Category: Anthropology
Anthropology
Showing 1–60 of 78 results
Teilhard De Chardins The Phenomenon Of Man Explained
$29.95Add to cartTeilhard’s book The Human Phenomenon (The Phenomenon of Man) developed many of the fundamental concepts of Teilhard’s evolutionary thinking that were the foundational ideas for his integration of evolutionary science with Christian theology and spirituality. In this book, Savary skillfully examines the connection of Teilhard’s evolutionary scientific ideas and his spirituality and theology.
Consequently, Teilhard de Chardin’s The Phenomenon of Man Explained presents Teilhard’s scientific ideas accessibly while also explaining the text, showing how the ideas presented in each section may be directly applied to theological thinking, spiritual practices, and moral behavior.
Reclaimed : How Jesus Restores Our Humanity In A Dehumanized World
$18.99Add to cartWe live in an era of polarizing political and religious disagreement. Despite the lip service our society pays to tolerance, it’s becoming more and more difficult to look past our differences and to recognize our common humanity. The way that we treat each other is a direct result of how we see one another, and our culture is full of warning signs that we aren’t seeing each other correctly.
In Reclaimed, author and cultural critic Andy Steiger explores the trend toward dehumanization that underlies our fraught times. People on both sides of the political aisle and from all walks of life share a deep desire for better understanding, justice, and human dignity. Yet we’re uncertain how to achieve these aims. Steiger points to Jesus as the basis for rediscovering our common ground and our shared humanity.
In Jesus we find not only that humans are unique, valuable, and bearers of rights and responsibilities, but also that our dehumanizing tendencies–our worst inclinations toward inhumanity–can bve redeemed and restored. Jesus enables us to be fully human, and it’s in him that we rediscover the kind of relationships and society for which so many people today are longing.
Fertility And Faith
$29.99Add to cartDemography drives religious change. High-fertility societies, like most of contemporary Africa, tend to be fervent and devout. The lower a population’s fertility rates, the greater the tendency for people to detach from organized or institutional religion. Thus, fertility rates supply an effective gauge of secularization trends. In Fertility and Faith, Philip Jenkins maps the demographic revolution that has taken hold of many countries around the globe in recent decades and explores the implications for the future development of the world’s religions.
Demographic change has driven the secularization of contemporary Western Europe, where the revolution began. Jenkins shows how the European trajectory of rapid declines in fertility is now affecting much of the globe. The implications are clear: the religious character of many non-European areas is highly likely to move in the direction of sweeping secularization. And this is now reshaping the United States itself.
This demographic revolution is reshaping Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism. In order to accommodate the new social trends, these religions must adapt to situations where large families are no longer the norm. Each religious tradition will develop distinctive emphases concerning morality, gender, and sexuality, as well as the roles of clergy and laity in the faith’s institutional structures.
Radical change follows great upheaval. The tidal shift is well underway. With Fertility and Faith, Philip Jenkins describes this ongoing phenomenon and envisions our collective religious future.
Introduction To Theological Anthropology
$34.99Add to cartIn this thorough introduction to theological anthropology, Joshua Farris offers an evangelical perspective on the topic. Farris walks the reader through some of the most important issues in traditional approaches to anthropology, such as sexuality, posthumanism, and the image of God. He addresses fundamental questions like, Who am I? and Why do I exist? as well as the creaturely and divine nature of humans, the body-soul relationship, and beatific vision.
Introducing Cultural Anthropology
$32.99Add to cartWhat is the role of culture in human experience? This concise yet solid introduction to cultural anthropology helps readers explore and understand this crucial issue from a Christian perspective. Now revised and updated throughout, this new edition of a successful textbook covers standard cultural anthropology topics with special attention given to cultural relativism, evolution, and missions. It also includes a new chapter on medical anthropology. Plentiful figures, photos, and sidebars are sprinkled throughout the text, and updated ancillary support materials and teaching aids are available through Baker Academic’s Textbook eSources.
Studying The Image
$52.00Add to cartThe field of anthropology provides rich insights into the world of people and cultures. But it also presents challenges for Christians in the areas of cultural relativism, evolutionary theory, race and ethnicity, forms of the family, governments and war, life in the global economy, the morality of art, and religious pluralism. Most significantly it raises questions regarding the truth and how we can know it. This book provides the opportunity to investigate such questions with both the informed understanding of anthropological theory and ethnography, and the larger framework and commitment of Christian biblical and theological studies. So equipped, readers are encouraged to investigate for themselves the depths and intricacies of topics in anthropology that are especially relevant for Christians.
Studying The Image
$32.00Add to cartThe field of anthropology provides rich insights into the world of people and cultures. But it also presents challenges for Christians in the areas of cultural relativism, evolutionary theory, race and ethnicity, forms of the family, governments and war, life in the global economy, the morality of art, and religious pluralism. Most significantly it raises questions regarding the truth and how we can know it. This book provides the opportunity to investigate such questions with both the informed understanding of anthropological theory and ethnography, and the larger framework and commitment of Christian biblical and theological studies. So equipped, readers are encouraged to investigate for themselves the depths and intricacies of topics in anthropology that are especially relevant for Christians.
Understanding Scientific Theories Of Origins
$90.00Add to cartList Of Figures
List Of Tables
List Of Sidebars
Introduction
AbbreviationsPart 1: Getting Started On The Journey
1. Principles And Methods Of Biblical Interpretation (John H. Walton)
2. A Comprehensive Doctrine Of Creation And Implications For Scientific Study (Robert C. Bishop)
3. Knowledge And Faith In Pursuing Origins Questions (Robert C. Bishop)
4. Creation Through The Lenses Of Science And Theology (Robert C. Bishop)Part 2: Cosmic Origins
5. Cosmic Origins: Genesis 1:1-2:4 (John H. Walton)
6. Electromagnetic Radiation And The Scale Of The Universe (Robert C. Bishop)
7. The Expanding Universe (Robert C. Bishop)
8. The Big Bang Model And Contemporary Cosmology (Robert C. Bishop)
9. Lives And Deaths Of Stars And Fine-Tuning (Robert C. Bishop)
10. Biblical And Theological Perspectives On The Origins Of The Universe (Robert C. Bishop)Part 3: Origin And Geologic History Of Earth
11. Origin Of The Earth And Solar System (Stephen O. Moshier)
12. Historical Roots Of Geology: Catastrophism And Uniformitarianism (Stephen O. Moshier)
13. The Genesis Flood (John H. Walton)
14. The Rock Cycle And Timescales Of Geologic Processes (Stephen O. Moshier)
15. Rocks Of Ages: Measuring Geologic Time (Stephen O. Moshier)
16. Plate Tectonics: A Theory For How The Earth Works (Stephen O. Moshier)
17. Reading Earth’s History In Rocks And Fossils (Stephen O. Moshier)
18. Biblical And Theological Perspectives On Earth History (Stephen O. Moshier And Robert C. Bishop)Part 4: Origin Of Life On Earth
19. From Spontaneous Generation To Abiogenesis (Larry L. Funck)
20. Prebiotic Chemistry: Preparing The Primordial Soup (Larry L. Funck)
21. Biological Information: Proteins And Nucleic Acids (Larry L. Funck)
22. Alternative Scenarios For Life’s Origin (Larry L. Funck)
23. Biblical And Theological Perspectives On The Origin Of Life (Larry L. Funck)Part 5: Origin Of Species And Diversity Of Life
24. Development Of The Theory Of Evolution (Raymond J. Lewis)
25. The Modern Synthesis Of Evolution (Raymond J. Lewis)
26. Exploring The Evidence About Evolution: Phylogeny And Fossils (Raymond J. Lewis)
27. Development Of An Extended Synthesis Of Evolution (Raymond J. Lewis)
28. Biblical And Theological Perspectives On The Origin Of The Diversity Of Life (Raymond J. Lewis And Robert C. Bishop)Part 6: Human Origins
29. Human Origins: Genesis 2-3 (John H. Walton)
30. Human Origins: Evidence From Physical Anthropology (Stephen O. Moshier)Additional Info
The question of origins remains a stumbling block for many. But just as the Psalmist gained insight into God’s character through the observation of nature, modern scientific study can deepen and enrich our vision of the Creator and our place in his creation. In this often contentious field Bishop, Funck, Lewis, Moshier, and Walton serve as our able guides.Based on over two decades of teaching origins together in the classroom, the authors present a textbook exploring mainstream scientific theories of origins in astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, geology, biology, physical anthropology, and genetics. While many authors engage origins from a Christian perspective, this is the first work offering a full-fledged discussion of the scientific narrative of origins, from the Big Bang through humankind, accessible to a lay audience in biblical and theological perspective.
Topics include
Principles of biblical interpretation
Close readings of relevant Genesis texts
A comprehensive Trinitarian doctrine of creation
Cosmic origins
The geologic history of Earth
The origin of life on Earth
The origin of species and diversity of life
Human origins
New creation and creation care
Science educationRather than the familiar scenario where science and faith compete, this book seeks to diffuse tensions by taking the inspiration and authority of the Bible seriously while respecting and honoring God’s revelation through creation. Understanding Scientific Theories of Origins gives the reader a detailed picture of the sciences of origins along with how they fit into the story of God’s creative and redemptive action.
Discerning The Plight Of Man (Workbook)
$20.00Add to cartBiblical Foundations for the Christian Faith, Book Three
Apart from a correct understanding of the nature and sin of man, it is impossible to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ or to appreciate fully the grace that God has extended to us through His magnificent work. For this reason, this new workbook Discerning the Plight of Man purposes to set before the reader the reality of man’s fallenness and the dire consequences of his sin. The purpose is not to steal hope from the hearts of men, as we see our awful condition; but rather to point you away from self and to the only true hope for man: The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Discerning the Plight of Man takes the reader through the dark tunnel of man’s sin so that he or she might see with greater clarity the light of God’s grace. The great goal of this study is for the student to have an encounter with God through His Word. Founded upon the conviction that the Scriptures are the inspired and infallible Word of God, this study has been designed in such a way that the student can only advance in it with an open Bible before you. The goal is to help the reader obey the exhortation of the Apostle Paul in II Timothy 2:15: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
Each chapter deals with a specific aspect of the doctrine of man and his desperate plight before a holy God. The student will complete each chapter by answering the questions and following the instructions according to the Scriptures given. The student is encouraged to meditate upon each text and write his or her thoughts. The benefit gained from this study will depend upon the student’s investment. If the student answers the questions thoughtlessly, merely copying the text without seeking to understand its meaning, this book will be of very little help.
Discerning the Plight of Man is primarily a biblical study and does not contain much in the way of colorful illustrations, quaint stories, or theological treatises. It was the desire of the author to provide a work that simply points the way to the Scriptures and allows the Word of God to speak for itself.
This workbook may be used by an individual, in a small group, for a Sunday school class, or in other contexts. It is highly recommended that the student complete each chapter on his or her own before meeting for discussion and questions with the group or discipleship leader.
The New
Identity Matters : Discovering Who You Are In Christ
$14.99Add to cartExperience the unshakeable certainty of your inheritance in Christ and the wonder of being a child of God.
Our understanding of our identity matters. It is the foundation of well-being, self-esteem, and self worth, which directly influences our quest for purpose and significance in life. Unfortunately, we live in a society that insists on performance and people pleasing as the only acceptable pathways to security and acceptance. Many Christians are wearing themselves out on this treadmill of self-promotion and achievement, unaware that they are ultimately building their lives on shifting sand.
True Christian identity rests upon the rock solid promise that we are the children of God. Discovering who we are in Christ unlocks an inheritance that is eternal, secure, and overflowing with transforming grace that changes our lives at the deepest level, unleashing amazing possibilities for life and ministry. God’s promise brings the unshakable certainty that at the core of our lives, we are forever hidden in Christ.
Geography Of Genius
$16.99Add to cartTag along on this New York Times bestselling witty, entertaining romp (The New York Times Book Review) as Eric Winer travels the world, from Athens to Silicon Valley-and back through history, too-to show how creative genius flourishes in specific places at specific times.
In this intellectual odyssey, traveler’s diary, and comic novel all rolled into one (Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness), acclaimed travel writer Weiner sets out to examine the connection between our surroundings and our most innovative ideas. A superb travel guide: funny, knowledgeable, and self-deprecating (The Washington Post), he explores the history of places like Vienna of 1900, Renaissance Florence, ancient Athens, Song Dynasty Hangzhou, and Silicon Valley to show how certain urban settings are conducive to ingenuity. With his trademark insightful humor, this big-hearted humanist (The Wall Street Journal) walks the same paths as the geniuses who flourished in these settings to see if the spirit of what inspired figures like Socrates, Michelangelo, and Leonardo remains. In these places, Weiner asks, What was in the air, and can we bottle it?
Fun and thought provoking (Miami Herald), The Geography of Genius reevaluates the importance of culture in nurturing creativity and offers a practical map for how we can all become a bit more inventive (Adam Grant, author of Originals).
Reciprocating Self : Human Developments In Theological Perspective (Revised)
$40.00Add to cart14 Chapters
Additional Info
Jack O. Balswick, Pamela Ebstyne King and Kevin S. Reimer present a model of human development that ranges across all of life’s stages. This revised second edition engages new research from evolutionary psychology, developmental neuroscience and positive psychology.
Entryway Into Yesteryears
$15.00Add to cart: Entryway Into Yesteryears is the history of where we came from. A soul woke inside Shari Harris’s mind and told her the words of God, peace, and love and understanding each other. This is the story of God Christ and His brother, Lord Christ.
Shari started off writing this book for her niece but ended up writing the words of God. God told her to write His words about where we came from and where we go when we die. She asked God why He picked her. God said to trust Him.
This story is how the world came to be from a single hollow rock to Planet Earth. God showed her Heaven, a place of peace and love. This is the story of our yesteryears.
Image Of God In An Image Driven Age
$28.00Add to cartAcknowledgments
Introduction
Beth Felker Jones And Jeffrey W. Barbeau
Zola, Imago Dei, On Her First Birthday
Jill Pelaez Baumgaertner
Whiteout
Brett FosterPart I: Canon
1. In The Image Of God He Created Them: How Genesis 1:26-27 Defines The Divine-Human Relationship And Why It Matters
Catherine McDowell
2. Poised Between Life And Death: The Imago Dei After Eden
William A. Dyrness
3. True Righteousness And Holiness: The Image Of God In The New Testament
Craig L. BlombergPart II: Culture
4. Uncovering Christ: Sexuality In The Image Of The Invisible God
Timothy R. Gaines And Shawna Songer Gaines
5. Culture Breaking: In Praise Of Iconoclasm
Matthew J. Milliner
6. Carrying The Fire, Bearing The Image: Theological Reflections On Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
Christina Bieber LakePart III: Vision
7. What Does It Mean To See Someone? Icons And Identity
Ian A. McFarland
8. Image, Spirit And Theosis: Imaging God In An Image-Distorting World
Daniela C. Augustine
9. The God Of Creative Address: Creation, Christology And Ethics
Janet SoskicePart IV: Witness
10. The Sin Of Racism: Racialization Of The Image Of God
Soong-Chan Rah
11. Witnessing In Freedom: Resisting Commodification Of The Image
Beth Felker Jones
12. The Storm Of Images: The Image Of God In Global Faith
Philip JenkinsEpilogue
List Of Contributors
IndexAdditional Info
Whether on the printed page, the television screen or the digital app, we live in a world saturated with images. Some images help shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us in positive ways, while others lead us astray and distort our relationships. Christians confess that human beings have been created in the image of God, yet we chose to rebel against that God and so became unfaithful bearers of God’s image. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus, who is the image of God, restores the divine image in us, partially now and fully in the day to come. The essays collected in The Image of God in an Image Driven Age explore the intersection of theology and culture. With topics ranging across biblical exegesis, the art gallery, Cormac McCarthy, racism, sexuality and theosis, the contributors to this volume offer a unified vision-ecumenical in nature and catholic in spirit-of what it means to be truly human and created in the divine image in the world today. This collection from the 2015 Wheaton Theology Conference includes contributions by Daniela C. Augustine, Craig L. Blomberg, William A. Dyrness, Timothy R. Gaines and Shawna Songer Gaines, Phillip Jenkins, Beth Felker Jones, Christina Bieber Lake, Catherine McDowell, Ian A. McFarland, Matthew J. Milliner, Soong-Chan Rah and Janet Soskice, as well as original poems by Jill Pelaez Baumgaertner and Brett Foster.
Karl Barths Infralapsarian Theology
$39.00Add to cartForeword By George Hunsinger
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
IntroductionPart I: Reappraising Barth’s Lapsarian Position
1. Supra- And Infralapsarianism In The Seventeenth Century: Some Definitions
2. Church Dogmatics 33: Barth’s Lapsarian Position ReassessedPart II: Barth’s Lapsarian Position In Development, 1920-1953
3.Romerbrief II (1920-1921): Lapsarianism In The Impossible Possibility Dialectic
4. The Gottingen-Munster Period (1921-1930): Christology And Predestination In The Subject-Object Dialectic
5. The Bonn Years (1930-1935): Human Talk And Divine Word-New Developments?
6. Gottes Gnadenwahl (1936): Infralapsarian Aspects Of Barth’s Christocentric Doctrine Of Election
7. CD II/2 (1939-1942): Christ As Electing God And Elected Human-Lapsarianism Purified
8. CD IV/1 (1951-1953): Adamic History And History Of Christ-Infralapsarian Tendencies In Barth’s Doctrine Of SinConclusion
Bibliography
Author Index
Subject IndexAdditional Info
Theologians have long assumed that Karl Barth’s doctrine of election is supralapsarian. Challenging decades of scholarship, Shao Kai Tseng argues that despite Barth’s stated favor of supralapsarianism, his mature lapsarian theology is complex and dialectical, critically reappropriating both supra- and infralapsarian patterns of thinking. Barth can be described as basically infralapsarian because he sees the object of election as fallen humankind and understands the incarnation as God’s act of taking on human nature in its condition of fallenness. Tseng shows that most of Barth’s Reformed critics have not understood his doctrine of election accurately enough to recognize his affinity to infralapsarianism and, conversely, that most Barthians have not understood Reformed-orthodox formulations of election with sufficient accuracy in their disagreement with the tradition. Karl Barth’s Infralapsarian Theology offers a clear understanding of both the historic Lapsarian Controversy and Barth’s distinct form of lapsarianism, providing a charitable dialogue partner to aid mutual understanding between Barth and evangelicals.
Study Of Gods Love And Mankinds History
$19.95Add to cartSome people say that God can’t possibly be a God of love because of all the chaos and evil in the world today. But what does the Bible teach us about God’s love? And for that matter, what does the Bible teach us about the history of mankind, from the introduction of sin into the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God to the second coming of Jesus and the destruction of the wicked.
A Study of God’s Love and Mankind’s History relies on the sure Word of God, with a special emphasis on Daniel and Revelation, to investigate these and other questions that pertain to God’s interaction with us as humans. Found within the pages of Scripture are truths that can answer all of life’s questions. May we study and be ready to meet Jesus when He returns to take His followers to heaven with Him.
