Overview Drawing on his own practice and ministry, in the first part of today's session, John explores the term ‘conversation’ both in characterising Christian mission, and as an essential tool for such mission. He examines the various uses of the term in missiology, and discusses the works of several Anglican and Roman Catholic theologians and missiologists. He draws particularly on the work of David Tracy to develop a nuanced model of 'deep conversation' for mission, which speaks in particular to contemporary pluralism and respect for the ‘Other’. Rooted in a theology of the relational Trinity, it anticipates the presence of the Holy Spirit (the divine Other) as a necessary conversation partner in any meaningful conversation. In the second part of this session, Andrea describes her pioneering work in the UK with those who call themselves 'spiritual but not religious' based in Kingston-upon-Thames, where she founded a Fresh Expression of Church, called 'Sacred Space'. She currently leads the Transforming Shame Network, and works for the Methodist Church in Britain. She teaches Mission, Evangelism and Pioneering at St Augustine’s College of Theology. The double contribution focused on theory and practice is intended to promote discussion.

Speaker John Padwick & Andrea Campanale

About the speaker Dr. John Padwick is a research tutor at OCMS. He lived and worked in Kenya for forty years, mostly as a mission partner with CMS. His Kenyan ministry was initially in secondary education, but from 1978 he worked with African Independent Churches (AICs). John was instrumental in the setting up of the Organization of African Churches, a continental umbrella for AICs, and served OAIC in the areas of grassroots development, the articulation of AIC theologies, and research. His doctoral thesis was on the history of the Holy Spirit (‘Roho’ Churches) of Western Kenya. Andrea has been a pioneer in mission to the spiritual but not religious since 2005 and has founded a Fresh Expression of Church, Sacred Space Kingston. She is the first Licensed Lay Pioneer in Southwark Diocese and currently leads the Transforming Shame Network. Andrea works as a Mission Projects Officer for the Methodist Church in Britain and teaches Mission, Evangelism and Pioneering at St Augustine’s College of Theology.