Confronting Christianity

The book delves into the complex interactions between Christian missionaries and Thai Buddhists in the nineteenth century, set against the backdrop of Western imperialism. It highlights how Protestant missionaries served as key figures in introducing modern science alongside religion, inadvertently reinforcing Theravada Buddhism rather than diminishing it. Historian Sven Trakulhun illustrates how Buddhist reformers responded to these challenges by creating a modernized version of Buddhism that embraced scientific rationality, ultimately influencing the moral authority of Thai kings and shaping religious leadership in the region.