Intercultural studies is an interdisciplinary academic focus that examines how cultures interact with each other, the processes of cultural change, and how Christian theology, mission, and ministry are informed by cross-cultural contexts. It draws upon the fields of theology, missiology, anthropology, sociology, communication studies, and related fields to address issues where christian practice intersects with cross-cultural issues.
Intercultural studies is often housed within seminaries, theological schools, mission agencies, or graduate programs focused on missiology, world mission, or global ministries. Within this context, the discipline is concerned with understanding the relationship between theology and the issues of human diversity, cultural dynamics, and context in ways that enable effective and respectful engagement across cultural boundaries. It involves theological reflection on how the Christian gospel relates to different cultural settings, historic and contemporary, and aims to inform missionary practice, cross-cultural leadership, intercultural communication, contextualization, and the interface between religion and culture. Theoretical tools frequently come from the social sciences, cultural studies, history, and missiology. [1]
Some of the major areas of concern in intercultural studies include:
The modern field has its roots in Christian missionary work, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries, when missionaries began to appreciate the importance of cultural context and indigenous expressions of Christian faith. Over time, seminaries and mission organizations started integrating social scientific insights (such as anthropology and linguistics) into theological training. Programs in intercultural studies arose from missiology curricula expanding to include cross-cultural communication, contextualization, and world religions. [5] [6]
Although closely related to missiology, the language of “intercultural studies" and "intercultural theology” emerged in the 1970s–1980s within European, largely secular university contexts as scholars grappled with decolonization, the global diversification of Christianity, and the limits of western theological paradigms. [4] Key figures include Hans Jochen Margull (Hamburg), Walter J. Hollenweger (Birmingham), and Richard Friedli (Fribourg), whose collaboration helped launch the book series Studies in the Intercultural History of Christianity in 1975 and articulated early programmatic claims for “intercultural theology.” [4] In this usage, “intercultural” signaled both the contextual conditioning of all theology and a methodological openness to non-Western, oral, aesthetic, and practice-based forms of doing theology, often alongside attention to interreligious encounter. [4]
From the mid-1990s the terminology gained wider Anglophone uptake and, in some settings, began to replace or rebrand “mission/missiology.” Institutions such as Fuller Theological Seminary shifted nomenclature from “mission” to “intercultural theology/studies,” reflecting a broader trend to describe post-colonial, polycentric Christian realities in less programmatic terms. [4]
Much of what was previously called "mission studies" or "missiology" at academic institutions now takes place in units designated as "intercultural studies," or related terms. American institutions such as Wheaton College and Fuller Theological Seminary grant degrees in intercultural studies, while European universities such as the University of Göttingen in Germany and Trinity College Dublin in Ireland offer programs in intercultural theology. In each case, much of the curriculum reflects approaches and disciplines that in the past would have been associated with missiology. At the same time, other academic programs with no links to Christian mission also use the title "intercultural studies," adding to the terminological complexity. [5]
The growing popularity of “intercultural” has prompted debate about scope and intent. Some observers welcome the term as a genuine paradigm shift away from Western hegemonies; others caution that it can function as tactical relabeling of traditional missiology or risk semantic entropy if detached from its historical, decolonial thrust. [4] Early European proponents also pressed for sustained engagement with interreligious dialogue and with practical-ethical postures such as convivencia and hospitality (e.g., in the work of Theo Sundermeier), underscoring that intercultural reflection concerns not only Christian intra-cultural exchange but also living with, learning from, and cooperating across religious difference. [4]
Intercultural studies often combines qualitative research (such as ethnography, interviews, participant observation) with theological reflection. Some programs emphasize field work or internships in cross-cultural settings. [6] Hybrid and online formats are increasingly common, particularly for working ministry professionals who need flexibility. [3]