Configurations and Prefigurations of Conversion in the History of World Christianity
Many contemporary understandings and implementations of conversion are prefigured in historical periods of world Christianity. In this paper, I consider a selection of historical moments, which together illustrate the broad variety of understandings and practices of conversion. I begin with conversi...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Brill
2017
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In: |
Mission studies
Year: 2017, Volume: 34, Issue: 1, Pages: 5-28 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Europe
/ Near East
/ China
/ Africa
/ Conversion (Religion)
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RelBib Classification: | AG Religious life; material religion KBA Western Europe KBL Near East and North Africa KBM Asia KBN Sub-Saharan Africa |
Further subjects: | B
Conversion
world Christianity
early Christianity
oriental Christianity
European denominationalism
Chinese religions
African Traditional Religions
secularization
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Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
Summary: | Many contemporary understandings and implementations of conversion are prefigured in historical periods of world Christianity. In this paper, I consider a selection of historical moments, which together illustrate the broad variety of understandings and practices of conversion. I begin with conversion’s role in the formation of Christianity, followed by conversion in oriental Christianity under the influence of Islam from the seventh century. I then explore conversion in occidental Christianity during the early modern period. Exported to China in the seventeenth century, this conception ultimately failed to translate into the Chinese context. After briefly considering this development, I turn to an understanding of conversion that emerged in African societies, which responded in their own ways to Western missions during late colonialism. Finally, I consider the nature of conversion, de-conversion and re-conversion in secularized societies. |
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ISSN: | 1573-3831 |
Contains: | In: Mission studies
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15733831-12341481 |