Edited by Jodi Bilinkoff (NHC Fellow, 1999–00) and Allan Greer From the cult of Saint Anne to the devotees of the Virgin of Guadalupe, from Saint Anthony who competed with Christ for popularity in Brazil, to Jesuits who mixed freely with shamans that talked with the gods, this exciting new anthology examines the conversion of … Continued
By Loring M. Danforth (NHC Fellow, 1986–87) “If the Saint calls you, if you have an open road, then you don’t feel the fire as if it were your enemy,” says one of the participants in the Anastenaria. This compelling work evokes and contrasts two forms of firewalking and religious healing: first, the Anastenaria, a … Continued
Edited by John N. Wall (NHC Fellow, 1980–81; 2013–14) George Herbert (1593-1633) was an Anglican priest, poet and essayist truly one of the most profound spiritual masters in the English tradition. His spirituality was a synthesis of Evangelical and Catholic piety.
By Dyan Elliott (NHC Fellow, 1997–98; 2012–13) Around the year 1215, female mystics and their sacramental devotion were among orthodoxy’s most sophisticated weapons in the fight against heresy. Holy women’s claims to be in direct communication with God placed them in positions of unprecedented influence. Yet by the end of the Middle Ages female mystics … Continued
By Henry S. Levinson (NHC Fellow, 1985–86) Henry Levinson offers a major reinterpretation of the Spanish-born American philosopher George Santayana (1863-1952), which highlights his relationship to the tradition of American pragmatism. He shows that Santayana's role in forming the pragmatist tradition was greater than has usually been recognized and that Santayana has much to offer … Continued
By Eric G. Wilson (NHC Fellow, 2003–04) In the last twenty years or so, numerous mainstream movies have drawn from the ideas and images of ancient thought to address the collapse of appearance and reality. These films have consistently featured the Gnostic currents that emerged from Plato: not only Gnosticism itself but also Cabbala and … Continued
By Akasha Gloria Hull (NHC Fellow, 1994–95) From the last part of the twentieth century through today, African-American women have experienced a revival of spirituality and creative force, fashioning a uniquely African-American way to connect with the divine. In Soul Talk, Akasha Gloria Hull examines this multifaceted spirituality that has both fostered personal healing and functioned … Continued
By Nancy Bradley Warren (NHC Fellow, 2007–08) In The Embodied Word: Female Spiritualities, Contested Orthodoxies, and English Religious Cultures, 1350-1700, Nancy Bradley Warren expands on the topic of female spirituality, first explored in her book Women of God and Arms, to encompass broad issues of religion, gender, and historical periodization. Through her analyses of the variety of … Continued
Contrary to what many observers predicted in the 1960s and early 1970s, religion has remained as vibrant and vital a part of American society as in generations past. New issues and interests have emerged, but religion’s role in many Americans’ lives remains undiminished. Perhaps the one characteristic that distinguishes late-twentieth-century religious life from the rest … Continued
A single book forever changed the way young Bill Carbone thought not only about drumming, but the world. Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart’s Drumming at the Edge of Magic illuminated the connections between spirituality and music. It also introduced Carbone to the world of ethnomusicology, or the study of music and cultures.