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Religious reflexivity and transmissive frequency

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2002

Harvey Whitehouse
Affiliation:
School of Anthropological Studies, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Irelandh.whitehouse@qub.ac.uk
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Abstract

The extent to which religious rituals foster a reflexive stance is influenced by transmissive frequency. Highly repetitive rituals may be reproduced on the basis of largely implicit procedural knowledge, somewhat constraining spontaneous exegetical reflection (and related experiences of religious doubt and skepticism). Rare, climactic rituals are reproduced via explicit procedural schemas, fostering a rich but gradual process of exegetical reflection. This article presents a detailed model of these dynamics, drawing on a combination of ethnographic and experimental findings.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2002 European Association of Social Anthropologists

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