Strangers in a Familiar Land: A Phenomenological Study on Marginal Christian Identity (American Society of Missiology Monograph Series)

Throughout history, many Christians have existed on the margins of society; deviants and strangers in lands they call home. To survive, they have had to construct alternate identities that not only make sense of their religious experiences and beliefs but also equip them to successfully negotiate their social worlds. In Thailand, a nation where social identities are thoroughly intertwined with Buddhist religious adherence, Christians must come to terms with such a marginalized existence. By leaving Buddhism and adopting what is considered a foreign faith, Christian converts become deviants to “normal” Thai identity and belonging. In response, they have discovered creative solutions for traversing this complex terrain of marginalization.

This book presents a deep exploration of the phenomenon of marginalization as experienced by Thai Christian converts. In it, readers will follow participants through the heights of transformative religious experience, the lows of severe social displacement, the tensions of managing two disparate lifeworlds and two conflicting selves, and the comfort and joy of finding a new place to call home. In the end, the reader will gain deep insight into what it is like to successfully navigate a minority religious identity on the margins of society.

James Blumenstock is Dean and Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology at Asia Biblical Theological Seminary of Cornerstone University located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He holds a PhD in the philosophy of religious experience from the Australian College of Theology (ACT). James and his family have lived and worked in Asia for over fifteen years.