Abstract
The present study discusses the issue of mission in 1 Peter in light of the missiological model of "missional" church. The early Christian communities of 1 Peter are considered here as young emerging congregations living in a kind of liminal state. Being discriminated against in their local communities, they struggled for their own new Christian identity. In these circumstances, the phenomenon of intramural ethics is important, but so also are their missional good works. These are considered to be observed by "the others," who are won over and ultimately give glory to God. Contrary to some recent interpreters, the present study argues that the readers are also admonished to be ready to preach and defend their faith, thus becoming a missional church of both works and words in their neighborhoods.
