Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission

American Society of Missiology

by David J. Bosch, James A. Scherer (Preface)

"The most comprehensive and thorough study of the Christian mission done in this generation, if not this century".........Alan Neely.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, History, Religion, School

587 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

David J. Bosch (13 December 1929 – 15 April 1992) was an influential missiologist and theologian best known for his book Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (1991) — a major work on post-colonial Christian mission. He was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa and missionary in the DRC.

Reviews

[C.J. Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to describe just how important this book is to the field of missiology. Bosch is more thorough than anyone else in scope and stays true to his theme of describing the various paradigm shifts in theology of mission. It's hard to imagine a relevant, missiological book or article written today that doesn't need to interact, to some degree, with this work.

The main problem with the book is that his thoroughness leaves you wanting even more at the end, which would actually make the book ridiculously large (but why shouldn't it be, if it's to be the magnum opus of his career and of the field in the 20th century?). Because of how detailed he is on the things he does focus on, he isn't able to go through all of Scripture to give the biblical basis for mission or the missional nature of the Bible, but focuses on only a few sections of the Bible. Likewise, he doesn't cover every detail of mission history (especially the modern era, which he labels the "enlightenment period").

He's at his best in the last section on how Christian mission is perceived in relation to various theological disciplines and missiological motifs. Read the book for the last section (~150-200 pages) alone.

How relevant this book will be in the next century remains to be seen. It's definitely held its own for the past 25 years. One of Bosch's major conclusions is that mission/missions are constantly changing. While this anniversary edition is welcomed, one will need to write a "Transforming Mission 2" of sorts in the decades to come, if Bosch's thesis is true.

[Rev. Bobbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok not a light read but really answers the questions about how Mission and understanding of Mission has changed and is changing. It's best for reading a little here and a little there... especially since I don't have a class that uses this text...

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched comprehensive book on the mission of God, from the Bible to current times. Bosch defines God's mission, shows it's centrality in the Bible, the purpose of the Church, and the heart of God. He shows the transition of mission over time as 6 paradigms, and highlights the affects of context and culture on mission. He also sets the tone for our current paradigm, is generous at it at that, but he is spot on that the Church has to be ecumenical and unified to be successfully on mission today. I highly recommend this to the believer who wonders what on earth we are doing here.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a foundational study of the church and mission. It is divided in three sections: 1. NT Models of Mission, 2. Historical Paradigms of Mission, and 3.Toward a Relevant Missiology.

Part one examines the NT and asks how it sees the mission of the church to the world. And how the NT itself is a mission document. Bosch explores the perspective of Jesus, Matthew, Luke-Acts, Paul, and the early church.

Part two is a comprehensive history of the Church, with an eye on mission. I found this useful because when we consider how differently the church has viewed its mission, it helps us to think more deliberately about how the church today ought to relate with and seek to love the world.

Part three moves into the modern era, where there are many competing paradigms of mission. For example, mission as quest for justice, mission as evangelism, mission as contextualization, and mission as inculturation. Bosch delineates thirteen in all. Again, I find that considering a variety of paradigms enables us to be more deliberate in our own view of mission.

Inspired by Kuhn, the tool Bosch uses to trace through the history is the concept of changing "paradigms."

[Satheesh Kunjumon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Missions. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1991. Reviewed by Satheesh Kumar Pallithazhe Kunjumon.

About the Author
David Bosch’s Transforming Mission, now available in over a dozen languages, is widely recognized as an historic and magisterial contribution to the study of mission. Examining the entire sweep of Christian tradition, he shows how five paradigms have historically encapsulated the Christian understanding of mission and then outlines the characteristics of an emerging postmodern paradigm dialectically linking the transcendent and imminent dimensions of salvation. In this new anniversary edition, Darrel Guder and Martin Reppenhagen explore the impact of Bosch s work and the unfolding application of his seminal vision.

