course lecturer: j. herbert kane, lhd former professor at ... · the modern period along...

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COURSE SYLLABUS

WM502: The History of Missions through 1983Course Lecturer: J. Herbert Kane, LHDFormer Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

About This Course

This course was originally created through the Institute of Theological Studies in association with the Evangelical Seminary Deans’ Council. There are nearly 100 evangelical seminaries of various denominations represented within the council and many continue to use the ITS courses to supplement their curriculum. The lecturers were selected primarily by the Deans’ Council as highly recognized scholars in their particular fields of study.

Course Description

History is “His Story”: the account of God at work establishing His purposes and His Kingdom. In this course, Dr. Kane covers the historic development of the Christian world mission in chronological sequence from Pentecost to the birth of the modern missions movement (1800). He then introduces the modern period along geographical lines: Asia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. The course culminates by evaluating the missionary achievements of the past and the prospects for the future.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, you should be able to:• Provide an overall picture of the progress of the Christian world mission from Pentecost to

the present. • Trace the development of the indigenous church in various major regions of the world.• Discover and discuss problems peculiar to both church and mission in the world today.• Be impressed with the magnitude of the unfinished task.


Course Lecturer

J. Herbert Kane, LHD (1910-1988)Education:

• Barrington College, LHD• Brown University, MA• Barrington College, BA• Graduate of the Moody Bible Institute

Teaching Career:• Professor Emeritus, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School• Professor at the School of World Mission and Evangelism, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

(1967-1980)• Director of Missions and professor, Lancaster Bible College (1963-1967)• Teacher of Missions and New Testament, Providence Bible Institute, now Barrington College

(1951-1963)

Other Career Highlights:• Alumnus of the Year Award, Moody Bible Institute (1981)• Pastor, Onward Gospel Church in Quebec• President of three missions organizations: The Association of Evangelical Professors of Mission

(AEPM), The Midwest Fellowship of the AEPM, and the American Society of Missiology• Many years in missions work in China through the China Inland Mission (CIM)• Served in China during the Sino-Japanese War, WWII, and the Communist-Nationalist China Civil

War (1935-1950)• Known for insights into cross-cultural work and contextualization• Writings became standard texts at seminaries in missions training schools throughout the world

Publications:• Numerous articles for Moody Monthly, Christianity Today, Missiology, Eternity, and Evangelical Mis-

sions Quarterly• Author of 11 books, including The Progress of World-Wide Missions, A Global View of Christian Mis-

sions, A Concise History of the Christian World Mission, Life and Work on the Mission Field, and The Christian World Mission: Today and Tomorrow

Course Texts

Required:Kane, J. Herbert. A Global View of Christian Missions. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, (rev. ed.) 1975.

Neill, Stephen. A History of Christian Missions. Baltimore, MD.: Penguin Books Inc. 1964.

Recommended:Tucker, Ruth A. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1983.

Kane, J. Herbert. A Concise History of the Christian World Mission. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, (rev. ed.) 1982.


Textbooks can be ordered through our online store at CUGN.org, through your local bookstore, or through your preferred eReader when available.

Course Requirements

1. Time: The student must complete the course requirements within a 6-month period unless the particular institution requires the completion of all work within the framework of the semester or quarter. During this time, the student is expected to devote a minimum of 120 hours to the completion of the course.

2. Recorded Lectures: The student must listen carefully to all of the 24 lectures by Dr. J. Herbert Kane, keeping in mind the “Examination Questions” provided in the course Study Guide (found in your course materials).

3. Lesson Assignments: The student should submit answers to all questions listed in the Lesson Assignments at the end of this Syllabus.

4. Reading: The student is required to read 1,200 pages of the recommended reading in addition to the required reading. A written report of the books read and the number of pages involved is to be turned in at the end of the course.

5. Term Paper: The student is required to submit a term paper of some 2,000 words on an important topic of his/her own choice. This paper is to be typed following the guidelines established by your instructor.

6. Spiritual Formation Project

RATIONALE: Ministry preparation and the Christian life require more than academic exercises. Learners also need personal, spiritual formation, which involves theological reflection and critical thinking on their current practices and assumptions. This process occurs as learners engage in self-reflection and interaction in a community of learning. With this in mind, CUGN includes in all courses a capstone project addressing these issues and facilitating interaction beyond the formal learning environment (ATS schools, note Standards 3.2.1.3; 4.1.1; 10.3.3.3).

Write a five-to-six page reflective essay and interview a mentor, discussing the spiritual impact of this course on your life. Identify your mentor early in the course, and submit the essay to your grader when you take the final exam. This last project should not be a summary of course content, but an application of course principles. Complete the following:

A. Personal Reflection and Evaluation: Reflect on the course – To integrate your academic studies with your walk of faith, reflect on the content of the course and evaluate your life in light of what you learned.

i. Follow these steps in your reflection:

Step 1: What one theme, principle, or concept in the course is the most significant to you personally? Why is it significant?


Step 2: What portion(s) of the course brought this theme/principle/concept to light?

Step 3: Think about your past. Why is it vital now for you to deal with and apply this theme/principle/concept?

Step 4: How should this affect your thoughts and actions, and what specific steps should you take to concretely apply what you have learned?

ii. Write your answers to the above questions in full paragraph form. (Recommended length for this reflection: approximately three pages)

iii. Give a copy of this reflection to your mentor (see #2).

B. Community Reflection and Interaction: Interview a mentor – Since the Holy Spirit uses the input of others to guide and form His people, interview a mentor according to the following guidelines:

iv. Who should you interview? (1-3 are required; 4-6 are recommended)

1. Someone with whom you have a reasonably close relationship.

2. Someone who is a mature Christian ministry leader (i.e. a pastor).

3. Someone who is not your grader or a family member.

4. Someone who values the spiritual formation process.

5. Someone who is familiar with and values the subject of the course.

6. Someone who has experience using the content of the course in ministry.

NOTE: Identify your mentor early in the course, and give him/her the page entitled “Guidelines for Mentors.”

ii. Focus of the interview – Your interview should focus on the issues and questions you raise in your essay. For example:

• What feedback can your mentor give in response to your essay?

