Missio Dei Beyond Redemption: On the (Mis)Use of a Theological Concept

Missio Dei has become a favourite term in missiological discussions, both in academic and ecclesiastical contexts. While it originally served a critical function between the World Wars by facilitating the renewal of mission thinking and counteracting colonial mentalities, today it has become a meaningless piece of jargon that can be used to promote almost any missiological perspective. Therefore, the concept is better discarded or reserved solely for critical, deconstructive use.