Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions

Abstract New encounters in America, Africa, and Asia facilitated the "discovery" of non-Biblical religious traditions that were distinct from the ancient paganism known to Christian humanists and antiquarians from classical sources and patristic literature. Although Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucian...

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Published in:Journal of early modern history
Main Authors: Pomplun, Robert Trent, Rubiés, Joan-Pau, Županov, Ines G.
Format: Articles
Language:English
Published: Brill 2020
Subjects:
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author Pomplun, Robert Trent
Rubiés, Joan-Pau
Županov, Ines G.
author_autocomplete Pomplun, Robert Trent
Rubiés, Joan-Pau
Županov, Ines G.
author_browse Pomplun, Robert Trent
Rubiés, Joan-Pau
Županov, Ines G.
author_facet Pomplun, Robert Trent
Rubiés, Joan-Pau
Županov, Ines G.
Pomplun, Robert Trent
Rubiés, Joan-Pau
Županov, Ines G.
author_sort Pomplun, Robert Trent
container_issue 6
container_issue_str 6
container_title Journal of early modern history
container_title_str Journal of early modern history
container_volume 24
container_volume_str 24
description Abstract New encounters in America, Africa, and Asia facilitated the "discovery" of non-Biblical religious traditions that were distinct from the ancient paganism known to Christian humanists and antiquarians from classical sources and patristic literature. Although Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism did not exist as concepts in the early modern period, the three articles in this special issue illustrate the learning process by which a number of influential and pioneering Catholic missionaries came to distinguish these various traditions from each other. We argue that they did not simply "invent" new religions arbitrarily: instead, on the basis of the very broad categories of true religion and idolatry, they engaged in some close interaction and "dialogue"-albeit usually polemical-with local religious elites and their writings, including Eastern Christians. In addition, in the case of the Jesuits in particular, we note that these various engagements were often connected events...
Place: Leiden | Boston
doi_str_mv https://doi.org/10.1163/15700658-12342666
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spelling Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
Abstract New encounters in America, Africa, and Asia facilitated the "discovery" of non-Biblical religious traditions that were distinct from the ancient paganism known to Christian humanists and antiquarians from classical sources and patristic literature. Although Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism did not exist as concepts in the early modern period, the three articles in this special issue illustrate the learning process by which a number of influential and pioneering Catholic missionaries came to distinguish these various traditions from each other. We argue that they did not simply "invent" new religions arbitrarily: instead, on the basis of the very broad categories of true religion and idolatry, they engaged in some close interaction and "dialogue"-albeit usually polemical-with local religious elites and their writings, including Eastern Christians. In addition, in the case of the Jesuits in particular, we note that these various engagements were often connected events...
Place: Leiden | Boston
Brill
Journal of early modern history
Articles
2020
Pomplun, Robert Trent
Rubiés, Joan-Pau
Županov, Ines G.
spellingShingle Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
Pomplun, Robert Trent
Rubiés, Joan-Pau
Županov, Ines G.
title Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
title_autocomplete Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
title_full Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
title_fullStr Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
title_full_unstemmed Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
title_short Introduction: Early Catholic Orientalism and the Missionary Discovery of Asian Religions
title_sort introduction: early catholic orientalism and the missionary discovery of asian religions