Genealogy of Religion

Exploring the Origins, History and Future of Religion

Entries Tagged as 'Ritual and Religion'

African Witchcraft & American Religion

August 31st, 2010 · 1 Comment · Classifications of Religion, Definitions of Religion, Ritual and Religion

Over at Live Science, Benjamin Radford stereotypically reports — with no irony and little thought — that “Belief in Witchcraft Widespread in Africa” is prevalent:
A new Gallup poll found that belief in magic is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with over half of respondents saying they personally believe in witchcraft. Studies in 18 countries show belief [...]

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Acoustic Archaeology & Spiritual Soundscapes

August 27th, 2010 · No Comments · Archaeology and Religion, Ritual and Religion, Shamans and Shamanism

Over at the New Scientist, Trevor Price has written a splendid article about the relatively new and somewhat controversial field of acoustic archaeology.  Although it is easy to see how acoustical interpretations might run amok, the basic ideas are sound (sorry but I just had to) and thought provoking.  It hardly beggars the imagination to [...]

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The Last Indian: Amazonian Ishi

August 20th, 2010 · No Comments · Hunter-Gatherers and Religion, Ritual and Religion, Shamans and Shamanism

In 1911, the last uncontacted North American Indian — Ishi of the Yahi tribe — left the California wilderness and walked into bustling civilization.  His remarkable story was told by Theodora Kroeber (wife of the anthropologist Alfred Kroeber) in her compelling biography, Ishi in Two Worlds: A Biography of the Last Wild North American Indian.
In [...]

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Gallo-Roman Temple Complex Discovered

August 19th, 2010 · No Comments · Archaeology and Religion, History of Religions, Pagans and Polytheism, Ritual and Religion

Over at The Guardian, Pierre Le Hir reports on the discovery of an “enormous religious site” or temple complex in the French countryside near Le Mans, which during the first through third centuries common era (C.E.) was known as Vindunum.  As viewers of HBO’s spectacular but short-lived series “Rome” and readers of Julius Caesar’s Commentarii [...]

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An Unenthused Rinpoche

August 16th, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, Daily Devolutions, Globalization and Religion, Ritual and Religion

As my readers know, there is no such thing as “Buddhism” — there are multiple kinds of buddhisms, some of which eschew spirits and deities while emphasizing consciousness and compassion, whereas others are highly ritualized and enthusiastically enjoin the supernatural realm of gods and souls.
I was reminded of this the other day while reading Electa [...]

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Archaeology of Ritual & Viking Religion

August 13th, 2010 · No Comments · Archaeology and Religion, Classifications of Religion, Definitions of Religion, Hunter-Gatherers and Religion, Magic and Religion, Pagans and Polytheism, Ritual and Religion, Shamans and Shamanism

Archaeologists working in Europe have it good, really good.  Depending on one’s interests, you can research just about anything.  Paleoanthropologists can work on hominid evolution (i.e., Homo heidelbergensis, H. antecessor, H. neanderthalensis), while their colleagues can study a host of fascinating subjects, including the Upper Paleolithic transition, mesolithic hunter-gatherers, incipient agriculturalists, and the usual smattering [...]

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John the Baptist’s Remains Allegedly Found

August 10th, 2010 · No Comments · Archaeology and Religion, History of Religions, Ritual and Religion

The world of biblical archaeology and Christendom is all atwitter over the alleged discovery of John the Baptist’s remains, or at least a few of them.  As reported by Teresa Shipley at Discovery, the sparse remains consist of skull and hand fragments and a tooth.  They were found buried beneath the floor of a 5th [...]

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Death of a Pastoral Salesman

August 10th, 2010 · No Comments · Cultural Evolution of Religion, Economy and Religion, Globalization and Religion, Recent and New Religions, Ritual and Religion

In a curiously titled (“Congregations Gone Wild“) op-ed piece for the New York Times, pastor Jeffrey MacDonald bemoans the pressures that now assail the American clergy.  What are these pressures?  Entertaining the flock.  Selling religion as a commodity for comfortable consumers-parishioners.
Despite the title tease alluding to a sophomoric video series in which college-aged women bare [...]

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The Weather Spirits

August 9th, 2010 · No Comments · Cognition and Religion, Ritual and Religion, Shamans and Shamanism

In a recent post on the quantum aspects of consciousness, I concluded by noting that not so long ago all humans explained weather in supernatural or spiritual terms, but weather is now — in most parts of the world — understood scientifically.  Weather has thus been removed from the realm of the spiritual and situated [...]

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Religion Reduces Anxiety — Sound Familiar?

August 3rd, 2010 · No Comments · Archaeology and Religion, Cognition and Religion, Emotions and Religion, History of Religions, Religion as Evolutionary Byproduct, Ritual and Religion

“Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress.  Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the [...]

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