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Welcome from Co-Directors Prof. Dana L. Robert and Prof. M. L. Daneel

The Center for Global Christianity and Mission at the Boston University School of Theology explores the most important development in Christianity during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries: the shift of Christianity's demographic center to the southern hemisphere and parts of Asia. The total number of Christians worldwide continues to grow, even as the European and North American component of the world church has shrunk to less than one-third of the total.

The Center seeks to address several critical aspects of Christianity’s “shift southward” in the twenty-first century. First, Christianity must be understood as a multi-cultural and global movement, an enduring theological tradition that finds new life in the lived realities of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Second, the dramatic growth of world Christianity begs for analysis of the missionary dimension in all churches, as initiators rather than receptors of mission outreach. Third, growing churches are in need of theologically trained leaders, ranging from seminary professors, to grassroots leaders of indigenous churches. And finally, persons being educated to lead religious communities need to incorporate the understanding of these realities into their ministry and outreach.

The priorities of the Center for Global Christianity and Mission may be summarized as follows:

1. To conduct research and produce publications on western and nonwestern mission history, and emerging Christian movements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

2. To educate students about world Christianity and mission.

3. To explore the implications of world Christianity for pastoral ministry and religious leadership, in particular for cross-cultural mission service.

4. To educate leaders of African indigenous churches in Zimbabwe.