Other Peoples’ Religions are Absurd

Abstract

The events of the New Testament, in particular the Nativity, the Miracles, the Resurrection, and Pentecost, are central to the European intellectual tradition from which both missionaries and anthropologists take departure. Believing in the historicity of these events, however, must surely constitute an intellectual affront and scandal to the anthropologist. Whatever it was that actually happened, the events as related cannot be accepted at face value. They are to be considered as post hoc symbolic constructs whose elements may be related to pre-existing structures of social relationships and their accompanying symbolic systems, but whose specific integration (Cf. Fabian 1971:9) is presently beyond us and may be conveniently passed over or left to future generations. For missionaries, on the other hand, the events of the New Testament are held close to the heart, preached, and insisted upon. Those events are essential to the specific integration, and however the latter may have been brought about without the events it could not have been brought about. The sociological gap is the missionary’s truth and sine qua non.

I gladly take this opportunity of acknowledging with gratitude a grant from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation which enabled me to work with missionaries in the field during 1972-73.