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Scholars from five continents gathered in Recife, Brazil, from March 9-13, 2026, for the Seventh International World Christianity Conference, continuing Princeton Theological Seminary’s tradition of co-organizing the world’s largest and most diverse gathering of World Christianity scholars. About 175 people representing 30 nations participated in the conference, both online and in person.
The conference theme, “Boundary-Making, Translocal Entanglements, and Conviviality in World Christianity,” built on the previous year’s focus on migration and diaspora. This year, scholars examined how culture, society, and politics shape where religious groups draw lines, as well as the effects of those boundaries on identity, conflict, and cooperation.
“The World Christianity Conference’s goal is not only to advance the field of World Christianity but also to create a global and ecumenical space for scholars from all over the world to engage in crucial issues in global Christianity,” said Director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center Dr. Soojin Chung, who co-organized the conference alongside Associate Professor of World Christianity Dr. Raimundo C. Barreto Jr. and Dr. Afe Adogame, the Maxwell M. Upson Professor of Religion and Society.
The conference continues to push the envelope in the development of World Christianity, generating conversations that are increasingly significant for the field’s future.
As there are few scholarly institutions dedicated to the study of World Christianity in Latin America, Adogame said the conference marked an important step toward “fostering new, interdisciplinary networking, individual/institutional collaboration, and creating buzz for hands-on intellectual encounter and exchange” in the region.
The conference is anchored by three lectures named in honor of Dr. Gerald H. Anderson, former director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center from 1976-2000 who is widely credited with helping to reframe the understanding of Christianity as a worldwide religion. Dr. Andrea Bieler of the University of Basel in Switzerland opened the lecture series by examining diverse Christian communities in Europe. Dr. Devaka Premawardhana of Emory University challenged prevailing assumptions about religious hybridity. Dr. Tara Hyun-Kyung Chung, a scholar, spiritual guide, and eco-feminist theologian based in New York City, exemplified the conference theme of border-crossing with a lecture centered on “Reweaving of Mission from Han Kang to the Rio Amazona.”
Premawardhana delivered his lecture in Portuguese, making it the first-ever Anderson Lecture presented in a language other than English. During the conference, papers were presented in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, with simultaneous translation among the languages. Beyond its multilingual character, the conference highlighted the multiple fields and disciplines that enrich World Christianity. Scholars presented more than 200 papers about a wide array of topics, from indigenous churches, marginalized communities, and interfaith dialogue, to how communities resist exclusion, negotiate belonging across differences, or build solidarity across religious and cultural divides.
“The conference continues to push the envelope in the development of World Christianity, generating conversations that are increasingly significant for the field’s future,” Barreto said.
The conference provided a rich social atmosphere that complemented the rigorous academics. Excursions to a historic Catholic monastery in Olinda and the First Baptist Church in Bultrins allowed for immersive experiences in the religious history of Brazil, one of the largest Christian nations in the world. As is now tradition, a celebratory banquet marked the final evening of the conference.
“The most meaningful part of the conference for me was how we were able to live out conviviality through the global interaction and sharing of meals and fellowship as we discussed what it means to foster conviviality in a world full of divisions,” Chung said. “That is the kind of experience we want our participants to take away when they come to our conference.”
Two influential scholars — Ana Maria Bidegain, the program director for research at the Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University, and Dale T. Irvin, MDiv ’81, a founding faculty member of the New School of Biblical Theology and former president of New York Theological Seminary — were also recognized for their lifelong contributions to shaping the field of World Christianity.
Princeton Seminary launched the World Christianity Conference in 2018. The event is co-organized by the Department of History and Ecumenics and the Overseas Ministries Study Center. This year, three institutions of higher education and academic research partnered in planning the conference, with faculty Joanildo Burity of the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation, Valdenice Raimundo of the Catholic University of Pernambuco, and Gustavo Gilson Oliveira of the Federal University of Pernambuco playing instrumental roles.
Over the years the conference has met both in Princeton and overseas. Continuing their commitment to bring the conference to the Global South, organizers are tentatively looking to Asia for the 2027 conference.
