In 1968 Murray Robertson was called as a young minister to a small elderly church in Christchurch, and what followed over the next 40 years was both unexpected and remarkable. During this period Spreydon Baptist grew to be one of the largest churches in the country. More than 70 people were sent out on overseas mission, a significant number of others became ministers of churches elsewhere in New Zealand, and others in the church developed a wide range of effective ministries. Robertson himself became an influential leader in the wider church in New Zealand. In its local community Spreydon developed a large number of community ministries with such influence that the mayor of Christchurch visited to thank the church for its contribution to the life of the city. This book not only tells the story but also provides insights and learning from which anyone interested in the future of Christianity and the church might benefit.

This expansive study offers an interpretation of the 'new Pentecost': the rise of charismatic Christianity, before, during, and after the 'long 1960s'. It examines the translocal actors, networks, and media which constructed a 'Spiritscape' of charismatic renewal in the Anglo-world contexts of Australia, the British Isles, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. It places this arena also in a wider and dynamic worldwide setting, exploring the ways in which charismatic imaginations of an 'age of the Spirit' were shaped by interpenetrations with the 'Third World', the Soviet Bloc, and beyond in the global Sixties and Seventies. Age of the Spirit explains charismatic developments within Protestantism and Catholicism, mainline and non-denominational churches, and within existing pentecostalisms, and places these in relation to lively scholarly themes such as secularisation, authenticity, and cosmopolitanism. It offers an unrivalled analysis of charismatic music, books, television, conferences, personalities, community living, and controversies in the 1960s and 1970s. It looks forward to the many global legacies of charismatic renewal, for example in relation to the politics of sexuality in the Anglican Communion, or to support for President Donald J. Trump. The essential question at the heart of this book is relevant for scholars and practitioners of Christianity alike: how did charismatic renewal transform the churches in the twentieth century, moving from the periphery to the mainstream?

In just over one hundred years, the Pentecostal-charismatic movement has transformed world Christianity. Noted for their rediscovery of spiritual gifts and commitment to world evangelization, 700 million Pentecostals and charismatics now account for more than 27 percent of the global Christian movement. The Pentecostal-charismatic movement has been more noted for its activism than for theological reflection. But this may be changing. The Holy Spirit as Person and Power challenges traditional theology to take account of what has been disclosed in the dynamism and variety of charismatic experience. The author is a theologically trained practitioner, impacted in midlife by a transforming experience of the Holy Spirit. He has been a hands-on leader in the renewal movement. Now, in his later years, he reflects on the meaning of the grace imparted to the church by the renewing activity of God's Spirit. This is not the work of an enthusiast claiming a new revelation. Rather, the author draws attention to many nuances in the Bible's description of the Spirit that have been overlooked in traditional pneumatology. By relating these insights to Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and evangelical theology, he has produced a book with ecumenical implications for all branches of world Christianity.

The Anglican Communion is one of the largest Christian denominations in the world. Growth and Decline in the Anglican Communion is the first comprehensive study of its dramatic growth and decline in the years since 1980. An international team of leading researchers based across five continents provides a global overview of Anglicanism alongside twelve detailed case studies. The case studies stretch from Singapore to England, Nigeria to the USA and mostly focus on non-western Anglicanism. This book is a critical resource for students and scholars seeking an understanding the past, present and future of the Anglican Church. More broadly, the study offers insight into debates surrounding secularisation in the contemporary world.

The charismatic movement has a high profile in contemporary Christianity. The book's contributors include insiders and outsiders, charismatics and sociologists; with Britain as their focus, they trace the movement's international connections, historical development and variety. The book provides a wealth of information and analysis which will interest both those within the movement and students of religion wanting to know more about it.

This pioneering study of Australian, New Zealand, and Pacific Christianity opens up new perspectives on Christianization and modernization in this richly complex region. The reception of Christianity into Pacific cultures has produced strongly Christian societies. Based on research in widely scattered archives, this book not only deals with regional interactions but pays careful attention to developments in microstates, and to the variety of indigenous religious movements, which were earlier regarded as deviations from Christian orthodoxy but are now seen as significant adaptations of Christian teaching. In Australia and New Zealand too, European Christian beginnings have been given local emphases, producing Churches with distinctive identities. Lay leadership is emphasized - not only in the Churches but as part of the Christian presence in the realms of politics, business, and culture. The broad liturgical, theological, constitutional, and pastoral developments of the 19th and 20th centuries are mapped, as a context for the striking changes which have taken place since the 1960s. The dynamics of religious change and conflict, the ambiguities of religious authority, and the destructive effects of Christian colonialism on indigenous communities, especially Australian aborigines, are all frankly dealt with. The decline of the institutional impact of the Churches in Australia and New Zealand is explored, as is the growth of partnership between government and Churches in education, social welfare, and overseas aid and development. Interchange in personnel and ideas is strikingly illustrated in the missionary activities of the regional Churches and their cultural impact. The author's involvement in Church and community leadership, ecumenism, and theological education makes this volume in the Oxford History of the Christian Church a valuable addition to the series, describing both continuities with world Christianity and little-known local developments. * The first comprehensive history of the Christian Church in Australasia and the Pacific * Of interest to lay Christians, as an aid to understanding their heritage * Explores in detail the interaction of Christianity and local culture Review from previous edition 'a scholarly work of immense scope that explores the distinctive features of Christianity in this part of the world.' (The Age ) 'illuminating... [a] splendid book.' (Journal of Theological Studies ) 'a work which makes intelligible and accessible a great variety of scholarship... It will clearly be the standard work on the subject for years to come.' (Colloquium ) Contents: Chapter 1 From Missions to Churches Chapter 2 Organizing Christian Churches from the 1830s to the 1870s Chapter 3 The Making of Christian Societies Chapter 4 New Opportunities for Mission and Service Chapter 5 Wars and Depression Chapter 6 Creating New Societies Chapter 7 Searching for Credibility Conclusion Bibliography Glossary Index