• In light of the course content, are the conclusions you made appropriate? Why or why not?

• What additional advice, deeper insights or broader applications might he/she suggest from his/her own life and ministry?

NOTE: Conduct this interview either in person (preferred) or over the phone. Do not use electronic communication (i.e. email, instant messenger, etc). Suggested length: 45 minutes.

C. Synthesis and Application: Draw your final conclusions – Having reflected on the curse and the discussion with your mentor, synthesize what you have learned in these three sections:

i. Section 1: Begin your essay with the personal reflection from #1 above. This should be exactly what you gave your mentor for the interview.


ii. Section 2: Comment on your interview, explaining what you discussed and the insights you gained from your mentor. Include the following:

• What were the mentor’s comments regarding your essay?

• What advice did he/she give?

• How did his/her comments expand or correct your application of the course?

• Include the person’s name, occupation, and the length of the interview.

iii. Section 3: Conclude with a synthesis of what you have learned. Answer the following:

• If your mentor corrected any thoughts in your “Personal Reflection and Evaluation”, how do you feel about these corrections? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

• Synthesizing your thoughts from section one and your mentor’s insight in section two, what final conclusions have you reached? How is this different from section one?

• In light of the interview and further reflection, what additional, specific changes need to occur in your life and what concrete steps will you take to implement them?

NOTE TO STUDENTS: Your effort in this assignment will determine its benefit. If by the end of this course you have not yet reflected critically on your life in light of what you have studied, allow this assignment to guide you in that process. The instructor for this course will not score your essay based on the amount of spiritual fruit you describe; so do not exaggerate (or trivialize) what you have learned. The primary grading criteria is that you have thoughtfully considered the principles of the course and realistically sought to apply them to your life. If you have done this and met the minimal requirements (as noted above), you will earn the full points for this assignment.

Note on confidentiality: Perhaps the Holy Spirit is dealing with you in some very personal areas of your life. Because of this, your grader will keep your essay entirely confidential and either return or discard it.

Objective: to stimulate reflection and interaction on course principles in order to enhance personal spiritual formation.

7. Quizzes and Exams: Two short quizzes and a final examination will be required. The first quiz will come at the end of lecture 10, and the second at the end of lecture 20. The quizzes will be factual: true or false, fill-in, or multiple choice, etc. The final exam will be essay in nature. The student will have a choice of three questions out of four. In preparation for the final exam, the student should again listen to lectures 5, 11, 16, 18, 20, 21, and 23. Plan on two hours for the final exam.


Course Grading

Your grade for the course will be determined as follows:

Listening to Audio Lectures 10% of Course GradeLesson Assignments 10% of Course GradeReading 10% of Course GradeTerm Paper 20% of Course GradeQuizzes 20% of Course Grade (10% ea.)Final Exam 30% of Course GradeTotal 100%

NOTE: Please submit a statement telling how much of the recommended reading you have completed, listing the specific works (and number of pages) you have read to satisfy the collateral reading assignment. Accompanying this statement should be your answers to the questions in the Lesson Assignments.


Interview Student Name: _________________________ Course: __________________ Date/Time: _______________________

Guidelines for Mentors (Students, give this sheet to your mentor for the Spiritual Formation Project.)

Thank you for your involvement in this student’s CUGN coursework. We believe the Christian life is more than an academic exercise, so we encourage students to critically reflect on their life in light of what they learn and then apply those insights to the daily life of faith.

Therefore, students taking CUGN courses are required to complete a final assignment called the “Spiritual Formation Project.” This assignment involves two parts: an essay and an interview:

The ESSAY: After completing their coursework, students reflect on the content of the course, evaluate their lives, and discuss the one theme, principle or concept that is most significant to them and why. Students are to identify specific ways this theme/principle/concept should apply to their lives and what action steps they plan to take in order to make these changes a reality.

The INTERVIEW: After writing this reflection, students give a copy to their mentor and meet with him/her to discuss their thoughts and get feedback. The goal of this interview is to facilitate the student’s growth through interaction with a mature believer.

NOTES ON THE INTERVIEW:• You do not need to be familiar with the course to participate in this interview.

You will primarily respond to the thoughts of the student. (However, general knowledge of the subject matter of the course and/or experience applying it to ministry is valuable.)

• Prior to meeting with the student, read his/her “Personal Reflection and Evaluation” and prepare to discuss the following:

1. What feedback can you give the student in response to his/her essay?2. Are the student’s conclusions from the course appropriate? Why or why

not?3. What additional advice, deeper insights or broader applications would you

suggest from your own life and ministry?

• Meet with the student either in person (preferred) or over the phone. Do not use electronic communication (i.e. email, instant messenger, etc.).

• Suggested length of the interview: 45 minutes

Thanks again for participating in this project! You have a real opportunity to guide this student in the application process and to help him/her connect academics to life – a valuable process for all who wish to grow in Christ.

NOTE: If the student’s school makes any changes to this assignment, their requirements should replace those described here.


Lesson Assignments

Lecture 1: Introduction to the Course

Required Reading: Neill, Chapter 1

Recommended Reading: Gibbon, Edward. The Triumph of Christendom in the Roman Empire.

Assignment:

Complete the following:

1. What are the two outstanding attributes of God as revealed to the world mission of the Christian Church?

2. In the lecture the instructor maintained that the church is preeminently a witnessing community. On what did he base his statement? To what two things is the church to give her witness? Discuss this from a biblical point of view.

3. In what sense is the missionary mandate based on the condition of mankind? Discuss the ministry of Christ and show how it related to the total needs of the people of his day. Which version of the Great Commission suggests that we are expected to take our cue from him?

4. Neill speaks of “three radical changes” that took place in the thinking of the early church. What were these changes and how did they affect the future development of Christianity?

Lecture 2: Missions in the Acts of the Apostles

Required Reading: Kane, Pages 3-20

Recommended Reading: Bruce, F. F. The Spreading Flame.

Assignment:


1. How did the conquests of Rome prepare for and facilitate those of Christianity?

2. Peter and Paul are the dominant personalities in The Acts. How did these two men, each in his own way, contribute to the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles?

3. To the very end, the church in Jerusalem remained more Jewish than Christian. Why was the Jewish element in the Christian church so strong in the first generation?

4. Identify the four most important events in The Acts of the Apostles.

5. The Acts of the Apostles divides into two parts—Chapters 1-12 and Chapters 13-28. Be able to identify and discuss three important transitions between these two sections of the Book and show how they contributed to the spread of the gospel.


Lecture 3: Christianity in the Roman Empire A.D. 30-500

Required Reading: Kane, Pages 20-35; Neill, Chapter 2

Recommended Reading: Tucker, Ruth A. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya. Chapter 1.

Assignment:


1. Neill speaks of a “prepared elite” that differentiated the missions of the apostolic age from those of every subsequent time, making comparison almost impossible. Identify that prepared elite and show how its members greatly facilitated the expansion of Christianity in the first century.

2. Kane states that the two outstanding virtues of the early church were charity and purity. Be prepared to document this from Scripture and history and show how these virtues did much to commend the gospel to nonbelievers.

3. The persecution of the church during the first three centuries, far from destroying it, served rather to strengthen it. Be prepared to document the major times of persecution, first at the hands of the Jews and later at the hands of the Roman government. Why were the Christians singled out for persecution?

4. Was the “conversion” of Constantine, in your opinion, a genuine conversion or was it politically motivated? Would Christianity have conquered the empire without his endorsement? What kind of emperor and man was he?

5. Trace the origin and development of the church in Ireland under the ministry of Patrick, and show how it became one of the greatest sending churches of all time.

Lecture 4: The Christianity of Europe A.D. 500-1200

Required Reading: Kane, Chapter 2; Neill, Chapter 3

Recommended Reading: Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Pages 42-53. Edman, Raymond V., The Light in the Dark Ages.

Assignment:


1. Trace the introduction of Christianity into Britain, first from Ireland (via Scotland) and then from Rome. Which of these two forms (Celtic and Roman) finally prevailed, and under what circumstances?

2. Using the conversion of the Saxons under Charlemagne, describe the questionable methods used to convert a whole people to Christianity.

3. Using the conversion of Moravia as an example, discuss the political and ecclesiastical rivalries that plagued missionary work in those days.

4. The introduction of Nestorian Christianity in China in the seventh century merits attention. Note the strengths and weaknesses of the movement and the cause of its ultimate demise.


Lecture 5: The Encounter With Islam A.D. 600-1200Required Reading: Kane, Chapter 3; Neill, Pages 62-66

Recommended Reading: Vander Werff, Lyle L., Christian Missions to Muslims.

Assignment:Complete the following:

1. In a paragraph or two, trace the conquest and conversion of the Middle East and North Africa by the Muslims in the seventh century.

2. It has often been said that the Muslims gave the people they conquered a choice between the Koran and the sword. This was not true of the Jews and Christians. Describe the preferential treatment accorded to those two groups known as “dhimmis”—protected people.

3. The demise of the church in North Africa was the greatest setback ever suffered by Christianity. How do you account for the destruction of such an apparently large and thriving church? Identify and discuss four or five contributing factors.

4. The motives involved in the Crusades were mixed. Discuss three major religious motives or objectives and indicate to what extent they were, or were not, realized.

5. Here in the West the Crusades have been long since forgotten, but in the Middle East the memory lingers on. Two aspects of the Crusades make them highly reprehensible. What were they?

Lecture 6: Roman Catholic Missions A.D. 1300-1750Required Reading: Kane, Chapter 4; Neill, Chapter 6

Recommended Reading: Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Chapter 2.

Assignment:Complete the following:

1. Trace the broad outlines of the origin of Catholic missions, which coincided with the expansion of the overseas empires of Portugal and Spain. Explain the Patronato system and show how it facilitated the advance of RC missions in the seventeenth century. When the Patronato system had served its purpose what took its place and how has it worked through the centuries?

2. The greatest single advantage of RC missions was the existence of hundreds of religious orders. Four ancient orders played a significant role. Identify these orders and discuss their unique features that made them so effective. Tell something of the fortunes, good and bad, suffered by these orders.

3. The Jesuits were the largest and most powerful of the religious orders. They have also been the most controversial, especially in their efforts to contextualize the gospel. Two outstanding examples were Matteo Ricci in China and Robert de Nobili in India. Discuss their efforts to ingratiate themselves with the intelligentsia of China and India.

4. The Spanish conquest of the New World fell into three stages. Identify these three stages and describe the role played by the RC missionaries in each stage.


Lecture 7: The Origin of Missions in Europe A.D. 1600-1850



Assignment:


1. When it came to the Great Commission, the Protestant Reformers seemed to have had a blind spot. What exactly did they believe about the Great Commission?

2. Trace the connection between Philip Spener, Nicolaus Zinzendorf, and John Wesley, and show how they helped to prepare the way for the modern missionary movement.

3. William Carey is often referred to as the “father of modern missions,” but there were several Angelican missionary agencies before Carey. Identify three of them and indicate their major thrust.

4. What was the caliber of the Moravian missionaries of the eighteenth century and how did they differ from the missionaries of the Danish-Halle Mission?

Lecture 8: The Origin of Missions in England and the USA A.D. 1650-1850


Recommended Reading: Chaney, Charles L., The Birth of Missions in America.

Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya. Chapter 5.

Assignment:


1. Many factors were involved in the launching of the modern missionary movement that began with William Carey. What were some of these factors—political, social, economic, and religious.

2. Prepare a biographical sketch of William Carey, showing his background, training, untiring efforts on behalf of world missions, and his influence on later missions.

3. Unlike the early missionaries from England, who were largely artisans, the early missionaries from the USA were university graduates. Identify the institutions of higher learning in New England attended by these missionary candidates, and indicate their contribution to the launching of the missionary movement.

4. Trace the connection between the London Missionary Society and the American Board of Commissioners during the crucial time when the latter was just getting underway. Was the decision of the LMS not to support Adoniram Judson a wise one?


Lecture 9: The Expansion of Missions in the Nineteenth Century


Recommended Reading: Kane, J. Herbert, A Concise History of the Christian World Mission, Chapter 7.

Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Chapters 9, 10.

Assignment:


1. Was Latourette justified in calling the nineteenth century “The Great Century?” If so, state why.

2. Identify the three major groups of Westerners that went abroad in the nineteenth century and show how each related to the imperialism of the time.

3. As the nineteenth century progressed, four kinds of missions emerged. What were they? Give an example of each.

4. Most mission agencies engaged in three kinds of work. What were they? Show how these three ministered to the threefold needs of mankind.

5. On the whole, how were the missionaries of the nineteenth century received? Be prepared to describe how they were treated, the hardships they endured, and the casualties they sustained.

6. Make a list of the early outstanding missionaries to India, Burma, China, Japan, Korea, the South Seas, the Middle East, and Africa.

7. What is meant by the term “comity” as related to the missionary movement? What fivefold purpose was it designed to serve?

Lecture 10: The Development of Missions in the Twentieth Century



Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Chapters 11, 12.

Assignment:


1. Identify and discuss three outstanding features of the faith missions.

2. During the decade of the 70’s, the mainline denominations in the USA underwent a period of retrenchment which reduced their missionary personnel by some 35%. Be prepared to identify five factors which contributed to this sad state of affairs.

3. Identify and discuss four or five advantages to the Short Term Abroad program.

4. Do the same with the “tent-making” missionary.


5. Discuss the four presuppositions underlying the concept of Evangelism-in-Depth as developed by Kenneth Strachan of the Latin America Mission.

6. Be prepared to document and discuss the phenomenal growth in recent years in missions based in the Third World. In this connection, if you have access to the book, read Larry Keyes’ The Last Age of Mission.

Lecture 11: Christian Missions in Korea

Required Reading: Kane, Chapter 8

Recommended Reading: Hoke, Donald, The Church in Asia, Chapters 1, 8.

Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Chapter 5.

Assignment:


1. Be prepared to document the missionary penetration of Asia. In which countries did the Roman Catholics do well? In which countries did the Roman Catholics not do well? In which countries did the Protestants do better than the RCs? In which countries did both groups do about the same?

2. In view of the vast investment in Christian missions in Asia, were the results commensurate with the effort extended?

3. Identify the countries in Asia that are predominantly Muslim, and indicate how mission work fared in the larger ones.

4. Be prepared to discuss the economic and social conditions of the churches in Asia.

5. American missions played a dominant role in Asia and the Far East. Be prepared to document this.

6. To this day, Christianity is regarded throughout Asia (with the single exception of the Philippines) as a “foreign religion.” Whose fault is this? Be prepared to defend your answer.

Lecture 12: Christian Missions in India

Required Reading: Kane, Pages 103-125; Neill, Pages 356-366, 479-486

Recommended Reading: Hoke, Donald, The Church in Asia, Chapter 10.

Hedlund, Roger E., World Christianity: South Asia, pages 43-57.

Assignment:


1. Study the map on pages 105 of Global View. Note that 70% of all Christians in India live below a line drawn from Bombay to Calcutta. Note that East Pakistan is now Bangladesh and Ceylon is now Sri Lanka.


2. India, with over fourteen major languages and 700 dialects, is one of the most pluralistic countries in the world. Take note of the seven major groups into which the population of 700 million is divided.

3. Pay attention to India’s most distinctive feature—the caste system, which even the Christian church has not been able to break.

4. Special attention should be given to the Syrian churches in South India that, according to tradition, go back to the Apostle Thomas in the first century.

5. Study carefully the status of foreign missionaries and the rationale for the government’s policy regarding them.

6. Read carefully the details of the Danish-Halle Mission that occupied the center of the stage during the eighteenth century.

7. Acquaint yourself with the monumental achievements of William Carey.

8. Three features of the church in India are mass movements, church union, and dialogue. Pay attention to all three.

Lecture 13: Church and Mission in Southeast AsiaRequired Reading: Kane, Chapter 9; Neill, Pages 345-355, 477-479

Recommended Reading: Hoke, Donald, The Church in Asia, Chapters 6, 11, 17, 22, 24.

Liao, David C. E., World Christianity: Eastern Asia, Pages 15-38, 56-65, 88- 164.Assignment:Complete the following:

1. Study the map on page 147 of Global View. Note the vast spread of the five main islands that comprise Indonesia, the most populous country in the world.

2. What is the dominant religion of Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, and the Philippines?

3. For the purposes of this lecture, the two most important countries are Indonesia and the Philippines, Make a special study of both.

4. Why was the Philippines an ideal place to practice comity?

5. There was a large influx of American missionaries into the Philippines following World War II. Identify three contributing factors to this phenomenon.

6. The statistics relating to the Far East Broadcasting Company (Global View, p. 203) are updated on the tape of this lecture. Please take note.

7. Indonesia is the one Muslim country with religious freedom. How do you explain this phenomenon?

8. How do you explain the fact that during the nineteenth century the churches and missions in Indonesia were European and Reformed in background?


Lecture 14: Church and Mission in China


Recommended Reading: Hoke, Donald, The Church in Asia, Chapter 7.

Liao, David C. E., World Christianity: Eastern Asia, Pages 39-47.

