Wright, The Mission of God

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Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. IVP Academic, 2006.

Sequel: Wright, The Mission of God’s People

Referenced in: Theology of Mission – Proposals and Formulations, Missio Dei

LifeandLeadership.com Summary

It would be hard to find a better example of a theology of mission from a Missional/Missio Dei perspective, especially alongside Wright’s sequel, The Mission of God’s People. In the preface to the newer volume (p. 17), he explains the relationship between the two. The Mission of God argues that God’s mission is the hermeneutic for the whole Bible. He argues every section of the canon of Scripture, all the great episodes of the Bible story, all the great doctrines of the biblical faith, cohere around the Bible’s central character – the living God and his grand plan and purpose for the whole of creation. The Mission of God’s People builds on that foundation, and asks the “so what” question on behalf of the church. Who and what are we here for? If the Bible lays out God’s mission, what does that tell us about our mission?

In this volume, Wright demonstrates how the Scriptures are indeed a coherent revelation of the mission of God. Here is an overview taken from the epilogue.

Part 1, the Bible and Mission – Over against the postmodern tendency to disdain the concept of a metanarrative, Wright shows that the mission of God is the key that unlocks the whole grand narrative of Scripture. God is on a mission to reconcile the whole creation to himself through Christ by the Cross (Col. 1:20), and the whole Bible can be read in light of this overarching, governing perspective. This is The Story, the grand universal narrative that stretches from creation to new creation, and accounts for everything in between.

Part 2, the God of Mission – The driving will of the one true God is to be known throughout his whole creation as the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel who is made incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth. This monotheism often appears in contrast against the exposure, rejection and ultimate destruction of false gods.

Part 3, the People of Mission – God is indefatigably committed to bless all nations through a people who are the vehicle of his redemption. In both testaments, he elects a particular people to fulfill this universal mission. He forms covenant with them and places ethical demands which allow them to be a light to the nations. As his people, we are a part of this story.

Part 4, the Arena of Mission – God is also involved with the whole creation, with the earth itself, with humans made in his image, and with all cultures and nations. The narrative finishes with the overwhelming vision of God’s ultimate eschatological goal that one day people of every tribe, people, nation and language will sing his praises in the new creation.

Throughout, Wright asks the question, “What happens when we read scripture this way?” Many things. We begin to see our whole worldview impacted by God’s vision. He says:

“This worldview, constituted by putting the mission of God at the very center of our existence, is disturbingly subversive and it uncomfortably relativizes one’s own place in the great scheme of things. It is certainly a very healthy corrective to the egocentric obsession of much Western culture – including, sadly, even Western Christian culture. It constantly forces us to open our eyes to the big picture, rather than shelter in the cozy narcissism of our own small worlds.

We ask, “Where does God fit into the story of my life?” when the real question is where does my life fit into this story of God’s great mission.
We want to be driven by a purpose that has been tailored just right for our individual lives…when we should be seeing the purpose of all of life, including our own, wrapped up in the great mission of God for the whole of creation.
We talk about the problems of ‘applying the Bible to our lives…What would it mean to apply our lives to the Bible instead, assuming the Bible to be the reality – the real story to which we are called conform ourselves?
We wrestle with the question of how we can ‘make the gospel relevant to the world’…But in this Story, God is about the business of transforming the world to fit the shape of the gospel.
We wonder whether and how the care of creation…might fit into our concept and practice of mission, when this Story challenges us to ask whether our lives, lived on God’s earth and under God’s gaze, are aligned with, or horrendously misaligned with, God’s mission that stretches from creation to cosmic transformation and the arrival of a new heaven and a new earth.
We argue about what can legitimately included in the mission God expects from the church, when we should ask what kind of church God expects for his mission in all its comprehensive fullness.
I may wonder what kind of mission God has for me, when I should ask what kind of me God wants for his mission.” (534-535)

With convincing clarity throughout, Wright does a masterful job at both unveiling the mission of God and in laying out many of the implications.

This text is a balanced presentation on theology of mission from a missio Dei perspective. He proposes a very multi-dimensional understanding of God’s mission – political, social, economic, and spiritual. He argues that “holistic mission…is not truly holistic if it included only human beings…” (p.416) One may still wish to read the interpretive essays (Missional Perspectives 03, 04, and 05) on resources written from this perspective.

From the Publisher

Most Christians would agree that the Bible provides a basis for mission. But Christopher Wright boldly maintains that mission is bigger than that – there is in fact a missional basis for the Bible! The entire Bible is generated by and is all about God’s mission.

In order to understand the Bible, we need a missional hermeneutic of the Bible, an interpretive perspective that is in tune with this great missional theme. We need to see the “big picture” of God’s mission and how the familiar bits and pieces fit into the grand narrative of Scripture.

Beginning with the Old Testament and the groundwork it lays for understanding who God is, what he has called his people to be and do, and how the nations fit into God’s mission, Wright gives us a new hermeneutical perspective on Scripture. This new perspective provides a solid and expansive basis for holistic mission. Wright emphasizes throughout a holistic mission as the proper shape of Christian mission. God’s mission is to reclaim the world—and that includes the created order—and God’s people have a designated role to play in that mission.

About the Author

Dr. Christopher J. H. Wright is International Director of the Langham Partnership International. He also serves as chair of the Lausanne Movement’s Theology Working Group and chair of the Theological Resource Panel of TEAR Fund, a leading Christian relief and development charity. He has written several books, including Living as the People of God (An Eye for an Eye in the US), God’s People in God’s Land, Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament, Walking in the Ways of the Lord, Deuteronomy in the New International Biblical Commentary, The Message of Ezekiel in the Bible Speaks Today series, Old Testament Ethics for the People of God, The Mission of God, and The God I Don’t Understand. Chris and his wife, Liz, have four adult children and six grandchildren.

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