Articles - Index

Articles by Jim Harries:

NOTICE: Beginning February 2020 for Jim's more recent articles and books (2019 and beyond) please see here.

Jim's PhD Thesis: Pragmatic theory applied to Christian mission in Africa: with special reference to Luo responses to 'bad' in Gem, Kenya (80,000 words).
Materiality and “Spirits”: Explaining Exorcism in Africa Harries, Jim, 2019, WCIU Journal: Cross-Cultural Communications Topic, (5250 words).
To Africa in Love, Harries, Jim, 2019, London: Apostolos Publishing Limited.
Vulnerable Mission Harries, Jim, 2019, Pneuma Review, July 2019.
Jarida juu ya Maisha ya MwAfrika katika huduma ya Ukristo, Harries, Jim, 2019, Bonn: Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft. Available for free download here: (Pokea nakala yako bure hapa:).
Christian Mission Conferences Enabling Communication across Linguistic and Economic Divides; focusing on Africa, Harries, Jim, 2019, 24-28 in: Currents in Theology and Mission, 46(3), 2019. (4020 words).
Essential Alternative to Contemporary Missionary Training: for the sake of vulnerability to the majority world (Africa). Harries, Jim, 2019, Transformation, 00(0), 1-14. (OnlineFirst). (8360 words).
Africa’s Metaphors are Essential to its Functioning and Identity: ignore them at your peril. Harries, Jim, 2019, Globalmissiology April 2019. (accessed 2nd May 2019) (4570 words).
Innovative approaches and methods to cross-cultural training: the elders' counsel. Harries, Jim, 2019, Published by International Missionary Training Network.
The Importance of Local Language in Urban Ministry: Why European Languages are not Sufficient in African Context. Harries, Jim, 2019, Lausanne Global Analysis March 2019, Volume 8(2).
Practising Mission and Development in a Multi-lingual African Context of Jostling for Money and Power. Harries, Jim, 2019. Evangelical Review of Theology, 2019, 43:2, 152-166 (7440 words).
Cultural linguistics, mission and theology for the majority world. Harries, Jim, 2018, in: Australian Journal of Mission Studies. pp. 8-15, 12(2), December 2018. (5430 words).
Sidestepping Patronage with Vulnerable Mission. Harries, Jim, 2018, Presented at the Patronage Symposium, Beirut, 4th October 2018. (3260 words)
Cognitive Science is Theology:‘scientists’ renege on heliocentrism. Harries, Jim, 2018, 40-48 in: Faith and Thought, October 2018, 65. (3390 words)
Material Things in the Context of Relationships in the Non-Western World, Especially Africa. Harries, Jim, 2018, William Carey International Development Journal Sep. 25th 2018. (2520 words)
Cognitive Science Points to God. Harries, Jim, 2018, William Carey International Development Journal: cross cultural communication, Sep. 10 2018. (7380 words) (Version with illustrations available here. )
Resource use as hindrance to sustainable overseas development intervention: A view focused on Pentecostal Christianity. Harries, Jim, 2018, Missiology: An International Review 2018, Vol. 46(3) 251–267. (8,120 words) (Originally accepted version).
How to Avoid Negative Donor-Impact in Development and Mission to Africa. Harries, Jim, 2018, Journal of Transformative Innovation, Vol. 3 Iss. 1, Spring 2018, pp. 33–39. (3100 words).
Attenuate English, for the sake of the African poor. Harries, Jim, 2018, Global Missiology, Vol 3, No 15 (2018): April. globalmissiology.org.
Church Doctrines as Living Rules in African Perspective. Harries, Jim, 2018, Global Missiology, Vol 3, No 15 (2018): April. globalmissiology.org.
Faith, Thought, Science, Secularism and the Gospel of Jesus in relation to Mission to Africa Today. Harries, Jim, 2018, Faith & Thought, No. 64, p37-41, (1930 words).
