Animated Texts
Theoretical Reflections on Case Studies from the Lowland, Christianized Philippines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/firn.v5i2.207Keywords:
agency, audiences, interpretation, the Philippines, post-structuralism, religious textsAbstract
In this essay I argue for a shift away from the study of texts in the study of religions in order to facilitate a move towards the critical study of audiences and interpretive communities. Through an analysis of historical and contemporary materials relating to the lowland Christianized Philippines, I suggest that the meaning of Christianity and Christian texts and symbols in the Philippines has always been mediated by culturally and historically located audiences and interpreters. As such, in order to understand the transmission and authorization of Christian "truth" in the archipelago, special attention must be paid to the creative and agentive forces unintentionally unleashed by mission, colonialism and on-going processes of modernization and globalization. In the concluding part of the essay I raise some general questions and problems arising from this attentiveness to audiences and interpretive communities.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Bielo, J. 2008. “Searching for Meaning: Reading ‘God’s Word’ in a Lutheran Men’s Bible Study Group,” Culture and Religion, 9.1, 1–21. doi:10.1080/14755610801954839
Boer, R. 2007. Rescuing the Bible. Oxford: Blackwell. doi:10.1002/9780470692615
Cannell, F. “Reading as Gift and Writing as Theft,” in F. Cannell ed. The Anthropology of Christianity. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2006, 134–62
Covar, P. R. 1980. “Potensiya, bisa at antíng-antíng,” Asian Studies, 28, 71-78.
Derrida, J. 1997. Of Grammatology. Trans. G. C. Spivak; Baltimore and London: The John Hopkins University Press.
Ileto, R. C. 1979. Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in The Philippines 1840–1910. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
McCoy, A. W. 1982. “Baylan: Animist Religion and Philippine Peasant Ideology,” D. K. Wyatt and A. Woodside eds. Moral Order and the Question of Change: Essays on Southeast Asian Thought. Monograph Series No. 24; Southeast Asia Studies; New Haven, CT: Yale University, 338-408.
Ormiston, G. L., and A. D. Schrift eds. 1990. The Hermeneutic Tradition: From Ast to Ricoeur. New York: SUNY Press.
Quibuyen, F. 1991. “And Woman Shall Prevail over Man:” Symbolic Sexual Inversion and CounterHegemonic Discourse in Mt. Banahaw. The Case of The Ciudad Mistica de Dios. Philippine Studies Occasional Papers Series No. 10; University of Hawai’i at Manoa: Centre for Philippine Studies.
Rafael, V. L. 1988. Contracting Colonialism: Translation and Christian Conversion in Tagalog Society under Early Spanish Rule. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press.
Rizal, J. 1996. The Social Cancer. Trans. C. E. Derbyshire; Quezon City: Giraffe Books.
Shoesmith, D. 1978. “The Glorious Religion of Jose Rizal,” in D. B. Miller ed. Peasants and Politics: Grass Roots Reaction to Change in Asia. New York: St Martin’s Press, 149–79.
Sidel, J. T. 1995. “The Philippines: The Languages of Legitimation,” in M. Alagappa ed. Political Legitimacy in Southeast Asia: The Quest for Moral Authority. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 136-69.
Steenbrink, K. 2007. Catholics in Indonesia 1808–1942 a Documented History: Volume 2 – The Spectacular Growth of a Self-Confident Minority, 1903–1942. Leiden: KITLV Press.
Tomlinson, M., and M. Engelke. 2006. “Meaning, Anthropology, Christianity,” in M. Engelke and M. Tomlinson eds. The Limits of Meaning: Case Studies in the Anthropology of Christianity. New York and Oxford: Berghahn Books, 1–37.
Tremlett, P-F. 2006. Power, Invulnerability, Beauty: Producing and Transforming Male Bodies in the Lowland Christianized Philippines. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, Occasional Papers in Gender Theory and the Study of Religions.
—2007. “Religion, Culture and Politics in the Philippines,” Anpere (E-journal or the Anthropology of Religion).
—2008a. “False Consciousness and the Jargon of Authenticity: Proselytisation in the Christianised, Lowland Philippines,” in R. Hackett ed. Proselytization Revisited: Rights Talk, Free Markets and Culture Wars. London: Equinox, 283–300.
—2008b. Religion and the Discourse on Modernity. London: Continuum.
