Migration with a mission: geographies of evangelical mission(aries)

305 Pages·2013·23.71 MB·English

by  Claire Brickell

The London School of Economics and Political Science
Migration with a Mission: Geographies of Evangelical Mission(aries) to
Post Communist Albania
Claire Brickell
A thesis submitted to the Department of Geography and Environment
of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy, London, September 2013
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DECLARATION
I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of
the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than
where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of
any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it).
The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted,
provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced
without my prior written consent.
I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of
any third party.
I declare that my thesis consists of 77, 458 words.
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ABSTRACT
Drawing on eight months of in-depth qualitative research, this thesis examines the
geographical trajectories of Evangelical missionaries as they migrate to, and embed
themselves in, Albania. Identifying how movement is inherent to what it means to be a
missionary, I draw together and extend literature from social and cultural geography,
migration studies, sociology, geopolitics and missiology to forge new insights into
‘migration with a mission’.
Moving beyond largely historical accounts of missionary lives, this thesis provides a
contemporary and intimate portrait of what actually goes in to being a missionary,
within the context of migration. It contends that a tendency to allow class, work and
economic wealth to organise research has meant that the full implications of
participants’ religious identities have at times been underdeveloped within migration
scholarship. The thesis argues for the importance of addressing this issue, and traces
the migration trajectory, from the pre-departure decision to migrate, and the choice of
mission destination, to the challenges of missionary life once in Albania. In doing so it
examines how missionaries’ world-views, beliefs and imaginaries extend, as well as
complicate, commonplace ideas found in literature around religion and migration,
geopolitics, transnationalism and home.
In addition to revealing the multiple spaces and scales of missionary life unaccounted
for within current research, the thesis demonstrates that while missionaries could be
considered exceptional, these deeply geographical actors should not be made exempt
from greater empirical and theoretical exploration.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr Claire Mercer, for her unswerving
patience, positivity and encouragement. Your support and guidance have been
invaluable.
This research would not have been possible without all those who took part. I owe a
debt of gratitude to you for talking to me over endless coffees, taking me into your
homes, and for being willing to share your lives with me. I have felt humbled by what I
have seen and heard, and am in awe of your dedication. Thank you to those of you
who made me feel welcome, and for the kindnesses you bestowed on me.
I would also like to thank my friends in Albania for their patience and warmth. Zhujeta,
Edvin and Marini I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for taking me under
your wing, and for generally putting up with me! Tauschia, Sara, Meghan and Jon, I feel
very lucky to have shared so much laughter and happiness with you in Albania. You
helped me find a home away from home, and have become dear friends to me.
In the UK I am also extremely grateful for all my friends’ support, and Lindsey, Katie,
and everyone in S505 in particular. I would also like to mention Professor Sylvia Chant,
and extend my thanks for her guidance (and countless coffees at Franco & Gino’s!) over
the years.
Finally, this thesis would never have been finished without the encouragement of my
family. Thank you Mum and Dad for your unabating love, and for being willing to share
in both the highs and lows with me.
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And Katherine, I will be forever grateful for all the phone calls, cocktails and
encouragement. You helped me believe that I could do this, and instilled in me the
confidence to follow it through. You are an inspiration to me.
My PhD was supported by a 1+3 Postgraduate Training Award from the Economic and
Social Research Council, for which I remain most appreciative.
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CONTENTS
Abstract ...............................................................................................................3
Acknowledgements.............................................................................................. 4
Contents............................................................................................................... 6
Figures, Tables, and Plates................................................................................. 10
Acronyms........................................................................................................... 11
Glossary.............................................................................................................. 12
Chapter 1. Missionaries: Who Are They?........................................................... 13
Migration with a Mission: Missionaries in a Migration Framework............................. 16
Evangelical Missionaries and Albania.........................................................................20
Research Objectives and Questions........................................................................... 26
Outline of Chapters.................................................................................................... 28
Chapter 2. Situating the Missionary: Religion and Migration from the Geopolitical
to the Transnational and Domestic..................................................................... 32
Religion, Migration and The Missionary: Positioning the Missionary......................... 34
‘New Mission Churches’: Migrants as Missionaries.................................................... 38
Missionaries as ‘Migrants’..............................................................................42
Missionary Geopolitics and Migration........................................................................47
Religion, Geopolitics and the Missionary.......................................................48
Geopolitics, Migration and Mission...............................................................52
Connecting Here and There: Transnationalism and Proximity/Distance.....................53
Remittance.....................................................................................................54
Network......................................................................................................... 55
Social Field.....................................................................................................57
(Re)examining Transnationalism and Proximity/Distance...............................59
Home.......................................................................................................................... 64
Religion and Home.........................................................................................65
Home as Spectacle.........................................................................................67
Home and Materiality.....................................................................................70
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Concluding Remarks...................................................................................................7 4
Chapter 3. Researching Mission and Migration: A Methodological
Framework......................................................................................................... 76
Researching Religion: Translation...............................................................................76
Locating the Research................................................................................................79
Phase One (April 2010 - September 2010).................................................... 80
Phase Two (April 2011 - November 2011)...................................................... 81
‘Finding the Field’: The Initial Stages......................................................................... 83
The Stephen Centre........................................................................................83
