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In search of a new life : conversion motives of Christians and Muslims

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dc.contributor.advisor Kritzinger, J. N. J. (Johannes Nicolaas Jacobus), 1950-
dc.contributor.advisor Dreyer, J. S.
dc.contributor.author Maurer, Andreas en
dc.date.accessioned 2015-01-23T04:25:08Z
dc.date.available 2015-01-23T04:25:08Z
dc.date.issued 1999-03 en
dc.identifier.citation Maurer, Andreas (1999) In search of a new life : conversion motives of Christians and Muslims, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/18178> en
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10500/18178
dc.description Text in English
dc.description.abstract The Muslim population in South Africa has its origins in the 17th Century when they were initially brought in as slaves or political exiles by the Dutch colonisers. Christian-Muslim relations have not always been good and especially the topic of 'conversion' has often caused conflict between the members of the two faiths. Additional problems such as the apartheid era has caused many Christians, especially Africans, to question their faith and turn their back on Christianity by converting to Islam. There are other areas which have caused conflict in the relations such as mistrust, misinformation and discrimination. In South Africa's religiously pluralistic society people convert from Christianity to Islam, and vice versa, from a variety of motives. This study first discusses various Christian missiological debates on understandings of conversion and then surveys psychological approaches to the motivational structures of 'decision-making'. The heart of the study is the presentation and analysis of the conversion narratives of 20 converts (10 from Islam to Christianity and 10 from Christianity to Islam). These narratives are analysed in terms of five key conversion motives, as a result of which various patterns of conversion motives emerge. In church practice and missiology, conversion is often understood only in one direction (towards Christianity) and with only one valid motive, namely a strictly religious one. This study reveals, however, that such a view is inadequate. Conversion should rather be understood as a two-way movement and based on combinations of various motives. This study concludes with the presentation of a holistic missiological understanding of conversion which applies more adequately to the South African context. This new understanding of conversion may help to promote better understanding and respect between faith communities. en
dc.format.extent 1 online resource (x, 339 leaves) en
dc.language.iso en
dc.subject Conversion
dc.subject Christian-Muslim relations
dc.subject Missiological understanding of conversion
dc.subject Conversion narratives
dc.subject Motivational theories
dc.subject Conversion motives
dc.subject South Africa
dc.subject.ddc 291.420968 en
dc.subject.lcsh Muslim converts from Christianity -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Muslim converts -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Christian converts from Islam -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Converts -- Case studies en
dc.subject.lcsh Missions to Muslims -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Spiritual life -- Case studies en
dc.title In search of a new life : conversion motives of Christians and Muslims en
dc.type Thesis
dc.description.department Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
dc.description.degree D. Th. (Missiology) en


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