Search Results (102)

Based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Mianning County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture between 2023 and 2024, this paper analyzes the “xiō bū” (ꑭꁮ) ritual of the Liangshan Yi people. Framed within contemporary approaches to religious anthropology and social memory theory, the study explores how this ritual constructs Yi ecological ethics, social integration, and cultural identity through nature worship, ancestral spirit beliefs, and ritual practices. The ethnographic evidence reveals that the “xiō bū” ritual, by designating wooded mountains as sacred space and performing sacrifices to nature deities and ancestral spirits, integrates “humans—nature—ancestors” into a symbiotic system of the “community of life.” This reflects the Yi people’s relational ontology and embedded ecological knowledge. The sacrificial offerings, shared meals, and purification practices in the ritual not only reinforce reverence for nature through symbolic acts but also unify the community through Durkheimian “collective effervescence,” thereby restoring the community’s spiritual order. As a carrier of social memory, the “xiō bū” ritual, through epic chanting, symbolic performances (such as clothing, ritual implements), and bodily practices (like the ritual specialist’s movements), embeds individual memories into the collective historical narrative of the group, dynamically constructing the cultural boundaries of the “Yi” people. The ritual specialists (Bimo or Suni), as intermediaries of knowledge and power, maintain religious authority through bricolage-like symbolic reorganization and foster the creative transformation of tradition in response to the challenges of modernity. The study further reveals that while the ritual faces challenges in the contemporary context, such as secularization and population mobility, it continues to activate ethnic identity by simplifying rituals, preserving core symbols, and coupling with ecological discourses, offering a model for the modern adaptation of traditional religions. This paper argues that ritual studies should engage with contemporary theoretical approaches like the ontological turn, focus on the agency of individuals, and reflect on the insights traditional knowledge systems offer in the face of globalization and ecological crises. Full article

This article examines how the Ahiska Turks—deported from Georgia’s Meskheti region to Central Asia in 1944—sustained their religious belonging under shifting Soviet and post-Soviet political and social conditions, and how this religious continuity became intertwined with processes of collective memory formation. Drawing on published archival materials, existing scholarship, and a long-term ethnographic corpus composed of fourteen life-history oral interviews conducted between 2006 and 2025 in Turkey and Kazakhstan, the study traces the multigenerational trajectories of ritual practice. The findings show that funeral ceremonies, mevlid gatherings, Ramadan practices, and domestic prayer circles function as “sites of memory” through which the trauma of displacement is reinterpreted and intergenerational belonging is continually reconstituted. These ritual forms generate a meaningful sense of continuity and communal resilience in the face of prolonged experiences of loss, uncertainty, and “placelessness.” Situated at the intersection of the anthropology of religion, cultural trauma theory, and Soviet/post-Soviet diaspora studies, the article conceptualizes Islam as more than a realm of belief: for the Ahiska Turks, it operates as a core cultural infrastructure that anchors post-displacement resilience, social organization, and collective memory. The study contributes to the literature by offering an integrated analytical framework that places the Ahiska community within broader debates on religion, memory, and forced migration; by examining rituals not only as emotional practices but also as institutional and cultural scaffolding; and by foregrounding the understudied post-traumatic religious experiences of Muslim diasporas. Full article

This study examines the construction of individual and collective identity in pre-Neolithic Egypt and the Levant through the post mortem manipulation of human remains. Focusing on funerary rituals and skull reuse, interpreted using recent anthropological theory frameworks, we propose a totemic framework of ontological identity, in which clans associated with specific animals structured their ritual and spatial practices. Based on archaeological, taphonomic, and ethnohistorical evidence, it is possible to identify how these practices reflect clan-based social units, seasonal mobility, and a reciprocal relationship with the environment, integrating corporeal and mental continuity. Plastered skulls in the Levant acted as intergenerational anchors of communal memory, while early Egyptian dismemberment practices predate the standardization of mummification and reveal the function of some structures of pre-Neolithic sanctuaries. By interpreting these mortuary rituals, we argue that selective body treatment served as a deliberate mechanism to reinforce totemic identity, transmit ancestry, and mediate ontological transitions in response to sedentarization and environmental change. Full article

