‘We meet and mingle separately:’ religion, identity, and the anthropology of Catholicism in Chilón, Chiapas

Thesis

The history of Christianity in Mexico is a complex one. Despite four centuries of Catholicism, what is meant by “being Catholic” remains an elusive question. My thesis examines how an inculturated Catholicism is practiced in a particular corner of southern Mexico where the majority self-identify themselves as indigenous. The central concern of this thesis is how religious beliefs and practices structure society in ways that simultaneously reproduce the indigenous Tseltal worldview while encompassing the Spanish-speaking ladino culture, with the moral order of one sphere merging with the other. My thesis demonstrates how patterns of social behavior are inextricably linked to the ways they practice their Catholicism, demonstrating the fluidity of boundaries between indigenous custom, ladino tradition, and Catholic orthodoxy.

Authors: Medina, M

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-pma8ppbb5
• Type of award: MLitt
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford