Book Reviews The Influence of Faith: Religious Groups and U.S. Foreign Policy. Edited by Elliott Abrams. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. Pp. 223. Paperback $24.95. Proceedings of academic conferences, this with the increase of religion as a factor in its forms being favorable to democracy one sponsored by the Ethics and Public the identity and legitimacy of states. In and religious freedom), but that scenario, Policy Center, based in Washington, D.C., additionto Islamic countries,he citesIsrael, he thinks, is improbablewithout"a global are seldom so pertinent or instructive as India, and China as instances in which war of religions." Fourth is interreligious this volume. Although the essays were religion is seen as an increasing threat dialogue and the encouragement of more written prior to the terrorist attacks of to-orsourceof-statelegitimacy, leading tolerant religious traditions, notably in September 11, Habib Malik anticipates to state control or repression of religious Islam. That, he writes, "would at best be a the present crisis in his extended and groups. Huntington entertains four long, slow process, but it may be the only somewhat polemical analysis, "Political possible ways in which the persecution of practical one" (p. 63). Islam and the Roots of Violence." Also of religion might be reduced. First, there is Inboththeiranalyticalanddescriptive particularinterestisSamuelHuntington's the still recent elevation of religious force, thesenineessaysmakean important reflection on religious persecution and persecution as a priority concern in U.S. contribution to understanding "the the "desecularization" of world politics, foreign policy, which he welcomes but influence of faith" in the shaping of U.S. as well as Mark R. Amstutz and Andrew from which he does not expect any foreign policy. Natsios on the influence of religious dramatic increase in religious freedom. -Richard John Neuhaus organizations, including missionary Second, states can attempt to reduce the enterprises, in U.S. foreign policy. influence of religion, but such attempts Richard John Neuhaus is Founder and Director, Huntington, whose "clash of are likely to be futile and to entail further Institute on Religion and Public Life, New York, civilizations" argument has been much religious persecution. Third is the more or and Editorin Chief, First Things. debated, contends that religious less universal triumph of Christian persecutionnaturallyincreasesin tandem evangelization (Christianity in almost all Hope for the World: Mission in a that "christianization" of the world Global Context. ("winning the world for Christ") can no longerserveas the goal ofmission. Instead, Edited by Walter Brueggemann. Louisville, "Christians must now be prepared to Ky.:Westminster John Knox, 2001. Pp. 177. listen, to wait andto serve.... Throughthe Paperback $18.95. pursuitofjustice, peaceandthe well-being of creation[Christians] will winthe gospel Mission in the Third Millennium. of Jesus Christ a hearing in ways seldom achieved by sheer 'proclamation'" (p. 15). EditedbyRobertJ. Schreiter. Maryknoll, N. Y.: The spiritual condition of humankind in OrbisBooks, 2001.Pp.x, 166. Paperback $22. diverse contexts is described as despair, the negation of hope. The nature of These two timely works, the former the common appeal to a missioDeirather than Christian mission is to confess "hope in product of an international panel of a church-centric orientation, and their action," not merely transcendently but in Reformed scholars and the latter a commonanxietyaboutthe negativeimpact and for this world. The Christian compilation of global trends as seen by of globalization. movement is "one of the vehicles of God's representatives of Roman Catholic The centerpiece of the Reformed transforming work in the world" (p. 16), religious congregations, presentpowerful reportis ahard-hitting"consensus paper" but it needs to act in solidarity with other statements of missiological issues at the drafted by Douglas John Hall. Under the agentsof God'smission. AffluentWestern opening of the third millennium. The rubric "despair/ hope" Hall sets forth nations must develop a critical awareness Reformed symposium had its genesis in issues confronting Christian mission that will liberate them from imperialist the Campbell Seminar at Columbia today. This list is supplemented by eight pretensions, while Christians inthe South Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia, context statements by participants (three are"challengedto resist the'christianizing' where eight international church leaders from the United States and one each from tendencies of triumphalistic forms of the convened for eight weeks of intense Canada, Cuba, South Africa, Sri Lanka, faith" (p. 21). Brueggemann's own essay