Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars: Critical Explorations in the History of ReligionsUniversity of Chicago Press, 16.04.2012 - 228 Seiten Bruce Lincoln is one of the most prominent advocates within religious studies for an uncompromisingly critical approach to the phenomenon of religion—historians of religions, he believes, should resist the preferred narratives and self-understanding of religions themselves, especially when their stories are endowed with sacred origins and authority. In Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars, Lincoln assembles a collection of essays that both illustrates and reveals the benefits of his methodology, making a case for a critical religious studies that starts with skepticism but is neither cynical nor crude. The book begins with Lincoln’s “Theses on Method” and ends with “The (Un)discipline of Religious Studies,” in which he unsparingly considers the failings of uncritical and nonhistorical approaches to the study of religions. In between, Lincoln presents new examinations of problems in ancient religions and relates these cases to larger comparative themes. While bringing to light important features of the formation of pantheons and the constructions of demons, chaos, and the dead, Lincoln demonstrates that historians of religions should take religious things—inspired scriptures, sacred centers, salvific rites, communities graced by divine favor—as the theories of interested humans that shape perception, community, and experiences. As he shows, it is for their terrestrial influence, and not their sacred origins, that religious phenomena merit consideration by the historian. Tackling many questions central to religious study, Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars will be a touchstone for the history of religions in the twenty-first century. |
Inhalt
1 Theses on Method | 1 |
2 How to Read a Religious Text | 5 |
3 Nature and Genesis of Pantheons | 17 |
4 The Cosmologic of Persian Demonology | 31 |
5 Anomaly Science and Religion | 43 |
6 Between History and Myth | 53 |
7 Poetic Royal and Female Discourse | 63 |
8 Ancient and PostAncient Religions | 73 |
10 Religious and Other Conflicts in TwentiethCentury Guatemala | 95 |
11 In Praise of the Chaotic | 109 |
12 Theses on Comparison with Cristiano Grottanelli | 121 |
13 The Undiscipline of Religious Studies | 131 |
Notes | 137 |
199 | |
219 | |
9 Sanctified Violence | 83 |
Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen
Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars: Critical Explorations in the History ... Bruce Lincoln Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2015 |
Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars: Critical Explorations in the History ... Bruce Lincoln Keine Leseprobe verfügbar - 2012 |
Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
acts ancient appears associated become begin body called Cambridge Chaos chapter Chicago Chimaltenango Christian concerned considered constitute contrast creation critical culture darkness Days death deity demons describe discourse discussion divine Early earth established Evil Evil Spirit example existence fashion figure Food force further given gods Greater groups Harald Hesiod History human important Indian Institute interest king ladino less light lines material means moral motion myth narrative nature Note observe ofthe Ohrmazd original Oxford Pahlavi pantheon passage Persian planets practice presented produced qualities question regard relations relatively religion religious remains result similar situation social Society sort speech Spirit stars status story struggle Studies suggests taken term Theogony theory things tion traditions translations treat Ullr understanding University Press violence Wise York Zoroastrian