Disciples of All Nations: Pillars of World Christianity

385 Pages·2007·2.93 MB·English

by  Lamin O. Sanneh

Disciples of All Nations
Oxford Studies in World Christianity
Series Editor
Lamin Sanneh, Yale University
Editorial Board
Edith L.Blumhofer, Wheaton College
Jonathan Bonk, Overseas Ministries Study Center,New Haven
John Carman,Harvard University
Joel Carpenter,CalvinCollege
Adela Collins, Yale University
Angelyn Dries, St. Louis University
Robert Frykenberg, University ofWisconsin, Madison
Paul Gifford,School of Orientaland African Studies,
University ofLondon
Richard Gray{, SOAS,University ofLondon
Philip Jenkins,PennsylvaniaState University
PeterPhan, GeorgetownUniversity
Dana Robert, BostonUniversity School of Theology
Fiona Vernal,University of Connecticut, Storrs
Andrew F. Walls, Universityof Aberdeen
{deceased
DISCIPLES OFALLNATIONS
Pillars ofWorld Christianity
Lamin Sanneh
Disciples of
All Nations
Pillars of World Christianity
lamin sanneh
1
2008
3
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Sanneh,LaminO.
Disciplesofallnations:pillarsofworldChristianity/LaminSanneh.
p.cm.—(OxfordstudiesinworldChristianity)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-19-518960-5;978-0-19-518961-2(pbk.)
1. Churchhistory—20thcentury. 2. Churchhistory—21stcentury.
3.Christianity—20thcentury. 4. Christianity—21stcentury. I. Title.
BR481.S262007
270.8—dc22 2007010411
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
onacid-freepaper
Dedicated to the Memory of
Richard Gray (1929–2005)
Scholar-Statesman, Teacher, Exemplar, Friend
With Devotion and Gratitude
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Acknowledgments
The idea for this book andof the seriesasa whole was severalyears
in gestation,and although the responsibility for both thebook and
theseriesfallssquarelyonmyshoulders,thecreditshouldgotomany
people. When Iapproached him with an outline sketch, Theo Cal-
derara at Oxford University Press was prompt and encouraging, and
movedswiftly and devotedly toguide the proposal through the edi-
torialprocessforapprovalandtolendhiseditorialskillsinthewriting
process. I am very grateful to him personally andto his colleagues
at the pressfortheirattention to the book andto the series.I owe
an enormous debtof gratitudeto the anonymous readers whose en-
couragement andconfidence have been invaluable. I hope this book
justifies the faith andtrust they placedin me.
RichardGraywasindefatigableandunstintinginhissupportand
guidancerightfromtheconceptionofthebook,andinhisrole
inconveningatshortnoticeagroupofacademicsattheSchoolof
OrientalandAfricanStudiesattheUniversityofLondon(SOAS)to
discusstheprojectasawhole.Hekeptinclosetouchwithmeas
thebookdeveloped,andwasunfailinglyavailableforhelpandadvice,
placingatmycompletedisposalhisdeepknowledgeandincisive
graspofthefield,andalwaysnudgingmewhenneeded.Withgen-
tlefirmnessRichardchallengedmetomakerigorousscholarshipan
allyofahumaneandsensitiveunderstandingofhistory.Itwasnot
justChristianhistorythatconcernedRichardbuttheplaceofChristian
historyintheunfoldingsequenceofthestrugglesandhopesofthe
viii acknowledgments
peoplesandsocietiesoftheworld.IappreciatedfromRichardthatscholarship
is an apprenticeship to the truth, and to service and solidarity. He impressed
onmethefactthatcommitmentofthescholarasscholarcannotbeseparated
from broader commitment to a common humanity. Richard was untiring in
challenging me to lift my eyes to see the world in all its complexity and in-
tractability, as well as in its promise and richness. In a more than formal
sense,Richardistheinspirationandinvisiblehandofthisbookandofthese-
ries itself. He died suddenly in August 2005, barely a week after we made
arrangements to meet for further discussions, and had earlier left written
messagesformewhenspeechfailedhim.Idedicatethisbooktohismemory
in recognition of his role in the book and much more profoundly in my life
and work.
Iwishtomentionalsomanyotherpeoplewhohaveencouragedmeinall
sorts of ways. At Harvard I benefited immeasurably from the work and en-
couragement ofJohn B.Carmanandthelate WilfredCantwellSmith,whose
historical view of the study of religion has influenced my own. The late Tom
