Edinburgh 1910 and Mission

1. Introduction-
The World Missionary Conference in 1910 was a watershed event in the history of world missions.
At the outset let us look at the statement made by Andrew Walls, “Both ‘ecumenical’ and
‘evangelical’ today have their roots in Edinburgh 1910. If each will go back to the pit whence both
were dug, each may understand both themselves and the other better.”1 So if we need to examine the
present Evangelical or Ecumenical Movement we need to trace Edinburgh 1910 Conference. It was
the meeting of people related to Christian mission who gathered together to swap views on the ways
and means of carrying out the Lord’s command to preach the gospel to the whole creation.
This paper envisions discussing the important mission perspectives of World Missionary
Conference (WMC) Edinburgh, 1910 with an intention to expose the mission concepts which were
discussed and brought out in the above mentioned conference. This purpose will be achieved by
analyzing the discussion on the future of mission in mind and reviewing the literature which has
been written focusing on it.

2. A Brief Description of World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910

Though the Edinburgh 1910 conference is regarded as the first international missionary conference,
there were several initiatives of such kind before this venture. In 1854 Union Missionary Convent
took place in New York; in 1860 there was Liverpool Conference and then London Missionary
Conference in London in 1888. Another significant missionary conference was organized in 1900 in
New York.2
World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh, which is characterized by Walls as the high point
of the modern Western missionary movement and the springboard of the modern ecumenical
movement,3 was held between June 14–23, 1910, in Edinburgh. It was planned and purposed
specifically to discuss and plan strategies to reach the whole world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Many organizations, mission agencies and churches came together with a unifying purpose to
‘evangelize the whole world in this generation’. It focused itself on making strategies for mission
work among the non-Christians and cooperation in that initiative.4
We often find in different literatures written on the Edinburgh 1910 conference that it was
not concerned about the theological articulations but on missions. But we do find one theology in
that conference, i.e. the theology of mission. Peter C. Phan observes that the theology of mission was
expounded in the plenary discussions when the eight written commissions with a distinct theme were
presented.5

3. Mission and WMC, Edinburgh 1910

3.1 Unity, Cooperation and Partnership in Mission- The prime reason for avoiding intense
theological or doctrinal discussion was to constitute unity, cooperation and partnership to carry out
the mission in non-Christian lands. Therefore, it enlarged the limits of discussion about missiology,

1
Andrew F. Walls, The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission and Appropriation of
Faith (Maryknoll, N.Y., 2002), 62.
2
Justice C. Anderson, “World Missionary Conference (Edinburgh 1910),” Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions,
edited by A. Scott Moreau (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000), 1029.
3
Walls, The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History, 53.
4
T. V. Philip, Edinburgh to Salvador (New Delhi: CSS/ISPCK, 1999), 27.
5
Peter C. Phan, “The World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910: Challenges for Church and Theology in the
Twenty-first Century,” International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 34/2 (April 2010): 105.
Church support and Christian unity.6 Commission Eight of this conference was based on Co-
operation and the Promotion of Unity7. It confirms that this aspect was one of the very important
concepts of mission. Anderson further throws light on this concept and says that the “Edinburgh
1910 conference aimed to analyze the Christian mission and to make plans to carry it to fruition by
cooperation….The topics of the studies all treated the matter of Christian unity as a requirement for
mission.”8 Andrew Walls also emphasizes that at Edinburgh the undertaking of mission brought
people together from various theological and ecclesiological affiliations.9

3.2 Mission as Expansion and Extension- The commission I of the Edinburgh 1910 conference
focused on “Carrying the gospel to the non-Christian world” to reach the whole world. Mission was
understood as expanding and extending the kingdom of God through evangelism and planting the
churches in non-Christian lands.10 The same commission further adds that “the chief aim must ever
be to persuade human hearts everywhere that Jesus Christ is their Savior ….”11 Bevans and
Schroeder express that the Edinburgh conference symbolized the peak of “missionary optimism,
pragmatism and enthusiasm for the speedy Christianization of the world.”12 The Edinburgh 1910
conference put up a process for international cooperation in the undertaking of bringing the whole
gospel to the whole world.13

3.3 Church-centered Mission- In Edinburgh 1910 conference the function of the Church in mission
was at the very core. It was underlined that it was the obligation of the Church to send out the
missionaries in unreached areas. One whole Commission II, The Church in the Mission Field, was
devoted to study the place of mission in the life of the Church. Joshua Kalapati expresses that the
Edinburgh Conference was chiefly church-centered and it even discussed the three “S” formula of
“self-government, self-support and self-propagation.”14 Focusing on Church’s role in mission,
historian Snaitang argues that at the Edinburgh 1910 conference “ecumenical leaders saw unity as an
important means in which the Church could pursue and expedite the task of converting the
‘heathens’ and planting of churches.”15 It was here at Edinburgh only that the Western Christianity at
first could articulate an apparent picture of a church that would be larger than itself.16

