History of Mission

The Gospel’s message reached its zenith as Christianity began; religion evolved into ideology, and the Church—once considered the body of the Lord—transformed into an institution. The Great Commission morphed into a ‘mission,’ becoming a para-church organization that utilized money, power, and authority to expand its own kingdom rather than promoting the Kingdom of God on Earth. This mission never hesitated to employ any weapon at its disposal—be it politics, economics, or charity—to conquer and homogenize spirituality under the banner of Christianity. In the name of ‘contextualization’ or ‘inculturation,’ it sought to assimilate native cultures and traditions, either Christianizing them or reinterpreting them as part of a natural religion revealed by God to all humanity. Those elements it could not subsume were labeled as paganism or the work of the devil, and efforts were made to eradicate them, though with varying degrees of success.

Thus, the history of mission is not a noble story to be celebrated but rather a cautionary tale against repeating these mistakes. Upon reviewing records of missions, particularly in India—both Christian and non-Christian—I find myself questioning how such endeavors continue to thrive under various guises, despite the sincere and serious commitments of followers of the Lord who sought to advance the Kingdom of God inaugurated by His life and teachings.

The Lord selected twelve ordinary men, each with their own flaws, and sent them forth without material security, relying solely on God and the goodwill and charity of others to spread the message of the Kingdom of God. The historical accounts of these Apostles, as described in the Uttara Veda, starkly contrast with the practices of missions today, which persist in many parts of the world. It is noted that in early church history, while church leaders engaged in theological disputes, it was often the simple laypeople who spread the Good News. This raises the question: Where did the mission fail? Why did it fail, and how did it begin to deviate from its intended purpose?

To find answers, I believe a review of the writings of the early Church Fathers is necessary. However, given constraints of time and energy, this remains a challenge. Once Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the mission’s history shifted into an imperial power struggle, with the Church using its influence to expand its own domain rather than focusing on the Kingdom of God on Earth. The way Americans transformed the concept of mission into a thriving enterprise is a remarkable story, indeed a history in itself. Thankfully, Andrew F. Walls’ book, The Missionary Movement in Christian History (New York: Orbis Books, 1996; Tenth Printing 2005), provides a detailed historical account of this transformation.

Although the term “mission” can have various meanings depending on the context, the mission movement has its own distinct and significant history.

Revised on 13-09-2024

Gurukulam