Responding to Syncretism

Syncretism seems to disturb, and make uncertain what is taken for granted. Whether this is out of ‘logic’ or out of ‘jealousy’ is important in my reading. In this paper I suggest that logic is unhelpful in analyses of syncretism. Many religiously grounded refutations and condemnations of syncretism are based on jealousy, I suggest. I also suggest that jealousy as ground for judging syncretism, syncretic comportment, or syncretic ideas entails a relational aspect, giving place to sentiment, and to emotion. hence, jealousy requires judgements when a purported syncretic phenomenon is dealt with. Making a judgement implies therefore possible negotiations, changed views, and compromise. A judgement invites ethical perspectives