David J. Bosch’s Transforming Mission is an outstanding monumental work in the field of Christian mission and history because it stands out to a comprehensive and overreaching arena of God’s mission and ours. In defining mission, Bosch uses definitions from outstanding scholars of missiology. Bosch defines mission in a comprehensive and sensitive way, yet agrees that mission is ultimately undefinable. For example, he states that, “We may, therefore, never arrogate it to ourselves to delineate mission too sharply and too self-confidently. Ultimately, mission remains undefinable; it should never be incarcerated in the narrow confines of our own predilections. The most we can hope for is to formulate some approximations of what mission is all about.” (p. 28 PDF). Bosch expresses his dissatisfaction with our definition of mission that we should not define too ‘sharply’ and ‘self-confidently. Bosch has a broad sense of defining mission in the context of God’s created order of cosmos.

Bosch states, “Mission includes evangelism as one of its essential dimensions. Evangelism is the proclamation of salvation in Christ to those who do not believe in him, calling them to repentance and conversion, announcing forgiveness of sin, and inviting them to become living members of Christ’s earthly community and to begin a life of service to others in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (p.31). According to Bosch, evangelism is not all about mission, mission includes evangelism. For him, evangelism is the proclamation of salvation in Christ. In his definition of evangelism, Bosch defines evangelism in a narrow sense yet it includes actions of service as a result of repentance and conversion. Bosch makes a clear distinction between what is mission and evangelism all about. Mission of God includes evangelism or proclamation of the gospel, reign of God, justice, peace, and wholeness in society. Evangelism in a broad sense takes the whole gospel to the whole person of the whole world.

Bosch makes right remark about Apostle Paul’s understanding about the church and Israel (p. 152). Bosch states, “Paul therefore ever (not even in Gal.6:16) explicitly says that the church is the “new Israel,” as becomes customary from the second century onward.” (p. 152). Bosch agrees with Kirk and states, “Indeed, the church is not a new Israel, “but an enlarged Israel.” (p. 152). Some believes the church is the kingdom of God. The fact is that the church itself is not the kingdom of God, but church represents God’s kingdom. The church needs to demonstrate the character of God’s kingdom as part of its mission to the world. The church could be the agent of God’s kingdom on earth, yet the concept of kingdom is still future. The mission of Jesus was to proclaim the good news of that kingdom.

If the church has given much focus on social issues, then the church becomes a religious organization. Bosch suggests that “the church must have boundaries, must maintain structural stability as well as flexibility, and must create a unique culture.” (p. 153). The major role of the church has to be evangelism and church planting as part of mission with God. The church as a community of faith must demonstrate the attributes of God’s kingdom on earth. Bosch argues that the church is an interim eschatological community. The mission of the church is not only limited to the proclamation of the good news of a future kingdom of God but also extended to the demonstration of that kingdom in the present world order.

When explained about a ‘decisive shift’ in the theology of mission, Bosch made a clear distinction between the mission of God and the missions of the churches based its traditional understanding of mission from the perspective of soteriology, anthropology and ecclesiology (p. 333). It is obvious that the theology of mission has taken a shift in the understanding of mission. For example, Karl Barth argues that “mission is the activity of God himself.” (p. 333).

According to my understanding, there is a distinction between the concept of mission and ministry. Mission is the goal of the church whereas ministry is the means by which the goals of the church are achieved. Mission is that God’s active engagement in the world to bring about reconciliation, peace and harmony through the establishment of his kingdom for the purpose of worship by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. God has a mission and we are participating into that for the redemption of the world. Salvation of humanity is the primary goal of mission that ultimately leads people to worship the triune God. The church can have ministries of various kind yet evangelism is its core engagement in the world.

Church must be an agent of God’s mission in that church’s engagement in mission with God would be through various ministries in a given context. For example, in the ministry of the church, church engages with evangelism (proclamation of the gospel), discipleship, church planting, education, social welfare, health, ecology, and justice. The churches involvement in various ministries fulfill God’s mission for the world.

Satheesh Kumar Pallithazhe Kunjumon
Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bosch does an excellent job of illuminating church history through the lense of mission and why it is vital for the church to have a working understanding of both missional theology and praxis.
Though very dense, it is worth a read.

