Cultivating a Missional Hermeneutic in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania for a Common Participation in the Mission of God
Abstract
This study explored the possibility of common participation in the mission of God between pastors and charismatic ministers who belong and serve within the ELCT Eastern and Coastal Diocese. The research question of this study was: How might a missional hermeneutic illuminate a possible common witness of the Gospel of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania with charismatic movements? This research utilized a sequential exploratory mixed method research design to gather, analyze, and interpret data. Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics. Both qualitative and quantitative data were compared, and a deeper understanding was established that allowed for conclusion and recommendations
on how to have a common participation in the mission of God between ordained and non-ordained. The results showed that the degree of understanding God’s mission between
pastors and charismatic ministers plays a major role in the level of common participation in the mission of God. This means that missional hermeneutic is important in the process of dealing with missiological challenges relating to Scripture, culture, and church traditions towards common participation in the mission of God.