AEP Office.......................................................................................................87
Access to Participants: Finding ‘Men of Peace’.......................................................... 89
Reporters, Researchers and Albania’s Pyramid Scheme................................90
Finding ‘Men of Peace’..................................................................................91
The Participants: A Profile.......................................................................................... 95
Theological Background and Missionary Commitment.................................96
Mission Organisations....................................................................................97
Nationality......................................................................................................99
Gender, Marital Status and Lifecourse.........................................................102
Occupation..................................................................................................103
The Methods............................................................................................................ 103
Life-Focused Interviews...............................................................................103
Semi-Structured Interviews.......................................................................... 106
Participant Observation...............................................................................109
Focus Groups...............................................................................................110
Reflexivity.................................................................................................................. 112
Insider/Outsider: Developing a Fortress Mentality......................................113
Impression Management.............................................................................115
Spiritual Vulnerability and Friendship...........................................................117
‘There, There, Don’t Be Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf’: Power and
Representation......................................................................................................... 118
Concluding Remarks.................................................................................................1 21
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Chapter 4. Following ‘The Call’: Geographies of Missionary Departure..........
122
Evelyn’s Story............................................................................................................ 122
Migration, Rationality and the Missionary................................................................ 125
‘The Call’...................................................................................................................1 31
Following the Call..................................................................................................... 138
Obedience to Christ’s Command..................................................................139
The Duty to Save ‘Lost’ Souls........................................................................140
For the Love of God......................................................................................142
’I Had No Idea Where Albania Was’: Destination Selection..................................... 143
Andrew’s Story...............................................................................................145
Brian’s Story...................................................................................................146
Concluding Remarks.................................................................................................1 47
Chapter 5. Mission, Geopolitics and Albania...................................................
148
Albania as Contested Geo-Spiritual Space: Evangelicalism v. Islam........................149
The Gateway to the ‘Muslim World’: David & Goliath, Frodo and Albanian
Missionaries.............................................................................................................. 160
David, Goliath, Frodo and the Albanians: Sending the Missionaries
Out...............................................................................................................163
Concluding Remarks.................................................................................................1 68
Chapter 6. ‘Mission Also Belongs to Those Who Send’: The Transnational
Relationships Between Missionaries and Their Supporters..............................
169
Motor Homes, Mobile Homes: Building the Mission Supporter Network............... 172
Prayer: ‘You Can Change the World’........................................................................ 178
Performance Christianity: Seafood Spaghetti, Lemons and Coffee Machines......... 186
Frontier Missions and Facebook..................................................................1 87
Prayer Letters...............................................................................................190
Is A Re-Education Necessary?......................................................................192
Concluding Remarks.................................................................................................1 95
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Chapter 7. Contextualisation and the Missionary Home: Between Contested Ideals
and Lived Realities............................................................................................
196
The Christian Home and Mission Theory: Then and Now........................................ 199
‘The Missionary Community? It’s Like a Goldfish Bowl’: The Politics of Location and
Housing.................................................................................................................... 206
The Politics of Location................................................................................206
Quality of Housing.......................................................................................211
Domestic Materiality and Consumption: The ‘Politics of Interior Design’............... 214
Lindsey.........................................................................................................218
Grace............................................................................................................219
Lydia.............................................................................................................220
This World is Not My Home I’m Just Passin’ Through: Heaven as Home................ 221
Concluding Remarks.................................................................................................2 25
Chapter 8. Conclusions.....................................................................................
226
The Geographical Trajectories of Contemporary Evangelical Missionaries............. 229
Directions For Future Research.................................................................................2 35
Final Thoughts..........................................................................................................237
Bibliography.....................................................................................................
239
Appendices.......................................................................................................
299
Appendix 1: Semi-Structured Interview Schedule.................................................... 299
Appendix 2: ‘I Can’t Call You a Missionary - Ouch’, Handout.................................. 302
Appendix 3: ‘For Many Missionaries, More Tech Means Shorter Furloughs’,
Handout....................................................................................................................3 04
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FIGURES, TABLES AND PLATES
Figures
1.1 Diagram of the ‘E-Scale’
3.1 Map showing Fieldwork Locations in Albania
3.2 NVivo Trees and Nodes
5.1 Campus Crusade for Christ Leaflet
5.2 Screenshot from Campus Crusade for Christ Promotional Video
6.1 Excerpt from Courtney’s Prayer Letter Diary
Tables
3.1 Participants’ Mission Organisations
3.2 Nationality of Participants
3.3 Nationality of Missionaries Registered with the AEP
3.4 Marital Status of Participants
3.5 Semi-Structured Interviews with Participants
Plates
3.1 Photograph Taken of the Outside of the Stephen Centre
3.2 Photograph Taken of the Inside of the Stephen Centre
3.3 Photograph of the Outside of the AEP Office
5.1 Photograph of a Sign in Skanderbeg Square
7.1 Photograph of William’s ‘Temporary Resident Card’
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