Mission Catalyst magazine – past issues
Mission Catalyst 1/2024 – Are you sitting comfortably?
This issue of Mission Catalyst celebrates 75 years of the International Baptist Theological Seminary. Mike Pears addresses questions of space and exclusion, David Burau, Kieryn Wurts and Matt Norman think about why we need theology, and Marion Carson shares a story of grounded theology in a pastoral context. There’s shelf awareness from Ingeborg te Loo and Natalia-Nana’s regular column examines othering, while Malky Currie’s page designs expand your exploration of all these themes.
Articles
Your name's not down – Mike Pears, Experiments in Baptist Thoughts – Matty Fearon, Shelf Awareness – Ingeborg te Loo, Let them be Heretics – David Burau, Why Theology – Kieryn Wurts and Matt Norman, Unsettling the Word – Marion Carson, Turning othered to beloved – Natalia-Nana Lester-Bush.
Mission Catalyst 2/2023 The Road to Reconciliation
As the UK church across the denominations prepares for rifts, rips and worse over the issue of human sexuality, this issue looks to the Global church for theologies of healing, a subject brought yet more sharply into focus by the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Articles
Illuminating pathways to hope – Matty Fearon, Love and Tutu – René August, What is truth – Martin Accad, Black Saturday – Martin Accad, Unsettling the Word – Camille Hernandez, A time I changed my mind – Katy Hayward, Shelf Awareness – Camille Hernandez, Who is your Samaritan? – Natalia-Nana Lester-Bush.
Mission Catalyst 1/2023 Transforming Apologetics
How to make interfaith friends and not alienate people.
Articles
Interfaith fixes when things fall apart – Matty Fearon, Inspiring humble confidence – Benno Van Den Toren and Kang-San Tan, Shelf awareness – Kang-San Tan, Unsettling the world – Ruth Conlon, A life through the lens – Jesse Johnson James, Repentance for manipulative motivations – Kang-San Tan and Benno Van Der Toren, A time I changed my mind – Amro Hussein, How mission is racist – Natalia-Nana Lester-Bush.
Mission Catalyst 2/2022 A Christian Response to War
Nick Megoran makes the evangelical case against war while Pieter J. Lalleman defends Old Testament history. Cole Maynard shares his own experiences as an army chaplain while Linda Ramsden takes us on her journey from American Zionist to its ideological opposite.
Articles
Cycles of chaos and violence – Matty Fearon, Handle with care – Pieter J. Lalleman, The gospel of peace – Nick Megoran, Prayer behind enemy lines – Cole Maynard, Photo essay: Clearing the fog – Chris Hoskins, A time I changed my mind – Linda Ramsden, Unsettling the word – Zoe murton, Shelf awareness – Rachel Conway-Doel, Bringing peace to the least – Natalia-Nana Lester-Bush, From the mouths of hawks and doves.
Mission Catalyst 1/2022 Decolonising Christianity
This issue promises to unsettle our Christian heritage.
Article
To more truly hear Jesus – Matty Fearon, Confronting the legacy of western mission – Dr Renie Chow Choy, Experiments in imagining others – Wale Hudson-Roberts, Shelf awareness – Matty Fearon, Ancestral feeling – Dr Renie Chow Choy, Photo essay: From there to everywhere – George Nickels, A time I changed my mind – David McMillan, Disrupting the world – Annet Ttendo-Miller, Decolonise your western mind – Nana-Natalia Lester Bush.
Mission Catalyst 1/2021 Love and Singleness
This issue tackles romantic partnerships in Christian culture: What single people in church really think, how demographics are affecting attitudes to love and marriage, and several perspectives on romantic love, divorce and friendship.
Article
Singleness, sex and the Bible – John Mark Comer, Happily ever after? – Lina Toth, Falling in love (again) – Mark Woods, Divorce – Helen Paynter, What single Christians want you to know – Sarah, Its the demographics stupid – Vicky Walker, The art of friendship – David Bennett.
