The invention of sacred tradition

Hammer, Olav, (editor, Editor). Lewis, James R., (editor, Editor).

Summary: "The dictionary definition of tradition refers to beliefs and practices that have been transmitted from generation to generation; however, 'tradition' can rest simply on the claim that certain cultural elements are rooted in the past. Claim and documented historical reality need not overlap. In the domain of religion, historically verifiable traditions coexist with recent innovations whose origins are spuriously projected back into time. This book examines the phenomenon of 'invented traditions' in religions, ranging in time from Zoroastrianism to Scientology, and geographically from Tibet to North America and Europe. The various contributions, together with an introduction that surveys the field, use individual case studies to address questions such as the rationale for creating historical tradition for one's doctrines and rituals; the mechanisms by which hitherto unknown texts can enter an existing corpus; and issues of acceptance and skepticism in the reception of dubious texts."--Publisher's description.

Record details

ISBN: 9780521864794
ISBN: 9780521175319
ISBN: 0521864798
ISBN: 0521175313
ISBN: 9781281156082
ISBN: 9780511488450
ISBN: 9780511371073
ISBN: 9780511370076
ISBN: 9780511369551
ISBN: 1281156086
ISBN: 0511488459
ISBN: 0511371071
ISBN: 0511370075
ISBN: 0511369557
Physical Description: 1 online resource (xi, 306 pages) : illustrations
remote
Computer data.
Publisher: Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Copyright: �2007

Content descriptions

General Note:	CatMonthString:april.19 Multi-User.
Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Introduction / Olav Hammer and James R. Lewis -- 1. Scientology, scripture, and sacred tradition / Mikael Rothstein -- 2. "He may be lying but what he says is true": the sacred tradition of don Juan as reported by Carlos Castaneda, anthropologist, trickster, guru, allegorist / Charlotte E. Hardman -- 3. The invention of sacred tradition: Mormonism / Douglas J. Davies -- 4. Antisemitism, conspiracy culture, Christianity, and Islam: the history and contemporary religious significance of the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion / Christopher Partridge and Ron Geaves -- 5. The invention of a counter-tradition: the case of the North American anti-cult movement / David G. Bromley and Douglas E. Cowan -- 6. "Heavenly deception"? Sun Myung Moon and Divine Principle / George D. Chryssides -- 7. "Forgery" in the New Testament / Einar Thomassen -- 8. Three phases of inventing Rosicrucian tradition in the seventeenth century / Susanna �Akerman -- 9. A name for all and no one: Zoroaster as a figure of authorization and a screen of ascription / Michael Stausberg -- 10. The peculiar sleep: receiving The Urantia Book / Sarah Lewis -- 11. Ontology of the past and its materialization in Tibetan treasures / Holly Gayley -- 12. Pseudo-Dionysius: the mediation of sacred traditions / Kevin Corrigan and Michael Harrington -- 13. Spurious attribution in the Hebrew Bible / Philip R. Davies -- 14. Inventing Paganisms: making nature / Graham Harvey.
Type of Computer File or Data Note:	Text (HTML), electronic book.
System Details Note:	Mode of access: Internet.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction Note:	Access requires VIU IP addresses and is restricted to VIU students, faculty and staff. Access restricted by subscription.
Issuing Body Note:	Made available online by EBSCO.
Source of Description Note:	Print version record and online resource (Cambridge Books Online, viewed December 4, 2015).