Missionary Self-Perception and Meaning-Making in Cross-Cultural Mission: A Cultural Psychological Analysis of the Narrative Identity of German Protestants

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to outline the missionary self-perception that is mediated in meaningful stories about activities and experiences of Protestants while serving as missionaries abroad. Research is based on a model of narrative identity that aids for understanding the dilemmatic aspects of identity: continuity/change, sameness/difference, agency/non-agency. Findings of a cultural psychological analysis of missionaries’ autobiographical narratives are presented in form of these three types of identity dilemmas and discussed with respect to their implications for cultural psychology of religion. In utilizing qualitative research, the present study enlarges the understanding of the diversity of cross-cultural experiences in mission.

Keywords

Cross-cultural mission cultural psychology of religion German Protestants narrative identity qualitative research self-perception

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