De-colonization, Sociology, and Christianity
File version
Accepted Manuscript (AM)
Author(s)
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Hiebert, Dennis
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
Abstract
What is the meaning of “de-colonization” for sociology and Christianity today? Is it another buzzword that plays into identity politics and culture wars through a wholesale rejection of the Global North? This chapter reflects on the implications of de-colonization for theologians and Christian sociologists. The meaning of de-colonization is not restricted to political transition as witnessed in the retreat of the British Empire in the twentieth century. It refers more broadly to the ongoing processes and consequences of colonialism and imperialism under the new hegemonic order of global capitalism. Three specific tasks constitute the de-colonization project for sociology and Christianity. The first is to revisit the colonial roots of sociology as an academic discipline, reconnecting the metropole and periphery in its narrative of modernity, which recent scholarship has mandated. The second task is to de-colonize the secularization thesis by reassessing the role of Christianity and multiple theologies flourishing in the Global South. The final task is to call for envisioning a radical gospel. What is the messianic hope for the “wretched of the earth” (Fanon 1967)? If Christianity is the promise of good news for the post-colonial world, how can the Kingdom of God be re-imagined?.
Journal Title
Conference Title
Book Title
The Routledge International Handbook of Sociology and Christianity
Edition
1st
Volume
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in The Routledge International Handbook of Sociology and Christianity on 18 October 2023, available online: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003277743. It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Sociology
Religious studies
Historical studies
Anthropology
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Kwok, H, De-colonization, Sociology, and Christianity, The Routledge International Handbook of Sociology and Christianity, 2023, 1st, pp. 153-164