Call for Papers: 2012 Meeting of American Society of Missiology
The Future of Discipline of Missiology: 2nd Year of Three-Year Process
The American Society of Missiology is engaged in a three-year process to study the future of the discipline of missiology. For the 2nd year of the process, the ASM invites you to submit a proposal for writing an essay.
Persons are invited to submit a proposal of 250-300 words in length (along with a 30 word bio) that indicates how they would develop an argument which addresses ONE of the four issues listed below. The eventual essay to be written should be 12-15 pages in length (double-space)—between 4,000 to 5,000 words. Proposals for consideration of being invited to write an essay should be submitted by January 31, 2012 to Craig Van Gelder at: cvangeld@luthersem.edu
Persons selected to write essays will be notified by February 15, 2012. Final essays are due by June 1, 2012 and will be posted in the ASM website prior to the 2012 annual meeting. These essays will serve as the materials for discussion on Sunday morning at this year’s 2012 conference.
Four Issues to Explore from 2011 Meeting
Issue #1: Missiology as a Theological Discipline in the Academy
Is missiology a distinct discipline or more a cluster of disciplines? What difference, if any does this make?
What are its patterns of development of missiology within the academy in recent decades—what shifts has it experienced (expansion, contraction, re-direction)?
Currently, what is the place of missiology within the academy, in general, and the theological academy, in particular? What should be its place?
Issue #2: Missiology in a Changing World Since World War II
What are the primary developments that have shaped or reshaped the discipline of missiology since World War II? How have these influences helped or hindered the discipline?
What are the primary contextual shifts and cultural realities that are currently influencing the future direction of missiology? How should missiology as a discipline seek to engage and address these influences?
What are the primary purposes should missiology should seek to serve in the 21st century?
Issue #3: Biblical, Theological, and Theoretical Perspectives
To what extent, if any, is there a missiological consensus that provides a core of understanding for missiology? Is the concept of a “core” even helpful? Why or why not?
What resources are available within biblical, theological, and theoretical perspectives to help missiology engage our pluralistic, multi-perspectival, and globalized world?
To what extent, if any, is a mission hermeneutic for reading scripture emerging? How does this discussion interface with the discipline of missiology?
Issue #4: Getting at the “American” in the American Society of Missiology?
To what extent does the ASM focus on the American context as a primary mission location? To what extent, if any, should it focus on this context?
In what ways, if any, have the increased patterns of immigration into Northern America shifted the challenges facing missiology and the ASM? How should these patterns, if at all, be reshaping the discipline as well as the focus of the ASM?
Where do congregations fit into the focus and work of missiology and the ASM? To what extent, if any, should they be seen as primary vehicles of mission for missiology and the ASM?
For more information, please visit the ASM website.