The transformation of this world depends upon you

Viac o knihe

The transformation of this world depends on you explores the early missionary vision of Amherst College and its contemporary legacy. Founded in 1820 in Massachusetts, Amherst aimed to educate "pious indigent young men of promising talents" for the Christian ministry. For over a century, graduates traveled to distant places like China, Persia, and Hawaii, driven by a mission to convert non-Christians. The book juxtaposes their religious zeal with the efforts of local charitable organizations in Amherst today. In the first part, historian Martha Saxton and photographer Wendy Ewald recount the stories of nine early missionaries, drawing from Amherst's archives and utilizing photographs, etchings, and documents to depict their challenging lives. The second part features photographer Fazal Sheikh, who engaged with community members facing economic and social hardships. He listened to their immigration stories, created portraits of ten subjects, and collected their family photographs. The introduction by Thomas Keenan, Director of the Human Rights Project at Bard College, reflects on the missionaries' work and attitudes through the lens of modern human rights discourse and practice, providing a critical context for understanding the historical and current implications of their missions.