Christian mission

Aron of Kangeq, a painter and missionary in Greenland, in the 19th century

Christian churches often send individuals, or small groups of people to a foreign country. These people should then convince the local population to convert to the Christian faith. Very often, this couples evangelisation with humanitarian work. The missionaries are priests as well and can administer sacraments, but sometimes they are laypeople. Today, missionary activity often means cooperating with the local church. As an example, the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Tanzania has sent missionaries to Mozambique.

Missionary work is often criticized for the ways used. Examples are forced baptisms, proselytism, and that during colonial times, there were strong ties between colonialism and missionary work. Sometimes, there is the problem that the moral standards of the societies are very different from the moral standards of Christianity, missionary work will force different standards onto indigenous societies.

Christian Mission Media

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  Stained glass window in Carlow Cathedral, showing Saint Patrick preaching to Irish kings

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  The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel in San Gabriel, California

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  Lähetystalo, the office and church building of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Ullanlinna, Helsinki, Finland in 1903

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  Missionary preaching in China using The Wordless Book

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  David Livingstone preaching from his wagon in Africa

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  A group of Bari talking with a European missionary, c. 1860