Anthropology and Theology Gods, Icons, and God-talk

by Adams, William Randolph; Salamone, Frank A.; Adams, Walter Randolph; Taylor, Mark; Hughes III, Robert D.; Priest, Robert J.; Mullinax, Mark S.; Hariot, M Jean; Turner, Edith; Dow, James A.; Baronti, David S.; Moloye, Olugbemi; Kilbride, Philip; O'Connor,

• ISBN13: 9780761814771
• ISBN10: 0761814779
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-09-20
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

Anthropology and Theology is a stimulating exploration of the anthropology of theology, a new field of research that is still being shaped and defined. This follow up to Explorations in Anthropology and Theology includes contributions by theologians, most notably Mark Taylor. Together, the contributing anthropologists and theologians delve into the world of indigenous religious systems, treating them with the respect and attention that is usually given only to the major world religions. The topics covered include American secular rituals, feminist spirituality, the impact of modernization on traditional religions, alternative approaches to the sacred, and implications for field work. Most of the major ethnographic areas of the world are represented, including Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Arctic, and the United States. This collection of works is indispensable as a source that addresses the relevance of theology and anthropology to one another. Recommended for various courses in theology, anthropology of religion, symbolic anthropology, and field work.

Author Biography

Walter Randolph Adams (Ph. D., 1988, Michigan State University) is Research Associate and member of the teaching faculty at the Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies Emilie Allen is a graduate student in the anthropology department at the University of California, Los Angeles Fr. David S. Baronti is currently a Ph.D. candidate in linguistic anthropology at the University of California, Davis Mary Douglas (Ph.D., 1951, Oxford University) wrote major works on symbolic anthropology. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Africa James W. Dow (Ph.D., Brandeis University) is Professor of Anthropology at Oakland University Stephen D. Glazier is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Nebraska M. Jean Heriot (Ph.D., 1989, University of California, Berkeley) is an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University. Concurrently, she is pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley James F. Hopgood (Ph.D., 1976, University of Kansas) is Professor of Anthropology and department chair at Northern Kentucky University Rev. Dr. Robert Davis Hughes, III is an Episcopalian priest and Professor of Systemic Theology at the School of Theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, TN William Jankowiak (Ph.D., 1986, University of California, Santa Barbara) is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Philip Kilbride (Ph.D., 1970, University of Missouri) is Chair of the Department of Anthropology at Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and is the Mary Hale Chase Chair in the Social Sciences, Social Work, and Social Research Morton Klass (Ph.D., 1959, Columbia University) is Professor of Anthropology at Barnard College, Columbia University Kathleen Malone O'Connor is currently a lecturer at the University of California, Davis R. Jon McGee (Ph.D., 1983, Rice University) is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Southwest Texas State University, in San Marcos Olugbemi Moloye (Ph.D., 1985, University of Massachusetts) is a member of the Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice department at the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee Marc S. Mullinax is an assistant professor of religion at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, and a Protestant minister Robert J. Priest (Ph.D., 1983, University of California, Berkeley) is Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina Frank A. Salamone (Ph.D., 1973, SUNY-Buffalo) is Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Iona College, New Rochelle, New York Mark Kline Taylor is Associate Professor of Theology and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He was co-founder of AGAPE: A Neighborhood Victim's Assistance Program Edith L.B. Turner (M.A., 1980, University of Virginia) has been a member of the faculty of the department of anthropology at the University of Virginia since 1984

