As Christianity has spread around the globe, interfaith contacts have become vastly more complex. Not only do Christians now interact much more extensively with Bud­dhists, Hindus and members of other Asian faiths, but they no longer do so solely as humble minorities. Euro-Americans might find the re­sulting religious politics quite unsettling.

Consider for instance the nation of Fiji, a country in the Pacific known to West­erners mainly as an exotic tourist destination or a splendid layover en route to New Zealand or Australia. In re­cent years, though, the country has ac­quired a troubling reputation for religious and ethnic confrontations.

From 1874 to 1970, Fiji was part of the British Empire, creating a connection that endures today: Fijians have long made up a respectable share of the fighting strength of the British army in Afghan­istan and elsewhere. British rule also helped make Chris­tianity a potent force across the Pacific region. Today, Chris­tians make up around 60 percent of Fiji's 880,000 people, with the Methodist Church the largest denomination. Fijian Chris­tian­ity has a potent streak of charismatic enthusiasm and a taste for miracle healers such as Benny Hinn and Reinhard Bonnke. In 2003, one revival crusade reportedly drew over 100,000 believers.