Religious Studies
Theology of Inculturation in Northern Peru
Mitchell Gerrard ('12); Mentor: Oona Eisenstadt, Arthur Horowitz
Abstract: Catholicism has a long tradition of adapting Church teachings when evangelizing to non-Catholic cultures. I went to northern Peru to look at how certain strict forms of Catholicism make room for "pagan" beliefs in "magic" that are still widely practiced today by Catholics and non-Catholics. Using postcolonial studies, critical theory, and studies of ritual theatrics, I have looked at how these seemingly two very different worlds have collided and colluded in modern Peru.
Funding Provided by: Pomona College SURP