Martin Goodman
- Published in print:
- 1995
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198263876
- eISBN:
- 9780191682674
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198263876.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World, Judaism
This book tackles a central problem of Jewish and comparative religious history: proselytization and the origins of mission in the Early Church. Why did some individuals in the first four centuries ...
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This book tackles a central problem of Jewish and comparative religious history: proselytization and the origins of mission in the Early Church. Why did some individuals in the first four centuries of the Christian era believe it desirable to persuade as many outsiders as possible to join their religious group, while others did not? In this book, the author offers a new explanation of the origins of mission in this period, arguing that mission is not an inherent religious instinct, that in antiquity it was found only sporadically among Jews and pagans, and that even Christians rarely stressed its importance in the early centuries. In the first half of the book, he makes a detailed and radical re-evaluation of the evidence for Jewish missionary attitudes in the late Second Temple and Talmudic periods, overturning many commonly held assumptions about the history of Judaism, in particular the view that Jews proselytized energetically in the first century AD. This leads the author on to take issue with the common notion that the early Christian mission to the gentiles imitated or competed with contemporary Jews. Finally, the author puts forward some novel suggestions as to how the Jewish background to Christianity may nonetheless have contributed to the enthusiastic adoption of universal proselytization by some followers of Jesus in the apostolic age.Less
This book tackles a central problem of Jewish and comparative religious history: proselytization and the origins of mission in the Early Church. Why did some individuals in the first four centuries of the Christian era believe it desirable to persuade as many outsiders as possible to join their religious group, while others did not? In this book, the author offers a new explanation of the origins of mission in this period, arguing that mission is not an inherent religious instinct, that in antiquity it was found only sporadically among Jews and pagans, and that even Christians rarely stressed its importance in the early centuries. In the first half of the book, he makes a detailed and radical re-evaluation of the evidence for Jewish missionary attitudes in the late Second Temple and Talmudic periods, overturning many commonly held assumptions about the history of Judaism, in particular the view that Jews proselytized energetically in the first century AD. This leads the author on to take issue with the common notion that the early Christian mission to the gentiles imitated or competed with contemporary Jews. Finally, the author puts forward some novel suggestions as to how the Jewish background to Christianity may nonetheless have contributed to the enthusiastic adoption of universal proselytization by some followers of Jesus in the apostolic age.
J. Gordon Melton
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195177299
- eISBN:
- 9780199785537
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195177299.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
In the 1980s, the term “new religion” replaced “cult” when referring to the many relatively new Eastern, esoteric, and other religious movements emerging in the predominantly Christian West. ...
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In the 1980s, the term “new religion” replaced “cult” when referring to the many relatively new Eastern, esoteric, and other religious movements emerging in the predominantly Christian West. Subsequent to its appearance, the term has undergone a process of refinement as scholars have sought more precisely to define exactly what characteristics designated a new religion. Based on an overview of the hundreds of new religions now operating in the East, new religions are now defined as those groups on the fringe of culture that both deviate substantially from the dominant Christianity (unlike sect groups) now practiced in the west, and lack ties with any ethnic religions traditionally identified with the belief and practices of the new religion (especially the Eastern religions). New religions often become well known for their identification with violence, active proselytization, and various questionable beliefs and practices.Less
In the 1980s, the term “new religion” replaced “cult” when referring to the many relatively new Eastern, esoteric, and other religious movements emerging in the predominantly Christian West. Subsequent to its appearance, the term has undergone a process of refinement as scholars have sought more precisely to define exactly what characteristics designated a new religion. Based on an overview of the hundreds of new religions now operating in the East, new religions are now defined as those groups on the fringe of culture that both deviate substantially from the dominant Christianity (unlike sect groups) now practiced in the west, and lack ties with any ethnic religions traditionally identified with the belief and practices of the new religion (especially the Eastern religions). New religions often become well known for their identification with violence, active proselytization, and various questionable beliefs and practices.
Marc David Baer
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195331752
- eISBN:
- 9780199868018
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195331752.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
Like other early modern monarchs, hunting was the favorite pastime of Mehmed IV, but rather than being merely a frivolous activity, as modern historians have claimed, the sultan's contemporary ...
