This collection of seventeen never-before-published essays, sermons, and addresses by Lesslie Newbigin, one of the premier missiologists of the twentieth century, puts forth his developing view of the agenda for Christian mission from 1960 to 1992. Considered "the quintessence of Newbigin's thought" by editor Eleanor Jackson, these papers record the dynamics of Newbigin's ideas about mission as he confronted new issues in the church and society. Newbigin's sermon at Riverside Church in New York City in 1960 opens discussion on the themes of unity in mission, changes in the missionary enterprise, and developments in the theology of mission. A second group of articles addresses specific "frontline" situations: mission in the modern city, the pastor's role in the inner city, and the future of the parish church. Newbigin then moves to frontier concerns: the resistance of modern society to the gospel, the cultural captivity of the church, and the consequences of witness in a world of religious and ideological pluralism - themes central to many of his full-length books. Finally, Newbigin sets the agenda for mission as the church approaches a new millennium. Spanning three significant decades in the history of church outreach, A Word in Season offers an important perspective on the course of Christian mission and provides valuable instruction to those who struggle with the missionary task today.
