Globalization is an increasingly popular term used by scholars and ordinary teenagers alike. As nations become interdependent, various societies’ cultures, moral codes, and lifestyles mash together, which creates an intricate and peculiar canvas of the modern world. Some perceive this phenomenon as an inevitable disaster, which strips away individuals’ identities. Others agree that globalization is, in fact, highly beneficial, particularly when it comes to prosperity and innovation. Still, it is crucial to acknowledge globalization develops far beyond the limits of good and bad. However, this paper regards globalization in the context of religion, Christianity, in particular.
As globalization facilitates the development of relationships not constrained by geographical boundaries and legal borders, the impact such shifts have on cultures is undeniable. Thus, this process contributes to the creation of a world where even the smallest change affects billions, making the world smaller essentially. Therefore, people start searching for something constant in their lives in the ever-expanding and increasingly complex reality of today, which is why they tend to gravitate to space-bounded identities such as religion. The purpose of this essay is to argue that globalization positively affects Christianity by providing followers with various opportunities to spread and strengthen their faith.
Before presenting arguments about the interconnection between globalization and Christianity, it is important to clearly define globalization, religion, and other phenomena associated with the process of global expansion. Van Gennip claims that globalization refers to “the interdependence of nations and continents through economic, financial and trade relations, and increasingly, also in the domains of culture, lifestyle and even moral convictions” (21). Globalization slowly yet surely changes the cultural backbone of the world by equipping societies with tools for communication, connection, exchange, and so on. As a result, the modern world functions on the concept of global culture.
The relationship between globalization and religion is driven by various opportunities, potential, and numerous advantages, although there are certainly some factors, which suggest that globalization is, in fact, a negative influence on Christianity. Religion is a set of practices and beliefs, although regarding it from an evolutionary perspective, it is “a multi-faceted phenomenon including cognition, behavior, experience and more” (Watts and Bretherton 378). Beyond that, religion is a phenomenon that binds people together, which is crucially needed when their lives are being torn up and their lifestyles contested. In consequence, individuals try to find a semblance of purpose and maintain a sense of mental stability by subscribing to something, which binds them to a world of meaning – religion.
There are multiple ways, in which globalization positively impacts the Christian faith. Firstly, it leads to greater religious tolerance by nourishing the culture of pluralism. According to Ezzat, the culture of pluralism in its essence is “based on respecting diversity in opinions” (669). As the world shifts to become a globalized environment, society slowly deciphers the core values of each religion, which are often the same or at least extremely similar. By demonstrating the values behind each religion, globalization leads to greater understanding and tolerance of humanity’s leading religious traditions, one of which is Christianity.
Furthermore, as a result, globalization positively affects Christianity in the economic and political contexts as well. Globalization has led to the creation of international political forums, which integrate Christian values. It takes one look at the operations and agenda of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, or the European Union to deduct that each of these global organizations solves the issues at hand by taking into consideration some of the core Christian moral commitments. While having strategic discussions and discussing the issues surrounding world peace, poverty, famine, corruption, and so on, world leaders usually acknowledge the importance of engaging in diplomacy based on some of the prominent Christian commitments – respect, peace, and kindness.
Globalization allows Christian followers to advocate for the integration of their values and principles into the solutions for some of the planet’s most prominent challenges. For example, Christian leaders are among the ones actively participating in the World Faiths Development Dialogue, which is an initiative started in cooperation with the World Bank aimed at supporting long-term development objectives (Marshall 308). Indeed, globalization ensures that Christianity has a seat at the table of religious traditions respected and influential enough to engage in civil dialogue regarding world affairs and possible solutions to the most prominent issues.
When it comes to economics, globalization has a predominantly positive impact on Christianity as well. Historically, once the economy of a certain country started to grow, that would mean the subsequent growth of that country’s religious tradition. As most of the world’s most influential regions are Christian, globalization provided more financial resources to Christianity, leading to its rapid spread. Missionary work is one of the examples that should be used to describe the extent of influence financial prosperity and economic stability caused by globalization can have on the spread of a religious tradition, particularly Christianity (Lomachinska and Grebenyuk 54). Therefore, it is evident that in terms of economics and politics, globalization allows Christianity to fulfill its greater purpose of spreading its core beliefs and values.
