World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay delivered three lectures as part of the "Students' Lectureship on Missions" at Princeton Theological Seminary (USA).
The first lecture, delivered 6 October and entitled "Church in Changing Landscapes: God's Mission and Our Own," argued that Christian mission can be crucial—one might almost say redemptive—in addressing the problems of our world at their deepest root.
The major root causes are, Pillay said, "political, economic, and social inequalities, extreme poverty, economic stagnation, poor government services, high unemployment, environmental degradation, cultural division related to ethnicity or religion."
Religious conflicts are also prevalent in many parts of the world, he added, "though a closer examination will reveal that these are mainly grounded" in socioeconomic and political tensions.
A second lecture, delivered 7 October, "The Kingdom of God and the Transformation of the World," spoke on the call and mission of the church and the ecumenical movement. "In this lecture I shall focus on mission from the perspective of the kingdom of God establishing that it is an essential biblical theme that provides a holistic view of Christian mission," Pillay said. "Further I will explore the meaning of the kingdom of God in light of mission and conclude with some implications it would have for the church's mission today."
A third lecture, "COVID-19 and its impact on the mission and theology of the church," also delivered 7 October, described the unprecedented challenge the COVID-19 pandemic presented. "It has caused enormous trauma, disrupted economies, social life, mass transportation, work and employment, supply chains, leisure, sport, international relations, academic programmes; literally everything," noted Pillay. "Churches and religious communities have not been spared; they have been severely affected and, in all likelihood, permanently transformed by the pandemic."
Originally from the World Council of Churches
CCD reprinted with permission
