Ritual Risk and Emergent Efficacy: Ethnographic Studies in Christian Ritual. Issue 3 (1st September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaell, Hillary; Hardin, Jessica
• Is Part Of: Journal of contemporary religion. Volume 31:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 323
• Page End: 334
• Publication Date: 2016-09-01
• Subjects: Christianity -- ritual -- risk; Religions -- Periodicals; Religions -- History -- 20th century -- Periodicals; 200
• DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2016.1206209
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-7903

Abstract

Abstract: Ritual is a domain of analysis shared across Christian confessions and continents. Yet in anthropological work on Christianity, studies of ritual have thus far remained piecemeal and disjointed, unwittingly perpetuating distinctions between north and south, 'secular' and 'religious' publics, Pentecostals and 'the rest'. This introductory essay charts the analytic potential of developing a robust cross-cultural analysis of ritual from the perspective of anthropologists of Christianity. We employ ritual risk and efficacy to expand the ongoing study of the practice of Christian sociality, which we explore through three themes. Firstly, this collection is united by a shared interest in ritual inefficacy—the 'infelicitous' moments when ritual go awry—and the societal and metaphysical risks that may result. Secondly, the collection examines the social 'work' of ritual in defining and authorizing particular forms of Christianity. Finally, the essays explore the ways Christian futures are imagined and created through ritual.