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Mission in a Post-Truth World: SVDs and Scholars Reflect on Day Two of Missio Dei Conference
With Divine Word Missionaries among the moderators and presenters, the day spotlighted a renewed call to reimagine mission with authenticity, dialogue, and inculturation at its core.
The day’s keynote was delivered by Dr. Pavol Bargár, associate professor at Charles University, Prague, on “Postmodernity: Insights for Christian Mission.” Bargár highlighted how shifting understandings of truth, rising individualism, and declining institutional religion shape today’s spiritual landscape.
He noted that while social fragmentation and digital hyper-connectivity complicate Christian outreach, the Gospel’s message of relationality and community remains a transformative force.
“Mission,” he stressed, “must move beyond proclamation to become relational and responsive to a society longing for meaning.”
In the plenary session, Prof. Mika Vähäkangas of Åbo Akademi University explored “The Gospel in the Maze of Postmodern Worlds: Choosing Between the Ethical and the Correct? He emphasized the need for churches to prioritize ethics and authenticity over rigid doctrinal correctness.
Drawing from encounters with disillusioned young adults, Vähäkangas argued for a more inclusive, contextual, and embodied Gospel—one rooted in lived witness rather than abstract creeds.
He warned that if Christianity clings to outdated power structures, it risks losing relevance in a pluralistic age.
Fr. Estêvão Raschietti, SX, professor at Studium Theologicum in Curitiba, challenged participants to go “Beyond Missio Ad Gentes,” calling for a decolonized mission that inhabits the peripheries.
He advocated for a Church that crosses cultural and ideological borders through humble presence, prophetic listening, and solidarity with the marginalized.
Quoting Latin American theology and Pope Francis, Raschietti reminded missionaries that “mission is no longer conquest—it is encounter.”
Following the keynote and plenary sessions, participants engaged in a series of dynamic workshops that delved into critical themes shaping mission today. Dr. Dorottya Nagy (Netherlands) led a session on “Contextualizing Europe?!”, examining how postmodern theories influence Christian mission across the continent.
Brother Emile of Taizé offered profound reflections in his workshop titled “Taizé: A Vital Trust,” emphasizing trust, community, and spiritual simplicity as vital elements of contemporary spirituality.
Canon Dr. Nigel Rooms (United Kingdom) explored evolving mission strategies within local English churches in his session “Paradigm Shifts in Local Mission.”
Meanwhile, Fr. Tiziano Tosolini, SX (Rome) led a thought-provoking discussion on “Transhumanism and Missio Dei,” addressing theological responses to emerging technologies and their implications for mission.
The keynote session was moderated by Mario Zanotti, OSB.Cam, Executive Secretary of the Union of Superiors General (USG), while the plenary session was guided by Fr. Daniel Patrick Huang, SJ of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Their leadership helped frame the day’s discussions with both theological depth and pastoral insight.
The day concluded with participants acknowledging that the future of mission lies not in control or conformity but in compassion, collaboration, and contextual engagement.
The Missio Dei conference continues to be a powerful space for rethinking Christian mission—affirming the SVD charism to go where the Gospel is needed most, especially at the crossroads of cultures, ideologies, and human longing.
GMD