Generally speaking, the conception of God serves as the theoretical focal point and central concern of Kant’s philosophy of religion. Its content is multidimensional, covering many aspects, such as proof of God’s existence, the image of God, and God’s status and functions. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of the concept of God in Kant’s philosophy of religion in three different philosophical periods—the pre-critical period, the period of the critical philosophy and the post-critical period—to analyze the evolution of the internal contradictions in Kant’s philosophy of religion and the course of its systematic construction, and, on this basis, to reveal the three pivotal systemic transformations achieved by Kant’s philosophy of religion—the deconstruction of traditional theology, the reconstruction of rational theology and the construction of moral religion. Finally, this paper elucidates four internal roots which drive these pivotal transformations: (1) methodological foundation: the development of critical philosophy; (2) systematic goal: the establishment of scientific metaphysics; (3) axiological orientation: the secularization of theology into anthropological theology; and (4) practical culmination: the extension of pure moral philosophy. Full article

This article employs the theoretical framework of religious mediatization and a philosophical–anthropological lens to examine how various religious traditions utilize audiovisual media in the digital age to disseminate their faith and transform the religious experience. By comparing representative film and television cases from Christianity, Islam, and Eastern religions, the study analyzes how digital media reconstruct religious narratives, ritual practices, and identity, and facilitate cross-cultural faith exchange in online spaces. The findings indicate that audiovisual media have become a key arena for contemporary religious practice: they reinforce believers’ identity within their tradition while enabling different faith communities to encounter each other’s narratives, generating new understanding and spiritual experiences. Meanwhile, digital media have fostered virtual religious communities and a fan culture reminiscent of “implicit religion” (secular activities imbued with religious-like devotion), challenging traditional religious authority. Finally, from an interdisciplinary perspective, this article reflects on the opportunities and challenges of religious mediatization in the digital era, highlighting how media shape humanity’s quest for meaning and transcendence in a “liquid modernity” context. It also calls for deeper research into interreligious digital communication. Full article

The article examines how discourses of race and ancestry interact with both everyday life and the Vodun religion in southern Benin. The researcher uses ethnographic methods to illuminate how discourses of race are unfolding within the racially homogenous country of Benin in West Africa. The researcher examines the Fon terms mewi (Black or African) and yovó (White or non-African) to analyze how Beninese work to situate themselves within larger racial and continental categories. The researcher is also reflexive of her experiences as an African-American in Benin to understand the nuances of Black racial identity. The author argues that Beninese are consistently engaged in their own racialization processes of those who fall outside of the mewi category. Moreover, the Vodun divinities themselves are also able to categorize those who are or are not mewi. This work highlights how ideas of ancestry are relevant to both Black racial identity and Vodun. Full article

When designing, implementing and assessing public policies, and, in particular, those affecting the public management of religious diversity, it is increasingly common to include ethnographic approaches from the field of social anthropology and the broader social sciences. Ethnographic practice can provide more representative and accurate perspectives on the actors, settings, and social phenomena subject to regulation. This article presents the findings of an ethnographic study on two minority religious communities, conducted by a team of anthropologists within the framework of a broader research project on religious freedom in Spain, led by jurists. Based on two case studies—the teaching of Evangelical religion in state schools and Islamic burial practices—our study analyses the implications of the varying degrees of public recognition, as well as how this recognition actually manifests in the everyday practice of religious groups within a context of religious diversity. The study also examines the barriers to the full participation of these communities in public institutions and civil society, as well as the discourses, strategies, and practices they develop to overcome these challenges. Full article

