Introducing World Christianity

Charles E. Farhadian is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Westmont College, Santa Barbara. His books include Christianity, Islam, and Nationalism in Indonesia (2005), The Testimony Project: Papua (2007), Christian Worship Worldwide (2007), and The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion (co-edited with Lewis R. Rambo, forthcoming).

"This volume acknowledges the polycentric nature of Christian ecumene. It combines historical breadth and sociological depth. ...With its rich variety of research methods, writing styles, and case studies, this volume is a welcome addition to the field of world Christianity and could be a valuable reference book both to experts and lay readers."  (Mission Studies, 2013)“Any scholar wanting background information on Christianity in any region of the world will find this book very helpful.”  (Ecclesiastical History, 1 July 2013)“I do think, however, there is some merit in understanding how the world views Christianity at large. Because of that, I do recommend this resource with the qualification that the reader realize that this book is painting with extremely large strokes the Christian faith.”  (Christian Book Notes, 1 July 2013)“It should prove to be a valuable resource for both classroom and specialist use.  Summing Up: Recommended.  Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty.”  (Choice, 1 October 2012)

• List of Illustrations viiList of Contributors viiiForeword ixRobert W. HefnerAcknowledgments xiMap 0.1 Percentage majority religion by province, 2010 xiiIntroduction 1Charles E. FarhadianPart I: Africa 51 Middle Eastern and North African Christianity: Persisting in the Lands of Islam 7Heather J. Sharkey2 Christian Belongings in East Africa: Flocking to the Churches 21Ben Knighton3 West African Christianity: Padres, Pastors, Prophets, and Pentecostals 36Ogbu Kalu4 Christianity in Southern Africa: The Aesthetics of Well-Being 51Frederick KlaitsPart II: Europe 635 Christianity in Western Europe: Mission Fields, Old and New? 65Simon Coleman6 Christianity in Eastern Europe: A Story of Pain, Glory, Persecution, and Freedom 77Peter KuzmicPart III: Asia 917 Christianity in South Asia: Negotiating Religious Pluralism 93Arun Jones8 Christianity in Southeast Asia: Similarity and Difference in a Culturally Diverse Region 108Barbara Watson Andaya9 Christianity in East Asia: Evangelicalism and the March First Independence Movement in Korea 122Timothy S. LeePart IV: Americas 13710 Christianity in North America: Changes and Challenges in a Land of Promise 139Kevin J. Christiano11 Central America and the Caribbean: Christianity on the Periphery 154Virginia Garrard-Burnett12 Christianity in Latin America: Changing Churches in a Changing Continent 171Samuel Escobar13 Brazilian Charisma: Pentecostalized Christianity in Latin America’s Largest Nation 186R. Andrew ChesnutPart V: The Pacific 20114 Christianity in Australia and New Zealand: Faith and Politics in Secular Soil 203Marion Maddox15 Christianity in Polynesia: Transforming the Islands 218Ian Breward16 Christianity in Micronesia: The Interplay between Church and Culture 230Francis X. Hezel17 Christianity in Melanesia: Transforming the Warrior Spirit 244Garry W. TrompfConclusion: World Christianity – Its History, Spread, and Social Influence 259Robert D. WoodberryIndex 272