Church, Society, and Earth in The Church and Together towards Life: A Reflection from a Post-communist Context
Abstract
This article explores the topics of church, society, and earth in two recent documents by the World Council of Churches (WCC): The Church: Towards a Common Vision and Together towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes. Regarding society and earth not as mere objects or "props" of the church's mission, the article suggests that the church must be viewed as an intrinsic part of both society and earth if it is to faithfully pursue God's mission of justice and peace toward the "kin-dom" characterized by life in fullness for all.
Mission, understood in terms of missio Dei, will therefore be recognized as encompassing all three of these categories. The contribution reflects on these issues from a post-communist perspective, drawing insights from both historical experience and current reality.