The Wycliffe global alliance - froma U.S. based international mission to a global movement for Bible translation

[摘要] This thesis deals with the complex question of how global Christian missionorganizations must learn to function, especially the Wycliffe Global Alliance (WGA). Isummarize how the Wycliffe Bible Translators (WBT) began in 1942 as theresourcing organization for the Summer Institute of Linguistics (now called SILInternational) and how their mutual founder, American William Cameron Townsend,was influenced by Western mission strategy and conservative evangelical theology.The changing global context is impacting how the missio Dei takes place and this isinfluencing how mission agencies interact with each other and the church worldwide.This is leading to new paradigms of how mission is conceptualized around the world.The thesis outlines how the changing global context has forced Wycliffe to reevaluateits place in the world because, half a century after its formation, the churchhas new homes in the global South and East. It follows that as a Western mission,Western resources have decreased and this has shaped how Wycliffe BibleTranslators (International) has now become Wycliffe Global Alliance (WGA).However, this goes beyond a mere change of name and has resulted in a type ofstructure that enables it to better engage with the church worldwide.The thesis also examines the complexity of contextualization in the globalenvironment, noting how different languages and cultures are involved, each with itsown rules and subtleties. I show how the shift of the centre of gravity of the church tothe global South and East presents new theological challenges for the Bibletranslation effort and these directly impact WGA.There are many missiological implications for WGA that come from influences inchurch history regarding the importance of language, the translatability of the gospel,the history of Bible translation and how missional reflection is necessary in varioussituations. These merge together to provide new implications which are influencedby globalization for mission agencies such as WGA.The thesis also emphasises that WGA is a global mission movement, so I haveidentified methods of leadership development and structure, all of which are criticalto WGA's effectiveness and involvement in the missio Dei. I show that forming globalmission leaders is unique and complex, and how the leaders must embrace a widevariety of qualities, skills and capabilities, especially in responding to greater culturaldiversity. Since most leadership principles are culturally bound, this createsobstacles in cross-cultural situations. Therefore, I emphasize that a successfulmulticultural organization like WGA must learn to focus on both worldwide and localobjectives.The thesis outlines how theological, missiological, cultural, contextual and leadershipvalues converge and therefore reshape a mission movement like WGA. Myconclusion is that none of these influences can be ignored – all are relevant. Eachmust be reflected upon in order to provide directions for WGA as it seeks to befaithful to its vision and serve the global church.

[发布机构] University of Pretoria