The Fullness of Time in a Flat World: Globalization and the Liturgical Year

by Scott Waalkes

Overview

Description: Best-selling author Thomas Friedman says that globalization has made the world flat and that we cannot stop the process. But while it is right to say that globalization tends to flatten our world, it is wrong to say that there are no alternatives to current patterns of economic, ecological, political, and cultural integration. This book argues that the Christian liturgical calendar provides a constructive alternative to the globalization of economics, ecologies, politics, and cultures. It does so by incorporating the church into the fullness of time in the gospel narrative, thereby helping us escape from the dead end of Friedman's flat world so that we can improvise healthier ways of being globally integrated. Endorsements: ""We usually think of globalization as a matter of space--a shrinking globe, porous boundaries, flows of capital. In an insight that is jarring and brilliant, Scott Waalkes argues that globalization is also a matter of time. Diagnosing the corrosive construals of time and space in globalized consumer capitalism, Waalkes shows how ancient Christian practices of time-keeping can remake our world and our economic habits, apprenticing us to the One born 'in the fullness of time.' A stellar book that deserves wide attention."" --James K. A. Smith author of Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation ""In this book Waalkes brings the best of political science and theology to bear on the question of globalization. Waalkes understands that there is more than one way to imagine globalization. In the face of ideologies that treat globalization as fate, Waalkes provocatively argues that Christian liturgical practices provide a truer way of narrating the world. Liturgy can thus help Christians and others to understand and resist the negative effects of globalization. This is an excellent work of practical theology."" --William T. Cavanaugh author of The Myth of Religious Violence: Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict ""Scott Waalkes has delivered an integrated analysis of global politics, economics, and the church--timely in its descriptions, analyses, and recommendations. He moves smoothly from global abstractions to the particularities of his--and our--everyday, local church life. This book aims to teach and encourage and succeeds admirably at both."" --Michael L. Budde author of The (Magic) Kingdom of God: Christianity and Global Culture Industries ""This book will challenge you to see Christian worship and the global economy in a fundamentally new way . . . For all Christians who have felt overwhelmed by the tsunami forces of globalization or seduced by the mantra that ""time is money,"" this book offers a word of hope . . . and a practical guide to more faithful forms of worship and discipleship."" --John D. Roth author of Choosing Against War: A Christian View About the Contributor(s): Scott Waalkes (PhD University of Virginia) is Professor of International Politics at Malone University in Canton, Ohio. He spent a year abroad as a Fulbright Scholar with his family in 2004-05.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781556358630
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	10/22/2009
Series:	Theopolitical Visions Series , #6
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	386
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Scott Waalkes (PhD University of Virginia) is Professor of International Politics at Malone University in Canton, Ohio. He spent a year abroad as a Fulbright Scholar with his family in 2004-05.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xix

Chapter 1 From Flatness to the Fullness of Time 1

Chapter 2 Advent and the End of History 26

Chapter 3 Christmas and the Globalization of Finance 55

Chapter 4 Epiphany: Stewardship as Sacramental Participation 91

Chapter 5 The Sundays after Epiphany and the Globalization of Work 115

Chapter 6 Lent and Global Consumption: Re-Directing Sacramentality 147

Chapter 7 Holy Week and American Hegemony 178

Chapter 8 The Gospel of Easter and the Gospel of Free Trade 214

Chapter 9 From Easter to Ascension: Global Political Communion 247

Chapter 10 Pentecost, Catholicity, and Global Cultures 285

Conclusion 317

Appendix: A Brief Overview of the Liturgical Year 325

Bibliography 327

Index 353

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"We usually think of globalization as a matter of space—a shrinking globe, porous boundaries, flows of capital. In an insight that is jarring and brilliant, Scott Waalkes argues that globalization is also a matter of time. Diagnosing the corrosive construals of time and space in globalized consumer capitalism, Waalkes shows how ancient Christian practices of time-keeping can remake our world and our economic habits, apprenticing us to the One born 'in the fullness of time.' A stellar book that deserves wide attention."
—James K. A. Smith author of Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation

"In this book Waalkes brings the best of political science and theology to bear on the question of globalization. Waalkes understands that there is more than one way to imagine globalization. In the face of ideologies that treat globalization as fate, Waalkes provocatively argues that Christian liturgical practices provide a truer way of narrating the world. Liturgy can thus help Christians and others to understand and resist the negative effects of globalization. This is an excellent work of practical theology."
—William T. Cavanaugh author of The Myth of Religious Violence: Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict

"Scott Waalkes has delivered an integrated analysis of global politics, economics, and the church—timely in its descriptions, analyses, and recommendations. He moves smoothly from global abstractions to the particularities of his—and our—everyday, local church life. This book aims to teach and encourage and succeeds admirably at both."
—Michael L. Budde author of The (Magic) Kingdom of God: Christianity and Global Culture Industries

"This book will challenge you to see Christian worship and the global economy in a fundamentally new way . . . For all Christians who have felt overwhelmed by the tsunami forces of globalization or seduced by the mantra that "time is money," this book offers a word of hope . . . and a practical guide to more faithful forms of worship and discipleship."
—John D. Roth author of Choosing Against War: A Christian View

Editorial Reviews

"We usually think of globalization as a matter of space—a shrinking globe, porous boundaries, flows of capital. In an insight that is jarring and brilliant, Scott Waalkes argues that globalization is also a matter of time. Diagnosing the corrosive construals of time and space in globalized consumer capitalism, Waalkes shows how ancient Christian practices of time-keeping can remake our world and our economic habits, apprenticing us to the One born 'in the fullness of time.' A stellar book that deserves wide attention."
—James K. A. Smith author of Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation

"In this book Waalkes brings the best of political science and theology to bear on the question of globalization. Waalkes understands that there is more than one way to imagine globalization. In the face of ideologies that treat globalization as fate, Waalkes provocatively argues that Christian liturgical practices provide a truer way of narrating the world. Liturgy can thus help Christians and others to understand and resist the negative effects of globalization. This is an excellent work of practical theology."
—William T. Cavanaugh author of The Myth of Religious Violence: Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict

"Scott Waalkes has delivered an integrated analysis of global politics, economics, and the church—timely in its descriptions, analyses, and recommendations. He moves smoothly from global abstractions to the particularities of his—and our—everyday, local church life. This book aims to teach and encourage and succeeds admirably at both."
—Michael L. Budde author of The (Magic) Kingdom of God: Christianity and Global Culture Industries

"This book will challenge you to see Christian worship and the global economy in a fundamentally new way . . . For all Christians who have felt overwhelmed by the tsunami forces of globalization or seduced by the mantra that "time is money," this book offers a word of hope . . . and a practical guide to more faithful forms of worship and discipleship."
—John D. Roth author of Choosing Against War: A Christian View

From the Publisher