Overview
This book examines and compares the religious experience of an African group with a European one. It offers an ethnographical investigation of the Jukun of north central Nigeria. The author also organically weaves into the narrative the Christianization of the Irish in a comparative fashion. Throughout, he makes the case for an African Christianity connected to a Celtic Irish Christianity and vice-versa -- as different threads in a tapestry. This work is a product of a synthesis of archival research in three continents, interviews with surviving first-generation Christians who were active practitioners of the Jukun indigenous religion, and with former missionaries to the Jukun. On the Irish side, it draws from extant primary sources and interviews with scholars in Celtic Irish studies. In addition, pictures, diagrams, and excerpts from British colonial and missionary journals provide a rich contextual understanding of Jukun religious life and practices. The author is among the emerging voices in the study of World Christianity who advocate for the reality of ""poly-centres"" for Christianity. This perspective recognizes voices from the Global South in the expansion of Christianity. This book serves as a valuable resource for historians, anthropologists, theologians, and those interested in missions studies, both scholars and lay readers seeking to deepen their understanding of World Christianity.
Full Product Details
Author: Nathan Irmiya Elawa
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Imprint: Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Edition: 1st ed. 2020
Weight: 0.454kg
ISBN: 9783030421823
ISBN 10: 3030421821
Pages: 183
Publication Date: 16 April 2021
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Manufactured on demand
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Reviews
“Alawa grew up among first-generation Jukun converts, and among others who were within living memory of earlier converts. His personal commitment is noticeable throughout, making this book a rather unusual combination of academic research and a lively journey for uncovering his own spiritual roots. … medieval historians will find much in this book that will be of use, especially in challenging conventional scholarly paradigms for investigating conversion and in offering new and nuanced perspectives, informed by the author’s erudition and experience.” (Roy Flechner, Early Medieval Europe, Vol. 30 (3), 2022) “Scholars investigating processes of conversion and socio-cultural transformation will welcome Nathan Elawa’s ambitious examination of Christian missionary encounters with indigenous religions in medieval Ireland and twentieth-century Nigeria. … A lesson worth remembering in many contexts.” (Nova Religio, Vol. 25 (4), May, 2022)
Scholars investigating processes of conversion and socio-cultural transformation will welcome Nathan Elawa's ambitious examination of Christian missionary encounters with indigenous religions in medieval Ireland and twentieth-century Nigeria. ... A lesson worth remembering in many contexts. (Nova Religio, Vol. 25 (4), May, 2022)
Author Information
Nathan Elawa born in Wukari, Nigeria studied Comparative Literature in English at the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. After years in nonprofit, he completed two graduate degrees at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. In his doctorate, he examined religious change among the Jukun and Irish. He is also a musician.
