Toward an Evangelical Global Theology Amidst World Christianity

Every aspect of human life and interaction is impacted by shifting global trends that are occurring at ever increasing speeds, including religion. Presently, in Christianity, the global church is no longer western and Caucasian. Over sixty-percent of world Christianity is composed of people of color from the southern and eastern hemispheres. The historical backgrounds, immediate contexts, local religions, and differing worldviews that inform the majority of Christians today pose new challenges for the western church, particularly Evangelicalism and its theology.

Previous missionary actions and denominational control of world Christianity by the church in the west are no longer tenable. Strained relationships and theological disparities are being questioned by Christians in the two-thirds world who are suspicious and more vocal than ever concerning western church practices. Churches in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have emerged on the global scene with their distinctive theologies, which vary from those in the west. The theological presuppositions and historical influences that inform and define western Evangelicalism are viewed by world Christians as an imposition and invasion of their Christian faith and culture by the White-dominant church.

The purpose of this work is to foster an egalitarian dialogue and healthier bond with world Christianity. To accomplish this task, western Evangelicalism needs to look within itself, at its own theology. Many of the theological discussions among evangelicals and world Christians have been monolithic, where the western church has asserted itself and its theology as the standard for Christianity all over the world. By revisiting its own history and theology, evangelicalism can avoid the attitudes and pitfalls that have hindered the theological discourse with world Christianity in the past. The aim is to also design a curriculum for the classroom setting where an Evangelical global theology can be further developed and explored.

The methodology of this study will be theological and biblical analysis, historical research, and developmental, since a normative outcome will be the creation and implementation of a curriculum for seminary students in evangelical schools, particularly. A major limitation in this work is the scarcity of resources in this area. Most global theology focuses on the theology of world Christianity outside of the United States. A truly, western evangelical global theology has not formally been developed. Also, due to the broad nature and diverse understanding of evangelicalism, it is a challenge to clearly define and describe who is an evangelical today.