A Missional Reading of the Bible:
Summary, Critical Evaluation, and Contemporary Challenges in Goheen (2016)
Introduction
The book A History and Introduction to a Missional Reading of the Bible by Michael W. Goheen (2016) makes a significant contribution to contemporary biblical studies and missiology by presenting a comprehensive framework for interpreting Scripture through a missional lens. Goheen introduces the concept of missional hermeneutics, an approach that understands the Bible not merely as a source of doctrinal truths or moral principles, but as a coherent narrative that reveals God’s redemptive mission in and for the world. This perspective challenges readers to move beyond individualistic and privatized readings of Scripture and instead to see themselves as active participants in God’s ongoing mission.
Goheen’s work addresses a long-standing tension within biblical scholarship, particularly the separation of mission from biblical theology. Influenced by Enlightenment assumptions and historical-critical methodologies, many scholars have tended to interpret Scripture primarily in terms of its historical context or personal religious meaning, often neglecting its missional thrust. Against this backdrop, Goheen argues that mission is not a secondary theme but the central framework that unifies the biblical narrative.
This academic paper seeks to summarize Goheen’s discussion in chapter one (pp. 27–48), critically evaluate his arguments, and reflect on the contemporary challenges and implications of adopting a missional reading of the Bible. The paper argues that a missional hermeneutic is essential for recovering the church’s identity, calling, and participation in God’s redemptive plan, particularly in a global and postmodern context.
Historical Barriers to a Missional Interpretation of Scripture
According to Goheen (2016, pp. 24–27), one of the primary reasons many biblical scholars remain unconvinced of the importance of mission for interpreting Scripture is the enduring influence of the Enlightenment worldview. This worldview introduced a sharp division between the public and private spheres of life, resulting in the privatization of religion. Consequently, the Bible has often been viewed as a source of personal spirituality or moral guidance rather than as a public and communal narrative that shapes the life and mission of God’s people in the world.
In addition, biblical scholarship has been heavily shaped by historical-critical methods that prioritize authorial intent and historical context. While these methods have provided valuable insights into the original meaning of biblical texts, Goheen argues that they often fail to engage with the missional dimension of Scripture. By focusing narrowly on historical reconstruction, scholars risk neglecting the Bible’s overarching story of God’s redemptive purposes and the calling of God’s people to participate in that mission.
Goheen further contends that missiologists themselves have sometimes contributed to this problem by treating mission primarily as a matter of practical theology rather than as an integral component of biblical theology. This approach has effectively “unglued” mission from Scripture, reinforcing the misconception that mission is an application of theology rather than a central biblical reality. As a result, nineteenth-century biblical scholarship frequently misunderstood mission, reducing it to ecclesial activity rather than recognizing it as God’s overarching purpose for creation.
The Necessity of a Missional Reading of the Bible
Another major concern raised by Goheen is the failure of many scholars to account for the theological diversity within Scripture. By ignoring the distinctive voices and contexts of different biblical books, interpreters risk flattening the biblical narrative and missing the richness of God’s self-revelation. Goheen argues that only a missional reading can do justice to this diversity while maintaining the unity of Scripture.
A missional reading recognizes that the Bible is not a random collection of religious texts but a coherent story that points toward Jesus Christ and his redemptive work. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture narrates God’s mission to reconcile and restore all of creation. Understanding this narrative framework is essential for grasping the full meaning and relevance of the Bible for contemporary believers.
In this sense, missional hermeneutics is not an optional interpretive strategy but a necessary lens for faithful biblical interpretation. It calls readers to situate themselves within the biblical story and to discern how their lives are shaped by God’s mission in the world.
Four Hopeful Signs for the Development of Missional Hermeneutics
Goheen (2016, pp. 27–35) identifies four hopeful signs that indicate growing openness to missional hermeneutics within the global church and academy.
