Review: Christianity in Oceania: Ethnographic Perspectives. John Barker

Beidelman, T. O. (November 1994). "Review: Christianity in Oceania: Ethnographic Perspectives. John Barker". American Ethnologist. 21 (4): 1016–1017. doi:10.1525/ae.1994.21.4.02a01300. ISSN 1548-1425 0094-0496, 1548-1425 .

• Has attachment: File:2NU4LYGD.pdf

Abstract: "This volume presents papers from two sessions of the Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania, held in 1986 and 1987. It consists of 11 essays, plus a long introduction and brief afterword by theeditor. Nine of the essays are by anthropologists, and two are by teachers of religion. All are ethnographic and historical reports on specific societies, except for some brief suggestions as to what kind of future work is needed..."

"This useful collection of essays displays greater sophistication than the initial, important pioneer symposium volume of the ASAO, Mission, Church and Sect in Oceania (Boutilier, Hughes, and Tiffany, eds. University Press of America, 1978). Unfortunately, three analytical approaches still remain insufficiently utilized. First, we still lack many really detailed accounts of the deeper meanings and social significance of religious beliefs for particular Pacific Christians. Thune’s superb essay points out how much further such analyses could go. Second, anthropologists have not demonstrated a very sure grasp of Western Christianity and its history and, consequently, are limited in placing non-Western Christianity in comparative perspective..."

Extra details:

MAG: 2076970737
OpenAlex: W2076970737
CorpusID: 145660344