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Like other early modern monarchs, hunting was the favorite pastime of Mehmed IV, but rather than being merely a frivolous activity, as modern historians have claimed, the sultan's contemporary chroniclers argued that hunting demonstrated his bravery and courage, hence manliness, and trained him for warfare. Reading archival records together with the chronicles shows that hunting allowed Mehmed IV close contact with thousands of his subjects, and in these circumstances he personally converted Christians, in particular, to Islam. Hundreds of men and women changed religion at his feet during conversion ceremonies in which the sultan displayed his magnanimity by re-dressing the converts head to toe. This chapter demonstrates the uniqueness of the period and its convert-making sultan while utilizing the book's themes of the link between piety and proselytization, the key role of the mediator of conversion, and the context of war and conquest in conversion.Less
Like other early modern monarchs, hunting was the favorite pastime of Mehmed IV, but rather than being merely a frivolous activity, as modern historians have claimed, the sultan's contemporary chroniclers argued that hunting demonstrated his bravery and courage, hence manliness, and trained him for warfare. Reading archival records together with the chronicles shows that hunting allowed Mehmed IV close contact with thousands of his subjects, and in these circumstances he personally converted Christians, in particular, to Islam. Hundreds of men and women changed religion at his feet during conversion ceremonies in which the sultan displayed his magnanimity by re-dressing the converts head to toe. This chapter demonstrates the uniqueness of the period and its convert-making sultan while utilizing the book's themes of the link between piety and proselytization, the key role of the mediator of conversion, and the context of war and conquest in conversion.
Thomas F. Farr
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195179958
- eISBN:
- 9780199869749
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195179958.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The passage of the 1998 International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act seemed to presage a new chapter in U.S. foreign policy—in effect, the elevation of America's “first freedom” to what many considered ...
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The passage of the 1998 International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act seemed to presage a new chapter in U.S. foreign policy—in effect, the elevation of America's “first freedom” to what many considered its rightful ascendancy in the nation's human rights policy. In retrospect, however, the fault lines in the law's conception and implementation have been quite significant. This chapter examines those weaknesses, including the desire of IRF supporters to bypass the State Department, the perception that the law is Christian-centered, and the concern by liberals that religious freedom should not be elevated to the top of a “hierarchy of human rights.” In describing the hierarchy objection the chapter analyzes the controversial but critical issues of proselytization, and the distinction between religious tolerance and religious freedom. The net result of these and other problems is that U.S. IRF policy has been narrowly construed, ignored by its supporters, and largely ineffective.Less
The passage of the 1998 International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act seemed to presage a new chapter in U.S. foreign policy—in effect, the elevation of America's “first freedom” to what many considered its rightful ascendancy in the nation's human rights policy. In retrospect, however, the fault lines in the law's conception and implementation have been quite significant. This chapter examines those weaknesses, including the desire of IRF supporters to bypass the State Department, the perception that the law is Christian-centered, and the concern by liberals that religious freedom should not be elevated to the top of a “hierarchy of human rights.” In describing the hierarchy objection the chapter analyzes the controversial but critical issues of proselytization, and the distinction between religious tolerance and religious freedom. The net result of these and other problems is that U.S. IRF policy has been narrowly construed, ignored by its supporters, and largely ineffective.
D. R. M. Irving
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195378269
- eISBN:
- 9780199864614
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195378269.003.0003
- Subject:
- Music, Ethnomusicology, World Music
This chapter discusses the importation and reproduction of European music in Manila and the Philippines, examining evidence of the transmission of commodities such as music scores, music treatises, ...
