Changing Gods: Rethinking Conversion in India by Rudolf C. Heredia

“Changing Gods: Rethinking Conversion in India” is a book written by Rudolf C. Heredia, a scholar of social and cultural anthropology, and published in 2007. The book explores the complex and contested nature of religious conversion in India, a country known for its religious diversity and pluralism.

Heredia argues that traditional notions of conversion, which often involve the idea of a complete break from one’s previous religious identity and the adoption of a new one, do not fully capture the reality of religious change in India. Instead, he suggests that many Indians engage in what he calls “conversion-like” processes, in which they incorporate elements of other religions into their existing belief systems without fully abandoning their original faith.

Through case studies and interviews with individuals who have undergone religious change, Heredia shows how conversion-like processes often involve a negotiation of multiple religious identities and a complex set of social, cultural, and political factors. He also examines the ways in which the Indian state has historically regulated and even criminalized conversion, particularly in the context of Hindu nationalism.

Overall, “Changing Gods: Rethinking Conversion in India” offers a nuanced and thought-provoking analysis of religious change in India and challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about the nature of conversion and the role of religion in contemporary Indian society.