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures	xiii
Preface	xv
Walter Randolph Adams
Preface to Explorations in Anthropology and Theology	xvii
Frank A. Salamone
Introducing This Volume	1	(32)
Toward an Anthropology of Theology	1	(6)
The Papers: Integrating Themes	7	(20)
Organization of the Volume	27	(3)
Notes	30	(3)
Walter Randolph Adams
``Spirit'' in the Researching of Cultural Worlds: On Theology's Contributions to Anthropology	33	(14)
Reconceiving ``Theology'' for Anthropology	35	(5)
Theology in Dialogue with Anthropological ``Understanding''	40	(2)
Theology in Dialogue with Anthropology's ``Advocacy''	42	(3)
Notes	45	(2)
Mark Taylor
Beginning a Theology of Anthropology: Theological Reflections on Victor Turner's Last Work	47	(12)
A Theological View of the Relationship Between the Disciplines	48	(3)
What Theologians Can Learn From Anthropology	51	(2)
What Theologians Might Wish to Say to Anthropologists	53	(1)
Possible Theological Significance --- Turner as a Test Case	54	(3)
Notes	57	(2)
Robert D. Hughes, III
Christian Theology, Sin and Anthropology	59	(18)
Notes	74	(3)
Robert J. Priest
Crossing the Great Divide: What Anthropologists Might Learn From Theology	77	(8)
Notes	84	(1)
The Social Location of Sacred Knowledge	85	(30)
The Imagination	87	(3)
The Three Levels of Thought	90	(25)
The A-Level: The Utter Transcendence of God	91	(1)
The B-Level: The Role of the Imagination	92	(1)
The C-Level: The Infinite Variety of the Partial and the Mistaken i.e., the Mythical	92	(2)
Myths and Stories	94	(1)
To Narrate is Human, and Divine	95	(6)
Anthropomorphism	101	(7)
Mary as the Feminine Mask of God	108	(2)
Conclusion: Putting the Physical Back into the Metaphysical	110	(3)
Notes	113	(2)
Mark S. Mullinax
Feminist Spirituality, Theology and Anthropology	115	(22)
The Socio-cultural Characteristics of the the Feminist Spirituality Movement	116	(3)
New Theological Insights	119	(5)
Ritual Practice	124	(3)
The Essentialist Views of Feminist Spirituality	127	(2)
The Irony of Anthropological Critique	129	(3)
Notes	132	(5)
M. Jean Hariot
Theology and the Anthropological Study of Spirit Events in an Inupiat Village	137	(26)
Caveats in the Anthropological Study of Indigenous Religions	142	(1)
The Village	143	(8)
The Villagers' Working Conception of Spirituality Clues to Inupiat Theology?	144	(3)
The Whale and Eagle Spirits	147	(1)
The Whale Spirit	147	(2)
The Eagle Spirit	149	(2)
The Soul or Spirit	151	(4)
The Spirit at Death	152	(1)
Reincarnating Souls	152	(3)
The Spirit Helpers of the Healers	155	(3)
Spirit Figures Experienced by Inupiat Christians	158	(1)
Changes in Christian Theology, and Christian Apologies	159	(2)
Notes	161	(2)
Edith Turner
Theoretical Reflections on the Chagnon-Salesian Controversy	163	(26)
Introduction	163	(3)
The Issues	166	(11)
Reflections	177	(3)
Conclusion	180	(4)
Notes	184	(5)
Frank A. Salamone
The Theology of Change: Evangelical Protestantism and the Collapse of Native Religion in a Peasant Area of Mexico	189	(14)
Protestant Theology and Economics in Latin America	189	(2)
Theories Explaining the Rise of Evangelical Protestantism in Latin America	191	(2)
The Spread of Protestantism Within the Eastern Sierra of Hidalgo	193	(6)
San Nicolas	195	(1)
Santa Monica	196	(2)
San Pablo El Grande	198	(1)
Discussion	199	(1)
Notes	200	(3)
James A. Dow
Musings From the Field: Miters, Midwives and Maya Myths	203	(32)
Pondering the Place of the Heroic in K'iche Culture	203	(3)