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This chapter discusses the importation and reproduction of European music in Manila and the Philippines, examining evidence of the transmission of commodities such as music scores, music treatises, and musical instruments. It reveals that many travelers to the colony possessed practical and theoretical skills in music—including composition, performance, and instrument building—which contributed to the creation of a colonial musical culture. European music, once it had taken root in Manila, became a powerful tool in the Spanish colonialists' pursuits of trade, diplomacy, and proselytization in the Asia‐Pacific region, and evidence illustrating this phenomenon is evaluated. The chapter also explores the cultural ramifications of the British occupation of Manila (1762–1764), giving examples of English musical practices that were introduced to the capital and then disseminated relatively rapidly to distant parts of the Philippine Archipelago.Less
This chapter discusses the importation and reproduction of European music in Manila and the Philippines, examining evidence of the transmission of commodities such as music scores, music treatises, and musical instruments. It reveals that many travelers to the colony possessed practical and theoretical skills in music—including composition, performance, and instrument building—which contributed to the creation of a colonial musical culture. European music, once it had taken root in Manila, became a powerful tool in the Spanish colonialists' pursuits of trade, diplomacy, and proselytization in the Asia‐Pacific region, and evidence illustrating this phenomenon is evaluated. The chapter also explores the cultural ramifications of the British occupation of Manila (1762–1764), giving examples of English musical practices that were introduced to the capital and then disseminated relatively rapidly to distant parts of the Philippine Archipelago.
Andrew F. March
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195330960
- eISBN:
- 9780199868278
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195330960.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
This chapter examines the Islamic arguments for the permissibility of residence (iqama) in a non-Muslim country, against a tradition which holds it divinely prohibited and holds that migration ...
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This chapter examines the Islamic arguments for the permissibility of residence (iqama) in a non-Muslim country, against a tradition which holds it divinely prohibited and holds that migration (hijra) is mandatory or encouraged. It shows that even medieval Islamic jurists did not condition such residence on the ability to govern Muslim minority communities by Islamic law as a clear facet of the need to “manifest one’s religion.” This chapter introduces for the first time the Islamic obligation of proselytization (da‘wa) and how the possibilities for missionary activity are central to classical and contemporary Islamic justifications of residence in non-Muslim lands. Da‘wa is argued to have an ambiguous status as a motivating reason from a liberal perspective. Some attention is paid to the Islamic classification of non-Muslim lands as “abodes” of War (dar al-harb), Unbelief (dar al-kufr), Treaty (dar al-’ahd), Security (dar al-aman) Calling (dar al-da‘wa) and Testimony (dar al-shahada).Less
This chapter examines the Islamic arguments for the permissibility of residence (iqama) in a non-Muslim country, against a tradition which holds it divinely prohibited and holds that migration (hijra) is mandatory or encouraged. It shows that even medieval Islamic jurists did not condition such residence on the ability to govern Muslim minority communities by Islamic law as a clear facet of the need to “manifest one’s religion.” This chapter introduces for the first time the Islamic obligation of proselytization (da‘wa) and how the possibilities for missionary activity are central to classical and contemporary Islamic justifications of residence in non-Muslim lands. Da‘wa is argued to have an ambiguous status as a motivating reason from a liberal perspective. Some attention is paid to the Islamic classification of non-Muslim lands as “abodes” of War (dar al-harb), Unbelief (dar al-kufr), Treaty (dar al-’ahd), Security (dar al-aman) Calling (dar al-da‘wa) and Testimony (dar al-shahada).
Kim Iryŏp
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824838782
- eISBN:
- 9780824871468
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824838782.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
In this Preface, Kim Iryŏp says the goal of her book is to proselytize Buddhist teachings to help readers come to the realization that we need to find and know our real selves so that we can become ...
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In this Preface, Kim Iryŏp says the goal of her book is to proselytize Buddhist teachings to help readers come to the realization that we need to find and know our real selves so that we can become real human beings. According to Iryŏp, the value of one's existence is measured by whether one stands as an independent being, leading one's life according to one's own will. Freedom and peace cannot be attained outside of oneself because they are the very self of each and every existence. Iryŏp argues that the word “proselytization” may turn off some people, but that is because they do not know what religion means. Religious education is a comprehensive path to all of education; it offers the ultimate solution for all problems. She says only those who have completed religious education can be considered to know the values of existence.Less
In this Preface, Kim Iryŏp says the goal of her book is to proselytize Buddhist teachings to help readers come to the realization that we need to find and know our real selves so that we can become real human beings. According to Iryŏp, the value of one's existence is measured by whether one stands as an independent being, leading one's life according to one's own will. Freedom and peace cannot be attained outside of oneself because they are the very self of each and every existence. Iryŏp argues that the word “proselytization” may turn off some people, but that is because they do not know what religion means. Religious education is a comprehensive path to all of education; it offers the ultimate solution for all problems. She says only those who have completed religious education can be considered to know the values of existence.
