Missionaries and Mechanistic Dehumanization in Africa

“Christian global missionary movements began with Christianity itself. Yet, historical longevity should not generate analytical apathy, especially since Christian mission has too often contributed to tragic expressions of dehumanization. ‘Global mission’ must be reconsidered in order to promote reconciliation, transformation and empowerment. In doing so, I seek to offer a contribution to a distinctive and important body of knowledge that reimagines mission in the postcolonial world. In doing so, this study aims to provide a more fully developed perspective on Mission as Accompaniment that can more effectively resist a particular form of dehumanization, known as mechanistic dehumanization.” – Rev. Brian Konkol, Dean of Hendricks Chapel