A Short History of Christianity beyond the West

Asia, Africa, and Latin America 1450-2000

Series: 

Author:
Klaus Koschorke
**Recognized as IBMR Outstanding Book 2024**

Today, the majority of the world's Christian population lives in the Global South. Knowledge of their history is therefore indispensable. This textbook offers a compact and vivid overview of the history of Christianity in Asia, Africa and Latin America since 1450, focussing on diversity and interdependence, local actors and global effects. Maps, illustrations and numerous photos as well as continuous references to easily accessible source texts support the reader's own reading and its use in various forms of academic teaching.
Special bonus material including 250 photos taken by the author can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.27623484.v2
Copyright Year:
2024
E-Book (PDF)
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Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-69983-0
Publication:
04 Nov 2024
Paperback
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Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-69982-3
Publication:
14 Nov 2024
Cover A Short History of Christianity beyond the West

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About MyBook
Klaus Koschorke is professor emeritus at Munich University LMU (Chair‚ Early and Global History of Christianity). He had multiple guest professorships in Asia (India, China, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka), Africa (South Africa, Ethiopia) and UK. He has published widely on the history of Christianity in the Global South and developed the concept of polycentricity in the history of World Christianity, including A History of Christianity in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, 1450-1990. A Documentary Sourcebook, edited by K. Koschorke, F. Ludwig and M. Delgado (Eerdmans 2007).
"wonderful work that is eye-opening in many ways" Volker Leppin, Yale Divinity School

“This one-volume introductory book uniquely contributes to understanding global South Christianity from the 1500s to the present day, interweaving unparalleled details and connections.” Raimundo Barreto, Princeton Theological Seminary

“pioneering book” Kevin Ward, University of Leeds

"This is a magnificent synthesis and belongs in the bookcase of every teacher and student of church history." Thomas Kaufmann, University of Göttingen

"fills a gap and is urgently needed" Martin Wallraff, University of Munich

"indispensable" Andreas Müller, University of Kiel

"impressive and strongly recommended" Fabian Fechner, Global History, University of Hagen

“This book breathes life and animates the readers to imagine the vitality and challenges of World Christianity in their contexts” Daniel Jeyaraj, Liverpool Hope University

Foreword
List of Figures and Maps (a digital appendix with 250 extra photos can be accessed here)
Technical Notes for Use

In Place of an Introduction: “Christians and Spices” – or: the Multiplicity of Regional Centers in the History of World Christianity

PART 1: 1450–1600



1 The Christian World around 1500
 1.1 Christian Europe around 1500
 1.2 The Islamic World
 1.3 Knowledge of Non-European Cultures, Perceptions of Europe from Outside
 1.4 Christians and Churches in Africa and Asia

2 The Iberian Expansion of the 15th/16th Century
 2.1 The Portuguese on their Way around Africa (1415ff)
 2.2 Spain, Columbus and the “Discovery” of the “New World” (1492)
 2.3 Divided Spheres of Interest (‘Inter Cetera’ 1493, Tordesillas 1494)
 2.4 Encounters: Vasco da Gama and the Indian St. Thomas Christians (1498ff)

3 Iberoamerica I: Colonization and Christianization
 3.1 American-Indian Cultures on the Eve of the Iberian Invasion
 3.2 Stages of the Conquest
 3.3 Legal Titles: Patronage and ‘Requerimiento’
 3.4 Mission Personnel, Duality of Mission and Colonial Church

4 Iberoamerica II: Debates and Controversies
 4.1 Religious Debates: Franciscans and Aztecs in Mexico 1524
 4.2 Controversies over Ethics of Colonialism: Antonio de Montesinos, Bartolomé de las Casas
 4.3 Experiments on the Formation of an American-Indigenous Church
 4.4 Beginnings of Black Slavery in America

5 Mission under the Padroado: Encounters and Conflicts in Africa and Asia
 5.1 Ethiopia: Portuguese as Guests and Allies in the Christian Empire
 5.2 Beginnings of Catholic Presence in Sub-Saharan Africa
 5.3 Goa as an Ecclesiastical and Political Center
 5.4 Francis Xavier: India, Malacca, Moluccas, Japan, Plans for China (1542–1552)

6 Forms of Indigenous Christianity
 6.1 Asia: the South Indian Paravars and the Martyrs of Mannar (Sri Lanka)
 6.2 Africa: the Christian Kongo Kingdom in its Transatlantic Connections
 6.3 Iberoamerica: Voices of American-Indian and Mestizo Christians

7 Reception of the Council of Trent Overseas and the End of Local Experiments
 7.1 State of Expansion at the End of the 16th Century
 7.2 Trent and its Impact on Spanish America
 7.3 India: the Synod of Diamper 1599 and the Forced Union of the St. Thomas Christians
 7.4 Ethiopia: Expulsion of the Jesuits under Emperor Fasilidas (since 1632/33)

Illustrations for Part I 65

PART 2: 17th/18th Centuries



8 Changing Framework
 8.1 Aspects of European Expansion
 8.2 Stages in Mission History
 8.3 Enlightenment and Other Debates
 8.4 Regional Centers, Transcontinental Entanglements

9 Latin America
 9.1 The Church in the Colonial City
 9.2 Native American and Mestizo Voices
 9.3 Jesuit Reductions (1609–1768)
 9.4 On the Eve of Independence