Scott C. Esplin
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780252042102
- eISBN:
- 9780252050855
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5622/illinois/9780252042102.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Though Nauvoo was abandoned by most Latter-day Saints in the nineteenth century, Emma Smith, the widow of Church founder Joseph Smith, and her children remained in the city, maintaining a Mormon ...
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Though Nauvoo was abandoned by most Latter-day Saints in the nineteenth century, Emma Smith, the widow of Church founder Joseph Smith, and her children remained in the city, maintaining a Mormon presence in western Illinois. This chapter examines the rise of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Community of Christ), founded by Smith’s children, and their use of family and historic sites in Nauvoo in the early twentieth century. It discusses the transformation of these sites from family residences to religious tourism centers used to proselytize people to the faith. It also introduces the competing views of Mormonism that developed between the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Reorganized Church.Less
Though Nauvoo was abandoned by most Latter-day Saints in the nineteenth century, Emma Smith, the widow of Church founder Joseph Smith, and her children remained in the city, maintaining a Mormon presence in western Illinois. This chapter examines the rise of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Community of Christ), founded by Smith’s children, and their use of family and historic sites in Nauvoo in the early twentieth century. It discusses the transformation of these sites from family residences to religious tourism centers used to proselytize people to the faith. It also introduces the competing views of Mormonism that developed between the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Reorganized Church.
Chad M. Bauman
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780190202095
- eISBN:
- 9780190202125
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190202095.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Every year, there are several hundred attacks on India’s Christians carried out by violent anti-minority activists, many of them provoked by what they perceive to be Christians’ propensity for ...
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Every year, there are several hundred attacks on India’s Christians carried out by violent anti-minority activists, many of them provoked by what they perceive to be Christians’ propensity for aggressive proselytization, and/or by rumored or real conversions to the faith. In this violence, Pentecostal Christians are disproportionately targeted. Based on extensive interviews and ethnographic work, and drawing upon the vast scholarly literature on interreligious violence in India, the volume attempts to account for this disproportionate targeting with reference to Indian Christian history, contemporary Indian politics, Indian social and cultural characteristics, and Pentecostal belief and practice. While some of the factors in the targeting of Pentecostals are obvious and expected (e.g., their relatively greater evangelical assertiveness), other factors also play a significant role, among them the marginalization of Pentecostals by “mainstream” Christians, the social location of Pentecostals, and transnational flows of missionary personnel, theories, and funds.Less
Every year, there are several hundred attacks on India’s Christians carried out by violent anti-minority activists, many of them provoked by what they perceive to be Christians’ propensity for aggressive proselytization, and/or by rumored or real conversions to the faith. In this violence, Pentecostal Christians are disproportionately targeted. Based on extensive interviews and ethnographic work, and drawing upon the vast scholarly literature on interreligious violence in India, the volume attempts to account for this disproportionate targeting with reference to Indian Christian history, contemporary Indian politics, Indian social and cultural characteristics, and Pentecostal belief and practice. While some of the factors in the targeting of Pentecostals are obvious and expected (e.g., their relatively greater evangelical assertiveness), other factors also play a significant role, among them the marginalization of Pentecostals by “mainstream” Christians, the social location of Pentecostals, and transnational flows of missionary personnel, theories, and funds.
David N. Gellner and Chiara Letizia
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- August 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198790839
- eISBN:
- 9780191833281
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198790839.003.0016
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism, Religious Studies
Since its creation in the mid-eighteenth century, the state of Nepal has claimed to be Hindu. This chapter describes how the assertion of Nepal’s Hindu identity became an explicit and politicized ...
