“Locating European Missions in a Wounded World in Deep Transformation” was a theme brought in sharp focus at a conference in Santk Augustin, Germany.

The conference held from 23 to 27 August was organised by the International Association of Mission Studies Europe, a collaborative platform of missiological networks in Europe.

The meeting was hosted by the Steyler Missionswissenschaftliches Institut, St. Augustin, and coordinated by the Institute for Missiology and the Study of Theologies beyond Europe, University of Münster, in partnership with CEC and several other partners from Europe.

The conference named “past and present wounds and transformations” that define European societies and Christian missions, and examined their complex entanglements and complicities in today’s world. The participants explored theologies of mission, mission in relation to vulnerability, identifying resources of healing, renewal and deep transformation.

A special focus was made on a transformative missionary spirituality emerging from new understandings of baptism, especially with regard to refugees and asylum seekers in Europe.

Particular sessions included study of mission in relation to interfaith dialogue, mission and politics, religious freedom, the future of churches in Europe, migrations and missions, and mission as martyria.

The conference encouraged broad ecumenical participation and exchange across Europe’s missiological networks, missiologists and mission practitioners.

The participants also made stimulating contributions to the preparation of the upcoming Global IAMS 2020 Conference in Sydney to be held under the theme “Powers, Inequalities and Vulnerabilities: Mission in Wounded World” from 9 to 14 July 2020.