Some people know from early childhood exactly what they will do as an adult. Others discover their task in life after considering several options. Sociologist Robert Woodberry discovered his life’s quest as a graduate student in sociology at the University of North Carolina‚ Chapel Hill (UNC).
He had searched for a research topic, but nothing grabbed his attention until he attended a required lecture by Kenneth A. Bollen, a UNC‚ Chapel Hill professor and “one of the leading experts on measuring and tracking the spread of global democracy. Bollen remarked that he kept finding a significant statistical link between democracy and Protestantism. ‘Someone needed to study the reason for the link,’ he said. Woodberry sat forward in his seat and thought, That’s me. I’m the one,” according to an article in the most recent issue of Christianity Today.
For the past 14 years Woodberry has pursued that question around the world. He began in the library stacks at UNC where he found a 1925 atlas of the world listing missionary stations, printing presses, hospitals, missionaries and teachers. It helpfully referred to an earlier atlas.
He studied old maps and spent months charting the longitude and latitude of former missionary stations. He traveled to Thailand and India to consult with local scholars, dug through archives in London, Edinburgh and Serampore, India, and talked with church historians all over Europe, North America, Asia and Africa, the CT report said.
His search for information about democracy and Protestantism took him to a library in Togo in Africa. That library had fewer books than he personally owned. The college bookstore did not carry textbooks. Students said the professors read texts to them while they transcribed.
Woodberry could not help but compare the situation in Togo with the college libraries in the neighboring country of Ghana. There he found bookshelves loaded with books including books by local scholars. Geographically the two countries were equal – historically they were not.
Togo had been colonized by France, which had maintained an extremely restrictive policy regarding missionaries. Only the elite were taught to read. Ghana, however, was colonized by England. They kept an open door to missionaries who taught everyone to read and established printing presses. “More than 100 years later, education was still limited in Togo. In Ghana, it was flourishing,” the CT report said.
Woodberry discovered this pattern persisted around the globe. Missionaries, who went to teach anyone they could about the risen Christ and God’s love in order for their listeners to make Him their Lord and Savior, could not stop with just the message of salvation. They insisted that the followers of Christ needed to be able to read the Bible for themselves, no matter what their social or economic level. To that end, when necessary, the Bible was translated, schools were established and printing presses put to work.
But the impact of the missionaries who brought the Gospel of Christ did not stop with just education. They became socially involved.
Again, an example from Africa, this time in the Congo – and once under the French and Belgium rule. Both exploited the region for its rubber. Both forced villagers to do the work. Both administered harsh punishments to those who refused to work – punishment that including cutting off body parts and burning down villages. Under the restrictive French rule, only one small article in a Marxist publication noted the atrocities. Under Belgian rule, where Protestant missionaries could enter the country, pictures were taken of the victims of the cruelty, reports written and presented in America and Great Britain. The secret abuse was exposed. Protests arose, and change began.
Woodberry did not stop with just anecdotal stories. He took the facts and figures he gathered and, working with research assistants, compiled all his statistical data into a computer program to uncover the impact of these missionaries with a mind to convert others to become followers of Christ.
Even with variables, the result around the world remained the same: Missionaries were central to the national movements that fueled democracy. “Missionaries had educated women and the poor, promoted widespread printing, led nationalist movements that empowered ordinary citizens, and fueled other key elements of democracy.” Woodberry’s statistical research proved it.
Woodberry submitted the results of his 14-year ongoing study to the American Political Science Review. Before they would publish his findings he submitted 192 pages of supporting material.
His findings have received comments and accolades from a number of noteworthy academics, and he continues to collect and collate information. The Christianity Today article provides much more information and still is just a glimpse at Woodberry’s years of work and worldwide travels to gather information.
Much more could be said here, but for now let’s let CT’s quote from Robin Grier, a professor of economics and international and area studies at the University of Oklahoma, summarize the response of intellectuals: “I think it’s the best work out there on religion and economic development. It’s incredibly sophisticated and well grounded. I haven’t seen anything quite like it. I’m not religious. I never felt really comfortable with the idea of [mission work]; it seemed cringe-worthy. Then I read Bob’s work. I thought, Wow, that’s amazing. They left a long legacy. It changed my views and caused me to rethink.”