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Articles and books

On top you will find Vulnerable Mission related resources in English. Scroll down for resources in German, French and Spanish.

General articles on Vulnerable Mission

Bernhard, Deborah. “Upending Cultural Dependency: Honouring Local Buddhist Traditions as a Principle of Vulnerable Mission in the Buddhist Context“. (All Nations Christians College, Ware, Hertfordshire, UK, 2018).

Bosch, David. “The Vulnerability of Mission“. Zeitschrift Für Missionswissenschaft Und Religionswissenschaft 76, no. 3 (1992): 201–16.

Harries, Jim. New Foundations for Appreciating Africa: Beyond Religious and Secular Deceptions. Bonn: Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft, 2016.

Harries, Jim. “Western Theology in Africa: Christian Mission in the Light of the Undermining of Scientific Hegemony“. International Review of Mission 106, no. 2 (2017): 241–60.

Harries, Jim. “Magic, Divine Revelation and Translation in Theological Education in the Majority World Today (with a Focus on Africa)“. Missionalia 47, no. 2 (2019): 165–76.

Harries, Jim. “Overcoming Invented Ogres: African Traditional Religions and World Religions in African Christian Perspective“. Evangelical Review of Theology 42, no. 2 (2018): 171–84.

Harries, Jim. “How Western Anti-Racism Harms Africa and How We Can Do Better“. Chichester: Faithbuilders, 2021. This book is available from Amazon.

More works by Jim Harries on Vulnerable Mission, from shorter articles to books, can be found on his personal website as well as on Amazon. Select from the buttons below for details.

The case for using local resources

Harries, Jim. “Resource Use as Hindrance to Sustainable Overseas Development Intervention: A View Focused on Pentecostal Christianity“. Missiology: An International Review 46, no. 3 (July 2018): 251–67.

Maranz, David E. African Friends and Money Matters, Second Edition: Observations from Africa. 2nd ed. Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2016. This book is available from Amazon.

The case for using local languages

Harries, Jim. “The Great Delusion: Post-Colonial Language Policy for Mission and Development in Africa Reviewed“. Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies 29, no. 1 (2012): 44–61.

Harries, Jim. Communication in Mission and Development. Relating to the Church in Africa. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2013. This book is available from Amazon.

Harries, Jim. “The Glaring Gap, Anthropology, Religion, and Christianity in African Development“. Exchange 42 (2013): 232–51.

Harries, Jim. “The Importance of Local Language in Urban Ministry: Why European Languages Are Not Sufficient in African Contexts“. Lausanne Global Analysis 8, no. 2 (March 2019).

Vulnerable Mission in practice

Harries, Jim. African Heartbeat and A Vulnerable Fool. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2019. This book is available from Amazon.

Horst, Willis, Ute Paul, and Frank Paul, eds. “Mission without Conquest: An Alternative Missionary Practice“. Carlisle: Langham Global Library, 2015. This book is available from Amazon.

Grohmann, Marcus. “A Foolish Proposal? Vulnerability as an Alternative Attempt to Contribute to Decolonisation and Reconciliation in Post-Colonial South Africa“. Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies 37, no. 2 (April 2020): 140–59.

Johnson, Jean. “We Are Not the Hero: A Missionary’s Guide to Sharing Christ, Not a Culture of Dependency“. Sisters, OR: Deep River Books LLC, 2012. This book is available from Amazon.

Johnson, Jean, and Darryl Meekins. “We Are Not The Hero – The Participant’s Guide“. CreateSpace Publishing, 2018. This book is available from Amazon.

Further reading

Books we find inspiring

Reese, Robert. Roots and Remedies of the Dependency Syndrome in World Missions. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2010. This book is available from Amazon.

Bessenecker, Scott. “Overturning Tables: Freeing Missions from the Christian-Industrial Complex“. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014. This book is available from Amazon.

Brown, Brené. “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead“. Reprint Edition. New York: Avery, 2015. This book is available from Amazon.

Other languages

German: Texte und Bücher in Deutsch

Gühne, Pfr. Christine. ‚Einführungsreferat zu „Vulnerable Mission“‘. Vortrag bei der Tagung ‚Verletzliche Mission‘ am 9.5.2015 in Marburg.

Harries, Jim. ‚Verzichtende Mission: eine Alternative zu erfolglosen Hilfsmodellen – nicht nur in Afrika‘.

Harries, Jim. ‚Verzichtende Mission – auf dem Weg zu einer „Normalisierung“ christlicher Missionspraktiken in nachkolonialer Zeit‘.

Harries, Jim. ‘Die Herausforderungen Durch Ein Monistisches Weltbild Und Die Notwendigkeit Des Gebrauchs von Indigenen Sprachen Und Ressourcen in Afrika’. Evangelische Missiologie 34, no. 1 (2018): 12–28.

Johnson, Jean. ‚Was hast du in der Hand? – Über die Verwendung von Finanzen und anderen Ressourcen in christlicher Mission und Entwicklungszusammenarbeit‘.

Paul, Frank. ‚Aus Babel getürmt: Vom Segen der sprachlichen Vielfalt‘.

Paul, Frank und Paul, Ute. ‚Von der Kolonisierung zur „geschwisterlichen Begleitung“‘.

Paul, Frank und Paul, Ute. ‚Begleiten Statt Erobern – Missionare Als Gäste Im Nordargentinischen Chaco‘. Schwarzenfeld: Neufeld Verlag, 2010.

French: Textes en français

Harries, Jim. ‘Mission vulnérable – une «normalisation» des pratiques de la mission chrétienne en prévision d’une situation post-coloniale’.

Harries, Jim. ‘De la nécessité dʼutiliser les langues et ressources locales dans la Mission en Afrique’.

Harries, Jim. ‘De l’efficacité de la mission à court terme en l’Afrique en rapport à lʼoccidentalisation, la christianisation et la création de dépendance’.

Spanish: Textos y libros en español

Byler, Dionisio. ‘La grandeza de un ser vulnerable’.

Greenfield, Craig. ‘Diez razones por qué sus buenas intenciones de combatir la pobreza son contraproducentes’.

Harries, Jim. ‘Misión vulnerable con respecto a la hechicería’.

Harries, Jim. ‘Una “normalización“ de las prácticas de la Misión Cristiana en anticipación a una situación post-colonial’.

Little, Christopher. ‘Dos bicicletas que dividieron una iglesia’.