In the sociology of religion, secondary conversion is the religious conversion of an individual that results from a relationship with another convert, rather than from any particular aspect of the new religion. For example, someone might join a religious group primarily because their spouse or partner has done so; such a person would be a secondary convert. Secondary converts are people who join a religion only because of a relationship with the other convert.
Secondary conversion can greatly expand a movement's influence, particularly after a conquest, such as the Muslim Moorish conquest of Spain and Catholic Spain's conquests in Latin America.
Famous quotes containing the words secondary and/or conversion:
“Scientific reason, with its strict conscience, its lack of prejudice, and its determination to question every result again the moment it might lead to the least intellectual advantage, does in an area of secondary interest what we ought to be doing with the basic questions of life.”
—Robert Musil (1880–1942)
“The conversion of a savage to Christianity is the conversion of Christianity to savagery.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)