Christianization

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of changing individuals or communities to the Christian faith includes embracing its beliefs and customs
2. The conversion of people to Christianity necessitates a shift in their cultural and spiritual practices
3. The process through which individuals or groups adopt Christianity as their religion, often involving changes in belief and practice

Etymology: "Christianization" is built from "Christian" plus the suffix "-ization," which turns a verb or adjective into a noun for the act of making something a certain way. The base "Christianize" is itself a verb meaning to convert people or a community to Christianity, so the noun names the whole process of that conversion, including the adoption of the faith's beliefs and customs. The two parts can be analyzed in either order. Read as "Christianize + -ation," the word follows the pattern of many English nouns ending in "-ation" that name an action, such as "organization" from "organize." Read as "Christian + -ization," it follows the pattern of forming nouns from adjectives, as with "modernization" from "modern." Both routes arrive at the same meaning, so the word's structure is transparent: a familiar religious adjective plus a productive English suffix.

Synonyms: conversion, evangelization