GospelFutures: our mission and strategy
GospelFutures cultivates resources, strategies and relationships in order to sustain gospel hope in this 21st century. We seek to invite seekers everywhere into an ecumenical dialogue concerning the future of gospel belief, confession, and practice.
We are particularly aware of the disruptive challenges and opportunities represented by three horizons – generational succession (GENERATIONS), globalist realignment of peoples, markets and power (GLOBALISM), and the accelerating impact of technology on life, culture and community (TECHNOLOGY). We engage these horizons by pursuing three discrete but overlapping dialogues:
GospelinPersons, GospelinCommunities, and GospelinCultures.
In each of these dialogues we seek to re-vision the history of gospel thought and practice from every tradition, engage the full diversity of gospel life and communities extant today, and imagine the future of gospel belief, confession and practice. We call this synthetic dialogue GospelTrajectories.
We have all watched the emergence of the internet, social media and the mobile web as an enabler of social action and community formation on both micro and macro scales. GospelFutures will engage these technologies in order to (1) initiate global dialogue (NETWORK); (2) assemble an online, globally accessible repository and resource of gospel wisdom and practice–past, present and anticipated (CURATE); and (3) mentor, enable, and support seekers to advance our mission (MENTOR).
GospelFutures: our hope and vision
Our hope is in the crucified and risen Jesus, the mystery of god embodied, present, and engaged in every human life, moment, context, culture and community, and preserving and renewing life in every generation. We acknowledge continuity with the broadest movement of Christian thought and wisdom across cultures and generations. We seek to bring that thought and wisdom into conversation with our hope and experience of the gospel in our own times and contexts. It is our belief that, for every generation, the presence of Jesus in the moment is to be discovered, celebrated and lived. It is our vision to join with many to live out this new hope in every culture and context of this new millennium.
Founders
Peter Enns is a biblical scholar, author, and speaker. He has taught in several seminaries and colleges, including Westminster Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Harvard Divinity School. He has written numerous books, articles, and essays including Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament.
Peter Kress is intrigued by the encounter of technology, demographics, culture, and society with the future. He leads technology change efforts for ACTS Retirement-Life Communities, Inc. and sits on a number of community and industry boards, commissions, and councils. He has divinity and theological (Old Testament) training, and a Masters degree in Gerontology.
Neil Williams (D.Th., University of South Africa) is a writer and speaker, and lives outside Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. He is ordained in the Reformed Church in America, and is particularly interested in inter-personal transformation and the dialogue between theology, the sciences, and music. His most recent work is The maleness of Jesus: is it good news for women?
