Informal Session: Christian Politics
Organizer: Matt Tomlinson

Our informal session on Christian Politics was a vibrant and productive one, with participants discussing their work in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Fiji. During the discussions, several common themes emerged, including (1) denominational competition and its articulations with--or disarticulations from--other social divisions; (2) the political force of ideologies of promised lands; and (3) the circulation of material emblems of Christianity across boundaries. Because of research commitments, several participants (including the organizer) cannot attend the ASAO meetings in 2009, but we are interested in carrying forth at a future meeting with the eventual goal of publication. These plans are currently developing and there are no deadlines at present.