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During class, over this term, Christianity has been quite a heavy topic. Here was what stood out to me (in my own words and thoughts) from each week: Christianity tied into themes, and what I derived for my own learning about Christianity as my community:

Module 3 - In Chapter 3, we focused on social location and how that affects our lives and social status. We talked about conflict theory and functionalist theory. The social location of Christianity interests me because it seems to me that there is some shifting happening. It is true that Christianity has been privileged in social location for a long time, and I think that because of that, there is a change that is arising as people hear the word Christian and think “privileged and oppresive”, which may be true in many cases, however much I wish it were not. Either way, this creates an interesting case where a portion of society flips the script and expresses hate towards a group they have been taught is hateful. This ties in with my true Christian vs Christianity represented in society theme.

The theory that lines up most with this thinking is likely conflict theory– I am assuming that there is a tension that will always exist, and that powers are shifting. Perhaps this is a pessimistic view– I do not want there to be tension, especially as a Christian, and I would love for understanding and thoughtful consideration to be dominant as society works towards change; from every angle.

Module 4 - See Globalization and Inequality section.

Module 5 - In chapter 5, we focused on themes around globalization and how this affects the dynamics of countries and societies, as well as the individual lives within them. Reflecting back on the lessons that were introduced here is difficult for me, as it shows a more harmful side to Christianity that I refuse to ignore. I acknowledge the light in which Christianity and Catholicism are painted in a lot of the class content– how Catholics throughout history have used their social location to try and push a prerogative on other social groups. Catholicism had been an excuse for oppressive people to harm and destroy cultures and people within them.

It was difficult for me to read on this and come to terms with it– that my community, that I hold so dear, has been so evil in the past, and worked entirely against the morals I have come to understand from my religion. Christianity is meant to be focused on love and embracing all kinds of people and cultures just as Jesus did. The hate and harm that I read about this week were extremely difficult to swallow, and I feel inclined to not only apologize on behalf of my community but also try to encourage that it is not the religion that makes these people evil– they are the opposite of what this community is supposed to be.

Module 6 - Chapter 6 has a heavy focus on the economy. Max Weber’s Protestant Ethic from 6.4  both interested and confused me. I have heard about and meditated on the idea of a calling from God, and as a Christian, I do believe God has a plan for me. However, I do not believe, nor do I think a majority of true Christians believe, that God has one specific plan for everyone that must be dutifully followed in order to “gain” forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is not earned; it is graciously given, and this is an extremely heavy theme in my religion. This seems to me to be a great example of someone misusing the idea of Christianity/Catholicism to push their own narrative.

Module 7 - Chapter 7 focused on health and the state. While there are no specific Christian or Catholic themes in this chapter, I feel as though our discussion on compassion towards mental health resonated with me a lot, especially in regard to my religion. God calls us and shows us with Jesus to be compassionate towards absolutely everyone, and that judgment is no person’s right. There are many examples in the Bible of Jesus interacting with, being seen with, and healing people whom others deemed sick and unsightly. The lesson we are meant to learn here is not just that God is powerful and can heal sickness of the body, mind, and soul, but that we should learn from Jesus and not view those who are sick of any kind as less than ourselves (unlike the dominant culture we talked about in the discussion).

Module 8 - See Education section.