Mission Catalyst 3/2020 The Covid-Effect
In this issue contributors including Sam Hailes, Wale Hudson Roberts and Marg Hardcastle, plus an interview with a junior doctor and Covid survivor help us unpack the lessons we’ve learned from the Coronavirus pandemic, and others we are yet to learn.
Article
Q&A: Junior doctor – Manny Lyman, Remote working – Dianna Langley, Suffering and lament – Emma Dipper, The economy – Peter Challen, The future of church – Mark Craig, The media – Sam Hailes, Inequality – Wale Hudson-Roberts, Gods sovereignty – Marg Hardcastle and Caleb Hutcherson, America – Mario Anthony Russo, Covid as enemy – Mark Ord.
Mission Catalyst 2/2020 Outsiders
In this issue we listen to voices from the outside. Among others, a buddhist, a humanist, a homeless man and a queer woman contribute articles some may find less than comfortable.
Article
The goth – Jonathan Langley, The refugee – Majeda Khouri, The Buddhist – Ken Holmes, The Muslim – Dr Shabbir Akhtar, The humanist – Paul Hurst, The woman – Hannah Mudge, The homeless man – George Williams, The teenagers, The queer woman – Grace Claydon.
Mission Catalyst 1/2020 Power
This issue of Mission Catalyst examines power. Are we holding on to it? Does it always corrupt? Or can it be used to benefit others?
Article
Power, strategy and tactics – Mark Ord, Q&A: Justin Welby, Q&A: with BWA Chief, Elijah Brown, Would Brexit have happened if women were in power? – Alison Jasper, Power, privilege and that vigil – Andrew Graystone, Shock news: A white man gets a chance to speak – Martin Saunders, God and the big battalions – Robert Gardiner, Havilah Dharamraj on Hagar.
Mission Catalyst 3/2019 Europe
This issue of Mission Catalyst is guest edited by the International Baptist Theological Study Centre (IBTSC) in Amsterdam, and features contributions from Mike Pears, Walter and Andrea Klimt, David Bunce, Ksenija Magda, Jan Martijn Abrahamse, David McMillan, Denys Kondyuk, and Henrikas Zukauskas.
Article
Didcot and handing control to Europe – Jonathan Langley, Editorial from IBTSC – Mike Pears, Q&A: outreach in Austria – Walter Klimt, Andrea Klimt and Dave Bunce, 3 controversies in Croatian theology – Ksenija Magda, Theology: clown of the sciences – Jan Martijn Abrahamse, The Brexit challenge – Dave McMillan, Europe, identity and the west – a view from Ukraine – Denys Kondyuk, Art as theology in Lithuania – Henrikas Zukauskas, futher reading.
Mission Catalyst 1/2019 Freedom
This issue of Mission Catalyst features the thoughts of Paula Gooder, David Bebbington, Baroness Berridge and others on the theme of Freedom.
Article
Do we even like freedom? – Jonathan Langley, Baptists and Freedom – David Bebbington, Q&A Paula Gooder, Religious freedom for all – Baroness Elizabeth Berridge, Freedom of the press – Ruth Gledhill, Free markets and neoliberalism – Beth Allison-Glenny, Freedom to die – Canon Rosie Harper, Freedom is not choice – Mark Ord, further reading and viewing.
Mission Catalyst 3/2018 The Future
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on the future: mission, church and faith going forward.
Article
Future questions for future missions – Jonathan Langley, Polycentric mission today and tomorrow – Kristeen Kim, Stanley Hauerwas and Rob Bell, Our future – Kang-San Tan, World religions – Gina Zurlo, Should we stop? – Eddie Arthur, Should we transcend mission? – Michael Stroope, What a Victorian can teach us about tomorrow – Mark Woods.
Mission Catalyst 2/2018 Islam
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on Islam: is our attitude too black and white?
