World Christianity: Contours of an Approach

This contribution makes a case for understanding the term World Christianity to represent a particular approach to studying Christianity/ies. In order to make this argument, the chapter first explores the genealogy of World Christianity and situates prevalent conceptualizations, such as World Christianity as a subject matter and as a field of study, in current academic discussions. Outlining the multiple conceptual and terminological pitfalls of current conceptualizations, it then argues to invoke the term ‘World Christianity’ for a particular approach to studying Christianity/ies. Recognizing Christianity’s inherently plural character, a World Christianity approach, the chapter argues, entails the conscious and consistent endeavor to study particular Christian communities, beliefs or practices in the light of and in relation to Christianity’s wider (hi)story, mindful of integrative and globalizing forces as well as of its multiple centers, trajectories, and agents, and cognizant of the diversity of beliefs and practices this has produced across time and space. The chapter then proceeds to describe, in broad strokes, how to operationalize such a World Christianity approach.