Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia - Covington, Dennis Review & Synopsis

Synopsis A journalist describes an assignment in the mountains of Alabama which led to his spiritual journey into the world of holiness snake handling, a faith whose followers characteristically place themselves in life-threatening situations. Reprint. Tour. Review Salvation on Sand Mountain is a story of snake handling and strychnine drinking, of faith healing and speaking in tongues. It is also the story of one man's search for his roots--and, in the end, of his spiritual renewal. Writer Dennis Covington came to this ecstatic form of Christianity as a reporter covering a sensational murder case; Glen Summerford, pastor of the Church of Jesus with Signs Following, had been accused of attempting to kill his wife with rattlesnakes. There, in a courtroom filled with journalists and gawking spectators, Covington felt the pull of a spirituality that was to dominate his life for the next several years. Attending Summerford's church out of curiosity, he soon forged close friendships with some of the worshippers, began attending snake-handling services throughout the South, and eventually took up snakes himself. With subject matter this lurid, Salvation on Sand Mountain could have been a Southern-fried curiosity and little more. Covington goes far deeper. Tracing the snake handlers' roots in regional history, in the deep spiritual alienation of mountain people from the secular modern world they have so recently joined, Covington is more than just sympathetic to the snake handlers; in a profound way, he considers himself one of them. His reasoning is sometimes flawed--when he attempts to find snake handlers in his own family's past, for instance, the result is belabored and unconvincing--but there's no doubt that Covington's heart is in the right place. He's also not without his own brand of sly gallows humor, as in this conversation with the elderly Gracie McAllister: "She'd swore she'd never handle rattlesnakes in July again. She'd been bit the previous two Julys. 'I decided I'd just handle fire and drink strychnine that night,' she said. Good idea, I thought. It always pays to be on the safe side." Covington eventually breaks with the snake handlers, but comes away from the experience a changed man. "Knowing where you come from is one thing, but it's suicide to stay there," he writes. An American Book Award winner and finalist for the National Book Award, Salvation on Sand Mountain is a nuanced, compassionate portrait of an unforgettable spiritual journey. --Mary Park Dennis Covington is the award-winning author of several books of fiction and nonfiction, including Lizard and Lasso the Moon. He teaches creative writing at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Salvation on Sand Mountain A haunting exploration of faith, from a preacher convicted of attempted murder to a first-hand account of holiness serpent handling--"One of the best books on American religion from the last 25 years" (Chicago Tribune) For New York Times reporter Dennis Covington, what began as a journalistic assignment-covering the trial of an Alabama pastor convicted of attempting to murder his wife with poisonous snakes-would evolve into a headlong plunge into a bizarre, mysterious, and ultimately irresistible world of unshakable faith: the world of holiness snake handling.Set in the heart of Appalachia, Salvation on Sand Mountain is Covington's unsurpassed and chillingly captivating exploration of the nature, power, and extremity of faith-an exploration that gradually turns inward, until Covington finds himself taking up the snakes. A haunting exploration of faith, from a preacher convicted of attempted murder to a first-hand account of holiness serpent handling--"One of the best books on American religion from the last 25 years" (Chicago Tribune) For New York Times ..." Study Guide: Salvation on Sand Mountain by Dennis Covington (SuperSummary) SuperSummary, a modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, offers high-quality study guides for challenging works of literature. This 35-page guide for "Salvation on Sand Mountain" by Dennis Covington includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 11 chapters, as well as several more in-depth sections of expert-written literary analysis. