This book was first published in 2004 in Germany, and is now translated into English under the co-ordination of Professor Frieder Ludwig. The key to its construction lies in its subtitle. The editors have provided readers with an extensive collection of extracts from contemporary literature, either referring to or commenting on aspects of the encounter between Christianity and the worlds of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Its tripartite continental structure is further divided as follows. The section on ‘Africa’, for example (pp. 139–274), contains documents 108–217, each of roughly 100 to 400 words; each is prefaced with an editorial comment of varying length, which provides the context for the document or extract. The source for each is identified, and an extensive list of suggestions for further reading is provided. Documents are in turn grouped under further sub-headings. For instance under Latin America 1890–1945 readers will find ‘Catholicism becomes more Roman and European’, ‘Confessional pluralization’, ‘Faces of Latin American Catholicism’ and ‘The emergence of the social question’. Two main aims of the compilers is to give full expression to the voices, opinions and institutions of indigenous Christians, and to open up the ecumenical dimensions of their subject.

There is no doubt that readers would in many cases have their own preferred illustrations and pointers in constructing such a wide-ranging work of reference or, alternatively in providing the basis for an undergraduate or Master's course. However, there are plenty of unusual and enlightening choices of original materials which will interest readers at all levels and of all persuasions. Publication – with translation into English of documents in other languages wherever appropriate – is also very timely, coinciding as it does with the appearance of major series such as Cambridge University Press's History of Christianity and Oxford's History of the Christian Church.

Some extracts, however, may nonetheless seem puzzling, or highlight the problems of compilation. Readers may well ask whether the piece taken from Harold Macmillan's ‘wind of change’ speech in 1960 (no. 194, pp. 244–5) does not raise questions as to the purpose of selected cuttings. How far have the editors been successful in sustaining their focus on items highlighting the place and history of Christianity, or has this given way to choices (as here) more appropriate to other histories? Again, would it have been helpful to establish greater continuity in the themes and sub-headings used in different regions or chronological periods? For example ‘Church and mission in colonial society’ (nos. 241–4, pp. 313–19) appears under Latin America, but is neither directly followed up nor similarly grouped elsewhere, making comparisons – surely one of the purposes of such a volume – sometimes rather difficult.

Queries of this kind, nevertheless, scarcely raise more than minor problems of detail, given the variety of questions and interpretations which even the briefest of selections is capable of provoking. This volume is thus likely to retain its position as a valuable work of reference for a good many years to come.