News of the extended network of faculty, alumni, students, visiting researchers, and mission partners is regularly updated, and some of the big ideas or major events in Global Christianity are covered in the CGCM News.
African Studies Center News
BU's African Studies Center has just released a new newsletter. Check it out! Our own Liz Parsons will be giving a Walter Rodney lecture on March 3, “Witchcraft in the Workplace: Lessons from Zambia on Living Lightly in a Heavily Developed World." It will be from 12-1:30 pm at 325 Bay State Rd., Room 505.
CGCM Winter 2014 Newsletter is here!
The CGCM Winter 2014 Newsletter is out, you can get your copy at the Center or see the PDF online here.
Chris James’ review of Perspectives on Ecclesiology and Ethnography
Doctoral student Christopher James has recently reviewed a book on the intersection of ecclesiology and anthropology, Perspectives on Ecclesiology and Ethnography, edited by Pete Ward. Check out the review in Missiology: An International Review 42 (1), January 2014, 92-93.
The Future of Christianity by the Numbers
Gina Bellofatto, student affiliate of the CGCM, and Dr. Todd Johnson’s described, “Key Findings of Christianity in Its Global Context, 1970–2020.” The article appeared in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research and is available for free to online subscribers.
New Pew Survey on Global Religious Hostilities
A new Pew Research Center survey of global religious hostilities has been released. The survey found that one-third of the 198 countries surveyed showed a high level of social hostilities involving religion, the highest it has been since the survey began in 2007. A Christian Science Monitor story probes the causes and consequences of the change.
Alum Receives Book of the Year Award!
Sung-Deuk Oak’s new book, The Making of Korean Christianity, published this fall as the first of the new Baylor Studies in World Christianity monograph series, has been named “Book of the Year” by Books & Culture magazine.
You may view the announcement here.
Gina Zurlo gives papers at social science conferences NY and Boston
Doctoral student Gina Zurlo has recently given several papers and lectures at social science conferences. In August, she presented a paper at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in New York City, titled, "Christian Sociology in Transition: The Institute of Social and Religious Research," which discussed an early phase of American sociology and its intersections with the social gospel and ecumenical movements in the early 20th century. She also gave a paper at the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion annual meeting in Boston on the development and use of demographic databases.
Distinguished Alum Jerry Anderson Honored in Rome
Gerald (Jerry) Anderson (STH’55, GRS’60) met Pope Francis, gave a lecture and received an honorary Doctor of Missiology degree from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome on November 14. The degree was presented to him by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the Chancellor of the university. It was the first time an honorary degree has been given to a Protestant by this university that was founded in 1627 and is owned by the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Dr. Anderson, a former UM missionary in the Philippines and president of Scarritt College in Nashville, is emeritus director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven, CT, and resides in Hamden, CT.
Zurlo Lectures in Busan
Doctoral student Gina Zurlo was on the faculty of the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute at the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Busan, South Korea (October 30–November 8, 2013). Gina gave a lecture titled, "Demographics of World and Asian Christianity" to a group of 200 students from 60 countries, representing 80 different denominations, and also offered reflections on the future of the ecumenical movement in light of trends in global Christianity. Videos of her lecture can be found in two parts, here and here.
Roldán-Figueroa at 2013 Sixteenth Century Studies Conference
The 2013 Sixteenth Century Studies Conference was held from October 24-27 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Professor Roldán-Figueroa served as Theology Track Director for the conference. The theology track had a total of sixteen panels. Roldán-Figueroa organized eight panels, and chaired three of them. One of the panelists was BU STH Professor Claire Wolfteich, whose paper was entitled "Spiritual Guidance for those 'In the World': A Theology of Lay Spiritual Practice in Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal." Roldán-Figueroa presented a paper related to the missionary work of Discalced Franciscans in the Philippines, "Enlisting Saints for the Cause of Catholic Missions: Marcelo de Ribadeneira’s Historia de las Islas del Archipiélago Filipino (Barcelona, 1601)." The session was sponsored by REFO500 and VU University Amsterdam. The other two panelists were Professor Sabine Hiebsch from VU University Amsterdam and Professor Tarald Rasmussen from the University of Oslo" You can see picture of the panelists here.