Commission, Mission and Migration in Acts

This response to the article by our friend and colleague Ekaputra Tupamahu expresses features of both appreciation and dissent. We should note at the outset, however, that a key part of the difference is likely semantic: how “mission” is defined. It may be more a specific model of mission to which Dr. Tupamahu objects, rather than every model of mission. In fact, as dialogue provides clarification, I suspect we have significant common ground. The colonial model of mission followed the model of Paul’s rivals in Galatia; Paul proclaimed the kingdom good news in a way that did not impose extrabiblical Jewish culture on gentiles. Indeed, Acts includes a clearly Asian mission to bring the good news to Europe.