Carlos F Cardoza-Orlandi – författare

"Mission" has become, for many North American Christians, an ambiguous and often uncomfortable term. To many it brings to mind a past in which western culture was identified with the gospel in missionary practice and programs. Distressed with this history and uncertain about how to overcome it, many prefer to ignore the New Testament mandate that the church must be in mission if it is to be the church. Others swing the other way, declaring that everything the church does is mission, depriving the idea of mission of its power to define those specific actions of God which proclaim the gospel and build God''s kingdom. "The church exists by missions, just as fire exists by burning." With these words of Emil Brunner, the author reminds us that to be the church is to be in mission. After describing the various "captivities of mission" which plague North American Christianity, the author argues for a robust and engaged practice of mission, beginning in congregations and extending to the broader community.

"La iglesia existe por la misión, al igual que el fuego existe por la combustión”. Con estas palabras de Emil Brunner, el autor nos recuerda que ser la iglesia es estar en misión. Después de describir las diferentes cautividades de la misión, que han subyugado al cristianismo de los Estados Unidos, el autor lucha para exponer una fuerte y comprometida practica de la misión, comenzando en las congregaciones locales y extendiéndose hasta la comunidad más amplia.Este libro de Introducción a la Misión, puede ayudar a estudiantes de seminario, y a grupos de estudio de laicos, a conocer el mandato cristiano fundamental y unirse a la misión de Dios en el mundo."The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning." With these words of Emil Brunner, the author reminds us to be the church, is to be in mission. After describing the various captivities of the mission, which subjugated to Christianity in the United States, the author struggles to expose a strong and committed practice of mission, beginning in local congregations and extending to the broader community. This book Una Introduccion a la Mision can help seminary students and lay study groups to learn the fundamental Christian mandate and join God''s mission in the world.

Sharing the Good News might be understood as the prime directive of the Church from its earliest times, but the Church soon discovered unforeseen obstacles and its own set of temptations, including its lust for power and domination. Although the gospel might be joyfully offered, it was not always received in the same spirit. And the Church was not always gracious with dissent and criticism. Even so, the Church continues to reach out to the least, the last, and the lost—attempting to bring them into the family of God. But for mission to be effective today, it must take advantage of indigenous resources and recognize its limitations as well as its gifts.This book broadly introduces prominent missionary practices and major historical figures using three perspectives. First, it takes into account the missionary activity proceeding from the margins rather than only discussing the center of theological and ecclesial activity. Second, it narrates the cross-cultural, cross-confessional, and cross-religious dynamics that characterize Christian missionary activity. And third, it emphasizes that much missionary activity is generated by national rather than international missionaries. The text concludes with a chapter on the postmodern and postcolonial world.