Article
Do we see Arabic and think terrorist? – Jonathan Langley, A wind in the house of Islam – David Garrison, Ethical evangelism in Islamic contexts – Arthur Brown, Tolerance, Trump and liberty – Mitch Randall, 'Love your neighbour' doesn't exclude Muslims – Dwight Swanson, A Muslim scholar's message to us – Shabbir Akhtar, Women in Islam – Anna Larson, Delve deeper.
Mission Catalyst 1/2018 The Supernatural
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on the supernatural: have we rationalised it out of Christianity?
Article
The exorcist and the editorial – Jonathan Langley, The guardian journalist on my shoulder – Mark Ord, Deliverance minister – Matt Frost, Jesus among the witches – Emma Moreton, An African view of the supernatural – Israel Oluwole Olofinjana, Is Christianity too weird for us? – Peter Laws, The missionary and the haunted well – Gill Thurgood, Chris Duffett's spiritual treasure hunt, Further reading/viewing.
Mission Catalyst 3/2017 Truth
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: truth in an era of fake news and features an interview with James KA Smith.
Article
Him?! – Jonathan Langley, His desert island discs - James Ka Smith, Dawkins hates this – Philip McCormack, Life of Pi Brexit shock – Mark Woods, Calais migrants threaten worship jobs – Simon Jones, Manic street preacher starts shouting - what happens next will blow your mind – Marion Carson, Quiz: which evangelical epistemology are you? – Mark Ord, Was Franic Scaeffer a postmodernist? (no).
Mission Catalyst 2/2017 Baptists and Evangelicals
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: Baptist and Evangelicals and features an interview with Russell Moore.
Article
Keeping our distinctives – David Kerrigan, Being Baptist in England, Scotland and Wales – Judith Morris, Jim Purves and Lynn Green, Q&A With Russell Moore, Shared DNA, different animals – David Kerrigan, Global Baptists – Tony Cupit, Evangelical and liberal – Nigel Wright, Church in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean – Duro Ayanrinola, Tapas Mondal, Anslem Warwick and Lone Moller-Hansen, Baptists as advocates – Rev Emma Walsh, The reformation: 500 years on – Rev Dr Ruth Gouldbourne, Further reading.
Mission Catalyst 1/2017 Worship
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: Worship and features an interview with Matt Redman.
Article
Jazz, classical and contemporary – Matt Redman, Biblical worship – Chris Ellis, Men and singing – Carl Beech, A Christian DJ introduces the best worship across genres – George Luke, An ethnomusicologist examines multicultural worship – Margaret Gibbs, What makes best sung worship – David Kerrigan, Further reading and listening.
Mission Catalyst 4/2016 The Trinity
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: the Trinity and features an interview with Samuel Escobar.
Article
A letter from Lucy Berry – Bill Clews, Editorial – David Kerrigan, The rise and fall of the social trinity – Stephen Holmes, Extract – William Lane Craig, Trinity and difficult women – Claire Ord, What we get wrong about the Trinity – Paul Fiddes, Difference within the Trinity – Mark Ord, Q&A: Samuel Escobar, Further reading .
Mission Catalyst 3/2016 The Nations
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: the Cost of Crossing Borders and features an interview with Vinoth Ramachandra.
Article
Your letters, Editorial – David Kerrigan, Q&A: Noam Chomsky, Nations – Nigel Wright, Is God an Englishman? – Mark Woods, American exceptionalism – Amy Boucher Pye, Nationalism, Christianity and Scotland – Simon Barrow, Q&A: Vinoth Ramachandra, Further reading, viewing, listening.
Mission Catalyst 2/2016 The End Times
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: the End Times and features an interview with Richard Buckman.
Article
Your letters – Colin Cartwright, Editorial – David Kerrigan, Q&A: Richard Bauckham, End times scriptures – Simon Woodman, Who is the antichrist? – Marion LS Carson, Millennialisms – Steve Finamore, Four maybes: Why we don't talk about the end times – Phil Grasham, 'Left Behind' in America – Zach Dawes, Further reading.