First, there has been significant growth in missional theology. Increasingly, theologians and biblical scholars are recognizing that God’s mission is central to Scripture and that theology must be shaped by this reality. This shift has led to new interpretive approaches that emphasize participation in God’s redemptive work rather than mere doctrinal formulation.
Second, the emergence of missional communities represents a practical embodiment of missional theology. These communities seek to live out the biblical narrative in concrete ways, engaging their local contexts through service, witness, and hospitality. Their practices demonstrate that Scripture is not only to be studied but also to be lived.
Third, the rapid growth of non-Western Christianity has brought fresh insights into the missional nature of Scripture. Churches in Africa, Asia, and Latin America often emphasize evangelism, community transformation, and spiritual vitality, highlighting dimensions of Scripture that have sometimes been neglected in Western contexts.
Fourth, there is a growing recognition of the social nature of Scripture. Rather than viewing the Bible as a collection of isolated texts for individual reflection, scholars increasingly understand it as a communal document that shapes the identity and practices of God’s people.
The Centrality of Mission in the Biblical Narrative
Goheen (2016, pp. 35–48) argues that mission is central to the biblical story because it represents the all-encompassing purpose of God’s redemptive plan. The Bible tells the story of God’s mission to reconcile and restore creation, beginning with the call of Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3 to be a blessing to all nations.
This mission is further developed in Exodus 19:3–5, where Israel is called to be both a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These roles are inherently missional, as they position Israel as a mediating people through whom God’s purposes for the nations are made known. Goheen emphasizes that failure to understand these roles missionaly leads to a distorted reading of Scripture.
The ministry of Jesus represents the fulfillment and renewal of Israel’s mission. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus inaugurates the kingdom of God and redefines the mission of God’s people. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the early church continues this mission, bearing witness to the gospel among all nations. A missional hermeneutic therefore requires readers to consider how this biblical story shapes their own participation in God’s mission today.
Mission as an Overarching Hermeneutical Dimension
For Goheen, mission is not simply one biblical theme among others but the overarching narrative that gives coherence to the entire canon. God’s mission encompasses the reconciliation of humanity, the renewal of social relationships, and the restoration of creation itself. Reading Scripture through this lens enables interpreters to see how each part of the Bible contributes to this larger purpose.
Understanding the meaning of mission is thus essential for faithful interpretation and application of Scripture. It calls readers to discern how the biblical text addresses their own context and invites them to live as participants in God’s redemptive work. This approach resists fragmentary readings and instead emphasizes the unity of Scripture as a missional story.
Reading Scripture for Missional Praxis
The third hermeneutical dimension discussed by Goheen involves reading Scripture in order to equip the church for missional praxis. He argues that biblical interpretation must move beyond theoretical analysis and result in concrete action. Scripture should shape not only what the church believes but also how it lives and serves in the world.
This dimension requires a holistic approach to Scripture that resists proof-texting and instead engages the entire biblical narrative. By reading Scripture missionaly, the church can better discern its calling to embody God’s kingdom values in specific cultural and social contexts.
Critical Evaluation: God-Centered and Human-Centered Readings
A key critical issue raised in this paper concerns the tension between God-centered and human-centered interpretations of Scripture. Human-centered readings, which focus primarily on individual experience and perspective, risk obscuring God’s missional purposes. Scholars such as Vanhoozer et al. (2005) argue that this anthropocentric approach has significantly hindered the development of missional hermeneutics.
This tendency has contributed to the privatization of belief and the marginalization of the church’s public witness. It often leads to cultural bias and theological distortion, particularly when Western interpretations are imposed on non-Western contexts (Bowman, 2023).
Contemporary Challenges to Missional Hermeneutics
Despite hopeful signs, several challenges threaten the development of missional hermeneutics. In non-Western contexts, materialistic teachings and prosperity-oriented theology can distract believers from God’s redemptive mission (Miles, 2006). Liberal and postcolonial hermeneutics, while valuable in critiquing Western dominance, can sometimes undermine traditional Christian beliefs and complicate cross-cultural mission (Thiselton, 2009).