Overcoming Invented Ogres: African Traditional Religions and World Religions in African Christian Perspective. Harries, Jim, 2018, 171-18 Evangelical Review of Theology, 42:2, 2018, (6520 words).
Cultural Metaphors and Development. Harries, Jim, 2018, William Carey International Development Journal February 22, 2018, (3450 words).
Theology that Emerges from Cognitive Science: applied to African Development. Harries, Jim, 2018, Open Theology 2018; 4: 15–28.
African Heartbeat: and a vulnerable fool. Harries, Jim, 2017, London: Apostolos-Publishing. This is intended to be a fun novel to read, as well as being very educative. If you have a chance to read and review it, welcome!
Western Theology in Africa: Christian mission in the light of the undermining of scientific hegemony. by Jim Harries, 2017, International Review of Mission, 106(2), December 2017, 241-260.
The Godless Delusion: Europe and Africa. by Jim Harries, 2017,
Available at: Amazon Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2017. Download the Cover.
Interpreters and Champions as “Inside” Agents for Development. Harries, Jim, 2015, in: Snodderly, Beth, (ed.) 2015, Agents of International Development and Shalom, Pasadena, LA: William Carey International University Press,195-198.
Popular Approaches to Anti-Racism Are Influenced by Secularism and Are Self-Defeating. Harries, Jim, 2017, William Carey International Development Journal, Special Issue Social Justice. (4730 words).
Resolving Western Hegemony in Africa: distinguishing the material from the spiritual. Harries, Jim, 2017, William Carey International Development Journal, Special Issue, Cross-Cultural Communication, August 16, 2017 (4910 words).
Anthropology’s Origins, Christianity, and a Perspective from Africa. Harries, Jim, 2017, On Knowing Humanity Journal 1(1), July 2017, 32-40 (7,260 words).
Faith in Christ the Way Forward in African Development. Harries, Jim, 2017, Association of Christian Economists (UK), Publications, (8090 words).
Enabling the Majority World to Benefit from ‘Superior’ Western Theology. Harries, Jim, April 2017, Currents in Theology and Mission 44:2 (3680 words).
Shadow-boxing: the missionary encounter with Christian theology in world religions. Harries, Jim, 2016, The Pneuma Review, Journal of Ministry Resources and Theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries & Leaders.
The Implications of Disconnect in Translation on Gospel work in Africa: Bible translation in context. Harries, Jim, 2016, The Pneuma Review, Journal of Ministry Resources and Theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries & Leaders.
The Fallacy of World Religions: A View from Africa. Harries, Jim, 2017, Evangelical Missions Quarterly, January 2017.
The Necessity of the Use of African Languages in African Church and Society. Harries, Jim, 2016, in: Global Missiology Vol 4, No 13, (2016): July. Previously presented at: Blessing the Nations | WCIU Symposium 2010 November 24 8:00am - 12:00pm (Broadcast Live). (4,100 words) Video of same presentation.
Does Faith in Secularism Undermine Mission and Development in Africa?. Harries, Jim, 2016, 100-110 in Evangelical Review of Theology, Apr 2016, Vol 40, No 2. (5330 words) (Abstract, full version to be available April 2017).
In Witchbound Africa: In Witchbound Africa: an account of contemporary Western Christian scholarship on witchcraft. Harries, Jim, 2016, The Pneuma Review, June 12 2016, (4080 words).
Evangelism or Social Justice: reconsidering the case in Africa. Harries, Jim, 2016, Anabaptist Witness, What is mission: evangelism, justice, and beyond, 3(1), April 2016, (accessed May 11, 2016). (5320 words).
Building Castles in the Sky: A Case for the use of Indigenous Languages (and Resources) in Western Mission-partnerships to Africa. Harries, Jim, 2016, Presented by Jim Harries at the Vulnerable Mission workshop, Pasadena, California, 24th September 2013. Global Missiology, April 2016, Vol 3, No 13.
