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Developing the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Cambodia? The Gray Area between Ministry and Development: Evangelical Missionaries in Cambodia and the Synthesis of Social Services and Evangelism in Practice

Schroeder, Erica LU (2012) MIDM71 20121
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
Evangelical missionaries in Cambodia have a dual role as religious actor and development actor. This hybrid identity poses conceptual challenges for development actors, beneficiaries, and even missionaries themselves-- are they doing ministry or are they doing development? Through field observations and interviews in Phnom Penh with evangelical missionaries, this thesis examines how evangelism and social services are synthesized in practice. It argues that evangelical missionary engagement with social services is dually shaped by the unique worldview of evangelical Christians and by the informal status of evangelical missionaries within the formal development sector. These two forces give rise to value-laden social services, which have... (More)
Evangelical missionaries in Cambodia have a dual role as religious actor and development actor. This hybrid identity poses conceptual challenges for development actors, beneficiaries, and even missionaries themselves-- are they doing ministry or are they doing development? Through field observations and interviews in Phnom Penh with evangelical missionaries, this thesis examines how evangelism and social services are synthesized in practice. It argues that evangelical missionary engagement with social services is dually shaped by the unique worldview of evangelical Christians and by the informal status of evangelical missionaries within the formal development sector. These two forces give rise to value-laden social services, which have potential implications for beneficiaries, and even possibly, the broader development sector. This thesis ultimately seeks to progress empirical and conceptual understanding of the nature of evangelical missionary engagement with social services, with particular concern for the debates surrounding proselytism. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Schroeder, Erica LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM71 20121
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
religion, development, evangelical, missionaries, faith-based organizations, Christian, social services, Cambodia
language
English
id
2543569
date added to LUP
2012-07-02 15:38:23
date last changed
2012-07-02 15:38:23
@misc{2543569,
  abstract     = {{Evangelical missionaries in Cambodia have a dual role as religious actor and development actor. This hybrid identity poses conceptual challenges for development actors, beneficiaries, and even missionaries themselves-- are they doing ministry or are they doing development? Through field observations and interviews in Phnom Penh with evangelical missionaries, this thesis examines how evangelism and social services are synthesized in practice. It argues that evangelical missionary engagement with social services is dually shaped by the unique worldview of evangelical Christians and by the informal status of evangelical missionaries within the formal development sector. These two forces give rise to value-laden social services, which have potential implications for beneficiaries, and even possibly, the broader development sector. This thesis ultimately seeks to progress empirical and conceptual understanding of the nature of evangelical missionary engagement with social services, with particular concern for the debates surrounding proselytism.}},
  author       = {{Schroeder, Erica}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Developing the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Cambodia? The Gray Area between Ministry and Development: Evangelical Missionaries in Cambodia and the Synthesis of Social Services and Evangelism in Practice}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}