The Intricacies of Accommodation: The Proselytizing Strategy of Matteo Ricci

In: Journal of world history: official journal of the World History Association, Band 19, Heft 4, S. 465-487

Abstract

Matteo Ricci has long been celebrated as one of the greatest mediators between Europe and East Asia. To see his extraordinary experience in China from a different perspective, this article takes a close look at the many intricacies that either led to or resulted from his reliance on accommodation as an evangelizing policy. These intricacies made him both remarkably successful in what he did not necessarily plan to do and noticeably unsuccessful in what he single-mindedly set out to accomplish.