Abstract
Putting Names with Faces is an anthology of 16 chapters focusing on the theme of Women and Mission. It is edited by three excellent editors coming from both missiology and theology backgrounds and written by 16 authors representing different church traditions and diverse cultural contexts. The idea of producing this enlightening resource book for women in mission transpired as a result of an international consultation on Women’s Perspectives on Mission and Theological Education in the 21st Century in November 2008, which was organized by the Programme on Women in Church and Society, and the Programme on Ecumenical Theological Education of the World Council of Churches.
Undeniably women have been part of Christian mission for centuries. Unfortunately, their names and contributions have not been identified and acknowledged. Echoing the title of this edited volume, ‘Putting Names with Faces’, it is its ultimate goal to address this discrepancy and attempts to do justice to some of the women who have participated and contributed enormously to Christian mission in past and present times on all continents, and not merely referred as spouses and co-workers of men missionaries or remain anonymous. This book is therefore an endeavor to identify some of these nameless faces in order to recognize and appreciate their significant but untold stories and contributions during the course of the history of mission.
This book has five main objectives: first, to continue developing resources for research on women’s roles in Christian mission that subsequently contribute to the overcoming scarcity in this research area; second, to draw renewed insights for the gendered aspect of mission and historiography of mission; third, to create more awareness to readers of the gender aspect of mission and historiography of mission; fourth, to lay ground for the shaping of gender justice in mission theology and practice today; and fifth, to provide an academic resource book as a study guide in spiritual and ministerial formation.
The sixteen chapters in this book are categorized in three different parts. Part I: Foundational Perspectives, examines the biblical foundations of women’s approach to missionary work and serves as a theological point of reference for the historical case studies of Part II, and, providing a historical survey on women in mission. Part II: Case Studies, narrates 14 different stories on the role and involvement of women in mission in different periods of time and in diverse socio-cultural contexts, specifically in West Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Iran, India, Pakistan, China, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, Mexico, Guatemala, and Europe. Part III: Consequences for Theological Reflection on Mission, develops and provides direction for a contextual missiology from a women’s perspective that outlines various contextual profiles of women’s mission today while retaining the crucial issues, contents, and understandings of women’s mission and missiology.
Kudos to the editors and authors of ‘Putting Names with Faces’ for such interesting, thorough and humbling writings in order to uphold the dignity of women missionaries who seemed to not exist in Christian history for centuries. Hopefully, this book is a starting point in putting names with faces – giving recognition due to women in Christian mission in other parts of the world that are not represented in this book. Consequently, this will encourage more women to contribute in this courageous endeavor in putting names with faces as well as to continue participating in Christian mission.