Christianity is moving south—not to the Bible belt—but to Latin America and Africa ,says author Philip Jenkins in his book "The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity," selected as the fall 2006 Book of the Semester by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies,

A faculty panel will discuss the book’s assertions on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.

Ted Lyon, panel chair, is the Latin American studies coordinator and professor of Spanish at BYU. Panelists will be Paul Y. Hoskisson, Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding; Roger R. Keller, professor of Church history and doctrine; Richard N. Holzapfel, associate professor of church history and doctrine; and Mark L. Grover, Africa and Latin America subject specialist, Harold B. Lee Library.

Jenkins, a professor of history and religious studies at Pennsylvania State University, will lecture on his award-winning book on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. in the Joseph Smith Building Auditorium. "The Next Christendom" won the 2003 Christianity Today Book Award, the Gold Medallion book award, and the Theologos award for the Best Academic Book.