3.4 A Milestone for Mission Studies- The Edinburgh conference 1910 was also very much
significant in articulating mission studies as it brought out well-studied eight documents17 on
6
Paul H. Cho, “Between Edinburgh 1910 and 2010: Changing Theological Views of Mission,” Modern Believing 51/ 3
(July 2010), 16.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0001793686&site=ehost-live (5/2/11)
7
As quoted in Cho, “Between Edinburgh 1910 and 2010,” 16.
8
Anderson, “World Missionary Conference (Edinburgh 1910),” 1029.
9
Walls, The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History, 62.
10
Timothy Yates, Christian Mission in the Twentieth Century (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994), 31.
11
Commission I of Edinburgh 1910 as quoted in Arthur P. Glasser, “Conciliar Perspectives: The Road to
Reconceptualization,” in Contemporary Theologies of Mission, by Arthur F. Glasser and Donald McGavran (Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983), 88.
12
Stephen B. Bevans and Roger P. Schroeder, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today (Bangalore:
Claretian Publications, 2005), 220.
13
Walls, The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History, 62.
14
Joshua Kalapati, “Edinburgh to Tambaram: A Paradigm Shift in Missions, or the Horizons of Missions Broadened?”
Dharam Deepika 31/14 (January-June 2010), 13.
15
O. L. Snaitang, History of Ecumenical Movement: An Introduction (Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI, 2004), 97.
16
Walls, The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History, 61.
17
1) Carrying the Gospel to all the non-Christian World; 2) The Church in the Mission Field; 3) Education in Relation to
the Christianization of National Life; 4) The Missionary Message in Relation to Non-Christian Religions; 5) The
different subjects related to mission. Andrew Walls also characterizes this conference as the one
which initiated the mission studies. He says that “it marked, if not the birth, a genuine renaissance of
mission studies.”18 The writing which was produced in the conference developed the emerging and
rising field of missiology. The topics of the studies contributed to prevailing concept that the
Christian unity would serve as an instrument for mission.19 It further emphasized on studying the
concepts and questions of mission in different cultural and geographical contexts. The publication of
The International Review of Missions (later Mission) and organizing succeeding world missionary
conferences helped to achieve that goal.20

4. Edinburgh 1910 and Today: Then and Now

David Kerr observes that the chief aim of the Edinburgh 1910 conference was to discuss missionary
problems in reaching the unreached areas and at the same time “it serves as a benchmark of the
mainstream Protestant missionary movement in the early twentieth century, and a point against
which we can review subsequent twentieth century developments.”21 Now the questions here before
us are that how different or similar approaches we find today in comparison to the Edinburgh1910
conference? Is there a shift of focus or broadening the concept by including the holistic aspect of
mission keeping the present contexts in mind? One similarity between today’s mission thinking and
the Edinburgh 1910 conference is that both set out for both a vision and an agenda for the future of
the mission, one in the 20th century and the other in 21st century.22 One difference that comes to my
mind is that in 1910 the concept of missio Dei was absent, which was developed and discussed in the
Willingen conference in 1952.23 At present the missio Dei idea serves as a foundational concept in
any discussion on mission. Another very striking difference that comes to mind is that in 1910 there
was no confusion about what the mission is. But in recent discussion we find that there is no
particular definition or concept is articulated, it is multifaceted, as David Bosch puts it: “Our mission
has to be multidimensional in order to be credible and faithful to its origins and character.”24
Another difference that we encounter today is of the language used. The language of the
1910 conference was a military language to conquer the world. But today more of a dialogical
language is implemented both in discussion and writing. The term “witness” is preferred over the
term “mission,” “expansion” is changed with “movement” and we can go on with the changes in
terms and language. “Conversion” has become a “shameful” act where it was highly desired in 1910.
In today’s mission focus the stress is more on “here and now” than “then and there.”
Many think that changes which occurred in future shifted the focus of the movement from its
real aim, articulated in the Edinburgh 1910 conference. Hedlund says that “the true meaning and
intent of Edinburgh becomes lost in the developments which follow.”25 But as we have discussed

Preparation of Missionaries; 6) The Home Base of Missions; 7) Missions and Governments; 8) Cooperation and the
Promotion of Unity.
18
Walls, The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History, 61
19
Anderson, “World Missionary Conference (Edinburgh 1910),” 1029.
20
Jurgen Schuster, “Edinburgh 1910 and Beyond Mission in Unity, Historical, Theological and Practical Reflections,”
Edinburgh 1910 Revisited: ‘Give Us Friends,’ edited by Frampton F. Fox (Pune: CMS/ATC, 2010), 280.
21
David Kerr, “Missiological Developments from Edinburgh 1910 to Today,” Swedish Missiological Themes, 96/1
(2008): 9.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0001732016&site=ehost-live (5/2/11)
22
Cho, “Between Edinburgh 1910 and 2010,” 17.
23
David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (New York: Orbis Books, 1991), 390.
24
Bosch, Transforming Mission, 512.
25
Roger E. Hedlund, Roots of the Great Debate in Mission: Mission in Historical and Theological Perspective,
(Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1993), 35.
these similarities and differences, it is up to an individual with his/her spiritual affiliation to evaluate
that whether the focus has been shifted or broadened.

