The Arts Today in Christian Missions
In the contemporary missions conversation, there is an increased emphasis on ministering to oral learners. Most global cultures today aren’t print learners and do not connect with the gospel through reading. While we ought to be excited about developing new strategies to reach and disciple oral learners, we should also be humbled to learn that Celtic monks were blazing a trail in this approach as far back as the sixth century. We can also learn a great deal from their mission principles and practices among oral and visual peoples like the Picts.
Until rather recently, the modern evangelical missionary movement hasn’t always seen the strategic value of the arts in mission practice. However, the Irish monks show us how the art of a cultural group can be transformed by the gospel and then become a means in which to convey it powerfully. Missionary artists today can find much inspiration from the medieval Celtic monks who took a visual approach and employed the arts while making disciples.
This article originally appeared here.
