This article explores the relationship between different construals of the Trinity and missio Dei and their resultant understandings of political formation necessary for the church in mission. We evaluate the Spirit-centered view of mission which frontloads the Trinity into the Spirit’s work in the world as well as the Jesus-centered view of mission which backloads the work of the Trinity onto the historical work of Jesus. In each view we expose an inherent problem in forming the communal presence necessary for gospel witness coupled with resistance to empire. Instead, we propose the Incarnation-centered view of mission as a trinitarianism sufficient for mission amid empire.
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