Christianity in the twenty-first century: Reflections on the challenges ahead

This book contributes to those reflections on religion that cropped up at the end of the millennium by offering a sobering, realistic, and hopeful assessment of where the church was at the turn of the millennium, and where the church is heading in the 21st century. The challenges facing the church are institutional, ethical, doctrinal, political, and cultural. They cut across different faith traditions, denominations, ethnic groups, and sectors of the population. They comprise the foundational issues that need to be considered even before more specific forecasts can be made and before attention can be turned by religious bodies to the formulation of specific programs and plans. The basic argument of this book is that the challenges ahead can be met most effectively by understanding the underlying frameworks guiding the ways in which we think about those challenges.