission, this theologically informed set of essays provides a rich resource on the centrality of ethics as encompassing the whole life of the people of God–called to live in a distinctive way as witnesses to the redemptive activity of God in the world. Concerned for the transformation of existing thinking and practices, the authors issue a strong reminder that mission occurs wherever God is at work through his people–in families and friendships, in the challenges that come with handling money as well as migration, in politics as much as in preaching.
Antony Billington, Head of Theology, The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity
