In my opinion, the theory is effective at explaining one, albeit key, element of religious experience, whilst ignoring another. Luhrmann's "When God Talks Back. Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God". Timothy McGlinchey Author. Add to cart. Luhrmann I intend to introduce this essay in the same way Tanya Luhrmann introduces her book; with perhaps some of the most intriguing and pertinent questions that challenge both the modern day understanding of religion, and indeed, the anthropologists who study it.
Sign in to write a comment. Read the ebook. The relationship between Hawaiians an Jewish American Literature. A Critica The Visual Aesthetics of Baz Luhrmann Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo and Ju A Critical Reflection of "Instru Klischee und Komposition in Baz Luhrm Kunst und Kommerz. Eine dramaturgisch Although there are multiple tendency of modeling indigenous religions examples of analyzing such processes in litera- according to the Christian example, his own ture, the comparative perspective provided by project, and especially the analysis at the end of Cox adds significantly to our understanding of the book, exhibits—perhaps purposefully—a the mechanisms of religious change.
In partic- degree of idealization. Cox chooses to for further studies of indigenous religions that ground his analysis in the Bakhtinian division differs in style from the previous chapters. In between organic and intentional hybridity, order to make this section conform better with which he views more fruitful for examining the rest of the book, a more detailed discus- religious change than the language of syncre- sion of the controversy between theology and tism.
While his choice is well-justified, I think religious studies with respect to indigenous he too quickly bypasses the latest scholarship religions would have been more fitting, not on syncretism, discussed on one page only, least because such a controversy is not equally which has done much to revitalize the con- present in all national academic contexts. The choice of analyzing the material in In spite of perhaps not using all the poten- terms of the two forms of hybridity has the tial offered by the empirical material pre- effect of simplifying the issue.
As Cox himself sented, this book constitutes a remarkably acknowledges p. It is essential reading for anyone the possibility to generate a more versatile working on indigenous religions.
Paper- tural change may take. These together and making the book a whole, with transformations have led to the urban and each chapter having something new to offer. Both gressive integration into the alternative reli- discursive practices are characterized by what gious scene. Chapter 4 explores the white, urban middle class that is participat- the growing popularity, due to the increas- ing in Santo Daime.
The tant religious influences vegetalismo, popu- chapter thus focuses on the various spiritual lar Catholicism, esotericism, Spiritism, and entities invoked during Santo Daime rituals. It offers a bold, tion of ritual participants in ceremonial space overarching reflection on the complexities of and of the organization of ritual activities.
In particular, the scarce- ious entities that populate it. The book deals ness of empirical data weakens the interesting with so many ethnographic cases around the argument, which puts forward the importance world and makes so many specific points and of the different forms of alterity involved in bold theoretical statements that it would be this practice—through the figure, among oth- impossible to offer more than a brief over- ers, of spiritual entities see chap.
Because of the over- a critical approach to the Western, dualist riding emphasis on general theoretical con- understanding of nature and culture and, as siderations, the book may thus deceive those the title of the book explicitly proposes, an guided by its title, as this work is an effort effort to go beyond it.
Such an understand- more to theorize the values and ideology that ing, Descola claims, is not universal because inform some contemporary practices of this in many parts of the world numerous exam- Brazilian ayahuasca religion than to account ples of which are offered from America, Asia, for its expansion.
Nonetheless, it will be valu- Oceania, and Africa there can be detected able to readers concerned with sociological a continuity between nature and culture, theory and offers some interesting epistemo- with no clear ontological distinctions being logical insights for the study of religion in con- made. This deconstructive approach is com- temporary Western society. It is in this last period that nature clearly distinguishes itself from human nature, leading to the concept of DESCOLA, Philippe, Beyond Nature and Culture, society and then to that of culture, viewed as trans.
Janet Lloyd, pp. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, omous from nature and creating a plurality of The meant to describe the way in which different elementary guiding line that structures the collectives interact with each other. Briefly classification of social experience, accord- put, these means of interaction are exchange ing to Descola, is the relation forged between based on symmetry , predation based on humans and non-humans.
