Call for Papers:

Christian Unity amid Domestic and International Divisions

For Publication in Global Missiology, www.globalmissiology.org, April 2027

The history of the Church is full of contentious issues. Our day seems no different. The strains run both internally and externally, and they are true for local churches as well as churches and denominations with broader identities, be they national or even international. Mission agencies and missionary orders—including missionaries, administrators, and supporters—face the same intense divisions wherever they are serving.

Shifts in geopolitics contribute to the divisiveness. Among Christians many are appalled, while others approve, as longstanding international alliances frazzle. Similarly, there are different Christian reactions to various military conflicts which often are characterized by unbalanced levels of armaments and of human suffering. Christians’ feelings about immigration issues fall on vastly different points on a spectrum that ranks justice, legality, economics, and compassion (not to mention fear and prejudice). How Christians should relate to changing sexual values and other social and cultural issues that often morph into political battles over the future of a country or even of “Christian civilization” can also be divisive.

How is Christian unity affected by these tensions among individual Christians, churches, and mission organizations? How is Christian mission affected?  Jesus prayed for his followers that God the Father would keep them one as the Father and the Son are one (John 17), and the historic creeds affirm that the Church is one. The April 2027 issue of Global Missiology will wrestle with these multifaceted dilemmas and questions.

The Editorial Team thus invites submissions related to this theme issue on “Christian Witness amid Political Divisions.” Manuscripts solely devoted to arguing for or against certain political positions are not the goal. Rather, the following types of topics, especially as addressed by case studies, are welcome:

- What is Christian unity, to which all Christians are called by Jesus and the creeds, and what does such unity look like?

- What are historical examples of how political divisions among Christians were handled?

- How are people outside Christian circles affected by Christian disunity over political matters? Put differently, how important is Christian unity for gospel witness?

- What issues underlie “proof-texting” the Bible for political positions?

- What issues underlie how Old Testament examples are applied differently to today’s issues?

- How should the Church universal and/or local congregations address the divisive issues of our day? What should be the process of discernment for reaching a position and for deciding if and when a public stance should be taken?

- How is Christian unity to be preserved or restored without becoming a cover for sin and/or injustice?

- What role does theology play in preserving or restoring Christian unity? What theological gaps exist in our day?

- How might church and mission leaders pastorally address political divisions among members?

- How might expatriate missionaries address political divisions among indigenous Christians?

Proposed titles with approximately 100-word abstracts are due July 31, 2026. Full manuscripts of approved paper proposals will be due November 30, 2026. Manuscript guidelines, including a template for formatting, can be found on the Global Missiology website at:

http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Please address all submissions and questions to globalmissiologyenglish@gmail.com.