Message from gmora

[Anonymous]

This is the first time I am hearing about Cadai. I think that it is very interesting the way this religion blends its foundational religious practices with Western practices. The historical context of foreign imperialism is also important and should not be left out of the conversation. The religion was created as an attempt, by Vietnamese, to ensure the preservation of their cultural practices while making accomodations due Western pressure. However, all religions experience syncretism in order to have the initial buy in by the local populace. Islam, Catholicism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism are not pure religions and all have influences from regional/local belief systems.

In a lesson plan, students could analyze syncretic elements of Asian religions. It would also be important to understand the context of the syncretism.
edited by gmora on 8/1/2016