Fuller Celebrates 60 Years of Missiology
Fuller Seminary is celebrating 60 years of equipping students as leaders, scholars, and practitioners in the field of missiology; the anniversary will be marked by our annual Missiology Lectures on October 15–17, 2025, which will center on the theme “Missiology in a New Generation.” The School of World Mission (SWM) was launched in 1965, later renamed the School of Intercultural Studies (SIS) in 2003, before being joined with the School of Theology in 2021 to form Fuller’s current School of Mission and Theology (SMT).
In six decades, Fuller has not only trained students for missiological ministry and scholarship but has been a leader in shaping the discipline of missiology for the church—even as missiology has and continues to undergo developments in the church today and in the world at large. Over this time, we have shifted from nearly exclusively focusing on mission methods to a having a multidisciplinary approach that engages and integrates various social sciences with history and theology, with students studying both local and global expressions of mission by churches and agencies from a vast array of peoples and in diverse contexts throughout Christian history.
Today, we offer degrees like the MA in Global Missional Leadership, the ThM in Intercultural Studies, the Doctor of Ministry, the Doctor of Global Leadership, and the PhD in Intercultural Studies, among others. The SMT also houses the Center for Missiological Research (CMR), which draws a community of scholars from around the world to address seminal missiological issues, supports research, and equips students at the highest level for faithful leadership in mission studies education and practice, world Christianity, intercultural theology, and related fields. CMR also manages the annual Missiology Lectures and organizes colloquia and other events for the research community.
“Missional engagement throughout the world has been integral to Fuller Seminary’s call and vision from its inception,” said President David Emmanuel Goatley. “In the past year, I have engaged Fuller alumni living and serving in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. The Fuller footprint is presently active in places of conflict which include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palestine-Israel, Ukraine-Russia, and more. We equip Christian leaders to share Christ’s hope and healing in the church and the world. This anniversary is a time to celebrate what God has done, witness what the Spirit is doing, and recommit to go where Christ is leading.”
The 60th Missiology Lectures this October celebrate and assess missiology at Fuller by critically and appreciatively exploring “Missiology in a New Generation.” Designed as a “working conference,” the event will involve four invited scholars to offer critical feedback and insight about new horizons for missiology; these perspectives will then be discussed by and with Fuller faculty, students, and alumni, discerning together how to integrate the legacy of the SWM/SIS with fresh approaches and perspectives as Fuller continues the task of missiological inquiry over the next decades.
Learn more about our “Celebration of 60 Years” and the Missiology Lectures here.