Jeppe Sinding Jensen, Anita Maria Leopold

'This is a much-needed and thoughtfully structured anthology. It offers the reader a sampling of new directions that theories of syncretism are taking, rather than merely collecting older material. I have no doubt that Syncretism: A Reader will be received with much enthusiasm by scholars in a variety of disciplines and that it will become the text of choice for teaching about religious syncretism for years to come.' Terry Rey, Assistant Professor, Religious Studies, Florida International University, Miami

• Preface; Sources; Part I: General Introduction; Part II: The Historical Background of the Term Syncretism: The Problem of Definition; Introduction; 1. Hans Kippenberg: In Praise of Syncretism: The Beginnings of Christianity Conceived in the Light of a Diagnosis of Modern Culture; 2. Hendrik Kraemer: Syncretism; 3. Robert Baird: Syncretism and the History of Religions; 4. Michael Pye: Syncretism and Ambiguity; 5. Kurt Rudolph: Syncretism - from Theological Invective to a Concept in the Study of Religion; Part III: Syncretism: The Dynamics of Religion; Introduction; 1. Gerardus van der Leeuw: The Dynamic of Relgions. Syncretism. Mission; 2. Hendrik M. Vroom: Syncretism and Dialogue: A Philosophical Analysis; 3. Roger Bastide: Problems of Religious Syncretism; Part IV: Religions in Contact: Power, Syncretism and Creolization; Introduction; 1. Andrew Apter: Herskovit's Heritage: Rethinking Syncretism in the African Diaspora; 2. Carlos Guillermo Wilson: The Caribbean: Marvelous Cradle-Hammock and Painful Cornucopia; 3. Gustavo Benavides: Syncretism and Legitimacy in Latin American Religion; 4. Andre Droogers: Syncretism, Power, Play; 5. Armin W. Geertz: Worlds in Collusion: On Social Strategies and Misrepresentations as Forces of Syncretism in Euro-American and Native American Affairs; Part V: Category Problems and Theoretical Suspense; Introduction; 1. Charles Stewart: Relocating Syncretism in Social Science Discourse; 2. Luther H. Martin: Syncretism, Historicism, and Cognition: A Response to Michael Pye; 3. Ulrich Berner: The Concept of 'Syncretism': An Instrument of Historical Insight/Discovery?; Part VI: Current Approaches to Syncretism in the Study of Religion; Introduction; 1. Timothy Light: Orthosyncretism: An Account of Melding in Religion; 2. Panayotis Pachis: Religious Tendencies in Greece at the Dawn of the 21st Century - An Approach to Contemporary Greek Reality; 3. Kirstine Munk: Medicine-men, Modernity and Magic: Syncretism as an Explanatory Category to Recent Religious Responses and Magical Practices among Urban Blacks in Contemporary South Africa; Part VII: Conclusion; Appendix: List of References to Further Reading on Syncretism