and the natural domains are interrelated; and that the pneumatological and the creational are interconnected. But how might pneumatological theology inform Christian mission? In the following section, I explore how this theology is the foundation of what might be called an environmental or ecological missiology.
Foundations for Christian Mission: Pneumato-Creational Perspectives The connection between theology of creation and missiology here is pneumatology: the Spirit of creation is also the Spirit that empowers Christian mission. The following discussion unfolds such a pneumatological theology of creational mission in three steps: by following out the salvation historical drama from creation through redemption to eschatological glorification. This will set us up to think about missiological praxis (the final section at the end) in the light of such a pneumatological theology of creation.
Missio Spiritus – The Doctrine of Creation In thinking about pneumatology, pneumatological theology, and pneumatology of mission, we should begin with the doctrine of creation. This not only helps us to ground pneumatological reflection in the doctrine of God, but it also establishes the cosmic, creational and global scope of the work of the Spirit. Both points are important. Without a link with the doctrine of God as creator, the Spirit may turn out to be less than ‘holy,’ perhaps not even related to the God of Judeo-Christian faith at all, much less to monotheistic or even theistic sensibilities.332 There are many spirits indeed, so Christian thinking about pneumatology must be defined, at least initially, as the Spirit of the God who created the heavens and the earth. And without relation to the latter, cosmic compass of the Spirit’s work, then we may be tempted to merely interiorise or subjectivise the Spirit’s presence and activity. The role of the Spirit in the Christian doctrine of creation has gradually been recognised.333 In my own work, I have attempted what I have called a 332. There are also possibilities for thinking about the Spirit of God in relationship to monotheistic traditions more generally and to Islam in particular. I undertake a dialogue with the latter in my The Spirit Poured Out on All Flesh, chap. 6. 333. The major text so far is Jürgen Moltmann, The Spirit of Life: A Universal Affirmation (trans. Margaret Kohl; Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 1992).
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