Theology, idolatry and science : John Williams’ missionary ethnography and natural history of the South Pacific

Journal article


Irving-Stonebraker, Sarah. (2018). Theology, idolatry and science : John Williams’ missionary ethnography and natural history of the South Pacific. Journal of Religious History. 42(3), pp. 343-358. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9809.12492
AuthorsIrving-Stonebraker, Sarah
Abstract

This article contributes to the recent scholarly efforts toward a more sophisticated understanding of the relationship between Protestant missionaries and the practice of natural history and ethnography in the early nineteenth century. Exploring John Williams’ work in the South Pacific, I argue that not only was Williams practicing science in the form of ethnography and natural history, but that his theology was, in fact, central to his scientific work. Through a careful exploration of Williams’ account of his missionary activities in the South Pacific, I contend that Williams’ conception of idolatry served as an explanatory tool that shaped the practice of his ethnography. In the minds of missionaries like Williams, whereas Christianity’s truth was universal, idolatry was the worship of a false god: false because it was just a deification of a particular desire rather than worship of the universal God. This conception of idolatry shaped Williams’ contention, central to his ethnography, that the islanders’ religion was a product of their particular cultural needs. In this way, I argue, Williams used a theological concept to perform explanatory scientific work, contributing to the idea that religion is a product of culture, a notion that became central to nineteenth century studies of religion.

Year2018
JournalJournal of Religious History
Journal citation42 (3), pp. 343-358
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISSN0022-4227
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9809.12492
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85042110268
Page range343-358
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online14 Feb 2018
Publication process dates
Accepted28 Aug 2017
Deposited19 Jul 2023
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