Media Engagement as a Lausanne Theme

Media engagement has been a recurring missiological theme throughout the history of The Lausanne Movement.

Lars Dahle presents an overview and analysis of that history in his article Media Messages Matter: Towards a New Missiological Approach to Media Engagement, which was published in Norwegian Journal of Missiology in June 2014.

For a briefer article, see “Media Engagement: A Global Missiological Task”.

Abstract

Media engagement has been a central missional theme throughout the history of The Lausanne Movement. This article explores the strategic theme in key Lausanne documents, with an emphasis on the recent reflective process related to The Cape Town process and The Cape Town Commitment. This process resulted in an identification of media awareness, media presence, and media ministries as three signficant foci for media engagement. A conceptual framework for the three foci is introduced, followed by an outline of theological, missiological, and apologetic foundations. Subsequently, key strategic aims are identified for the three media foci, in order to bear witness to Jesus Christ and all his teaching in every nation, in every sphere of society, and in the realm of ideas.

See the Lausanne Movement website for information about what its activities. For more about the background of Lausanne, see M. S. Dahle, L. Dahle & K. Jørgensen (eds.) The Lausanne Movement: A Range of Perspective (Oxford: Regnum Books International, 2014). This substantial volume, which is volume 22 in The Regnum Edinburgh Centenary Series, should be consulted for in-depth information and reflections on the history, theology and missiology of Lausanne. A free download for personal use is available here.

For chapters related to communication and media engagement issues, see especially:

Kåre Melhus: ‘To Tell the Whole World: Three Global Lausanne Congresses Seen from the Press Center’ (pp. 86–96)
Julia Cameron and Lars Dahle: ‘Communicating Lausanne – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ (pp. 99–112)
Lars Dahle: ‘Mission in 3D: A Key Lausanne III Theme’ (pp. 265–279)

The Lausanne Movement: A Range of Perspectives was recently included on the International Bulletin of Missionary Research (IBMR) list of ‘Fifteen Outstanding Books of 2014 for Mission Studies’.