In the discourse of mission as reconciliation, in spite of existing consensus about God as the author of reconciliation, and the inseparableness of the dimensions of reconciliation, there is a disagreement on the issue of to what extent the vertical dimension of reconciliation should be addressed and sought in pursuing the horizontal dimension of reconciliation. After engaging the theologies of four Christian thinkers and practitioners of reconciliation, Karl Barth, Miroslav Volf, Son Yang-won, and Desmond Tutu, this dissertation argues that the vertical and horizontal dimensions of reconciliation are in mutually promoting relationship, direct and indirect promotion respectively. This study evaluates that the vertical dimension of reconciliation should be reinforced in Robert Schreiter’s theology of reconciliation. Schreiter notes that the church has traditionally tended to focus on the vertical dimension, overlooking its responsibility in the horizontal dimension. The indivisible dimensions of reconciliation have mistakenly been separated. However, as a reflective reaction, if the church concentrates on the horizontal reconciliation, merely assuming the vertical reconciliation, the church runs the risk of making the same mistake conversely. The vertical reconciliation should be the foundation on which the horizontal reconciliation is based and should continuously guide all the aspects of the church’s work of reconciliation. The vertical reconciliation enables horizontal reconciliation. Also, the alpha and omega of the Christian understanding of reconciliation is the vertical reconciliation between God and humanity. Grounding South Korean churches’ missiology in reconciliation regarding the North Korea mission is an urgently needed job. A more wholesome and robust theology of reconciliation should be presented for the missiology in the Korean context. The national division between South and North Korea has resulted in the South-South conflicts and the issue of North Korean refugees. South Korean churches should exert themselves in the ministry of reconciliation, concentrating on justice, hospitality, and renewed spirituality.

Any Christian who lives in such a broken world may ask God what their role would be as the person who is reconciled with God, and about the implications of the vertical dimension of reconciliation. Many would agree that the vertical and horizontal dimensions of reconciliation should not be separated. It is, however, still necessary to examine further. For instance, what does the inseparableness of the two dimensions actually mean—in theory and practice? How does the vertical dimension of reconciliation become the source and foundation of the horizontal dimension? How should the church maintain its theology of reconciliation, which includes both dimensions? All these questions point to an underlying question: what is the relationship between the vertical and horizontal dimensions of reconciliation? This book explores this question, interacting with the four thinkers and practitioners of reconciliation, Karl Barth, Miroslav Volf, Son Yang-Won, and Desmond Tutu, and assessing the theology of a leading theologian in the discourse of mission as reconciliation, Robert Schreiter. Based on the discussions, it presents a proposal for a more wholesome and robust understanding of reconciliation for the discourse in mission studies, which can be applied to any broken context, including the Korean peninsula.

"Any Christian who lives in such a broken world may ask God what their role would be as the person who is reconciled with God, and about the implications of the vertical dimension of reconciliation. Many would agree that the vertical and horizontal dimensions of reconciliation should not be separated. It is, however, still necessary to examine further. For instance, what does the inseparableness of the two dimensions actually mean--in theory and practice? How does the vertical dimension of reconciliation become the source and foundation of the horizontal dimension? How should the church maintain its theology of reconciliation, which includes both dimensions? All these questions point to an underlying question: what is the relationship between the vertical and horizontal dimensions of reconciliation? This book explores this question, interacting with the four thinkers and practitioners of reconciliation, Karl Barth, Miroslav Volf, Son Yang-Won, and Desmond Tutu, and assessing the theology of a leading theologian in the discourse of mission as reconciliation, Robert Schreiter. Based on the discussions, it presents a proposal for a more wholesome and robust understanding of reconciliation for the discourse in mission studies, which can be applied to any broken context, including the Korean peninsula"--Publisher.

In U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050, Pew Research Center reported that "The nation's population will rise to 438 million in 2050, from 296 million in 2005, and fully 82% of the growth during this period will be due to immigrants arriving from 2005 to 2050 and their descendants." This shows that it is essential to study and understand how our mission, especially in the context of the USA, called the nation of immigrants, will respond to this huge mobility of immigrant diaspora. So far, there has been emphasis on doing diaspora missiology; however, there is no practical implications and application in local church setting. Now mission is next door, which implies that the ministry of the local church should be emphasized for 21st contemporary mission. This book provides detailed frameworks and methods of diaspora missiology within local churches, called 'diaspora mission church.' According to the Bible, all human beings are theologically and spiritually diaspora, irrespective of ethnicity, because they were banished from the Garden of Eden, and scattered around the world in God's judgment. Now, they walk toward the encounter with Jesus Christ, preach the gospel as the seed of Kingdom, and finally move toward heaven.

This collection of essays edited by Colin Gunton provides a broad treatment of the theological doctrine of reconciliation. The latest addition to the King's College Systematic Theology Series. The papers are designed to constitute a broad treatment of the subject, including contributions on scripture, ethics and the church, as well as a bearing of other theological topics - Trinity, Christology - on the central question. There is an introduction by the editor, who also contributes a closing piece in which the central questions arising in the book are addressed. The contributors to this volume include leading theologians from Europe and America: Colin Gunton, Christoph Schwöbel, Douglas A. Campbell, Douglas Farrow, Murray Rae, John Webster, Sue Patterson, and Robert W. Jensen.

Mission as Ministry of Reconciliation offers a valuable elucidation of the importance mission as ministry of reconciliation. It expounds on the practical implications of this understanding in a variety of settings. It brings together perspectives from different church traditions, including the Lausanne Movement and the Catholic Church, and also speaks about the socio-ethical implications of mission. In short, this rich book affirms that there is hope--even if it is hope in a fragile world, as the concluding chapter puts it. At the very heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of hope and reconciliation. Nothing could be more relevant or necessary in a broken world, and this book centers such a message at the heart of mission.