For those interested in understanding how missions relates to the heart of theology, Lalsangkima Pachuau, Professor of Christian Mission at Asbury Theological Seminary, helpfully offers his recent work, God at Work in the World. Pachuau cogently and concisely argues for founding our theology of mission in the Trinitarian God’s work in the world, namely in the salvific mission of Christ, sent by the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pachuau looks at the central tenets of theology through the lens of mission.

Pachuau’s aim, presented in the introduction, is to show that, “Theology of mission is an essential part of theology itself, and any theology that does not deal with God’s mission cannot be fully regarded as theology proper” (p. 2). Successive chapters build this connection by assessing five theological fields: the Trinity, Christology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and the Christ-culture relationship.

In chapter 1, Pachuau overviews the concept of the Trinity and its relation and effect on missional theology. Appealing mainly to Barth, he locates the source of missional theology in the economic Trinity, the triune God’s work and revelation in the world. Pachuau argues that the Missio Dei, the Father’s sending the Son and Spirit to the world, irresistibly forms the foundation for missions today.

Chapters 2–3 assess the missional implications of Christology and soteriology. Pachuau argues that salvation is the core component of Christian missions because salvation is at the core of God’s missional sending of the incarnate Son, Jesus (p. 51). With special attention to the global church, Pachuau calls believers to approach the incarnation holistically, embracing and encouraging many different denominational perspectives on salvation, ranging from Pentecostal healing ministry to theosis in Eastern Orthodox theology. Chapter 3 closes with a discussion of the scope of salvation, concluding with Pachuau tentatively maintaining that salvation is through Jesus alone, but leaving the door open for a more universal salvation, appealing to the mysterious mercies of God (pp. 108–10). He writes, “In this light … being open to the ‘possibility’ of universal salvation makes sense. It is a possibility, but the definitive answer belongs to God” (p. 109).

Chapters 4–5 focus on the people of God by addressing missional ecclesiology and the Christ-culture relationship. Seeing the church as a pivotal component of God’s mission, Pachuau argues that “the church, therefore, is mission before it does mission” (p. 122). He analyzes the missional connotations of three scriptural images of the church: the church as covenant people, as Christ’s body, and as the spirit-led servant-herald of God’s kingdom. Drawing from the Council of Chalcedon and the Synoptic Gospels, Chapter 5 couches the importance of culture in the Son who, in taking on flesh and dwelling among us, naturally imbibes and legitimizes human culture even as he transcends it in his divinity (p. 155). Pachuau concludes by explaining that every culture has equal potential for the gospel to take root and for unique, culturally specific theological insights.

Pachuau’s work has significant strengths and makes valuable contributions to the discussion of missional theology. First, he advances the importance and cause of missions in serious theological study. Essentially, he reads theology with an eye toward missions. For example, this is clear in his analysis of the incarnation in chapters 2 and 5, where he demonstrates that missions and culture matter because Jesus, being sent on mission and taking on human culture, validates both. A second strength is Pachuau’s use and appreciation for the best global Christian scholarship, regardless of denominational tradition or culture. He references Orthodox theology, Catholic theology, Korean theologians, Hindu-background Indian theologians, liberation theology, and many others. These references help form an ecumenical view of missional theology that validates the positive contributions of almost every church branch.

Some readers may find it helpful to know that Pachuau, while committed to Scripture and the church, often takes a more progressive theological perspective. For example, he is uncomfortable with the Pauline authorship of Ephesians and Colossians (p. 135). He is also critical of theologians who reject the possibility of any universal offering of salvation in Scripture (pp. 103, 108–9).

In terms of constructive criticism, Pachuau helpfully encourages global scholarship, but shows a slight bias against traditional confessional Protestant and Catholic perspectives. For instance, when discussing salvation, he references feminist and liberation theology without critique (pp. 52–53). Yet, he claims the satisfaction theory, the predominant perspective of Protestantism and Catholicism alike, has “significant limitations and problems” (p. 65). Additionally, it would have been helpful for Pachuau, considering the space devoted to the particularism/universalism debate, to address the value of missions if universalism is possible. If many/all can be saved apart from confessing faith in Jesus, then what is the need for missions?

While the book is predominantly for theological students and scholars, thoughtful laypeople will also benefit from studying it, particularly those interested in a general primer on some of the central tenets of theological study through a missional lens. In our globalized era, Pachuau provides a clear and thoughtful call to remember the church’s mission and that we are missional only because God was missional first.

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