Mission in a Wounded World

Photo: The Block, mural. “The Block” is a pioneering and unique project of Aboriginal-run social housing in Redfern, Sydney.

The 15^th Assembly of the International Association for Mission Studies discussed the urgent issues of our times. Held at Morling College, Sydney, Australia, it gathered delegates from around the world, yet affirmed local distinctives and native rights.

The 15^th Assembly of IAMS

This summer I attended the 15^th Assembly of the International Association for Mission Studies, IAMS in Sydney, Australia. The conference had been postponed two years due to the pandemic, so it was a great joy to finally be able to meet. The conference took a hybrid format and people from all continents were represented. The theme, while set six years previously, was perceived as especially acute: “Powers, Inequalities, and Vulnerabilities: Mission in a Wounded World.” A range of subjects were raised, from climate change to migration, health-inequalities, ethnic divisions, and many more, all with an eye on the implications for church and mission. The urgency of the questions discussed was felt by all: the world really is a wounded place and missiology must step up to the challenge and offer intellectual and theological guidance in our current times.

Aboriginal rights and holistic mission

One of the issues that stood out during the conference was that of human rights and especially the rights of native people groups. Already at the opening of the conference, an Aboriginal elder held a smoking ceremony to “acknowledge country” and bless the participants present. We were reminded of the peoples, the animals, the trees, the rocks, and the birds that have lived on the lands “now called Australia,” for thousands of years and were also given a chance to pay our respects. Later, plenary sessions and paper presentations discussed the deep divisions between native and non-native groups within the Christian churches, as well as the discrimination and racism that native people meet.

On the Sunday outing, I had the chance to visit the South Sydney Uniting Church and hear even more about the harsh realities that many Aboriginals have to face, including the effects of gentrification and housing policies. There are all sorts of outside pressures that threaten to break their communities apart and refuse them basic human rights. What was encouraging was that the church was committed to the community and worked diligently to raise awareness about the situation, as well as offer a range of hands-on services. Despite limited resources they ran a small garden, an art group and a local newspaper, as well as supported initiatives in medical and juridical services and encouraged members to take on leadership in local committees and political bodies. Their holistic missional approach was truly inspiring and I left Australia with widened perspectives as well as deeper concerns.

Martina Björkander