Events

Co-organised by the Asia Research Institute and the Office of Research, Humanities & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore.

Discourses about religious mixing are often described as syncretism, which is both a way of describing the permeability and fluidity of religious traditions and a way of evaluating these combinations. The term developed in the context of Abrahamic religions where religions had perceptible boundaries, and may not be as useful for Asian religions where these boundaries are harder to determine. It has come into wider usage in the modern era, with world religions defined as “isms” and regulated by scriptures, clergy, temples and institutions. The conference will critically examine the relationship between syncretism and religious boundaries, in the context of both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic religions, to see if this initial distinction remains helpful.

Esotericism developed in part as a reaction against the separation of religions into “isms”, and against the increasingly limited place given to religion, as it was separated off from science, medicine, divination/prediction and other entities. Esotericism developed as a special tradition of knowledge that only a select few could master. But as it emerged from the confines of institutional knowledge, it also developed a special relationship with the accommodative and syncretistic Oriental religions. The relationship has long been associated with ideas of invisible connections that can be discovered within the self through particular techniques, forms of self-cultivation or ritual practice. From the 19th century on, these connections have increasingly run from Asia to Euro-America, and they are associated with notions of correspondences between the visible and invisible universe.

REGISTRATION

Admission is free. Kindly register early as seats are available on a first come, first served basis. We would gratefully request that you RSVP to Jonathan Lee e-mail: jonathan.lee@nus.edu.sg indicating your name, email, designation, organization and contact number.

CONVENORS

Prof Prasenjit Duara
Asia Research Institute and Office of Research, Humanities & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore

Prof Janet Hoskins
University of Southern California, USA

Assoc Prof Michael Feener
Asia Research Institute and Department of History, National University of Singapore