Four axes of mission: Conversion and the purposes of mission in Protestant history

Ryrie, Alec; Trim, David

Abstract

This article offers a framework for historical analysis of the goals of Protestant missionary projects. ‘Conversion’ in Protestantism is not clearly defined, is liable to be falsified and may (in some missionary views) require preparatory work of various kinds before it can be attempted. For these reasons, Protestant missionaries have adopted a variety of intermediate and proxy goals for their work, goals which it is argued can be organised onto four axes: orthodoxy, zeal, civilisation and morality. Together these form a matrix which missionaries, their wouldbe converts and their sponsors have tried to negotiate. In different historical contexts, missionaries have chosen different combinations of priorities, and have adapted these in the face of experience. The article suggests how various historical missionary projects can be analysed using this matrix and concludes by suggesting some problems and issues in the history of Protestant missions which such analysis can illuminate.

Citation

Ryrie, A., & Trim, D. (2022). Four axes of mission: Conversion and the purposes of mission in Protestant history. Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 32, 113-133. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0080440122000020

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 7, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Mar 22, 2022
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Deposit Date: Jan 25, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 25, 2022
• Journal: Transactions of the Royal Historical Society
• Print ISSN: 0080-4401
• Electronic ISSN: 1474-0648
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 32
• Pages: 113-133
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s0080440122000020
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1216454