About the Journal
Ecclesial Futures is a “Diamond Open Access” international juried journal, partnering with @RadboudUniPress and @openjournalsnl. The result for authors is free to publish articles, and for readers free to read articles. To keep up to date, subscribe by registering on the "Newsletter" button on the right of this page.
The journal publishes original research and theological reflection on the development and transformation of local Christian communities and the systems that support them as they join in the mission of God in the world. We are an international and ecumenical journal with an inter-disciplinary understanding of our approach to theological research and reflection; the core disciplines being theology, missiology and ecclesiology. Other social science and theological disciplines may be helpful in supporting the holistic nature of any research. The journal fills an important reflective space between the academy and on-the-ground practice within the field of mission studies, ecclesiology and the so-called “missional church”.
Current Issue
Ecclesial Futures 3.1 brings together some critical questions in missional ecclesiology addressed by a diverse set of authors from Britain and Europe. I hope this won’t always be the case, but it is interesting to have a group of articles addressing questions of ecclesial futures in the western world, all gathered in one place. There are significant overlaps and interactions between the articles as they are presented in the issue; use of the metaphor ‘pioneer’; how disciples are formed and grow into leadership; the forces ranged against such personal and communal maturation in discipleship; the importance in all this of embodied spiritual practices (and therefore neurotheological insights into the how the right hemisphere of the brain can help us) which all adds up to a very different understanding of ‘salvation’ from that which we inherited from our immediate forbears.
A print edition of this issue of Ecclesial Futures can be ordered here.
