Mission to the World: Communicating the Gospel in the 21st Century: Essays in Honor of Knud Jorgensen

Director of Areopagos and Associate Professor of Missiology at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Dr. Knud Jorgensen, turned 65 years old on September 29, 2007. On this occasion a festschrift in his honor was published by Regnum in cooperation with Areopagos and Egede Instituttet in Oslo, Norway. Knud Jorgensen is a Dane who for most of his life has lived in Norway. His life has been one of a series of various ministries in Denmark, Norway, Ethiopia, Switzerland, USA, and China. He is an international church and mission leader with connections and contacts in most parts of the global church. The title of the festschrift, Mission to the World: Communicating the Gospel in the 21st Century: Essays in Honor of Knud Jorgensen, indicates a program: It reflects the various main areas of Knud Jorgensen's commitment to mission. At the same time it focuses on the main frontier of mission, the world, the content of mission, the Gospel, the fact that the Gospel has to be communicated, and the context of contemporary mission: the 21st century. Knud Jorgensen is firmly planted in the Church, with a strong Evangelical, Ecumenical, Charismatic, and Lutheran spirituality expressed in clear theological convictions. He is a man with a great vision for the future of the church in mission in a global perspective, a vision that he pursues with strength, wisdom, and integrity. By using his gifts he has functioned as a theological teacher, an inspiring preacher, and a thoughtful advisor in many contexts and to a variety of people. His leadership qualities have brought him into leading positions in several organizations on the local, national, and global level and made him able to lead others to achieve high common goals. He is a man with an unusual energy and effectiveness who is able to carry through his plans and visions in practice. This festschrift is a tribute to him from his many friends and colleagues around the world, and at the same time a contribution to critical reflection on a wide variety of contemporary missiological issues.