Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian Rupture
This paper draws upon over three years’ research among Eastern Orthodox (principally Antiochian and Greek) communities in London and Mount Athos, Greece. This research came to engage theology quite heavily as part of the ethnographic facts of the fieldsites. This paper reviews some of the existing w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/8/7/114 |
| _version_ | 1817969568111394816 |
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| author | Timothy Carroll |
| author_facet | Timothy Carroll |
| author_sort | Timothy Carroll |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper draws upon over three years’ research among Eastern Orthodox (principally Antiochian and Greek) communities in London and Mount Athos, Greece. This research came to engage theology quite heavily as part of the ethnographic facts of the fieldsites. This paper reviews some of the existing ways that theology (as both discipline and practice) relate to ethnographic enquiry, particularly as it has arisen in the dialogue with the Anthropology of Christianity and frames this in light of the historical development of Anthropology and its relationship to theology and Christianity. The paper then advances a methodological argument, in favour of further means of relation, specifically in terms of theology as a cultural artefact. Drawing on local practices of liturgical theology and Eastern Orthodox forms of allegorical interpretation, I argue for the inclusion of theological insight and practice within the social scientific study of religion. Working in an Orthodox setting requires the investigation of liturgical theology and brings to light important aspects of the relationship between temporal and sempiternal domains of action. Particularly as it relates to liturgical theology and the practices of interpretation, ethnographic enquiry into Orthodox theology asks for a reconsideration of social scientific methods of analysis and representation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:22:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49f4f13f5f0d4c978984606b109e801b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:22:54Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-49f4f13f5f0d4c978984606b109e801b2022-12-22T02:31:29ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442017-06-018711410.3390/rel8070114rel8070114Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian RuptureTimothy Carroll0Department of Anthropology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UKThis paper draws upon over three years’ research among Eastern Orthodox (principally Antiochian and Greek) communities in London and Mount Athos, Greece. This research came to engage theology quite heavily as part of the ethnographic facts of the fieldsites. This paper reviews some of the existing ways that theology (as both discipline and practice) relate to ethnographic enquiry, particularly as it has arisen in the dialogue with the Anthropology of Christianity and frames this in light of the historical development of Anthropology and its relationship to theology and Christianity. The paper then advances a methodological argument, in favour of further means of relation, specifically in terms of theology as a cultural artefact. Drawing on local practices of liturgical theology and Eastern Orthodox forms of allegorical interpretation, I argue for the inclusion of theological insight and practice within the social scientific study of religion. Working in an Orthodox setting requires the investigation of liturgical theology and brings to light important aspects of the relationship between temporal and sempiternal domains of action. Particularly as it relates to liturgical theology and the practices of interpretation, ethnographic enquiry into Orthodox theology asks for a reconsideration of social scientific methods of analysis and representation.http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/8/7/114anthropologytheologyOrthodox Christianity |
| spellingShingle | Timothy Carroll Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian Rupture Religions anthropology theology Orthodox Christianity |
| title | Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian Rupture |
| title_full | Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian Rupture |
| title_fullStr | Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian Rupture |
| title_full_unstemmed | Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian Rupture |
| title_short | Theology as an Ethnographic Object: An Anthropology of Eastern Christian Rupture |
| title_sort | theology as an ethnographic object an anthropology of eastern christian rupture |
| topic | anthropology theology Orthodox Christianity |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/8/7/114 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timothycarroll theologyasanethnographicobjectananthropologyofeasternchristianrupture |