To Compromise on Missionary Vulnerability in Africa? a response to critics of ‘Vulnerable Mission’’ Harries, Jim, 2016, Global Missiology, 3/13, April 2016.
New Foundations for Appreciating Africa: beyond religious and secular deceptions. Harries, Jim, 2016, World of Theology Series 9, World Evangelical Alliance. Bonn: Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft. (34,300 words).
Confusing Asiku: how mission and development intervention in international languages works to bypass the minds of beneficiaries. Cowman, Gary and Harries, Jim, Presented at: Micah Global: 6th Global Consultation, Lima, Peru, September 2015, unpublished (3680 words).
The Preeminence of Life: Towards an African Christian Cosmology in Intercultural Context. Harries, Jim, 2015,The Pneuma Review, (5430 words).
Holiness in African Perspective. Harries, Jim, 2015, The Pneuma Review, (2430 words).
Effective Partnership between the West and the African Church. Harries, Jim, 2015, William Carey International Development Journal, 4(3), Fall 2015, pp19-27 (5660 words).
Interpreters and Champions as “Inside” Agents for Development. Harries, Jim, 2015, in: Snodderly, Beth, (ed.) 2015, Agents of International Development and Shalom, Pasadena, LA: William Carey International University Press, pp. 195-198.
The Great Delusion: post-colonial language policy for mission and development in Africa reviewed. Harries, Jim, 2012. Transformation, an international journal of holistic mission studies 29/1, January 2012, 44-61 (9,110 words).
The Great Delusion: post-colonial language policy for mission and development in Africa reviewed. Harries, Jim. in Transformation, an international journal of holistic mission studies 29/1, January 2012, 44-61.
Intercultural Generosity in Christian Perspective: The ‘West’ and Africa. Harries, Jim, 2015, Transformation 2015, Vol. 32(4) 269–280.
Self-imposed Strictures and the role of Western Missionaries in Cross-cultural Mission to Africa. Harries, Jim, 2015, Missio Dei: A Journal of Missional Theology and Praxis 6, no. 2 (August 2015) (accessed September 1, 2015).
Doing Business in Africa: how culture changes how we work together. Harries, Jim, 2015, The Pneuma Review, journal of ministry resources and theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries and Leaders. (accessed July 23, 2015; 4,460 words).
Secularism and Africa in the light of the intercultural Christ. by Jim Harries. Available at: Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Sin v. Taboo Compatibility in Africa and the West: implications for inter-cultural Mission, Church, and Majority World Development, Harries, Jim, 2015, Evangelical Review of Theology, April 2015, Volume 39, No 2. (6420 words).
‘Tent-Making in an Uneven World; some implicit difficulties for Westerners in Africa’, Jim Harries, 2014, World Evangelical Alliance, Mission Commission, (accessed November 6, 2014) (5030 words).
Solving a Language Puzzle Between England and Africa. Harries, Jim, 2014. (578 words).
The Talk Leads the Way (Astray): mission and development in Africa today. Harries, Jim, 2014, GlobalMissiology 3(11) (2014). (3,050 words).
Hidden Themes in Transformational Development into Africa and the Majority World. Harries, Jim, 2014. William Carey International Development Journal, 3(1), Winter 2014, 15-23. (5,120 words).
Local African Resources from the West in Africa: inter-Westerner relationship as key to "local resources". Harries, Jim, 2014, Mission Frontiers, 36 (1), 2014, pp37-38. (740 words).
Communication in Mission and Development Relating to the Church in Africa by Jim Harries. Available at: Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Jigger Fleas, Spirits, Inter-cultural Theology and the Development of Africa. Harries, Jim, 2014, Global Missiology, Volume 2, number 11, January 2014 (5,400 words).
The Glaring Gap: Linguistics, Anthropology, Religion, and Christianity in African Development. Harries, Jim, 2013. Exchange, Journal of Missiological and Ecumenical Research, Brill 232-251 (6,700 words).
