Holding the middle ground: The Overseas Ministries Study Center archive and the struggle for ecumenicity in the 1970-1980s

Abstract

In 2022, the Overseas Ministry Studies Center (OMSC) celebrated its 100th anniversary. This storied organization has been at the vanguard of missiology and found itself at the intersection of important conversations related to mission studies and praxis. Yet, it did not always have a placid existence. Through a close reading of the archive, there is another story to be told, that of an institution that was at every turn trying to navigate the increasingly turbulent waters of denominational fragmentation and skepticism of the overall missionary venture. This paper looks at the manifold ways in which its director, Gerald Anderson, and the board members sought to steer the OMSC towards a common “middle ground” and thus enact a politic of ecumenicity. Whether through its residential space, study programs, or guest lecturers, the OMSC worked intently on fostering a safe place for diverse denominations, mission agencies, and theological institutions to discuss the future of missions throughout the 1970s and 1980s. This paper offers a unique insight from historical archives into how an ecumenically minded organization endeavored to steer towards a middle ground amidst divisive times.