Engaging Globalization: The Poor, Christian Mission, and Our Hyperconnected World

by Bryant L. Myers, Scott Sunquist (Editor), Amos Yong (Editor)

Globalization is speeding up our world, extending our relationships globally and bringing us closer together in positive and not-so-positive ways. The church and many Christians, however, remain largely unaware of its seductive power, resulting in a failure of vision for mission in today's world. This up-to-date resource by a veteran leader in global development work with World Vision orients readers to the history of globalization and to a Christian theological perspective on it, explores concrete realities by focusing on global poverty, and helps readers reimagine Christian mission in ways that announce the truly good news of Christ and God's kingdom. Diagrams and sidebars that incorporate the voices of global partners are included. This is the second book in a new series that reframes missiological themes and studies for students using/featuring the common theme of mission as partnership with Christians.

Genres: Nonfiction, Poverty, Theology, Christianity

282 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2017

About the author

Bryant L. Myers is professor of transformational development at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California. A lifelong activist dedicated to Christian relief and development work around the world, Myers served as vice president for international program strategy at World Vision International. He resides with his family in Southern California.

Reviews

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some middle chapters might put you to sleep, but hang in there. The end is worth all the background. One gem that will stick with me: “We were never commanded to be successful.” Instead, we’re commanded to be faithful, loving God and neighbor. Getting to that gem takes a lot of background, some of which doesn’t always seem relevant, but it is.

[Paul, · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Read this.

I particularly enjoyed the discussion on faith, complex adaptive systems, and the call to reclaim a space for public theology. Globalization, as with so many other things, is either romanticized, demonized, or ignored. But such an important phenomenon deserves careful thought and study. That is what Dr. Myers offers here.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes.
P.25
While Christians seem to be willing to use the technological tools of globalization for church and mission, there is little evidence that Christians and their churches are devoting much energy to understanding globalization, biblically assessing its values and promises to us, and preparing our people to respond.

p.35
... globalization are making a competing offer of “good news,” and, in a sense, globalization is “evangelizing” us. Globalization’s good news is material—it can be seen, touched, and taken to the bank. And it is seductive good news, a tempting offer of a better human future with more of everything one could desire. This means that today’s mission field is first of all inside our churches. We need to find ways to form and empower adults and children in the pews or in the parish to first recognize the seductions and then resist this alternative “good news.” Only by doing this well can we address the mission field just outside the doors of our churches. Each member of our congregation works, lives, and volunteers in a number of institutions, some of which have the power and influence to change culture. They need to be prepared and sustained as “faithful witnesses within” those institutional locations.

P.47
In today’s postmodern world, we seem to be faced with only two choices. On the one hand, some encourage us to distrust the state and place our trust in individual choice and the private sector; this is the path toward liberty and economic growth. On the other hand, others encourage us not to trust individuals, with their desires and their tendencies toward inequality and even violence, in favor of a strong state that reins us in through laws and regulation; this is the path to equality and justice. I believe we need to do more theological work on this question. It is not clear to me that relational human beings who love God and their neighbors will ever be produced by either the market or the state, but it is less clear in today’s globalizing world that we have anywhere else to turn.

[Mikaela Bokenblom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, pretty easy-read history book with theological reflections and responses. Ideas, development, historical events, and the Christian life is discussed. Myers does a good job at connecting the dots, showing the Christian, as well as the non-Christian, that God's meta narrative encompasses all of history, and that Christianity is relevant in a globalized world.

[Catherine Young]

I love this book and want everyone I know to read it!