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like Religious Persecution During and After Colonization and Class Structure and Educational Limits. This 35-page guide for "Salvation on Sand Mountain" by Dennis Covington includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 11 chapters, as well as several more in-depth sections of expert-written literary analysis." Lizard Six short stories by a Japanese woman writer known for her unusual themes. In Blood and Water, a woman abandons the religious commune where she was raised, goes to the big city and finds another idol of worship, a charismatic lover. The story looks at the connection between spiritual and romantic fervor. By the author of Kitchen. In Blood and Water, a woman abandons the religious commune where she was raised, goes to the big city and finds another idol of worship, a charismatic lover. The story looks at the connection between spiritual and romantic fervor." Jika aku hilang atau mati In April 2002, Janine Latus's youngest sister, Amy, wrote a note and taped it to the inside of her desk drawer: "Today Ron Ball and I are romantically involved, but I fear I have placed myself at risk in a variety of ways." That same spring Janine was struggling to leave her marriage, to a handsome and successful man--a marriage in which she felt afraid, controlled, inadequate, and trapped. Ten weeks later, Janine had left her marriage when she learned Amy was missing. It took more than two weeks to find Amy's body, and two years to convict her former boyfriend for her murder. Haunted, Janine turned her journalistic eye inward. How did two seemingly well-adjusted, successful women end up in physically or emotionally abusive relationships with men? The resulting book traces the roots of her own--and her sister's--victimization with unflinching candor, a heart-wrenching journey of discovery.-- Publisher description of English version. The resulting book traces the roots of her own--and her sister's--victimization with unflinching candor, a heart-wrenching journey of discovery.-- Publisher description of English version." Lasso the Moon When April Hunt moves to St. Simon Island, Georgia, to live with her father, a recovering alcoholic, she becomes involved with an illegal alien from El Salvador and learns about his life and country. When April Hunt moves to St. Simon Island, Georgia, to live with her father, a recovering alcoholic, she becomes involved with an illegal alien from El Salvador and learns about his life and country." Redneck Riviera The author describes his odyssey to the Gulf Coast of the Florida Panhandle to claim his inheritance, two and a half acres of land purchased by his father, in a study of the clash of values that is tearing apart much of rural America. The author describes his odyssey to the Gulf Coast of the Florida Panhandle to claim his inheritance, two and a half acres of land purchased by his father, in a study of the clash of values that is tearing apart much of rural America." What Has Wittenberg to Do with Azusa? Global Pentecostalism is a twenty-first century phenomenon. Yet in North America, where the movement was born, it has stalled. Courey uncovers the cause of this plateau in the triumphalism that is characteristic of both North American Protestantism and Pentecostalism. Through the identification of parallels between Martin Luther and contemporary Pentecostals, Courey detects in Luther's Theology of the Cross a potent remedy for this tension. Utilising this insight, Courey reflects on other faith traditions, and provides a counterpoint to the triumphalism that inhibits the development of Pentecostalism in North America and around the world. This work comprises of three parts. The first is historical, charting the antecedents and development of Pentecostal triumphalism. The second is an experiment in historical theology, seeking basic resonances between Luther and early Pentecostals, and examining the Theology of the Cross as a means of probing Pentecostalism. The final section is an effort in constructive theology, applying the theologia crucis to some of the central aspects of Pentecostalism. Dennis Covington , Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake - Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia (New York: Penguin, 1995), pp. 17 and 87. 51. Thomas and Alexander, '“And the Signs . . .”', pp. 150–51 and 155. 52." Encyclopedia of American Folklife American folklife is steeped in world cultures, or invented as new culture, always evolving, yet often practiced as it was created many years or even centuries ago. This fascinating encyclopedia explores the rich and varied cultural traditions of folklife in America - from barn raisings to the Internet, tattoos, and Zydeco - through expressions that include ritual, custom, crafts, architecture, food, clothing, and art. Featuring more than 350 A-Z entries, "Encyclopedia of American Folklife" is wide-ranging and inclusive. Entries cover major cities and urban centers; new and established immigrant groups as well as native Americans; American territories, such as Guam and Samoa; major issues, such as education and intellectual property; and expressions of material culture, such as homes, dress, food, and crafts. This encyclopedia covers notable folklife areas as well as general regional categories. It addresses religious groups (reflecting diversity within groups such as the Amish and the Jews), age groups (both old age and youth gangs), and contemporary folk groups (skateboarders and psychobillies) - placing all of them in the vivid tapestry of folklife in America. In addition, this resource offers useful insights on folklife concepts through entries such as "community and group" and "tradition and culture." The set also features complete indexes in each volume, as well as a bibliography for further research. With few exceptions, newspapers, magazines, motion pictures, and the electronic media paint snake handlers as exotic, bizarre, ... Covington , Dennis . Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia ." Handbook of Pentecostal Christianity Covington , Dennis . 1995. Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . New York : Penguin . Hood , Ralph W. , Jr. , and W. Paul Williamson . 2008. Them That Believe : The Power and Meaning of the ..." Between Heaven and Earth Between Heaven and Earth explores the relationships men, women, and children have formed with the Virgin Mary and the saints in twentieth-century American Catholic history, and reflects, more broadly, on how people live in the company of sacred figures and how these relationships shape the ties between people on earth. In this boldly argued and beautifully written book, Robert Orsi also considers how scholars of religion occupy the ground in between belief and analysis, faith and scholarship. Orsi infuses his analysis with an autobiographical voice steeped in his own Italian-American Catholic background--from the devotion of his uncle Sal, who had cerebral palsy, to a "crippled saint," Margaret of Castello; to the bond of his Tuscan grandmother with Saint Gemma Galgani. Religion exists not as a medium of making meanings, Orsi maintains, but as a network of relationships between heaven and earth involving people of all ages as well as the many sacred figures they hold dear. Orsi argues that modern academic theorizing about religion has long sanctioned dubious distinctions between "good" or "real" religious expression on the one hand and "bad" or "bogus" religion on the other, which marginalize these everyday relationships with sacred figures. This book is a brilliant critical inquiry into the lives that people make, for better or worse, between heaven and earth, and into the ways scholars of religion could better study of these worlds. Dennis Covington , Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia (Reading, Mass. ... include some trenchant criticism of Covington's work see David L. Kimbrough, Taking Up Serpents: Snake Handlers of ..." The Bible in American Law and Politics While scholars increasingly recognize the importance of religion throughout American history, The Bible in American Law and Politics is the first reference book to focus on the key role that the Bible has played in American public life. In considering revolting from Great Britain, Americans contemplated whether this was consistent with scripture. Americans subsequently sought to apply Biblical passages to such issues as slavery, women's rights, national alcoholic prohibition, issues of war and peace, and the like. American presidents continue to take their oath on the Bible. Some of America's greatest speeches, for example, Lincoln's Second Inaugural and William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold speech, have been grounded on Biblical texts or analogies. Today, Americans continue to cite the Bible for positions as diverse as LGBTQ rights, abortion, immigration, welfare, health care, and other contemporary issues. By providing essays on key speeches, books, documents, legal decisions, and other writings throughout American history that have sought to buttress arguments through citations to Scriptures or to Biblical figures, John Vile provides an indispensable guide for scholars and students in religion, American history, law, and political science to understand how Americans throughout its history have interpreted and applied the Bible to legal and political issues. See also Criminal Laws For Reference and Further Reading Covington , Dennis . 1994. Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . Reading, MA: Addison- Wesley. Hudnut- Beumler, James. 2018." 95 Prostheses Five hundred years after Luther’s famous posting of his 95 Theses in 1517, the church again faces an important crossroads. Sunday worship attendance is shrinking at alarming rates. There are now more “Elvis believers” in the US than Episcopalians and almost limitless spiritual options exist for those who seek faith and trust in something, but are hesitant to commit to a particular path leading to truth. The word prosthesis, normally associated with surgery, is also an apt word to describe the church’s need to forge a theological identity that fits our current context. The church faces change and a transformed body, but not at the expense of the biblical richness and tradition that fueled the restlessness of the reformers. The essays gathered here, arranged around the seasons of the church year, address familiar challenges faced by all pastors and leaders in an era of transition, specifically in Christian formation and discipleship. Appropriate for group and personal reflection, 95 Prostheses employs humor and biblical accessibility with the skeptical outsider who may be considering Jesus and his church for the first time in mind. Not long out of seminary, I discovered Dennis Covington's