Course Description:
This seminar addresses directly the question of how to write
a connected, cohesive narrative of world Christian history for the twentieth
century. It will, thus, spend a little time trying to grasp some of the
remarkable developments of the century that are highlighted in books by
David Barrett, Patrick Johnstone, and others: e.g., the explosion of Christian
adherence in parts of Africa and Asia, the multiple revolutions in Latin
American Christianity, the transformations of world Roman Catholicism
symbolized by the Second Vatican Council, the decline of church participation
in Europe, the leadership of the United States in the globalization of
Christianity, the new force of pentecostalism, etc. The seminar will also
canvass some of the important literature that has interpreted the changes
(e.g., by Andrew Walls, Lamin Sanneh, David Martin, Paul Freston, Dana
Robert, and others). Then in order to find guidance for the task of constructing
a continuous narrative, it will explore efforts by historians to write
coherent accounts of the world for the twentieth century, or since World
War II (e.g., books edited or written by David Reynolds, J. M. Roberts,
Richard Bulliet). Inevitably, the seminar will also touch issues relating
to the philosophy and theology of history, if only to address whether
it is in fact humanly possible to write a coherent history of twentieth-century
world Christianity.
Since the quantity of relevant material for both general
world history and the history of Christianity in particular places is
immense beyond imagining, the seminar will try to conquer by division.
Participants will be asked to contribute information and do reading on
only limited aspects of the larger picture. It is hoped that by pooling
insights the seminar as a whole can make the sort of progress for which
no individual could hope.
For further information contact:
Seminars in Christian Scholarship
Calvin College
1855 Knollcrest Circle SE
Grand Rapids MI 49546-4402
616.526.8558
fax 616.526.6682
seminars@calvin.edu |
