In the Christian tradition, believers are called to do more than sit around and pray. Throughout the Gospel and throughout history people of faith have been quite literally booted out into the world to bring God s love to everybody, not just a selected few. That s the meaning of mission from the Latin missio, it means simply to send out. Understood in this sense, mission is at the heart of a faithful life.

Katharine Jefferts Schori s new book explores the meaning of mission in the context of contemporary life. It is organized around the Anglican Communion s Five Marks of Mission: proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God; teach, baptize, and nurture new believers; respond to human need with loving service; transform unjust structures of society; and care for the earth.

Jefferts Schori emphasizes the ecumenical networks that work to send God s love out into the world. As she insists, mission is not inwardly focused, but reaches out to the whole of creation.