God, the Christian Faith, and Social/Cultural Change in the Context of African "Poverty". Harries, Jim, 2013. Alliance for Vulnerable Mission Bulletin, 5(6), June 2013. (7,760 words).
Understanding and Responding to the Prosperity Gospel in Africa. Harries, Jim. 2013, Global Missiology. 3(10), (5,570 words).
African Pentecostalism in Intercultural Linguistic Context. Harries, Jim. 2013. The Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological Association. 33(1) 91-104. (5,150 words).
An ‘Impact Model’ of Language, Mission and Development in East Africa. (7,460 words).
The Need for Indigenous Languages and Resources in Mission to Africa in Light of the Presence of Monism/Witchcraft. Harries, Jim. 2013. Missio Dei: A Journal of Missional Theology and Praxis 4, vol. 1 (February 2013) (8,000 words).
The Biblical Injunction to Give, and Holding Donors Accountable in the 21st Century. Harries, Jim, 2010. Lausanne Conversations. (1,530 words).
Critiquing the Holistic Gospel. Harries, Jim, 2013. Alliance for Vulnerable Mission Bulletin, 5/4, April 2013. (2,590 words).
Why be Vulnerable? Development and Mission in Africa. Harries, Jim. 2013. Alliance for Vulnerable Mission Bulletin, 5/4, April 2013. (1,310 words).
The Need for use of Local Languages and Resources in Mission to Africa. Harries, Jim, 2013. Alliance for Vulnerable Mission Bulletin, 5/4, April 2013. (1,420 words).
Gagged. Harries, Jim, 2013. Alliance for Vulnerable Mission Bulletin, 5/4, April 2013. (1,180 words).
The Top Shelf in the Bible College Library. Harries, Jim, 2011. African Journal of Evangelical Theology. 30 (1), 2011, 90-92. (1,300 words).
The Immorality of the Promotion of Non-Indigenous Languages in Africa. Harries, Jim. 2013. Global Missiology Vol 2, No 10 (2013): Language, Culture and Mission. (6,900 words).
Witchcraft, Envy, Development, and Christian Mission in Africa. Harries, Jim. 2012. Missiology: An International Review 40(2): 129–139. (5,600 words).
Health Care Interculturally and Interlinguistically. Deal, Jeff, and Harries, Jim, 2012. In: Anthropology News. 14/11/2012. (1,000 words).
The Contribution of the Use of English in Africa to Dependency in Mission and Development. Harries, Jim. 2012. In: Exchange, Journal of Missiological and Ecumenical Research, 41/3, 279-294. (6,800 words).
How One Scholarship in One Language Cannot Cross Continents: between Europe and Africa. Harries, Jim. 2012. In: William Carey International Development Journal, 1(3), July 2012. (5,000 words).
African Development and Dependency in the light of Post-Modern Epistemology. Harries, Jim. 2012. In: William Carey International Development Journal , 1(3), July 2012. (1,430 words).
The Prospects for Mother Tongue Theological Education in Western Kenya. 3-16 Harries, Jim, 2010. In: Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology, 29 (1), 2010, (5,360 words).
"Westerners" Involvement in Projects in Africa: Hindrance, Help or Necessity? Harries, Jim. 2012. Encounters Mission Journal. Issue 40. April 2012. (1,340 words).
An interview between Michael Badriaki and Jim Harries is recorded in Cultural Encounters (7/2).
Deliverance Ministry in an African Cultural Perspective Harries, Jim, 2011. In The Pneuma Review. Volume 14, Number 1, Winter 2011, 16-30. (4,800 words).
Racism in Intercultural Context. Harries, Jim. 2011. at Ezine Articles. (1,183 words).
Is it Post Modern, or is it just the Real Thing? Challenging Inter-cultural Mission - a Parable Harries, Jim, 2011. In: Global Missiology Vol 3, No 8 (2011): April). (7,660 words).