Power And Vulnerability Of Love
$39.00Add to cartWhat is it about human beings that makes us capable and even desirous of inflicting terrible suffering on others (and ourselves)? If human beings-not God-are the cause of evils such as extreme poverty, violence, and oppression, it is imperative that we probe the depths of the human heart to uncover why we, who are made in the image of Divine Eros, fail so miserably to love. Gandolfo constructs a theological anthropology in response to these pivotal questions. Gandolfo maintains that such an anthropology-and a response to these questions-begins with the condition of human vulnerability. Drawing on women’s experiences of maternity and natality, she argues that vulnerability is a dimension of human existence that causes us great anxiety, which in turn sets in motion tragic attempts by individuals and interest groups to eliminate their own vulnerability at the cost of vulnerable others. Yet, vulnerability not only forms the basis for violence but also affords the possibility of human openness to the redemptive work of divine love. Poised paradoxically between tragic and redemptive vulnerability, human beings need existential resources and empowering practices to cope with and manage our vulnerability in more courageous, peaceful, and compassionate ways.
Language For God In Patristic Tradition
$28.00Add to cartCriticism of myth in the Bible is not a modern problem. Its roots go back to the earliest Christian theologians, and before them, to ancient Greek and Jewish thinkers. The dilemma posed by texts that ascribe human characteristics and emotions to the divine is a perennial problem, and we have much to learn from the ancient attempts to address it. Mark Sheridan provides a theological and historical analysis of the patristic interpretation of Scripture’s anthropomorphic and anthropopathic language for God. Rather than reject the Bible as mere stories, ancient Jewish and Christian theologians read these texts allegorically or theologically in order to discover the truth contained within them. They recognized that an edifying and appropriate interpretation of these stories required that one start from the understanding that God is not a human being (Num 23:19). Sheridan brings the patristic tradition into conversation with modern interpreters to show the abiding significance of its theological interpretation for today. Language for God in Patristic Tradition is a landmark resource for students of ancient Christian theology. Wide-ranging in scope and accessible in its analysis, it demonstrates that those engaged in theological interpretation of Scripture have much to gain from studying their forebears in the faith.
Consider Leviathan : Narratives Of Nature And The Self In Job
$39.00Add to cartContents:
Prologue
1. Consider The Ostrich
2. Eco-Anthropologies Of Wisdom In The Hebrew Bible
3. Eco-Anthropologies In The Joban Dialogues
4. Eco-Anthropologies In The Joban God-Speech
5. Natural Theologies Of The Post-Exilic Self In Job
Epilogue: The New Nature And The New SelfAdditional Info
Theologians and philosophers are turning again to questions of the meaning, or non-meaning, of the natural world for human self-understanding. Brian R. Doak observes that the book of Job, more than any other book in the Bible, uses metaphors drawn from the natural world, especially of plants and animals, as raw material for thinking about human suffering. Doak argues that Job should be viewed as an anthropological ground zero for the traumatic definition of the post-exilic human self in ancient Israel. Furthermore, the battered shape of the Joban experience should provide a starting point for reconfiguring our thinking about natural theology as a category of intellectual history in the ancient world.Doak examines how the development of the human subject is portrayed in the biblical text in either radical continuity or discontinuity with plants and animals. Consider Leviathan explores the text at the intersection of anthropology, theology, and ecology, opening up new possibilities for charting the view of nature in the Hebrew Bible.
Human Being : A Theological Anthropology
$37.50Add to cartComprehensive theological study of what it means to be human
This overview of Christian anthropology by Hans Schwarz uniquely emphasizes three things: (1) the biblical testimony, (2) the historical unfolding of Christian anthropology through the centuries, and (3) the present affirmation of Christian anthropology in view of rival options and current scientific evidence.
Schwarz begins by elucidating the special place occupied by human beings in the world, then ponders the complex issue of human freedom, and concludes by investigating humanity as a community of men and women in this world and in the world beyond. While maintaining a strong biblical orientation, Schwarz draws on a wide range of resources, including philosophy and the natural sciences, in order to map out what it means to be human.
Schwarz’s Human Being will interest anyone who is concerned with how in the face of fascinating scientific insights we can intelligently talk today about human sinfulness, human freedom, and human beings as children of the God who created us.
Ways Of The People
$39.99Add to cart89 Chapters
Additional Info
Alan Tippett’s publications played a significant role in the development of missiology. The volumes in this series augment his distinguished reputation by bringing to light his many unpublished materials and hard-to-locate printed articles. These books- encompassing theology, anthropology, history, area studies, religion, and ethnohistory- broaden the contours of the discipline.Missionaries and anthropologists have a tenuous relationship. While often critical of missionaries, anthropologists are indebted to missionaries for linguistic and cultural data as well as hospitality and introductions into the local community. In The Ways of the People, Alan Tippett provides a critical history of missionary anthropology and brings together a superb reader of seminal anthropological contributions from missionaries Edwin Smith, R. H. Codrington, Lorimer Fison, Diedrich Westermann, Henri Junod, and many more.
Twenty years as a missionary in Fiji, following pastoral ministry in Australia and graduate degrees in history and anthropology, provide the rich data base that made Alan R. Tippett a leading missiologist of the twentieth century. Tippett served as Professor of Anthropology and Oceanic Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Theology Spirituality And Mental Health
$75.00Add to cartTheology, Spirituality and Mental Health provides reflections from leading international scholars and practitioners in theology, anthropology, philosophy and psychiatry as to the nature of spirituality and its relevance to constructions of mental disorder and mental healthcare. Key issues are explored in depth, including the nature of spirituality and recent debates concerning its importance in contemporary psychiatric practice, relationship between demons and wellbeing in ancient religious texts and contemporary practice, religious conversion, and the nature and importance of myth and theology in shaping human self understanding. These are used as a basis for exploring some of the overarching intellectual and practical issues that arise when different disciplines engage together with an attempt to better understand the relationship between spirituality and mental health and translate their findings into mental healthcare practice.
Natural Science Parent Lesson Planner (Teacher’s Guide)
$4.99Add to cartHow to use this lesson planner
This course is intended to help a student assess information about evolution and creation, and based on the information provided for each, form his or her own understanding of this issue. The author spent 30 years in a challenge to prove evolution, yet the more he learned, the more the truth of God’s Word became apparent in the evidence and interviews he found while travelling the world speaking to scholars, museum officials, and viewing artifacts.
While originally designed for classroom use, this course represents substantial value and flexibility for those who choose to home educate. The content and organization of the teacher manual, means that this course can be used by more than one student at a time, or even multiple times for a single student without reusing course testing materials.
Chapter Objectives: These are presented in a way that is perfect for students to answer in a notebook – having students copy the question and then answer in the notebook is even more helpful by putting the question and answer in proximity and context. These notes in combination with the chapter tests are excellent resources for preparing for sectional tests (if given) or a final exam at the end. Chapter objective can be shared with a student or students, and then kept in a binder for future use if needed. Students are also encouraged to keep these questions and answers for pre-test studying.
Chapter Exams: For each chapter, an A, B and C test is provided in the teacher’s manual. Here is how you can extend your use of this material:
Option 1: You can follow the instructions in the book which are designed for one student. Or you can modify one of the following options for your student, and still have enough course materials to use the course multiple times.
Option 2: You could have up to three students taking the course at the same time, with each student having different tests if you assign each Test A to one student, Test B to another, and Test C to a third. This insures each student has a different test and educators can better assess each student’s individual understanding of the material at each point. Alternate sectional and final exams are included in this manual for your convenience.
Option 3: Adjust the testing and materials to your educational program. For example, each chapter test could be used as additional worksheet material for one or more students, with only the included sectional exams to be administere
Origins Of Humans And Their Religions
$32.00Add to cart13 Chapters
Additional Info
Notwithstanding the legitimacy of some, there presently are more religions than there have ever been; most likely more than anyone back then may have thought there could ever be. To try to understand or figure out how, from where, or from what each one came to be is daunting to even simply consider. The best way to do so, as the saying goes, is to start at the beginning.In Origins of Humans and Their Religions by Edward R. French, the author retraces the history of religion itself, from the inception of Indian religions and philosophies in approximately 3200 B.C until the inception of Bahaism in mid-1800s. To apparently paint a more vivid picture of the aforementioned topic, the author also discusses the topics of indigenous beliefs, nonreligious beliefs, minor beliefs, and explains how he claims the ailing world can be saved.
In a world where the intolerance of adherents to different religions persistently grows, Dr. French’s work inspires hope for the future, where better and deeper understanding of each religion is possible, paving the way for acceptance of every religion by everyone.
Perspectives On Ecclesiology And Ethnography
$51.50Add to cartWithin the disciplines of religious studies, systematic theology, and practical theology there exists a divide between empirical and theological analyses of the church. Each volume in the cross-disciplinary series Studies in Ecclesiology and Ethnography attempts to address this gap by exploring the methodological and substantive issues that arise from both theological and empirical studies of the church’s practices and social reality.
Perspectives on Ecclesiology and Ethnography, the inaugural volume in the series, proposes that if theology is to regain its relevance to the church today, theologians must utilize ethnographical tools in order to provide more accurate, disciplined research that is situated in real contexts. Using ethnography in its broadest sense — encompassing any form of qualitative research — this volume proposes that the church is both theological and social/cultural, which implies the need for a methodological shift for researchers in theology. Contributions from twelve scholar-practitioners lead the way forward.
Jesus Documents
$17.99Add to cartAlan Tippett’s publications played a significant role in the development of missiology. The volumes in this series augment his distinguished reputation by bringing to light his many unpublished materials and hard-to-locate printed articles. These books- encompassing theology, anthropology, history, area studies, religion, and ethnohistory- broaden the contours of the discipline.
Throughout The Jesus Documents, Alan Tippett’s distinguished skills in missiology and anthropology demonstrate that biblical studies and cultural anthropology are disciplines that must be integrated for holistic biblical understanding. Tippett opens our eyes to the intentional missional nature of all four Gospels, showing that they were the fruit of the Christian mission itself, the proof that the apostles obeyed the Great Commission as they worked out their techniques for cross-cultural missionary communication with cultural sensitivity.
