Comparative analysis between the pre-Hispanic Andean worldview and Seventh-day Adventist theology: Similarities, differences, and challenges for current missionary contextualization

Abstract

The pre-Hispanic Andean cosmovision, characterized by animistic polytheism and the supreme deity Viracocha, raises questions regarding its potential convergences with Seventh-day Adventist theology, particularly in terms of evangelistic contextualization within contemporary Peruvian communities. This study examines theological bridges across three axes: theology (conception of God), anthropology (view of the human being), and cosmology (understanding of the world), identifying analogies that facilitate Christian assimilation. Employing a comparative hermeneutical approach, it analyzes Andean myths, colonial chronicles, and Adventist biblical doctrines, highlighting similarities such as divine creation, environmental stewardship, moral equilibrium (hucha vs. sin), and the tripartite cosmic structure (Hanan Pacha, Kay Pacha, Uku Pacha) with an emphasis on cyclical renewal. The findings reveal convergences in respect for nature, community (ayni), and healthy living, which promote respectful integration, although challenges like syncretism demand sensitive intercultural dialogue. These analogies facilitate contextualization and allow Adventist theology to serve as a bridge to harmonize ancestral traditions with theocentric Christian principles.