[Gerard Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's there to say? This is the classic work; the definitive introduction to Missional thinking; the foundation of much that is now happening across the Western church. Read it for the sake of history, if not for your own learning and benefit.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Can't believe I haven't read this missiology classic until now.

[David J. Kleinhans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bosch’s work, Transforming Mission, came at a transitional period in South Africa. Paradigms were shifting: it was published in 1991 between the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and three years before the end of legislative Apartheid in 1994.

It is worth noting that Transforming Mission was larger in scope than merely South Africa. Although Bosch was a staunch critic of Apartheid, his theological investment was largely global in scope rather than local. He traveled far and wide and dealt with the global state of mission by propounding a dialectical tension between evangelicalism and ecumenicalism (Nassbaum, 2005, pp. 4-5). As mentioned in the prior section, the transition that South Africa was undergoing was a micro-expression of a global transition (or paradigm shift) that was in motion. This however was a strength which placed Transforming Mission on the global required reading list.

On the idea of transition it is worth noting that the thread that holds Transforming Mission together, is Thomas Kuhn’s (1962) theory of paradigm shifts. Bosch uses this theory throughout his book to demonstrate how the conception and praxis of mission have evolved over the past two thousand years of Christian missionary history, and how his book was being authored in the midst of another global shift. The conception of paradigm shifts provides him with brackets in time to locate transformative developments in the thought and practice in the history of the church’s mission. (Bosch, 1991, pp. 183-185).

Another key theme in the thinking of Bosch and his theology in Transforming Mission is his epistemological framework. He was quite perceptive in this regard as he also found himself on the other side of an epistemological paradigm shift: from modernity to postmodernity. Bosch recognised the postmodern critique and recognised that our interpretations often reflect our contexts, perspectives, and biases. He didn’t, however, see the postmodern answer as helpful, and he consequently proposed to live in a creative tension between the two, that is, critical realism (Bosch, 1991, p. 187).

In the book’s introduction, Bosch highlights that the church’s mission had gone through (or was in the process of going through) a paradigm shift. Mission during this transitory shift was at the height of its crisis and was in a constant state of scrutiny due to its captivity to the West. Criticism, he argues, should not surprise the church, since her mission, in reality, has always been in a state of crisis. However, one of her problems is that she rarely recognises it. Bosch proposes that instead of panic, the church ought to include reflection on her mission as a permanent item on her agenda (Bosch, 1991, p. 2).

The missional crisis as Bosch sees it is three-fold: its foundation, its motives and aims, and the nature of its mission. He argues that an inadequate foundation for mission and ambiguous missionary motives and aims will inevitably lead to unsatisfactory missionary practices. This, he points out, is evident in the church’s missiological captivity to the West’s historical foundations and aims, as seen in missionary collusion in colonial expansion and sharing in its perceived supremacy. Bosch (1991, pp. 5-7) suggests: “If there is no possibility of ignoring the present crisis in mission, nor any point in trying to circumvent it, the only valid way open to us is to deal with the crisis in utmost sincerity yet without allowing ourselves to succumb to it. Once again: crisis is the point where danger and opportunity meet.” This does not mean the adoption of all the values of the world, but it can’t mean we cling to the past (Bosch, 1991, p. 7). Bosch is making the point that there is need for a new missional paradigm.

The Exegete, Historian, and Visionary
The main body of the book consists of three parts, with the first part of the book devoted to his first missional model–the New Testament paradigm–by considering Matthew, Luke, and Paul. The second part deals with consequent historical models: Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant (pre- and post-Enlightenment). In his final part, he deals with the current climate: the unraveling post-enlightenment world and the emerging paradigm.

