World's Christians

DOUGLAS JACOBSEN (Ph.D., UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO) is Co-Director of the Religion in the Academy Project and Distinguished Professor of Church History and Theology at Messiah University (Pennsylvania, USA). He is the award-winning author of a dozen books on a wide range of topics related to religion.

• List of Illustrations xiVoices of World Christianity xixIntroduction to World Christianity xxiPart I Who They Are: F our Christian Mega-Traditions Introduction 1What Christians Hold in Common 1Christian Traditions 41 The Orthodox Tradition 7Spirituality 7Salvation 11Structure 13Story 14Notes 19Suggestions for Further Reading 192 The Catholic Tradition 21Spirituality 21Salvation 25Structure 28Story 30Notes 33Suggestions for Further Reading 343 The Protestant Tradition 35Spirituality 36Salvation 38Structure 41Story 44Note 47Suggestions for Further Reading 474 The Pentecostal Tradition 49Spirituality 50Salvation 54Structure 56Story 59Notes 60Suggestions for Further Reading 60Part II How They Got There: A Glob al History of Christianity Introduction 63Christianity’s Pre-History and Relationship with Judaism 63Christian History and Globalizations 655 The Ancient Tradition 67Convictions 68Encounters 77Notes 91Suggestions for Further Reading 916 The Great Division and the Age of the East 93Convictions 95Encounters 102Notes 117Suggestions for Further Reading 1187 The Rise of the West and Decline of the East 119Convictions 120Encounters 131Notes 143Suggestions for Further Reading 1438 Christianity in a Global Era 145Convictions 146Encounters 156Notes 172Suggestions for Further Reading 172Part III Where They Are: Chris tianity in Nine World Regions Introduction 175Immigrants, Missionaries, and the Changing Shape of World Christianity 175Mapping World Christianity 1779 The Middle East and North Africa 181Description of the Region 183Christian Profile 186Faith and Ethnicity 188Weariness and Decline 189Spirituality and Survival in Egypt 191Turkey and Armenia 193Israel and the Palestinian Territories 195Hope? 197Notes 198Suggestions for Further Reading 19910 Eastern Europe 201Description of the Region 201Current Christian Profile 202The Crucible of Communism 205The Balkans: Blending Ethnicity and Faith 206Catholic Central Europe 209Orthodoxy in the Russian Sphere of Influence 214Notes 221Suggestions for Further Reading 22111 Central and South Asia 223Description of the Region 224Christian Profile 225Overview of Christianity in South Asia 228Religion and Nation-Building in India 231The Varieties of Indian Christianity 234Christianity and Dalits 239Jesus, Christianity, and Indian Culture 240Notes 241Suggestions for Further Reading 24212 Western Europe 243Description of the Region 244Christian Profile 246Catholic Western Europe 249Scandinavia’s Protestant Turf 255Religiously Mixed Western Europe 256Notes 263Suggestions for Further Reading 26313 Sub-Saharan Africa 265Description of the Region 266Christian Profile 268The Crucible of Colonization 270The Postcolonial Era 272Challenges 274Nigeria: Christianity, Islam, and the Evangelization of the World 277Church and Politics in South Africa 279Ethiopia: The Last Christian Empire 281Notes 283Suggestions for Further Reading 28414 East Asia 285Description of the Region 286Christian Profile 290Asian Spirituality and Christian Faith 290Faith and Politics in the Philippines 292Christianity’s Changing Public Image in South Korea 295Indonesia: Politics and Religion in Changing Times 297The Complexities of Christianity in China 299Notes 304Suggestions for Further Reading 30515 Latin America 307Description of Region 307Christian Profile 309A Complex History of Church, State, and Economy 310Popular Catholicism: The Importance of Mary 313Non-Catholic (Evangélico) Christianity 317Pentecostalism and Catholic Renewal 318The New Religious Economy in Brazil 319Holding the Line in Mexico 321The Caribbean Difference 324Notes 326Suggestions for Further Reading 32616 North America 327Description of the Region 328Christian Profile 329Denominationalism: The Protestant Diversity that Freedom Produced 331Simplifying Protestant Diversity: Mainline and Evangelical 333Historically Black Churches 337The Fuzzy Boundaries of Pentecostalism 340Catholicism in Transition 342Orthodoxy in the United States 344The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 346Notes 347Suggestions for Further Reading 34717 Oceania 349Description of the Region 350Christian Profile 352A Complex Conversion History 352Mapping the Pacific: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia 354Religion, Ethnicity, and Politics in Fiji 357Christianity and the Relaxed Spirituality of Australia 359Notes 365Suggestions for Further Reading 366Appendix: Counting Christians 367Index 369