Called to Unity: For the Sake of Mission (Regnum Edinburgh Centenary Series)

Hardcover, xx + 327 pages, NOT ex-library. Minor handling wear, clean and bright throughout; unmarked text, no inscriptions, no stamps, firm binding. Issued without a dust jacket. -- This is a multi-authored volume that offers a broad analysis of how Christian unity intersects with global mission work. It gathers theological, historical, and missiological perspectives to address how unity across denominations and global contexts can serve the effectiveness and credibility of Christian mission in the 21st century. The contents are organized into two main sections: the first traces historical developments and theological underpinnings of the link between ecclesiology and mission, while the second presents contemporary case studies and regional perspectives from a range of Christian traditions and global contexts. The volume is deeply grounded in the ecumenical developments of the 20th century and references major documents such as Vatican II's Lumen Gentium, the World Council of Churches' The Church: Towards a Common Vision, and the Cape Town Commitment of the Lausanne Movement, making it a useful sourcebook for understanding evolving institutional stances on unity and mission. Contributors examine how the call to unity has historically been linked to the credibility of Christian witness, exploring the tension between spiritual unity and institutional fragmentation. The book provides detailed historical overviews of inter-church cooperation from Edinburgh 1910 to New Delhi 1961, highlighting developments like the formation of the International Missionary Council and its later integration into the World Council of Churches. Multiple chapters offer denominational perspectives: Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Anglican, and Pentecostal understandings of unity in mission are presented with particular attention to ecclesiology, shared sacraments, and collaboration in evangelism and social outreach. A significant portion is also dedicated to new movements and grassroots initiatives, particularly in post-Christian or secularized contexts such as Europe, and in rapidly growing churches in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Contributors come from five continents and represent diverse theological and ecclesial traditions, reflecting the editorial commitment to move beyond Euro-American narratives. For academic and professional readers, especially those involved in missiology, ecumenism, or theology of the global church, the volume offers both documentation and analysis of real-world partnerships and theological dialogues. Case studies include the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Korea, Orthodox-Catholic and Evangelical-Orthodox engagements, and various ecumenical networks that emerged outside formal church structures. Each of these is analyzed not only for its theological rationale but also for its organizational dynamics, cultural contexts, and implications for long-term partnership. The book's methodological approach is dialogical and evidence-based, featuring theological essays, historical narratives, and reflections rooted in field experience. It avoids prescriptive conclusions but repeatedly returns to the idea that unity (whether sacramental, theological, or practical) is not only an ecclesial concern but a necessary condition for coherent and persuasive mission. Its application spans seminary teaching, ecclesiological research, and policy formation within mission agencies and church councils. For researchers, it provides both a historical map and current landscape of Christian cooperation; for practitioners, it offers models of interdenominational mission and highlights practical challenges in contexts of asymmetry, power, and postcolonial memory. The book does not romanticize unity but addresses its costs, difficulties, and contested meanings. Overall, it is a resource for anyone investigating how Christian churches negotiate identity, collaboration, and global witness in the face of theological diversity and structural inequality.…