Ida Glaser presents a literal and powerful understanding of
marks of mission
During my time as missiologist-in-residence at CMS, I have been reflecting on Francis of Assisi. He joined the Fifth Crusade but, instead of fighting, he went into the enemy camp armed with nothing but a single companion and spoke to the sultan, al-Kamil, about Jesus. What enabled him to do this? Francis would have immediately recognised that there are 'five marks of mission' - the marks in the hands, feet and side of Christ, the stigmata orfive wounds that he is purported to have received towards the end of his mission service. While the crusaders saw the cross as a banner under which to fight, Francis saw it as an imitation of Christ's self-emptying love for his enemies, among whom Francis counted himself.
Francis' missiology was effective because it was Christ's own, lived out in incarnation and crucifixion, and explained to his disciples in Matthew 10. Go with nothing. Go into communities. Greet people with peace. Accept their hospitality. Eat their food. Francis' monastic First Rule lays out this model in chapter 14, and chapter 15 underlines going-with-nothing by explaining that the friars should not even ride horses except in cases of necessity. Chapter 16 addresses the Islamic context, instructing: go when the Holy Spirit leads; do not argue; live under their rules, but be clear about your Christian identity; speak about the gospel only when God shows you that the time is right; and be ready for martyrdom. The motivation is love for Christ and the Muslims' need of him for salvation.
Francis believed that God had given him the greeting of peace years before he went to the sultan. He perhaps did not realise that the Arabic translation of his first words to al-Kamil as-salaamu 'alaykum ('peace be with you') was the Islamic greeting. His earliest biographer says that he went seeking martyrdom but found his talk of Jesus was welcomed and listened to. His friars were then welcomed and listened to in al-Kamil's territory, provided that they did not speak against Muhammad or the Qur'an.
Jesus came to us with nothing but himself and the greeting of peace he was so helpless it was the angels who brought the greeting. His missiology took him to the cross, and to the five wounds that mark him in glory. I do not think that we can improve on Matthew 10: any missiology without this foundation will distort the image of the Master.
Roland Muller wrote a book called Tools for Muslim Evangelism (Ontario: Essence Publishing, 2000). He wanted to find out what makes an effective missionary to Muslims. He was struck by one thing that effective missionaries had in common: all had experienced deep suffering, whether intheir personal lives or as a result of their missionary calling. He had been looking for tools: God's tools are people who bear the marks of Christ.
Want to read more?
Francis and Islam, Hoerberichts, J, Illinois: Franciscan Press, 1997
Waging Peace on Islam, Mallouhi, C, Monarch, 2000
Francis' First Rule, the Regula non-bullata, can be found at
www.franciscan-archive.org/index2.html
Ida Glaser is CMS missiologist-in-residence and was formerly director of Faith to Faith, a Christian consultancy on other faiths.