Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 59:1 (Mar 2016)
Article: Irenaeus’s Missional Theology: Global Christian Perspectives From An Ancient Missionary And Theologian
Author: Jacob A. Rodriguez

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JETS 59:1 (March 2016) p. 131

Irenaeus’s Missional Theology:
Global Christian Perspectives From
An Ancient Missionary And Theologian

Jacob A. Rodriguez*

* Jacob Rodriguez is missionary theology instructor at The Evangelical Theology College of Addis Ababa, SIM Ethiopia Guesthouse, P.O. Box 127, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract: Although scholarly interest in Irenaeus has grown in recent years, studies on Irenaeus have not fully tapped into his hermeneutical and missiological insights.  At the same time, global theology is a growing phenomenon with much promise but with a continual need to appreciate both the unity and diversity of global Christianity.  This article seeks to address the lacuna in Irenaeus scholarship and offer a paradigm for global theological reflection based on three of Irenaeus’s theological commitments: the translatability of the gospel, an appreciation for diversity within the proper boundaries of unity, and the regula fidei as a metanarrative reading of Scripture.  Regarding the gospel’s translatability, this article analyzes Irenaeus’s well-known statement in Adversus Haereses 1.10.2 in which he praises the kerygma for remaining the same even across the diverse languages of the world.  This article goes on to argue that Irenaeus’s vehement defense of the fourfold gospel is the foundation for his robust theology of unity in diversity, exemplified in his loyalty to apostolic orthodoxy on the one hand and his peacemaking role in the paschal controversy of the late second century on the other hand.  Irenaeus’s basis for unity is the regula fidei, which he claims was handed down to his generation from the apostles.  This article pursues the regula fidei trajectory from the NT to Irenaeus’s own writings, and concludes, contra recent scholarship, that Irenaeus viewed the regula fidei as a metanarrative hermeneutic for Scripture.  Finally, the above analysis is applied to current trends in global theology. 

Key Words: Irenaeus, second century, missiology, translation, global hermeneutics, regula fidei, unity and diversity, early Christianity

I. Introduction

It is well documented that the past few decades have seen a dramatic demographic shift in global Christianity. The new centers of Christianity are rapidly moving southward to Africa, Asia, and Latin America. As a result, the shape of global mission is no longer “the West to the rest” but it is maturing into a truly global endeavor. A significant upshot to this shift is that theological reflection is becoming much more culturally diverse. Indeed, such globalization has shown that theologizing of any kind is irreducibly cultural. While this diversity is certainly to be celebrated, it raises a significa...

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