5. Conclusion-
In this paper we have discussed about the milestone Edinburgh 1910 conference and its impact on
the future of mission. Many consider it as a beginning of the ecumenical character of mission as
Glasser says that the “conference marked the beginning of the modern era of ecumenical mission.”26
But at the same time some disagree with this claim by revealing those who were not involved:
women, non-whites and Latin Americans. Highlighting the same thing, Kerr says that “although it
succeeded in bringing together ‘low-church’ evangelicals and ‘high-church’ Episcopalians, the
absence of Pentecostals, Catholics and Orthodox…underscores its limited ecumenical scope.”27 So
they point out that “Ecumenical” may not be a fully justified adjective to illustrate the conference,
but they do agree on this point that it surely facilitated to develop an impetus towards breaking down
denominational obstacles.28
So as we have moved from 20th century to the 21st century, more complicated and diverse
challenges confront us. We can no longer rely on the strategies and schemes of 1910, because it was
clear that the conference was very much “part of the 19th century with its Eurocentric vision of the
world and its cultural and religious optimism.”29 Though we have the same goal of “proclaiming the
good news of Jesus Christ,” we need to apply relevant strategies and concepts in our mission. Today
the mission is not from North to the South, it is truly global, from everywhere to everywhere.30

Bibliography

Anderson, Justice C. “World Missionary Conference (Edinburgh 1910).” Evangelical Dictionary of

World Missions. Edited by A. Scott Moreau. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000: 1029.

Bevans, Stephens B. and Roger P. Schroeder, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for
Today. Bangalore: Claretian Publications, 2005.

Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. New York: Orbis
Books, 1991.

Cho, Paul H. “Between Edinburgh 1910 and 2010: Changing Theological Views of Mission,”
Modern Believing 51/ 3 (July 2010): 16-24
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0001793686&site=ehost-live

Glasser, Arthur P. “Conciliar Perspectives: The Road to Reconceptualization.” In Contemporary

Theologies of Mission, by Arthur F. Glasser and Donald McGavran. Grand Rapids: Baker
Book House, 1983.
26
Arthur P. Glasser, “Introduction,” in Contemporary Theologies of Mission, by Arthur F. Glasser and Donald
McGavran (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983), 8.
27
Kerr, “Missiological Developments from Edinburgh 1910 to Today,” 11.
28
A. Donald MacLeod, “Edinburgh 1910 and Church Union 1925: The Ecumenical Missionary Impulse in Canadian
Presbyterianism,” A paper presented to the Canadian Society of Presbyterian History on 25 September, 2010.
http://csph.ca/papers/2010_donmcleodpaper.pdf (5/2/11)
29
Schuster, “Edinburgh 1910 and Beyond Mission,” 275.
30
Phan, “The World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910,” 108.
Glasser, Arthur P. “Introduction.” In Contemporary Theologies of Mission, by Arthur F. Glasser and
Donald McGavran. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983.

Hedlund, Roger E. Roots of the Great Debate in Mission: Mission in Historical and Theological
Perspective. Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1993).

Kalapati, Joshua “Edinburgh to Tambaram: A Paradigm Shift in Missions, or the Horizons of

Missions Broadened?” Dharam Deepika 31/14 (January-June 2010), 10-15.

Kerr, David “Missiological Developments from Edinburgh 1910 to Today,” Swedish Missiological
Themes, 96/1 (2008): 9-26.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0001732016&site=ehost-live

MacLeod, A. Donald. “Edinburgh 1910 and Church Union 1925: The Ecumenical Missionary
Impulse in Canadian Presbyterianism,” A paper presented to the Canadian Society of
Presbyterian History on 25 September, 2010.
http://csph.ca/papers/2010_donmcleodpaper.pdf (5/2/11)

Phan, Peter C. “The World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910: Challenges for Church and
Theology in the Twenty-first Century.” International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 34/2
(April 2010): 105-108.

Philip, T. V. Edinburgh to Salvador. New Delhi: CSS/ISPCK, 1999.

Schuster, Jurgen “Edinburgh 1910 and Beyond Mission in Unity, Historical, Theological and
Practical Reflections.” Edinburgh 1910 Revisited: ‘Give Us Friends.’ Edited by Frampton F.
Fox. Pune: CMS/ATC, 2010.

Snaitang, O. L. History of Ecumenical Movement: An Introduction. Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI,

2004.

Walls, Andrew F. The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission and
Appropriation of Faith. Maryknoll, N.Y., 2002.

Yates, Timothy Christian Mission in the Twentieth Century. New York: Cambridge University
Press, 1994.