Eastern Orthodox Mission Theology Today

Written by James J. Stamoolis Reviewed By Martin Goldsmith

It is true that Western Christianity tends to be ignorant about the Eastern Orthodox churches, considering them to be closely related in theology and worship to the Roman Catholic Church. This scholarly but readable work will play a part in undermining this ignorance. Dr Stamoolis with his Greek background shows a fundamental empathy with the Orthodox churches. Although his subject is the Orthodox theory and practice of mission, he also reveals a heart understanding of the inner life and theology of the Orthodox. Having myself worshipped with the Russian Orthodox church in former years and owing a deep spiritual debt to that church, I rejoice to find a fellow evangelical with such an approach.

Sadly Dr Stamoolis is compelled to confess that the Orthodox churches have often failed to fulfil their own basic understanding of their calling to mission, but he underlines that such a failure is a denial of their theology. But ingrown failure to engage in mission is by no means the whole story. Both the Greek and Russian churches have fascinating and inspiring histories in mission, even though the Western church may never have heard of some of the great Orthodox heroes of mission history. A sad insularity afflicts us all: missionary heroes well known in Britain tend to be British; in Germany it is Germans like Zinzendorf and Nommensen who are the key missionary figures; in Holland Warneck, Kraemer or Neumann hit the headlines. In our Western churches generally such pioneers as Veniaminov of the Aleutians and Alaska may be unknown. Nicholas Kassatkin of Japan, Innocent Figourovsky of China or Archimandrite Chrysanthe Scetkovski of Korea may be even less well known. Few Western church history courses are likely even to mention them!

Today the Orthodox churches are rediscovering their call to mission. In the diaspora in America and West Europe they are recovering their confidence, for they have always believed that Orthodoxy is the true Christian faith and therefore they have a duty to share that apostolic faith with others. In fact in Britain the Orthodox church grows with a steady flow of converts from amongst the native British population. Also in East Africa there is a developing mission work and the Orthodox church in lands like Kenya is a significant feature. When visiting Kenya I had the joy of observing a Coptic Orthodox bishop working amongst the Independency Churches in Nairobi slums.

Dr Stamoolis rightly underlines the vital significance of the liturgy as a missionary factor in Orthodox theology; he also shows how Orthodox missiology is closely related to ecclesiology, for it is the church (not individuals or para-church independent groups) which is called to mission. I also appreciated his emphasis on God’s glory as the goal of Orthodox mission and theology, as also theosis/deification rather than atonement as the heart of salvation theology. Clearly this book is introductory on the subject of Orthodox missiology, for much work remains to be done on the missiological significance of the Orthodox doctrines of the Trinity, Christology, ecclesiology, the Hesychastic Mount Tabor experience of the Transfiguration, etc. More work also needs to be done concerning mission and monasticism. But this book will surely stimulate further work by others and has laid a sound and interesting foundation for the development of Orthodox missiology.


Martin Goldsmith

All Nations Christian College, Ware