Themes in Contemporary World Christianity (Lent Term)
Two thirds of the global Christian population now live in Africa, Asia, and Latin American and have decidedly changed the face of World Christianity. While this southward shift in the centre of gravity of Christianity is generally acknowledged, many debates emerging in the Christian global south are not yet given the prominence and careful attention they deserve. With the future of Christianity likely being determined by the Global South this is a significant gap that the this module seeks to address. On the basis of four contentious themes - the relationship between church and state, the so-called Prosperity Gospel, the recognition of homosexual unions, and Christian-Muslim relations - students will be invited to reflect upon the social, political, and cultural complexities of contemporary World Christianity from multiple desciplinary angles. The readings and seminar discussions will therefore provide students with the essential analytical tools and perspectives to analyse the local and global entanglements of contemporary Christianity and to critically accompany these and other contentious debates among Christians around the world.
Course Coordinator: Dr Jörg Haustein