Mission Catalyst 1/2016 War!
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: Christianity's complex relationship with war and features an interview with Chaplain General.
Article
Your letters, An apology for war? – Mark Ord, Q&A: Chaplain General David Coulter, Does religion legitimate war? – Michael Jerryson, Five war moments in Christian history – Chris Heron, War in the Old Testament – Susan Niditch, Humanitarian intervention: justified war? – Steve Hucklesby, Trident: for – Mark Woods, Trident: against – Symon Hill, Further reading/viewing.
Mission Catalyst 4/2015 Forgive them for their debts!
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: preconceptions of debt and features an interview with the Jubilee Debt Campaign.
Article
Your letters, Editorial – David Kerrigan, Pragmatic v prophetic responses to debt – Juliet Kilpin, Time to give up on jubilee? – Steve Sanderson, Jubilee debt – Tim Jones, Biblical principles for the politics of debt – Philip Davis, Trickle-down grace – Mark Ord, What Islam can teach Christians about debt – Sheikh Mohammad Abou Zaid, The great financial crisis: a Biblical diagnosis – Paul Mills, Further reading/listening.
Mission Catalyst 3/2015 At Sea Over Scriptures
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: our honest with the Bible, and the conflicts we often find ourself in with scripture and features an interview with Tony Campolo.
Article
Your letters, Beyond liberal and conservative – David Kerrigan,Q&A: Tony Campolo, Sex texts and contexts – Guy Brandon, Authority and 'higher'archy – Krish Kandiah, Holiness and difference – Anna Robbins, Biblical violence – David Kerrigan, Jesus quoting scripture – David Instone-Brewer, Further-reading/viewing.
Mission Catalyst 2/2015 The Communion of Sinners
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: the Communion of sinners and features an interview with Richard Rohr, Walter Brueggemann and Miroslav Volf.
Article
Communion of the sinners – David Kerrigan, Real bread – Sara Miles, The Eucharist – Walter Brueggemann, Miroslav Volf and Richard Rohr, The table: free for all? – Helen Dare, Rethinking Communion – Antony Clarke, A distinctive Baptist theology of presence – Timothy George, Exclusion and the faithful – John Colwell, Kids and the cup – Andy Goodliff, Further reading/viewing.
Mission Catalyst 1/2015 GBV Let's Sort It Out
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: Gender Based Violence and features an interview with Deborah Jamieson.
Article
Gender based violence: Let's sort it out – David Kerrigan, Law society head on legal aid cuts – Andrew Caplen, Q&A Deborah Jamieson, Is all fundamentalism misogynistic? – Steve Holmes, Hermeneutics for women – E Anne Clements, Positive masculinities – Peter Grant, The f-word – Claire Ord, Infographic: A life of violence, In our churches – Terrie Robinson, Further reading/viewing.
Mission Catalyst 4/2014 It's the Economics!
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: economics and features an interview with Michael Ramsden.
Article
It's the economics, stupid! – David Kerrigan, The psychology of consumerism – Jonathan Langley, Q&A: Michael Ramsden, In defence of capitalism – Steve Baker, In defence of socialism – Andy Flannagan, Six revolutionary economic thinkers – Chris Hall, Steady state economics – Brian Czech, The common good – Jim Wallis, Monetary justice – Peter Challen, Neoliberalism and the church – Herbert Anders, Further reading/viewing.
Mission Catalyst 3/2014 Climate Change is Boring
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: climate change and features an interview with Sir John Houghton
Article
Bored to death – David Kerrigan, Floods, faith and justice – Ian James, Q&A: Sir John Houghton, Ten reasons why nobody cares about climate change – Jonathan Langley, Infographic: perceptions of climate change, Life after COP15 – Ruth Valerio, Will science save the world? – Andy Boston, From gloom to action – Al Roxburgh, Why should we care? – Sarah Stone, Further reading.
