Mission in the Middle

Abstract

Miguel Álvarez, a native of Honduras, explores how mission theology and the contextual implementation of Missio Dei is impacted by Latino hermeneutics. As a foundation, the article compares the North American and Latin American approaches to missiology. It shows how mission as an act of benevolence in the practice of faith differs from mission as a total commitment to the gospel in the execution of the Great Commission. Álvarez contends that because of their context of service, Latinos interpret God’s mission based on a paradigm that favors the poor and disenfranchised of society, and he argues that the ministry of Jesus Christ followed the same paradigm. This Latino perspective on mission helps to explain the current revival that is taken place in the Global South today.