Arthur F. Glasser, Charles E. Van Engen, Dean S. Gilliland, Shawn B. Redford, Announcing the Kingdom: The Story of God’s Mission in the Bible. Baker Academic, 2003.
Referenced in: Theology of Mission, Proposals and Formulations – Missio Dei
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This book has much of the same purpose as Christopher J. H. Wright’s The Mission of God, to demonstrate how the missional nature of God and the church is the interpretive narrative of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. It is a highly regarded as a standard text on the theology of mission from a Missional/Missio Dei perspective.
The authors use the lens of the “kingdom (reign) of God” as the primary biblical metaphor for teaching the mission of God. They “explore the emergence and development of the Kingdom of God motif within both the Old and New Testaments taken as whole, in order to understand more deeply God’s mission through God’s people in God’s world.” (17) They present this theme in five sections:
Part 1, God’s mission in the beginning – The authors explain their hermeneutical approach, that the Bible is a missionary book. They recount the missional story of Scripture, that God is at work revealing himself and drawing all nations to him. This is revealed through the creation, the fall, the flood, Babel, and the Patriarchs. The essential point is that God’s original intent, from the beginning, was to bless the entire creation, and to have a people through whom he conveyed that blessing.
Part 2, God’s Mission through Israel – God rules over Egypt and covenants with his people, Israel, as a nation that belonged to him for the purpose of blessing the nations. Glasser shows how the monarchy challenges the rule of God. This section strongly underscores the pervasiveness and completeness of God’s mission as we see it interwoven throughout the entire sweep of scripture. It disallows seeing the Old Testament as an isolated story about a parochial Middle Eastern deity relating to an obscure tribe 2,000 years ago. Instead it is part of the purposeful unfolding.
Part 3, God’s Mission Among the Nations – Covers Israel’s exile and how God set the stage for the Messiah’s coming through the Jewish Diaspora. The section emphasizes the sovereign work of God in relentlessly pursuing his plan even in the what seems to be the constant disobedience and faithlessness of his people. God relentlessly loves his creation and remains faithful to his mission.
Part 4, God’s Mission Through Jesus the Christ – Discusses the central role of the kingdom (reign) of God in the teaching and ministry of Jesus. Emphasizes how Jesus reached both Jews and Gentiles.
Part 5, God’s Mission through the Holy Spirit by the Church – Chronicles the continuing story of God sending the Spirit to work through the church as they bore witness to the resurrected Christ.
Part 6, God’s Mission Extends to the End of Time – Demonstrates through the letters, particularly Ephesians and Colossians, how the kingdom extends over the powers of evil. Contains a strong emphasis on Paul’s efforts in Romans to address the unity of Jews and Gentiles. Shows how the epistles and the Apocalypse proclaim “salvation in only one name: Jesus Christ the Lord.
From the Publisher
Announcing the Kingdom provides a comprehensive survey of the biblical foundation of mission. It investigates the development of the kingdom of God theme in the Old Testament, describing what the concept tells us about God’s mission in creation, the flood, and the covenant with Abraham. It then describes God’s mission through the nation of Israel during the exodus, at Mt. Sinai, and through the kings of Israel. The book then examines God’s mission as Israel is sent into exile and the stage is set for the Messiah’s coming. Finally, the book considers the fulfillment of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ and the church. It examines Jesus’ parables and ministry, his proclamation of God’s kingdom among the nations, and the work of the Holy Spirit through the church. Announcing the Kingdom is the product of Arthur Glasser’s more than thirty years of teaching and has been used by thousands of students at Fuller Theological Seminary. Now revised by Glasser’s colleagues, this study provides mission workers and students with a new understanding of their calling and its biblical foundation.
About the Authors
Arthur F. Glasser is Dean Emeritus of the School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Charles E. Van Engen is the Arthur F. Glasser Professor of Biblical Theology of Mission at Fuller.
Dean S. Gilliland is Senior Professor of Contextualized Theology and African Studies at Fuller.
Shawn B. Redford is a Ph.D. candidate and adjunct faculty member at Fuller.
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