1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910454367803321

Autore

Smith Theophus H

Titolo

Conjuring Culture [[electronic resource] ] : Biblical Formations of Black America

Pubbl/distr/stampa

New York, : Oxford University Press, 2006

ISBN

1-280-52862-1

0-19-802319-7

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (304 p.)

Disciplina

277.308

277.30808990673

277.30808996073

Soggetti

African Americans

Magic

Religion and culture

Typology (Theology)

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di contenuto

Contents; Introduction: Formulary; Part I: Ethnographic Perspectives; 1 Genesis; 2 Exodus; 3 Law; Part II: Theoretical Perspectives; 4 Spirituals; 5 Wisdom; 6 Prophecy; Part III: Theological Perspectives; 7 Gospel; 8 Praxis; 9 Apocalypse; Conclusion: Diaspora; Selected Bibliography; Index;

Sommario/riassunto

This book provides a sophisticated new interdisciplinary interpretation of the formulation and evolution of African American religion and culture. Theophus Smith argues for the central importance of ""conjure""--a magical means of transforming reality--in black spirituality and culture. Smith shows that the Bible, the sacred text of Western civilization, has in fact functioned as a magical formulary for African Americans. Going back to slave religion, and continuing in black folk practice and literature to the present day, the Bible has provided African Americans with ritual prescriptions for