amazing book, Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . Covington was a reporter for the New York Times who was assigned to cover the ..." Life Stories: A Guide to Reading Interests in Memoirs, Autobiographies, and Diaries Memoirs, autobiographies, and diaries represent the most personal and most intimate of genres, as well as one of the most abundant and popular. Gain new understanding and better serve your readers with this detailed genre guide to nearly 700 titles that also includes notes on more than 2,800 read-alike and other related titles. • A list of subjects and suggested "read-alikes" accompany each title • Appendixes cover awards, websites, and resources • Detailed indexes provide further points of access Covington , Dennis (1948- ) Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . ... 289.92 When Dennis Covington went to Scottsboro, Alabama, to cover the trial of a preacher accused of trying to kill his ..." The Gospel According to Flannery O'Connor Jordan Cofer examines the influence of the Bible upon Flannery O'Connor's fiction. While there are many studies exploring how her Catholicism affected her fiction, this book argues that O'Connor is heavily influenced by the Bible itself. Specifically, it explicates the largely undocumented ways in which she used the Bible as source material for her work. It also shows that, rhetorically, many of O'Connor's stories (and/or characters) are based upon biblical models. Furthermore, Cofer explains how O'Connor's stories engage their biblical analogues in unusual, unexpected, and sometimes grotesque ways, as her stories manage to convey essentially the same message as their biblical counterparts. Throughout O'Connor's work there are significant biblical allusions which have been neglected or previously undiscovered. This book acknowledges her biblical source material so readers can understand the impact it had on her fiction. Cofer argues that readers can better appreciate her work by examining how her stories are often grounded in specific biblical texts, which she similarly distorts, exaggerates, and subverts, in order to shock and teach readers. Simply put, O'Connor doesn't merely reference these biblical stories, she rewrites them. 5 This tradition continues in Southern literature, as nearly 30 years after O'Connor's death, Dennis Covington's Salvation on Sand Mountain echoes these themes while documenting snake handling in Southern Appalachia ." Faith and Meaning in the Southern Uplands Jones attacks what he sees as the historical dismissal of mountain religious life, as supported by nineteenth- and twentieth-century missionary movements bent on changing mountain life through better religion. He explores the creation and perpetuation of negative stereotypes as mainline Christians contended that "Upland Christians" had to be saved from themselves. It was pub- lished as Appalachian Mountain Religion : A History ( Urbana : University of Illinois Press , 1995 ) , which ... 1993 ) , Dennis Covington's Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia ..." THE HOLY SPIRIT THE HOLY SPIRIT book is a combination of Z. T. Sweeney and Edward D. Andrews' written work to help to offer you the reader a biblically grounded interpretation of the Word of Truth. We pray that we have given the reader a better understanding of the Holy Spirit when it comes to the Old Testament, the New Testament, the person, and divinity of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit and John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles, as well as the apostolic church. We also offer a Scriptural understanding of the Holy Spirit and the world, the Spirit and Christians today, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Being guided by the Holy Spirit's supernatural power can transform your very person and get you through this life and into the next. This is help that no unbeliever can buy. When you read this amazing book, you will discover anew how the Holy Spirit can transform your life and give you the strength to remain faithful until the end. handling as evidence of salvation.80 Sister-churches later sprang up throughout the Appalachian region.81 Snake ... 83 Dennis Covington , Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia (Reading, MA." For a Church to Come Taking a cue from one of the most (in)famous postmodern thinkers, Friedrich Nietzsche, the essays in this book put forth “experiments” in thought rather than arguments for fixed conclusions. Blum brings John Howard Yoder to the same table with Nietzsche, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida, and provides a provocative glimpse of what the resulting conversation might look like. As Anne Lamott and others have recently insisted, faith is not the opposite of doubt, but of certainty. Blum’s essays explore some of our commonly held ways of talking about knowledge, meaning, commitment, and action. He suggests that some postmodern theoretical work, often dismissed or assumed to be anti-Christian, is well worth bringing into contemporary Anabaptist-Mennonite conversations about discipleship and corporate life. Part of the Polyglossia series, this book is intended for conversation among academics, ministers, and laypersons regarding knowledge, beliefs, and practices of the Christian faith. Covington , Dennis . 