Children of Guatemala: Holy Innocents	206	(4)
Sebastiana is Mrs. Lent	210	(3)
In Today's Guatemala, Where is the Prototypical Maya	213	(20)
Notes	233	(2)
David S. Baronti
Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) and the Professionalization of Theology	235	(16)
Introduction	235	(2)
Survey of Theoretical Comments	237	(2)
Independent Churches in Yorubaland	239	(4)
The Yoruba Traditional Religion	243	(2)
Liturgical Convergence of the Yoruba and Independent Christian Religion	245	(3)
Nigerian Economy and Spiritual Consultancy	248	(3)
Olugbemi Moloye
African Polygamy and Its Theological Lessons for America	251	(22)
The Problem: An Anthropological - Theological Perspective	251	(6)
Man-Sharing: An Ethnographic Interview	257	(6)
Inculturation Theology	263	(5)
Conclusion	268	(3)
Notes	271	(2)
Philip Kilbride
African-American Muslim Foodways: Nutritional Healing and the Construction of Identity	273	(20)
Notes	288	(5)
Kathleen Malone O'Connor
Adoring the Father: Religion and Charisma in an American Polygamous Community	293	(24)
Introduction	293	(2)
Angel Park: The Religious Community	295	(3)
Mormon Theology --- Christianity and Honoring Thy Father	298	(2)
Honoring of Fathers and Competing With Fathers	300	(2)
Familism: Competing With a Father's Reputation	302	(3)
The Charismatic Father: Imaging the Polygamous Family	305	(3)
Love, Ambivalence and Hostility: Resolving the Father	308	(4)
Conclusion	312	(1)
Notes	313	(4)
William Jankowiak
Emilie Allen
Natural Modeling in Lacandon Maya Mythology	317	(20)
Introduction	317	(1)
Natural Modeling in Maya Mythology	318	(4)
Natural Modeling Among the Lacandon Maya?	322	(2)
Environmental Awareness in Lacandon Life	324	(1)
The Milpa Cycle in Lacandon Mythology	325	(7)
Discussion	332	(3)
Conclusion	335	(1)
Notes	335	(2)
R. Jon McGee
``Back Home in Indiana:'' The Semiotics of Pilgrimage and Belief in Honor of an American Icon	337	(26)
Introduction	337	(2)
James Dean	339	(3)
Genesis of the Dean Image / Icon and Deaner Theology	342	(4)
Deaner Theology	343	(3)
Deaners: An Iconic Movement	346	(1)
Fairmount's Museum Days and Deaner Pilgrimage	347	(2)
Discussion	349	(2)
Semiotics and Pilgrimage	351	(1)
Transformation	351	(3)
Physical Transformation	352	(1)
Temporal Transformation	352	(1)
Existential Quest	352	(1)
Tactile Transformation / ``in Touch''	353	(1)
Journey Completion	353	(1)
Communitas	354	(1)
Coding and Decoding --- Semiotics Extended	354	(3)
Conclusion	357	(1)
Notes	358	(5)
James F. Hopgood
Processes and Dynamics of Community Fission and Maintenance: An Ojibway Case	363	(28)
Introduction	363	(5)
External Conditions	368	(4)
The Community's Response	372	(4)
Analysis	376	(9)
Conclusion	385	(2)
Notes	387	(4)
Walter Randolph Adams
Sacraments and Society: An Anthropologist Asks, What Women Could Be Doing in the Church?	391	(16)
The Missing Place for Women in a Hierarchical Community	394	(3)
Hierarchy and Sect	397	(6)
Doctrine as a Way of Life	403	(2)
Women as Caring, Compassionate, Constructive, Rational Beings	405	(1)
Notes	406	(1)
Mary Douglas
Anthropology and Theology: The Legacy of a Link	407	(18)
Theologians Occidental and Accidental	410	(3)
The Sacred and the Secular	413	(2)
Belief and the Social Scientists	415	(1)
The Theological Imagination	416	(1)
Is Theology a Universal	417	(1)
Institutional Structures	418	(1)
Unintended Rivalries	419	(1)
Concluding Unscientific Postscript	420	(5)
Stephen D. Glazier
Bibliography	425	(46)
Index	471
About the Contributors	463