Church and Mission in the Context of War

Book excerpt: The church in the Democratic Republic of Congo is no stranger to conflict, yet little research has been done on the impact of war in shaping the local church’s understanding of itself and its mission. In this in-depth study, Dr. Eraston Kambale Kighoma traces the survival and theological development of the Baptist Church in Central Africa over a twenty-year period of conflict. Utilizing a combination of descriptive, contextual and integrative approaches, he examines the effect of war on the church’s theology in action, especially its understanding and practice of mission. This study sheds new light on existing theories of missions, while offering specific insight into the church’s missionary task in contexts of conflict. It offers an excellent addition to missiological studies for scholars and practitioners alike.