What does it mean for a culture to include, or exclude, ancestors as active members? How do Indigenous cultures and traditions cast light on the role of ancestors? Those are the central questions in this article. It begins by offering a general account of the role of ancestors in Indigenous cultures and traditions. These general comments contextualize specific engagement with the work of the novelist and essayist Leslie Marmon Silko (a Laguna Pueblo author) and also with the philosopher Kyle Whyte (a Potawatomi author). Having acquired from Silko and Whyte a sense for the active, intergenerational role played by ancestors in Indigenous cultures, the article then addresses the place of ancestors in Euro-American cultures and traditions, noting that due to particular forms of Christianity and secularism, Euro-American scholars and popular culture more generally tend to discount the role of ancestors. Yet, the work of Silko and others lend sight to see traces of ancestors in Euro-American cultures. Finally, the article returns to the question: What difference might it make to include or exclude ancestors in Euro-American communities and democracy? The approach in this article is transdisciplinary, drawing from the fields of religious studies (specifically its subfield, philosophy of religion and ethics), Indigenous studies, anthropology, political theory, and literary criticism. Full article

A conundrum in the cognitive, evolutionary, and anthropological study of religion is how to propose descriptions and explanatory models of the structure and functions of supernatural dreaming and its relationship to action imagery, the use of experience, and, importantly, cultural transmission (factors) associated with these representations. Research has long emphasized the important function and significance of dreams and dreaming in beliefs and practices related to religious phenomena. The literature of anthropology and religious studies shows that dreams, dream experiences, and narratives are often associated with religious ideas and practices, both in traditional societies and in the world religions. Indeed, at the very beginning of the anthropological study of human beings, scholars proposed that dreaming is a primary source of religious beliefs and practices. Another facet of this is the recurrent manifestations of divinities, spirits, ancestors, and demons—in short, imagery of various supernatural agents—together with the occasional ritualization of dreams in the waking state. However, we know less about the associated phenomenon of dreams about ritual imagery. The aim of this paper is to elucidate and map dream imagery about rituals, drawing on simulation theories from dream research and prominent models of ritual behavior in the cognitive and evolutionary science of religion (CESR). This theoretical and methodological endeavor is illustrated by examples from dream narratives collected in Nepal before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

This paper re-examines consciousness through Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, and contemporary neo-materialism, arguing that traditional views overstate its importance and that retreating to the subconscious is inadequate. Using a moth infestation metaphor, it highlights the interconnectedness of sentient and non-sentient beings and advocates for recognizing our shared existence. Nietzsche’s perspectivism shows that human will arises from interdependent life forces, while Wittgenstein’s “form of life” illustrates that meaning comes from shared practices. In one reading of the form of life, religion can be seen as different forms of life. This paper concludes that theology must rethink its focus on human consciousness post the “anthropological turn”, avoiding dualistic body–soul separations. By embracing a holistic view of interconnectedness, we can enrich our understanding of human existence and foster compassionate engagement with diverse life forms, promoting a more integrated and empathetic approach to living. Full article

From the Christian heartland of Europe emerged the techno-scientific culture borne from the Enlightenment movement. Prior to this cultural outlook that severed culture from its foundational roots in religion, it was the case that religion was not only a crucial agent in the shaping of culture, but in many ways, the heart of culture. With secular rationality and its underscoring of the techno-scientific mindset, a growing privatization of religion has become the acceptable ethos of contemporary Western culture. Secularism, largely understood in terms of a naked public sphere, is increasingly perceived to be the only form of rationality that can guarantee societal cohesion and the democratic spirit. But as Ratzinger pointed out in his 1993 Hong Kong Address to the Doctrinal Commissions of the Bishops Conferences of Asia, this Western understanding of culture that is governed by a hermeneutic of suspicion towards religion, and which seeks to replace the heart of culture with autonomous reason a la Kant, ends up leaving culture in a winter land of existential frostiness. By depriving culture of its roots in the transcendental dimensions of human experience, much of the wisdom and riches that have been accumulated in the pre-techno-scientific cultures—regarding fundamental questions such as “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, “What is the meaning of life?”, “What happens when I die?”, “Does life make sense?”, “Do I have a destiny?” and more—are now left to the manufactured logic of the techno-scientific with its anthropological reductionism that fails to offer the big picture of the cultural outlook that did not construe the scientific and the technological as antithetical to religion. This essay seeks to unpack the arguments Ratzinger made in this Address at Hong Kong, with the hope that this theological exegesis of the Hong Kong lecture could once again offer an invitation to the world of the techno-scientific, the world of secular rationality, to open up to the world of faith, so that together, the breadth and depth of the human culture would once again flourish in its greatness. Full article

