Third Church

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of a series of articles on
Christianity
Christianity

Foundations
Jesus Christ
Church · Christian Theology
New Covenant · Supersessionism
Apostles · Kingdom · Gospel
History of Christianity · Timeline

Bible
Old Testament · New Testament
Books · Canon · Apocrypha
Septuagint · Decalogue
Birth · Resurrection
Sermon on the Mount
Great Commission
Translations · English
Inspiration · Hermeneutics

Christian Theology
Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
History of · Theology · Apologetics
Creation · Fall of Man · Covenant · Law
Grace · Faith · Justification · Salvation
Sanctification · Theosis · Worship
Church · Sacraments · Eschatology

History and Traditions
Early · Councils · Creeds · Missions
Great Schism · Crusades · Reformation
Great Awakenings · Great Apostasy
Restorationism · Nontrinitarianism
Thomism · Arminianism
Congregationalism

Eastern Christianity
Eastern Orthodox · Oriental Orthodox
Syriac Christianity · Eastern Catholic

Western Christianity
Western Catholicism · Protestantism
Anabaptism · Lutheranism · Calvinism
Anglicanism · Baptist · Methodism
Evangelicalism · Fundamentalism
Liberalism · Adventism · Pentecostalism
Latter Day Saints · Christian Science
Jehovah's Witnesses · Unity Church

Topics in Christianity
Movements · Denominations
Ecumenism Preaching · Prayer
Music · Liturgy · Calendar
Symbols · Art · Criticism

Important Figures
Apostle Paul · Church Fathers
Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine
Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe
Luther · Calvin · Wesley · Pope

Christianity Portal

This box: view  talk  edit

The Third Church is the term used to describe the recent rise of Christianity outside the Western world, contrasted with the rapid decline in church attendance in North America and Europe. This phenomenon is also referred to as the "Southern Church," as the geographic center of this movement lies in the southern hemisphere. The term is derived from the three major shifts in global Christianity since its inception in the first century.

  • First Church: the Eastern church, 0-1000 AD
  • Second Church: the Western church, 1000-2000 AD
  • Third Church: the Southern church, 2000 AD to present

[edit] References

  • Phillip Jenkins. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. New York: Oxford, 2002. ISBN 0195168917.
  • Walbert Buhlman. The Coming of the Third Church: An Analysis of the Present and Future of the Church. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1977. ISBN 0883440709.