Religious Statues And Personhood Testing The Role Of Materiality
Book Description
In a world where spiritual seekers often view religious objects as mere symbols, Amy Whitehead challenges us to reconsider our relationship with the sacred material world around us. This thought-provoking exploration examines how devotees in two distinct spiritual traditions interact with divine statues in ways that transcend conventional understanding.
Drawing from her research with contemporary Pagan practitioners of the Goddess religion in Glastonbury, England, and followers of a Virgin Mary cult in southern Spain, Whitehead reveals how religious statues can embody presence rather than simply represent it. Her work invites readers to question the modern assumption that humans are fundamentally separate from the material objects that surround us.
Through careful observation of actual spiritual practices, the author demonstrates how devotees engage with statue forms of the divine feminine in deeply relational ways. These interactions suggest that matter itself may play an active role in religious experience, challenging Western notions of what constitutes personhood and spiritual agency.
For those interested in expanding their understanding of how the sacred manifests in physical form, this scholarly yet accessible work offers fresh perspectives on animism, religious materiality, and the complex relationships between humans and sacred objects. Whitehead's comparative approach illuminates how different cultures navigate the boundary between the spiritual and material realms, offering insights relevant to anyone exploring the role of physical objects in their own spiritual practice.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~6 hours)
📄 Length: 198 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religious life and customs
- ✓ Explore RELIGION / General
- ✓ Explore Idols and images, worship
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Matter
- ✓ Explore Goddesses
- ✓ Explore Idols and images
- ✓ Explore Worship
