Synopses & Reviews
This book is an easy-to-read resource focusing on the interrelationship of religious traditions and particular cultural contexts, including the political economy. It demonstrates the connection between social structure, class, caste, gender, ethnicity, and religion. Basic issues that provide insight into the anthropological perspective on religion are discussed, leading into the topics of mythology and folklore, ritual, shamanism, sorcery and witchcraft, aboriginal religions, African religions, classical Old and New World religions, Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, and New Age religious trends. For anyone interested in an introduction to the religions of the world, and a glimpse into the future development of religion in the twenty-first century.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The Anthropological Perspective on Religion
Chapter 2: Early Anthropological Perspectives on Religion
Chapter 3: Contemporary Anthropological Perspectives on Religion
Chapter 4: Myth and Folklore
Chapter 5: Ritual
Chapter 6: Shamanisms: Past and Present
Chapter 7: Sorcery and Witchcraft.
Chapter 8: Aboriginal Religions
Chapter 9: African Religions
Chapter 10: Agricultural State Religions
Chapter 11: Vedic and Hindu Tradition
Chapter 12 Buddhism
Chapter 13: Traditional Religions of China
Chapter 14: Japanese ReligionsChapter 15: Judaism
Chapter 16: Catholicism
Chapter 17: Protestantism
Chapter 18: Islam
Chapter 19: The New Age and Related Forms of Contemporary Spirituality
Chapter 20: Future Trends in Religion