Module 9 - Chapter 9 was focused on religion and social change based on it. This was another difficult week to work through as a Christian. Nearly every focus on Christianity and Catholicism made me stop and think, “This is not how it should be”. One of the first examples of this is in 9.3, where it is relayed how the Christian ideals were forced upon Islam. This is a perfect example of the misunderstanding of Christianity by evil people. Christians are taught that there is one true God and one truth to life and existence. Where this becomes twisted is when the Old Testament beliefs (which are famously harmful and not how we are meant to live in these days after Jesus) of destruction of incorrect lives. In the Old Testament, sin was destructive, and there were very limited ways to be cleansed. One of which was to destroy. In the New Testament, we are brought closer to God through Jesus– we are saved. Destruction is wrong and no longer relevant. We are called to encourage and set examples to interest people in our religion. We are supposed to bring joy and light to the world, and make others see us and think, “What could possibly make that person so happy?” and find that the answer is Jesus. Instead, these evil people are using the excuse of truth to destroy and harm. They use their religion as a power to push their cruel initiatives that are coming from fear and confusion from what they do not understand. A Christian should be able to disagree with a way of life, and if they are so inclined to try to encourage change, set a peaceful example. We should never use our social location to harm others. As a religious community, we should especially never use God as an excuse to cause pain. That is the backward way to live. To do so is an egregious show of narcissism and misunderstanding of Christian morals, and it was upsetting to learn. These people are using an excuse to eradicate what they think is wrong, but in doing so, they are no better.

All of this being said, I am grateful to have the opportunity to not only learn about other perspectives but also to offer another one through this Padlet for those willing to listen.

Chapter 10 - See Social Movements section.

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My community is Christianity. Although widely spread around the world, Christians are often misrepresented and misunderstood. In fact, it is the misrepresentative Christians who are often loud and hateful. True, kind Christians know that argument is not always the way.

I hope that I can encourage some people to open their hearts to Christianity and understand that we are not a hateful people.

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This is a short article summarizing Christianity's relationship with cultures. There is a deep history of how Christianity has related to, changed, and been changed by culture. Finding just one source to explain would be nearly impossible.

A slightly more detailed, albeit mildly opinionated source: https://ptstulsa.edu/rpli/40-years-of-change/

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The study of world Christianity begins with the basic premise that Christianity is, and from its very inception has been, a cross cultural and diverse religion with no single dominant expression. Throughout history, all Christians have lived in specific cultural contexts, which they have, to varying degrees, embraced and rejected. Regardless of a positive or negative attitude toward their surrounding culture, all Christians must respond to their surrounding context. It is in Christians of many and various responses that Christianity gains its unique multi-cultural and polyvocal texture as a world religion.

Those Christians who embrace surrounding cultures use indigenous language, music, art forms, and rituals as potent resources for their own ends. Christians have a history of taking that which is not Christian, and then filling it with Christian meaning. There are classic examples of this: Christians inherited Roman vestments and German Christmas trees. Yet even at a more basic level, Christians borrow pre-Christian languages and use them for Christian ends. Jesus did not speak Greek, Latin, or English, yet each of those languages has been used to tell his story and teach his message. As Christianity continues to find a home in new cultural settings, Christians continue to borrow new languages and cultures to tell the story of Jesus.

For those Christians who take a more guarded approach to surrounding cultures, their message will be one of caution. Nevertheless, reaction against culture can be as powerful for identity formation as would be accepting culture. Thus, Christians throughout time have taken stands against alcohol, polygamy, divorce, abortion, and a myriad of other issues.

Naturally, the fact that Christianity is polyvocal and multicultural leads to many different answers vis-à-vis culture. Some Christians might reject a certain practice while others gladly accept it. Debates over ethics and practice are intrinsic to the multicultural nature of the Christian religion. Thus, the Jesuits saw no harm in Chinese converts honoring their ancestor, while the Domincans and Franciscans called it idolatry. Western missionaries in Africa were more often than not solidly opposed to polygamy, while indigenous Church leaders were occasionally more willing to entertain the possibility. In today's world, the questions of gender and sexuality fuel debates among Christians across cultural lines.

Yet this is not to say that Christianity lacks a core and is completely determined by surrounding culture. On the contrary, at the center of World Christianity is a story. It is the story of the relationship between God and the world, as told through the lens of Jesus Christ. The example, influence, and reality of Jesus have provided a touch point for all Christian traditions. Generations of Christians throughout the whole world have been consumed by the question, "who is Jesus?" And also "what does his life mean for us?" Christians across cultural lines also share various rituals-baptism, the Lord's Supper, gathering for worship, and the reading of and reflection on scripture.

