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Olofinjana, Israel Oluwole, ed.

World Christianity in Western 
Europe: Diasporic Identity,  
Narratives & Missiology

Oxford: Regnum Books International, 2020.

ISBN 978-1-913363-31-4

Reviewed by Pavol Bargár
Protestant Theological Faculty, Charles University in Prague 
bargarp@yahoo.com

In this book, its editor Israel Oluwole Olofinjana, the founding 
director of the Centre for Missionaries from the Majority World, 
brings together a variety of papers that reflect on the phenomenon 
of the diasporic life of Christians from the majority world in West-
ern Europe. The primary focus of the volume is on Pentecostal and 
charismatic forms of Christianity as embodied by migrants as well 
as second-generation migrants.

The book opens with an introductory study by Olofinjana 
that provides the reader with helpful orientation when it sheds 
light on relevant issues, such as the study of world Christianity, 
diaspora, migration (both in the Bible and contemporary world), 
Pentecostalism, and Pentecostal studies. Toward the end of this 



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chapter, the author proposes a new approach to studying world 
Christianity through the lens of multi-ethnic congregations.

World Christianity in Western Europe can then be read as an 
elaboration of this approach. In accordance with their primary 
focus, all chapters are divided into three sections, engaging with 
diasporic identity, missional narratives, and missiological insights, 
respectively. The chapters represent a good balance between rigor-
ous academic contributions and narrative accounts by reflective 
practitioners across all three sections.

It is somewhat regretful that the volume does not more vocal-
ly emphasize the dynamic and multi-layered interaction between 
the stories of the migrants and those of “indigenous” Europeans, 
both Christians and non-Christians/post-Christians. Although 
this theme is reflected in some chapters (for instance, those by Jim 
Stewart, Claire and Mark Ord, and Usha Reifsnider), it deserves 
more prominent attention, as it is not only diasporic identity that 
undergoes a process of transformation vis-à-vis its encounter with 
European society and culture. The transformative process is mutu-
al and multilateral, even going beyond the confines of Christianity.

As such, the actors engaged in this dynamic play the role of 
“transcultural mediators,” to use the terminology of Paul Hiebert, 
fostering cultural hybridity that is increasingly becoming a hall-
mark of many (especially urban) settings. As far as diasporic be-
lievers are concerned, this process involves a struggle for one’s core 
identity in the continuous exchange between “original” and “host” 
cultures. The book emphasizes that identity is shaped as faith is 
intertwined with various political and economic issues.

Amidst all these factors, Christian mission emerges as a 
creative combination of history, heritage, and theology, as Dulcie 
Dixon McKenzie proposes. In this account, “heritage” refers to 
“a contemporary use of the past” (74) for the sake of nurturing 
community development and fostering one’s identity. In addition, 
Christian mission involves several other aspects that are helpfully 
explored in the book. For example, hospitality is introduced in the 
context of a complex yet delicate web of guest-host relationships. 
Furthermore, the contribution of women to mission is recognized 



Pavol Bargár—World Christianity in Western Europe

125

when women are asserted as agents of non-coercive power. Finally, 
the frequented notion of “mission in reverse” is conceptualized not 
merely as a pursuit of personal evangelism and church planting 
but also as an initiative that addresses structural issues to bring 
about systemic change.

For the field of ecclesiology and practical theology, World 
Christianity in Western Europe represents a welcome addition to 
the discussion as it reminds us that the Church is a colorful people 
“on the move,” sharing their diverse stories to make an irreplace-
able contribution to missio Dei. Methodologically refreshing and 
theologically inspiring, it is desirable that the project on diasporic 
identity, narratives, and missiology expands ecumenically (to 
include other Christian traditions besides Pentecostals and free 
churches) and geographically (beyond Western Europe) to offer 
an even richer portrayal of contemporary world Christianity.




