Territoriality in Christian Faith and Mission
- Evangelism & Missions
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2026
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Publisher's Description
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.
Endorsements (2)
“Evangelical missiology has integrated insights from many social science disciplines but has engaged far less with spatial disciplines like geography and theories of territoriality. I must admit that I am guilty of this neglect. Fortunately, Dr. Theonugraha speaks cogently into this gap, challenging commonly mistaken assumptions about territoriality and sharpening how we think, speak, and strategize about place in Christian missions.”
“Theonugraha offers a compelling and timely argument that is vital for understanding Christian faith and mission today. Her work not only illuminates past realities of territoriality but also calls missiologists and practitioners to recognize and engage new forms of territorial manifestation today.”
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