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Since its creation in the mid-eighteenth century, the state of Nepal has claimed to be Hindu. This chapter describes how the assertion of Nepal’s Hindu identity became an explicit and politicized state strategy from 1960 to 1990. The definition of the state as Hindu was increasingly challenged after 1990, culminating in the declaration of secularism in the aftermath of the civil war (1996–2006). The dominant position of Hindu high castes (Bahuns and Chhetris) has remained, however, and support for a Hindu state remains high. This support is sustained by recurrent arguments, many borrowed from India, that reposition the Hindu majority as an embattled community. The new constitution of 2015 reflects conflicting understandings of and struggles over secularism. It simultaneously institutionalizes a clear shift in the understanding of Hinduism. Hinduism is today beginning to be conceptualized as one religion among equals, and a personal choice, rather than as a collective and inherited identity.Less
Since its creation in the mid-eighteenth century, the state of Nepal has claimed to be Hindu. This chapter describes how the assertion of Nepal’s Hindu identity became an explicit and politicized state strategy from 1960 to 1990. The definition of the state as Hindu was increasingly challenged after 1990, culminating in the declaration of secularism in the aftermath of the civil war (1996–2006). The dominant position of Hindu high castes (Bahuns and Chhetris) has remained, however, and support for a Hindu state remains high. This support is sustained by recurrent arguments, many borrowed from India, that reposition the Hindu majority as an embattled community. The new constitution of 2015 reflects conflicting understandings of and struggles over secularism. It simultaneously institutionalizes a clear shift in the understanding of Hinduism. Hinduism is today beginning to be conceptualized as one religion among equals, and a personal choice, rather than as a collective and inherited identity.
Carmen Rial
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780813060675
- eISBN:
- 9780813050942
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813060675.003.0008
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Latin American Studies
This chapter is about the relationship between football (soccer) and religion. It focuses on the recent proliferation of Neo-Pentecostalism among Brazilian football players living abroad and the ...
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This chapter is about the relationship between football (soccer) and religion. It focuses on the recent proliferation of Neo-Pentecostalism among Brazilian football players living abroad and the importance of religion in their daily lives. Serving as a socializing device that promotes better insertion of individuals in modern institutions, Neo-Pentecostalism promotes voluntary obedience, self-control, self-awareness, and reflection by encouraging the conscious and constant monitoring of the individual over the body and emotions. This self-discipline has a limit, and Neo-Pentecostalism’s Theology of Prosperity offers conciliation between asceticism and material consumption. Football provides Neo-Pentecostalism a large stage for its message, allowing it to reach billions of homes. The athletes become “selfless soliders of the Word,” who demonstrate the faith globally and disseminate “banal” religiosity through the mediascape.Less
This chapter is about the relationship between football (soccer) and religion. It focuses on the recent proliferation of Neo-Pentecostalism among Brazilian football players living abroad and the importance of religion in their daily lives. Serving as a socializing device that promotes better insertion of individuals in modern institutions, Neo-Pentecostalism promotes voluntary obedience, self-control, self-awareness, and reflection by encouraging the conscious and constant monitoring of the individual over the body and emotions. This self-discipline has a limit, and Neo-Pentecostalism’s Theology of Prosperity offers conciliation between asceticism and material consumption. Football provides Neo-Pentecostalism a large stage for its message, allowing it to reach billions of homes. The athletes become “selfless soliders of the Word,” who demonstrate the faith globally and disseminate “banal” religiosity through the mediascape.
Cristina Rocha and Manuel A. Vásquez
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780813060675
- eISBN:
- 9780813050942
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813060675.003.0009
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Latin American Studies
Brazil's new economic and political standing has given new clout and visibility to its culture. As a consequence, many Westerners have been travelling to Brazil seeking an imagined, pristine ...
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Brazil's new economic and political standing has given new clout and visibility to its culture. As a consequence, many Westerners have been travelling to Brazil seeking an imagined, pristine environment deeply connected to spirituality and authenticity. Such imaginings of the exotic Other are also being globalized through mass media and the Internet. This chapter focuses Brazil’s religious innovation and its role in religious globalization. Drawing on Internet websites of tour guides, DVDs and books, mass media stories, and discussions on social network sites, this chapter argues that Brazil’s global emergence in new religious beliefs has to do with the coming together of three factors: the globalization of the exotic imaginary of Brazil, the emergence of the internet and social media, and the changes in religion in late modernity—i.e., the establishment of a religious marketplace, deregulation of the religious realm, the increase in religious pluralism, in private religious choice, and the turn to the self as a source of meaning.Less
Brazil's new economic and political standing has given new clout and visibility to its culture. As a consequence, many Westerners have been travelling to Brazil seeking an imagined, pristine environment deeply connected to spirituality and authenticity. Such imaginings of the exotic Other are also being globalized through mass media and the Internet. This chapter focuses Brazil’s religious innovation and its role in religious globalization. Drawing on Internet websites of tour guides, DVDs and books, mass media stories, and discussions on social network sites, this chapter argues that Brazil’s global emergence in new religious beliefs has to do with the coming together of three factors: the globalization of the exotic imaginary of Brazil, the emergence of the internet and social media, and the changes in religion in late modernity—i.e., the establishment of a religious marketplace, deregulation of the religious realm, the increase in religious pluralism, in private religious choice, and the turn to the self as a source of meaning.
