Can Missiology Incorporate More of the Social Sciences?

This article advocates improving the use of the social sciences in the field of missiology in the two main branches of American Protestantism, evangelical and mainline Christianity. The former branch needs to add sociology to the anthropology already being used in missiology and to stay in communication with these social scientific professional fields. The latter branch needs to add both sociology and anthropology to the theological-historical discipline already being used in missiology, especially in its theological seminaries. The reasons for the different approaches of the two branches are discussed. This is followed by recommendations to each branch for meeting the challenge of making a more effective use of the social sciences in aiding missiology to analyze the major shifts taking place in global religions, including Christianity. Notes on the potential contributions of the sociology of religion to missiology are added before concluding comments.