Assignment:


1. Identify three unique features about China of which the Chinese are justly proud.

2. Study the map on page 209 of Global View.

3. What four countries are regarded as comprising the Far East?

4. The Chinese are a very remarkable people. Pay close attention to the long paragraph about them on page 208 of Global View.

5. Be prepared to discuss the three religions of China.

6. Hudson Taylor is known as the “father of the faith mission movement.” Make sure to acquaint yourself with the distinctives of the China Island Mission which he founded in 1865. See Global View p. 215.

7. Identify three indigenous groups and indicate how they fared at the hands of the communists.

8. The communist regime used the Three Self Patriotic Movement to destroy the Christian church. Read carefully the description of its activities on pages 222-225 of Global View.

Lecture 15: Church and Mission in the Far East


Recommended Reading: Hoke, Donald, The Church in Asia, Chapters 12, 13, 15, 28.

Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Chapter 7.

Liao, David C. E., World Christianity: Eastern Asia, Pages 66-87.

Assignment:


1. This lecture is concerned only with Japan and Korea.

2. The history of modern missions in Japan may be divided into six distinct periods. Make a careful study of these periods, noting the different features of each.

3. Be prepared to discuss the two dominant religions of Japan, paying special attention to the present status of State Shinto.


4. Japanese Christianity has developed three significant features. What are they and how have they influenced the churches in Japan?

5. World War II poses special problems for church leaders in Japan who were divided into three camps. Be prepared to discuss the attitudes of these three groups.

6. Be sure to acquaint yourself with the origin, history and present status of the United Church (Kyodan), by far the largest denomination in Japan.

7. Make a careful study of the fastest growing cult known as Soka Gakkai.

8. Be sure you understand the four principles of missionary work advocated by John L. Nevius in Korea.

9. The history of Christianity in Korea may be divided into four distinct periods. What are they and what were the outstanding features of each?

Lecture 16: The Impact of Christian Missions on Asia

Required Reading: Neill, Pages 470-473


Hoke, Donald, The Church in Asia, Chapter 31.

Assignment:


1. Identify the major religions of Asia and indicate how they formed a bulwark against the advance of Christianity.

2. Be prepared to describe the ancient civilization of China and tell how it contributed to zenophobia.

3. The connection between the gospel and the gunboat was closest in China, and for a hundred years was a millstone around the necks of the missionaries. Be prepared to describe the conditions under which the missionaries and the merchants gained entrance into China in the 1840s.

4. Gandhi and the people of India had a high regard for Christ. What was it about Him that they objected to? Was there any way that the missionaries could have avoided this charge?

5. From a numerical point of View, the Christian mission in Asia was rather disappointing, but from another point of view the influence of Christianity was out of all proportion to the number of converts. Document this statement in the case of India and China.

6. The churches in Korea are the fastest growing in Asia. What, in your opinion, is the reason for this?


Lecture 17: Christian Missions in the Middle East


Recommended Reading: Kane, Chapter 11, Neill, Pages 487-491.

McCurry, Don M., World Christianity: Middle East.

Assignment:


1. Study the map on pages 275 of Global View.

2. Identify the four missions that historically have carried the lion’s share of work in the Middle East.

3. What other missions worked for a time in Turkey but pulled out when they encountered opposition and persecution?

4. Review the historic circumstances in which this part of the world came under the influence of Islam.

5. Which countries are now closed to missionaries?

6. Identify the only genuine democracy in this part of the world.

7. Which country is divided almost equally between Muslims and Christians?

8. What five things have contributed to the political chaos now existing in the Middle East?

9. To what extent have five Arab-Israeli wars affected Christian missions in the Middle East?

Lecture 18: The Paucity of Results in the Middle East



Betts, Robert B., Christianity in the Arab East.

Assignment:


1. Identify three major monotheistic religions that originated in this part of the world.

2. What two important facts of Christianity are adamantly rejected by the Muslims?

3. On the whole, the Koran has an exalted view of Jesus. Give some examples.

4. Identify the four revelations from God accepted by the Muslims.

5. What is meant by the Law of Apostasy in Islam?


6. Identify the one Muslim country in the world where there is freedom of religion.

7. What is the title given to Jews and Christians in the Koran?

8. The Crusades were wrong from two points of view. What are they?

9. The Orthodox churches in the Middle East are a poor advertisement for the gospel. What three characteristics have contributed to the poor image?

10. Name the contemporary missionary who is doing the most to contextualize the gospel in the Muslim world. What books has he written?

Lecture 19: Christian Missions in Black Africa

Required Reading: Kane, Pages 341-346, 358-365, 374-378, 393-409; Neill, Pages 369-396


Falk, Peter, The Growth of the Church in Africa.

Hastings, Adrian, A History of African Christianity, 1950-1975.

Assignment:



2. Please note that in this and the following lecture we are dealing with Black Africa or Africa south of the Sahara.

3. Most of the questions in this lecture are taken from the tape. You would do well to listen to the tape once more.

4. Identify the four geographical approaches to Africa taken by the early missionaries and indicate the leading mission agency in each case.

5. Identify three large faith missions working in Africa.

6. The educated Africans who are giving up animism have two options open to them. What are they?

7. In which parts of Africa are the Muslims found in large numbers? What about the Christians?

8. Approximately 50% of Black Africa is now Christian. Indicate the four categories into which the Christians are divided.

9. The demand for moratorium, which originated in Africa, was occasioned by what fact?

10. Why is Bible translation such an enormous problem in Africa? How are we doing at present?


Lecture 20: The Impact of Christian Missions on Africa



Tabor, Charles R. The Church in Africa.

Assignment:


1. Colonialism in Asia was a hindrance to the success of the Christian mission. On the contrary, colonialism in Africa had at least three fringe benefits. What are they?

2. Most of the mission schools have long since been nationalized; but in their place we have a new and exciting opportunity. What is it?