As mentioned above, Bosch’s first section approaches the text fully aware of the propensity readers have of importing their worlds into the text; consistent with his epistemological framework he goes at length to avoid anachronisms when it comes to our presentations of Jesus (e.g., presenting Jesus as a picture of free market capitalism or as a Marxist revolutionary). His aim was to approach the New Testament with great care and humility in its presentation of Jesus and the early church. By looking at Matthew, Luke, and Paul (in chapters 2-4), Bosch posits that mission was part of the early church’s DNA, and not merely one of its functions. Bosch does, however, point out that when the early church’s mission is isolated within its context, it becomes clear that there isn’t one default strategy, but many. As a corollary, those strategies may not necessarily translate into our own contexts. For this reason, one has to apply a “critical hermeneutic” to evaluate the interplay between the original context and our own (Bosch, 1991, pp. 15-25).

In the second part of his work, Bosch looks at the missional paradigms after the NT church to his current situation. In chapters 6-9 he covers four large brackets of time: the eastern/patristic paradigm, the medieval Roman Catholic paradigm, the Protestant Reformation paradigm, and the missionary paradigm in light of the enlightenment. Most important for this paper’s purpose is the section which sheds light on the crisis that led to the paradigm shift that Bosch experienced in the enlightenment age. Nussbaum (2005, p. 75) points out that it is the longest chapter due to its importance for the contemporary missiological task.

Towards the end of chapter 9, Bosch posits a list of motifs that blended together since the middle of the eighteenth century to form a mosaic in missionary thinking. These motives are “..the glory of God, a sense of urgency because of the imminent millennium, the love of Christ, compassion for those considered eternally lost, a sense of duty, the awareness of cultural superiority, and competition with Catholic missionary efforts...” (Bosch, 1991, p. 349). But the epistemological air that this age produced made it clear that these motifs betrayed features of the enlightenment such as its optimistic anthropology. Consequently, there were two reactions to this, both of which employed the same epistemological tools in their approaches, however with contradictory paths to the same grand result. On the one hand, the liberals placed themselves above the Bible and used it as an ethical book, and on the other hand, the fundamentalists applied the Bible mechanically to every context. Thus, their two contradictory paths used the same tools wherein each person was able to understand the Bible in their own right, so both paths ended up using the Bible as a tool that objectified the people they engaged as means to their ends (Bosch, 1991, p. 342). The postmodern critique saw right through this inconsistency, which is where Bosch recognises the new paradigm shift occurring.

In the third part of the book, Bosch addresses the emerging paradigm. He now departs from historical and exegetical evaluations to lay out a proposal for this new paradigm. Paradigm shifts, Bosch notes, are both evolutionary and revolutionary, that is, they have both continuity but also discontinuity, and so change (Bosch, 1991, p. 366). Therefore, Bosch is careful not to reject everything that preceded him, which fits in with his epistemological framework as mentioned above. His proposal is to persist in a “creative tension” between modernity and post-modernity, and thus he proposes a post-positivist methodological approach to mission. “A post-Enlightenment self-critical Christian stance may, in the modern world, be the only means of neutralizing the ideologies; it is the only vehicle that can save us from self-deception and free us from dependence on utopian dreams” (Bosch 1991, p. 361).

In this visionary section, Bosch lays out a series he calls “elements of an emerging ecumenical missionary paradigm.” These elements he gleaned from his observance of world missionary conferences (Bosch, 1991, p. 369). He lists thirteen elements for his proposed eccumenical paradigm, mission as: 1) the church with others, 2) Missio Dei, 3) mediating salvation, 4) quest for justice, 5) evangelism, 6) contextualisation, 7) liberation, 8) inculturation, 9) common witness, 10) ministry by the whole people of God, 11) witness to people of other living faiths, 12) theology, and 13) action in hope (Bosch, 1991, pp. 368-510).

[Rick Dugan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bosch begins with the assumption that mission is a vital expression of the local church, but that it’s in a state of crisis due to changes and challenges both within and without. The dechristianization of the West and the religious pluralism emerging from global migration are erasing the lines between the Christian and non-Christian worlds changing the way other religions are engaged, blurring the lines between sending and receiving nations, and stimulating discussion on what activities constitute “mission.” We’re not at the end of mission, but at the end of an era of mission. The future mission will be less romantic and more demanding.

