Includes bibliographical references (p. 399-466) and index.

Foreword / Justo L. Gonzalez -- 1. "Missionary by its very nature" : context and the church's mission -- 2. "You are witnesses of these things" : constants in the church's mission -- 3. Mission in the early church (100-301) : individual Christians in a variety of situations -- 4. Mission and the monastic movement (313-907) : from Constantine to the decline of the T'ang dynasty -- 5. Mission and the mendicant movement (1000-1453) : crusades, preachers, nuns and Mongolian Christianity -- 6. Mission in the age of discovery (1492-1773) : conquistadors, prophets and gurus -- 7. Mission in the age of progress (1792-1914) : civilizers, evangelizers and volunteer societies -- 8. Mission in the twentieth century (1919-1991) : the emergence of world Christianity -- 9. Mission as participation in the mission of the Triune God : (Missio dei) -- 10. Mission as liberating service of the reign of God -- 11. Mission as proclamation of Jesus Christ as universal savior -- 12. Mission as prophetic dialogue -- Concluding reflections : on being constant in today's context.