The Kingdom of God Has No Borders

The Kingdom of God Has No Borders traces the development of American evangelicalism as a global religious movement from the 1960s to the present. Through extensive research and interviews, historian Melani McAlister examines how U.S. evangelicals engaged with international issues and built networks across borders. The book focuses on evangelical involvement in key regions including the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. McAlister documents their missionary work, humanitarian aid efforts, and political activism around issues like religious persecution and human rights. The narrative moves between U.S. churches and international locations, incorporating the perspectives of both American evangelicals and Christians from other nations. The text draws on archival materials, media coverage, and firsthand accounts to reconstruct these cross-cultural religious encounters. This history reveals the complex interplay between American evangelical identity and globalization in the modern era. The book raises questions about religious universalism, cultural differences, and the relationship between faith and geopolitics.

Readers appreciate the book's detailed research and documentation of American evangelical involvement in international issues, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. Many note its value in showing how global engagement shaped American evangelicalism. Readers highlight the book's balanced treatment of both conservative and progressive evangelicals, with specific praise for coverage of humanitarian work and social justice initiatives. Common criticisms include: - Dense academic writing style that can be difficult to follow - Too much focus on institutional politics versus grassroots movements - Limited coverage of Latin America and Asia Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (41 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (22 ratings) One reader on Goodreads notes: "Offers crucial historical context for understanding current evangelical political positions." An Amazon reviewer critiques: "The academic tone makes it less accessible for general readers interested in the topic." Sources indicate most readers recommend it for academic research but suggest it may be too specialized for casual reading.

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🌎 Author Melani McAlister spent over a decade conducting research across four continents, including extensive fieldwork in Egypt, South Sudan, and Lebanon. 📚 The book challenges the common perception that American evangelicals are primarily right-wing conservatives, revealing a more complex global network of humanitarian and social justice initiatives. ⚜️ The term "Two-Thirds World," which features prominently in the book, was created by evangelical Christians as an alternative to "Third World," emphasizing the majority status of the global South. 🕊️ The book examines how American evangelicals dramatically shifted their views on apartheid in South Africa during the 1980s, moving from mostly supporting or ignoring it to actively opposing the regime. 📖 McAlister's research shows that by 2010, more than 1.5 million American Christians were traveling internationally each year on short-term mission trips, representing a significant shift in how evangelicals engage with global issues.