3. Why was paternalism on the part of the missionary a natural development?

4. What is the new term for animism in Africa and why is it preferred?

5. Max Warren in his Christian Missions and Social History states that the missionary movement of the nineteenth century brought into being a solid, middle-class bourgeoise society. Write a paragraph in which you document this statement.

6. What contribution, if any, did the missionaries make to the achievement of independence on the part of the various countries of Africa? Include in your answer statements made by national leaders themselves.

7. In the lecture, the statement is made that Western culture is sweeping the world. Is this so, and do you consider this a good thing or a bad thing? Are the church leaders doing anything about it?

Lecture 21: Protestant Missions in Latin America

Required Reading: Kane, Pages 425-490; Neill, Pages 504-509

Recommended Reading: Kane, J. Herbert, A Concise History of Christian Missions, Chapter 12.

Holland, Clifton L., World Christianity: Central America and the Caribbean.

Assignment:



2. Amerindians form a majority of the population in two countries and half the population in two countries. Which are they?

3. The most volatile politics in the world are in Latin America. Provide concrete evidence.


4. Roman Catholic missions suffered two major setbacks in the early years. What were they?

5. Identify four forms of Roman Catholicism in Latin America.

6. In some parts of Latin America the Catholic charismatics are winning more people to Christ than are the Protestant churches. Does this pose a problem for the future? Enlarge.

7. The Evangelicals (Protestants) in Latin America are divided in their attitude toward the changes taking place in the Roman Catholic Church. Identify three groups and describe the reaction of each.

8. Latin America presents a unique situation vis-a-vis Protestant-Catholic relations. What is involved here?

9. Church growth is by no means uniform in Latin America. Indicate the countries of largest growth and those of smallest growth. How have the faith missions fared?

Lecture 22: American Missions in Europe

Required Reading: Kane, Chapter 20

Recommended Reading: Detzler, Wayne A., The Changing Church in Europe.

Assignment:


1. Be sure to consult the map on page 537 of Global View.

2. Europe was once the great staging area for world missions. List the factors that made this possible.

3. Latourette and Hans Lilje both state that Europe is no longer a Christian continent. List the factors that have contributed to this melancholy state of affairs.

4. How does Europe compare with the USA when it comes to evangelical activities?

5. Church planting missionaries have three options. What are they?

6. Identify the four Scandinavian countries and the four countries that comprise the United Kingdom. What are the major denominations in each country?

7. Identify the three largest Catholic countries of Western Europe.

8. Prepare to write an essay in which you discuss the extent to which the winds of change since Vatican II have affected Protestant churches and missions in Spain.

9. Be sure to acquaint yourself with the oldest Protestant Church in Europe—the Waldensians in Italy.

10. Why have the mainline denominations in the USA not sent missionaries to Europe?

11. Communist regimes in Eastern Europe have organized their persecution of Christianity along three lines. What are they?


Lecture 23: Missions in Retrospect



Tucker, Ruth A., From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Chapters 16, 17, 18.

Assignment:


1. What prompted the missionaries to take a dim view of the non-Christian religions?

2. Give several concrete examples of how the missionaries failed to contextualize the gospel.

3. Was paternalism always bad? Was there ever an excuse for it?

4. In time, the missionaries usually came to appreciate and preserve the indigenous culture. Give one or two examples.

5. What are the latest statistics regarding Bible translation?

6. There was one form of education in which the missionaries pioneered against great odds. What was it?

7. Max Warren says that it was the missionary who first demonstrated that “Black is Beautiful.” What did he mean?

8. Identify some of the social reforms initiated by the missionaries in India, China, and Africa.

9. In what two ways did the missionaries succeed in bringing East and West together?

10. Make a list of diverse peoples that the missionaries brought into the Christian church.


Lecture 24: Missions in Prospect



Cho, David J., New Forces in Missions.

Keys, Lawrence E., The Last Age of Mission.

Assignment:


1. What is the ideal academic preparation for missionaries?

2. What is the main thrust of “Frontier Missions”? Who is the originator of that idea?

3. “Second careerists” are increasing rapidly in number. What is the meaning of the term and what accounts for its popularity?

4. In recent years evangelical missions are getting increasingly involved in community development. What is involved in the concept? Give a classic example in Asia.

5. There are only two communist countries in the world where the Christian church has been destroyed. Which are they?

6. Mid-career dropouts are occurring with increasing frequency. What is the major cause?

7. List three or four recent books, by evangelicals, dealing with the social aspects of the gospels.

8. Identify four factors that have contributed to the unprecedented interest today in world missions.

9. Identify four factors that have contributed to the sudden increase in Third World Missions.


World Missions: Facts and Figures: 1984

PLEASE NOTE: The information provided in this section was compiled in 1984 or earlier and thus is reflective of that time period.

WORLD POPULATION: 4.75 billion. Annual increase is 1.7%.

CHRISTIAN POPULATION: Christians, numbering 1.425 billion, represent about 30% of the world’s population. They are divided in three great communions: Roman Catholics, 840 million; Protestants, 450 million; Orthodox, 135 million.

PROTESTANT MISSIONS: Total force: 85,000 (career and short term) as follows: North America, 53,000; Europe, 13,000; Australia and New Zealand, 3,500; Third World, 15,500.

CATHOLIC MISSIONS: Total force: 138,000. 6,400 from USA. Others from Canada, Spain, France, Italy.

AMERICAN MISSIONS: Mainline denominations are entrenching:

1971 1979

American Baptists 290 200

United Presbyterians 810 359

Southern Presbyterians 391 259

United Methodists 1,175 938

Protestant Episcopal 138 69

United Church 356 160

Total number of missionaries 3,160 1,985 35% loss

Some denominations have increased their overseas commitments: Southern Baptists have 3,339 missionaries and plan to reach 5,000 by A.D. 2000. Wycliffe Bible Translators have 5,050 workers. New Tribes Mission, 2,000.