1995. Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . New York: Penguin Books. Covington , Dennis , and Vickie Covington . 1999. Cleaving: The Story of a Marriage." The Religious Existentialists and the Redemption of Feeling This book considers how the movement of existentialism—and the religious existentialists in particular—have contributed to a rethinking of the role of subjective experience for the philosophical enterprise in contrast to the rationalist and idealist traditions. It contributes to a rethinking of the cannon of existentialism. Covington , Dennis . Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2010. Daigle, Christine (Ed.). Existentialist Thinkers and Ethics. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University ..." Snakes For centuries, we've been fascinated by snakes and their behavior towards, and danger to, humans. Snakes combines vivid color photography and interesting, entertaining text that details the lives of a variety of snakes in an enlightening, and often amusing, book. In nontechnical language, David Badger presents fascinating snake lore from across the centuries, and describes everything from the physical traits and reproductive habits of snakes to territorial behavior and life span. Featuring 100 full-color photographs, of everything from garter snakes, rattlesnakes, and vipers to cobras, pythons and anacondas, by renowned nature photographer John Netherton, Snakes also includes an intriguing appendix that explains how he managed to capture such amazing shots. Herpetological Review , 19 : 4 ( December 1988 ) : pp . 76-77 . Covington , Dennis . Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . NY : Penguin , 1995 . Crompton , John . Snake Lore ." Pragmatist Philosophy and Dance This book investigates how Pragmatist philosophy as a philosophical method contributes to the understanding and practice of interdisciplinary dance research. It uses the author's own practice-based research project, Later Rain, to illustrate this. Later Rain is a post-dramatic dance theater work that engages primarily with issues in the philosophy of religion and socio-political philosophy. It focuses on ecstatic states that arise in Appalachian charismatic Pentecostal church services, states characterized by dancing, paroxysms, shouting, and speaking in tongues (glossolalia). Research for this work is interdisciplinary as it draws on studio practice, ethnographic field work, cultural history, Pentecostal history and theology, folk aesthetics, anthropological understandings of ecstatic religious rituals, and dance history regarding acclaimed works that have sought to present aspects of religious ecstasy on stage; Doris Humphrey's The Shakers (1931), Mark Godden’s Angels in the Architecture (2012), Martha Clarke’s Angel Reapers (2015) and Ralph Lemon’s Geography trilogy (2005). The project thereby demonstrates a process model of dance philosophy, showing how philosophy and dance artistry intertwine in a specific creative process. Covington , Dennis . 2009. Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . Lebanon: Da Capo Press. Crawley, Ashon. 2017. Blackpentecostal Breath: The Aesthetics of Possibility." The Other Irish “A delightful and deeply informative new take on the Scots-Irish who, despite being relatively unknown, made a tremendous contribution to America's culture.” —James Flannery Tracing the journey of the people from the north of Ireland in the early 1700s, Karen F. McCarthy shines a probing light on this fascinating topic, illuminating the extent to which the Scots-Irish helped weave the fabric of our nation. Setting down roots primarily in the South, they went on to produce such American icons as Mark Twain, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, George Patton, and Stephen King—as well as a number of US presidents. In addition to novelists and military and political leaders, they also contributed to more colorful aspects of our culture, from moonshine to NASCAR. Despite their outsize role in the history of the United States, the story of these descendants of Ulster Protestants is not widely known. This book tells that story, illuminating a lively and fiercely independent cast of characters over the course of centuries. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press; Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1950. Covington , Dennis . Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995." The Companion to Southern Literature Selected as an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice Selected as an Outstanding Reference Source by the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association There are many anthologies of southern literature, but this is the first companion. Neither a survey of masterpieces nor a biographical sourcebook, The Companion to Southern Literature treats every conceivable topic found in southern writing from the pre-Columbian era to the present, referencing specific works of all periods and genres. Top scholars in their fields offer original definitions and examples of the concepts they know best, identifying the themes, burning issues, historical personalities, beloved icons, and common or uncommon stereotypes that have shaped the most significant regional literature in memory. Read the copious offerings straight through in alphabetical order (Ancestor Worship, Blue-Collar Literature, Caves) or skip randomly at whim (Guilt, The Grotesque, William Jefferson Clinton). Whatever approach you take, The Companion’s authority, scope, and variety in tone and interpretation will prove a boon and a delight. Explored here are literary embodiments of the Old South, New South, Solid South, Savage South, Lazy South, and “Sahara of the Bozart.” As up-to-date as grit lit, K Mart fiction, and postmodernism, and as old-fashioned as Puritanism, mules, and the tall tale, these five hundred entries span a reach from Lady to Lesbian Literature. The volume includes an overview of every southern state’s belletristic heritage while making it clear that the southern mind extends beyond geographical boundaries to form an essential component of the American psyche. The South’s lavishly rich literature provides the best means of understanding the region’s deepest nature, and The Companion to Southern Literature will be an invaluable tool for those who take on that exciting challenge. Description of Contents 500 lively, succinct articles on topics ranging from Abolition to Yoknapatawpha 250 contributors, including scholars, writers, and poets 2 tables of contents — alphabetical and subject — and a complete index A separate bibliography for most entries Eschewing the use of alcohol and tobacco , snake - handlers espouse a moral code that also includes not receiving medical ... Dennis Covington , Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia ( 1995 ) ..." The King of Cups New Orleans. 1905. Yellow Fever! With the death of their parents, sixteen-year old Marty Mckinstry and his brother and sister.are sent to separate homes. As Marty fights to reunite his family, they endure abusive orphanages, a voodoo baptism, bare-knuckle prize fighting, forced snake handling, and death threats from a powerful shipping magnate, Reginald Landus. When Marty meets and falls in love with a ranchers daughter, Celeste Byrd, her rejected suitor, Gavin York, follows them to New Orleans, vowing to kill them. The novel explores the depth of family love, as well as the love between a man and a woman Covington , Dennis . Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia .. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. Crichton, Judy. America 1900: The Turning Point. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1998." The Worship Mall Religion today is in competition with the leisure and entertainment industries. Gen Y, the postmodern generation, is open to spirituality; but most of todays young adults have not been born into faith communities where they feel any lasting allegiance. Studies suggest that for the young, belief in God is an optional matter, a virtual consumer choice. As a result, different trends in worship and worship styles are offered by different churches to suit lifestyles, attitudes, and personal taste. Covington , Dennis , Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia , New York: Penguin Books, 1995. Cray, Graham (chair), Mission-Shaped Church: Church Planting and Fresh Expressions of Church in a ..." The Spiritual Gifts of Travel In this lively collection from an array of accomplished writers, readers meet an old woman who imparts an invaluable midnight message on a Greek island; brothers who heal old family wounds in Ireland; and travelers who awaken to the mystery of their souls in such disparate places as St. Peter's in Rome and a dusty road in India. Contributors include Phil Cousineau, Kim Chernin, David Yeadon, Don George, and Jan Morris. The Spiritual Gifts of Travel reveals the myriad ways that travel renews the spirit. "The tales ring clear and loud with the universal need to travel the road toward self." -- Francesca de Grandis, author of Be a Goddess! Under the Brush Arbor " by Dennis Covington excerpted from Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia by Dennis Covington . Copyright © 1995 by Dennis Covington . Reprinted by permission of Perseus ..." Essentials of Sociology Essentials of Sociology, adapted from George Ritzer’s Introduction to Sociology, provides the same rock-solid foundation from one of sociology's best-known thinkers in a shorter and more streamlined format. With new co-author Wendy Wiedenhoft Murphy, the Third Edition continues to illuminate traditional sociological concepts and theories and focuses on some of the most compelling features of contemporary social life: globalization, consumer culture, the internet, and the “McDonaldization” of