Christian Moderns: Freedom and Fetish in the Mission Encounter

The Anthropology of Christianity

by Webb Keane

Across much of the postcolonial world, Christianity has often become inseparable from ideas and practices linking the concept of modernity to that of human emancipation. To explore these links, Webb Keane undertakes a rich ethnographic study of the century-long encounter, from the colonial Dutch East Indies to post-independence Indonesia, among Calvinist missionaries, their converts, and those who resist conversion. Keane's analysis of their struggles over such things as prayers, offerings, and the value of money challenges familiar notions about agency. Through its exploration of language, materiality, and morality, this book illuminates a wide range of debates in social and cultural theory. It demonstrates the crucial place of Christianity in semiotic ideologies of modernity and sheds new light on the importance of religion in colonial and postcolonial histories.

Genres: Anthropology, Religion, Christianity, Academic, Nonfiction

338 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2006

Reviews

[Mike Mena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult book and reader will need to be familiar with some concepts that are not common knowledge, in particular, work on language ideologies and semiotic ideologies. The work of Talal Asad and Latour will help reading very much. This is an extremely insightful book on materiality and modernity/tradition.

Great book. Definitely for grad level readers. Linguistic Anthropologists will benefit most, I think. Good Luck, its worth the effort.

[Sam Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Examines materialism and agency as central to a moral narrative of modernity present in semiotic ideologies tied to religious histories and practices. His ethnographic research is in Calvinist colonized Indonesia, though he often contextualizes his argument within others' research on Catholic Latin America and Islam as well. He argues that the emphasis on agency is a moral narrative founded in Protestant ideologies (even in secular contexts), thus connecting even secular emphases on freedom to colonialism and post-colonialism. Along the way he critiques uses of "objectification" in relation to modernity and deepens the conception of "purification."

[Bryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a little beyond me when i started reading it. i want to read it again when i'm smarter.