Joar Haga – författare

This book introduces the approach of “transloyalties” to study “connected histories” in World Christianity. The term “transloyalties” is used to analyze the multifaceted processes in various contact zones through which cultural and religious identities were transformed in the tension between different loyalties. The volume tests this approach in various case studies, most of them focusing on Lutheran churches and “World Lutheranism” between 1919 and 1939, a time of rapidly changing political circumstances.

Traditionally, the United States, Germany, and Scandinavia had been identified as the three centers of Lutheranism. However, while the structures in these centers were well established and “World Lutheranism” was something “out there,” with limited impact back home, negotiation processes on “Lutheran identity” were crucial in contexts where new Lutheran churches emerged. Asian and African church leaders operated in a new context of loyalties: They pushed for cooperation, and they often interacted with mission organizations from all three centers, and also with other religions, traditional cultures, and political movements. Therefore, it is significant what happened, for instance, in the Lutheran Church of China or at Umphumulo in South Africa.

Including theoretical reflections and case studies, this volume is valuable reading for scholars of the history of World Christianity.

This book introduces the approach of “transloyalties” to study “connected histories” in World Christianity. The term “transloyalties” is used to analyze the multifaceted processes in various contact zones through which cultural and religious identities were transformed in the tension between different loyalties. The volume tests this approach in various case studies, most of them focusing on Lutheran churches and “World Lutheranism” between 1919 and 1939, a time of rapidly changing political circumstances.

Traditionally, the United States, Germany, and Scandinavia had been identified as the three centers of Lutheranism. However, while the structures in these centers were well established and “World Lutheranism” was something “out there,” with limited impact back home, negotiation processes on “Lutheran identity” were crucial in contexts where new Lutheran churches emerged. Asian and African church leaders operated in a new context of loyalties: They pushed for cooperation, and they often interacted with mission organizations from all three centers, and also with other religions, traditional cultures, and political movements. Therefore, it is significant what happened, for instance, in the Lutheran Church of China or at Umphumulo in South Africa.

Including theoretical reflections and case studies, this volume is valuable reading for scholars of the history of World Christianity.

Focusing on the history of World Christianity, this book relates the concept of “transloyalties” to developments during the “Period of Decolonization and the Cold War.” This was a time when the terms “loyal” and “loyalty” became more frequently used, not only in the United States, where a “loyalty program” was introduced but also in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Churches and ecumenical organizations had to navigate in this context of new loyalty demands. They had to clarify whether changes in church/ state relations and corresponding changes in their organizational structures were necessary, or whether they affected core identities. Was the restriction or exclusion of Western missionaries a threat to the universal character of the church or a transition to self-governing churches? How did African and Asian churches relate to Western mission societies in the new context? Was the strive for justice a basis for cooperation with socialist governments, or were the concepts fundamentally different? How were denominations organized at a national level? Which forms of church government were chosen? Which denominations could become members of Christian Councils that represented joint interests toward the states? These are some of the questions that underlie the importance of this volume to the study of the history of World Christianity.

Focusing on the history of World Christianity, this book relates the concept of “transloyalties” to developments during the “Period of Decolonization and the Cold War.” This was a time when the terms “loyal” and “loyalty” became more frequently used, not only in the United States, where a “loyalty program” was introduced but also in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Churches and ecumenical organizations had to navigate in this context of new loyalty demands. They had to clarify whether changes in church/ state relations and corresponding changes in their organizational structures were necessary, or whether they affected core identities. Was the restriction or exclusion of Western missionaries a threat to the universal character of the church or a transition to self-governing churches? How did African and Asian churches relate to Western mission societies in the new context? Was the strive for justice a basis for cooperation with socialist governments, or were the concepts fundamentally different? How were denominations organized at a national level? Which forms of church government were chosen? Which denominations could become members of Christian Councils that represented joint interests toward the states? These are some of the questions that underlie the importance of this volume to the study of the history of World Christianity.

This book provides a rhetorical manual for political and business leaders to motivate followers even in times of hardship. It covers the fine art of persuasion and argues that there are four speeches every leader has to know: the opening speech, the executioner speech, the consolation speech, and the farewell speech. The authors explore how leaders could speak in order to appear credible to an audience, and they argue that the leader has to take on suffering and give meaning to the suffering people experience. The book analyzes speeches from a wide variety of speakers, including Sir Winston Churchill, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, and Angela Merkel, and ends with a rhetorical dictionary for leaders to help readers familiarize themselves with helpful terms from rhetorical theory.  

Fear is an inescapable part of how human beings experience reality. The impact of fear becomes particularly evident in a crisis. When a crisis strikes, be it a war, a pandemic, global warming or a financial crisis, leaders are challenged to exercise sound judgement by speaking and acting. This book argues that there are three fears every leader has to know – apocalyptic fear, political fear, and private fear. By appealing to these three fears in an adequate manner, a leader’s appeal to fear may serve a constructive purpose in a crisis.