

Hardcover: 512 pages
Publisher: IVP Academic (January 7, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0830840850
ISBN-13: 978-0830840854
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #892,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #96 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Theology > Liberation #1365 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Sociology #1432 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Ministry & Evangelism > Missions & Missionary Work

Global Church: Reshaping Our Conversations, Renewing Our Mission, Revitalizing Our Churches by Graham HillGlobal Church is a magnum opus of enormous proportions. The first three chapters confront the reader with the moribund state of Western Christendom. This makes for weighty reading: weighty in size and length, depth, intensity of thesis and in the demands it places upon Western Christians. As we see a expeditious decline of the church in the west, Hill’s book repeatedly demands a radical revolution in the life of Faith Community members.Chapter 4,‘Liberating People’ commences the hands on and how to of Hill’s ideas. Hill attempts to juxtapose Majority World (Developing World) Faith Communities with Minority World (Western) churches with one and an other yet by Chapter 5 it could be said that Hill is not contrasting Minority World with Majority World churches but rather renewalist churches with others. One could contend that the qualities of renewalism apply irrespective of geography, as Hill understands, a work of the Spirit, cannot be artificially engendered. It is interesting to observe that this kind of movement of the Spirit is often compatible with Minority World and indigenous cultures "There is a heightened attention to the Spiritual, metaphysical realm in the Majority World" (p.145); a major revolution is indicated by Hill’s book.Hill’s book demands careful reading as it introduces many fresh ideas in rapid succession throughout. For example, between pages 166 and 171 we hear of “ecofeminist theology”, “green, red and brown grace”, “St Francis of Assisi’s sustainable, earth-renewing, human liberating, out-worldly, engaged spirituality” and “the sacramentality of all things.
Most Christians today live, not in the West, but in the Majority World: Africa, Asia, and Latin and South America. In Global Church, Graham Hill talks about what Western Christians can learn from Christians in the Majority World and among First Nation peoples (i.e., Native Americans, aborigines).The book has its advantages. The author's heart is in the right place, in that he supports social justice and creation care as a part of Christian mission. He is sensitive to the plight of the needy and acknowledges the social and economic challenges that face the world today. He expounds good principles: listening to people's stories, being hospitable, etc. His discussion about how African Christians see the Bible as a source of life was profound, and his discussion of what he considered the strengths and weaknesses of liberation theology was judicious. Hill talks about what Christianity actually looks like among Majority World and First Nation peoples: some African versions, for instance, have a sort of prosperity Gospel, which is not surprising, considering that seeking material prosperity has long been an element of traditional religions. Hill's book does well to provide a framework for how Western Christians can learn from Majority World and First Nation Christians. Hill also refers to sources that an interested person may find helpful, as well as key Christian thinkers in the Majority World and among First Nation peoples; that makes the book a good introduction to this issue, and also a useful source for reference.The book was very repetitive, however. It could have used more anecdotes: the book talks about hearing the stories and biblical interpretations of the poor. Why not share examples of that with us? The book had some anecdotes, though.
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