Religions in Practice

John R. Bowen is Dunbar-Van Cleve Professor in Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, USA. His research focuses on comparative social studies of Islam across the world.

Praise for the sixth edition:“Bowen's Religions in Practice provides a very compelling introduction to the anthropology of religion, integrating theoretical discussions with ethnographic material from a wide range of societies, especially Islam in its diverse manifestations. While covering traditional topics like magic, witchcraft, and spiritual healing, the book also breaks new ground by covering ultra-contemporary political issues like migration, nationalism, transnationalism, law, and secularism.”- Sean O'Neill, University of Oklahoma “An excellent introduction to Anthropology of Religion. It lays out the issues clearly, describes different theoretical approaches, and illustrates its points with lots of examples.”- Mark Webb, Texas Tech University “An eclectic book build around the practice of the world religions.”- Derrick Lemons, the University of Georgia “Its coverage of a range of issues and phenomena is first-rate. A thorough and very useful textbook, with particularly helpful attention to theory, method, and non-Western religious phenomena.”- James Findlay, California State University Northridge “Clear, anthropologically oriented discussion of the study of religion”- Eric Rovie, Georgia Perimeter College-Newton Campus “It is a clearly written, comprehensive text on the anthropology of religion that focuses primarily on religion as practice rather than as a belief system. It is current and includes important topics relevant to the modern situation. It is well-balanced in terms of the presentation of theory/concepts and case examples.”- Frances Purifoy, University of Louisville

• Part One: Theories and Authority1. Studying religion through practice2. Social theory and the anthropology of religion3. Authority and centralization 4. States, secularisms and religionsPart Two: Materialities and Morality5. Meanings and materiality6. Material transformations in Catholicism 7. Transatlantic religions 8. Embodiment and materiality in healing9. Embodied harmfulness 10. Boundaries: shaping time, space, and selvesPart Three: Languages and Movement11. Speech and Grace in Protestantism12. Revelation and Authority in Islam13. Virtual religion14. Migration and diaspora15. Religious mobilizing