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Copyright of Anthropologica is the property of CASCA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study is to analyze the passages about μετάνοια in Philo's texts, with special attention to the section concerning this subject in On the virtues 175-186, in order to determine what value do repentance and conversion hold for the Jewish philosopher, in which ways they are produced and expressed, and what are their effects from a moral and an eschatological point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to examine the following question in the novel "Joseph and Aseneth": in beginning a reflection on the relationship between Israel and other peoples in terms of faith-sharing and life, how has this novel "built bridges", both theologically and concretely, in order to create the conditions on which such a rapprochement could take place? After some historical and literary remarks, the article traces the path that leads Aseneth from the abandonment of idolatry to the faith in the God of the Patriarchs. The major obstacle to the rapprochement between Aseneth and the God of Joseph is ignorance, the consequence of which is idolatry. In the final analysis, the "conversion" of Aseneth is motivated by a reflection of wisdom and not by teaching of Torah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The religious fact is both ontological and cultural. Yet, in the African space where religiosity is at the everyday rendezvous of the human, the spring of conversions to the so-called revealed monotheistic religions that accompanied the colonial temporality was unfolded according to a dynamic straddling between a radical Metamora and a quest (or conservation) of a religious identity taking into account African traditions and customs. Thus, from the acculturating denial of ancestral religions to the awareness of values that one was tending to deny indiscriminately, the conversion will be both a surpassing and a necessity of a renewal capable of conferring more rooting on the adopted practice. The meeting of religions (that of the colonized and the colonizer) led to a path that imposes a choice between three ramifications: that of a fundamentalist conversion which aims at denying all ancestral cultures; that of an open conversion that integrates values which are specific to Africa in the practice of liturgy without omitting the meaning and the key theological concepts and that of an African conversion which is common in all religious practices to give birth to a sensual religiosity that best expresses the African reality. These tendencies respectively call for acculturation, enculturation and syncretism. Thus, the problem that underlies the approach of this article is the following: what type of conversion for a greater well-being of the African religious practice? The challenge of this debate which puts on the balance African authenticity and authenticity doctrinal of the religions is the one of the mode to be of the conversion or the reconversion for the depth of the relational commitment of the convert with the transcendence and the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to shed another light on French poet Louis Des Masures through the examination of records (1554-1581) belonging to notary Didier Facquant conserved at the Departmental Archives of Meurthe-et-Moselle (Lorraine, France). His service under Cardinal Jean de Lorraine, being named a commendatory prior of the Benedictine priory of Saint-Melaine, near Nancy (France), in 1548, and his conversion to Protestantism are mentioned.

Copyright of Canadian Issues / Thèmes Canadiens is the property of Association for Canadian Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Il s'agit d'une étude ethnographique réalisée dans une ville de l'état de Bahia (Brésil) ayant pour objectif le quotidien des femmes qui se convertissent à l'Église Universelle du Royaume de Dieu. L'étude de certains éléments du quotidien de ces femmes nous aide à comprendre comment l'identité religieuse se construit à mesure que, d'un côté, il y a une incorporation progressive et intense du discours religieux et, d'un autre côté, un recul des éléments et des interactions qui étaient reconnus comme étant normaux jusqu'au moment de la conversion. La construction d'une nouvelle identité religieuse, basée sur la condition de "femmes honnêtes et pures", implique la négation des anciennes interactions. La rue, le marché, la nourriture et les fêtes sont des éléments qui intègrent un ensemble varié d'interactions sociales et alimentaires chez les pentecôtistes brésiliens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the subject of the conversion of Muslims to Christianity in the High Middle Ages (the 11th to the 13th centuries), in the light of the historiography of the past twenty-five years. Much importance is given to the notion of «discourse», carefully separating the ideology of conversion-ever more central in this period of reinforcement of the universal ideal of «Christendom»- and the reality of economic and social relations in practice. Within this scheme it seems exaggerated to oppose war and conversion so radically. It is also suggested that the conversion of Muslims cannot be studied without taking into account the ideal of the conversion of the Christian within the very same Church, an ideal that is affirmed in the same era. Finally, neither can one forget the importance in every type of conversion of the paradigm of Eucharistic conversion, which is useful in order to understand the conversion of objects as well as that of persons. Medieval Christianity is a Christianity of conversio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the conversion of certain countries of North Africa to Catholicism. The article reflects on the national debate based on public claims concerning freedom of cult and religion, which brought repressive reactions from authorities in Algeria. The case of the Algerian region of Kabylia, where the presence of missionaries is accepted, is analyzed. An interpretation of the phenomenon of conversion is presented, taking into account identity parameters, economic factors and ideological uses of the past.