Third World: Mission and Development. Harries, Jim, 2011. In: Evangelicals Now. February 2011 p10.
Ghosts and Cleansing amongst the Luo People of Kenya in 2000. Harries, Jim. 2001. Unpublished. [pdf] (6,900 words).
Mission in a Post Modern World issues of language and dependency in post-colonial Africa. Harries, Jim, 2010. In: Exchange, Journal of Missiological and Ecumenical Research, 39(4), 309-330. [pdf] (9,900 words).
Theory to Practice in Vulnerable Mission: An Academic Appraisal by Jim Harries. Order here: Wipf and Stock Publishers..
Vulnerable Mission by Jim Harries. The book contains 14 articles. Order here: William Carey Library. Also available in UK/Europe from Veronica.
Three Days in the Life of an African Christian Villager by Jim Harries. Order here..
Magic, Science and Theology in African Development Harries, Jim, 2011. In: Evangelical Review of Theology. 35:1, 17-30. [pdf] (6,400 words).
Understandings of Pneuma in East Africa, that point to the Importance of 'Vulnerable Mission' Practices from the West (Also published by the Pneuma Foundation). [pdf] (6,600 words).
The Perceived Nature of God in Europe and in Africa: Dealing with "Difference" in Theology, Focusing on "Altered States of Consciousness." an article by Jim in Missiology: an international review. Vol. 38/4 pp. 395-409 October 2010. [pdf] (8,100 words).
Witchcraft, Culture, and Theology Pertaining to African Development: an article by Jim in African Nebula Vol. 1, No. 2, August 2010. (8,100 words).
Translation and The Language of Implementation of Third-World Development - a Study on Sustainability in Africa. Found in Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa Vol. 12, No. 3, Summer 2010. [pdf] (6,700 words).
Ducking Missionary Conflict in Africa and Beyond. As Published: Harries, Jim, 2009. 'Ducking Missionary Conflict in Africa and Beyond.' 272-274 In: Evangelical Missions Quarterly. July 2009. Vol. 45, No. 3. (1,000 words)
'Giving' or 'Listening' - in mission in Africa, (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
Importance of Using Indigenous Languages in Africa, (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
Prosperity Gospel: Blessed Charity or Corruption? (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
An Enchanted World in Africa (and Prosperity Gospel), (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
Jealousy and Witchcraft: Africa and the World, (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
Biblical Giving, Holding Donors Accountable, (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
Language Choice in Theological Education: Africa, (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
The Deception of Language and African Theology, (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
About African belief in 'Spirits', (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
Getting Alongside, (posted at The Lausanne Movement: Global Conversation)
Summary Report: Eight Alliance for Vulnerable Mission Conferences, January and March 2009 in the USA, Britain, and Germany [pdf] (5,700 words).
Is Mission Diverse, or is it all just Money? An Examination of Western Mission to Africa. Harries, Jim and Lewis, Fred in Evangelical Review of Theology, 36/4, 347-355. 2012 (4,100 words).
International Development Without Money? Some Theological Reflections. [pdf] Published as: Harries, Jim, (2009.) 'International Development Without Money? Some Theological Reflections.' 175-187 In: Snodderly, Beth, (ed.) The Goal of International Development: God's Will on Earth as It Is in Heaven. Pasadena: WCIU Press. ($9.03 from Amazon) (3,600 words).
Empowerment or Impoverishment? An Evalution of the Impact of Development Agencies and Church-Missionary Activity in the Northwest Province of Zambia [pdf] (19,000 words).
The Kingdom of God; The Pearl, and the Visitor Centre? The Idea of Vulnerable Mission (900 words).
'The Name of God in Africa' and Related Contemporary Theological, Developmental and Linguistic Concerns [pdf] (9,300 words).
