THE KUKMIN DAILY

The President of the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS) is visiting Korea to promote the 14th IAMS Assembly, to be held on August 11∼17 this year at Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary (PUTS) in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.

During his press conference at PUTS on January 12, President Mika Vahakangas (Lund University, Sweden, photo) said, “Scholars from different cultural, linguistic, and denominational backgrounds will participate in the Seoul Assembly and present papers showing their diverse research results. We also hope to learn from Korean Christianity.”

Established in the Netherlands in 1972, IAMS provides diverse viewpoints and information for the field of international mission studies through its international scholarly assembly, held every four years. Currently there are 50 organizational and 400 individual members. The upcoming Seoul Assembly theme is “Conversions and Transformations: Missiological Approaches to Religious Change.” 200 foreign and 50 Korean scholars will participate; there will be keynote lectures on mission history, social anthropology, and biblical theology, and 12 research groups.

Dr. Vahakangas is from Finland, and he teaches in Sweden. He looked back on the 10-year period of his pastorate in Tanzania, commenting that he was deeply influenced by the conversion of local residents of East Africa. Defining conversion, he said, “Changes made through conversion include changes not only to the individual but also changes within the society and environment that the changed person belongs to… Conversion is not a one-time experience, but a continuous process taking place throughout one’s life.”

With regard to mission studies circles in Korea, he advised, “They are very strong, but divided. If the evangelical camp and ecumenical camp can form “a threefold cord” (Ecclesiastes 4:12), together they will make a stronger impact.”

Reporter Sangmok Shin (smshin@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)


Click here for the original article in Korean