Globalization has inadvertently led to the development of various technologies. Globalization creates a space, which nurtured diversity, creative disruption, and innovation, all of which are undoubtedly important components of technological shifts. In addition, globalization increases the viability of various international technology transmission channels. According to Fatima, globalization succeeds at “delivering the push to the firms operating in developing countries to innovate and as a result push them closer to the world’s technology frontier” (724). These insights are crucial to recognizing in light of the topic of this essay since religion has benefited greatly from the advancements in the technological realm. Therefore, since globalization leads to technological innovation, which then tremendously benefits Christianity, it can be argued that globalization indirectly provides the benefits of technological advancement to the Christian faith.
To fully grasp the impact of globalization on Christianity in terms of technology, it is necessary to highlight specific examples of the advancements’ positive effects on the spread of Christianity. Firstly, nowadays, websites allow people of different backgrounds and upbringings to learn more about the history of and the values behind the Christian faith, thus contributing to the religion’s spread. Secondly, the online realm contributes to the spread of Christian ideas by creating a space for open public debate and discussions. Thirdly, television ensures that Christian channels visually present Christian practices and teachings from the scripture.
Despite the aforementioned benefits of globalization, some might argue that the same process that facilitates religious tolerance is the catalyst of the decline of Christianity. It is evident that globalization harms traditional communities, which usually use faith and culture as binding factors, by replacing them with impersonal labels such as “citizenship” or “nationality.” Globalization gives rise to the concept of the “global village,” stripping away individuals from their identities. However, what critics fail to acknowledge is the fact that in the realities of such a “global village,” people often feel unhappy and unfulfilled, which is why they turn to religion.
Christianity serves as a beacon of hope for millions desperate to find themselves and take control of their life. Therefore, it is crucial to understand that the positive impact of globalization far outweighs the nuances associated with some negative effects. Furthermore, globalization’s negative side can sometimes only be an advantage to Christianity. As globalization prioritized materialism and consumerism, people find themselves wishing for more inner peace, which is exactly what Christianity can help them with. Individuals who feel pressured by the realities of global expansion and development often pray to God and adopt Christian practices to gain a sense of fulfillment and peace.
In conclusion, Christianity and globalization are closely interconnected, which makes for an intricate yet beneficial relationship. Globalization is a modern-day phenomenon that results in many advantages for the Christian faith regarding its spread and tolerance. In terms of politics and economics, globalization allows Christian thought-leaders to take an active part in integrating the core Christian values into the solutions to some of the world’s most prominent issues. The impact globalization has on technological innovation is then translated into a variety of ways for Christian ideas to spread easily worldwide. Even the negative consequences of globalization can be essentially positive for the Christian faith as individuals try to find a sense of security and fulfillment in the scripture.
Works Cited
Ezzat, Ahmed. “Law and Moral Regulation in Modern Egypt: Ḥisba from Tradition to Modernity.” International Journal of Middle East Studies, vol. 52, no. 4, 2020, pp. 665–684., Web.
Fatima, Syeda T. “Globalization and Technology Adoption: Evidence from Emerging Economies.” The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, vol. 26, no. 6, 2020, pp. 665–684., Web.
Lomachinska, Irina, and Dmytro Grebenyuk. “The Phenomenon of Missionary Activity of Christian Churches in the Virtual Space.” Skhid, vol. 3, no. 169, 2020, pp. 54–59., Web.
Marshall, Katherine. “Toronto: The Seventh Meeting of a Parliament of the World’s Religions.” Buddhist-Christian Studies, vol. 39, 2019, p. 307-309, Web.
Watts, Fraser, and Roger Bretherton.““Religion” Is Complex and Diverse.” Religion, Brain & Behavior, vol. 7, no. 4, 2017, pp. 378-382, Web.