Critical Issues Facing the Global Church

Abstract

In uncertain times in which we live, there is a need for responsible research scholarship that's academically robust and supports the Church's transformational mission in the world. This paper attempts to pinpoint critical issues that should be at the forefront of the Church's concern and research priorities. It first outlines three key features of life in our world today and three areas of observed weakness in a summary assessment of the state of the Church, before going on to introduce eight sets of critical issues that the Church needs to address: Racial & Ethnic Reconciliation; Patriarchy, Gender & Sexuality; Encounter with the World's Living Religions; Socio-economic Inequality & Injustice; Climate Change & Creation Care; Digital revolution, Metaverse & the Rise of AI; Metamodernism, Transhumanism & Posthumanism; and Embodied Apologetic Witness. The questions both highlight and illustrate the need for these issues to receive further reflection, research and scholarly attention.