The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity

I. What is the main idea or thesis of the author?

Jenkins is telling the story of the significant shift in global Christianity in the last century, and the coming century. This is the story of a shift from white to color, from North to South, from power to weakness, and from wealth to poverty. In telling us this story he helps us gain perspective on what this means for the Church and other world religions now and what it could mean in the future. To do this, Jenkins steps away from the classic view of Christianity being the religion of the North and West to a more realistic view of Christianity truly being a dynamic global phenomenon.

II. What is my interpretation of the author’s thesis?

I was pleased to find that Jenkins is willing to take an objective look at Christianity as it really is, not as we see it through our ethnocentric eyes. He is willing to put this in the context of 20 centuries of Christian history and to see the dynamics of change through that history. Christianity has never been a strictly Western phenomenon, and has actually rarely been dominated by the West.

Jenkins is careful with his research and scholarship. He is honest about what we know and what we can merely surmise. He states this openly. He is even more careful with projecting into the future. Yet, he is able to show the trends of history, where we are now and where we may be going.

We seem to be going towards a Christianity of the South, dominated by Africa, Asia and Latin America. This is a Christianity that is at home with supernaturalism. It reads the New Testament as its current reality, a reality of persecution, injustice and poverty. It sees wisdom in the truths of the Bible and has no problem with a literal hermeneutic which speaks directly to them. This is a conservative church, with a concern for social justice. This does not square with the liberal elite or the socially insensitive conservatives of the North. The Southern Church is taking its own path. And as it does it is gaining power and control.

Further, we should not be surprised to find that the Southern Church sees the crumbling neo-pagan north as a mission field. With their small resources they are willing to send missionaries into the emigrational streams north to Europe and North America. While their initial focus will be their own people it would not be at all surprising to see them gain a voice among the whites, given their comfort with supernatural power in a society that is hungry for supernaturalism and but allergic to an anemic institutionalized Church.

Jenkins is also quite open about Christianities historical failures, particularly our failure to understand and adequately interact with Islam. His Chapter Eight entitled The Next Crusade outlines in stark terms the geopolitical and religious fault line that crosses the African and Asian continents, and in a more complex way Europe, and eloquently outlines the potential for violent interaction. He is quite accurate in asserting that currently Islam is the violent aggressor, but is not quick to excuse Christianity currently or in its history.

III. What would a serious application of this book look like?

We need to come to grips to the realities of Southern Christianity. I believe it is the Holy Spirit’s work in His world to counteract the stark sterility of the Northern churches Enlightened theology and practice. The Holy Spirit is giving us a wake up call. Not that the Southern Church perfectly exemplifies biblical purity, nor has the Church in any of its manifestations or phases of history. But I believe that Holy Spirit is outlining some important issues for his Church. We should not be afraid of supernaturalism, we should embrace the poor and oppressed, we should shrewdly, innocently and boldly stand up for justice. We should not be surprised by persecution and know how to live and thrive in a hostile environment. We need to strategies and models that multiply disciples of Christ and biblical leadership. The seminary model, for example, will not be adequate for the rapid growth of Southern Christianity; in fact, it is proving itself inadequate now.

As a proponent of simple or house churches I find hope in these issues. These are all areas that simple churches are already grappling with and for which it is finding contextualized solutions. Supernaturalism, multiplying leadership, dealing with persecution and respect for the Bible as a literal and clear guide to life and practice are all common simple church themes. One area that North American and European simple churches particularly are going to need to more adequately grapple with is the areas of poverty, racism and social injustice. Many of us come from churches which have virtually ignored these issues and we will tend to continue to do so if we are not cross pollinated with brethren from the South. Conversely, our Southern brethren may struggle to adequately grapple with this issues of how their own societies treat women and how the Bible may call them to a fresh look at this issue.