World Christianity and Spirituality: Narratives of Human Flourishing (DM2080W)

Content

Christianity has been a worldwide phenomenon since the time of the early church in the first century, marked by its global presence, local roots and interconnectedness. This last century has witnessed the rapid demographic changes in the Christian population especially in the Global South/East. Currently, over two-thirds of the world'’s Christians reside outside the West and a quarter of them live in Africa. A typical believer today is a non-white woman in Asia, Africa or Latin America. Meanwhile, migrant communities from these regions are making significant contributions to the western nations. The vibrant faith of these Christians permeates their daily living, having profound socioeconomic, cultural and missiological implications in the world-wide movement. This unit focuses on the study of the above phenomenon and examines its polycentric and polyvocal nature and spiritualities from historical, social and theological perspectives, drawing on less heard Christian narratives, spirituality and human flourishing in global contours including Samoan, Chinese, Diasporan, and Nigerian spiritualities.

Learning outcomes

Pedagogy

Lectures, case studies, student-led discussions, and a church visit. The unit encourages close reading of texts with contextual understanding and critical reflection, as well as observation and participation in embodied experiences.

Indicative Bibliography

• Adogame, Afeosemime U., Ezra Chitando, and Bolaji Bateye. African Traditions in the Study of Religion in Africa: Emerging Trends, Indigenous Spirituality and the Interface with Other World Religions. Vitality of Indigenous Religions. Farnham: Ashgate, 2012.
• Bediako, Kwame. Christianity in Africa: The Renewal of a Non-Western Religion. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1995.
• Cabrita, Joel. Relocating World Christianity: Interdisciplinary Studies in Universal and Local Expressions of the Christian Faith. Leiden: Brill, 2017.
• Cook, Guillermo. Crosscurrents in Indigenous Spirituality: Interface of Maya, Catholic, and Protestant Worldviews. Studies in Christian Mission. Vol. 18, Leiden: Brill, 1997.
• Frederiks, Martha Theodora, and Dorottya Nagy. World Christianity: Methodological Considerations. Leiden: Brill, 2021.
• Green, Gene L., Stephen T. Pardue, and Khiok-Khng Yeo. The Spirit over the Earth: Pneumatology in the Majority World. Majority World Theology Series. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2016.
• Hanciles, Jehu J. World Christianity: History, Methodologies, Horizons. Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, Inc, 2021.
• Hartch, Todd. Understanding World Christianity: Mexico. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2019.
• Kim, Kirsteen. The Holy Spirit in the World: A Global Conversation. London: SPCK; Orbis Books, 2007.
• Sanneh, Lamin O., and Michael J. McClymond. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to World Christianity. Hoboken: Wiley/Blackwell, 2016.
• Yang, Xiaoli. A Dialogue between Haizi’s Poetry and the Gospel of Luke—Chinese Homecoming and the Relationship with Jesus Christ. Theology and Mission in World Christianity. Vol. 9, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 2018.

Assessment