Title: Missions, nationalism, and the end of empire. Missions, nationalism, and the end of empire x, 313 p. Publisher: Grand Rapids ; Cambridge : Eerdmans, 2003

Cole-Arnal, Oscar

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 30Issue 2 Festechrift: Faith Elizabeth Rohrbough Article 1511-1-2005Missions, nationalism, and the end of empireOscar Cole-ArnalFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationCole-Arnal, Oscar (2005) "Missions, nationalism, and the end of empire ," Consensus: Vol. 30 : Iss. 2 , Article 15.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol30/iss2/15shaped by the specific context of the Italian Renaissance, a study ofthis type serves as a broader reminder to pastors, students, andgeneral readers of the way in which the arts can contribute to thedevelopment and understanding of Christian faith, especially in ourmodern visually-oriented culture.Mikeal C. Parsons is a professor of religion at Baylor Universityin Waco Texas, and is the author of The Departure of Jesus in Luke-Acts and co-editor of Rethinking the Unity of Luke and Acts. Heidi J.Hornik is an associate professor of art history at Baylor University,and the co-editor, with Mikeal Parsons, of Interpreting Christian Art.Diane E. PetersWilfrid Laurier University / Waterloo Lutheran SeminaryWaterloo, OntarioMissions, Nationalism, and the End of EmpireBrian Stanley, EditorGrand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003313 pages, $46.19 SoftcoverAt a time when Christians become increasingly aware of powerfulreligious alternatives to Christianity both at home and abroad,churches must give more seriously critical attention to the meaning oftheir missionary work. Part of this task involves a seriousexamination of the history of Christian missions in a world that haspassed from colonial imperialism to newer, more complex relationsbetween western countries and the southern poorer nations thatconstitute the overwhelming majority of the world’s population. Thishistory leaves a legacy that, if unexamined, will continue the toxicbehaviour of our past efforts. At the same time we can learn frommore positive examples that emerge from our former practices. Ibelieve that Brian Stanley’s Missions, Nationalism, and the End ofEmpire makes a positive step toward such a fruitful analysis.To be sure, the book suffers from virtually all examples of its type.It is a product of an academic conference where papers were presentedby a variety of scholars on the common theme of missionary history.Consequently the entries reflect a fairly wide variety of topics (someBook Reviews 133Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2005of more or less interest to any given reader) and quality. Since thislatter judgment on quality remains fraught with a fair degree ofsubjectivity, I leave such assessments to readers who pick up andutilize this book. Suffice it to say that Dr. Stanley gathers all thesearticles under the most relevant theme of “the nature of the linkages inthe mid-twentieth century between the Christian churches (and inparticular their missionary bodies) and the dynamics of anti-colonialnationalism and decolonization in the non-Western world.” (1-2)Further, his introductory article sets a fine tone for the remainder ofthe book. In addition, all the articles hold faithfully to this broad themeof the interface between anti-colonial nationalism and the Christianfaith, and it is a great credit to the book that Christian voices from theonce colonized world have their place within this work.The various articles include specific topics surrounding India,Africa and China, with additional pieces dealing with missionaryattitudes in the interwar West. Especially chilling was HartmutLehmann’s study of the highly nationalistic, partly racist, perspectivesof German Protestant missionaries between the two world wars. Giventhe number of Chinese and other Asian students at our seminary, myinterest focussed on the articles dealing with China and its missionsunder both the People’s Republic and its Guomindang predecessor. Ifound both of these pieces to be of high quality.My major criticism of this fine book remains a matter of debate.I am rather nervous of the notion post-colonial, precisely because Ibelieve passionately that colonialism remains alive and virulent.Instead of direct colonial rule, which is virtually defunct, we nowhave a rapidly expanding economic neo-colonialism that manifestsitself through the juggernaut known as corporate globalization. Thisinvolves a combination of the growing monopolization of the planet’sresources by trans-national corporations and their backing by puppetregimes, usually sustained by the military might of the United States.Without awareness of this, Christian missionaries are doomed to beextensions of this new lethal imperialism. Though a fine book,Stanley’s Missions, Nationalism, and the End of Empire needs tofocus more clearly on this vital and cruel reality.Oscar Cole-ArnalWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryWaterloo, Ontario134 Consensushttp://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol30/iss2/15

Missions, nationalism, and the end of empire

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Missions, nationalism, and the end of empire

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