Copyright of Anthropologica is the property of CASCA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Anthropologica is the property of CASCA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Anthropologica is the property of CASCA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Anthropologica is the property of CASCA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Anthropologica is the property of CASCA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Where violence is monopolized by the state, the social construction o f fear often takes the form of the fear of God. Civil society and the fear of God have been subtly interwoven for a long time in Europe and North America. The ‘democratic transition’ has taken the shape in several countries of Latin America of growing civil violence. This violence is no longer openly monitored by the state and seems to arise from unbridled individualism reinforced by neo-liberalism. Street gangs and mafia networks are clear signs of this privatized violence. The fear of being killed is also experienced as the danger of falling into a state of indifference towards being a killer oneself; and this gives rise to feelings that verge on a state of ‘conversion ’. These new social constructions of fear help to explain the success of Pentecostalism and, more broadly, of charismatic movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the conversion to Islam of Europeans living in or moving to Islamic countries between the 16th and the first half of the 20th century. Taking a historical viewpoint, she highlights continuities and differences which could be of use in the analysis of the present-day situation. She distinguishes between the conversion of whole communities and that of individuals, and finds that identity and culture are more common motives for conversion than strictly religious reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an introduction on the issue regarding the theme of conversions to Islam in Europe. The texts presented are the result of a workshop on "Conversions to Islam in Europe," organized at Louvian-la-Nueve on January 30-31, 1998. All of these texts show how analysis of the specific phenomenon of conversions to Islam reveals more general processes in contemporary societies.

