Introducing Anthropology of Religion: Culture

Written by an experienced teacher, this basic introduction to the anthropology of religion explores key contemporary issues such as: definitions, theories, beliefs, symbols and language, and behaviour. The second part of the book analyzes: religion in the modern world violence fundamentalism key world religions and new religious movements. Unlike other introductions which have tended to focus solely on traditional anthropological areas, this book also shows how to apply an anthropological approach to contemporary world religions, reflecting broader trends. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this is the perfect resource for students.

Jack David Eller teaches anthropology at the Metropolitan State College of Denver

List of case studies	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Studying Religion Anthropologically: Definitions and Theories	p. 1
Studying religion "anthropologically"	p. 2
Studying "religion" anthropologically	p. 7
"Studying" religion anthropologically	p. 12
Conclusion	p. 28
Religious Entities and Concepts	p. 29
The anthropology of belief	p. 30
Religious entities: beings and forces	p. 34
Religious conceptions: the universe and human existence	p. 44
Conclusion	p. 52
Religious Symbols and Specialists	p. 54
The anthropology of symbolism	p. 55
A world of religious "symbols"	p. 65
Religious specialists	p. 71
Conclusion	p. 81
Religious Language	p. 82
Myth as religious language	p. 83
Types and themes of myth	p. 86
The structural study of myth	p. 91
Myth as oral literature	p. 93
Religious language as performance	p. 98
The power of words	p. 104
Conclusion	p. 107
Religious Behavior	p. 109
The anthropology of ritual and ritualization	p. 110
The diversity of religious ritual	p. 116
Rites of passage: the structure of ritual	p. 126
Ritual fields, ritual performances, and "social theater"	p. 128
Conclusion	p. 132
Religion, Morality, and Social Order	p. 134
The anthropology of morality	p. 135
The efficacy of religion: formation and transformation	p. 141
Religion and the social order	p. 147
Conclusion	p. 159
Religious Change and New Religious Movements	p. 160
The anthropology of religious change	p. 161
Religion and revitalization: using religion to bring society back to life	p. 172
Revitalization movements, traditional and modern	p. 182
Conclusion	p. 186
World Religions	p. 188
The anthropology of the "great transformation"	p. 189
"Conversion" to world religions	p. 193
Conversion and the colonization of everyday life	p. 198
World religions in the religious field	p. 200
The diversity within world religions	p. 204
Conclusion	p. 216
Religious Violence	p. 218
The anthropology of violence	p. 219
Religion as explanation and justification for violence	p. 225
The diversity of religious violence	p. 229
Conclusion	p. 246
Secularism and Irreligion	p. 247
The anthropology of secularism	p. 248
Western secularism, ancient and modern	p. 254
Secularism and secularization in non-Western societies	p. 263
The contemporary "secular movement" in the USA	p. 269
Conclusion	p. 273
Religious Fundamentalism	p. 275
The anthropology of fundamentalism	p. 276
Christian fundamentalisms	p. 283
Fundamentalisms in cross-cultural perspective	p. 291
Conclusion	p. 301
Religion in the USA	p. 302
Religion, American style	p. 303
The evolution of religion in America	p. 310
Religion and the courts	p. 319
Religion in the public square	p. 322
Conclusion	p. 330
Bibliography	p. 331
Index	p. 346
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Introducing Anthropology of Religion: Culture to the Ultimate

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