A Trinitarian theology of mission

The Second Vatican Council emphasized that the church's missionary nature is based in a dynamic way on the Trinitarian missions. The perichoretic activity of the Triune God in and through creation establishes and inspires the missionary thrust that belongs to the very nature of Christian life. Jesus Christ the Redeemer's mission was entrusted to the church with the help of the reconciling Holy Spirit who impels all creation to proclaim the great works of the one God. Just as Jesus sent the apostles out in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, so too the church as believers, and indeed all of humanity, is sent out and commanded to live life in the name of the most high Trinity. The visible church on earth, by its very nature, is missionary and reflects the Trinity as it works toward its end, the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. This sacramental and kerygmatic community of believers is called to accept the loving forgiveness of God by living according to the will of the Father, and has its origins in the missions of the Son and the Holy Spirit. An ecclesiology grounded upon the Trinitarian missions is both an inspiration to the modern church as well as a source of debate. At the center of the ecclesiastical debate is the understanding of the doctrine of God as Trinitarian or non-Trinitarian. However, it is more beneficial for the universal church to understand God as Trinitarian. Establishing a scriptural basis for a Missiological ecclesiology that is grounded upon the Triune God is necessary for such an understanding. Reaching a coherent doctrine of God that made sense within the experience of the world was a lengthy process. Throughout history theologians have presented and continue to present an understanding of the Trinity and its relation to the church and the world. Therefore, the church must be confident and return to its foundation by renewing its missionary calling.