Bosch addresses the shift taking place by exploring mission from 3 perspectives. The first, “New Testament Models of Mission,” begins by positing that the New Testament itself is a missionary document, produced by missionaries as part of their mission. As such, theology itself is a product of mission and must be understood within that context. It was the church’s encounter with the world that forced it to “theologize.”

It’s through the Bible that we encounter the mission of Jesus, which, while requiring us to practice it in cultures fundamentally different from his, is to forever shape the mission of the Church. Later, when the Jewish church would embrace the gospel and be filled with the Spirit, it couldn’t help but welcome Gentiles into it’s fellowship. Aligned with the call to love their enemies, the mission of the church to make disciples of all nations fundamentally changed the tribal identities of the followers of Jesus. There was no Jew or Gentile in the community of believers.

As the movement gave birth to the Church, it didn’t take long for it to morph into an institution. Apostolic bands of missionaries and prophets were replaced with bishops, elders and deacons.

And this leads to the second section, a survey of historical paradigms of mission. Bosch utilizes Kuhn’s categories of various epochs of church history. Each epoch reflected it’s own unique missiology. His discussion also includes interesting observations on the nature of paradigm shifts.

• The Primitive Church: Apocalyptic missiology moving toward the return and reign of Christ. The gospel spread through missionary bands and the natural migration of believers.
• The Eastern Church: The monk replaced the martyr. The contribution of the Greek Church to missiology is that it formulated the Christian faith in contextual terms that gave the faith a distinct identity in a pluralistic world. The Church became the defender of right doctrine.”Orthodoxy,” “Tradition,” and “Church Fathers” were dominant.
• The Medieval Roman Catholic Church: the Church and State wed, and the Church grew as the State grew. The State depended on the Church for its legitimacy. This marriage between throne and altar meant that one significant way that the Church grew was through war – direct and indirect. And growth was understood as expansion of the Christian Empire and the institution of the Roman Catholic Church. Colonization was the continuation of the Crusades. Though monastic communities were not generally started for the propagation of the faith, they inadvertently became the place where truth and discipleship were maintained through this period.
• The Protestant Reformation: Mission in this era was deeply influenced by the individualization of salvation, the rediscovery of the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Scriptures in the Christian life. However, mission to the world was not primary in the lives or teachings of the Reformers. Their churches were more scholastic than apostolic. Correct doctrine was more important than mission. It was primarily through the fringe movements such as the Anabaptists and the Moravians that the gospel was taken to new people. However, Lutheran and Reformed churches did multiply in the colonies founded by the countries where these churches were dominant. Mission and colonialism went hand in hand.
• The Enlightenment Period: The Age of Reason gave birth to secularism and individualism, which both impacted the practice and mission of the Church. Western churches became optimistic about the ability of humans to solve the world’s problems, engaged in social programs, and began to develop strategies for church growth. At the same time, the Church began to feel estranged from a world that rejected supernatural revelation, divine authority and miracles. Worldviews that didn’t need God developed, and all religions were considered equally valid or toxic. At the same time, however, the Church adapted and contextualized the gospel to the environment. Some results were Methodism and the Great Awakenings in America. The optimism and strategic thinking of this time gave birth the the modern evangelical missions enterprise, and hundreds of new agencies sent thousands of missionaries into the world. Values of the Enlightenment caused Christians to sense personal responsibility for the Great Commission, and led missionaries to respect the local cultures in a way that colonialist missions did not. However, missionaries during this period still had difficulty turning over ownership of the work to nationals. A sense of cultural and theological supremacy prevailed.

Bosche’s third section addresses the emerging missionary paradigm of our current age. This is a period of competing streams of thought concerning the nature and activity of mission. Such diversity is normal and an indicator of a paradigm shift in mission. Mission is mediating salvation, a quest for justice, evangelism, contextual and indigenous theologies, liberation from systemic and personal poverty and powerlessness, local church multiplication, personal discipleship and the empowerment of all believers, new expressions of Christian community, and inter-faith dialogue. Sometimes these manifestations of mission compete with one another.

