This book unpacks the “long formation” of the world church, in particular, that of Asian Pacific Catholicism from the early modern period (sixteenth to seventeenth century), the modern Western hegemony (1760 to the 1960s), to the contemporary modern period (1960s to the present). Cassanova and Phan argue that the Catholic Church, through its missionary expansion and rootedness in people’s cultures, has contributed to global connectivity while also transforming and expanding significantly its global consciousness. The historical processes of globalization function not as direct causes but as contexts that shape the opportunities for human action and church/state response throughout history—whether this is in the form of “a closing off from the world” as with xenophobia or a new tribalism, or “an openness to dialogue with various cultures” toward mutual enrichment.

The volume is divided into two sections. Part 1, “Historical Perspectives,” begins with Casanova’s chapter on the three phases of globalization and how both external forces and local agency shaped Catholicism’s growth in these regions. The subsequent chapters assess how well this clarifies the historical trajectories of Catholicism across Japan (Doak), China (Madsen), South Korea (Kim), Philippines (Francisco), Vietnam (Phan), the Indo-Malayan archipelago (Prior), India (Mallampalli/Monteiro), Australia (Dixon), and the Pacific (Gibbs).

Part 2, “Contemporary Challenges,” addresses key issues arising in the current stage of globalization: its impact on the experiences and roles of women in relation to the church (Mananzan); the challenge to cultivate through the church’s response to Asian labor migration a pan-Asian Catholic community (Cruz), and through the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences, pan-Asian theologies and pastoral practices that help local churches move beyond colonial patterns toward expressions of faith rooted in their own cultural contexts (Chia). Phan concludes with the three key themes and trends of Asian theology: inculturation, integral human development with a focus on economic and sociopolitical justice, and interreligious dialogue.

Several essays touch on migration as a key factor shaping the contours of the global church. Francisco underlines how Filipino migrants are changing the shape of Catholic practice at both ends of the journey, that is, in the home and host countries. The phenomenon of migration and computer-mediated communication in the late twentieth century has also spurred the development of the church as a transnational religious organization. With well-established networks and international influence, church members, Cruz notes, can engage in transnational activities like philanthropy. There is also the phenomenon of reverse mission, with missionaries coming from Asia going to the global north to minister not only to the migrants but also to their nationals. Kim called for further research on Korean missionaries working in the West, noting that their approaches may diverge from those of earlier Western missionaries, who were often criticized as instruments of Western imperialism during the era of hegemonic globalization. Dixon’s chapter on the Australian church observes that some missionaries faced difficulties, either because their strong accents hindered communication or because their rejection of women’s leadership roles was poorly received. Examining how such cultural and ecclesial differences are negotiated would be vital for the church’s future. Mananzan and Cruz also refer to reverse mission in the case of Filipina caregivers, whose influence shapes the religious practices of the children they look after—for instance, teaching them to pray or attend Mass. Moving beyond anecdotal accounts, a more systematic study would be valuable to determine whether these Christian practices learned in childhood persist into the children’s adult lives.

The anthology did not elaborate on the role of computer-mediated communication in the emergence of a global church, likely because this dynamic is still taking shape. Hence, a further area of research can look into how these possibilities for transnational interactions through cyber communication are fostering global Catholic consciousness in the Asia Pacific.

These are just samples of the rich insights and research trajectories that this book stimulates. This volume is the fruit of a three-year research project (2016–2018) composed of an interdisciplinary team of fourteen specialists—five social scientists, six theologians, and three historians—will surely become a major reference for the historical development of global Catholicism in Asia in the coming years.