Books by Michael L. Budde

This volume takes its title from the first-century Christian catechism called the Didache: ""Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills . . . gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth.""For Christians today, these words remain relevant in an era of massive human movements (voluntary and coerced), hybrid identities, and wide-ranging cultural interactions.How do modern Christians live as both a ""scattered"" and ""gathered"" people?How do they live out the tension between ecclesial universality (catholicity) and particularity (distinctive ways of being church in a given culture and context)?Do Christians today constitute a ""diaspora,"" a people dispersed across borders and cultures that nonetheless maintains a sense of commonality and mission?Scattered and Gathered: Catholics in Diaspora explores these questions through the work of fourteen scholars in different fields and from different corners of the world. Whether through reflections on Zimbabweans in Britain, Levantines in North America, or the remote island people of Chiloe now living in other parts of Chile, they guide readers along the winding road of insights and challenges facing many of today''s Christians.""Exciting and fascinating, this collection maps the complex global footprint of Christianity in an era of mass movement propelled by constantly evolving religious, political, social, and cultural dynamics, interactions, and tensions. This book is a treasure trove of theological and ethical resources for reimagining and understanding the global phenomenon of migration and diaspora for faith, community, and devotion in the twenty-first century."" --Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ, Hekima University College Jesuit School of Theology, Nairobi""Michael Budde has assembled an extraordinary group of contributors in this superb work of cutting-edge practical, theological, and missiological reflection. The essays significantly move the conversation forward about how migration and growing intercultural encounters are transforming religion and the churches perhaps more than ever before in human history. The writers are not only accomplished in migration studies, theology, and social research, but also in the practices and community life of the church itself. This volume provides more than the look of outsiders. If one desires to grasp the crucial trends and implications for Christianity of today''s unprecedented movement of people in a time of epochal change, one need look no further than this excellent volume.""--Allan Figueroa Deck, SJ, Distinguished Scholar of Pastoral Theology and Latino Studies, Loyola Marymount UniversityMichael L. Budde is Professor of Catholic Studies and Political Science at DePaul University in Chicago, where he is also Senior Research Professor in the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. His published work focuses on ecclesiology, political economy, and world Christianity; recent works include The Borders of Baptism and the coedited Witness of the Body.

Synopsis:It's a simple claim, really - that for Christians, "being a Christian" should be their primary allegiance and identity. For those who proclaim Jesus as Lord, this identity should supersede all others, and this loyalty should trump all lesser ones. It may be a simple claim, but it is a controversial one for many people, Christians and non-Christians alike. The Borders of Baptism uses the idea of solidarity among Christians as a lens through which to view politics, economics, and culture. It offers Christians a fresh perspective capable of moving beyond sterile and dead-end debates typical of debates on issues ranging from immigration and race to war, peace, and globalization. The Borders of Baptism invites Christians of all traditions to reflect on the theological and political implications of first "being a Christian" in a world of rival loyalties. It invites readers to see what it might mean to be members of a community broader than the largest nation-state; more pluralistic than any culture in the world; more deeply rooted in the lives of the poor and marginalized than any revolutionary movement; and more capable of exemplifying the notion of ;e pluribus unum' than any empire past, present, or future.Endorsements:"Contemporary Catholic and Protestant ethics are rather divided on the significance of the renewed focus on Christian identity in theology. Whatever side one is on, Michael Budde's The Borders of Baptism is essential reading. Budde's vision of ecclesial solidarity is stunning, moving the discussion beyond platitudes and slogans to both argue for and display the practices necessary for Christians who wish to take seriously their baptismal commitment."-John BerkmanLupina Centre for Spirituality, Healthcare and Ethics"What would it look like if Christians took their baptisms and baptismal vows seriously, not just in so-called 'spiritual' matters, but in every aspect of life? With his usual wit and clarity Michael Budde shows us some of the ways that baptism intersects with issues of immigration, race, national identity, class, and globalization. A must read for those who take ecclesial solidarity and discipleship as their defining loyalty."-Barry HarveyBaylor UniversityAuthor Biography:Michael L. Budde is Professor of Political Science and Catholic Studies at DePaul University, where he is also Senior Research Scholar in the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. He is the author of numerous books on ecclesiology and society, including Christianity Incorporated.

The single most important change now well under way within Catholicism is its transition from a First World to a Third World entity. How this enormous shift will affect the Catholic church's role in the world economy is the subject of Michael L. Budde's book, the first world systems study of the mutual interaction of religion and political economy in the 1990s.Budde's argument here is twofold. He contends that world Catholicism, led by its Third World majority (most notably in Latin America), will continue to develop in an increasingly anticapitalist direction; and he suggests that once-dominant First World Catholic churches (exemplified by the U.S. Catholic church), are poorly placed to respond in solidarity with their coreligionists from the Third World.Covering a wide range of theoretical and substantive matters, The Two Churches examines religion as a source of both social legitimation and social rebellion. It demonstrates the importance of ecclesiology, a branch of theology dealing with "theories of the church," and it highlights the effect of capitalism on world Catholicism, as well as the latter's influence on the development of the capitalist order.In his original, far-reaching analysis of the Catholic church's role in world affairs, Budde revises current views of religious institutions as subordinate social phenomena. By relating developments in the world political economy to material conditions in the Third World and in turn to the practice of Catholicism, he reveals how the Catholic church functions as a worldwide institution. He also shows how core-periphery conflicts within the church affect transnational capitalism.As the Third World becomes more and more volatile, and as its relations with the First World further complicate the politics of the Catholic church, the questions addressed in The Two Churches demand attention with increasing urgency. Timely, thoughtful, and lucid, this book will inform and enhance our understanding of this complex, pressing issue.