Book Review: The Next Christendom
Phillip Jenkins: The Next Christendom
The first thing that must be said is that this is not the book I was expecting, if I had known the true nature of this book I probably would not have bought it. But having said that I am glad I did.
Brief Summary:
Jenkins major thesis is that much of what we would call mainstream or normal, if by that we mean Western Christianity, just does not fit the picture of global Christianity today. Western Christianity is on the decline, whilst Christianity is exploding in areas such as South America, Africa and Asia.
A new Christendom, with its emphasis on direct supernatural intervention, prophecy, healings, political involvement and social justice, is being born in these areas. Statistical evidence forms a formidable and convincing part of his thesis. Jenkins also performs an admirable view of the spread of Christianity that goes beyond the normal euro-centric history. And ends with a view of what the future might hold and suggestions for the way forward.
Why should you read this book?
1) It gives a great overview of church history from a non-Western point of view.
2) It gives a great insight into what is happening in the wider Christian or neo-Christian world today.
3) It forces us out of our euro-centric and Americanised view of the world.
4) It woke me up to the fact that most of the theological concerns I read about, was taught about etc, are not the theological concerns of the majority of the Christian world. So why do white American and European authors and thinkers still dominate the Christian landscape?
5) Reading the abuses of Christianity and compromises just made me more determined to make an authentic Christian difference on the continent.
6) I also realised that much of the Emergent churches issues with the western church are just not issues in the majority world (where I live!). Social justice issues, corporate sins and political awareness/engagement are real concerns that are an integral part of the faith of people in Africa, Asia and South America.
7) It is a great reminder that Christianity is a growing, vibrant movement in much of the world today.
Problems:
1) Jenkins makes no attempt to define what constitutes orthodox Christianity in the Bible, and then to measure both Western, traditional Christianity and the emerging Christianity of the majority world against it. He admits that his research is based on anyone who calls themself Christian. I was hoping for a more gospel centred approach.
2) Jenkins definition of what constitutes Christian is just too broad. He is happy to include Mormons, Catholics (without qualification) and closer to home he is excited about what he see in African Independent Churches in SA like the Zionists.
3) As a result he does not adequately interact with issues of contextualization, poverty, independence from missionaries etc. because he has a very broad definition of Christianity – anything (almost) goes)
Read a similar article but with a focus on Biblical interpretation: Robert Yarbrough: The Last and Next Christendom: Implications for studying the Bible (Themelios 29:1).
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