Proselytism
The term proselytism (derived from the Greek προσήλυτος, prosēlytos , German “ newcomer ” ) originally referred to the turning of other peoples to Judaism. Today it is a negative term in religion or mission for the poaching of believers from other denominations , churches and denominations who are to be induced to join their own denomination or church community . The term is particularly negative when the term proselytism is not simply associated with a friendly invitation, but rather unethical behavior when trying to convince others to convert to their own religious community. In the Christian context, equating proselytism with evangelism would therefore be wrong - but evangelism can become proselytism if human dignity is violated through coercion, deception, manipulation or exploitation. The Vatican and the World Council of Churches therefore distance themselves from proselytism. The World Council of Churches did this with the memorandum “ Towards a Common Witness ”.
Missionary religions with a universal claim to absoluteness tend more towards proselytism than z. B. Ethnic Religions .
Many religious communities practiced or practice proselytism - also called sheep stealing , if this happens in their own religion. In the history of Christianity , the Western churches practiced this against the Orthodox churches , which led to conflicts until modern times. In contrast to the established missionary societies , which coordinate and demarcate and respect their field of activity, charismatic and Pentecostal movements do not currently feel bound by such agreements. American evangelicals are currently developing a lively proselytism in Russia and other countries in Eastern Europe. On behalf of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI distanced himself . at the South American Bishops' Assembly 2007 in Aparecida (Brazil) expressly from proselytism. Proselytism is expressly forbidden in the Constitution of the Hellenic Republic of 1975.
In Islam , too , there were and are proselytic currents.
In Buddhism , too, there are examples of proselytism in the Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu , here called Shakubuku .
In Judaism , conversions only take place on the initiative of those interested. However, there are also cases of proselytism in Jewish history, for example the Judaization of most of the Khazar Turkic people .
Francis , Pope of the Catholic Church since March 2013, said in an interview in September 2013:
“Proselytism is extremely stupid, it has no point. You have to get to know each other, listen to each other and increase your knowledge of the world around us ... The world is criss-crossed with roads that separate us or bring us closer together, but the bottom line is that they lead us towards good ... Each of us has his view of good and also of evil. We must encourage him to move towards what he has recognized as good ... That would be enough to make the world a better place ... The love for others that our Lord preached is not proselytism, but love. Love for one's neighbor, a leaven that also serves the common good. "
Web links
- Philipp A. Enger: Proselytes (AT). In: Michaela Bauks, Klaus Koenen, Stefan Alkier (Eds.): The Scientific Biblical Lexicon on the Internet (WiBiLex), Stuttgart 2006 ff.
- Pope Francis is against proselytism ( Memento of October 22, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ Walter Riggans: proselytism. In: A. Scott Moreau (Ed.): Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions . Baker, Grand Rapids 2000, p. 794.
- ^ Constitution of the Hellenic Republic, Article 13, Paragraph 2, Verassungen.eu
- ^ Daniela Breitbart: Jews by Choice. August 12, 2014, accessed April 30, 2019 .
- ↑ Surprise: Pope interview in “La Repubblica” , Vatican Radio, October 1, 2013 (translated from Italian), accessed on April 16, 2020.