society. New to this Edition New “Trending” boxes focus on influential books by sociologists that have become part of the public conversation about important issues. Replacing “Public Sociology” boxes, this feature demonstrates the diversity of sociology's practitioners, methods, and subject matter, featuring such authors as o Michelle Alexander (The New Jim Crow) o Elizabeth Armstrong and Laura Hamilton (Paying for the Party) o Matthew Desmond (Evicted) o Arlie Hochschild (Strangers in Their Own Land) o Eric Klinenberg (Going Solo) o C.J. Pascoe (Dude, You're a Fag) o Lori Peek and Alice Fothergill (Children of Katrina) o Allison Pugh (The Tumbleweed Society) Updated examples in the text and "Digital Living" boxes keep pace with changes in digital technology and online practices, including Uber, Bitcoin, net neutrality, digital privacy, WikiLeaks, and cyberactivism. New or updated subjects apply sociological thinking to the latest issues including: the 2016 U.S. election Brexit the global growth of ISIS climate change further segmentation of wealthy Americans as the "super rich" transgender people in the U.S. armed forces charter schools the legalization of marijuana the Flint water crisis fourth-wave feminism Trending Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets (Penguin Books, 2008) Sudhir Venkatesh (William B. Ransford Professor of Sociology at Columbia University; PhD, University of Chicago, 1997) One of many ..." Llewellyn's Complete Book of North American Folk Magic 20+ Diverse Traditions from New England to the West Coast Drawing on the expertise of twenty-four renowned practitioners, this book features contemporary folk traditions from all over North America. Diverse as the landscapes they thrive on, these authentic practices will expand your worldview and inspire you to enrich your own spirituality. Explore the history, tools, and spiritual beliefs of many different paths of folk magic from Mexico, the United States, and Canada. You'll tour the continent's rich and varied cultures region by region, taking an insider's look at more than twenty traditions, including: Appalachian Mountain Magic • Brujeria Curanderismo • Detroit Hoodoo Florida Swamp Magic • Irish American Folk Magic Italian American Magic • Melungeon Folk Magic New England Cunning Craft • New Orleans Voodoo Ozark Folk Magic • Pennsylvania Powwow & Braucherei Slavic American Folk Magic • Southern Conjure Stephanie Rose Bird • H. Byron Ballard • Starr Casas • Ixtoii Paloma Cervantes • Kenya T. Coviak • J. Allen Cross • Alexander Cummins • Morgan Daimler • Mario Esteban Del Ángel Guevara • Lilith Dorsey • Morrigane Feu • Via Hedera • Cory Thomas Hutcheson • Melissa A. Ivanco-Murray • E. F. E. Lacharity • Dee Norman • Aaron Oberon • Robert Phoenix • Jake Richards • Sandra Santiago • Robert L. Schreiwer • Eliseo “Cheo” Torres • Benebell Wen • Brandon Weston A Landscape of Magic, Mystery, and Tradition Cory Thomas Hutcheson ... authored a book on the folklore of playing card cartomancy called 54 Devils, as well as the Llewellyn title New World Witchery : A Trove of North American Folk Magic ." Rationality, Humility, and Spirituality in Christian Life As Euro-American culture turns resolutely away from religiosity toward spirituality and becomes increasingly post-Christian, the ordinary, everyday practice of Christian life is ever more questioned and in need of scrutiny. In this interdisciplinary analysis, Christians are first called to comprehend the excessive rationality that modernity has built into both the cognitive and organizational structure of contemporary Christian life. They are then summoned to personify an authentic attitude of humility, and in particular, the virtue of intellectual humility that is most challenged and tested by religious convictions. Going forward, Christians are subsequently invited to live their faith more as an internally differentiated and open spirituality, rather than an externally determined and regulated religiosity. When we exhaust our rationality and are confronted with its limitations, we are humbled by our finitude and animated by our spirituality. Tish Harrison Warren popularized it in Liturgy of the Ordinary : Sacred Practices in Everyday Life . Whereas Warren's entire book is given to the spirituality of the various activities of a single ordinary day, many others have reflected ..." EXPLAINING THE HOLY SPIRIT YOU WILL RECEIVE THE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU.”––Acts 1:8 UASV The authors of the Bible were men, who spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, i.e., inspired by the Holy Spirit in order to author their books. The Holy Spirit today guides Christians as they walk with God. The Holy Spirit will be at work in the Christian life when we are troubled over the difficulties we face,when we are in the darkness of Satan’s world,to remind us of the good things to come,to guides in our daily decisions,walk us through our needs,strengthen our faith,help us though the pains and sorrows of life All Christians have need of The Holy Spirit if they are to enjoy the life we have now and the one to come. (Gal. 5:22-23) However, exactly how does the Holy Spirit operate in our lives? Precisely, how does the Holy Spirit guide Christians today? In EXPLAINING THE HOLY SPIRIT, Edward D. Andrews will clearly communicate deep, weighty, and insightful truths about the Holy Spirit. Most religious snake handlers are still found in the Appalachian Mountains and other parts of the southeastern ... 