Culture Inculturation And Theologians
$29.95Add to cartThe split between the Gospel and culture is without doubt the drama of our time, wrote Paul VI in 1975. Since that time there has been an increasingly urgent awareness that inculturation is an indispensable task of the church. But inculturation, the dialogue between church and cultures, demands first of all that we who would enter into the dialogue understand what culture itself means and what dialogue entails. To that end, cultural anthropologist Father Gerald Arbuckle gives us this important volume.
He traces the history of the development of the concept of culture, and the too-often negative, rarely positive effects of encounters between church and culture.
He explores how Jesus Christ approached the cultures of his time, and outlines the current treatment of culture and inculturation in church documents and in Catholic theology.
He shows that modest progress in understanding has recently stalled, and there are even forces working to turn that progress into regress.
He concludes with a description of inculturation as it needs to happen-and a sharp critique of those who resist. With a sense of prophetic hope, Arbuckle seeks to help us bridge the lamentable split between Gospel and culture, the drama that continues to unfold in our time.
Gods Many Splendored Image
$26.00Add to cartWhat does it mean to be a human being made in the image of God? This book makes the case that the divine image can be seen in not just one or two aspects of human identity but in all of them. The author, a specialist in early Christianity, reveals the light that leading theologians of the early church shed on contemporary discussions of what it means to be human. Each chapter explores a different facet of the divine image and likeness and maps out a path that can lead toward wholeness and holiness. This fresh approach to theological anthropology brings Greek patristic theology to students in a readable fashion.
Ritual And Belief
$64.95Add to cartIntroduction
Chapter 1. Perspectives
Reading 1-1 Edward B. Tylor: Animism
Reading 1-2 Sigmund Freud: The Return Of Totenism In Childhood
Reading 1-3 Emile Durkheim: The Elementary Forms Of The Religious LifeChapter 2. Myth, Cosmology, And Symbolic Classification
Reading 2-1 Claude Levi-Strauss: Harelips And Twins: The Splitting Of A Myth
Reading 2-2 Marcel Griaule And Germaine Dieterlen: The Dogon
Reading 2-3 Mary Douglas: PollutionChapter 3. Gods, Spirits, And Souls
Reading 3-1 Jack Goody: A Kernel Of Doubt
Reading 3-2 Lyle B. Steadman, Craig T. Palmer, And Christopher F. Tilley: The Universality Of Ancestor Worship
Reading 3-3 Pascal Boyer: What Makes Anthropomorphism Natural: Intuitive Ontology And Cultural RepresentationsChapter 4. Ritual
Reading 4-1 Victor W. Turner: Ritual Symbolism, Morality, And Social Structure Among The Ndembu
Reading 4-2 Arnold Van Gennep: The Rites Of Passage: Conclusions
Reading 4-3 Heiko Henkel: Between Belief And Unbelief Lies The Performance Of Salat: Meaning And Efficacy Of A Muslim RitualChapter 5. Practitioners Of Ritual
Reading 5-1 Victor W. Turner: Religious Specialists
Reading 5-2 Margery Wolf: The Woman Who Didn’t Become A Shaman
Reading 5-3 Michael J. Harner: The Sound Of Rushing WaterChapter 6. Body And Mind
Reading 6-1 Napolean A. Chagnon: My Adventure With Ebene: A Religious Experience
Reading 6-2 Beth A. Conklin: Thus Are Our Bodies, Thus Was Our Custom: Mortuary Cannibalism In An Amazonian Society
Reading 6-3 Leonie J. Archer: In Thy Blood Live: Gender And Ritual In The Judaeo-Christian TraditionChapter 7. Magic And Witchcraft
Reading 7-1 James G. Frazer: Sympathetic Magic
Reading 7-2 E. E. Evans-Pritchard: Men Bewitch Others When They Hate Them
Reading 7-3 George Gmelch: Baseball MagicChapter 8. Death
Reading 8-1 Walter B. Cannon: Voodoo Death
Reading 8-2 Peter Metcalf And Richard Huntington: Symbolic Associations Of Death
Reading 8-3 David Hicks: Making The King Divine: A Case Study In Ritual Regicide From TimorChapter 9. Gender And Sexuality
Reading 9-1 Eric R. Wolf: The Virgin Of Guadalupe: A Mexican National Symbol
Reading 9-2 Serena Nanda: The Hijras Of India: Cultural And Individual Dimensions Of An Institutionalized Third Gender Role
Reading 9-3 Stanislav Andreski: The Syphilitic ShockChapter 10. The Natural Environment
Reading 10-1 G. Reichel-Dolmatoff: Cosmology As Ecological Analysis: A VAdditional Info
Ritual and Belief: Readings in the Anthropology of Religion is a collection of 41 readings in religion, magic, and witchcraft. The choice of readings is eclectic: no single anthropological approach or theoretical perspective dominates the text. Theoretical significance, scholarly eminence of the author, and inherent interest provide the principal criteria; and each reading complements its companion chapters, which are pedagogically coherent rather than ad hoc assemblages. Included among the theoretical perspectives are structural-functionalism, structuralism, Malinowskian functionalism, cultural materialism, and cultural evolutionism; also included are the synchronic and diachronic approaches. The book offers a mixture of classic readings and more recent contributions, and the world religions are included along with examples from the religions of traditionally non-literate cultures. As diverse a range of religious traditions as possible has been embraced, from various ethnic groups, traditions, and places.
Ritual And Belief
$99.00Add to cartIntroduction
Chapter 1. Perspectives
Reading 1-1 Edward B. Tylor: Animism
Reading 1-2 Sigmund Freud: The Return Of Totenism In Childhood
Reading 1-3 Emile Durkheim: The Elementary Forms Of The Religious LifeChapter 2. Myth, Cosmology, And Symbolic Classification
Reading 2-1 Claude Levi-Strauss: Harelips And Twins: The Splitting Of A Myth
Reading 2-2 Marcel Griaule And Germaine Dieterlen: The Dogon
Reading 2-3 Mary Douglas: PollutionChapter 3. Gods, Spirits, And Souls
Reading 3-1 Jack Goody: A Kernel Of Doubt
Reading 3-2 Lyle B. Steadman, Craig T. Palmer, And Christopher F. Tilley: The Universality Of Ancestor Worship
Reading 3-3 Pascal Boyer: What Makes Anthropomorphism Natural: Intuitive Ontology And Cultural RepresentationsChapter 4. Ritual
Reading 4-1 Victor W. Turner: Ritual Symbolism, Morality, And Social Structure Among The Ndembu
Reading 4-2 Arnold Van Gennep: The Rites Of Passage: Conclusions
Reading 4-3 Heiko Henkel: Between Belief And Unbelief Lies The Performance Of Salat: Meaning And Efficacy Of A Muslim RitualChapter 5. Practitioners Of Ritual
Reading 5-1 Victor W. Turner: Religious Specialists
Reading 5-2 Margery Wolf: The Woman Who Didn’t Become A Shaman
Reading 5-3 Michael J. Harner: The Sound Of Rushing WaterChapter 6. Body And Mind
Reading 6-1 Napolean A. Chagnon: My Adventure With Ebene: A Religious Experience
Reading 6-2 Beth A. Conklin: Thus Are Our Bodies, Thus Was Our Custom: Mortuary Cannibalism In An Amazonian Society
Reading 6-3 Leonie J. Archer: In Thy Blood Live: Gender And Ritual In The Judaeo-Christian TraditionChapter 7. Magic And Witchcraft
Reading 7-1 James G. Frazer: Sympathetic Magic
Reading 7-2 E. E. Evans-Pritchard: Men Bewitch Others When They Hate Them
Reading 7-3 George Gmelch: Baseball MagicChapter 8. Death
Reading 8-1 Walter B. Cannon: Voodoo Death
Reading 8-2 Peter Metcalf And Richard Huntington: Symbolic Associations Of Death
Reading 8-3 David Hicks: Making The King Divine: A Case Study In Ritual Regicide From TimorChapter 9. Gender And Sexuality
Reading 9-1 Eric R. Wolf: The Virgin Of Guadalupe: A Mexican National Symbol
Reading 9-2 Serena Nanda: The Hijras Of India: Cultural And Individual Dimensions Of An Institutionalized Third Gender Role
Reading 9-3 Stanislav Andreski: The Syphilitic ShockChapter 10. The Natural Environment
Reading 10-1 G. Reichel-Dolmatoff: Cosmology As Ecological Analysis: A VAdditional Info
Ritual and Belief: Readings in the Anthropology of Religion is a collection of 41 readings in religion, magic, and witchcraft. The choice of readings is eclectic: no single anthropological approach or theoretical perspective dominates the text. Theoretical significance, scholarly eminence of the author, and inherent interest provide the principal criteria; and each reading complements its companion chapters, which are pedagogically coherent rather than ad hoc assemblages. Included among the theoretical perspectives are structural-functionalism, structuralism, Malinowskian functionalism, cultural materialism, and cultural evolutionism; also included are the synchronic and diachronic approaches. The book offers a mixture of classic readings and more recent contributions, and the world religions are included along with examples from the religions of traditionally non-literate cultures. As diverse a range of religious traditions as possible has been embraced, from various ethnic groups, traditions, and places.
Act And Being
$25.00Add to cartThe fresh, critical translation of the volume is now available in paper. Act and Being, written in 1929-1930 as Bonhoeffer’s second dissertation, deals with the questions of consciousness and conscience in theology from the perspective of the Reformation insight about the origin of human sinfulness in the heart turned in upon itself and thus open neither to the revelation of God nor to the encounter with the neighbor. Here, therefore, we find Bonhoeffer’s thoughts about power, revelation, otherness, theological method, and theological anthropology.
On Human Being
$18.00Add to cartThis series of sketches provides a basis for Moltmann’s view of man and woman as socially and politically responsible beings. Moving quickly through biological, cultural, religious, and Christian anthropology, he locates the contemporary problems of humanism in a technological (and inhuman) society…While the future remains central, its features are somewhat sobered in the emphasis on suffering love.
