Jenkins surveys future of Christianity

The Next Christendom Oxford University, 2002. 336 pages. The New Faces of Christianity Oxford University, 2006. 272 pages. God’s Continent Oxford University, 2007. 352 pages. Philip Jenkins.

Will Islam soon eclipse Christianity as the world’s most populous religion? Who will determine what Christianity looks like in the 21st century? How do Christians from areas other than Europe and North America read Scripture and apply it to their lives? These are the questions that Philip Jenkins has sought to address in his books, The Next Christendom (2002), and The New Faces of Christianity (2006).

Jenkins’ works are now viewed as essential reading for those engaged in global mission on account of his ability to describe the growth of Christianity in the Global South (Latin America, Africa, and Asia), and to challenge those in the Global North (Europe, North America) to face this reality and consider the implications for the future. Mission can no longer be defined as western Christians going out into the rest of the world to share the gospel message. We live in a new day where southern Christians are actively engaged not only their contexts but throughout the entire world.

Instead of the demise of Christianity as predicted by some in the west, Jenkins argues we are instead witnessing an explosion of growth around the globe that is redefining Christian identity. With 480 million Christians in Latin America, 360 million in Africa, and more than 300 million in Asia, the face of Christianity is no longer white. As he writes in The Next Christendom: “If we want to visualize a ‘typical’ contemporary Christian, we should think of a woman living in a village in Nigeria or in a Brazilian favela.”

Furthermore, the type of Christianity favoured by these new Christians is not the cerebral (and often, liberal) faith of northern Christianity but a vibrant, experiential faith that expects to see God’s intervention in everyday life. In The New Faces of Christianity, Jenkins explores the nature of southern Christianity and argues it is resolutely biblical; believing that what is described in Scripture should be normative today.

Jenkins rightly notes that charismatic Pentecostalism is now the dominant expression of faith found throughout the Global South. These Christians often face medical, economic, and political calamities and are searching for spiritual power. They take seriously the miraculous healings, dreams, visions, and exorcisms of the Bible and believe that God will meet them at their point of need.

This is more than a literalist or fundamentalist reading but one based on a personal experience of the Spirit, who validates the truth of Scripture. As they obey God’s Word, they experience the liberating power of Jesus promised within it. For this reason, biblical texts such as Psalm 91, which proclaims God’s protection in the face of evil, and the book of James, which gives practical instruction for life, are favourites among southern Christians.

Jenkins’ works are also significant for his discussion of the relationship between Islam and Christianity. While recognizing the growing influence of Islam and the potential for significant conflict between religions in the near future, he is not as alarmist as some. His reasoned discussion is well worth reading, and his most recent work dealing with the European context, God’s Continent, is critical reading in this regard.

For anyone wanting a good overview of Christianity in the world today, Jenkins’ works are a great place to start. That said, I do wish, however, that he would distinguish a little more carefully between the types of Christianity he describes, as well as provide a more nuanced critique of the various groups. But I can guarantee that those reading his books will gain a much greater understanding of how Christians in the Global South live out their faith, read the Bible, and boldly engage in mission in oftentimes hostile contexts.

Bryan Born is director of the intercultural studies department at Columbia Bible College.