Recent discussions between evolutionary and theological anthropology have intensified, particularly through the work of Michael Tomasello. As a key figure in evolutionary anthropology, Tomasello synthesizes extensive empirical research into an accessible ‘natural history’ of core human abilities. He posits that a unique human trait distinguishing us from our closest relatives is the capacity for “collective intentionality”, a concept he adapts from the philosophy of action. In this article, I show that Tomasello’s insights carry significant implications for philosophical and theological debates. Philosophically, his evolutionary framework invites a new understanding of the mind–brain problem, promoting a non-reductive view of human consciousness which questions the basic metaphysical assumptions of the debate by taking a genealogical perspective. Theologically, his work supports a “practical metaphysics”, suggesting that although morality is autonomous, it can lead to theistic interpretations of human existence. This supports the Kantian idea that religion does not precede morality but that religious views of the world are interpretations of human moral life. At the same time, religion is not just an add-on to morality but an interpretation of a human form of life as such. Both discourses exemplify the importance of a genealogical perspective in philosophy and theology, especially reinforcing the necessity of considering the ‘natural history’ of consciousness, free will or religiosity in anthropology. Full article

By comparing two significant characters in a Biblical and a Confucian story, respectively, this article examines how the two traditions referred to share a common understanding of what “reconciliation” is meant to be. I compare Joseph in Genesis and Shun in the Mencius, focusing on how their crying contributes to familial reconciliation. The comparison raises anthropological commonalities between these narratives concerning structures of violence and the process of personal transformation leading to interpersonal reconciliation. There is particular emphasis on the significance of emotions: the way in which tearful emotions are expressed and perceived functions either as cause (Shun) or effect (Joseph) of the aggressor’s transformation, thus triggering the reconciliatory process. Following the suggested interpretation of these narratives as historic encounters between cultures of different provenance, the commonalities found in both approaches to reconciliation can potentially serve as a source of inspiration for present-day relations between religions and civilizations. Full article

Votive offerings are one of the most common devotional practices in Hindu temples of Kerala and are today resorted to by an ever-growing number of worshippers seeking divine help in times of need. As this article will show, these offerings are deeply embedded in the logics of the hyper-personalized and unmediated devotion that characterizes popular Hinduism in this part of India. They are also markers of the recent opening of religion to individual contribution and intervention, as well as active tools for the intimate worshipper–deity relationship. Ritual arts conducted as votive offerings allow us to dive even deeper into these considerations and open up new alleys of analysis, for they connect public and private worlds in specific ways and introduce unique aesthetic and transactional dimensions. This article draws on extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the south Indian state of Kerala, with particular focus on the ritual performing art muṭiyēṯṯu’, which is mainly conducted as a votive offering in high-caste temples devoted to the goddess Bhadrakāḷi. It pulls together anthropology, performance, and religious studies to analyze the current grassroot-level realities of lived popular religion through the prism of votive offerings in general and of ritual performing arts conducted as votive offerings in particular. Full article

Durkheimian anthropology has so insisted on the primacy of the sacred that one scarcely pauses to think on what role the profane may play in the study of religion. This paper examines the cultivation of dead bodies in the Tantric ritual of shav-sadhana to draw out the element of the “profanation of holy objects” operative within religion. Based on ethnographic research among Tantric specialists in rural Bengal, this paper examines how impurity liquidates the distance between the sacred and the profane which opens a window on the role of mundanity in religious rites and beliefs. I begin by portraying the ritual act undertaken by Tantric practitioners in which corpses ensuing from sudden, untimely deaths are mobilized for spiritual advancement. The ritual and its mode of efficacy are evocative for using impure matter to turn the flow of human ideals away from transcendence to ordinary, human ones. This paper concludes with a snapshot of Kaliyuga, the last age of Hindu cosmogony and the most corrupt, to thematize how the profane forms a lure as much as a barrier to religion. Full article