Here is my re-post of the July 5th, Sightings.
Christianity Going South
— by Martin E. Marty
Sightings authors often comment on religion in the United States rather than “the rest of the world,” but through the years have shown regularly how artificial or at least permeable such geographical distinctions are when it comes to religion. Philip Jenkins, Mark Noll, Lamin Sanneh, and others reveal the same, with important books on what Jenkins calls “The Next Christendom” and Noll describes as “The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith.” They see the Christian population “going South.” In American slang, “going south” means going down to an inferior position. But in demographic terms, the capital “S” signals going up, as the masses of Christians are doing, while Christian power slides from Europe and North America to Africa, Latin America, and other points South.
It is impossible to quarantine the diseases of the old North’s Christendom so that they do not also spread South. So the worst of the “prosperity Gospel,” with its guarantees of material prosperity to converts, has taken over and predominates in many movements, such as in Kenya. The homophobia that leads nations like Uganda and Kenya to debate whether to condemn homosexuals to death is richly related not only to old tribal taboos, but to new-style Pentecostal churches there. And the conflicts over gay issues in the American Episcopal church are heated up by interventions on the part of Ugandan and Kenyan Anglicans. The Lutheran World Federation, meeting this month, deals with Tanzanian Lutherans (who number one-third as many Lutherans after a few decades as there are Lutherans in the United States after three centuries of presence), as they say they will not accept funds or help (or prayers?) from Lutheran bodies that have different views of homosexuality than they do.
Exuberant therefore as many northern world historians may be over aspects of Christian growth in Africa – and I’ve also paid attention to these in my 2007 The Christian World – they and their compatriots often gasp when close-ups of practices in Africa get global publicity. This week the notices come from Nairobi, in balanced reporting by writers in The Economist who, quite naturally, notice the economic side of Pentecostal growth there. Borrowing “Prosperity Gospel” techniques from American evangelists and then re-exporting them in exaggerated form, African movements manifest bull market versions of competitive “market religion.” These have to be upbeat and aspirational. They help in some reform of business practices there, but “there is also plenty of hucksterism.”
The Economist tells of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru’s “Jesus is Alive Ministries,” where Ms. Wanjiru, a governmental official, draws 100,000 worshippers to meetings, but can see that number rise to 500,000 when a visiting evangelist also comes along. The editors comment that judgment from European and American critics often overlooks the fact that gross versions of “the Protestant Ethic” were imported from the northern churches. They also assess that these Pentecostalisms do better at inspiring personal wealth-seeking than at becoming clear political movements. We’ll wait and see.
Oh, and did we mention that The Economist reminds readers that many of these Pentecostal leaders promote “clear anti-Muslim sentiment” which “scares politicians who want to win the sizable Muslim vote.” Romanticizing New Christendom movements can be as dangerous as is the sneering done by those who look on and do not discern the good effects of much of these churchly endeavors in the lives of ordinary members.
References:
Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity (Oxford, 1999).
Jenkins also treats the subject in “The Next Christianity,” in The Atlantic Monthly, October 2002: http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/2002/10/jenkins.htm.
Martin E. Marty, The Christian World: A Global History (Modern Library, 2007).
Mark Noll, The New Shape of World Christianity (IVP Academic, 2010).
Lamin Sanneh, Disciples of All Nations: Pillars of World Christianity (Oxford, 2008).
“Slain by the Spirit: The rise of Christian fundamentalism in the Horn of Africa,” in The Economist, July 2010: http://www.economist.com/node/16488830?story_id=16488830.
For an earlier treatment of the prosperity gospel in Africa, see Isaac Phiri and Joe Maxwell, “Gospel Riches,” in The Christian Century online, July 2007: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/12.22.html.
