Mission Studies as a study of interreligious and intercultural encounters with comprehension of the matter from within religious frameworks has more to give a world plagued by conflicts than ever before. Identities, often partly based on religion, are increasingly polarised. Yet internationally Mission Studies is losing ground. In this situation, there are four prospects for missiology. First, it can continue as a denominational and Eurocentric discipline, with no regard for the changes taking place in the world and within Christianity. Secondly, Mission Studies can disappear as a discipline and dissolve into other disciplines. The third alternative is to rebrand and change the name to a less contaminated one. The fourth alternative is to reclaim the concept of mission to a new decolonial function. All four solutions can be found in different parts of the world. What appears to be obvious is that no general consensus will emerge as to the meaning and nature of the concept of mission and, subsequently, Mission Studies, whose present and the future are splintered, with all four of the possible scenarios taking place. However, the survival of the discipline greatly depends on its ability to renew itself as a transdisciplinary platform. In the following, I describe the situation of Mission Studies as an academic discipline from my limited personal perspective. Inevitably this means that there will be many plausible alternative interpretations from other vantage points.

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