Intercultural Engagement after Christendom

This course explores the practice of intercultural engagement within the framework of the Christian notion of the church as a diverse entity. It is designed to facilitate discussions on how churches can navigate diversity and fulfill the responsibilities of fostering healthy intercultural experiences within their communities. In light of the post-Christendom landscape, which has underscored cultural diversity as a fundamental characteristic of the church, the course also addresses broader issues such as framing identity relations, negotiating the unity-diversity dynamic, and developing sustainable practices for building relationships among diverse Christian congregations. Students will engage with theological frameworks to analyze models of gospel-culture relations, focusing on how these models can assist churches in addressing the cultural impacts on the Christian experiences of members from diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, the course will explore the categories of otherness and identity construction, particularly their roles in shaping migration discourse, their implications for the ethnic segmentation within ecclesial contexts, and the opportunities they present for envisioning intercommunal dialogues within the church and the larger the broader society.