10 Africa
 10.1 Ethiopia: Period of Self-Imposed Isolation
 10.2 Regional Developments
 10.3 Protestant Beginnings
 10.4 Transatlantic Slave Trade, Vision of a Return to Africa

11 Asia
 11.1 Japan: the End of the “Christian Century”
 11.2 China: Accommodation Strategies and Rite Controversy
 11.3 Sri Lanka and the Philippines: Resistance in a Colonial Context
 11.4 Korea: Self-Founded Martyrs’ Church (1784ff)
 11.5 Tranquebar 1706 and the Beginnings of Protestant Mission in Asia

Illustrations for Part II

PART 3: 1800–1890



12 The End of the First Colonial Age and the Beginning of the “Protestant Century”
 12.1 Collapse of the Old Colonial Systems (Ibero-America, Africa, Asia)
 12.2 Hitting Rock Bottom of the Catholic Missions (Asia, Africa, America)
 12.3 Developments in the Protestant World
 12.4 Transcontinental Migration Flows, Beginnings of African-Chapter 13

13 Asia
 13.1 South Asia: Missions as a Factor of Modernization
 13.2 Northeast Asia (China, Japan, Korea): Opium Trade and Bible Smuggling
 13.3 Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia
 13.4 Indigenous Versions of Christianity

14 Africa
 14.1 West Africa: Slave Emancipation and Transatlantic Resettlement Projects
 14.2 South Africa: Black Christians and White Settlers
 14.3 East and Central Africa: David Livingstone and Other European “Discoverers”
 14.4 African Christian Rulers: Madagascar, Uganda, Ethiopia
 14.5 S. A. J. Crowther, First Black African Bishop, and Controversies about the “Three Selves”

15 Latin America
 15.1 Independence Struggle and the Church (1804–1830)
 15.2 The Catholic Church and the New States (1830–1890)
 15.3 Romanization of Latin American Catholicism
 15.4 Forms of Protestant Presence in Latin America

Illustrations for Part III

PART 4: 1890–1945



16 Churches and Missions in the Age of High Imperialism
 16.1 Growing Colonial Rivalries
 16.2 New Missionary Actors
 16.3 Indigenous Counter-Movements
 16.4 Multiplicity of Transregional and Transcontinental Networks
 16.5 The First World War as a Caesura and the End of the ‘Christianity-Civilization’ Model

17 Asia
 17.1 Religious Nationalisms and Indigenization Experiments
 17.2 Ecumenism as a Protest Movement, National Church Aspirations
 17.3 Developments in Catholic Asia
 17.4 Between World War I and World War II

18 Africa
 18.1 The Christian Missions and the “Scramble for Africa”
 18.2 The Emergence of African Independent Churches
 18.3 Themes of the Twenties and Thirties
 18.4 Christian Elites and the Political Independence Movements

19 Latin America
 19.1 The Situation around 1900
 19.2 Regional Profiles: Brazil, Mexico, Cuba
 19.3 World Economic Crisis and Social Question
 19.4 Denominational Pluralization, New Religions

PART 5: 1945–1990



20 Postcolonial Order and Ecclesial Emancipation Movements
 20.1 End of the Second World War, Waves of Decolonization
 20.2 New Alliances, Movement of “Third World”-Countries
 20.3 Forms of Ecclesiastical and Theological Emancipation
 20.4 Growing Importance of the Southern Churches in the Global Ecumenical Movement
 20.5 New Actors and Movements

21 Asia: the 1950s
 21.1 Christians as a Minority in the Process of Nation Building
 21.2 Loss of Status and Persecutions under Communist Rule
 21.3 Search for Christian Identity in the “New Asia”
 21.4 Approaches to New Theological Orientation

22 Africa in the 1960s
 22.1 Church and State in New Africa
 22.2 ‘Historical’ and Independent Churches
 22.3 Approaches to African Theology, Interreligious Initiatives
 22.4 South Africa: Christians and Churches in the Apartheid State

23 Latin America: the 1970s
 23.1 Between Social Revolution and State Repression
 23.2 The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and the Bishops’ Conference of Medellín (1968)
 23.3 Liberation Theologies: Characteristics, Controversies, Developments
 23.4 Protestant and (Neo)Pentecostal Groups, Revitalization of African American Religions

24 “Shift of Centers”: Developments in the 1980s
 24.1 From a North to a South Majority
 24.2 “Return of the Religions”, Religious Fundamentalisms
 24.3 “Reverse Missions”, Impacts on the West
 24.4 Regional Developments and Profiles

Illustrations for Part V

PART 6: On the Threshold of the 21st Century



25 1989/90 as an Epoch Year in Global Christian History
 25.1 End of the Cold War, Collapse of Apartheid, Crisis of Liberation Theologies
 25.2 Internet, Digital Globalization, Liberalized Travel
 25.3 Changing Geographies of Religion, Transcontinental Churches, New Dynamics of Polycentrism
 25.4 “The Next Christendom” – Discussions and Expectations around the Turn of the Millennium

Outlook, Perspectives

Maps
Bibliography
  Bibliography I: Standard Works, General Surveys
  Bibliography II: Complete List of References
Illustration Credits
Digital Appendix
Index
This textbook and study guide is intended for a variety of audiences: students and teachers of church history; religious studies; mission history and World Christianity; various regional, cultural and postcolonial studies; global history and history of globalization; anthropology of Christianity; etc. At the same time, it is directed also to a wider public interested in the global dimensions of Christianity and its history
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