World Christianities
The study of World Christianities focuses upon the diverse forms of indigenous Christianity around the globe, found both in the present-day as well as in the past.
An interdisciplinary area of research
The subject uses a variety of historical, anthropological, sociological, theological and scriptural approaches. As such, World Christianities sits closely alongside other research and teaching areas in the Faculty of Divinity, including History of Christianity, Religious Studies and the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme (CIP).
The highly interdisciplinary character of the subject also links World Christianities to a number of institutions, resources and centres outside of the Faculty of Divinity. These include the Faculty of History, the Department of Social Anthropology, the Centre for African Studies, CRASSH, and the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide with its library and archives.
Undergraduate and graduate teaching
Undergraduates who wish to pursue their interest in the study of World Christianities can do so in all three years of the Theology and Religious Studies Tripos.
In first year, Paper A7, Studying World Religions includes a Christianity component, studying the globalisation of the Christian religion and its consequences. Students may write one of their coursework essays on World Christianity if they wish to do so. In second year, Themes in World Christianities, Paper B7 offers a broad historical and contemporary survey of Christianity across the globe. The paper is assessed by coursework. The third year paper C24, Decolonising Christendom, enables students to enage with the inequalities, power structures, and controversial issues global Christianity has inherited from the colonial era. The paper engages a broad range of textual and audiovisual sources in approaching of these themes, and the coursework essays provide a unique opportunity for a critical discussion of inherited perspectives about the non-Western world.
For postgraduate students the Faculty offers a World Christianities pathway in the Theology and Religious Studies MPhil, preparing them for a dissertation on a topic of their choice. The taught element of the pathway consists of a historical and a contemporary module as well as an exercise element in utilising primary sources in the study of World Christianity. Owing to the geographical, disciplinary, and temporal breadth of the subject, dissertations span a broad range of topics. The pathway convener works with each student to design their coursework essays in such a way that they are useful stepping stones toward their dissertation research. It is also possible to combine elements of the World Christianities with other pathways.
Individuals interested in undertaking doctoral research in any area of World Christianities are encouraged to contact Dr Jörg Haustein (jh2227@cam.ac.uk).
People and their research interests
The subject in the Faculty is led by Dr Jörg Haustein, who is an expert on Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity worldwide as well as the history of Christianity in Africa. Dr James Gardom, Dean of Pembroke College, contributes to teaching and supervision, in particular in second year tripos. Professor David Maxwell (Faculty of History), who specialises in Pentecostal and missionary Christianity in southern and central Africa also contributes to Tripos and MPhil teaching in the Faculty. There are several other Faculty members with an interest in World Christianity, as well as a sizeable cohort of PhD students. See our World Christianities specialists.
News and events
The subject runs a termly World Christianities Seminar co-hosted between the Faculty of Divinity and the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide.
Seminars at the Centre of African Studies often feature speakers who address topics in the study of World Christianities, as do seminars run by the World History Group.