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Soul in the City - Mission as Package Holiday : The potential implications of a 'tourist' paradigm in youth mission

Nicholas Shepherd is a doctoral student at King's College London and editor of the Journal of Youth and Theology who previously worked for Youth for Christ in Bath and London. He lives in Blackheath, London and is an active lay member in his local parish church.

Through reflection on his involvement in the summer 2004 Soul in the City (SITC) event, Nicholas Shepherd argues we may be seeing a new paradigm in mission which is illuminated by writing on tourism. His article examines how this leads to a new conception of the 'missionary' as tourist, how the structure of SITC events mirror that of 'staged authenticity' offered in package holidays, and how the language of adventure and risk were used in SITC. In conclusion he offers critical evaluation of such a new paradigm for youth mission.

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Inculturation Comes Home: Lessons from the Worldwide Church

Nigel Rooms is Director of Training in the Diocese of Southwell

In this article, Nigel Rooms looks at our new post-Christian missionary era in UK in the light of his own experience abroad. He offers a definition of inculturation based on that experience and the literature generated in the worldwide church. After exploring some of inculturation's limits and the issues it raises, he makes some practical suggestions concerning the implications of inculturation for evangelism and theological training.

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England 's First Evangelical Woman Bishop? The Influence of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon (1707-1791)

Faith Cook has a number of books in print, mainly biographical in character. These include a biography of William Grimshaw of Haworth (1997) and a full biography of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon (2001). She has recently written a new biography of Lady Jane Grey (2004), and Our Hymn-Writers and their Hymns: An Evaluation of the Development of the English Hymn. She is married to an Independent evangelical pastor.

In this, the second in our series of articles examining evangelicals of the past, Faith Cook introduces the Countess of Huntingdon. She vividly portrays the Countess' power and influence in the eighteenth century church, through her church-building and training and personal support of evangelical ministers. Her inspirational vision and energy are described and her significance demonstrated not only for the Church of England but for Dissent and the wider church.

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Whither Common Worship Confirmation?

Phillip Tovey is Director of Reader Training and Training Officer in the Diocese of Oxford; and Liturgy Lecturer at Ripon College Cuddesdon.

Through an examination of Anglican services of Confirmation, both historical and across the Communion, Phillip Tovey argues that there are unresolved tensions in Common Worship' s provision. He argues that the case for exclusively episcopal confirmation is weakening. Bishops should focus more on mission and leading initiation of converts and we should let confirmation become a pastoral rite that could be led by a presbyter.

 

 

 

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