70 Dennis Covington , Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia (Reading, MA." Teaching Critical Religious Studies Are you teaching religious studies in the best way possible? Do you inadvertently offer simplistic understandings of religion to undergraduate students, only to then unpick them at advanced levels? This book presents case studies of teaching methods that integrate student learning, classroom experiences, and disciplinary critiques. It shows how critiques of the scholarship of religious studies-including but not limited to the World Religions paradigm, Christian normativity, Orientalism, colonialism, race, gender, sexuality, and class-can be effectively integrated into all courses, especially at an introductory level. Integrating advanced critiques from religious studies into actual pedagogical practices, this book offers ways for scholars to rethink their courses to be more reflective of the state of the field. This is essential reading for all scholars in religious studies. https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework, (accessed September 16, 2021). Covington , Dennis . Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . Philadelphia: Da Capo Press, 2009." Beyond Resistance This thought-provoking book is divided into two parts, each of which contains four chapters. In Part I, titled "Rethinking Resistance\ Covington , Dennis . 1995. Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . New York : Penguin . Crumm , David . 2004. " Bonfire of Possibilities : At Burning Man Fest , Art Meets a Carnival Amid ..." MIRACLES WHAT IS A MIRACLE? It is an event that goes beyond all known human and natural powers and is generally attributed to some supernatural power. Why should YOU be interested in miracles? “Miracles, by definition, violate the principles of science.”—RICHARD DAWKINS. “Belief in miracles is entirely rational. Far from being an embarrassment to religious faith, they are signs of God’s love for, and continuing involvement in, creation.”—ROBERT A. LARMER, PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY. SHOULD YOU believe in miracles? As we can see from the above quotations, opinions vary considerably. But how could you convincingly answer that question? Some of YOU may immediately answer, “Yes, I believe.” Others might say, “No, I don’t believe.” Then, there are some who may say, “I don’t know, and I really don’t care! Miracles don’t happen in my life!” Really, why should YOU be interested in miracles? The Bible promises its readers that in the future some miracles far beyond all ever recorded or experienced is going to occur and will affect every living person on earth. Therefore, would it not be worth some of your time and energy to find out whether those promises are reliable? What does God’s Word really teach about miracles of Bible times, after that, our day, and the future? Snake. Handlers. Today. and. Practices. As in the early days, worshipers are still encouraged to lay hands on the ... 58 Dennis Covington , Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia (Reading, MA." Divine Hierarchies Placing the neglected issue of class back into the study and understanding of religion, Sean McCloud reconsiders the meaning of class in today's world. More than a status grounded in material conditions, says McCloud, class is also an identity rhetorically and symbolically made and unmade through representations. It entails relationships, identifications, boundaries, meanings, power, and our most ingrained habits of mind and body. He demonstrates that employing class as an analytical tool that cuts across variables such as creed, race, ethnicity, and gender can illuminate American religious life in unprecedented ways. Through social theory, historical analysis, and ethnography, McCloud makes an interdisciplinary argument for reinserting class into the study of religion. First, he offers a new three-part conception of class for use in studying religion. He then presents a focused cultural history of religious studies by examining how social class surfaced in twentieth-century theories of religious affiliation. He concludes with historical and ethnographic case studies of religion and class. Divine Hierarchies makes a convincing case for the past and present importance of class in American religious thought, practice, and scholarship. Covington , Dennis . Salvation on Sand Mountain : Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia . New York: Penguin, 1995. Cox, Harvey. Fire from Heaven: The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Reshaping of Religion in the ..."