Religions in Practice : An Approach to the Anthropology of Religion

by Bowen, John R.

• ISBN13: 9780205418145
• ISBN10: 0205418147
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

The third edition of this widely popular book offers a unique perspective on how people engage in everyday religious practices , such as prayer, sacrifice, pilgrimage, and dress, as well as investigates major issues of gender, nation-states, and laws with respect to religion. No other book examines the full spectrum of religions from small-scale societies to full-blown "world religious movements." the in-depth treatment of Islam and Christianity is of particular interest to students, and is easily expanded to include field projects directly related to material covered in the text. As one reviewer writes, "In our post 9/11 era, it is great to have a book whose author has done fieldwork in Indonesia and is so knowledgeable about Islam. " the third edition includes new material on the anthropology of war, expanded coverage of American religions and an exploration of how non-practitioners of organized religion turn to alternative beliefs, such as health food, tarot cards and psychics.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Studying Religion through Practice	p. 1
What Is "Religion"?	p. 2
An Anthropological Approach to Religion	p. 5
Practices, Contexts, Diversity	p. 8
Social Theory in the Anthropology of Religion	p. 10
Religion as Intellectual Activity	p. 10
Religions in Social Life	p. 14
The Psychology of Religion	p. 20
Ideas and Practices of "Religion" in Europe and Elsewhere	p. 25
Western Ideas of Religion	p. 25
Other Religions, Other Models	p. 27
Combining Religious Practices in Japan	p. 31
Rituals and the Shaping of Emotions	p. 43
Rites of Passage	p. 44
Initiation, Secrecy, and Fear	p. 46
Death Ritual and the Social Order	p. 48
Grief and Ritual Form	p. 55
Gender, Religion, and Ethnography	p. 59
Creating Gender through Ritual	p. 60
Reanalyses through the Lens of Gender	p. 64
Articulating Women's Perspectives through Spirits	p. 65
Religious Patriarchy and Its Challenges	p. 67
Women and Islamic Dress	p. 69
Patterns, Powers, and the Self	p. 76
Magic, Patterns, and Causes	p. 76
Explaining Misfortune	p. 80
The New Age	p. 84
Wicca or Modern Witchcraft	p. 85
Healing through Religion	p. 89
Prayer, Faith, and Healing	p. 89
Does Prayer Heal?	p. 90
Narratives and Pain Relief	p. 93
Trance, Possession, and Healing	p. 95
Modern Magic in Japanese New Religions	p. 97
Sorcery, Witchcraft, and Modernity	p. 104
La Sorcellerie in Cameroon	p. 105
Azande Oracles	p. 107
Sorcery and Modernity	p. 109
Witchcraft as Satan versus God	p. 114
Objects, Images, and Worship	p. 123
Conveying Meaning through Symbols	p. 123
Masks in West Africa	p. 125
Images and Offerings in Hinduism	p. 129
Relics and Images in Catholicism	p. 134
Mary and Marys in European Societies	p. 141
Crossing Cultural Boundaries	p. 150
Converting	p. 151
Translating: Mary in the Americas	p. 156
Adapting: Islamic Sacrifice in New Cultures	p. 162
Sacred Speech and Divine Power	p. 170
The Qur'an as Recitation of God's Speech	p. 171
The Creative Power of Navajo Speech and Song	p. 175
Speech and Grace in Protestant Churches	p. 177
Religion on the Web	p. 188
Pilgrims and Places	p. 192
Centers and Directions	p. 192
Dimensions of Pilgrimage	p. 194
The Pilgrimage to Mecca	p. 195
Contrasts in Pilgrimage from Japan and India	p. 203
Saints, Visions, and Prophets	p. 211
Saints as Exemplars and as Sources of Assistance	p. 212
Prophets and Social Change	p. 216
Revitalization Movements: Messiahs, Millennia, and Revivals	p. 220
Mormon Prophecy and Authority	p. 226
Muhammad and His Successors	p. 230
Religion, Violence, and War	p. 235
Cults, Sects, and Violence	p. 236
Struggle and Authority in Islam	p. 241
The Place of Religions in Modern Nations and States	p. 249
Religious Nationalisms	p. 250
Religion and State Law	p. 255
Religious Minorities and Public Religions	p. 258
Minority Religions in Europe: Toleration or Public Recognition?	p. 261
Religion, Nation, and State in the United States	p. 265
References	p. 271
Index	p. 282
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