Group presentation questions: Theology of Missions

Pool of discussion questions for Theology of Missions class
Thought-provoking discussions can explore the theological basis for missionary calling, the fate of the unevangelized, the challenges of non-Christian practices, and the encounters of Christianity with diverse cultures and other religions.
The complexities of contextualization and the dangers of syncretism must be faced in tackling the issue of how far one can go in adapting the Christian faith to new cultures while retaining its essence.

Theology of Missions

The Theology of Missions class will be divided into groups of four or five people. Each group will select one of these questions (no two groups may use the same question), which they will research together and prepare a presentation for the entire class.

This list of questions is not closed. That is, the group may ask for permission to deal with a variation of one of these questions or even with a question not listed here.

Group presentations will be most helpful to the class when they make ample use of quotations and illustrations from relevant literature.

Theological questions for discussion

What happens to unevangelized people who die without ever having heard of Jesus? What are the various positions that have historically been taken (and by whom) on this question?
How far can one adapt the Christian faith to a new culture while ensuring that it remains Christian? (This question involves issues of contextualization versus syncretism.) "Indigenous" was a word once used in connection with this issue.
Is Jesus the only way to God and to salvation?
Is there a theological basis for believing that God does impress or call some people to be missionaries? If so, what is it?
Can traditional non-Christian ceremonies be integrated into Christianity?
How should Christians treat the reverence for ancestors expressed by the Chinese and other peoples?
What is the irreducible minimum that one should consider to be the authentic gospel message? That is, what should be the requirements for Christian baptism?
What are the main issues a person from another religion should consider in converting to Christianity?
What about Jews? Should we try to convert them? Why or why not?
How does liberation theology understand Jesus' mission, particularly His concern for the poor and oppressed, and how should Christians evaluate its emphasis on social and political liberation in relation to biblical affirmations about His saving work?
Are all religions worshiping the same god/God even though each one says different things about Him/Her/It?
What do Jesus and Paul have to teach us in our encounters with other religions?
What guidelines should one use in developing contextually appropriate materials and modes of Christian expression for various cultural groups?

Is your group a healthy one?

How to deal with nonproductive members and counterproductive behaviors

— Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu

11 Ways to Create Good Discussion Questions

Avoid yes/no questions. That type of question limits discussion and can shut down a conversation quickly.
Invite curiosity-driven inquiries. Ask questions like "How do you think...?" or "What are the ramifications of...?"
Make sure that questions are relevant to the central theme or objective of the discussion.
Ask questions that require participants to connect ideas or concepts.
Ask questions that make participants reflect on their beliefs or challenge commonly held views.
Questions that require comparing, contrasting, or synthesizing information tend to provoke richer discussions.
Formulate questions that can be answered in various ways. These will stimulate people to see different ways of thinking about an issue.
Be specific and clear about what you are asking.
Questions that invite participants to share their own experiences or viewpoints often lead to more engaging discussions.
Adjust the difficulty of the question to match the knowledge and experience level of the participants.
To avoid excluding some participants, stay away from overly technical language or niche references that only a few people would understand.