Tara Alberts
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199646265
- eISBN:
- 9780191747830
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199646265.003.0011
- Subject:
- History, European Early Modern History, History of Religion
This book has explored how missionaries attempted to introduce Catholicism into three disparate regions of Southeast Asia and interrogates the reasons behind their successes and failures. The ...
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This book has explored how missionaries attempted to introduce Catholicism into three disparate regions of Southeast Asia and interrogates the reasons behind their successes and failures. The conclusion explores how Southeast Asia became a region in which ideas of evangelism, missionary identity, conversion and Catholic orthodoxy were tested and sometimes converted by the experience of proselytization. It considers how disagreements over jurisdiction, missionary methodology, and the acceptable behaviour of converts could have profound effects on European perceptions and representations of the evangelic endeavour. Drawing comparisons with other movements of religious change and proselytisation in the region, the conclusion considers the broader picture of the spread of religious belief, and explores how the issue of ‘true’ conversion became the focus of so much conflict.Less
This book has explored how missionaries attempted to introduce Catholicism into three disparate regions of Southeast Asia and interrogates the reasons behind their successes and failures. The conclusion explores how Southeast Asia became a region in which ideas of evangelism, missionary identity, conversion and Catholic orthodoxy were tested and sometimes converted by the experience of proselytization. It considers how disagreements over jurisdiction, missionary methodology, and the acceptable behaviour of converts could have profound effects on European perceptions and representations of the evangelic endeavour. Drawing comparisons with other movements of religious change and proselytisation in the region, the conclusion considers the broader picture of the spread of religious belief, and explores how the issue of ‘true’ conversion became the focus of so much conflict.
Paul Harvey and Edward J. Blum
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231140201
- eISBN:
- 9780231530781
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231140201.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This book explores the tension, conflict, and creativity in America's rich religious history from the colonial era to the present. It consists of twenty chapters, written by top scholars in their ...
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This book explores the tension, conflict, and creativity in America's rich religious history from the colonial era to the present. It consists of twenty chapters, written by top scholars in their respective fields, that follow particular religious traditions, movements, and time periods. By way of introduction, it outlines ten major themes in American religious history, each containing within it a paradox: religious freedom and religiously sanctioned repression; (in)tolerance, diversity, and pluralism; racialized religion and the desire for a universal god; male hierarchy, female dominance, and gender codes in religion; Communalist visions and their consequent commercial capitalist dreams (or, the Protestant ethic and the spirit of therapeutic consumerism); proselytization—spiritual recruitment and the market economy of religion; the folk origins of high theology, and the theological base of popular religious movements; the sacralization of secular politics, and the politicization of the sacred; immigration, ethnicity, pluralism, and insularity; and regional homogeneity amid national diversity.Less
This book explores the tension, conflict, and creativity in America's rich religious history from the colonial era to the present. It consists of twenty chapters, written by top scholars in their respective fields, that follow particular religious traditions, movements, and time periods. By way of introduction, it outlines ten major themes in American religious history, each containing within it a paradox: religious freedom and religiously sanctioned repression; (in)tolerance, diversity, and pluralism; racialized religion and the desire for a universal god; male hierarchy, female dominance, and gender codes in religion; Communalist visions and their consequent commercial capitalist dreams (or, the Protestant ethic and the spirit of therapeutic consumerism); proselytization—spiritual recruitment and the market economy of religion; the folk origins of high theology, and the theological base of popular religious movements; the sacralization of secular politics, and the politicization of the sacred; immigration, ethnicity, pluralism, and insularity; and regional homogeneity amid national diversity.