Ethnography As A Pastoral Practice
$30.00Add to cartForeword
Preface
Introduction
1. Getting Started: Understanding Ethnography
2. Religions Practice: Clarifying The Questions
3. Research Design: Sketching Out A Path
4. Caring For Relationships: The Ethics Of Pastoral Research
5. Keeping Track Of The Journey: Notes From The Field
6. Ears To Hear: Pastoral Listening In The Field
7. Organizing Data: Methods For Analysis
8. Writing It Up: Composing The Story
9. Sharing Results: Weaving A Theological Narrative
10. Ethnography For Change: Co-Authoring The Future
Select Bibliography
IndexAdditional Info
Ethnography is a way to tap the deep undercurrents in a community through a process of gathering, analyzing, and sharing data. The author informs clergy on how they can use it to give themselves ears to hear their members’ own stories, deep wisdom, and longing for God. The uniqueness of her work lies in its ability to galvanize aspirations and heal communal hurt. She lays out the helpful pastoral practice of ethnography in a clear, step-by-step manner and includes many compelling case studies of transformational leadership.
Liberating Tradition : Womens Identity And Vocation In Christian Perspectiv
$28.00Add to cartIntroduction: Peril And Promise: Women’s Experience And The Christian Faith
1. Women’s Identity, Human Identity
2. We’re In This Thing Together
3. Women In The Church And The World
4. I Said What I Meant, And I Meant What I Said
Conclusion: Up And OutAdditional Info
Kristina LaCelle-Peterson seeks both to affirm the central place of Scripture in the Christian life and to highlight the liberating nature of the gospel for both men and women. To do this the author considers the biblical ideal for human beings and then proceeds to offer a biblical foundation for each of the topics under discussion–identity, body image, personal relationships, marriage, church life, and language for God. Along the way she examines the cultural nature of gender roles and the ways in which they have become entangled with ecclesial expectations. This book will help women better appreciate themselves as women, gain a better understanding of their value in God’s eyes, and recognize their potential for meaningful engagement in a variety of relationships and vocational callings.
Person Grace And God
$29.50Add to cartIt is nearly impossible to do theology without some understanding of the concept of person. What one believes about the person influences virtually every significant Christian doctrine. In Person, Grace and God, Phillip Rolnick details and clarifies this key theological concept in the face of challenges from biology, post-modernity and anthropology. He begins by tracing the history and linguistic background of the concept, and then engages evolutionary biology in a heated dialogue on the place of love. He next turns to postmodernity, beginning with the challenges to the concept of the person by Nietszche, Lyotard, Derrida, Rorty and Taylor, fairly answering each in turn. Finally, Rolnick develops his own constructive proposals, first presenting grace as an integral element in the immanent Trinity, then considering The Human Person in the framework of relations to God. Addressing both philosophical and scientific conceptions of the person, Person, Grace, and God makes a compelling case for the importance of the person, grounded in creation and the trinity.
God From The Machine
$24.95Add to cartList Of Figures And Tables
Simulation
Segregation
Recruitment
Fellowship
Trust
Cooperation
Faith
Culture
References
Index
About The Author
Additional Info
God from the machine (deus ex machina) refers to an ancient dramatic device where a god was mechanically brought onto the stage to save the hero from a difficult situation. But here, William Sims Bainbridge uses the term in a strikingly different way. Instead of looking to a machine to deliver an already known god, he asks what a computing machine and its simulations might teach us about how religion and religious beliefs come to being. Bainbridge posits the virtual town of Cyburg, population 44,100. Then, using rules for individual and social behavior taken from the social sciences, he models a complex community where residents form groups, learn to trust or distrust each other, and develop religious faith. Bainbridge’s straightforward arguments point to many more applications of computer simulation in the study of religion. God from the Machine will serve as an important text in any class with a social scientific approach to religion.
God From The Machine
$69.00Add to cartList Of Figures And Tables
Simulation
Segregation
Recruitment
Fellowship
Trust
Cooperation
Faith
Culture
References
Index
About The Author
Additional Info
God from the machine (deus ex machina) refers to an ancient dramatic device where a god was mechanically brought onto the stage to save the hero from a difficult situation. But here, William Sims Bainbridge uses the term in a strikingly different way. Instead of looking to a machine to deliver an already known god, he asks what a computing machine and its simulations might teach us about how religion and religious beliefs come to being. Bainbridge posits the virtual town of Cyburg, population 44,100. Then, using rules for individual and social behavior taken from the social sciences, he models a complex community where residents form groups, learn to trust or distrust each other, and develop religious faith. Bainbridge’s straightforward arguments point to many more applications of computer simulation in the study of religion. God from the Machine will serve as an important text in any class with a social scientific approach to religion
Human Person In Theology And Psychology
$26.99Add to cartA new analysis of human nature and behavior in biblical perspective by two evangelical experts. This comprehensive textbook discusses four key aspects of the human person by exploring the relationship between origin and destiny, substance and identity, function and behavior, and relationships and community. The authors argue that an integrated approach of theology and psychology not only enhances our understanding of what it means to be human, but is also key to that understanding.
Acting On Faith
$70.00Add to cartIntroduction
Iruya And OCLADE
Los Blancos And Fundapaz
Development Discourse
Religious Idioms Of Development
Land And Its Uses
Claiming Property In Two Communities
Conclusion
Additional Info
Acting on Faith deftly examines the role of religious discourse in processes of economic development by exploring a case study based on twelve months of intensive qualitative research examining the role of small, Catholic non-government organizations (NGOs) in indigenous communities in northwest Argentina. The difficulty facing the communities and their associated NGOs is how to create conditions that ameliorate poverty, without undermining cultural values. The substantial technical, ecological, and economic obstacles to development in these remote regions compound this change. This book moves beyond a perspective that privileges either the symbolic aspect of religion or the material forces of political economy, and instead sees economic and symbolic systems as mutually conditioning processes of meaning and power. Acting on Faith is an important work for scholars in anthropology and sociology, as well as practitioners in the field of development.
Mind And Religion
$32.95Add to cartIntroduction
Robert N. McCauley
The Theoretical ContextA Reductionistic Model Of Distinct Modes Of Religious Transmission
Pascal Boyer
Modes Theory: Some Theoretical Considerations
Robert Hinde
Ritual Form And Ritual Frequency
E. Thomas Lawson
Divergent Religion: A Dual-Process Model Of Religious Thought, Behavior, And Structure
Todd Tremlin
Rethinking Naturalness: Modes Of Religiosity And Religion In The Round
Matt Day
Testing The Modes TheoryIn The Empirical Mode: Evidence Needed For The Modes Of Religiosity
Justin Barrett
Memory And Analogical Thinking In High-Arousal Rituals
Rebekah A. Richert, Harvey Whitehouse, And Emma Stewart
Wider ApplicationsThe Modes Theory Helps Explain Conversion Phenomena
Ilkka Pyysiainen
Charisma, Tradition And Ritual: A Cognitive Approach To Magical Agency
Jesper Srensen
Why Religions Develop Free Will Problems
D. Jason Slone
The Cognitive Foundations Of Religiosity
Harvey WhitehouseAdditional Info
Recent cognitive approaches to the study of religion have yielded much understanding by focusing on common psychological processes that all humans share. One leading theory, Harvey Whitehouse’s modes of religiosity theory, demonstrates how two distinct modes of organizing and transmitting religious traditions emerge from different ways of activating universal memory systems. In Mind and Religion, top scholars from biology to religious studies question, test, evaluate and challenge Whitehouse’s sweeping thesis. The result is an up-to-date snapshot of the cognitive science of religion field for classes in psychology, anthropology, or history of religion.
Mind And Religion
$82.00Add to cartIntroduction
Robert N. McCauley
The Theoretical ContextA Reductionistic Model Of Distinct Modes Of Religious Transmission
Pascal Boyer
Modes Theory: Some Theoretical Considerations
Robert Hinde
Ritual Form And Ritual Frequency
E. Thomas Lawson
Divergent Religion: A Dual-Process Model Of Religious Thought, Behavior, And Structure
Todd Tremlin
Rethinking Naturalness: Modes Of Religiosity And Religion In The Round
Matt Day
Testing The Modes TheoryIn The Empirical Mode: Evidence Needed For The Modes Of Religiosity
Justin Barrett
Memory And Analogical Thinking In High-Arousal Rituals
Rebekah A. Richert, Harvey Whitehouse, And Emma Stewart
Wider ApplicationsThe Modes Theory Helps Explain Conversion Phenomena
Ilkka Pyysiainen
Charisma, Tradition And Ritual: A Cognitive Approach To Magical Agency
Jesper Srensen
Why Religions Develop Free Will Problems
D. Jason Slone
The Cognitive Foundations Of Religiosity
Harvey WhitehouseAdditional Info
Recent cognitive approaches to the study of religion have yielded much understanding by focusing on common psychological processes that all humans share. One leading theory, Harvey Whitehouse’s modes of religiosity theory, demonstrates how two distinct modes of organizing and transmitting religious traditions emerge from different ways of activating universal memory systems. In Mind and Religion, top scholars from biology to religious studies question, test, evaluate and challenge Whitehouse’s sweeping thesis. The result is an up-to-date snapshot of the cognitive science of religion field for classes in psychology, anthropology, or history of religion
Symbols And Meaning
$24.95Add to cartPreface
Chapter 1: Understanding Symbols
Chapter 2: How Symbols Are Studied
Chapter 3: Symbols And Social Organization
Chapter 4: Symbols And Religion
Chapter 5: Symbols And The Arts
Chapter 6: Symbols And Social Crisis
Additional Info
Womack offers a concise and easy-to-read overview of the power and meaning of symbols in all human societies. She describes how symbols-images, words, or behaviors with multi-layered meanings-are mechanism of communication. She demonstrates how we experience the power of symbols in all aspects of human life: birth, death, love, sexual desire, and the need for food and shelter. Womack investigates the use of symbols in the language of religion, healing, politics, social organization and control, popular culture, psychology, philosophy, semiotics, magic and expressive culture, including art, aesthetics, literature, theater, sports, and music. The author’s eclectic, anthropological approach incorporates the social, conceptual and psychological dynamics of symbols. Her new book is an essential introductory textbook for courses that define fundamental concepts in religion, cultural anthropology, communication, and art.
