Death, Ritual and Belief: The Rhetoric of Funerary Rites - Hardcover

Davies, Douglas James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0304338214 ISBN 13: 9780304338214

Publisher: Continuum Intl Pub Group, 1997

Synopsis

Describing a great variety of funeral ritual from major world religions and from local traditions, this book shows how cultures not only cope with corpses but also create an added value for living through the encouragement of afterlife beliefs. The explosion of interest in death in recent years reflects the key theme of this book - the rhetoric of death - the way cultures use the most potent weapon of words to bring new power to life. This new edition is one third longer than the original with new material on the death of Jesus, the most theorized death ever which offers a useful case study for students. There is also empirical material from contemporary/recent events such as the death of Diana and an expanded section on theories of grief which will make the book more attractive to death counsellors.

About this title

About the Author

Douglas J. Davies is Professor in the Study of Religion and Director of Durham University's Centre for Death and Life Studies, UK. His numerous books on death and other aspects of Religious Studies reflect his combined skills as both Anthropologist of Religion and Theologian.

Review

"Professor Douglas Davies' perceptive and thought-provoking book... provides a rich framework in which to consider the perennial questions of the human response to death. From this book, the fruit of wide-ranging research and reading, it is clear that Professor Davies has established himself as one of the leading writers in an increasingly important field."
—Geoffrey Rowell, The Tablet

"This updated and much enlarged book contains fascinating information and discussion about the many, varied issues nestling under the heading of 'death studies'. It would make an excellent textbook." —Modern Believing, July 2003

Edition details

• Publisher: Continuum Intl Pub Group
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0304338214
• ISBN 13: 9780304338214
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 216