Sacrifice in Religious Experience (Numem Book Series: Studies in the History of Religions)

This volume presents revised papers delivered at the 1998 and 1999 Taubes Minerva Center for Religious Anthropology conferences. The papers from the 1998 conference discuss the role of sacrifice in religious experience from a comparative perspective. Those from the second conference examine alternatives to sacrifice. The first theme has been much elaborated in recent scholarship, and the essays here participate in that on-going inquiry. The second theme has been less explored, and the goal of this volume is to stimulate examination of the topic by offering a set of test cases. In both sections of the volume a wide variety of religious traditions are considered. The essays show that in spite of the inclination we may sometimes have to consider sacrifice part of the idolatrous past, long overcome, it remains a persistent and meaningful part of religious experience. Pt. 1. Sacrifice From A Comparative Perspective. Sacrifice In African Traditional Religions / T. Sundermeier. -- Towards A Gendered Typology Of Sacrifice: Women & Feasting, Men & Death In An Okinawan Village / S. Sered. -- Sacrifice In Mesopotamia / T. Abusch. -- Were The Firstborn Sacrificed To Yhwh? To Molek? Popular Practice Or Divine Demand? / J. Milgrom. -- The Semiotics Of The Priestly Vestments In Ancient Judaism / M.d. Swartz. -- Sacrifice And Sacrificial Ceremonies Of The Roman Imperial Army / P. Herz. -- Sacrifice And Theory Of Sacrifice During The 'pagan Reaction': Julian The Emperor / N. Belayche. -- Animal Sacrifice In Ancient Zoroastrianism: A Ritual And Its Interpretations / A. De Jong. Pt. 2. Alternatives To Sacrifice. Forgiveness Of Sins Without A Victim: Jesus And The Levitical Jubilee / A. Destro And M. Pesce. -- Eucharist: Surrogate, Metaphor, Sacrament Of Sacrifice / B. Chilton. -- This Is My Body: Sacrificial Presentation And The Origins Of Christian Ritual / B. Lang. -- The Christian Exegesis Of The Scapegoat Between Jews And Pagans / D.j. Stökl. -- The Body As Temple In The High Middle Ages / J.a. Harris. -- Firstfruits In The Quran / J. Benthall. -- Reestablishing Sacrifice In Times Of Trouble? Soma Morgenstern's Blutsäule As Negative Sacrificology / G. Palmer. -- Echoes Of Sacrifice? Repertoires Of Giving In The Great Religions / I.f. Silber. Edited By Albert I. Baumgarten. [r]evisions Of Selected Papers Presented At Two International Conferences, One 'sacrifice From A Comparative Perspective, Held In 1998, And The Second 'alternatives To Sacrifice,' Held In 1999--introd. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book presents revised papers delivered at the 1998 and 1999 Taubes Minerva Center for Religious Anthropology conferences. The papers from the 1998 conference discuss the role of sacrifice in religious experience from a comparative perspective. Those from the second conference examine alternatives to sacrifice. The first theme has been much elaborated in recent scholarship, and the essays here participate in that on-going inquiry. The second theme has been less explored, and the goal of this volume is to stimulate examination of the topic by offering a set of test cases. In both sections of the volume a wide variety of religious traditions are considered. The essays show that in spite of the inclination we may sometimes have to consider sacrifice part of the idolatrous past, long overcome, it remains a persistent and meaningful part of religious experience.