Symbols And Meaning
$72.00Add to cartPreface
Chapter 1: Understanding Symbols
Chapter 2: How Symbols Are Studied
Chapter 3: Symbols And Social Organization
Chapter 4: Symbols And Religion
Chapter 5: Symbols And The Arts
Chapter 6: Symbols And Social Crisis
Additional Info
Womack offers a concise and easy-to-read overview of the power and meaning of symbols in all human societies. She describes how symbols-images, words, or behaviors with multi-layered meanings-are mechanism of communication. She demonstrates how we experience the power of symbols in all aspects of human life: birth, death, love, sexual desire, and the need for food and shelter. Womack investigates the use of symbols in the language of religion, healing, politics, social organization and control, popular culture, psychology, philosophy, semiotics, magic and expressive culture, including art, aesthetics, literature, theater, sports, and music. The author’s eclectic, anthropological approach incorporates the social, conceptual and psychological dynamics of symbols. Her new book is an essential introductory textbook for courses that define fundamental concepts in religion, cultural anthropology, communication, and art.
Ramayana Revisited
$67.00Add to cartDescription
The Ramayana is one of India’s foundational epics, and it demonstrates a continuing power to influence social, religious, cultural, and political life. Brought to textual life in Sanskrit by the legendary first poet, Valmiki, over the ensuing centuries the tale has been recycled with extraordinary adaptability and diversity through the varied cultural heritages of India and other parts of Asia. The basic tale of the Ramayana is continually adapted to new contexts, forms, and media. It is read, recited, sung, danced, and acted in one form or another, and renewed so constantly by changing times and values that it demands constant revaluation.
The Ramayana Revisited presents the latest in Ramayana scholarship. Fourteen leading scholars examine the epic in its myriad contexts throughout South and Southeast Asia. They explore the role the narrative plays in societies as varied as India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia. The essays also expand the understanding of the text to include non-verbal renditions of the epic, with particular attention to the complex ways such retellings change the way the narrative deals with gender. This volume will be invaluable to students and scholars interested in mythology, Hinduism, Asian studies, and anthropology
What About The Soul
$42.99Add to cartFew people are aware of a groundbreaking scientific innovation currently underway among neurobiologists? This revolution has completely rewritten our understanding of who we are by posing fundamental challenges to traditional Christian theology. Contributors include: Bill T. Amold, Joel B. Green, Charles E. Gutenson, William Hasker, Virginia T. Holeman, Malcoln Jeeves, Gareth D. Jones, Patrick Miller, Stuart L. Palmer, Michael Rynkiewich, and Lawson G. Stone.
Reimagining The Human
$39.99Add to cartEleazar Fernandez builds here hope-filled bridges among many theological strands, ethnic groups, denominations, religions, and the daily struggles of a wide variety of oppressed peoples across the globe. In doing so, he succeeds where many have hitherto failed, constructing a theological anthropology that really makes sense of the Christian hope amid, despite, and over against the reigning idols of our times-money, power, weapons, technology, whiteness, maleness, and the destruction of our environment. Hooray for this reimagining of the human!
Why Would Anyone Believe In God
$36.00Add to cartPreface
What Does It Mean To believe?
Where Do Beliefs In Gods Come From? Religious Concepts As Minimally Counterintuitive
Where Do Beliefs In Gods Come From? Finding Agents Everywhere
Where Do Gods Come From? Additional Factors That Contribute To Gods’ Credibility
How Religious Actions Enhance Belief In Gods
The Naturalness Of Belief In God
The Naturalness Of Believing In Minds: An Analog For Understanding Belief In God
Why Would Anyone NOT Believe In God?
In Conclusion
Additional Info
Because of the design of our minds. That is Justin Barrett’s simple answer to the question of his title. With rich evidence from cognitive science but without technical language, psychologist Barrett shows that belief in God is an almost inevitable consequence of the kind of minds we have. Most of what we believe comes from mental tools working below our conscious awareness. And what we believe consciously is in large part driven by these unconscious beliefs. Barrett demonstrates that beliefs in gods match up well with these automatic assumptions; beliefs in an all-knowing, all-powerful God match up even better. Barrett goes on to explain why beliefs like religious beliefs are so widespread and why it is very difficult for our minds to think without them. Anyone who wants a concise, clear, and scientific explanation of why anyone would believe in God should pick up Barrett’s book.
Why Would Anyone Believe In God
$55.00Add to cartPreface
What Does It Mean To believe?
Where Do Beliefs In Gods Come From? Religious Concepts As Minimally Counterintuitive
Where Do Beliefs In Gods Come From? Finding Agents Everywhere
Where Do Gods Come From? Additional Factors That Contribute To Gods’ Credibility
How Religious Actions Enhance Belief In Gods
The Naturalness Of Belief In God
The Naturalness Of Believing In Minds: An Analog For Understanding Belief In God
Why Would Anyone NOT Believe In God?
In Conclusion
Additional Info
Because of the design of our minds. That is Justin Barrett’s simple answer to the question of his title. With rich evidence from cognitive science but without technical language, psychologist Barrett shows that belief in God is an almost inevitable consequence of the kind of minds we have. Most of what we believe comes from mental tools working below our conscious awareness. And what we believe consciously is in large part driven by these unconscious beliefs. Barrett demonstrates that beliefs in gods match up well with these automatic assumptions; beliefs in an all-knowing, all-powerful God match up even better. Barrett goes on to explain why beliefs like religious beliefs are so widespread and why it is very difficult for our minds to think without them. Anyone who wants a concise, clear, and scientific explanation of why anyone would believe in God should pick up Barrett’s book
How The Bible Works
$26.95Add to cartWhat do evangelicals believe when they believe in the Bible? Despite hundreds of English versions that differ in their texts, evangelicals continue to believe that there is a stable text–the Bible–which is the authoritative word of God and an essential guide to their everyday lives. To understand this phenomenon of evangelical Biblicism, anthropologist and biblical scholar Brian Malley looks not to the words of the Bible but to the Bible-believing communities. For as Malley demonstrates, it is less the meaning of the words of the Bible itself than how the Bible provides a proper ground for beliefs that matters to evangelicals. Drawing on recent cognitive and social theory and extensive fieldwork in an evangelical church, Malley’s book is an invaluable guide for seminarians, social scientists of religion, or for anyone who wants to understand just how the Bible works for American evangelicals
How The Bible Works
$72.00Add to cartWhat do evangelicals believe when they believe in the Bible? Despite hundreds of English versions that differ in their texts, evangelicals continue to believe that there is a stable text–the Bible–which is the authoritative word of God and an essential guide to their everyday lives. To understand this phenomenon of evangelical Biblicism, anthropologist and biblical scholar Brian Malley looks not to the words of the Bible but to the Bible-believing communities. For as Malley demonstrates, it is less the meaning of the words of the Bible itself than how the Bible provides a proper ground for beliefs that matters to evangelicals. Drawing on recent cognitive and social theory and extensive fieldwork in an evangelical church, Malley’s book is an invaluable guide for seminarians, social scientists of religion, or for anyone who wants to understand just how the Bible works for American evangelicals
Magic Miracles And Religion
$34.95Add to cartPREFACE, OR HOW I SAID GOODBYE TO AN ABSENT-MINDED STUDY OF RELIGIONMy Personal Story And Its Implications.1. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A BELIEVER?How Explanation And Understanding Can Be Combined To Provide A Rational Account Of The Subjective Experience Of Religious Belief.2. A COGNITIVE SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE IN THE STUDY OF RELIGIONHow Cognitive Science And Evolutionary Theory Have Contributed To The Creation Of A New Science Of Religion.3. BREAKING BOUNDARIESHow We Have An Intuitive Capacity To Form Counterintuitive Ideas And To Try To Transcend Our Own Cognitive Limitations.4. TAKE THE BUDDHA FOR EXAMPLEOn Why Buddhism Is A Religion, Too.5. RELIGION – A UNIQUE WORLD BUT IN WHAT SENSE?Religion Is Not Sui Generis But Yet Requires A Unique Combination Of Natural Cognitive And Emotional Processes.6. EXPLAINING MIRACLESWhy We Consider Some Events As Miraculous.7. A NEW THEORY OF MAGICA New Principle For Analytically Distinguishing Between Magic And Religion. 8. TRUE FICTION: PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFWhy There Can No Longer Be Any Philosophy Of Religion That Overlooks Empirical Findings In Psychology.9. RITUALS – WHY INDEED?Why We Perform Rituals? A Simple Answer.10. SINGERS OF TALESHow Traditional Singers Of Tales Produce The Oral Performance Of A Lengthy Epic Never Written Down.11. HOLY BOOK: A TREASURY OF THE INCOMPREHENSIBLEHow The Adoption Of Literacy Changes Religion.12. RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND IDEOLOGYA New Theory Of Ideology As A Cognitive Phenomenon.13. GOD AS ULTIMATE REALITY IN RELIGION AND IN SCIENCEOn Why Some Scientists Want To Believe In God.14. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE ACROSS CULTURES How Religious Experiences Can Be Identified Across Cultures.15. DO CULTURES EXIST?The Ontology Of Culture Clarified.
