Culture

This entry seeks to illustrate that as far as digital culture is the environment of our lives, it is the context of our theologising. It will begin by discussing why digital theological engagement is inevitable and thereafter discuss some of the doctrinal focus areas and debates within digital theology to date.

• Systematic Theology

As it pertains to religion, the term mission (Latin: missio = to send) usually describes the communication of one’s own beliefs and practices to people and groups with other religious traditions or world views. It occurs by means of various practices and media. Additionally, mission is often understood in terms of altruistic and caring service towards fellow human beings and the environment. While the term is often used both colloquially and in scholarship exclusively in relation to the Christian faith,[i] researchers on religion also apply it to other religious traditions. When viewed from the perspective of the history of religion, mission is, however, not a feature of all religious traditions.[ii]

[i] Bürkle, Horst, Art. Mission. I. Religionsgeschichtlich, in: LThK 7 ([Sonderdruck] ³2009), 288–289, 288.

[ii] Vgl. Sundermeier, Theo, Art. Mission. I. Religionsgeschichtlich, in: RGG⁴ 5 (2002), 1272–1273.