Bosch helps us see that God is a God who works in and through history. God’s history can be traced through the history of mission. Each era has it’s good and bad, and Bosch helps us see other eras and paradigms with generosity and grace while applying constructive criticism to our own era. He helps us see that mission is grounded in the very nature of God, and that it’s guided and empowered by the person and events of Christ.

The value of this book is that it warns us of the mistakes of the past and encourages a humble engagement with both history, other cultures, and people of other paradigms. Perhaps the only weakness is the complexity of the book, the focus primarily on Western mainline Christianity, and the relative little attention given to developing world mission history and the Pentecostal movement.

But especially for those in vocational cross-cultural ministry, Bosch is essential reading.

[Bogdan Javgurean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bosch’s book has been very helpful for understanding mission deeply and broadly.
Seeing how mission has been perceived by disciples in various historical and cultural
circumstances helped me better understand where the church has arrived today and how it is
shaped by it’s environment. Bosch’s emphasis on the fact that no one is ever objective and
we are all shaped by our surroundings was one of his best lessons for me “Our theologies
ande partial, and they are culturally and socially biased.” Coming out of this understanding he
suggests that “the Christian church should function as an “international hermeneutical
community” (Hiebert 1985b: 16) in which Christians (and theologians) from different
contexts challenge one another's cultural, social, and ideological biases.” I would add that
through Bosch’s review of the historical outlooks on mission my understanding was also
challenged, therefore it is even better to understand the church not only as an international,
but also “interchronological” hermeneutical community.
The description of the enlightenment paradigm and it’s influence on modern thought
(both Christian and secular) was probably one of the most helpful chapters for understanding
where much of my personal worldview is coming from.

[Daniel Arter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is long and is by no means a light reading. However, Bosch’s work provides a comprehensive and systematic look at how missions has been viewed throughout the church from antiquity to modernity. The author utilizes Kuhn’s theory of paradigms to show how missions has shifted over the past two millennia and has transformed into what we consider missions work today.

There are parts of the book that seem like a chore to read, but the overall argument of the book makes it well-worth reading. And I think his final statement defining missions is spot-on, “[Missions] is . . . the participation of Christians in the liberating mission of Jesus, wagering on a future that verifiable experience seems to belie. It is the good news of God’s love, incarnated in the witness of a community, for the sake of the world.” (David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Missions (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2024), 532.)

[Kays Mguni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this work by Bosch to inform my own research for a PhD thesis. It is one of the best sources of how Christian missionaries, in Southern Africa, were complicit in the colonisation project. 'To missions is to colonise' is the mantra, coined by German Colonial Secretary, Dr H. Self in 1913, to shift missionary work from simply being an accessory to colonisation and position it as the driver of the ‘deeper aim of colonial policy, the inner colonization’. Bosch's work is invaluable in exposing these important socio-cultural factors that shaped the 'colonial world'.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was groundbreaking in its time. Now, it has been superseded by far greater works (Wright's 'The Mission of God' springing to mind). Additionally, Bosch mangles every mention he makes of Eastern Orthodoxy.

[Harman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely biased in its interpretation of Scripture, and given to the problem of modernist historical criticism, but impressive in its scope and an excellent and praiseworthy conversation partner.

[Matthew Prydden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its easy to see why this is considered such a classic work on mission. An excellent book and an excellent resource.

[Радостин Марчев · Rating 5 out of 5]

Много добра!

[Frank Peters · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the back cover of this book, it is referred to as “a truly magisterial book”. Similarly, in Newbigin endorses the book with the words: “David Bosch’s work is a kind of Summa Missiologica. … it will surely be the indispensable foundation for the teaching of missiology for many years to come”. I fully agree with both endorsements, and am completely impressed with the breadth and depth of the book. The author outlines a historic analysis of the theology of mission from the beginning of the church to the present day. He carefully goes through the philosophical and theological assumptions existing in various time periods, and uses this to explain why Christian mission has thrived at times, while at other time (e.g. the Protestant reformation) been almost completed absent.

