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Summary

Narrative – The Church of England’s world mission relationships are expressed in many forms. The long history of the work of the Mission Agencies represents stories of sacrificial service to God and neighbour and a deep commitment to the gospel in England and in the wider world. This sacrificial service has contributed to the growth of the Anglican Communion and still bears fruit today. However, against the background of British colonial influence, of which the Anglican Mission Agencies were a part, though a not uncritical part, various unintended consequences of such missionary involvement emerged. These unintended consequences were an over-dependency on the ways and culture of the Western churches and the disruption brought to indigenous spirituality and culture as the result of foreign presence. With the demise of British colonial influence, there has been some awareness of the need to move beyond patterns of dependency and the Church of England continues to work through that process. The question is being increasingly asked: What would it mean to shape world mission relationships based on mutuality and equality? This is the essential question considered throughout this report. As English society continues to undergo rapid change, the Church of England ministers within cross-cultural contexts here in England. This has brought an urgency to the need to learn from partners in the global church.

Theology – The immediate post-colonial language for world mission relationships is partnership as an expression of God’s mission in the world. While this has opened up many aspects of working together there is a need to find a language that will help all partners move towards greater mutuality. With Jesus Christ at the heart of God’s mission, participation in the life and mission of Christ through the Holy Spirit, together with exercising gracious hospitality, are concepts that require further exploration in mission theology and practice. Hospitality carries the strong connotation of welcoming the other (Christ as both guest and host) and participation focuses on our common calling in God’s mission in the world. The emergence of the prophetic strand of God’s mission in the world is opening up new realities of the Church’s calling.

Practice – The process of moving towards mutuality is already being actively considered in the Mission Agencies and the Companion Links at diocesan level but attitudes of donor/receiver and dependency are proving to be resilient. There is a need to intensify this process through attitudinal and structural change. Long-term attitudinal change involves recognition of the need for Anglican Christians to see themselves as ‘cross-cultural Christians’1 in their own context. Structural change involves an examination of our current world mission structures concerned with co-ordination (Partnership for World Mission). The arguments for having a co-ordinating function for world mission include:

(a) the necessity for co-ordination in a field of increasing diversity

(b) the importance of a sense of common Anglican identity

(c) the need for continuing relationships with the National Church Institutions

(d) the need to be seen to be working out principles of mutuality among Church of England Links and Agencies as well as with our partners in the global church.

Currently Partnership for World Mission provides a light structure focused on the development of strategic relationships. However, in the current financial climate funding the co-ordinating structure remains problematic.

The Church of England is not alone in seeking to move towards greater mutuality in world mission relationships. In the West the majority of British denominations are considering similar questions though with particular denominational expressions and approaches. Likewise many in the European and North American churches are making similar journeys. In the Majority World churches continue to be established and grow. They ask that their voice be heard in the Western churches.

Note

1 There are already many resources to help in this process not least those produced by the Mission Agencies. A set of benchmarks could be developed through which cross-cultural awareness could be assessed. Many in our parishes encounter those from different countries and contexts. However, the key process is turning the experience of encounter into the transitions that transform discipleship.