In this article, the author attempts to define religious conversion, beginning with the classical approaches and underlining their limitations, up until the most recent theoretical developments. In particular, he attempts to interpret conversion phenomena on the basis of concepts of religious demand and supply. Sociological thinking in this area has concentrated on demand, searching for a causal explanation of conversions. This approach has proved unsatisfactory, and "causal" theories have often been contradicted by empirical observation. The author therefore tries to construct an interpretative model taking into account "offer" and its specificity as a factor in conversion. From this perspective, he outlines some elements of what Islam has to offer, using evidence from a longitudinal research project, and assesses the role played by these benefits in achieving conversions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using fieldwork carried out in France and the United States, the author considers the diversity of the representations converts have about Islam. She distinguishes several ideal-typical modes of identification with Islam, demonstrating the complexity of the conversion process: for individual converts, Islam can represent a spiritual quest, an opposition to Christianity, the continuation of a monotheist path, a means of affirming identity or ethnicity, or a social protest. These elements are not in reality exclusive, but are blended in many different combinations, reflecting the variety of collective histories and individual stories; this typology will, it is hoped, be a useful analytic tool (in terms of community, identity, and resistance) for studying the dynamism of community religious movements, which are at present growing rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author investigates Swiss converts to Islam, speculating about their future among Muslims in Switzerland, in particular among militant Muslims. The author attempts, first, to establish a typology of the paths of conversion to Islam; and, second, to assess the field of action in which converts operate. While Swiss converts actively promote the visibility of Islam and are happy to assume the role of spokespeople for the "Muslim community", the author questions their ability to supplant those born into the faith in the management of Islam and of its public image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was conceived as a supplement to an empirical study of new religious movements which was conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany. The empirical study as well as the "national" reports were undertaken because of the concern about the new groups which has arisen in some of the governmental agencies. The controversy about the new religions presents a delimma for the German government. On the one hand there is a constitutional guarantee for religions freedom and on the other there are similar obligations to protect youth and the institution of the family. The article points out that the highly emotional debate is due, at least in part, to (1) the lack of German social science research dealing with the new religions, (2) the very selective usage "research" information from other countries, and (3) the vested interests of specific groups which have easy access to the mass media. In an attempt to bring more objectivity into the debate, the article discusses some of the problems involved with the usage of certain concepts, e.g. "youthreligion" (Jugend-religion)l, membership, brain washing, programming, and spontanious conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singapore's destiny is closely tied to its strategic position linking up the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea. Since the independence of this rapidly growing country, its port has become fourth in the world. Its growth is the fruit of the government's efforts to make Singapore an intermediary metropolis between the international capital and the developing countries. The island is surrounded by 130 million Malaysians and Indonesians who are irritated by its economic role. In this context, every year around 1000 adults request baptism from the Catholic Church which is present through an important network of schools, parishes, and « novena » (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) services. The sociological research study presented here was carried out in 1966-67 and its goal was to examine the positions of and the steps taken by those who sought affiliation with Catholicism in Singapore. Who are the converts? Who do they convert ? How do they convert? The semantic field (conversion accounts) highlights the specificity of a change within a given society. Functioning models can be used to make comparisons among different societies. The function of conversions underscores the relationships between social and noetic structures. Therefore, an interpretation of the Singapore data in these three dimensions contributes to a sociology of socio-religious mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on various accounts of conversion experiences, this study first attempts to go beyond an analysis of conversion as a change in affiliation. But unable to verify the experience of change, the author is led to revise his method in order not to be trapped by the " commemorative naturalness " of the conversion accounts. So he stresses the retroactive dimension of the accounts in relation to the experience by paying particular attention to their speech patterns (Sorokin). The research then shows that the conversion account is a reproductive, even a productive, remembering. And as for this reproduction, it is seen that the converted talk about their conversion according to already transmitted narrative models which depend on their socio-economic, and consequently their cultural situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents French language abstracts of articles published in this issue including "A propos de la pertinence des conversions en science et dans la société: Perspectives de recherche," by Christian J. Jäggi and David J. Krieger, "Lorsque le travail produit du déchet. Réflexions à propos de la réorientation des perspectives sociologiques de l'industrie," by Theodor M. Bardmann, and "Classes en République Fédérale aujourd'hui. Théorie et démarches empiriques de la différenciation de ressources d'action," by Dieter Holtmann and Hermann Strasser.

This article discusses passage rites and conversions in religion. The author presents an analysis of conversion and rites in four areas: the nature of the sacred experience; the change in behavior and the normal comportment; the belonging to a group; and the modification of the cognitive universe, which results in the construction of a different self. The author also discusses rites and conversions within the body of sociology of revivalism.

Although divided into various denominations, the Protestantism of the Natal area is, in fact, one single movement having the following characteristics: 1) a great emphasis, on conversion; 2) a model of moral behaviours and a set of typical attitudes; 3) a strong group-cohesion based on local communities which are organized in denominations. A preoccupation with doctrinal orthodoxy and an insistence on the study of the Bible play an important role in the life and the organization of the communities. Their theoretical and practical problems stimulate ideological formulations and re-formulations. This is found together with 'visions' and experiences in which the rational activity is subordinate to the supernatural authority of 'revelation' and 'inspiration'. The Protestant groups follow certain ideological tendencies and orientate themselves according to strategies which are generally dominated by an abstentionist and even conservative attitude when faced with the mutations and problems of the regional and national society. The dominant trend encourages a set of basic values which, rather than challenging the traditional structures of power, sustain them. Yet it is important to note that the answers of the Protestants of the region to these problems are gradually becoming diversified and even contradictory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]