Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars : Critical Explorations in the History of Religions

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 publisher's description Machine Generated Contents Note: Ch. One Theses On Method -- Ch. Two How To Read A Religious Text -- Ch. Three Nature And Genesis Of Pantheons -- Ch. Four Cosmo-logic Of Persian Demonology -- Ch. Five Anomaly, Science, And Religion -- Ch. Six Between History And Myth -- Ch. Seven Poetic, Royal, And Female Discourse -- Ch. Eight Ancient And Post-ancient Religions -- Ch. Nine Sanctified Violence -- Ch. Ten Religious And Other Conflicts In Twentieth-century Guatemala -- Ch. Eleven In Praise Of The Chaotic -- Ch. Twelve Theses On Comparison With Cristiano Grottonelli -- Ch. Thirteen (un)discipline Of Religious Studies. Bruce Lincoln. Theses On Method -- How To Read A Religious Text -- Nature And Genesis Of Pantheons -- The Cosmo-logic Of Persian Demonology -- Anomaly, Science, And Religion -- Between History And Myth -- Poetic, Royal, And Female Discourse -- Ancient And Post-ancient Religions -- Sanctified Violence -- Religious And Other Conflicts In 20th Century Guatemala -- In Praise Of The Chaotic -- Theses On Comparison -- With Cristiano Grottanelli -- The (un)discipline Of Religious Studies. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents ......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 1. Theses on Method ......Page 14 2. How to Read a Religious Text ......Page 18 3. Nature and Genesis of Pantheons ......Page 30 4. The Cosmo-logic of Persian Demonology ......Page 44 5. Anomaly, Science, and Religion ......Page 56 6. Between History and Myth ......Page 66 7. Poetic, Royal, and Female Discourse ......Page 76 8. Ancient and Post-Ancient Religions ......Page 86 9. Sanctified Violence ......Page 96 10. Religious and Other Conflicts in Twentieth-Century Guatemala ......Page 108 11. In Praise of the Chaotic ......Page 122 12. Theses on Comparison - with Cristiano Grottanelli ......Page 150 13. The (Un)discipline of Religious Studies ......Page 160 Notes......Page 166 Bibliography......Page 228 Index......Page 248 Intro -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Preface -- 1. Theses on Method -- 2. How to Read a Religious Text -- 3. Nature and Genesis of Pantheons -- 4. The Cosmo-logic of Persian Demonology -- 5. Anomaly, Science, and Religion -- 6. Between History and Myth -- 7. Poetic, Royal, and Female Discourse -- 8. Ancient and Post-Ancient Religions -- 9. Sanctified Violence -- 10. Religious and Other Conflicts in Twentieth-Century Guatemala -- 11. In Praise of the Chaotic -- 12. Theses on Comparison - with Cristiano Grottanelli -- 13. The (Un)discipline of Religious Studies -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index 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. This book tackles many questions central to religious study. The author discusses the study of religion, including its history, gods and pantheons, demons and monsters, and morality and power