Johannes Lepsius' missiologie (the missiology of Johannes Lepsius)

Abstract

Forschungsgegenstand dieser Arbeit ist Johannes Lepsius' Missiologie. Aufgabe der Untersuchung ist es, die wichtigsten missiologischen Auffassungen und Überzeugungen von Johannes Lepsius aus der Vielzahl seiner veröffentlichten Schriften zu erheben und sie dann erstmals systematisiert in einem Ge¬samtüberblick darzustellen. Die Besonderheit besteht dabei darin, dass sich die Missiologie von Johan¬nes Lepsius nur aus der Zusammenschau von zahlreichen Einzeläußerungen erschließen lässt, die sich zumeist in kleineren Aufsätzen und Zeitschriftenartikeln finden lassen. Somit ist es notwendig, seine einzelnen Schriften in ihrem jeweiligen - auch biographischen - Kontext wahrzunehmen und zu inter¬pretieren. Aus der Aufarbeitung der theologischen Grundlagen von Johannes Lepsius' Missiologie, sei¬ner Ansichten bezüglich der Missionsarbeit unter Muslimen und einiger weiterer spezieller missiologi¬scher Fragestellungen wird deutlich, dass Johannes Lepsius trotz durchaus vorhandener Parallelen zu anderen missiologischen Entwürfen in theologischer und missiologischer Hinsicht als eigenständiger Denker zu betrachten ist. Die Kenntnis der missiologischen Überzeugungen, die hinter Lepsius' so viel¬fältigen missionarischem, theologischem, sozialdiakonischem und politischem Wirken stehen, macht es möglich, seine äußerlich so wechselhafte Biographie besser zu verstehen. Darüber hinaus bietet seine Missiologie - besonders sein Reich Gottes-Verständnis - interessante Impulse für die heutige missiolo¬gische Diskussion, insbesondere was die Frage nach dem Verhältnis von Missionsauftrag und gesell¬schaftlichem Engagement betrifft.

SUMMARY

The object of this research work is the missiology of Johannes Lepsius. The task of the investigation is to collate the most important missiological opinions and beliefs of Johannes Lepsius from the large number of his published writing and then to present them in a systematic overview for the first time. They are characterised specifically by the fact that the missiology of Johannes Lepsius can only be de¬veloped from an overview summary of numerous individual statements which are generally to be found in smaller papers and journal articles. Therefore it is necessary to appreciate and interpret his individual writings in their specific - and also biographical - contexts. From the reworking of the theological prin¬ciples of Johannes Lepsius' missiology, his views on mission work amongst Muslims and some other special missiological questions, it becomes clear that Johannes Lepsius - despite existing parallels with other missiological models from a theological and missiological point of view - is to be viewed as an independent thinker. The knowledge of the missiological beliefs which underpin Lepsius' very varied missionary, theological, socio-diaconical and political activities makes it possible to have a better un¬derstanding of his biography that from the outside seems so incoherent. His missiology - especially his un¬derstanding of the Kingdom of God - also offers interesting inputs for today's missiological discus¬sions, especially as far as the question of the relationship between missionary work and social commit¬ment is concerned.

The object of this research is the missiology of Johannes Lepsius. The task of the investigation is to collate the most important missiological opinions and beliefs of Johannes Lepsius from the large number of his published writing and then to present them in a systematic overview for the first time. They are characterised specifically by the fact that the missiology of Johannes Lepsius can only be developed from an overview summary of numerous individual statements which are generally to be found in smaller papers and journal articles. Therefore it is neccessary to appreciate and interpret his individual writings in their specific - and also biographical - contexts. From the reworking of the theological principles of Johannes Lepsius' missiology, his views on mission work amongst Muslims and some other special missiological questions, it becomes clear that Johannes Lepsius - despite existing parallels with other missiological models from a theological and missiological point of view - is to be viewed as an independent thinker. The knowledge of the missiological beliefs which underpin Lepsius' very varied missionary, theological, socio-diaconical and political activities makes it possible to have a better understanding of his biography that from the outside seems so incoherent. His missiology - especially his understanding of the Kingdom of God - also offers interesting inputs for today's missiological discussions, especially as far as the question of the relationship between msiionary work and social commitment is concerned.