The Appalachian "Other": Academic Approaches to the Study of Serpent-handling Sects
Serpent-handling sects are often portrayed in the media as bizarre Southern cults whose members engage in dangerous primitive rituals. The fact that a religious ritual identified as existing outside the normative boundaries of Christianity, and perhaps religion in general, defines this Christian tra...
| Published in: | Religion compass |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell
[2016]
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| In: |
Religion compass
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
USA
/ Christianity
/ Sect
/ Poisonous snakes
/ Ritual
/ Pentecostal churches
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| RelBib Classification: | AE Psychology of religion CB Christian life; spirituality KBQ North America KDG Free church KDH Christian sects |
| Further subjects: | B
Literature report 1962-2016
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | Serpent-handling sects are often portrayed in the media as bizarre Southern cults whose members engage in dangerous primitive rituals. The fact that a religious ritual identified as existing outside the normative boundaries of Christianity, and perhaps religion in general, defines this Christian tradition marks serpent-handling sects as abnormal or "other". Consequently, scholars investigating why these Christians handle poisonous snakes during religious services must address the boundary between "abnormal" and "normal" religion, the "norm" and the "other". This essay surveys the multi-disciplinary literature on serpent-handling sects with a particular eye toward the ways scholars both negotiate and perpetuate this boundary. |
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| ISSN: | 1749-8171 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religion compass
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/rec3.12193 |