Missionary activity and proselytism

Missionary activity is activity aimed at conveying and spreading one’s belief to others; it is characteristic of many religions: Buddhist, Christian and Muslim outreach existed in history and exists today. Proselytism is an attempt to move a person from one confession to another, and in Uzbek legislation and in scholarly discussion it is often used as a concept implying pressure or improper methods. At the World Missionary Conference held in Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1910 the coordination of the work of Protestant missionary societies, the training of missionaries and the translation of the Bible were discussed, and it gave an impetus to modern missionary work and the ecumenical movement. Historians stress that in some periods missionary work was linked with colonial policy and in other cases missionaries ran schools, hospitals and translation work. The textbook says Christian missionaries’ attention is directed at a region called the “10–40 window”; this term was used by evangelical Christian organisations at the end of the 20th century, and its interpretation in connection with religions, resources and political conflicts is disputed. Uzbekistan’s Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organisations (2021 edition) prohibits missionary activity and proselytism and provides for responsibility set by law for violators; the state cites social harmony and religious tolerance as its basis. International documents (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966) guarantee every person the freedom to change religion and to manifest it, but forbid coercion; so lawyers hold different views on which norms may restrict missionary activity.