|
|
Take a look at some of the fascinating artefacts in the CMS archives with archivist Ken Osborne.
|
|
"This is an age of travel, and of interest in foreign lands..." begins the introduction to the CMS Atlas, published in 1933 - providing a glimpse of a very different view of the world – and perhaps world view.
"Every travel agency knows and makes full use of the lure of the map, and a popular form of advertisement is that which shows with picturesque detail the many distant corners of the earth in whch a certain commodity may be used," the introduction continues. CMS has always been willing to use whatever was the latest trend in what we now call 'pop culture' to get the mission message out, from magic lantern shows to
podcasts
today.
Though the CMS Atlas of 1933 was designed as a simple tool to help people know where CMS work was, it's imbued with that romantic notion of the 'foreign', the 'exotic'. But even though it comes from an imperial worldview, it also details the rise of the indigenous church in many of what were still called "CMS mission stations".
We hope our new interactive map will help to paint a truer picture of CMS today. We want to stand against the lure of the 'exotic' still peddled by travel agents today – recognising a world where Christians from all cultures are engaged in local mission but on a global scale.
We hope it will give a clearer view of the wealth of 'interchange' going on – the rich sharing of gifts, strengths and weaknesses too, across cultures.
Thanks to Alison Fookes, a former mission partner in Pakistan for sending the atlas in.
|
|
|
|
|
|