<p> “<em>A key strength of the volume is its broad conception of ‘Christian politics’, understood both as the relations between Christian groups and the articulation between Christianity and wider societal structures… Its attention to scale, denominational difference and to the histories of colonial and postcolonial state formation in the region will provide a useful basis for further comparative work on Christian movements, both within the Pacific Islands and further afield.</em>”  <strong>·  </strong><strong>Social Anthropology/Anthropologie sociale</strong></p> <p> “<em>The volume is refreshingly open and non-ideological...</em><em>All the essays are detailed, thoughtful and considerably nuanced in their analyses. As such, the volume is a fine example of the emerging discipline of the anthropology of Christianity, finally not afraid to move into theology, history, psychology and sociology for a more complete analysis. Because of their common multi-disciplinary approach, the essays complement each other well.</em>”  <strong>·  Pacific Affairs</strong></p> <p> "<em>From its first page, like all good anthropology, Christian Politics in Oceania challenges assumptions... The chapters…raise issues that are relevant to and important for Christianity and all religions. That a religion like Christianity is internally diverse; that it entangles with politics, traditional cultures, material objects and interests, and individual and collective divisions in society; and that it inevitably serves some governmental and 'state-like' functions are all points that anthropologists can profitably apply to all regions and to all religions</em>."  <strong>·  Anthropology Review Database</strong></p> <p> “<em>This is an edited volume that really works: path-breaking, sophisticated, ethnographically rich, epistemologically reflective in always illuminating and generative ways, with all of the constituent pieces speaking in fascinating and varied ways to key, shared themes of real value. The chapters all work together very well, and each is at the same time also distinctive in significant and often enjoyable ways</em>…<em>Great for the Pacific and well beyond.</em>”  <strong>·  Don Brenneis</strong>, University of California, Santa Cruz</p> <p> “<em>This is an excellent book on a pivotal topic in the contemporary Pacific, where Christianity is routinely evoked in national politics, and where denominational differences both shape and emerge from local rivalries…[E]very contributor makes an argument, and each offers a range of propositions and insights that set the bar very high. This book will stand as the baseline and point of departure for subsequent efforts for some time to come.”  </em><strong>·  Dan Jorgensen</strong>, University of Western Ontario</p>

The phrase “Christian politics” evokes two meanings: political relations between denominations in one direction, and the contributions of Christian churches to debates about the governing of society. The contributors to this volume address Christian politics in both senses and argue that Christianity is always and inevitably political in the Pacific Islands. Drawing on ethnographic and historical research in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji, the authors argue that Christianity and politics have redefined each other in much of Oceania in ways that make the two categories inseparable at any level of analysis. The individual chapters vividly illuminate the ways in which Christian politics operate across a wide scale, from interpersonal relations to national and global interconnections.
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The phrase Christian politics points in two directions: political relations between denominations in one direction, and ways that Christian churches contribute to debates about how society should be governed in the other.
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Figures Maps Acknowledgments Notes on Contributors Chapter 1. Christian Politics in Oceania Matt Tomlinson and Debra McDougall Chapter 2. Mediating Denominational Disputes: Land Claims and the Sound of Christian Critique in the Waria Valley, Papua New Guinea Courtney Handman Chapter 3.“Heaven on Earth” or Satan’s “Base” in the Pacific?: Internal Christian Politics in the Dialogic Construction of the Makiran Underground Army Michael W. Scott Chapter 4. The Generation of the Now: Denominational Politics in Fijian Christianity Matt Tomlinson Chapter 5. Christian Politics in Vanuatu: Lay Priests and New State Forms Annelin Eriksen Chapter 6. Evangelical Public Culture: Making Stranger-Citizens in Solomon Islands Debra McDougall Chapter 7. Anthropology and the Politics of Christianity in Papua New Guinea John Barker Chapter 8. Chiefs, Church and State in Santa Isabel, Solomon Islands Geoffrey White Chapter 9. Why is There No Political Theology among the Urapmin?: On Diarchy, Sects as Big as Society, and the Diversity of Pentecostal Politics Joel Robbins Chapter 10. Afterword: Reflections on Political Theology in the Pacific Webb Keane Bibliography Index
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“A key strength of the volume is its broad conception of ‘Christian politics’, understood both as the relations between Christian groups and the articulation between Christianity and wider societal structures… Its attention to scale, denominational difference and to the histories of colonial and postcolonial state formation in the region will provide a useful basis for further comparative work on Christian movements, both within the Pacific Islands and further afield.”  ·  Social Anthropology/Anthropologie sociale “The volume is refreshingly open and non-ideological...All the essays are detailed, thoughtful and considerably nuanced in their analyses. As such, the volume is a fine example of the emerging discipline of the anthropology of Christianity, finally not afraid to move into theology, history, psychology and sociology for a more complete analysis. Because of their common multi-disciplinary approach, the essays complement each other well.”  ·  Pacific Affairs "From its first page, like all good anthropology, Christian Politics in Oceania challenges assumptions... The chapters…raise issues that are relevant to and important for Christianity and all religions. That a religion like Christianity is internally diverse; that it entangles with politics, traditional cultures, material objects and interests, and individual and collective divisions in society; and that it inevitably serves some governmental and 'state-like' functions are all points that anthropologists can profitably apply to all regions and to all religions."  ·  Anthropology Review Database “This is an edited volume that really works: path-breaking, sophisticated, ethnographically rich, epistemologically reflective in always illuminating and generative ways, with all of the constituent pieces speaking in fascinating and varied ways to key, shared themes of real value. The chapters all work together very well, and each is at the same time also distinctive in significant and often enjoyable ways…Great for the Pacific and well beyond.”  ·  Don Brenneis, University of California, Santa Cruz “This is an excellent book on a pivotal topic in the contemporary Pacific, where Christianity is routinely evoked in national politics, and where denominational differences both shape and emerge from local rivalries…[E]very contributor makes an argument, and each offers a range of propositions and insights that set the bar very high. This book will stand as the baseline and point of departure for subsequent efforts for some time to come.”  ·  Dan Jorgensen, University of Western Ontario
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780857457462
Publisert
2012-11-01
Utgiver
Vendor
Berghahn Books
Vekt
499 gr
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
152 mm
Aldersnivå
UP, 05
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
260

Biographical note

Matt Tomlinson is currently an ARC Future Fellow in the Department of Anthropology at Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific.