Diaspora Missiology Diaspora Missiology Enoch Wan I. INTRODUCTION In the disciplines of social sciences (e.g. sociology, ethnic studies, demographics, migration, etc.) researchers often describe and analyze the phenomena of people then try to manage or strategize accordingly (e.g. human geography, applied sociology, government policy, etc.). In recent decades, the increased frequency and explosive scale of people moving either internally within a country (“migration”), and long distance or internationally crossing national border (“international migration” or “immigration”) are notable and impressive. The reasons behind these phenomena of people can be voluntary (e.g. economic improvement, educational or career advancement, family reunion, etc.) and involuntary due to natural disasters (e.g. earth quake, tsunami, etc.) or socio-political causes (e.g. war, economic crisis, political instability, etc.). The term “diaspora” historically (from Jews of the OT & NT) and etymologically (from Greek), there is a negative and passive notion of people being forced to be scattered and dispersed. However, in contemporary literature, the term “diaspora” is being used in a neutral and generic sense of describing the phenomenon of “people on the move or being moved” regardless of reason (natural or socio-political causes) or attitude (voluntary or involuntary). “Diaspora missiology” is the systematic study of and missiological strategizing for the phenomenon of people moving. II. PAST PUBLICATIONS OF “DIASPORA MISSIOLOGY” IN “GLOBAL MISSIOLOGY” Since early 2003, there has been a section in the “Resource Links” section on “diaspora studies” to aid researcher and students of missiology as shown below: Agencies & Organization Church Planting & Evangelism Country & People-Group Diaspora Studies http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/01/ag-or.htm http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/01/ag-or.htm http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/04/cp-ev.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/04/cp-ev.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/03/co-pe.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/03/co-pe.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/diaspora_sites.htm Education & Training Research & Resource Miscellaneous Old Books & Dissertations In the October issue of 2003, there was a report on FIN (Filipino International Network - www.filipinolinks.com/Filipino_Diaspora/) to introduce a specific case study of “diaspora missiology” as shown below: FEATURE REPORT: RUNNING WITH THE VISION October 2003 Lorajoy T. Dimangondayao In the October 2004 issue, a paper and a book review were published on the case study of Filipino “diaspora missiology” as shown below: FILIPINO INTERNATIONAL NETWORK: A STRATEGIC MODEL FOR FILIPINO DIASPORA GLOCAL® MISSIONS Sadiri Joy B. Tira Senior Pastor of First Filipino Alliance Church (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) and International Coordinator for Filipino International Network Published in Global Missiology, Featured Article, October 2004, www.globalmissiology.net Review Scattered: The Filipino Global Presence eds. Lius Pantoja, Jr., Sadiri Joy Tira, and Enoch Wan Life Change Publishing, Inc.: Manila, Philippines, 2004 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Exiomo President of Alliance Biblical Seminary, Manila, Philippines Published in Global Missiology, Review & Preview, October 2004 In addition, there were many papers, related to missiological study of “diaspora” http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/06/ed-tr.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/06/ed-tr.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/08/rh-rc.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/08/rh-rc.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/10/misc.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/02/obd.html http://www.globalmissiology.org/test/resource/02/obd.html http://www.filipinolinks.com/Filipino_Diaspora/ http://www.globalmissiology.net/ phenomena, that can be easily tracked by using the search function within “Global Missiology” (see the sample page below) scattered Search powered by Search the Web Search www.globalmissiology.org III. NOVEMBER CONSULTATION In November 2006, there will be a Global Diaspora Missiology Consultation to be held Nov. 15-17. This gathering is endorsed by Lausanne and Dr. Ted Yamamori will be the keynote speaker (see the flyer below). http://www.google.com/ All participants are specialists in the respective field and most of them have published books/articles on the people-group as listed below: List of Participants List of Invited Participants: 1. Dr. Terry Casino (Ph.D. & Th.D.) - Filipino diaspora in Europe 2. Dr. Kim Kwong Chan (Ph.D., Th.D.) 3. Dr. Gi-Sam Cho (Ph.D.) - Korean Missionary Society 4. Dr. Allan Effa (Ph.D.) – Nigerian/West African diaspora 5. Dr. George Gitahi (Ph.D.) – Kenyan/East African diaspora in the USA 6. Dr. N. Jawahar Gnaniah (D.Miss.) – Ministry/Evangelism Hindus 7. Rev. Geoff Hartt (M.Div.) - Hispanic diaspora 8. Dr. Nabeel Jabbour (Th.D.) - Muslim evangelism 9. Dr. Than Le (D.Min.) - Vietnamese/Canadian 10. Dr. John Leonard (D.Min.) – North African Arab diaspora in France 11. Dr. Paul Marindale (D.Min.) - Arab diaspora in USA 12. Rev. Dave Olson (D.Miss. Cand.) - Tibetan diaspora 13. Rev. Jorge Osorio (M.Div.) - Hispanic diaspora 14. Dr. Cindy Perry (D.Miss.) – Nepalese Diaspora 15. Dr. Jojo Remigio (Ph.D.) - Filipino/Canadian 16. Dr. TV Thomas (D.Min.) - South Asian 17. Dr. Sadiri Joy Tira (D.Min.) - Filipino/Canadian 18. Dr. Enoch Wan (Ph.D.) - Chinese diaspora 19. Dr. Bill Wong (Ph.D.) - Chinese/Canadian 20. Dr. Ted Yamamori (Ph.D.) - Japanese/American 21. Dr. Tuvya Zhariski (D.Miss.) - Jewish diaspora IV. NEW ORGANIZATIONS: INSTITUTE OF DIASPORA STUDIES There is a newly formed “Institute of Diaspora Studies” at Western Seminary for North America and another in Manila at Alliance Graduate School of Theology as an Asian center. More information will be forth coming in the near future. Diaspora Missiology Sadiri Joy B. Tira