ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at not only theoretical articulations of theology, but also theology expressed ‘in terms of an activity, a process, and a way of living’. Post-development thinkers have challenged the meaning of the term ‘development’ and criticised it for being ‘a reflection of the Western hegemony of the world’. Western actors’ definitions of development have a long history of dominance and exclusion of perspectives from the global South. The concept of religion is a historical product of seventeenth-century Europe, when the secular states became independent of a particular way of practising Christianity. When understood as traditions of thought religion is seen as dynamic and in constant change. The power of religion or God – in development is contested terrain. Many publications approach religion primarily as a possible resource for reaching development goals, and this is problematic if they mainly aim at confirming religion as only positive in development work and serve to strengthen faith-based organisations' influence.