The com- So far I have been descriptive, although I bination of these two pairs of variables results have left out some important points. Firstly, his multi- In very few words, animism poses a similarity leveled relational approach creates schemas in interiorities and a dissimilarity in physical- and collectives that are solid, on the one hand, ities.
As such, it is diametrically opposed to and dynamic, on the other. He thus offers us naturalism, the Western schema, which poses an alternative path out of rigid structures or a discontinuity in interiorities and a continu- completely fluid identities. Secondly, his rela- ity in physicalities.
Totemism poses similarity tional schemas take into account in a creative in both variables, while analogism dissimilar- way both similarities and differences. Descola analyzes each mode of identifica- A book with so many points made and tion in detail part 3 , something that would with such universalist ambitions is bound to be impossible to describe satisfactorily here.
Here, again, I In essence, what he does is explicate, with the will have to be extremely brief and selective. Descola seems to be suggesting that ticularities of each mode of identification, culture can be universally equated to the soul, offering more details and analytical points.
Collectives, whether humans ent is where they place nature and culture in or non-humans, being demarcated by these relation to similarities and differences. But if schemas, are not rigid formulations based on we wish to go beyond the categories of nature unchangeable essences. Thus, just as schemas equivalent of exteriorities? New York: New York streets. Flores makes the important point that University Press, His treatment of reformed mas- port from the appropriate academic literature culinity is nicely nuanced as well, showing to provide a keen analysis of urban poverty, that former gang members do not entirely social marginality, and the dynamic processes forsake the symbols of the street after leaving of identity reformation attending faith-based gang life and noting that many of the former gang recovery programs in the United States.
These issues are advantaged largely immigrant others, adult important in the context of contemporary Chicano gang members are not trapped in a urban social life in the US as well as abroad.
Group therapy and job train- Although well-executed, this apparent ing and assistance, together with an array of revelation—that downward assimilation of religious practices and services, help inspire second-generation immigrants is not total- new expressions of manhood and assist ex- izing—is less profound than Flores implies. To especially for those interested in the intersec- this end, the author does an admirable job of tion of gender performance and social class. These organizations offer contrasting see Brenneman and Wolseth Staying Sober in Mexico Flores suggests, offer recovery from gang life City.
Austin: University of Texas Press. Oxford: American religious marketplace: exit from Oxford University Press. Flores, Edward. This is worth not- Charisma: Ecstasies and Institutions, ed.
Charles ing since Flores treats both organizations as Lindholm. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Nego- Protestant—even though Homeboy Indus- tiating Respect: Pentecostalism, Masculinity, tries is less convincingly portrayed as a proper and the Politics of Spiritual Authority in the religious entity.
While this does not distract Dominican Republic. Gainesville: University significantly from the important insights Press of Florida. Jesus and the Gang: Youth the centrality of religious ministry to some of Violence and Christianity in Urban Honduras. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Flores situates his study within the soci- ology of gangs, immigration, and the urban underclass, and he is sensitive to the racial dynamics that contour life in inner city Los Angeles.
While he has made numerous inter- tures about witchcraft in Europe, concentrat- ventions, he is best known for his work on ing on the early modern period.
Chapter 5 the links between witchcraft, modernity, and shifts the focus to Afro-Brazilian practices, power in Cameroon. Both of these chapters offer tance of his contribution.
This outward-directed attack found in European volume revisits some of this terrain while at witch beliefs, where the witch attacks people the same time trying to place earlier material outside the house or kin group, with Afri- within an ambitious comparative perspective. He tual triad of witchcraft, intimacy, and trust. Europe with the accumulative kin relations of In the introductory chapter, Geschiere lays land-abundant Africa.
For myself, the most to have overcome the dangerous ambiguity interesting part of this discussion is the link he finds in Africa and to have become a force Geschiere makes between ideas of intimacy, that actively promotes trust. The second chapter, which focuses any of the obvious objections his theories on intimacy in more detail, draws on African raise. The third chapter Russia, or in land-poor areas in Africa like uses a similar set of ethnographic sources, Rwanda-Burundi?
Is the difference in trust this time concentrating on trust and kinship. It is my impression that many of Johnson, Paul Christopher, ed. The final chapter reaches most interesting and compelling books to some important conclusions, but given the date on possession.
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