Murat Iyigun
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780226388434
- eISBN:
- 9780226232287
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226232287.003.0003
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
Chapter 3 documents and briefly discusses the chronologies of the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam subsequent to their births. While these religions shared a lot in ...
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Chapter 3 documents and briefly discusses the chronologies of the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam subsequent to their births. While these religions shared a lot in common, there were salient differences among them as well, especially in how evolved in medieval societies. But one common trait has consistently been their adherents’ zeal and motivation for actively promoting the teachings of One True God. And the success of monotheisms in spreading and generating stability and durability for socio-political systems meant that, sooner or later, civilizations associated with Judaism, Christianity and Islam would be in direct confrontation.Less
Chapter 3 documents and briefly discusses the chronologies of the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam subsequent to their births. While these religions shared a lot in common, there were salient differences among them as well, especially in how evolved in medieval societies. But one common trait has consistently been their adherents’ zeal and motivation for actively promoting the teachings of One True God. And the success of monotheisms in spreading and generating stability and durability for socio-political systems meant that, sooner or later, civilizations associated with Judaism, Christianity and Islam would be in direct confrontation.
Liyakat Nathani Takim
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814782965
- eISBN:
- 9780814784242
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814782965.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter explores some of the outreach and proselytization (daʻwa) activities of the Shiʻi community in America. Besides immigrants and American-born Shiʻis, the Shiʻi community is also composed ...
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This chapter explores some of the outreach and proselytization (daʻwa) activities of the Shiʻi community in America. Besides immigrants and American-born Shiʻis, the Shiʻi community is also composed of an increasing number of African American converts. The chapter discusses the appeal of Shiʻism for the African American community and examines the interaction between black and immigrant Shiʻis. Like other immigrants, Muslims have been defined as alien. This categorization became more entrenched following the horrific events of September 11, 2001, and is directed at Muslims who, perhaps more than any other immigrant group, are more vulnerable to stereotypes and attacks. The chapter also considers the impact of the events of 9/11 on the Shiʻi community and the community's attempts to reconstitute a religious and an American identity in the face of demonization and stereotypical images propagated in the media.Less
This chapter explores some of the outreach and proselytization (daʻwa) activities of the Shiʻi community in America. Besides immigrants and American-born Shiʻis, the Shiʻi community is also composed of an increasing number of African American converts. The chapter discusses the appeal of Shiʻism for the African American community and examines the interaction between black and immigrant Shiʻis. Like other immigrants, Muslims have been defined as alien. This categorization became more entrenched following the horrific events of September 11, 2001, and is directed at Muslims who, perhaps more than any other immigrant group, are more vulnerable to stereotypes and attacks. The chapter also considers the impact of the events of 9/11 on the Shiʻi community and the community's attempts to reconstitute a religious and an American identity in the face of demonization and stereotypical images propagated in the media.
Queeny Pradhan
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- March 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780199463558
- eISBN:
- 9780199088874
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199463558.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, Indian History, Cultural History
This chapter examines the dreams and desires of the colonizers with regard to the mountain spaces in the Himalayas, the Nilgiris, and the Aravallis. These hill sites were appropriated as ‘mini ...
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This chapter examines the dreams and desires of the colonizers with regard to the mountain spaces in the Himalayas, the Nilgiris, and the Aravallis. These hill sites were appropriated as ‘mini England’ in the tropics and a similarity with Europe and ‘home’ was constantly invoked thereby giving rise to a strong sense of nostalgia and community solidarity among the English settlers. This chapter argues that the landscape together with the labour force had been deployed in facilitating social change. As a result of this, a specific pattern of culture is seen to emerge in the buildings, and naming of the sites. While there was an attempt to project a consensus within the ruling émigré community, there was also tension. The notion that landscapes were integral to the creation, perpetuation, and sustenance of social reproduction and cultural politics in the hills was undermined, if not ignored, as the English attempted to ‘invent’ a history of these places. Therefore, the questions that come to the fore are: Whose history is represented in these spaces? What is preserved about these places?Less
This chapter examines the dreams and desires of the colonizers with regard to the mountain spaces in the Himalayas, the Nilgiris, and the Aravallis. These hill sites were appropriated as ‘mini England’ in the tropics and a similarity with Europe and ‘home’ was constantly invoked thereby giving rise to a strong sense of nostalgia and community solidarity among the English settlers. This chapter argues that the landscape together with the labour force had been deployed in facilitating social change. As a result of this, a specific pattern of culture is seen to emerge in the buildings, and naming of the sites. While there was an attempt to project a consensus within the ruling émigré community, there was also tension. The notion that landscapes were integral to the creation, perpetuation, and sustenance of social reproduction and cultural politics in the hills was undermined, if not ignored, as the English attempted to ‘invent’ a history of these places. Therefore, the questions that come to the fore are: Whose history is represented in these spaces? What is preserved about these places?
