Group presentation questions: Theology of Missions

Theology of Missions

The Theology of Missions class will be divided up into groups of 4 or 5 people. Each group will select one of these questions (two groups may not use the same question), which they will research together and prepare a presentation for the entire class.

This list of questions is not closed. That is, the group may ask for permission to deal with a variation of one of these questions or even with a question not listed here.

Group presentations will be enriched if quotations and illustrations from the literature on the topic are used liberally.

Theological questions for discussion

  1. What happens to the unevangelized heathen who die without ever having heard of Jesus? What are the various positions that have historically been taken (and by whom) on this question?
  2. How far can one adapt the Christian faith to a new culture and it still be Christian? (Issues of contextualization versus syncretism). "Indigenous" was a word once used in connection with this issue.
  3. Is Jesus the only way to God and to salvation?
  4. Is there a theological basis for believing that God does impress or call some people to be missionaries? If so, what is it?
  5. Can traditional non-Christian ceremonies be integrated into Christianity?
  6. How should Christians treat the reverence for ancestors expressed by the Chinese and other peoples?
  7. What is the irreducible minimum that one should consider to be the authentic gospel message? That is, what should be the requirements for Christian baptism?
  8. What are the main issues a person from another religion should consider in converting to Christianity?
  9. What about Jews? Should we try to convert them? Why or why not?
  10. What should we make of liberation theology's view that Jesus is a political hero to be imitated as much as He is a divine figure to worship?
  11. Are all religions worshiping the same god/God even though each one says different things about Him/Her/It?
  12. What do Jesus and Paul have to teach us in our encounters with other religions?
  13. What guidelines should one use in developing contextually appropriate materials and modes of Christian expression for various cultural groups?

Is your group a healthy one?

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    -- Howard Culbertson,

Pointers on Creating Good Discussion Questions

  1. Avoid yes/no questions: That type of question limits discussion and can shut down a conversation quickly.
  2. Encourage exploration: Questions like "How do you think...?" or "What are the implications of...?" invite deeper thinking.
  3. Ensure that the question is relevant to the central theme or objective of the discussion.
  4. Ask questions that require participants to connect ideas or concepts.
  5. Ask questions that make participants reflect on their beliefs or challenge commonly held views.
  6. Questions that require comparing, contrasting, or synthesizing information tend to provoke richer discussions.
  7. Formulate questions that can be answered in various ways, encouraging participants to see different perspectives.
  8. Be specific and clear in what you're asking.
  9. Questions that invite participants to share their own experiences or viewpoints often lead to more engaging discussions.
  10. Tailor the complexity of the question to the knowledge and experience level of the participants.
  11. Avoid overly technical language or niche references that might exclude some participants.

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