Untangling (Missionary) Entanglements: Recent Work on Christianisation and Cross-Cultural Contact and the Case for an Entangled Approach

Abstract This article discusses recent work on cross-cultural interactions between missionaries and Central Africans, including Images a Mission by Cécile Fromont, Religious Entanglements David Maxwell, “What Is Religion in Africa?” Birgit Meyer. These works adopt an entangled approach, examining how Christianisation engendered interconnections Africans Africa Europe. In this way, the paint nuanced image of that occurred framework Africa, showing us approach can help examine such afresh. By contextualising manifold ways which Westerners non-Westerners, West non-West were entangled, we better understand (power) dynamics outcomes interactions. reading sources manner, get completer view wide array non-Westerners. acknowledging historical entanglements shaped analytical concepts use, decolonise our scholarly practice. shows study fundamentally phenomenon—Christianity non-Western world—can inspire global imperial historians to truly manner.