Death and the Regeneration of Life Essay

Words: 2024
Pages: 9
Open Document
Death and the Regeneration of Life Death and the Regeneration of Life written by Maurice Bloch and Jonathan Parry focuses on the significance of symbols of fertility and rebirth in funeral rituals. Their book includes many theories that anthropologist have studied with the idea of life and death. The idea of death and the regeneration of life changes with each culture and tradition. Everyone has his or her own opinion of how it shall work. With the help of many contributors to the book, one is able to read the different types of ways some cultures value their own rituals.
The notions of fertility and sexuality often have a considerable prominence in funeral practices. These practices have excited the attention of anthropologists …show more content…
The burial of the corpse helps recharge the fertility of the descent group and the fertility of land. If it is loss after death, then the group will not be able to use the energy released from the body. The body also rescues the deceased itself from obliteration. Without the burial and reburial of the body the group believes that termination of the society could be ahead of them. Not only do societies value the body after death, they also value the fate of the soul. After the ones death it takes time for the mourners to readjust. This phase of readjustment is very dangerous for the soul of the deceased. This is because the soul may be socially uncontrolled by the mourners. To stop this from occurring, the mourners have a final ceremony. This involves the reassertion of society manifested by the end of mourning and by the belief that the soul has been incorporated into the society of the dead and has settled down in the same way as the collective consciousness of the living has been resettled by the rituals (4). After the final ritual, it is the nature of society and the state of collective conscience that determines both the treatment of the body of the corpse and the soul of the corpse. Once the soul is properly set free, the problem that now arises is the transfer of the soul from one dimension to another. The transfer of the soul will explain the parrells between the symbolism of mortuary ceremonies and the initiation rites. Each of the rites
Show More

Related Documents: Death and the Regeneration of Life Essay

Essay on THEO 104 WEEK 5 STUDY NOTES

called “unlimited atonement,” which teaches that the intention of Christ's death was to provide redemption for everyone in the same way without exception; but the efficacy of his redemptive act is limited in its power to ensure everyone's final salvation. Christ's death, in other words, provided everything necessary for anyone's salvation besides the one conditional element of faith; but this faith was not provided by his death for anyone at all. 5. What is “irresistible grace?” Irresistible Grace (or efficacious…

Words 1096 - Pages 5

African Literature Rewrite Of Midterm A Essay

Literature of Africa and African Diaspora Professor Cheryl Sterling Julia Dorcely Rewrite of Midterm A “Soyinka: Death and the King’s Horseman: God Returns ” Throughout the play, Death and the King’s Horseman, Soyinka explores what he understands to be the relation between the Gods, man and the ancestral relationships within the Yoruba culture. As he focuses our attention to the metaphysical, the idea of ritual (notably, ritual of transition) provides a meeting point between the forces of…

Words 1010 - Pages 5

Dickinson Vs Whitman

Dickinson's poems embrace concepts of fame, success, death: the very questions that we all seek to answer as humans. Her work, though, offers the wisdom with a light hand, almost playfully. " How dreary to be somebody/How public, like a…

Words 886 - Pages 4

Essay on Mythology Exemplar

Aimee Tello Patricia Shannon Humanities 68 December 10, 2014 Mythology in American Horror Story: Coven Today’s entertainment thrives on the theories explained by mythologists. All around us, mythology is present in the shows we watch, the movies we see, the music we listen to, etc. Without us even knowing, mythology gives inspiration to most creations. Myth exists and is prominent in just about any aspect of our culture. For my exemplar, I chose my favorite show on television, American Horror Story…

Words 1258 - Pages 6

Essay on Stem cell

(CVD) is the number one cause of death in America since the 1900s. Almost 2,600 people die of CVD in America each day, that’s roughly one person every 34 seconds. CVD is a disease that deprives heart tissue of oxygen, killing cardiac muscle cells, which can cause a formation of scar tissue, an overload of blood flow and pressure capacity. Scientists believe that restoring damaged heart muscle is the best option, and they can do this through repair or regeneration. Using embryonic and adult-derived…

Words 742 - Pages 3

Ian Jones Salvation

scriptures men can find the plan of salvation. Men can have abundant life if they follow the will of God. Salvation Novelist and doctor Ian Jones states “even with the best of intentions and considerable experience, people are not always able to help themselves or save others” (p.42). The words of Dr. Jones are true because man’s only hope is found in Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that salvation was made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Salvation is needed because human beings in the…

Words 1788 - Pages 8

The Transformational Process And Regeneration Vs Training For Victory

Christian progress in his/her life as Christian. It’s a “Sanctification process and Regeneration” or simply called “Conversion” in Christian Theology. What the Bible says about Sanctification? Sanctification may be defined as that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Spirit by which, He purifies the sinner, renews his whole nature in the image of God, and enables him to perform good works. It differs from justification in that it takes place in the inner life of man, is not a legal but…

Words 3934 - Pages 16

Belief Statement of Christianity Explained Essay

in Christ, at His return. • I believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance, faith in the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, and baptism in water. • We believe that regeneration by the Holy Ghost is absolutely essential for personal salvation. • We believe that regeneration by the Holy Ghost is absolutely essential for personal salvation. • We believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing for the human body in answer to believing prayer.…

Words 1918 - Pages 8

Essay On John 19-7

1. JOHN 19-20 FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE NOT THREE GODS BUT ONE GOD EXISTING IN THREE PERSONS. 2. John 5:21-22 God’s Sovereign Will – Life and death LUKE 12-5 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Hebrews 9:27 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall…

Words 729 - Pages 3

Mission Statement Of Empowering Women To Make An Informed Choice

Offering professional counseling to deal with her specific issues that will alleviate her feeling that abortion is her only choice. Educating individuals through abstinence education about the dangers (both physically and emotionally) of a sexually active life style.) WE NEED: Professional Counselors/Interns Office Assistants Fundraiser/Public Relations Teachers for our Educational Services Church Liaisons Certified/Registered Sonographers Medical Records Clerk Blessing Room Attendant Intercessory Prayer…

Words 445 - Pages 2