interaction during September, October, and Hungary) and eight more detailed contains a devastating critique of the and November 2000. The Catholic report expositions of the theme by the same "negative, destructive impact of U.S. originated in a regular meeting of the participants. hegemony" (p. 154) upon the less­ Documentation and Research Center The centralthesisis thatChristendom developed world and an appeal to (SEDOS) held at Rome in April 2000. At as a historical phenomenon is dead; that Christians to "refuse participation in the many points the two reports complement mission in a pluralistic, postimperial age extremities of imperialism" (p. 157). Not or reinforce one another, especially their must be profoundly reconsidered; and all readers will identify themselves with 132 INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH this analysis or with the new definition of Under the Influence: How mission. Christianity Transformed The Catholic 2000 SEDOS mission Civilization. congress, by contrast, sought to explore missionchallengesof thenew millennium By Al vin T. Schm idt. Grand Rapids: in more conventional ways. Building on Zondervan,2001.Pp.423.$24.99/Can $36.95. findings ofthe1981SEDOS seminar, which defined future directionsof missionunder This book is written by a Lutheran not only theologians but also a whole the headings proclamation, dialogue, clergyman who spent most of his range of laypeople inside and outside the inculturaiion, and liberation, the 2000 professionallife as a professorof sociology academy. seminar reaffirmed and updated these at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. Each of the book's fifteen chapters emphases whileadding fresh nuances and His book is characterized by clarity and examines one of the many fields of contextual applications. Six speakers easy reading and will, therefore, attract civilization that Christianity has entered presented regionalperspectivesfrom Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America. MichaelAmaladossoflndia, speaking ENGAGING THEOLOGY AND MISSION from a missioDeiperspective and strongly Rollin Armour, Sr. ad vocatingdialogue, viewsotherreligions QSlfit\. as collaborators: "The religions then are CNRlsnftnlH. Islam, Christianity, our allies in our pursuit of the kingdom of and the West God" (p. 33). German theologian Peter finD TN Huenerrnann, documenting a steep A Troubled History decline in western European ordinations, baptisms, weddings, and attendance at A discerning account of how the Christian and mass, comments that "the European Islamic worlds have misunderstood each oth­ church as institution is in a state of ers ideal's, traditions, and ways of life through­ dissolution" (p . 58). He declares its institutional structure to be obsolete and out history. 1-57075-407-1 pb $25.00 calls for "a new vision of the church as the community of the faithful constituted .. by the Word of God and the dynamism of Miguel A. De La Torre Anthony J. Gittins the Holy Spirit" (p . 74). Religious congregations in Latin America are Reading the Bible Ministry at described as embracing incarnation­ from the Margins the Margins sharing the hopes, sorrows, and anxieties of the urban poor-as the new How to read the Bible from the per­ Strategy and Spirituality forMission postconciliar mission paradigm and as spective of the poor and how issues of Spiritual insights on cross-cultural min­ acknowledging the world as the place race. class , and gender influence our istry and mission that combine theology where the kingdom of God must be understanding of the Bible. and cultural an thropology. established; they themselves are in the 1-57075-410-1 ph $20.00 1-57075-417-9 ph $25.00 world as servants of God's kingdom (p. 93). Robert Schreiter's own contribution ,.------ New in the AmericanSocietyof MissiologySeries: ----­-t--, focuses on the "downside" of globalization, namely, 80 percent of the John Fuellenbach world's population do not benefit from Church globalization but actually have their Community for the Kingdom condition worsened by it (p. 125). He Contemporary and classical understandings illuminate the church as worship­ ad vocates a "spiritualityof reconciliation" ping community, communion, and Body of Christ. 1-57075-416-0 ph $30.00 (p. 142) for the rebuilding of broken societies. A common feature is the quest Dana 1. Robert, editor for noninstitutional, nonhierarchical Gospel Bearers, Gender Barriers solutions. MissionaryWomen in the Twentieth Century Readers of thesetwoforward-looking symposia will find much to stimulate their A fascinating look at the lives of women who bore the heat of day in Christian mis­ thinking, along with a good deal that may sion, but who were often forgotten by history. 1-57075-425-X ph $25.00 also call forth their reservations.