The World's Christians Who they are, Where they are, and How they got there

Written by an award-winning author, this well-organized and comprehensive introduction to global Christianity illuminates the many ways the worlds Christians live their faith today. Covers the entire globe: Africa, Asia, and Latin America as well as Europe, North America, and the Pacific Provides impartial, in-depth descriptions of the worlds four major Christian traditions: Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and Pentecostal/Charismatic Utilizes the best available sources to produce an up-to-date profile of demographic trends in the Christian population Blends history, sociology, anthropology, and theology to create a rich, multi-layered analysis of the world Christian movement Features clear maps and 4-color illustrations throughout the volume

Douglas Jacobsen is Distinguished Professor of Church History and Theology at Messiah College. He is author of numerous books, including Thinking in the Spirit: Theologies of the Early Pentecostal Movement (2003), which received the Pneuma Award from the Society for Pentecostal Studies, and The American University in a Postsecular Age (with Rhonda Hustedt Jacobsen, 2008), winner of the 2009 Lilly Fellows Book Award.

List of Illustrations.

Preface.

Introduction.

Part I: Who They Are.

Introduction.

1 The Orthodox Tradition.

2 The Catholic Tradition.

3 The Protestant Tradition.

4 The Pentecostal/Charismatic Tradition.

Part II: Where They Are.

Introduction.

5 The Middle East and North Africa: Barely Surviving.

6 Eastern Europe: Nationalism and New Mission.

7 Central and South Asia: Confidence and Complexity.

8 Western Europe: Thin, but Alive.

9 Sub-Saharan Africa: Hope and Despair.

10 East Asia: Piety and Politics.

11 Latin America: After Monopoly.

12 North America: Faith in a Free Market.

13 Oceania: Experiments in Identity.

Part III: How They Got There.

Introduction.

14 The Ancient Tradition: Beginnings to 500.

15 The Great Division and the Age of the East: 500 to 1000.

16 The Rise of the West and Decline of the East: 1000 to 1500.

17 Christianity in a Global Era: 1500 to the Present.

Index.