comments an ely
found in the more recent contexts with which Robbin i concerned. The medieval
authors were concerned with constructing their peoples past and distant pas, of
sshich pre Cristian being were nad form nll part AS rier of istry
(astheyconceled they presented pagan forebears nase and frequently dict,
teltionship to themes and thie coneropraie, This concepal fatework
‘nv and accommodate ler atte tomarde representatives ofan alr tine,
Postve (or indeed nectrall portrayal ol ancient gods allows the contruction
fs maeuve of contouty fro old eligion to new. This provides an example of
‘he creativity Robin dicuier which the preservation (nthe sense of conscious
ecetln) a adn can bg nth. His appeal to schlas to reconepuaize the
notion ofcontnty~ and to problematize tin ec inthe light of his examination
‘ego cllape pertinent lio for both Ntorians and ikea achlare who desl
vith sources in which osiuly is never sit seems
References
(jedan vans) 194 An Ho of be eu hist Pru te Sas
Misra e132
Can 198 Sil ay of the eR Sedation n Early bind, bert:
“ale Sie Pubes
au, A. 1789, Deve he Ge Me Senna 182-128,
eye eM, hd os) 1905. The Detaled Dui Hodges is
‘nde
Ni sthacoigh M2013, Of Be Fe Languages and er Nason he as Weng
rma, Stn and Wale nT Cari iy ar Mea gs
tse) CA en 98-19. Cane: Canaries re
Mile Ni Mbsonaigh is Reader in Cet nthe Departnent of Anglo-Saxon, Noms
snd Cebic, Univers of Cambridge: She is Principal invetigaoraf the Leerblne
“Trust Research Network, ‘Converting theses
But Whose Categories Are These?
Don Seeman Emery University
No ope has done more than Joe! Robbins to remind anthropology ofits habia
‘Bind spots He has argued, for example, thet wie the ea of cull rupture my
be cent the deep stactze of Christin conversion experience, the consistent
tendency of emthropeogy has been in essence to Sebunk sac cis by searching
‘utevitce of desl bedded statu contin, Wis not that the conte
Cambie Apalgy-21Aparcd V, Sinon Coleen Me heel Don Sean are! abi.
sre meni svented ~ Pentel prosraton of eins pit counolgisin the
fue of ean anpodes to Christan wothip as been exestelydocuroesied bit
‘ther tht the epint of dehonking isl can prevent anthropologits from sending
{o the smkancons realy of rupture and rtempive new begining thi converts
experience. Afian Pentecostal pose these problems in one wa Crap Christians
Imanother Rather than adape te radional pte world to tei new theolgieal
‘costs, Robbins Urapminsemtosnpy acknowledge the oral costs felts
pure. We baesbandened th ancestry, they sy, and ena tira Ube: noe
‘Though Robbins does not we this erminology ces asf the Uspmlns traditional
religion was doce by nothing more hana shin steno tha allowed Chistian
petence and payee fill and usurp the intentional space tht had once been Hie
Ii ply Theda and whimsy unanomred duction o which Robins has
essed hen a numberof segs i why tis chang In aention became so
‘quickly compeling to so mary Urapin,
‘As counterpoint tothe experienc ofthe Urgpmia, Robbins invokes Steven
Weizmars historical account of ewish religous peesience nang. Robbins is
writing in epposton to what he considers apical antopaogial presumption thst
feotiity needs no explanation, The encient Jews in Wetman acount ae useful
in his regard beeatae they emerge a active interpetent and ination builders
vwvkng dyaiclly opal sent of continay fom the ows frail and ten
erating change Religions that eke their en persistence ao important vale:
Robbins summarizes laconic yt fare elt beter than thos that
not when new elglons move o push ther ide Surly the mor important es
“merge rm this comparsn eh the euson alent Jul prone oben
‘surial is thts practitioners thought sural mattered because they wee paris
to divine covenant ha was wort ving and ding fr There, i ter words =
[nd of mora intuition at wrk in the decision to proitze pestene, and this snot
something that anzopaogite boul ignore. The decison to petortise persistence,
‘moreover, alo implied an evaluative process hat imply idented those aspects
(like ober raion tat were non-negotiable or neal those hich coal be
Jet go under duzess and those of which the persistence wou rege the adoption of
«lua mechanisms not dreamed ofby th ancestors ke substatng the stay ofthe
‘aula laws for acre se The quesuon of costinty therefore an iterpetve
‘txonomicone that can only be adessodin emi athe than external anaytiferms
"To this day, many academic scholars nat on imposing a hard tecanologie]