Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness

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Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness. / Buch-Hansen, Gitte; Lorensen, Marlene Ringgaard; Felter, Kirsten Donskov.

I: De Gruyter Open Theology, Bind 1, 09.09.2015, s. 220-244.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelfagfællebedømt

Harvard

Buch-Hansen, G, Lorensen, MR & Felter, KD 2015, 'Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness', De Gruyter Open Theology, bind 1, s. 220-244. <http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/opth.2014.1.issue-1/opth-2015-0009/opth-2015-0009.xml?format=INT>

APA

Buch-Hansen, G., Lorensen, M. R., & Felter, K. D. (2015). Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness. De Gruyter Open Theology, 1, 220-244. http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/opth.2014.1.issue-1/opth-2015-0009/opth-2015-0009.xml?format=INT

Vancouver

Buch-Hansen G, Lorensen MR, Felter KD. Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness. De Gruyter Open Theology. 2015 sep. 9;1:220-244.

Author

Buch-Hansen, Gitte ; Lorensen, Marlene Ringgaard ; Felter, Kirsten Donskov. / Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness. I: De Gruyter Open Theology. 2015 ; Bind 1. s. 220-244.

Bibtex

@article{ed97cf37f5ad4363874fae92e52d20b8,
title = "Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness",
abstract = "This article reflects on the importance of being aware of one{\textquoteright}s own situatedness when carrying out empirical research. The unforeseen outcome of a project in which we studied converting refugees{\textquoteright} encounter with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark provoked these reflections. The fieldwork was carried out in a particular congregation in Copenhagen that has attracted many asylum seekers, primarily of Muslim background. The empirical work revealed that the scholars, as participant observers, experienced the situation in the congregation quite differently than did the refugees. Initially, the scholars did not recognise conflicts and problems related to ethnicity, gender and class among the various groups of refugees. However, interviews based on the refugees{\textquoteright} documentation of their experiences with and within the congregation allowed different perspectives to be articulated. On one hand, perceptual blind spots inspired reflection on the epistemological deficit that characterised the scholarly habitus. On the other, our theological training did enable us to understand the migrant converts{\textquoteright} specific interpretation of the Christian Gospel. The article concludes that it is important to see informants as collaborators with regard to both scholarly reflexivity and the concrete outcome of research in a shared quest for ecclesiological knowledge.",
keywords = "Faculty of Theology, Practical theology, Fieldwork, Habitus, Reflexivity, Conversion, Migration , Ethnicity, Locative/utopian religion, Trauma theology",
author = "Gitte Buch-Hansen and Lorensen, {Marlene Ringgaard} and Felter, {Kirsten Donskov}",
year = "2015",
month = sep,
day = "9",
language = "English",
volume = "1",
pages = "220--244",
journal = "Open Theology",
issn = "2300-6579",
publisher = "De Gruyter Open",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ethnographic Ecclesiology and the Challenges of Scholarly Situatedness

AU - Buch-Hansen, Gitte

AU - Lorensen, Marlene Ringgaard

AU - Felter, Kirsten Donskov

PY - 2015/9/9

Y1 - 2015/9/9

N2 - This article reflects on the importance of being aware of one’s own situatedness when carrying out empirical research. The unforeseen outcome of a project in which we studied converting refugees’ encounter with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark provoked these reflections. The fieldwork was carried out in a particular congregation in Copenhagen that has attracted many asylum seekers, primarily of Muslim background. The empirical work revealed that the scholars, as participant observers, experienced the situation in the congregation quite differently than did the refugees. Initially, the scholars did not recognise conflicts and problems related to ethnicity, gender and class among the various groups of refugees. However, interviews based on the refugees’ documentation of their experiences with and within the congregation allowed different perspectives to be articulated. On one hand, perceptual blind spots inspired reflection on the epistemological deficit that characterised the scholarly habitus. On the other, our theological training did enable us to understand the migrant converts’ specific interpretation of the Christian Gospel. The article concludes that it is important to see informants as collaborators with regard to both scholarly reflexivity and the concrete outcome of research in a shared quest for ecclesiological knowledge.

AB - This article reflects on the importance of being aware of one’s own situatedness when carrying out empirical research. The unforeseen outcome of a project in which we studied converting refugees’ encounter with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark provoked these reflections. The fieldwork was carried out in a particular congregation in Copenhagen that has attracted many asylum seekers, primarily of Muslim background. The empirical work revealed that the scholars, as participant observers, experienced the situation in the congregation quite differently than did the refugees. Initially, the scholars did not recognise conflicts and problems related to ethnicity, gender and class among the various groups of refugees. However, interviews based on the refugees’ documentation of their experiences with and within the congregation allowed different perspectives to be articulated. On one hand, perceptual blind spots inspired reflection on the epistemological deficit that characterised the scholarly habitus. On the other, our theological training did enable us to understand the migrant converts’ specific interpretation of the Christian Gospel. The article concludes that it is important to see informants as collaborators with regard to both scholarly reflexivity and the concrete outcome of research in a shared quest for ecclesiological knowledge.

KW - Faculty of Theology

KW - Practical theology

KW - Fieldwork

KW - Habitus

KW - Reflexivity

KW - Conversion

KW - Migration

KW - Ethnicity

KW - Locative/utopian religion

KW - Trauma theology

M3 - Journal article

VL - 1

SP - 220

EP - 244

JO - Open Theology

JF - Open Theology

SN - 2300-6579

ER -

ID: 151605956