The practice of religious conversion in the 21st century has revived academic interest in the subject. Most theories and frameworks for understanding religious conversion are still based on outdated models. Recent studies have focused primarily on converts’ testimonies, which is a valuable starting point for contextualizing religious conversion. However, much of this research has concentrated on individuals and their past religious worldviews. There is a significant gap in understanding the contextualization of religious conversion in relation to culture, theology, community, and other factors. In September, OCMS will address this gap through its MBL lecture series, focusing on the contextualization of religious conversion in the majority world. Full Programme Details here
Previous Lectures
Learning from Orthodoxy: The Cult of Saints in the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥǝdo Church
Overview Ethiopia is one of the countries where Christianity was introduced before the schism of the one Christian Church. Its ancient civilisation was closely associated with Christianity, which strongly shaped the socio-cultural views and habits of its people, including the veneration of saints. In this session, Calum goes into more detail and cites examples.
Speaker Rev. Calum Samuelson
Overview Our speakers present an Ethiopian prayer book from the Middle Ages that's still in use today. This remarkable prayer book, dedicated to the Holy Trinity and its miracles, serves as a faithful guide with daily scripture readings and prayers written by saints and patriarchs. Through the insights of our presenters, the lecture explores how this treasured tool offers a window into Ethiopian religious development.
Speaker Dr Ralph Lee and Rev Calum Samuelson
