The privilege of participation in God's Mission of "Reconciling the world unto
Himself" (2 Cor 5:19) has been entrusted to the Church, a community of believers in
Jesus Christ. Hence, to participate in God's Mission, the Church in India has to
re-discover her relevance in the ever changing religious, cultural and social resurgent
context. In order to do this, the Church should be mindful of resources received from
Vedic, Dalit and Western Spiritualities. The Church should also not hesitate to analyse
critically its strengths, weaknesses and challenges -; which would lead to focus on
mission in context. Then the primary task of the leaders would be to empower worshipping
communities to become "basic ecclesial communities", i.e., worshipping
communities in which God is worshipped spiritedly, caring and sharing takes place
enthusiastically and they are involved with others willingly, for the transformation of
people, communities and structures in the cause of fulfilling God's purpose in this world.
This self-evaluation work on challenges of Christian Mission in India is very
informative and scholarly; encapsulating various subjects of Christian studies like
Biblical literature, History, Religions, Theology and Mission; thereby proves to be a
treat for Christian Preachers, Teachers, Catechists, Presiders and various Christian
Institutions & Organizations.
Contents
Moderator's Forward
Preface
Introduction
1. Inheritance
1.1 Philosophical Hinduism
1.2 Practical Hinduism
1.3 Social Structure in Hinduism
1.4 Cultural Hinduism
2. Heritage
3. Spiritual Formation
3.1 Spiritual Formation and Personal Salvation
3.2 Spiritual Formation and Human Compassion
3.3 Spiritual Formation and Social Transformation
4. Religious, Cultural and Social Resurgence
4.1 Reactions from within the Christian Community
4.2 Reactions from Hindu Communities
4.3 Constitutional Safeguards and Legislative Bills
5. Spirituality and Community
5.1 Spirituality
5.2 Community
5.3 Salient Features of Early Christian Communities in India
6. CSI : A Pilgrim Church
6.1 Shared Vision
6.2 The Object of Negotiations
7. CSI : A Democratic Church
7.1 Spiritual Unity
7.2 Organizational Unity
7.3 Analysis of the Organizational Structure
8. CSI : A Mission Focused Church
8.1 Ministry and Mission
8.2 Three Different Models of Mission in the New Testament
8.3 Perspective for Mission from the above Biblical Modules
8.4 Implementing of Mission Agenda in the CSI
9. CSI : A Church at the Crossroads
9.1 Rejoicing in the Past
9.2 Removing the Barriers
9.3 Responding to Challenges
9.4 Re-Assessing the Structure
9.5 Re-Focussing on Mission
9.6 Returning to Basics
Conclusion
Bishop S. Vasanthakumar hails from Hadya, a village of Mysore
District. He did his undergraduate studies in Science in Yuvaraja College, Mysore and
thereafter completed his B.D. and M.Th. from United Theological College, Bangalore. He has
also spent one year at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia,
USA.
He joined the Karnataka Central Diocese of the CSI in the year 1972 and was ordained as
Deacon in the same year and as Presbyter in the following year, for 25 years he remained
in this position. He was consecrated as the Bishop of the Diocese in the year 1997 and
continued till his retirement in the year 2012. In between, he also served as a Deputy
Moderator between 2004 and 2008 and as Moderator of the Church between 2010 and 2012.
Bishop Vasanthakumar has written a number of articles published both in India and
abroad. His first article appeared in the `International Review of Missions' in the year
1976. His Bible Study has become part of `Word of the Lord', published by WARC in 1999. He
has written a book on the life and ministry of Bishop Ananda Rao Samuel entitled, `Burnt
Offerings' (1989). He has edited a book entitled `Call to Ministry and Mission' in honour
of Bishop K. E. Gill in 1997.
|