DESCRIPTION:

This course will provide an introduction to the more important themes, and an overview of the more significant events in the life of the Church around the world from the 17th through the 20th centuries. Beginning with the years following the Reformation, students will survey the growth and contributions of the Church in Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceana. Attention will be given to some of the more important theological themes, as well as sociological and cultural developments that have shaped or been shaped by specific regional and global historical contexts.

This course should enable students better to understand and interpret contemporary events and discussions in light of their historical and social contexts. Students should expect to be both culturally and ecumenically sensitized.

This class will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions, in a lecture-discussion format.

Jenkins, Philip. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. Oxford, 2002.

Johnstone, Patrick and Jason Mandryk. Operation World: The 21st Century. Paternoster, 2001.

Miller, Glenn T. The Modern Church. Abingdon, 1997.

Syllabus (available in the bookstore).

Students must also choose all other texts from one of the following regional categories:

Latin America:

Cook, Guillermo, ed. New Face of the Church in Latin America. Orbis Books 1994. And

Gutierrez, Benjamin F. and Dennis A. Smith, eds. In the Power of the Spirit. Presbyterian Church USA, 1996. And

Williamson, Edwin. The Penguin History of Latin America. London: Penguin, 1992.

OR Africa:

Hastings, Adrian. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. Oxford University Press, 1995. And

Pobee, John and Gabriel Ositelu II. African Initiatives in Christianity. Risk/WCC Publications, 1998. Or

Sanneh, Lamin. West African Christianity: The Religious Impact. Orbis, 1983.

OR Asia:

Bays, Daniel H., ed. Christianity in China. Stanford, 1996. 483 pp. And

Clark, Donald N. Christianity in Modern Korea. Asian Agenda Report 5. University Press of America/The Asia Society, 1986. 55 pp. Or

Covell, Ralph R. The Liberating Gospel in China. Baker, 1995. 318 pp. And

Hunter, Alan and Kim-Kwong Chan. Protestantism in Contemporary China. Cambridge University Press, 1993. 291 pp.

A complete booklist is available in the Bookstore.