The Limits of Meaning Case Studies in the Anthropology of Christianity [Paperback]

Too often, anthropological accounts of ritual leave readers with the impression that everything goes smoothly, that rituals are meaningful events. But what happens when rituals fail, or when they seem meaningless ? Drawing on research in the anthropology of Christianity from around the globe, the authors in this volume suggest that in order to analyze meaning productively, we need to consider its limits. This collection is a welcome new addition to the anthropology of religion, offering fresh debates on a classic topic and drawing attention to meaning in a way that other volumes have for key terms like culture and fieldwork.

The originality of this work is reinforced by the diversity of each authors positioning and the richness of each contribution in terms of reflection and area. This volume constitutes a landmark for the ethnography of Christianity as well as for the interpretative method in anthropology.?????L'Homme

&[the] introduction provides a stimulating meditation on the centrality of meaning in anthropological discussions of religion, in general, and ritual, in particular&The thematic concern with the ways people conceive of meaning and respond to threats or breakdowns provides an unusual degree of coherence. The value of the book is further enhanced by the rich detail and accessibility of most of the chapters.?????American Anthropologist

&an engaging and exciting contribution to a growing literature of detailed and ethnographically rich analyses&This book will be important to scholars of Christianity and of religion generally,, as well as to regional specialists of the areas discussed, especially in the Pacific.?????Pacific Affairs

Based on meticulous ethnographies, most of the contributions of this volume are of high quality and succeed in revealing the importance of a focus on the moments of failure&The books contributions are extremely relevant to the study of religlÃ