Reconstructing Theological Identity in Interreligious Conversion: An Interpretive Study of Lived Faith
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Abstract
Religious conversion represents a profound area of study within comparative theology, exploring how individuals reinterpret faith through spiritual and existential transformation. Within this broader discourse, the phenomenological exploration of theological identity reconstruction has become increasingly important in understanding how belief evolves in pluralistic societies. However, previous studies have largely emphasized sociological and psychological dimensions of conversion, leaving the lived theological meaning of this transformation insufficiently explored. This study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to investigate how individuals experience, interpret, and embody the process of faith reconstruction following conversion. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight participants from diverse religious backgrounds and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to uncover themes of inner awakening, dialogical encounter, and spiritual integration. The findings reveal that conversion is not a rupture from previous belief systems but a continuous interpretive journey involving reflection, relational transformation, and renewed divine intimacy. Through this interpretive process, participants redefined their understanding of faith as an existential and relational experience rather than an institutional realignment. This study’s unique contribution lies in its explicit focus on the lived theological meaning of conversion, extending beyond sociological and psychological analyses by highlighting how faith reconstruction unfolds as a dialogical and interpretive act of meaning-making. Nevertheless, the study is limited by its small and context-specific sample size, which may constrain the generalizability of findings. Future research could broaden participant diversity or employ comparative approaches to further examine theological identity reconstruction across varied religious traditions.
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