Beetham, a giant of his day, was an early and much overlooked pioneer of
the field, and was a steady influence on me. His deep knowledge, wisdom,
and humility were a source of inspiration to students of my generation.
Thankstohim,thearchives oftheMethodistMissionarySocietywerelodged
with the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London,
there to become a boon to scholarship. I owe Tom more than words can
convey.
AtYaleIamgratefultoGeorgeLindbeckforourlunchtimeconversations;
toPresidentRichardLevinforhisunfailingsupportandinterestinmywork;
to Dean Harry Attridgefor his support; to Adela Collins for her helpful com-
mentsandsuggestionsontheNewTestamentmaterialinthebook;toSerene
Jones, Michael Holquist, and Owen Fiss for their collegiality; and to my col-
leagues at St. Thomas More Catholic chaplaincy for the stimulus of life and
companionship there. I owe a word of thanks to Archabbot Douglas Nowicki
and to Fr. Tom Hart, both of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsyl-
vania,fortheirlegendaryhospitalityandencouragement.Iamalsogratefulto
Jon Bonk, Judy Stebbins, and to their colleagues at the Overseas Ministries
Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut, for their hospitality and friend-
shipandforagreeingtohosttheseriesproject.Ioweagreatdebt,too,toRyan
Keating and Jane Jeuland, my student assistants at Yale.
I must thank Phil Lundman, friend and philanthropist, for reading
through the entire draft manuscript and for his insightful comments, and to
the Lundman Family Foundation for its confidence and support of theseries
acknowledgments ix
as a whole. Phil Lundman’s acute observations compelled me to attend to
mattersofdetailandsubstance,andforthatIamgrateful.VinaySamuelhas
been a friend and colleague over many years, and I have learned a great deal
from him about the demands and opportunities presented by currents in
World Christianity.
IamgratefulforthehonorofpresentingtheJordanLecturesatSOASin
April/May2005,andtoPaulGiffordandhiscolleaguesfortheirhelpindoing
so. I am similarly indebted to the officers of the China Graduate School of
Theology for the invitation to deliver the 2006 Josiah S Mann Lectures, and
to Titus Pressler for the invitation to deliver the Paddock Lectures at General
Theological Seminary in New York in 2006. I am grateful to Dean James
Hudnut-BeumlerofVanderbiltDivinitySchoolforthehonorofdeliveringthe
ColeLecturesin2006,anopportunitythatIusedtorefocusthebook.Tomy
students and former students at Yale and Harvard I am indebted for their
interest and support. I owe Barbara Alber of the Summer Institute of Lin-
guistics atDallas a huge debt ofgratitudefor her expertiseand forher much
unmerited forbearance withthe maps.
I must thank many others for their friendship and companionship over
the years. Jack Faal of The Gambia has been a much valued and unfailing
friend over many decades. I am thankful, too, for the thoughts and support
ofArchbishopObinnaandArchbishopOnaiyekan,bothofNigeria.Icontinue
to learn from my conversations with Bill Burrows, Andrew Walls, and other
colleagues in the Yale-Edinburgh Group of mission scholars. While on ap-
pointmentattheJohnW.KlugeCenterattheLibraryofCongress,Ibenefited
enormouslyfromthefriendshipofProsserGifford,then-directorofScholarly
Programs,asIdidfromthewarmwelcomeofJamesBillington,thelibrarian.
Christianityinitscurrentpost-Westernphasehasseenitsshareoftravail
andtragedy,butalsomanyhearteningexamplesofindomitablehopeandpa-
tience. I am grateful for having known some of the people who have stood
undaunted at the center of the storm. I trust that this book in a small way is
faithful to the spirit that sustains them.
I thank my family to whom more penance is due from me than can be
dischargedinalifetimeofdevotion.Inparticular,Siagavemeinvaluablehelp
fromherexpertknowledgeofancientRome,andSandrareadthroughadraft
of thebook and gave me many helpful ideas and comments about style, con-
sistency, and clarity. K remains a source of constant inspiration in his lucid
andenergeticexpositionofcontemporaryAmericanpopularculture,including
popular religion. I hope they will all see something of their influence in this
book.