Frans Wijsen Livres

Focusing on religious identity transformations, the book examines inter-religious relations, particularly between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia and Tanzania. It explores the connection between religious discourse and social cohesion amidst rising tensions in these regions. By integrating fieldwork insights, it offers a contemporary perspective on existing theories of religion and science, aiming to enrich the discourse on Muslim-Christian relations and address the complexities of religious interactions in today's world.

Most introductions to mission studies do not have a chapter on methods. The present introduction bridges this gap. It introduces students to mission studies from the perspective of how to do mission studies. Taking his studies of syncretism and inculturation in African Christianity as an example, Frans Wijsen defines the object of mission studies as cross-cultural Christian communication and advocates the practical-theological spiral as an appropriate method: observation, interpretations, evaluation, innovation. These steps cover everything a beginning scholar needs to practice mission studies. (Back cover).

This book is the outcome of a research program conducted by an international and multidisciplinary team of 20 scholars on the relation between indigenous spirituality and sustainable development. It reveals that there is a clash between the developmental views of modern scientific knowledge and traditional indigenous knowledge, each claiming to be better able to contribute to sustainability than the other. Some authors put more trust in modern science and others in indigenous spirituality, yet others occupy a position in between. Whatever their position, all authors hold that in principle evidence-based research can show which knowledge claim is more appropriate to bring about a better quality of life.