This has been an interesting year in our lives. Lisa and I moved from Lexington, KY to Lynchburg, VA in July 2009. Lisa joined the faculty at Lynchburg College as chair of the Religion Department. We moved here for her career. I had an opportunity or two, congregation and Regional, that didn’t materialize. I’ve intentionally not analyzed and rather lived through it working to be aware, awake, and appreciate our good fortune as well as the setbacks. It has been something of a roller coaster, but when compared to many in this nation and around the world we have little to complain about that amounts to anything important. Could it be better for us? Yes. Is it bad for us? At times, from our perspective, yes. Here are a few things I’ve discovered and affirmed this past year.
There are people who want, wish for, or need a sabbatical that serve in ministry. I am not one of them. This move to Lynchburg seen through a lens of “sabbatical time” has not been restful nor particularly productive for me. I wanted to learn a language and it didn’t happen. I wanted to do better with “house repair skills” and it didn’t happen. What I did do, though, was write and open a youth ministry guide service. With the help of Lisa, we created Sacred Steps: Childern’s Sermon Journal and the Youth Ministry Guide. I think one of these could help our income someday, but mostly it is my way to fill a void that I see in the life of the Church and particularly in our denomination.
From December 2009 to June 2010, I served two congregations in the role of part-time interim minister. I was not sure what kind of every Sunday preacher I might be nor how I would do with the routine of solo pastor. I discovered that my education at Brite Divinity School as well as my undergraduate time at TCU was worth the time and expense. I am grateful for the Sr. Ministers that I served with that required me to do hospital visits, home bound visits, and other ministerial duties that not all Associate Ministers are asked or required to do. Both congregations had their share of “home bound” persons just waiting for a visit. I am blessed to have met so many people in the 80’s and older with sharp minds and good humor. I’ve spoken to men that served in the Army, the Marines, and AirCorp during WWII. I’m enriched beyond my age for having spent time with them.
I discovered that as much as the denomination spends time working to start new congregations there is even more work and service to offer county seat size congregations that are living through disorientation, anxiety, and are seeking ministers who can help them reinvent or remodel what it means to be Church in towns where they are no longer the place to worship. There is faithful ministry for these congregations to offer in their corner of the world, but the landscape is radically different. It will require ministers who do not need a substantial income, but are seminary trained, to do the theological work and walk alongside them to discover that the sun will come out tomorrow and that there is ministry to do. If these congregations don’t receive some support from denominational structures nor embrace their Disciple heritage through the ministers they employ the meaning of a red chalice on their sign will be absorbed into the great landscape of Independent or Baptists congregations and Christianity will loose its salty flavor.
My peers are exactly that: peers. I have many colleagues in ministry. That is the way we speak of each other and it is appropriate. But, I have a few peers whom I trust with accountability, friendship, and theological discourse. Too few ministers serving in Discipledom have peers. Our gated communities have given way to gated congregations and the phrase “my ministry” has made competitors out of partners for resources, ideas, and authority. Peer relationships. It is missing and one reason why it is taking so long for our denominational structures to “right” themselves and find a celebrated future. I am grateful for my peers that have checked-in, listened, harped, and cheered this past year.
My companion in life is Rev. Dr. Lisa Wilson Davison. This past year affirmed that there isn’t anything we can’t handle together. We’ve been lucky. No one seriously ill. Ours, like others, have been worries over money, bills, career path, and making good financial decisions. As we move to Tulsa we know that it will be a few years before we are back to the relative financial comfort we had in Kentucky. It is just part of living and making decisions. We are grateful for the support of our parental units, Peggy, Lisa’s mom, and Yvonne and Mike, my parents. Each has offered their support, listened, and encouraged us. Mostly, we believe in each other and trust. In October we will have been married 21 years. I’m looking forward to being able to smile, like Ms Eggleston did one day when I visited, when someone is visiting us in St. Thomas and I can tell them we’ve been married 71 years.
Next week we will be residents of Tulsa, Ok and our adventure in life will continue. If you are looking for a seminary experiences as you prepare for ministry, consider Phillips Theological Seminary. If you are looking for a different worship experience think about finding a congregations affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
God’s peace be upon you as you journey in faith.