Theology

Abstract

Theology and theological ideas have shaped the study of Global Christianity. This chapter introduces three areas of theological reflection that have been essential to the field of Global Christianity: Historical Theology, Ecumenism, and Belief. Historical Theology: Many prominent scholars within the field have seen striking continuities between new Christian churches in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the early Church in late antiquity. As a result, Global Christianity can be an important historical source for thinking theologically about Christianity across time and place. Ecumenism: The notion of Global Christianity is deeply ecumenical in its assumptions, growing out of early inter-denominational efforts in missions in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and following upon attempts at institutional and doctrinal Christian unity in the early twentieth century. While the field remains Protestant in its sensibilities, the scope of research within it extends to Catholic, Orthodox, evangelical, and Pentecostal traditions, among others. Belief: While scholars in adjacent fields like the anthropology of religion have largely come to eschew belief, within the study of Global Christianity, theology can be a way of attending to matters such as belief, religious texts, doctrine, and church polity. Additionally, belief is a way to denote the relevance of God, spirits, and/or demons in the lives of converts.