EMQ » Oct – Dec 2024 » Volume 60 Issue 4
Portraits of Global Christianity: Research and Reflections in Honor of Todd M. Johnson
By Gina A. Zurlo
Baker Academic, 2023
229 pages
US$35.99
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Reviewed by Josiah A. Stephan, professor at South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary, Deerfield Beach, Florida.
The study of global Christianity has become increasingly popular among Christian scholars and sociologists in the last few decades. Several movements and projects, such as the Lausanne Congress of 1974, recognized the need for both global partners in world evangelization and proper strategy informed by data. In this book, Zurlo and her accompanied writers seek to honor one of the forerunners in the study of global Christianity in our age: Todd M. Johnson. Zurlo and others paint a picture of not just the life of Johnson but the massive growth in research concerning the spread of Christianity across the globe immediately preceding and during his life.
Zurlo brings together a wide array of writers who provide snapshots throughout the life of Johnson. From mentors in his early life, such as Patrick Johnstone, to former students or research assistants at the Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC), all the contributing writers paint a picture of Johnson reflecting his passion for research concerning the global church and his heart for “Lived Global Christianity” (xiv). Johnson did not just research and study the expansion of Christianity across the globe, he allowed this data to reach into his heart, which produced a humble and genuine desire to amplify Christian voices from marginalized parts of the world.
The first part of the book describes the partnership between CSGC and Operation World and the role Johnson played throughout this collaborative alliance in global Christianity. The second part is comprised of writings from various former students, partners, and friends who have been impacted by Johnson in numerous ways. This part is titled “Lived Global Christianity,” as it describes the impact Johnson’s research has had on the authors’ lives and how his actions outside of academics have molded their hearts toward an appreciation for global Christianity. Zurlo then concludes in the most fitting way to honor Johnson: through data. This final section is filled with tables, charts, and graphs compiling much of Johnson’s research in several domains.
Overall, this book accomplishes what it sets out to do and effectively portrays Todd Johnson’s contributions to global Christianity, and in doing so, honors his work and his life. At times, the book can seem disjointed, as many edited works typically do, but Zurlo does a great job preparing the reader for the various parts of the book. This book is a clear portrait of the progression of the field of global Christianity under the leadership of Todd Johnson and others.
For Further Reading
Kingdom Without Borders: The Untold Story of Global Christianity by Miriam Adeney (InterVarsity Press, 2009)
Global Gospel: An Introduction to Christianity on Five Continents by Douglas G. Jacobson (Baker Academic, 2015)
Our Global Families: Christians Embracing Common Identity in a Changing World by Todd M. Johnson and Cindy M. Wu (Baker Academic, 2015)
Whose Religion is Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West by Lamin O Sanneh (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2003)
EMQ, Volume 60, Issue 4. Copyright © 2024 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.