—2009. “Book Review: Catholics in Indonesia 1808–1942 A Documented History: Volume 2 – The Spectacular Growth of a Self-Confident Minority, 1903–1942 by Karel Steenbrink,” Bulletin of SOAS, 72.1, 222–23.
Turton, A. 1991. “Invulnerability and Local Knowledge,” in M. Chitakasem and A. Turton eds. Thai Constructions of Knowledge. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, 155–82.
Newspapers
The Manila Times. 14/08/2000. “Editorial: Cult Clash.”
Boer, R. 2007. Rescuing the Bible. Oxford: Blackwell. doi:10.1002/9780470692615
Cannell, F. “Reading as Gift and Writing as Theft,” in F. Cannell ed. The Anthropology of Christianity. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2006, 134–62
Covar, P. R. 1980. “Potensiya, bisa at antíng-antíng,” Asian Studies, 28, 71-78.
Derrida, J. 1997. Of Grammatology. Trans. G. C. Spivak; Baltimore and London: The John Hopkins University Press.
Ileto, R. C. 1979. Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in The Philippines 1840–1910. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
McCoy, A. W. 1982. “Baylan: Animist Religion and Philippine Peasant Ideology,” D. K. Wyatt and A. Woodside eds. Moral Order and the Question of Change: Essays on Southeast Asian Thought. Monograph Series No. 24; Southeast Asia Studies; New Haven, CT: Yale University, 338-408.
Ormiston, G. L., and A. D. Schrift eds. 1990. The Hermeneutic Tradition: From Ast to Ricoeur. New York: SUNY Press.
Quibuyen, F. 1991. “And Woman Shall Prevail over Man:” Symbolic Sexual Inversion and CounterHegemonic Discourse in Mt. Banahaw. The Case of The Ciudad Mistica de Dios. Philippine Studies Occasional Papers Series No. 10; University of Hawai’i at Manoa: Centre for Philippine Studies.
Rafael, V. L. 1988. Contracting Colonialism: Translation and Christian Conversion in Tagalog Society under Early Spanish Rule. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press.
Rizal, J. 1996. The Social Cancer. Trans. C. E. Derbyshire; Quezon City: Giraffe Books.
Shoesmith, D. 1978. “The Glorious Religion of Jose Rizal,” in D. B. Miller ed. Peasants and Politics: Grass Roots Reaction to Change in Asia. New York: St Martin’s Press, 149–79.
Sidel, J. T. 1995. “The Philippines: The Languages of Legitimation,” in M. Alagappa ed. Political Legitimacy in Southeast Asia: The Quest for Moral Authority. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 136-69.
Steenbrink, K. 2007. Catholics in Indonesia 1808–1942 a Documented History: Volume 2 – The Spectacular Growth of a Self-Confident Minority, 1903–1942. Leiden: KITLV Press.
Tomlinson, M., and M. Engelke. 2006. “Meaning, Anthropology, Christianity,” in M. Engelke and M. Tomlinson eds. The Limits of Meaning: Case Studies in the Anthropology of Christianity. New York and Oxford: Berghahn Books, 1–37.
Tremlett, P-F. 2006. Power, Invulnerability, Beauty: Producing and Transforming Male Bodies in the Lowland Christianized Philippines. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, Occasional Papers in Gender Theory and the Study of Religions.
—2007. “Religion, Culture and Politics in the Philippines,” Anpere (E-journal or the Anthropology of Religion).
—2008a. “False Consciousness and the Jargon of Authenticity: Proselytisation in the Christianised, Lowland Philippines,” in R. Hackett ed. Proselytization Revisited: Rights Talk, Free Markets and Culture Wars. London: Equinox, 283–300.
—2008b. Religion and the Discourse on Modernity. London: Continuum.
—2009. “Book Review: Catholics in Indonesia 1808–1942 A Documented History: Volume 2 – The Spectacular Growth of a Self-Confident Minority, 1903–1942 by Karel Steenbrink,” Bulletin of SOAS, 72.1, 222–23.
Turton, A. 1991. “Invulnerability and Local Knowledge,” in M. Chitakasem and A. Turton eds. Thai Constructions of Knowledge. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, 155–82.
Newspapers
The Manila Times. 14/08/2000. “Editorial: Cult Clash.”
Published
2011-07-14
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Tremlett, P. (2011). Animated Texts: Theoretical Reflections on Case Studies from the Lowland, Christianized Philippines. Fieldwork in Religion, 5(2), 207-220. https://doi.org/10.1558/firn.v5i2.207
