Southwest Region

Globalism, along with massive migrations,
interethnic and racial conflict, and rapid growth in secularism/atheism all
contribute to polarization and heightened levels of conflict and the need for
the church to work for justice, reconciliation and healing. The world as it is
has faced us with COVID, K-shaped recovery dropouts, people confronting
injustice, recognizing marginalized BIPOC … – but what and who defines our
mission? The conflicts and troubles of this world?        

How can a truly gospel centered missio ecclesia be reimagined that
derives from the missio Dei (as from
the missio Spiritu and missio Christi) calling all people back
to the heart of God that is rooted in the call to be reconciled reconcilers? David Bosch’s Transforming Mission shaped the beginning of a new mission paradigm
– a missional church that is with the people, bears the creative tension of
being in the world, but not of the world, persevering in conflict, but not
being people of conflict and paving the way to be true reconciled reconcilers.
But never did he mention “mission as reconciliation”. The Lausanne Cape Town
Commitment then brought forth: “Reconciliation to God is inseparable from
reconciliation to one another. Christ, who is our peace, made peace through the
cross, and preached peace to the divided world of Jew and Gentile.”

The conference aims to address new ways of holistic
mission for the future of the Church with the mission as ministry of
reconciliation at its heart. Challenged with many societal issues and conflicts
of people, the local churches seek to find answers and outreaches rooted in the
gospel of Jesus Christ that bring people back into their initial calling to be
in relationship with God. Doing shalom and
reconciliation work according to 1 Cor 5 is not an add-on to missions but at
the heart of God’s mission. God calls us to be reconciled with himself; the
Church is sent to accomplish this calling. Being reconciled with God, means to
live the love towards God, self, and neighbor in restored relationships
including to steward creation and leads to enabling the local church to be
(become again) a light in the city.

Areas for consideration might be:

Biblical/Theological
Foundations

●       
How can the concept of Kenosis help to understand the contextual needs for reconciliation?

●       
What hurts the most and what are the barriers to
speaking out truth in love and setting a ground for forgiveness?

●       
Bringing reimagining to an epistemological
shift: What is an integral theology of the biblical mandate of reconciliation?

●       
How can a comprehensive theology of the missio Dei, missio Christi, missio Spiritu help to understand the missions?

●       
How does one’s ecclesiology shape congregant’s
approach towards reconciliation?

●       
How might eschatology influence our present
perspectives and practice towards reconciliation?

●       
What are some ways biblical stories model
reconciliation?

Reconciliation
in church planting, theological education or missionary training

●       
What are the intersections between intercultural
competence, diaspora ministries, and reconciliation?

●       
How is a transformative disciple equipped with
the tools for addressing the challenges of reconciling neighbors?

●       
How can we explore and speak unbiased about the
challenges of nationalism, tribalism, ethnocentrism (racism and privilege) in
missions?

●       
How can we teach reconciliation in global
missions but not be reconciled to our neighbor?

●       
The role of an integrated approach to
theological education in fostering reconciliation within cultures?

●       
How might a polycentric view of missions lead to
reconciliation?

Stories or
examples of Reconciliation as Mission

●       
The Majority World and the West: Stories
reflecting greater global community and collaboration in reconciliation
missions.

●       
Where are stories of light? How are the
missiological underpinnings represented in our ecclesial practices and what
needs to change to let a local church be seen as the reconciliation “center” in
their community?

●       
How can creative, artisan approaches for trauma
healing and concepts for healing wounds of ethnic conflict enable the journey
for truth telling, leading to forgiveness, and creating a truly united future?

●       
How does whole
life or integral missions influence a ministry of reconciliation?

Final papers are to be 4500-7000 words and use Chicago Turabian author-date citation format. 

Strong papers from the Regions are forwarded to the program committee for consideration for presentation at the annual meeting, and with the strongest papers being published in our annual volume. 

2022 Call for Papers: “Missiology and the Black Experience” track

Missions and Reconciliation in the Black Missiology Experience: Through narratives, case studies or theological exegesis, how can we explore the Black Church’s missions legacy to reimagine an integrated missions enterprise that addresses the Missio Dei through the lens of reconciliation?