Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions

by A. Scott Moreau

Publisher:

Baker

, 2000

Overview

The Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions contains more than 1,400 articles on the theory, practice, theology, and history of missions. A comprehensive, one-volume reference, it not only provides a wealth of information on the topic of world missions, it also offers a contemporary study of the subject from an evangelical perspective. Over three hundred missionaries, theologians, and educators from a variety of cultural, denominational, and ethnic backgrounds contribute their expertise to provide a broad survey of the history of world missions as well as current trends and research.

The Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions, a Christianity Today 2001 Book Award winner, is a valuable research tool for professors and students in their study of world missions. It is also a readily accessible resource for clergy and lay persons interested in the history of world missions and its continuing progress.

Key Features

• 700 content articles
• small caps to identify words within articles for which there are separate entries
• a cross-reference system with over 350 listings
• a bibliography for most articles
• a six-part master outline of the entire dictionary

Contents

Top Highlights

“Spiritual formation is far more than mere behavioral change” (Page 901)

“The core New Testament meaning clusters around ideas related to sending and or crossing lines, to those being sent, the sent ones—whether messengers or the Twelve, or the others who serve with some kind of apostolic authority or function. The New Testament affirms that the apostolic messenger (the missionary) becomes the person authoritatively sent out by God and the church on a special mission with a special message, with particular focus on the Gentiles/nations.” (Page 644)

“Spiritual formation is a process that takes place inside a person, and is not something that can be easily measured, controlled, or predicted.” (Page 901)

“constellation of assumptions and beliefs about what is real, how things fit together, and how things happen.” (Page 1032)

“Thus, enemies of the church were enemies of the empire and were duly prosecuted, forcing the conversion of conquered peoples. This not only happened to non-Christians, but also to Christians who believed differently from the institutional church. Perhaps the most important renewal mission movement between the sixth-century Celts and the thirteenth-century Friars were the Waldensians. The people movement begun in France by Peter Waldo (1140–1218) sent out itinerant missionaries to preach the gospel and administer baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They spread very rapidly to Italy, Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, Germany, Hungary, and Poland. The Waldensians were seen as heretics and suffered severe persecution because they had a different view of the gospel and the church.” (Page 819)

Praise for the Print Edition

In terms of both its comprehensiveness and its accessibility, the EDWM is a signal achievement, not only for evangelical missiology but for Christian missiology as a whole. It will be consulted widely.

—Robert Schreiter, International Bulletin of Missionary Research

A timeless resource. With easy turns of the page, background to the state of contemporary world mission thinking is at the reader's fingertips. As such, EDWM stands as a remarkable reference book for students and teachers in Christian Mission in our age. A priceless guide to world mission, it gives a panoramic view of debates, discussion and people that have been involved in Christian mission since its beginnings. . . In addition to a subject index is a whole separate and equally essential bibliographical index. The Dictionary is worth having just for its indices and overviews of mission events, theory and people.

—Rob Goodwin, TCZ Journal of Theological Reflection

Moreau and his fellow editors are to be congratulated for producing a volume that can and will be used with confident gratitude by all who seek clear and trustworthy information on mission related subjects.

—Jonathan J. Bonk, Evangelical Missions Quarterly

To best fulfill the Great Commission in the years ahead, the Church would do well to look at what it has done and is doing in this area. This volume will aid in this endeavor.

—Presbyterian Layman

The Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions provides another easy-to-use tool for research and reflection on the mission of God's people. This volume is a readily accessible overview of mission which is irenic toward differing perspectives, interdenominational in outlook, and still firmly committed to the inspiration and authority of the Bible in orienting us to the task God has entrusted to the Church. . . It is heartily recommended for those who have a serious interest in the mission of the church.

—Mark Young, Bibliotheca Sacra

Product Details

• Title: Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions
• General Editor: A. Scott Moreau
• Associate Editor: Harold Netland and Charles Van Engen
• Publisher: Baker
• Publication Date: 2000
• Pages: 1,072

About A. Scott Moreau

Dr. A. Scott Moreau is professor of intercultural studies at Wheaton College and the author of numerous articles on missions in journals and books. Having spent a number of years in Africa as a missionary, he has firsthand knowledge of contextualization issues. His other professional interests include folk religions and technology in missions.