Yet, I am relieved to have finished the book. What I have learned, is that I was really not interested in most of what was written. It was somewhat interesting academically, but as practical theology it was mostly pointless until the very end. Even at the end, the suggestions were so abstract as to be practically useless. Now that I have finished the book, there is nothing that I can grasp intellectually, or spiritually that will make any difference in my life or my actions. As a result, I cannot give the book a high rating, even when it will certainly be the key book for courses in theoretical missiology (an area that I don’t plan to investigate further). Instead, I would recommend “Surprised by Hope” by NT Wright. In comparison, Wright’s book is very applied and practical.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is encyclopedic in more ways that one. First it is incredibly long. It is nearly 600 pages and the font is small and tightly spaced. Second, the tone is rather academic. Its poetic and aesthetic value may be low, but it's informational value is colossal. The author essentially traces the history of the theology of mission over the last 2,000 years of Christianity. Yes, it is as comprehensive as it sounds. But for anyone interested in a serious study of mission and more specifically the theology and thought of mission (rather than biographies), this is your book. While some sections were certainly dry, tracing the church's approach to mission throughout the centuries was fascinating (or at least it was for me). His approach to the NT holds a number of rich insights. His premise is that the NT was written in the whole context of mission and is first and foremost a book of missionary theology. The final part of the book (which probably could've been its own book) tackles the approach to mission at the threshold of the 21st century. He looks at mission as seen in a number of different ways and what each implies for mission today. If you aren't interested in an in-depth history of the theology of mission and just want the application for today, skipping to this last section will give you that (it's still over 100 pages) and is itself worth the price of the book, though I suggest reading the whole thing. This book holds some great nuggets for the patient reader.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first third, which covers the scriptural basis for mission. It was a mixed bag. The section on Paul was great and inspiring, but the sections on Matthew and Luke were unhelpful. He accepts far too many conclusions of the skeptical historical criticism, and it effects his exegesis. This isn't so bad in Paul, because even the undisputed Pauline corpus has enough information for us to feast on.

Once we turn to the second and third parts of the book, Bosch truly shines. In the second part, he views church understanding of mission through paradigm-theory, ala Thomas Kuhn. This historical overview is fascinating and helpful. Bosch is also consistent at seeing the good in a historical period while also criticizing it.

The third part of the book is where Bosch examines our own understanding of mission. He thinks we are in a new paradigm of mission, one he labels the ecumenical paradigm. Even though it is a couple of hundred pages long, Bosch is really only giving an intro to what this missionary paradigm is about. He is clearly very widely read throughout and at many points he provides incredibly helpful clarifications of where we are at historically. One example for me was to articulate that, while for the majority of Christian theological reasoning, philosophy has been the major dialog partner, liberation theology elevates the social sciences.

[Brian Whited · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bosch posits that mission has been transforming itself throughout history. Mission in the early church looked different from mission in the Enlightenment and is looking different as we enter the postmodern age. Bosch believed that this transformation was good and needed to be continued because we never have arrived; the way of accomplishing mission can always be improved. On another level, transforming describes the influence mission has on the world around us. An essential element of mission is to see societies and cultures transformed by the power of Christ. Bosch describes how mission can do just that.

This book combines scholarly research with practical insights and was presented in a clear manner. Bosch also champions the motto of semper Reformanda. At times, the history and research can be overwhelming, but this is a minor critique of a strong work.

