The most important map for cross-cultural ministry isn't geographic--it's the terrain of the human heart.
In The Cartography of Culture: Heart Worldviews and Cross-Cultural Analysis, David Parks presents a systematic model for analyzing the layered, often conflicting beliefs that influence individuals and people groups in cross-cultural contexts. Parks contends that modern and postmodern worldviews are no longer simply Western phenomena but are globally entrenched, and that faithful cross-cultural ministry requires moving beyond religious stereotypes to engage a person's actual heart commitments.
The book introduces the concept of "heart worldviews" and teaches a repeatable worldview mapping process. Chapters survey six major worldviews in structured format--covering basics, associated religions, similar worldviews, biblical responses, and suggested resources:
- Monotheism
- Pantheism
- Polytheism
- Animism
- Modernism
- Postmodernism
A final chapter applies the framework through case studies drawn from diverse global contexts, offering students hands-on practice with the mapping model.
Suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses in missiology and evangelism, The Cartography of Culture provides both the theoretical grounding and practical tools students need for authentic and effective cross-cultural ministry.
