Includes bibliographical references (p. 535-562) and indexes.

Introduction. Mission : the contemporary crisis -- pt. 1. New Testament models of mission. Reflections on the New Testament as a missionary document -- Matthew : mission as disciple-making -- Luke-Acts : practicing forgiveness and solidarity with the poor -- Mission in Paul : invitation to join the eschatological community -- pt. 2. Historical paradigms of mission. Paradigm changes in missiology -- The missionary paradigm of the Eastern Church -- The medieval Roman Catholic missionary paradigm -- The missionary paradigm of the Protestant Reformation -- Mission in the wake of the Enlightenment -- pt. 3. Toward a relevant missiology. The emergence of a postmodern paradigm -- Mission in a time of testing -- Elements of an emerging ecumenical missionary paradigm -- Mission in many modes.

"Bosch examins the entire sweep of Christian tradition to show historically how five paradigms have encapsualted the Christian understand of how God saves and what human beings should do in response. Bosch then outlines the key charactersitcs of an emergin 'postmodern' paradigm dialectically linking salvation's transcendent and immanent dimensions." --from back cover