A Decolonial Syncretism of Unity

Abstract

The term syncretism has had a metamorphic history in terms of its meaning, starting as positive with Plutarch, to being positive and negative during the Reformation, and then becoming neutral and negative after the Reformation to becoming decidedly negative from the 1920s onward. Despite advances in interpreting syncretism in more neutral or positive ways, the word's meaning and function remain imprecise. Central to the fog surrounding the word is its implicit meaning of some type of mixture, whether negative, neutral, or positive. The question then becomes, “Is mixture a valid central meaning of the word?” More importantly, can the suspicious lens of decolonialism offer insight into redefining it and also give direction as to how it could function? This article studies the development of the term, examines current scholarship within the World Council of Churches, and situates syncretism within the larger context of the decolonial discussion in trying to redefine it in light of its original meaning.