Mission Catalyst 2/2014 The Valley of the Shadows
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: why end of life issues matter and features an interview with Tony and Jane Nicklinson.
Articles
Reflecting on catalyst live – David Kerrigan, Does God cause disasters? – Robert White, Bible technology – Stephen Holmes, Despair and the uniqueness of Christian hope – Jürgen Moltmann, Art – Graham Sutherland, Loving enemies in Palestine – Yohanna Katanacho, Slingshot of truth – John Lennox, Poetry – Lucy Berry, Baptists' radical heritage – Wale Huson Roberts.
Mission Catalyst 4/2013 Mission of the Mind
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: mission of the mind and features an interview with Professor Jürgen Moltmann.
Article
The Gospel for every sphere – David Kerrigan, Politics: Time to engage – Gary Streeter, Q&A: Jürgen Moltmann, Newbigin and culture – Nicholas Wood, Christ-centred journalism – Ruth Dickinson, Christian art as hospitality – Emily Rodgers, Philosophy – William Lane Craig, Science and faith – Sharon Dirckx, Malick and Christian film – Philip Johnston, Book, study guide and DVD reviews.
Mission Catalyst 3/2013 How far is too far?
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: how far is too far when it comes to contextualisation and features an interview with Timothy C Tennent.
Article
The church needs contextualisation – David Kerrigan, Warning the non-Western church – Nour Armagan, Q&A: Timothy C Tennent, Contextualisation: how far is too far? – David Kerrigan, The C1-C6 spectrum – Chris Hall, Q&A: Aradhna – Chris Hale, Jesus as eternal ancestor in Africa – Jaco Beyers, Bible translations for Muslims – Martin, Worship around the world – Margaret Gibbs, CD, DVD & book reviews.
Mission Catalyst 2/2013 Israel-Palestine
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: Israel-Palestine and features an interview with Rabi Arik Ascherman.
Article
Editorial – David Kerrigan, To Zionist Christians, from Palestine – Tanas Alqassis, Q&A Rabbi Arik Ascherman, A brief history of Zionism – David Kerrigan, Christian Zionist, John Hagee, A Palestinian theologian speaks – Yohanna Katanacho, Messianic Jews and Palestinian believers - Lisa Loden, Stephen Sizer, Myths about Israel – Illan Pappe, Bible reflection - Stephen Finamore.
Mission Catalyst 1/2013 What happens when we die?
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: what happens when we die and features an interview with Tom Wright.
Article
Why death matters – David Kerrigan, 'Dying well' – Lucy Berry, Q&A: Tom Wright, What the Bible says about death – David Kerrigan, Talking with young people about death – Nick Luxmoore, Physics on resurrection – John Polkinghorne, Judgement and hope after death – Simon Woodman, Three images of heaven and hell – Katherine Mannion, Further reading, Book reviews.
Mission Catalyst 4/2012 Mystery
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: the art of unknowing and mystery and features an interview with Father Richard Rohr.
Article
The art of unknowing – David Kerrigan, The Lord's supper – Myra Blyth, Q&A: FR Richard Rohr, Music, modern art & mystery – Jonathan Langley, Graham Greene and the appalling strangeness – Frances McCormack, Scripture's open door – Richard Kidd, Three Christian mystic paths – Katherine Mannion, Poetic mystery – Alison Goodlad, Further reading/listening.
Mission Catalyst 3/2012 Science and God
This issue of Mission Catalyst focuses on: science and God and features an interview with John Lennox.
Article
Why science? – David Kerrigan, The limits of science – Ruth Bancewicz, Q&A: John Lennox, Science & God: 3 things you need to know – Jonathan Langley, Proofs for God – Francis Collins and Karl Giberson, Christians and evolutions – Ernest Lucas, Dawkins, Darwin and God's two books – R J Berry, Interpreting Genesis – Katherine Mannion, Science books you need to read.