Additional Info
Can scientists study religion? Ilkka Pyysiainen says that they can. While the study of religion cannot be reduced to other disciplines, it must not ignore what other disciplines have learned about human thought and behavior. In this collection of essays, Pyysiainen shows how findings from cognitive science can offer new directions to debates in religion. After providing a historical and theoretical overview of the cognitive science of religion, Pyysiainen demonstrates how knowledge of the mind’s workings can help deconstruct such concepts as god, ideology, culture, magic, miracles, and religion. For scholars of religion or for scholars of the mind-brain, Magic, Miracles, and Religion provides a helpful overview to this emerging field.
Magic Miracles And Religion
$82.00Add to cartPREFACE, OR HOW I SAID GOODBYE TO AN ABSENT-MINDED STUDY OF RELIGIONMy Personal Story And Its Implications.1. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A BELIEVER?How Explanation And Understanding Can Be Combined To Provide A Rational Account Of The Subjective Experience Of Religious Belief.2. A COGNITIVE SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE IN THE STUDY OF RELIGIONHow Cognitive Science And Evolutionary Theory Have Contributed To The Creation Of A New Science Of Religion.3. BREAKING BOUNDARIESHow We Have An Intuitive Capacity To Form Counterintuitive Ideas And To Try To Transcend Our Own Cognitive Limitations.4. TAKE THE BUDDHA FOR EXAMPLEOn Why Buddhism Is A Religion, Too.5. RELIGION – A UNIQUE WORLD BUT IN WHAT SENSE?Religion Is Not Sui Generis But Yet Requires A Unique Combination Of Natural Cognitive And Emotional Processes.6. EXPLAINING MIRACLESWhy We Consider Some Events As Miraculous.7. A NEW THEORY OF MAGICA New Principle For Analytically Distinguishing Between Magic And Religion. 8. TRUE FICTION: PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFWhy There Can No Longer Be Any Philosophy Of Religion That Overlooks Empirical Findings In Psychology.9. RITUALS – WHY INDEED?Why We Perform Rituals? A Simple Answer.10. SINGERS OF TALESHow Traditional Singers Of Tales Produce The Oral Performance Of A Lengthy Epic Never Written Down.11. HOLY BOOK: A TREASURY OF THE INCOMPREHENSIBLEHow The Adoption Of Literacy Changes Religion.12. RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND IDEOLOGYA New Theory Of Ideology As A Cognitive Phenomenon.13. GOD AS ULTIMATE REALITY IN RELIGION AND IN SCIENCEOn Why Some Scientists Want To Believe In God.14. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE ACROSS CULTURES How Religious Experiences Can Be Identified Across Cultures.15. DO CULTURES EXIST?The Ontology Of Culture Clarified.
Additional Info
Can scientists study religion? Ilkka Pyysiainen says that they can. While the study of religion cannot be reduced to other disciplines, it must not ignore what other disciplines have learned about human thought and behavior. In this collection of essays, Pyysiainen shows how findings from cognitive science can offer new directions to debates in religion. After providing a historical and theoretical overview of the cognitive science of religion, Pyysiainen demonstrates how knowledge of the mind’s workings can help deconstruct such concepts as god, ideology, culture, magic, miracles, and religion. For scholars of religion or for scholars of the mind-brain, Magic, Miracles, and Religion provides a helpful overview to this emerging field.
Theorizing Religions Past
$32.95Add to cartPreface
Harvey Whitehouse & Luther Martin
The Wedding Of Psychology, Ethnography & History: Methodological Bigamy Or Tripartite Free Love?
E. Thomas Lawson (Western Michigan University)
Toward A Scientific History Of Religions
Luther Martin
The Archaeological EvidenceFrom Ohalo To atalhoyuk: The Development Of Religiosity During The Early Prehistory Of Western Asia, 20,000-7,000 BC
Stephen Mithen (Reading University)
No Need To Write This Down: Primary Emergence Of The Doctrinal Mode In The Fifth And Fourth Millenia In Southwestern Iran
Karen Johnson (University Of Michigan)
Graeco-Roman AntiquityOld And New In Roman Religion: A Cognitive Account
Douglass L. Gragg (Emory University)
Four Men, Two Sticks, And A Whip: Image And Doctrine In Mithraic Ritual
Roger Beck (University Of Toronto)
Syncretism And The Interaction Of Modes Of Religiosity: A Formative Perspective In Gnostic Christian Movements In Late Antiquity
Anita Leopold (Aarhus University)
Christian TraditionsTesting The Two Modes: Some Observations About Medieval Christianity
Anne Clark (University Of Vermont)
Modes Of Religiosity And Changes In Popular Religious Practices At The Time Of The Reformation
Theodore Vial (Virginia Wesleyan College)
Modes Of Religiosity And Types Of Conversion In Medieval Europe And Modern Africa
Ulrich Berner (University Of Bayreuth)
Corrupt Doctrine And Doctrinal Revival: On The Nature And Limits Of The Modes Theory
Ilkka Pyysiainen (University Of Helsinki)
Critical DiscussionCritical Reflections On The Modes Of Religiosity Argument
Donald Weibe (University Of Toronto)
Theorizing Religions Past
Harvey WhitehouseAdditional Info
Historians bound by their singular stories and archaeologists bound by their material evidence don’t typically seek out broad comparative theories of religion. But recently Harvey Whitehouse’s modes of religiosity theory has been attracting many scholars of past religions. Based upon universal features of human cognition, Whitehouse’s theory can provide useful comparisons across cultures and historical periods even when limited cultural data is present. In this groundbreaking volume scholars of cultures from prehistorical hunter-gatherers to 19th century Scandinavian Lutherans evaluate Whitehouse’s hypothesis that all religions tend toward either an imagistic or a doctrinal mode depending on how they are remembered and transmitted. Theorizing Religions Past provides valuable insights for all historians of religion and especially for those interested in a new cognitive method for studying the past
Theorizing Religions Past
$82.00Add to cartPreface
Harvey Whitehouse & Luther Martin
The Wedding Of Psychology, Ethnography & History: Methodological Bigamy Or Tripartite Free Love?
E. Thomas Lawson (Western Michigan University)
Toward A Scientific History Of Religions
Luther Martin
The Archaeological EvidenceFrom Ohalo To atalhoyuk: The Development Of Religiosity During The Early Prehistory Of Western Asia, 20,000-7,000 BC
Stephen Mithen (Reading University)
No Need To Write This Down: Primary Emergence Of The Doctrinal Mode In The Fifth And Fourth Millenia In Southwestern Iran
Karen Johnson (University Of Michigan)
Graeco-Roman AntiquityOld And New In Roman Religion: A Cognitive Account
Douglass L. Gragg (Emory University)
Four Men, Two Sticks, And A Whip: Image And Doctrine In Mithraic Ritual
Roger Beck (University Of Toronto)
Syncretism And The Interaction Of Modes Of Religiosity: A Formative Perspective In Gnostic Christian Movements In Late Antiquity
Anita Leopold (Aarhus University)
Christian TraditionsTesting The Two Modes: Some Observations About Medieval Christianity
Anne Clark (University Of Vermont)
Modes Of Religiosity And Changes In Popular Religious Practices At The Time Of The Reformation
Theodore Vial (Virginia Wesleyan College)
Modes Of Religiosity And Types Of Conversion In Medieval Europe And Modern Africa
Ulrich Berner (University Of Bayreuth)
Corrupt Doctrine And Doctrinal Revival: On The Nature And Limits Of The Modes Theory
Ilkka Pyysiainen (University Of Helsinki)
Critical DiscussionCritical Reflections On The Modes Of Religiosity Argument
Donald Weibe (University Of Toronto)
Theorizing Religions Past
Harvey WhitehouseAdditional Info
Historians bound by their singular stories and archaeologists bound by their material evidence don’t typically seek out broad comparative theories of religion. But recently Harvey Whitehouse’s modes of religiosity theory has been attracting many scholars of past religions. Based upon universal features of human cognition, Whitehouse’s theory can provide useful comparisons across cultures and historical periods even when limited cultural data is present. In this groundbreaking volume scholars of cultures from prehistorical hunter-gatherers to 19th century Scandinavian Lutherans evaluate Whitehouse’s hypothesis that all religions tend toward either an imagistic or a doctrinal mode depending on how they are remembered and transmitted. Theorizing Religions Past provides valuable insights for all historians of religion and especially for those interested in a new cognitive method for studying the past.
Ritual And Memory
$32.95Add to cartPreface
Introduction
James Laidlaw (University Of Cambridge)
Divergent Modes Of Religiosity In West Africa
J. D. Y. Peel (School Of Oriental And African Studies)
Modes Of Religiosity And The Legacy Of Ernest Gellner
David Shankland (University Of Bristol)
Is Image To Doctrine As Speech To Writing? Modes Of Communication And The Origins Of Religion
Jack Goody (St John’s College Cambridge)
Ritual And Deference
Maurice Bloch (London School Of Economics)
The Doctrinal Mode And Evangelical Christianity In The U. S.
Brian Malley (University Of Michigan)
Embedded Modes Of Religiosity In Indic Renouncer Religions
James Laidlaw (University Of Cambridge)
Conceptualizations From Within: Divergent Religious Modes From Asian Modernist Perspectives
Susan Bayly (University Of Cambridge)
The Doctrinal Mode Of Religiosity: Some Ethnographic And Theoretical Problems
Leo Howe (University Of Cambridge)
Religious Doctrine Or Experience: A Matter Of Seeing, Learning Or Doing
Gilbert Lewis (St. John’s College, Cambridge)
Universalistic Orientations Of An Imagistic Mode Of Religiosity: The Case Of The West African Poro Cult
Christian K. Hjbjerg (University Of Copanhagen)
Towards A Comparative Anthropology Of Religion
Harvey WhitehouseAdditional Info
Ethnographers of religion have created a vast record of religious behavior from small-scale non-literate societies to globally distributed religions in urban settings. So a theory that claims to explain prominent features of ritual, myth, and belief in all contexts everywhere causes ethnographers a skeptical pause. In Ritual and Memory, however, a wide range of ethnographers grapple critically with Harvey Whitehouse’s theory of two divergent modes of religiosity. Although these contributors differ in their methods, their areas of fieldwork, and their predisposition towards Whitehouse’s cognitively-based approach, they all help evaluate and refine Whitehouse’s theory and so contribute to a new comparative approach in the anthropology of religion
Ritual And Memory
$82.00Add to cartPreface
Introduction
James Laidlaw (University Of Cambridge)
Divergent Modes Of Religiosity In West Africa
J. D. Y. Peel (School Of Oriental And African Studies)
Modes Of Religiosity And The Legacy Of Ernest Gellner
David Shankland (University Of Bristol)
Is Image To Doctrine As Speech To Writing? Modes Of Communication And The Origins Of Religion
Jack Goody (St John’s College Cambridge)
Ritual And Deference
Maurice Bloch (London School Of Economics)
The Doctrinal Mode And Evangelical Christianity In The U. S.
