Sacral rulers in pre-Christian Scandinavia: The possibilities of typological comparisons within the paradigm of cultural evolution
This article offers a new perspective on the century-old discussion of sacral rulers in the history of religions generally, and pre-Christian Scandinavian religions specifically, namely the application of a cultural evolutionary theoretical framework based on the work of Robert N. Bellah. In doing t...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
[publisher not identified]
[2016]
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| In: |
Temenos
Year: 2016, Volume: 52, Issue: 1, Pages: 9-35 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Bellah, Robert N. 1927-2013
/ Scandinavia
/ Sacred kingship
/ Hawaii
/ Comparison of religions
/ Typology
/ Cultural development
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| RelBib Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy KBE Northern Europe; Scandinavia |
| Further subjects: | B
pre-Christian Scandinavian religions
B chiefdom religion B Robert N. Bellah B sacral rulers B Cultural Evolution B pre-Christian Hawaiian religions B typological comparisons B cultural evolutionary theory |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | This article offers a new perspective on the century-old discussion of sacral rulers in the history of religions generally, and pre-Christian Scandinavian religions specifically, namely the application of a cultural evolutionary theoretical framework based on the work of Robert N. Bellah. In doing this, the article opens the possibility of wider typological comparisons within this paradigm and suggests a nuancing of Bellah’s typology with the addition of the category of ‘chiefdom religion’. This is utilised in the main part of the article, which features a comparison between the figure of the sacral ruler in pre-Christian Scandinavian and pre-Christian Hawaiian religions through an analysis of: 1) the position of the ruler in society, cult, and ideology; 2) the societal structure in which these religions are found; 3) the idea of a ruler sacrifice; 4) incestuous relationships and their ideological implications; and, finally, 5) the idea of a double rulership. Following this comparison, the perspectives in and the usefulness of cultural evolutionary theories in the history of religions are briefly evaluated. |
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| ISSN: | 2342-7256 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Temenos
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