| Europe as the Other: External Perspectives on European Christianity Contributor(s): Becker, Judith (Editor), Stanley, Brian (Editor) |
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ISBN: 3525101317 ISBN-13: 9783525101315 Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht OUR PRICE: $86.45 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: December 2013 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Religion | Christianity - General - Religion | Christian Living - General |
| Dewey: 248.4 |
| LCCN: 2013493107 |
| Series: Veroffentlichungen Des Instituts Fur Europaische Geschichte |
| Physical Information: (3.09 lbs) 277 pages |
| Themes: - Religious Orientation - Christian |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: English summary: There has been much academic debate over recent years on Europe defining itself over against the Other. This volume asks from the opposite perspective: What views did non-Europeans hold of European Christianity? In this way, the volume turns the agency of definition over to non-Europeans. Over the last centuries, the contacts between Europeans and non-Europeans have been diverse and complex. Non-Europeans encountered Europeans as colonialists, traders, missionaries and travellers. Most of those Europeans were Christians or were perceived as Christians. Therefore, in terms of religion Europe was often identified with Christianity. Europeans thus also conveyed a certain image of Christianity to non-European countries. At the same time, non-Europeans increasingly travelled to Europe and experienced a kind of Christianity that often did not conform to the picture they had formed earlier. Their descriptions of European Christianity ranged from sympathetic acceptance to harsh criticism. The contributions in this volume reveal the breadth of these opinions. They also show that there is no clear line of division between insiders and outsiders, but that Europeans could sometimes perceive themselves as being outsiders in their own culture while non-Europeans could adopt insider perspectives. Furthermore, from these encounters new religious and cultural expressions could emerge. |