De Hemptinne, the Benedictines and Catholic Assimilation on the Congolese Copperbelt, 1911–1960

This article explores the history of the Benedictines in south-eastern Congo. The Benedictine leader, Jean-Félix De Hemptinne, eschewed an adaptationist approach to his mission work in favour of an assimilationist one. This article explains why he was able to follow such an approach for so long. Two...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Loffman, Reuben A. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press 2022
In: The journal of ecclesiastical history
Year: 2022, Volume: 73, Issue: 3, Pages: 552-571
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Hemptinne, Jean-Félix de 1876-1958 / Democratic Republic / Benedictines / Mission / Church history studies 1911-1960
IxTheo Classification:KAJ Church history 1914-; recent history
KBN Sub-Saharan Africa
KCA Monasticism; religious orders
KDB Roman Catholic Church
RJ Mission; missiology
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Summary:This article explores the history of the Benedictines in south-eastern Congo. The Benedictine leader, Jean-Félix De Hemptinne, eschewed an adaptationist approach to his mission work in favour of an assimilationist one. This article explains why he was able to follow such an approach for so long. Two factors were paramount. First, what Chris Bayly described as ‘lateral connections’ enabled De Hemptinne to side-step the need to engage meaningfully with local agricultural knowledge. Secondly, De Hemptinne's close if turbulent relationship with the colonial state facilitated a supply of funds and African labour despite the difficulties the Benedictines had in converting local people.
ISSN:1469-7637
Contains:Enthalten in: The journal of ecclesiastical history
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0022046921001482