Some reflections of the Conference by Jieren LI

Some reflections of the Conference

I am a native Chinese, originally come from mainland, currently living and working in Nordic countries for more than fifteen years. I was a pastor for a Chinese church in Gothenburg, Sweden. I am researcher of missiology and ecumenism in Lund University, Sweden. This is my first time to participate in the IAMS conference, but not the first time to visit Hungary. In March 1995, I led a short-term mission team to evangelize with local Chinese businessmen in Budapest.
I find there are following highlights in this conference:
Firstly, we may meet and talk the greatest scholars of missiology in our generation. Some of them, such as Bob Schreiter, Stephen Beavans, we only knew through our textbooks, but now we are able to ask questions, and share our insights with them face to face.
Secondly, the conference provides very good program. Human identity and the gospel of conciliation is the greatest need for this age. Some plenary sessions have also interesting subjects for us to discuss. For example, in my group “globalization and mission,” not only main presentations are illuminated, but also questions, debates, are tireless.
Thirdly, this conference provides a important platform for scholars, ministers, missionaries, students to meet each other and establish a wide network for the future development of the mission studies. For instance, in the process of writing my dissertation In Search of Via Media between Christ and Marx: A Study of Bishop Ding’s Contextual Theology, my supervisor David Kerr mentioned his former Korean student wrote a doctoral dissertation about the church in North Korea. There are parallels between these two theses. Since David suddenly passed away in mid-April, I did not have a chance to get that thesis. However, I met Dr. Jooseop Keum, editor of the International Review of Mission.
Finally, this conference is particularly meaningful for me personally, because I could introduce my new published dissertation and distribute here.

Jieren LI
Lund University
Sweden