Chad M. Bauman
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780190202095
- eISBN:
- 9780190202125
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190202095.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
There is certainly some truth to the assertion that Pentecostal proselytization is provocative, and that this provocation alone occasionally leads to attacks against Indian Pentecostals. But this ...
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There is certainly some truth to the assertion that Pentecostal proselytization is provocative, and that this provocation alone occasionally leads to attacks against Indian Pentecostals. But this explanation of the disproportionate targeting of Pentecostals is only part of the story, and its persuasiveness derives, in part, from certain prejudices about Pentecostalism that one finds consciously or unconsciously held by both non-Christians and “mainstream” Christians. The point of this chapter, therefore, is to provide a more nuanced enumeration of the many factors that together conspire to make Pentecostals more vulnerable to anti-Christian violence. While some of these factors are related to the nature of Pentecostal faith and belief, others have more to do with the social location of Pentecostals and the subtle ways in which Pentecostals—not uniquely but certainly more so than most other Indian Christians—challenge or run afoul of hegemonic (if not uncontested) Indian cultural norms and mores.Less
There is certainly some truth to the assertion that Pentecostal proselytization is provocative, and that this provocation alone occasionally leads to attacks against Indian Pentecostals. But this explanation of the disproportionate targeting of Pentecostals is only part of the story, and its persuasiveness derives, in part, from certain prejudices about Pentecostalism that one finds consciously or unconsciously held by both non-Christians and “mainstream” Christians. The point of this chapter, therefore, is to provide a more nuanced enumeration of the many factors that together conspire to make Pentecostals more vulnerable to anti-Christian violence. While some of these factors are related to the nature of Pentecostal faith and belief, others have more to do with the social location of Pentecostals and the subtle ways in which Pentecostals—not uniquely but certainly more so than most other Indian Christians—challenge or run afoul of hegemonic (if not uncontested) Indian cultural norms and mores.
Carolyn Evans and Timnah Rachel Baker
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- February 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198812067
- eISBN:
- 9780191850066
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198812067.003.0004
- Subject:
- Law, Human Rights and Immigration
This chapter examines the ways in which the tensions around proselytization and conversion highlight some of the conceptual difficulties of liberal theory formulations of religious freedom and the ...
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This chapter examines the ways in which the tensions around proselytization and conversion highlight some of the conceptual difficulties of liberal theory formulations of religious freedom and the way in which different cultures and religious groups are reinterpreting the traditional conception of religious freedom to better fit their own cultural context. Using case-studies from India and Malaysia, the chapter demonstrates the way in which the indeterminate and open-ended language of international conventions on religious freedom can be both a strength (allowing for areas of cultural difference in a flexible way) and a weakness (with no strong determinate boundaries around acceptable behaviour). The language of ‘public order’ in particular, generally included in both international law and in domestic constitutions as a legitimate limitation to religious freedom, is often invoked to legitimize a religious/ethnic majoritarian agenda.Less
This chapter examines the ways in which the tensions around proselytization and conversion highlight some of the conceptual difficulties of liberal theory formulations of religious freedom and the way in which different cultures and religious groups are reinterpreting the traditional conception of religious freedom to better fit their own cultural context. Using case-studies from India and Malaysia, the chapter demonstrates the way in which the indeterminate and open-ended language of international conventions on religious freedom can be both a strength (allowing for areas of cultural difference in a flexible way) and a weakness (with no strong determinate boundaries around acceptable behaviour). The language of ‘public order’ in particular, generally included in both international law and in domestic constitutions as a legitimate limitation to religious freedom, is often invoked to legitimize a religious/ethnic majoritarian agenda.
