Contemporary western ethnography and the definition of religion
By: M.D. Stringer.
Series: Continuum advances in religious studies
Publisher: Continuum
Published: 2008
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 128
ISBN-13: 9780826499783
Subjects: Anthropology of religion -- Great Britain; Great Britain -- Religion
Description: "Exploring whether the widespread activity of sitting next to a grave and talking to a deceased person is a religious act forms the basis of this book, and the author argues that it is probably much more typical of a fundamental religious act than much of what happens in churches, synagogues or mosques. Beginning with the definitions of religion provided by a number of anthropologists and sociologists this book claims that the large majority of these definitions have been influenced by Christian thinking, so leading to definitions that stress the systematic nature of religion, the importance of the transcendental and the transformative activity of religion. Through a detailed exploration of a number of ethnographic studies of religious activity, these aspects of traditional definitions are challenged. Borrowing Durkheim's language, Martin D. Stringer argues that the most elementary form of religious life in many Western societies today, and by implication in many other societies around the world, is situational, mundane and concerned with helping people to cope with their day-to-day lives."--Bloomsbury Publishing.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [115]-124) and index.
Table of contents: title: On defining religion; title: On ethnography; title: Of requiems and reincarnation; title: Of graveyards and kitchens; title: Of starsigns and soap operas; title: On gender; title: On the elementary form of religious life.