Editing Missionary (section)

{{Short description|Member of a religious group sent into an area to promote their faith}}
{{other uses}}
{{Redirect|Mission partner||Mission (disambiguation)|and|Partner (disambiguation)}}
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[[File:IVE Missionaries in Papua New Guinea.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.35|[[Catholic Church|Catholic]] missionaries in [[Papua New Guinea]]]]
A '''missionary''' is a member of a [[Religious denomination|religious group]] who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as [[education]], [[literacy]], [[social justice]], [[health care]], and [[economic development]].<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/missionary Missionary Define Missionary]. ''dictionary.reference.com''. Retrieved on 2019-05-16.</ref><ref name="Thomas Hale 2003">Thomas Hale 'On Being a Missionary' 2003, William Carey Library Pub, {{ISBN|0-87808-255-7}}.</ref>

In the [[Bible translations into Latin|Latin translation of the Bible]], [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] says the word when he sends the disciples into areas and commands them to preach the [[gospel]] in his name. The term is most commonly used in reference to [[Christian mission]]s, but it can also be used in reference to any [[creed]] or [[ideology]].<ref>For example, [[Buddhism]] launched "the first large-scale missionary effort in the history of the world's religions" in the 3rd century BCE. ([[Richard Foltz]], ''Religions of the Silk Road'', Palgrave Macmillan, 2nd edition, 2010, p. 37 {{ISBN|978-0-230-62125-1}}).</ref>

The word ''mission'' originated in 1598 when [[Jesuits]], the members of the [[Society of Jesus]] sent members abroad, derived from the Latin {{lang|la|missionem}} ([[nominative case|nom.]] {{lang|la|missio}}), meaning 'act of sending' or {{lang|la|mittere}}, meaning 'to send'.<ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=mission Online Etymology Dictionary]. ''etymonline.com''. Retrieved on 2011-01-19.</ref>