Territoriality in Christian Faith and Mission - Hardcover

by Esther M. Theonugraha (Author)

The idea of Christendom continues to captivate Christian authors seeking to understand how today's experience differs from that of earlier generations. Within this discussion, influential scholars Andrew Walls and Lamin Sanneh have asserted that the end of Christendom means the end of Christian territoriality. Yet territoriality is an enduring part of human spatial behavior. Engaging Robert Sack's geographic theory alongside Christian history, this work critically evaluates whether Christianity has, in fact, become nonterritorial. Through analysis of early Christianity, Christendom, and mission practice, this book reveals how territorial habits continue to shape Christian life, sometimes subtly and sometimes overtly. Rather than dismissing Walls and Sanneh, it reframes and extends their insights, showing how geography can deepen our understanding of Christian mission today. This study provides readers with conceptual tools to recognize territoriality, assess its effects, and navigate the tension between rootedness in place and the global scope of God's mission.

Author Biography

Esther M. Theonugraha serves as Director of Spiritual Formation and Mission at Faith Reformed Church in Zeeland, Michigan. She has taught courses in mission, leadership, and Christian ministry at several institutions and currently teaches leadership theory at Hope College as an adjunct professor. She also volunteers with student mentoring and fundraising efforts at Western Theological Seminary. In her spare time, she and her family raise service dogs.