Course Syllabus

Instructor : Dr. Kit Lim
E-mail : elim@iliff.edu
Office Hours : 

Course Synopsis

The Christian missionary movement had far-reaching impacts in the process of European colonial expansion in the Modern era.  The result is that the religious, cultural, and economic practices between colonial powers and the colonized peoples collided and colluded in unexpected and fascinating ways. What can we learn from out of this experience? How does the experience of colonialism shape the development of Christianity in the Global South? How do Christians from the Global South make sense of their belonging and identity? What is at stake for them when the “old” is forcibly or intentionally mixed with the “new?” What is at stake when the “old” is rejected in favor of the “new?”

This course explores the historical development and modern trends of Christianity among communities in the region of the world known as the Global South. This course also approaches Christianity as a “lived religion,” that is, the religious practices of “ordinary” adherents of the religion. This is not a straightforward historical survey course. Rather, it explores the development of Christianity in the Global South through the lens of (post)colonialism. Along the way, we will explore and critically evaluate the symbolic systems, power structures, ideologies, values, and religious meanings at play. Finally, this course examines the interaction between Christianity in the Global South and its Northern counterpart and articulate a vision for increased social justice.

Books for the Course 

Allan Heaton Anderson. To the Ends of the Earth: Pentecostalism and the Transformation of World Christianity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. (ISBN 0195386426)

Philip Jenkins. The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. (ISBN 0195368517)

Lamin Sanneh. Translating the Message: The Missionary Impact on Culture. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2009. (ISBN 1570758042)

Robert Wuthnow. Boundless Faith: The Global Outreach of American Churches. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2009. (ISBN 0520268083)

Gene Luen Yang. Boxers & Saints Boxed Set. New York: First Second, 2013. (ISBN 1596439246)

Additional Readings will be placed under “Course Materials” on the Canvas Site.

See Taylor Library's list of online book sellers for purchasing options.

Overview and Objectives

Evaluation

Policies And Services

Degree Learning Goals