Thus, the study of world Christianity asks what it is that makes Christians unique as individual groups and coherent as a whole. It seeks to understand the cause of division and conflict both within the Christian community and also with the wider world. As Christians become increasingly aware of their cultural differences, the study of World Christianity will provide tools for navigating the diversity. It will also, hopefully, provide a space and a platform for discussing our differences and finding a common ground.

Stephen Lloyd
PhD Candidate, Graduate Division of Religious Studies
Annual Theme home

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The study of world Christianity begins with the basic premise that Christianity is, and from its very inception has been, a cross cultural and diverse religion with no single dominant expression. Throughout history, all Christians have lived in specific cultural contexts, which they have, to varying degrees, embraced and rejected.

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Here is an article on the history of Christianity's relationship with cultures. Christianity is often greatly misrepresented in the modern world. Christians are often made out to be hating, stiff people wanting only for their way to be done. Indeed, in the case of a true Christian, it is the other way around. Christians are meant to be unconditionally loving, understanding, and supportive people. Some of the best historical movements were led by Christians.

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How Has Christianity Changed the World and Shaped Culture?

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Discover how Christianity changed the world, shaped history, inspired social change, and impacted ethics, science, art, and human rights

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The idea of climate change, to me, seems to be the biggest environmental factor that has affected Christianity. As Christians, we are called to respect and take care of God's creation. Some Christians feel called to take extra steps to take care of the planet, others wonder if these changes are an indication of "The End Times" (A biblical concept of what leads to the end of the world and perhaps the second coming of Jesus). Some Christians believe there is no correlation. See the attached article to read about surveys meant to better understand the differing opinions.

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The Faith Factor in Climate Change: How Religion Impacts American Attitudes on Climate and Environmental Policy

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The majority of all Americans (61%) believe that climate change is caused mostly by human activity such as burning fossil fuels, according to a national survey from the Public Religion Research…

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The attached article brings up some good examples about the tension given the opportunity that education poses for teaching growing generations about the right way to live, and whether or not that should be our responsibility. Note that the conclusion is not necessarily my theme here.

The harmful

Chapter 8 includes possibly the most heartbreaking lesson for me from this term. It outlines the forced assimilation brought on by Christians and Catholics, and the destruction of identity and culture that came with it.

Christianity and Catholicism, as I've explained in previous sections, have been used as an excuse to bring about harm and force a way of life onto those who are not willing. This causes destruction in everyone involved-- my community is misrepresented and associated with the pain it has caused, and those who were the subject of that harm have had difficulty healing, and the pain has been intense.

The harm is inexcusable, and it is not the Christian way.

The hopeful

Education poses to be a great opportunity for curiosity to be satisfied in young learners. Instead of forcing a way of life on others, education should be used to offer answers when questions are asked. The answers should be available-- not shoved down someone's throat.

The Christian moral is to set an example and encourage people to be curious about what religion means to them, and to let them know they have a safe place with Jesus.

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Church and Education: A Productive Struggle of Eternal Worth | Articles | Rosebrough Center for Educational Practice | Union University, a Christian College in Tennessee

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Church and Education: A Productive Struggle of Eternal Worth in Articles hosted by the Rosebrough Center for Educational Practice at Union University

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The attached article might offer some depth and some different perspectives on the topic.

Christianity as a social movement

There is a big question when it comes to Christianity as a social movement: Should we as Christians be using power and social location as a resource to force our beliefs on others?

As Christians, we are called to spread the Gospel, and similarly to the globalization section, I urge that the answer is not to harshly spread or force ideals. Christianity should be a passive social movement, available to all. The forcing of ideals is not only harmful but also affects the willingness of others to consider the religion in the future, because it becomes associated with hurtful things.

