Missional Theology

“Just as missional theology is getting hijacked to further pragmatic church growth efforts, Franke provides this outstanding text that encapsulates his previous work while pressing this theological conversation forward. Missional Theology is accessible, scholarly, and well-balanced in focus. It should be required reading for anyone invested in God’s kingdom, where everyone has enough and no one is afraid.”

Drew G. I. Hart

“The magnificence of John Franke’s work in this volume is that what he gathers up from a range of voices has become in his hand a virtual manifesto. With depth and breadth, he develops what a missional approach to theology looks like. His own constructive work provides a clear and compelling agenda for all to follow. This book is of major importance for both church and academy.”

George R. Hunsberger

“For anyone who wants an excellent introduction to missional theology, its beginnings, its theological and biblical underpinnings, as well as insights regarding its future relevance for the church and the world, this volume is a must-read. Franke offers those new to the missional conversation and those well acquainted with it opportunities to deeply reflect upon and engage (again) the missio Dei—what it has meant for missional theology in the past, including its disastrous interpretations due to whiteness and white supremacy, what it means in the present, and its possibilities for the future as the missional theology movement decenters ‘those with power,’ widens the circle of voices in the conversation, and comes ‘prepared to listen rather than to speak.”

Lisa Bowens

“Franke has emerged as one of the second-generation leaders of missional theology. He builds on his teachers’ core commitment that the discipline flows out of systematic theology as well as historical and biblical studies. But as this book demonstrates, he is now bringing missional theology more deeply into congregational life and ministry. This is a much-needed next step for the discipline that could have been provided only by a scholar with the heart of a pastor.”

M. Craig Barnes

“Franke’s Missional Theology—equal parts invitation and manifesto—articulates a revolutionary and profoundly life-giving vision of the nature and task of Christian theology. Building on critical areas of theological and missiological consensus, Franke offers a well-reasoned, accessible, and potentially paradigm-shifting argument for a postmodern and postcolonial understanding of mission—rooted in the very nature of God—as the sine qua non for theological reflection. This thoroughgoing revisioning of mission will challenge those who understand mission primarily in terms of evangelism and global outreach as well as those who find missional language to be hopelessly contaminated by Western imperialism and notions of cultural and religious supremacy. Faithfully biblical, inherently ecumenical, and deeply attuned to what the God of all diversity is doing in the world, Missional Theology merits a wide readership in churches and theological classrooms.”

Michael Barram