Furthermore, the increasing adoption of historical-critical methods in non-Western Christianity may weaken the communal and social role of Scripture (Elbert, 2012). These approaches often prioritize academic interpretation over lived faith, creating a disconnect between theology and practice.
Conclusion and Reflection Points
In conclusion, Goheen’s A History and Introduction to a Missional Reading of the Bible offers a compelling case for re-centering biblical interpretation on God’s redemptive mission. A missional reading of Scripture is essential for addressing the identity crisis faced by the modern church and for enabling faithful participation in God’s work in the world.
This paper has highlighted the importance of missional hermeneutics, identified key challenges, and emphasized the need for contextual and holistic engagement with Scripture. The future of mission and the vitality of the church depend on the ability to read the Bible missionally, discern its implications, and embody its message in contemporary contexts. By recovering this approach, the church can remain faithful to its calling as a participant in God’s eternal mission of redemption and reconciliation.
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Title: A Missional Reading of the Bible: Summary, Critical Evaluation, and Contemporary Challenges in Goheen (2016)
I. Introduction
- Overview of Goheen’s A History and Introduction to a Missional Reading of the Bible
- Definition of missional hermeneutics
- The Bible as a coherent missional narrative
- Purpose of the paper
- Summary of Goheen’s argument
- Critical evaluation
- Reflection on contemporary challenges
- Thesis statement:
- A missional reading of Scripture is essential for recovering the church’s identity, calling, and participation in God’s redemptive mission.
II. Historical Barriers to Missional Interpretation
- Influence of the Enlightenment worldview
- Privatization of religion and separation of faith from public life
- Dominance of historical-critical methods
- Disconnection of mission from biblical theology
- Misunderstanding of mission in 19th-century scholarship
III. The Need for a Missional Reading of the Bible
- Neglect of theological diversity within Scripture
- Failure to see Scripture as a unified story
- Mission as central to biblical meaning and relevance
- Christ-centered narrative focus
- Call to participation in God’s redemptive work
IV. Hopeful Developments in Missional Hermeneutics
- Growth of missional theology
- Emergence of missional communities
- Influence of non-Western Christianity
- Recognition of the social and communal nature of Scripture
V. The Centrality of Mission in the Biblical Narrative
- Mission as God’s all-embracing redemptive purpose
- Old Testament foundations
- Abrahamic calling (Genesis 12:1–3)
- Israel’s vocation (Exodus 19:3–5)
- Jesus’ ministry as fulfillment of Israel’s mission
- Role of the Holy Spirit and the early church
VI. Mission as an Overarching Hermeneutical Framework
- Mission as the unifying narrative of Scripture
- Missio Dei and reconciliation of creation
- Implications for biblical interpretation today
- Contextual and communal application of Scripture
VII. Scripture Read for Missional Praxis
- Scripture as formative for church identity and action
- Integration of theology and practice
- Holistic reading of the biblical narrative
- Church participation in God’s mission in daily life
VIII. Critical Evaluation: God-Centered vs. Human-Centered Readings
- Anthropocentric interpretations of Scripture
- Impact on Western Christianity and church identity
- Scholarly critiques (Vanhoozer, Bosch, Wright)
- Privatization of belief and cultural bias
- Missional consequences for global Christianity
IX. Contemporary Challenges to Missional Hermeneutics
- Materialism and prosperity theology in non-Western Christianity
- Liberal and postcolonial biblical interpretations
- Cultural imperialism in mission
- Expansion of historical-critical methods
- Disconnect between academic theology and lived faith
X. Conclusion and Reflection Points
- Summary of key arguments
- Importance of missional hermeneutics for the modern church
- Addressing current and future challenges
- Missional reading as faithfulness to God’s redemptive purpose
- Call to develop and apply missional biblical interpretation
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