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Being-In-Christ and Putting Death in Its Place

By Miles Richardson

Book Description

Drawing from four decades of fieldwork, anthropologist Miles Richardson presents a profound exploration of how human beings confront their mortality through faith. This comprehensive study examines a fundamental paradox of human existence: while we share the biological fate of all living creatures, our unique capacity for symbolic thought allows us to contemplate death in ways that set us apart from other species.

Richardson investigates how two distinct Christian communities—Catholics in Spanish America and Baptists in the American South—develop what he terms "being-in-Christ" as a means of addressing mortality's inevitability. Through detailed ethnographic observation, he reveals how these groups use cultural dialogue, sacred spaces, and communal practices to transform their relationship with death from one of fear to one of meaning.

The work bridges multiple anthropological disciplines, combining biological, cultural, archaeological, and linguistic perspectives within an evolutionary framework. Richardson demonstrates how human culture emerges through ongoing dialogue between individuals and their communities, creating experiential locations where profound spiritual transformations occur.

This study offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand how faith communities navigate life's ultimate questions. By examining how different Christian traditions construct meaning around mortality, Richardson illuminates the deeply human process of turning existential anxiety into spiritual purpose. His approach respects both the scientific understanding of human evolution and the interpretive power of religious experience, showing how communities create sacred responses to universal human concerns.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~12 hours)

📄 Length: 414 pages

What You'll Discover

  • ✓ Explore Colonisation
  • ✓ Explore Histoire
  • ✓ Explore Southern states, church history
  • ✓ Explore Christianisme et civilisation
  • ✓ Explore Catholic church, latin america
  • ✓ Explore Baptists
  • ✓ Explore Christentum
  • ✓ Explore Histoire religieuse

Topics Covered

Colonisation Histoire Southern states, church history Christianisme et civilisation Catholic church, latin america Baptists Christentum Histoire religieuse Église catholique Baptists, history Catholic Church Christianity and culture Church history Tod Colonization Südstaaten Baptistes History

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