Thomas R. RAUSCH. Global Catholicism: Profiles and Polarities. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2021. pp. 238. $30.00 pb. ISBN: 978-1-62698-396-0. Reviewed by Martin MADAR, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH 45207.

Christianity has been a global phenomenon for hundreds of years in the sense that it has been present all over the world among different peoples and cultures. Typically, to express this idea people say that the church is “catholic” or “universal.” In recent years, however, the phrase “global church” or “global Catholicism” has been gaining in prominence and signaling that something new is on the horizon. If you have been curious about what people mean when they speak of global church/Catholicism, this is a book for you. Global Catholicism: Profiles and Polarities by Thomas Rausch, SJ, is an excellent introduction to the topic. In a series of snapshots of the Catholic Church in different geographical regions, the author provides a concise overview of the prospects and challenges that Catholics face today.

Chapter one introduces the reader to the topic of global Catholicism and provides context. Essentially, global church or global Catholicism refer to the idea that “the Catholic Church is no longer a church with members largely from Europe and North America” (1). A majority of Catholics now come from the so-called global south. This shift, according to the author, will likely change the church’s modus operandi in the future.

After this opening, the author presents a series of chapters that discuss the situation of the church in various geographical regions in order “to give a brief profile of the church’s dimensions, state of health, polarities both internal and external, and emerging trends” (xv). A chapter is devoted to each of the following regions: North America, Africa, Latin America, Asia, The Pacific, and Europe. Material in these chapters follows two patterns of organization:  some chapters discuss the situation of the church country by country; others are organized by issue. Particularly valuable is an abundance of statistical data from such sources as CARA (The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) and the PEW Research Center, which the author uses very effectively to tell a story.

These chapters are very informative but uneven in depth of engagement. For instance, the discussion of China, Australia, and the Philippines is much more sustained than the discussion of any other individual country. The overall portrait of the church that emerges contains just a few bright spots; particularly the rapid growth in membership in parts of Africa and Asia. On the other hand, Rausch provides many reasons for concern. Secularization, declining membership by attrition to Pentecostal and non-denominational churches, or the rise of the “nones”—that is, those without a religious affiliation—are affecting the church everywhere, even in places where it is doing relatively well.

In the final chapter, the author synthesizes various points and observations throughout the book and offers a vision for the future that reflects Pope Francis’ call for Catholics to reach out to the peripheries. As for its future, the author predicts that the church will be polycentric and will have a more inclusive governance. It will be “a decentralized, synodal church, no longer Eurocentric, less clerical, with greater lay involvement in its life” (224). In many places, the church will lose the privileged status in society that it enjoys currently. It will need to dialogue with cultures and other religions, imagine new forms of ecumenism while negotiating its identity. The future does not look dull by any means.

            As other works by Thomas Rausch, this book is eminently readable, written in clear, accessible prose. The author demonstrates immense breadth of knowledge about the past and present dynamics of the church all over the world. The book is particularly valuable for the references in the footnotes. They contain a plethora of sources directly relevant for the study of the topic. One could spend several sabbaticals reading through them. Well-written, informative, and timely, the book is worth reading, especially for a beginner interested in the topic of global Catholicism. Thomas Rausch has done a great service to Catholic theology by writing it.