Quote
“We need to take the best of modern science, philosophy, literary criticism, historical method, and social analysis, and ‘constantly think through and rethink our theological understanding in the light of it all’ (Young 1988:311). We should, indeed, retain and defend the critical power of the Enlightenment, but we should reject its reductionism” (353-54)

[Kyle Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a massive book. Although there are certainly longer books out there (this one weighs in at 519 pages… long enough for me!), this book is massive in its attempt- to provide a sweeping and comprehensive presentation of the paradigm shifts that the church’s self-understanding of its missionary dimension has undergone throughout church history. It is David Bosch’s magisterial magnum opus and was well worth my time. Its density lies mainly in its parenthetical citations, which allows access to a world of literature on missions. I found Bosch’s writing style very readable. Although he employs large words and complex sentences, I found myself gliding easily through his paragraphs. It’s definitely an academic work, but don’t worry, it’s nothing like reading Karl Barth. All in all, I found the most helpful part to be Bosch’s “turning around” the tapestry of church history (from the missionary perspective) and showing us the intricate connection of threads and knots. The paradigm perspective I will probably keep with me forever.

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

There isn't much that needs to be said by me about one of the most important missiological texts ever produced. My experience with TM was lengthy. I didn't just sit down and read it but picked at it and ruminated upon it for about five years. It accompanied me on many trips to many nations and constantly called on me to rethink how mission was done and about transforming reality. Honestly, I'm a bit at a loss now because I'm not sure what text is going to be fit to replace it as my go-to traveling companion.

If you are thinking about picking it up, be warned. It isn't light reading. It is difficult, long, and never gives up its fruit easily. But, if you are up to the challenge, the rewards are far worth it.

[Jacob Mbanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for missiology.

This book is filled with knowledge on the missionary thelogies and practices that the church has applied throughout the world for the past 2 millenniums. The author does a great job explaining the advantages and disadvantages of the many missionary styles the church has used around the world no matter the denomination. What I love most about this textbook is the fact that it's very unbiased and site's sources that are reliable.

Only thing that would make this book better is the elimination of some obvious typos found in many chapters. No regrets reading this would recommend it to anyone who has a desire to better understand missiology and its development up until the end of the 20th century.

['dumebi]

Late DJ Bosch had in this work shown the development,problems and progess of the Christian mission down the ages.He demmonstates with an unparraled insight,his knowledge a d acumen in the areas of missiology and ecumenism.But more importantly is the humility with which he makes his point,reiterating from time to time, the fact of the unfinished study of and development of the Church. One is particularly touched by his adeptness in the history of Christianity and of the various Christian denominations. He shows himself but death took him away before he could answer some little criticisms of his work that has arisen today.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most compelling theological questions is, for me, how we came to believe what we believe. Using Hans Küng's framework of major cultural and theological paradigms of the history of the Church, Bosch answers this question as it relates to mission. We tend to have a very simple view of what constitutes "mission", but that view has been anything but constant through the history of the Church. This book is insightful, challenging, thought provoking and inspiring. No wonder it's become a classic text in the study of missions. A very, very strong recommendation. This is definitely my book of the year for 2021.

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in seminary and have re-read it for my D.Min studies. I have to commend Bosch for his extensive research, but he could have squeezed 100 pages out of this thing (rather than the 519 that it is). Bosch has some good content here and there, but his writing style is horrible; extremely wordy and dry. There's no denying that this book is a landmark text on the history of the concept of "mission," so it's a shame that it's so inaccessible and nothing that people would sit down and read.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bosch's work in "Transforming Mission" is a seminal text in Missiology. The easiest way to describe this text is to simply state that it reads like Barth or Moltmann wrote a work on Missiology (so it's very trinitarian), but Bosch's work is much more informed about the particular topic at hand than the former two theologians. "Transforming Mission" should really be required reading for all Mission and Evangelism classes taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

[Michael Schmid · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives a very interesting look at the history of missions from the time of Christ to the end of the 20th century. Bosch shows how different epochs and different churches and denominations had different views and practices of mission work. However, on a few occasions, the author seems to have a critical view regarding the reliability of the biblical text and he is favourably disposed towards the ecumenical movement.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a monster of a book, but in its epic scope it's clear and thorough. It has sections on biblical concepts of mission in the NT, a review of the church eras from then to now, and a review of the postmodern context and current paradigm shift into it in the world of missiology.