Brian Malley (University Of Michigan)
Embedded Modes Of Religiosity In Indic Renouncer Religions
James Laidlaw (University Of Cambridge)
Conceptualizations From Within: Divergent Religious Modes From Asian Modernist Perspectives
Susan Bayly (University Of Cambridge)
The Doctrinal Mode Of Religiosity: Some Ethnographic And Theoretical Problems
Leo Howe (University Of Cambridge)
Religious Doctrine Or Experience: A Matter Of Seeing, Learning Or Doing
Gilbert Lewis (St. John’s College, Cambridge)
Universalistic Orientations Of An Imagistic Mode Of Religiosity: The Case Of The West African Poro Cult
Christian K. Hjbjerg (University Of Copanhagen)
Towards A Comparative Anthropology Of Religion
Harvey WhitehouseAdditional Info
Ethnographers of religion have created a vast record of religious behavior from small-scale non-literate societies to globally distributed religions in urban settings. So a theory that claims to explain prominent features of ritual, myth, and belief in all contexts everywhere causes ethnographers a skeptical pause. In Ritual and Memory, however, a wide range of ethnographers grapple critically with Harvey Whitehouse’s theory of two divergent modes of religiosity. Although these contributors differ in their methods, their areas of fieldwork, and their predisposition towards Whitehouse’s cognitively-based approach, they all help evaluate and refine Whitehouse’s theory and so contribute to a new comparative approach in the anthropology of religion.
Modes Of Religiosity
$24.95Add to cartPreface
Introduction
What Is Religion?
What Is Ritual?
Ritual And Religious Revelation
Outline Of The Volume
PART ONE: COGNITION AND RELIGIOUS TRANSMISSION
Chapter One: First Principles For Explaining Religion And Ritual
Religious Traditions Are Materially Constrained
Religious Phenomena Are Selected
The Selection Of Religious Phenomena Is Context-Dependent
Religious Transmission Is Partly Motivated By Explicit Religious Concepts
Chapter Two: Cognitively Optimal Religion
The Naturalness Of Gods
The Naturalness Of Ritual
The Naturalness Of Myth
Chapter Three: Cognitively Costly Religion
Cognitively Costly Gods
Cognitively Costly Rituals
Cognitively Costly Narratives
PART TWO: THE THEORY OF MODES OF RELIGIOSITY
Chapter Four: The Theory Of Modes Of Religiosity
Modes Of Religiosity And Memory
The Doctrinal Mode Of Religiosity
The Imagistic Mode Of Religiosity
Modes Of Religiosity Contrasted
Modes Of Religiosity In The Real World
The Origins Of Modes Of Religiosity
Chapter Five: Ritual And Meaning In The Doctrinal Mode
The Distinction Between Implicit And Explicit Memory
The Theory Of Representational Redescription
Representational Redescription And Routinized Ritual
Routinized Ritual And Exegesis
Routinization, Relevance, And Revelation
Chapter Six: Ritual And Meaning In The Imagistic Mode
Emotion And Episodic Memory
Episodic Memory And Ritual
Episodic Memory And Spontaneous Exegetical Reflection
Representational Redescription And The Imagistic Mode
Chapter Seven: Religious Enthusiasm And Its Limits
Religious Enthusiasm
The Limits Of Religious Enthusiasm
PART THREE: THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL CHALLENGES
Chapter Eight: Theoretical Challenges
The Challenges
Form And Frequency
Selectionism Or Mechanistic Causation?
Arousal, Memory, And Motivation
Procedural Versus Exegetical Knowledge In The Domain Of Ritual
Historical Transformations
Chapter Nine: Testing The Theory
Predictions
Evidence Needed From Ethnography, Historiography, And Archaeology
Evidence Needed From The Cognitive Sciences
Epilogue: Theory, Description, And The Cognitive Science Of Religion
References
Index
About The Author
Additional Info
Religions-whatever else they may be-are configurations of cultural information reproduced across space and time. Beginning with this seemingly obvious fact of religious transmission, Harvey Whitehouse goes on to construct a testable theory of how religions are created, passed on, and changed. At the center of his theory are two divergent ‘modes of religiosity:’ the imagistic and the doctrinal. Drawing from recent advances in cognitive science, Whitehouse’s theory shows how religions tend to coalesce around one of these two poles depending on how religious behaviors are remembered. In the ‘imagistic mode,’ rituals have a lasting impact on people’s minds, haunting not only our memories but influencing the way we ruminate on religious topics. These psychological features are linked to the scale and structure of religious communities, fostering small, exclusive, and ideologically heterogeneous ritual groupings or factions. In the ‘doctrinal mode’, on the other hand, religious knowledge is primarily spread through intensive and repetitive teaching; religious communities are contrastingly large, inclusive, and centrally regulated. While these tendencies have long been recognized in the history of the study of religion, the modes of religiosity theory is unique in that it explains why these tendencies exist. More importantly, Whitehouse does not give the final word, but invites us to join a series of collaborative networks among anthropologists, historians, archaeologists, and psychologists, currently trying to falsify, confirm, or refine the theory. Are you tired of the flood of descriptions and interpretations of religions which offer no clear strategy for evaluation, comparison, and testing? Modes of Religiosity can provide you with a new way to think when you think about religion
Modes Of Religiosity
$69.00Add to cartPreface
Introduction
What Is Religion?
What Is Ritual?
Ritual And Religious Revelation
Outline Of The Volume
PART ONE: COGNITION AND RELIGIOUS TRANSMISSION
Chapter One: First Principles For Explaining Religion And Ritual
Religious Traditions Are Materially Constrained
Religious Phenomena Are Selected
The Selection Of Religious Phenomena Is Context-Dependent
Religious Transmission Is Partly Motivated By Explicit Religious Concepts
Chapter Two: Cognitively Optimal Religion
The Naturalness Of Gods
The Naturalness Of Ritual
The Naturalness Of Myth
Chapter Three: Cognitively Costly Religion
Cognitively Costly Gods
Cognitively Costly Rituals
Cognitively Costly Narratives
PART TWO: THE THEORY OF MODES OF RELIGIOSITY
Chapter Four: The Theory Of Modes Of Religiosity
Modes Of Religiosity And Memory
The Doctrinal Mode Of Religiosity
The Imagistic Mode Of Religiosity
Modes Of Religiosity Contrasted
Modes Of Religiosity In The Real World
The Origins Of Modes Of Religiosity
Chapter Five: Ritual And Meaning In The Doctrinal Mode
The Distinction Between Implicit And Explicit Memory
The Theory Of Representational Redescription
Representational Redescription And Routinized Ritual
Routinized Ritual And Exegesis
Routinization, Relevance, And Revelation
Chapter Six: Ritual And Meaning In The Imagistic Mode
Emotion And Episodic Memory
Episodic Memory And Ritual
Episodic Memory And Spontaneous Exegetical Reflection
Representational Redescription And The Imagistic Mode
Chapter Seven: Religious Enthusiasm And Its Limits
Religious Enthusiasm
The Limits Of Religious Enthusiasm
PART THREE: THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL CHALLENGES
Chapter Eight: Theoretical Challenges
The Challenges
Form And Frequency
Selectionism Or Mechanistic Causation?
Arousal, Memory, And Motivation
Procedural Versus Exegetical Knowledge In The Domain Of Ritual
Historical Transformations
Chapter Nine: Testing The Theory
Predictions
Evidence Needed From Ethnography, Historiography, And Archaeology
Evidence Needed From The Cognitive Sciences
Epilogue: Theory, Description, And The Cognitive Science Of Religion
References
Index
About The Author
Additional Info
Religions-whatever else they may be-are configurations of cultural information reproduced across space and time. Beginning with this seemingly obvious fact of religious transmission, Harvey Whitehouse goes on to construct a testable theory of how religions are created, passed on, and changed. At the center of his theory are two divergent ‘modes of religiosity:’ the imagistic and the doctrinal. Drawing from recent advances in cognitive science, Whitehouse’s theory shows how religions tend to coalesce around one of these two poles depending on how religious behaviors are remembered. In the ‘imagistic mode,’ rituals have a lasting impact on people’s minds, haunting not only our memories but influencing the way we ruminate on religious topics. These psychological features are linked to the scale and structure of religious communities, fostering small, exclusive, and ideologically heterogeneous ritual groupings or factions. In the ‘doctrinal mode’, on the other hand, religious knowledge is primarily spread through intensive and repetitive teaching; religious communities are contrastingly large, inclusive, and centrally regulated. While these tendencies have long been recognized in the history of the study of religion, the modes of religiosity theory is unique in that it explains why these tendencies exist. More importantly, Whitehouse does not give the final word, but invites us to join a series of collaborative networks among anthropologists, historians, archaeologists, and psychologists, currently trying to falsify, confirm, or refine the theory. Are you tired of the flood of descriptions and interpretations of religions which offer no clear strategy for evaluation, comparison, and testing? Modes of Religiosity can provide you with a new way to think when you think about religion
