An Encounter Between Theology and Shamanism
Indonesian Journal of Theology December 25, 2025 Kai Ngu
An anthropologist examines theologian Jojo M. Fung's books, which build a bridge between the Creative Spirit in Genesis and nature spirits in indigenous religions—a framework called 'creational pneumatology.' Fung's engagement with indigenous communities in Southeast Asia reveals the secular assumptions underlying the 'more-than-human' turn in anthropology and related fields, showing how such efforts remain tied to the human even when trying to exceed it. Theologians can benefit from anthropology's tools for recognizing how one's interpretive lens shapes perception of the Other. This interdisciplinary dialogue clarifies each discipline's premises and sharpens their aims.