MISSIONARY ASSOCIATIONS OF THE USA: There are four associations: Division of Overseas Ministries (NCC), Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association, Evangelical Foreign Missions Association, and the Fellowship of Missions.

NO. OF NO. OF (MILLIONS) ASSN MISSIONS WORKERS TOTAL INCOME PER MISSY

DOM 43 4,800 $145 $30,400

IMFA 49 6,575 $99 $14,700

EFMA 72 9,800 $285 $29,000

FOM 2 2,300 ? ?

Unaffiliated ? 32,000 $620 $16,400

TOTAL 55,775 $1,148 $21,500

SHORT TERMS ABROAD PROGRAM: There has been a phenomenal increase in the last decade. In 1973, only 126 missions employed short termers. By 1979 the number increased to 256. Short termers in DOM, 28%; EFMA, 16%; IFMA, 8%. Overall average from North America, 33%; from the United Kingdom, 31%. 25% of the short termers become career missionaries. Some missions employ only short termers: Youth with a Mission, Teen Missions, Operation Mobilization, etc.

North American Based Missions: 1980

Sending Missions: 470. Supporting missions: 244. Total: 714

Career missionaries: 36,000. Short-term: l7,000. Total: 53,000

Number of countries in which missionaries are working: 192

Single women outnumber single men 4 to 1.

Number of retired workers: 3,546. During the next decade four times as many missionaries will retire as will enter the force.

Number of accepted candidates: 3,119

Percentage of missionaries on furlough at any one time: 20%

Percentage of short termers to total missionary force: 33%


Agencies with the largest number of missionaries:

Wycliffe Bible Translators: 5,050

Southern Baptist Convention: 3,339

New Tribes Mission: 1,990

Assemblies of God: 1,26l

TEAM: 1,126

C&MA: 1,043

Countries receiving the largest number of missionaries:

Brazil: 1,995

India: 1,433

Japan: 1,855

Indonesia: 1,363

Philippines: 1,775

Kenya: 1,307

Mexico: 1,611

Colombia: 1,043

Geographical distribution of Missionaries:

Latin America: 33%

Africa: 22%

Asia: 30%

Europe: 10%

Oceania: 4%

Total number of Protestant church members: 54,693,900

Total income from all churches in l979: $ 7,811,950,684

Total income devoted to world missions: $ 1,148,169,321

Average per capita giving to missions: $ 22.00


Mission income as a percentage of total church income:

1960 - 5.3%

1965 - 7.5%

1976 - 12.0%

1979 - 13.5%

NOTE: Most of the above statistics have been taken from the Mission Handbook: North American Protestant Ministries Overseas, 1980.

United Kingdom Based Missions: 1983

5,804 Protestant missionaries from l04 agencies are serving in well over l00 countries. If associated members and retired workers are included, the figure would be 7,976. The total number of Protestant missionaries has declined 17% in the last decade.

Short-term service is increasingly popular in the U.K. In 1976 short termers accounted for only 5% of the total force. By 1982 the percentage rose to 31%.

A fairly large number of the 104 agencies reported are branches of North-American-based organizations: Campus Crusade, Navigators, Africa Inland Mission, Sudan Interior Mission, Operation Mobilization.

The Evangelical Missionary Alliance (1958) is the counterpart of the Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association in the USA. It has 71 agencies and 22 theological colleges.

SOCIETIES WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF MISSIONARIES:

United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel 400

Operation Mobilization 323

Church Mission Society 304

Overseas Missionary Fellowship 292

Worldwide Evangelization Crusade 280

Salvation Army 237

Baptist Missionary Society 189

Bible and Medical Missionary Fellowship 149

Wycliffe Bible Translators 145

Church of Scotland (Overseas Council) 173


COUNTRIES RECEIVING THE LARGEST NUMBER OF MISSIONARIES:

India 365

Zaire 186

Nigeria 226

Pakistan 157

South Africa 222

Ghana 157

Brazil 215

France 156

Kenya 203

Zambia 146

A surprising number of UK missionaries are working in Europe - 1163.

RETIRED PERSONNEL: The number is rather high—1,740, or just over 22% of the total missionary force. There has been an increase of 45% in the last ten years.

The above statistics have been taken from the UK Christian Handbook, 1983.

Overall View of the Modern Missionary Movement

After 280 years the movement is still going strong, with more missionaries in more countries than at any time in the history of the church. By contrast, the Peace Corps, barely 20 years old, is definitely on the wane and probably will not outlast the decade.

NEW INTEREST IN EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS: It began with the Berlin Congress in 1966, followed by Lausanne in 1974. These spawned congresses in all parts of the world. The Urbana Missionary Convention in December, 198l attracted 14,000 college students, half of whom signed the pledge. Even the mainline denominations and the Catholic Church are showing an interest in evangelism.

INCREASING INTEREST IN CHURCH GROWTH: The church owes a debt of gratitude to Donald McGavran, the father and founder of the church growth movement which has now spread to all six continents. Even in the Muslim world they are talking about “church growth”! Scores of workshops have been held in all parts of the world and hundreds of books and articles on church growth have been published in the last twenty years.

NEW INTEREST IN “HIDDEN PEOPLES”: Ralph Winter, general director of the U.S. Center for World Mission, has located 16,750 unreached groups that are said to be beyond the reach of any existing church or mission. These peoples have first claim when it comes to evangelism. Already the idea is catching on and many evangelical missions and churches are rearranging their priorities and gearing up for a major thrust in pioneer evangelism. The watchword of the movement is: “A church for every people by the year 2000.”


UNIVERSAL HUNGER FOR SPIRITUAL REALITY: Millions of people in all walks of life are showing an unprecedented interest in the Christian faith. Animists in Africa, Hindus in India, Buddhists in Southeast Asia, and even Muslims in the Middle East are reading Christian literature, listening to gospel broadcasts, and enrolling in Bible correspondence courses in record numbers. Everywhere the Holy Spirit is at work, creating a genuine hunger for the Bread of Life.

