Conversion, committing oneself to a faith or ideology, has played a significant role in the history of religions. History is peppered with examples of how conversion can considerably alter the religious ‘landscape’ and understandings of faith communities. Often, as a consequence of this process, the meaning and experience of conversion is refined and defined within societies and faith communities.

This volume is a religio-cultural exploration of conversion per se, which, overall, raises key issues relating to conversion and life in religiously plural societies. One such key issue concerns the very nature of ‘conversion’ itself. In the context of multi faith communities, religious conversion is usually understood to be the changing of affiliation from one faith to another.

Taken as a whole, however, this collection of studies re-examines the assumption that conversion only takes place between different faith communities and considers whether a conversion experience might also happen between different traditions within a single faith, whether individuals can be described as converting out of faith – in effect, ‘de-converting’ and the possibility of individuals converting to a dual identity and belonging.

Christopher Partridge is Professor of Contemporary Religion at the University of Chester, England.

Helen Reid is Director of Faith to Faith, a Christian consultancy.

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ISBN: 9781842274101
Catalogue code: N/A
Publisher: PATERNOSTER PRESS - published 15/02/2006
Format: Paperback