A missiology of life: Engaging Nelus Niemandt’s missiology

Abstract

Respected missiologist Nelus Niemandt pays a great deal of attention to present-day life in his missiology. Although the ‘not yet’ plays an important role in missiology, Niemandt emphatically concentrates on the implications of the missio Dei for this life, or the ‘yet’. For Niemandt, aspects such as deep contextualisation and deep incarnation are extremely important tools necessary to engage the world in God’s involvement in the ‘yet’ or present world. Niemandt shows great regard for the World Council of Churches’ policy document titled Together Towards Life. Reading his work related to this article leads to a great appreciation of his understanding of mission as involvement in the needs and challenges of the marginalised, especially in Africa. His missiology is also interdisciplinary, as he engages in economic, social and political aspects of this life.

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: In this article, I argue that seen through the lens of Niemandt’s work on missiology, more attention should be paid to the mission as the ministry of reconciliation to obtain a clear picture of mission from the perspective of the atonement and to emphasise the future and the ‘not yet’. In addition, the salience of evangelism in this broader discussion also warrants investigation.