Instead of what it seems to be, Christianity needs to be available to all, not forced on all. This will, in turn, create a much more fruitful movement, because the tension would not exist.

Christianity and Social Movements

In module 10, we focused on many different social movements, and the overall theme I can see in many of them is for freedom and a higher diversity in cultures. While a lot of movements ask for specific change, there is a clear theme of asking for representation and a healthier society and Earth.

It is interesting to me how often I see Christian morals being represented secularly. Christianity, like many movements, calls to respect the earth and to take care of it, to understand and be compassionate towards others, to solve issues peacefully and without violence, and to speak up for the poor and needy.

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Christian Social Movements | Encyclopedia.com

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CHRISTIAN SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
CHRISTIAN SOCIAL MOVEMENTS . The richness of the Christian vision of God’s transcendence and presence, the range of constituencies to which it appeals, and the variety of contexts into which it has moved have produced an enormous variety of social movements. Yet some main developments can be traced. Source for information on Christian Social Movements: Encyclopedia of Religion dictionary.

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"Our job as Christians involved in

cross-cultural ministry is to introduce Christ to the

lost, not to Westernize the non-Western" - Teri McCarthy

"Jesus explicitly

forbade the use of the sword in

defending His kingdom, which he

said clearly “is not of this world.” - Stan Guthrie

I implore you to read even a small bit of the attached PDF article, which is a beautifully articulated piece on what I am intending to write about in not just this section of this padlet but also with the entirety of this project.

What Christianity aims to affect, and how it should be affected, given globalization and the world today

The spreading of the Gospel is a clear and strong moral within my community of Christianity. Globalization is a clear opportunity for that-- but to encourage others to be curious about Christianity is not as simple as stomping down and spreading as much information as possible, and it certainly has nothing to do with demolishing other cultures.

Christian life calls for us to peacefully set an example to others with integrity and compassion. We are not meant to use any worldly means to spread our ideals, like what has been shown in society thus far. The attached article explains how opportunity for success in this world is not equal, just as our resources and wealth are not equal.

Christian morals specifically outline that the want for those who follow God is that all people have access to what they need to be healthy and happy, and if desired, to serve God. The world today is no example of that hopeful world, and as Christians, we are called to not fall into what the world wants from us-- to be greedy and succeed at any cost.

(see My Theme section)

True Christians are called to, and do, embrace other cultures and learn from them. We are supposed to put our neighbor, our God, our Earth above worldly wants. To be poor and hungry and to make a person smile and know they are loved is unfathomably superior to having all the opportunity and success in the world gained from oppression, greed, and immorality (and is there any other way to gain it in this world?).

What Christianity has affected / How it has been affected

Christianity is affected by and affects globalization in many ways.

In chapter 4, we learn how globalization is the result of resources allowing ideas, cultures, goods, and services, etc. to be spread around the world.

We learn throughout the term that Christianity and Catholicism, as globalization has occurred, has been a plague to many cultures, harshly and harmfully pushing a preragotive which leads to the destruction of culture and individual lives. Not only is it horrible that these things have happened, but the fact that they have happened under the Christian name is insulting and beyond wrong when you understand how we are truly called to go about things.

On a slightly brighter side to things, globalization allows Christianity to be available to all who are curious. It is easier than ever to learn about other religions and speak to others with the same ideologies as yourself, and build a community off of that. You can read the Bible on your phone! When done correctly with encouragement and love, globalization is a beautiful opportunity for good to be done and ideas to be spread.

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You may notice that I have one main theme that I continue to bring up in nearly every section-- there is a clear difference between the societal representation of Christians and how a true Christian behaves. I have learned over the course of this term about terrible things my community has done, and the egregious misrepresentation of my religion that has been repeatedly shown throughout history. Not only is this the reason for the misunderstanding of the community, but it also calls for a massive change in our world now, about how my community has acted in the past. I hope and pray for a future where Christians have a deeper understanding of God's calling for us, and we can have a positive impact on the world, as we should.