Christianity is a global religion, anthropology professor James Bielo told an audience in downtown Hamilton, but it takes on divergent forms as it traverses transnational circuits.

In his Nov. 6 talk, Bielo emphasized the many concrete ways that Christianity goes global, and used the Prosperity Gospel as a case study. Prosperity theology is a movement that stresses Biblical interpretations of God promising wealth and success to the faithful. 

While we might expect such a gospel to catch on among those whose national economic structures are most affected by the advent of neoliberal capitalism, Bielo stressed that a strictly ideological reading of Prosperity Theology (that is, that the movement functions as false consciousness and keeps the poor poor) ignores the circulation of the movement's cultural logics through its intricate network of transnational institutions.

The talk, entitled "Global Christianities: Anthropological Insights" was the seventh in a series of Friday noontime talks on global-local relations being held this semester in downtown Hamilton. The series, organized by Miami Hamilton anthropology professor John Cinnamon with support from Miami Hamilton Dean Daniel E. Hall, is designed to “begin a conversation with community members about current dimensions of globalization,” Cinnamon said. The series also serves as a contribution to Miami’s bicentennial series of events.

Miami Hamilton Downtown is a storefront space at 221 High Street

designed to increase Miami’s civic engagement with the wider community. The space hosts more than 100 events a year, from poetry readings to film showings to its “Egghead Café”, in which Miami professors offer thought-provoking informal discussions with Hamilton residents.