The Mission of Theology and Theology as Mission

The author proposes that the health of the entire Christian community hinges on getting the theological task right, which includes showing why and how theology and mission are inextricably linked. After surveying the nature of the theological task from the academy to the grassroots level, J. Andrew Kirk discusses factors that are pushing the theological task in new directions. He focuses especially on the twofold task of making sense of the whole of life by reference to God and becoming agents of transformation. The book concludes by expanding upon David Bosch's proposition that theology ceases to be theology if it loses its missionary character.