Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

Get access

Conversion between faiths
(8,464 words)

1. General considerations

1.1. Terminology

In religious and cultural history conversion (Lat. conversio; “turn-about,” “transformation”) means a person's change of religion or confession. Conversion between religions and confessions is not always easily distinguishable from the experience of conversion per se: while the latter is more to do with commitment to a (more) spiritual life and a turn to God, conversion …

Cite this page
Siebenhüner, Kim, Bock, Heike, Carl, Gesine, Helbig, Annekathrin, Reichmuth, Stefan and Juneja, Monica, “Conversion between faiths”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_022593>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



▲   Back to top   ▲