Mzungu! Mzungu!: an appeal for vulnerable western missionaries to Africa [pdf]
You Don't Know Kiswahili: reflections on a student's comment [pdf]
Vulnerable Mission: a 'normalisation' of Christian mission practices in anticipation of a post-colonial situation [pdf]
Inter-cultural Communication in the African Mission Context: an examination of practice. This article is published by the Edinburgh 2010 conference organisation, under their transversal topics listings, at this location. [pdf]
Talking for Money, Looking for Money: the donor industry as fulfillment of ancient African religious ideals, in missiological perspective. Harries, Jim. 2011. 'Talking for Money: the Donor Industry as Fulfillment of Ancient African Religious Ideals.' Missio Dei: a journal of missional theology and practice, 2/2. http://missiodeijournal.com/md-2-2/82 (4,617 words).
Heart Led Development: An East African Study [pdf]
Visits to African Indigenous Churches [pdf]
Visits to African Indigenous Churches Number 2. 2008. [pdf]
Imitation in Cross-Cultural Mission: Discussions in an African Context.(1,936 words).
The Immorality of Aid to the 'Third World' [pdf]
Biblical Hermeneutics in Relation to Conventions of Language Use in Africa (Publication Location) (4,852 words).
Course For Yala and Siaya Theological Centres [pdf]
Pragmatic Linguistics applied to Bible Translation, Projects and Inter-cultural Relationships: an African focus [pdf] (Publication Location)
Language in Education, Mission and Development in Africa: Appeals for Local Tongues and Local Contexts (5,427 words).
The Effectiveness of Short-term Mission to Africa in Respect to Westernising, Christianising and Dependence Creation (5,621 words).
Mission to the South, Words to the North: Reflections on Communication in the Church by a Northerner in the South [pdf] (Publication Location)
Providence and Power Structures in Mission and Development Initiatives [pdf]
'Material Provision' or 'Preaching the Gospel': Reconsidering 'Holistic' (Integral) Mission [pdf] (Publication Location)
Issues of Race in Relating to Africa: Linguistic and Cultural Insights that Could Avoid Traps (9,272 words).
Difficulties in Giving: What to give, how to give, why to give, who to give, when to give, if to give?
European Theology Hits Africa: When the Theological Rubber Hits the African Road - How Europe Can be an Aid to African Development (6,838 words).
Vulnerable Mission as an Alternative to Failing Aid Paradigms. Harries, Jim, 2013, Globalmissiology, 4(10), July 2013 (3,430 words).
Elder's Counsel (7,237 words).
Overcoming 'Dependency' in the African Church: The Role of African Languages (2,025 words).
Intercultural Dialogue: An Overrated Means of Acquiring Understanding - Examined in the Context of Christian Mission to Africa [pdf]
Pasipo Kujua Mila yake Huwezi Kujadiliana na Mtu Barabara (1,773 words).
African Economics, and its Implications for Mission and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa [pdf] (Publication Location)
Power and Ignorance on the Mission Field or 'The Hazards of Feeding Crowds' [pdf] (Publication Location)
The Magical Worldview in the African Church: What is Going On? [pdf] (Publication Location)
Mzungu alisema, Mwafrika alisema: sera za lugha zinazotakikana kanisani kwa Bara ya Afrika [pdf]
Uvumbuzi wa Isimu Amali - kwa Wajaluo, Kenya uhusiano wa lugha na utamaduni wake [pdf]
Is Secularism a Mystical Religion? Questions of Translation in Relation to Millennium Goals and Mission in Africa [pdf]
A Linguistic Case for the necessity of Enculturation in Theological and Economic Teaching based on the Shape of Words: including a case study comparing Sub-Saharan Africa with the West. (5,206 words)
Good-by-Default and Evil in Africa [pdf]
Partnership, Cooperation and Vulnerability: building a solid foundation for mission praxis in Africa [pdf] (Publication Location)
Kumbe, Maneno yanayo Umbo! [pdf]