THE SITUATION IN THE THIRD WORLD: Myron Augsburger, returning from his world tour, stated that “the cutting edge of the Christian church today is in the Third World.” Billy Graham, after his 1973 crusade in Korea, remarked, “It may be that the center of spiritual gravity is shifting from the West to the East.” The time may come when the churches in the West will be receiving missionaries from the churches in the East.

MISSIONARY OUTREACH OF THE “YOUNGER CHURCHES”: From the beginning of the modern missionary movement it has been assumed that the evangelization of the world is the “white man’s burden.” That notion is fast fading. Reliable estimates now place the number of Third World missionaries at 15,250, and the number is growing with each passing year. Most of the countries of Asia now have some kind of Missionary Association whose purpose is to promote home and foreign missions among evangelical churches.

IN THE USA: In recent years some of the mainline denominations—particularly the United Presbyterians and the United Methodists—have witnessed a sharp decline in membership. On the other hand, the smaller, more conservative denominations have shown consistent growth. Parachurch organizations, especially Campus Crusade for Christ, have been increasingly active and very effective. The “electronic church” has tens of millions of listeners and supporters. Christian day schools are expanding rapidly and threaten to supplant the tax-supported school system by the year 2000. Enrollment in the Bible schools continues to climb. Bible study groups are on the increase in all parts of the country. The New Testament published by the American Bible Society, Good News for Modern Man, has sold over 60 million copies in 15 years, and Ken Taylor’s Living Bible has sold over 25 million copies.

IN EUROPE: From one point of view, Europe is the “darkest” continent of all. Once a so-called Christian continent, today it is a burnt-over area. Humanism, rationalism, materialism, and communism are all enemies of the Christian faith. The two great Protestant communions are the Anglicans in England and the Lutherans in Germany and Scandinavia, both largely devoid of spiritual life. Indeed, the most virile churches in Europe are behind the Iron Curtain. Once a strong staging area for world missions, Europe is today a mission field.

IN THE COMMUNIST WORLD: Today 1.5 billion persons live under some form of Communism. All suffer some degree of persecution. Missionaries are excluded. In the USSR there are 40 million Russian Orthodox Christians and 5 million evangelicals. In Latvia and Estonia there are 3-4 million Roman Catholics. In addition there are some 40 million Muslims. In China, the visible church was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. In recent years a measure of religious freedom has been restored. Some 750 Protestant churches are now open. Several million believers continue to worship in the “house” churches. It is doubtful that missionaries will be permitted to return. Estimates of born-again believers run as high as 50 million.

IN THE MUSLIM WORLD: There are 750 million Muslims in some 44 Muslim countries of the world. Some countries are closed to missionaries: Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Algeria, and Mauritania. Converts are rare except in Indonesia. There are signs that some Muslim countries are


getting ready to terminate missionary work. At the same time, there is a new and strange interest in the evangelization of the Muslim world. There is a movement to contextualize the missionary approach to Islam, especially in Bangladesh.

IN ASIA: With almost three billion souls, Asia continues to present the Christian church with its greatest challenge. It is the home of the great ethnic religions of the world, which to date have proved unusually resistant to the claims of Christ. After 280 years of Protestant missionary endeavor, slightly less than 3% of the population is Christian. The Roman Catholics made their greatest gains in the Philippines where they now claim 82% of population. The Protestants have done best in Korea where over 20% of the population are Protestant church members. One Presbyterian church in Seoul has 50,000 members and the Central Church of the Assemblies of God (also in Seoul) has 300,000 members! Alas, there are more non-Christians in India and China than there are Christians in the entire world.

IN AFRICA: It is here that Christian missions have been most successful. We have made more converts here than in all the rest of the world together. One reason has been the absence of the great ethnic religions—Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam—which traditionally have proved most resistant to the gospel. Africa is the homeland of animism; and animists, once they are educated, want to be identified with a higher form of religion, and one which has a worldwide fellowship. Hence, Christianity has made a strong appeal to the soul of Africa. Islam is also active in this part of the world, and is making headway; but not nearly as fast as Christianity. It is estimated that 20,000 persons in Black Africa embrace Christianity every day. Some prefer Roman Catholicism; others join the Protestant churches. The influx is so great that it is impossible to give each convert adequate training. Hence, one great danger in the African church is Christopaganism. One unique aspect of Christian missions is the opportunity to teach Religious Knowledge in the tax-supported school system in many countries of Anglophone Africa.

IN LATIN AMERICA: Here the Protestant churches are growing at annual rate of 10%. This, of course, is largely at the expense of the Catholic Church. The greatest growth is among the Pentecostal churches. In Brazil it is estimated that 3,000 new congregations appear each year. Only 15,000 of the 75,000 pastors have had any formal theological training. Hence, Theological Education by Extension, which began in Guatemala in the early 1960s, has been widely employed with great effect. The winds of change are blowing through the RC Church. Persecution of the Evangelicals has ceased. Bible reading is encouraged. Maryknoll missionaries and church leaders, including not a few bishops, are actively espousing a “theology of liberation” as the only hope of improving the lot of the oppressed peasants and workers.

BIBLE TRANSLATION: Year after year the translation of the Holy Scriptures continues to be an important phase of missionary work. As of December 31, 1982, the Scriptures had been translated into 1,763 languages and dialects of the world. The whole Bible is now available in 279 languages; the New Testament in another 551 languages; and at least one book of the Bible is available in a further 933 languages. This means that 90% of the world’s population now has the entire Bible in the vernacular. Another 5% has the New Testament. Another 3% has at least one book. This leaves only 2% without any portion of the Word of God; and Wycliffe Bible Translators is focusing attention on that neglected segment of the human race.

course lecturer: j. herbert kane, lhd former professor at ... · the modern period along...

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