Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion
(ASA Monographs 3)
(Ed.) Michael Banton
Tavistock 1966
pp. 176

_Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion_ is the third
volume in the highly regarded series of monographs put out by the
Association of Social Anthropologists of the Commonwealth.  It contains
five essays, of which two are very broad in scope (basically attempts at
a definition of religion and consequent methodological suggestions for
anthropologists), while the others consider more specific aspects of
particular religious systems (and attempt to draw theoretical
conclusions from them).  

In _Religion as a Cultural System_ Clifford Geertz suggests a definition
of religion as "A system of symbols which acts to establish powerful,
pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating
conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these
conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and
motivations seem uniquely realistic." The bulk of the essay is devoted
to explaining this definition and illustrating the explanation with
examples from various religious systems.  This is an extremely thought
provoking essay, and it gives one a good idea of why Geertz has such
stature among anthropologists.  

Turner's essay _Colour Classification in Ndembu Ritual_ is a look at the
role played by the red-white-black colour trio in Ndembu ritual life
(and more generally in ritual systems in Africa and around the world).
He restricts himself to a descriptive, down to earth approach, except
that towards the end of the essay he proceeds "to throw caution to the
winds" and goes completely overboard in theoretical speculation.  He
starts with a claim that dyadic and triadic relationships are
fundamental in human relationships, which is something that (while
extremely plausible) is hardly incontestable.  He then concludes with
"...  the three colours white-red-black for the simpler societies are ...
abridgements or condensations of whole realms of psychobiological
experience involving the reason and all the senses and concerned with
primary group relationships.  It is only by subsequent abstraction from
these configurations that the other modes of social classification
employed by mankind arose." In short he claims that colour symbolism is
fundamental to human social classification!  

In _Religion: Problems of Definition and Explanation_ Melford Spiro
presents a definition of religion as "an institution consisting of
culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman
beings".  He presents a reductionist and individualist view of religion,
where causality is fairly strictly individual => religion => society.
He argues (against functionalist explanations of religion) that an
unintended consequence of religion cannot be a reason for its existence.
Now while this is clearly true of religion considered as a conscious
behaviour system, it hardly seems true in general.  One alternative
possibility is that something akin to biological natural selection
applies.  Random (in the sense of sensitively contingent on history)
variation in religious systems (and other social structures) seems
inevitable, and if societies without religious systems of certain types
disintegrate due to lack of social stability then in some sense it makes
sense to say that religions exist because they produce social stability.
Such a theory would also explain the variety of religious systems in
existence, something Spiro stresses needs explanation.  

The last two essays are slightly shorter.  R.E.  Bradbury's _Fathers,
Elders and Ghosts in Edo Religion_ is a structuralist look at the role
ancestor worship plays in Edo social structures.  The basic idea is that
relationships between the living and the dead, and that between
different classes of ghosts and spirits, are projections of the social
organisation of the living.  It is suggested the oppositions considered
in the essay are just part of more abstract order which can be used
to classify a much wider range of human experience.

Edward H.  Winter's _Territorial Groupings and Religion among the Iraqw_
is only peripherally about religion.  He looks at an ethnic group where
social organisation is based on a community and territorial basis rather
than on the lineage system as in most African ethnic groups.  The
structural principle of Iraqw society is spatial contiguity rather than
kinship, so the members of a lineage are scattered throughout the
population, and can move around freely.  The organisational units above
the village are also geographically organised, and it is religion that
provides their coherence, with councils responsible for organising
rituals for rain control.  The situation among the Iraqw is contrasted
with that among the Amba, who have a more "traditional" lineage system.
I would be interested to see if the Iraqw have coped with modernisation
better than other ethnic groups as a result of their organisational
differences.  

I have tried to give some idea of the content of the essays, suffice it to
say that they are all extremely interesting, and it is easy to understand
why this collection has been reprinted so often.  

Danny Yee (da...@cs.su.oz.au)
10/5/93

      **********************************************************
      *  A complete list of my book reviews can be obtained by *
      *      finger "books%danny"@orthanc.cs.su.oz.au          *
      *  OR (with subjects)                                    *
      *      finger "index%danny"@orthanc.cs.su.oz.au          *
      *  and then individual reviews can be obtained with      *
      *      finger "books=Bookname"%da...@orthanc.cs.su.oz.au *
      **********************************************************