Rosaries and Statues

Mediating Divine Intervention in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea

Bibliographic Data

ID3370258
AuthorsA K Hermkens (0000-0003-2401-3845, Macquarie University, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume12
Issue6
Pages376
Publication date2021-05-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel12060376
OpenAlexW3162703952
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited29

In the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB) in Papua New Guinea, the changes of Vatican II led to significant Church reform, creating "Liklik Kristen Komuniti" (small Christian communities) that gave more responsibility to the laity. Moreover, as elsewhere in the world, Charismatic Catholicism was introduced and embraced. At the same time, private devotions, and in particular devotions to Mary, became immensely popular and powerful in Bougainville. This is partly due to the Bougainville crisis (1988-1998), which caused immense suffering, but also triggered a surge in popular devotions as people looked for spiritual guidance to deal with the hardships of the crisis. This paper shows how in the context of social and economic upheaval, charismatic popular devotions became increasingly influential with rosaries and statues becoming important mediums in facilitating healing and socio-political renewal. This shows the strength of popular devotions and the importance of material religion in particular. It also elucidates how popular devotions in Bougainville are part of global Catholic developments, as well as transnational practices that place Mary in the center of devotional practices

Archaeology · Charisma · Charismatic authority · Ethnology · Media studies · New guinea · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · History · Law · Psychology · Religion, Society, and Development · Religious Tourism and Spaces

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