A Methodology for the Historiography of Ancient Religion

Starting from a discussion about the usefulness of a historical approach to ancient religion, I propose basing the historiography of ancient religion on a set of three concepts, replacing three others that have been widely used. First, I contend that we need to shift our focus from questions of identity to questions of agency, not least in the face of earlier traditions of historiography of regions outside the imperial capitals. The application of an agentic perspective entails a further unavoidable consequence. The concept of “religions” must be replaced by that of “lived religion”, even for the past, once again shifting the focus to the local and the entire range of social agents and their cultural production. This agentic and material focus is further supplemented by a spatial one. Thus, I propose moving away from the widespread focus on civic religion in cities to embrace the perspective of urban religion. Lastly, I briefly touch upon the problem of the selection of forms of contemporary historiography of religion.

Exploring Buddhism as a ‘Tool’ to Support Well-Being: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Western Adopters’ Experiences

Buddhism is an ancient religion and philosophy of living that is practised worldwide. More recent interest in mindfulness as a practice and intervention in the West has highlighted Buddhist-derived concepts as useful in supporting health and well-being. As a result, the desire to understand Buddhism in its more complete form has strengthened. Although research into mindfulness and compassion is growing, there is a new interest in second-generation mindfulness, i.e. interventions that draw upon a more holistic use of Buddhist practices. To date, little research has explored this in Western contexts. For the current study, Nichiren Buddhists from the United Kingdom who had been practising for at least three years were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their experience of this practice and how it informed their approach to daily life and, in particular, their health and well-being. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was employed as a method to understand the participants’ experiences. Three themes were generated using an inductive approach: (1) finding meaning—“All experiences have got so much value now”— which reflected the participants’ determination to seek purpose and value in all aspects of their life; (2) Buddhism as a needed ‘tool’—“I use it all the time”—which revealed their practice as an important method to help them manage their lives; and (3) agency—“I’m in control of my destiny”—which highlighted the participants’ engagement (supported by their Buddhist practice) in taking responsibility for their actions and responses. Findings indicate the need for future studies to further explore Buddhism as a mechanism for enhancing and sustaining well-being.

Lived Ancient Religion: una nueva herramienta teórica para el estudio de los espacios rurales cristianos de la Hispania tardo-antigua (ss. IV-V)

La propuesta tradicional sobre la cristianización del ámbito rural ha destacado el protagonismo del obispo como responsable del proceso desde las ciudades. La réplica más provocativa, sin embargo, considera que fueron los domini y no los obispos los promotores de los primeros edificios cristianos en el medio rural, actuando sin supervisión episcopal en una intervención calificada de «fisípara». Como vía para analizar los datos y hacer compatibles las fuentes, propongo el concepto de «lived religion» tomado de la sociología de las religiones que permite entender la variedad y riqueza de la implantación del cristianismo en el medio rural hispano.

The Cultural Aspect of M.B. Kenin-Lopsan Scientific Work

The article is devoted to some aspects of the scientific work of the outstanding Tuvan writer Mongush Borakhovich Kenin-Lopsan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Peoples Writer of the Republic of Tyva, Honored Worker of Culture of the Tuva Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Tuva, Full Member of the New York Academy of Sciences, holder of the international title Living Treasure of Shamanism. Being the permanent president of the republican society of shamans Dungur and the only connoisseur of the secret knowledge of the ancient religion at the moment, he reveals to the reader its basic ideological concepts, explains the essence of ritual practice and attributes of shamans. The scientific works of M. Kenin-Lopsan are gaining more and more value in connection with the new phenomena of neoshamanism, the inclusion in the traditional system of innovations that distort the understanding of the national religion of Tuvans. A study of his works leads us to the conclusion that the scientist reveals the general features of the ancient culture of the SayanAltai Turks of the pre-Mongol period of Tuva. He recorded the unique stories of the best connoisseurs of folklore and traditions of Tuvans during the Soviet era, when interest in traditional culture was considered as a manifestation of nationalism

Rural Rites in Ovid’s Fasti

Este estudio analiza la presentación de los festivales rurales en los Fasti de Ovidio aplicando el concepto de “lived ancient religion”, especialmente la idea de apropiación individual de normas, acciones y creencias religiosas. Como obra literaria, los Fasti se inspiran en material de otros poetas augusteos y se apropian de él en favor de la composición literaria, particularmente dentro del contexto del calendario religioso romano. En el caso de los festivales rurales presentados en los Fasti, esta apropiación se observa, por ejemplo, en el tratamiento de la importancia de la paz para la vida rural. En los Fasti, las escenas rurales idealizadas no son objeto de deseo por parte del narrador, al contrario de lo que sucede, por ejemplo, en las elegías de Tibulo. En su lugar, la paz descrita es identificada con la Pax Augusta y el autor expresa su gratitud hacia el emperador que hace posible que los campesinos participantes en los festivales puedan disfrutar de dicha paz. De esta manera, los festivales rurales se relacionan con las políticas urbanas y con el calendario festivo urbano. En los Fasti, las comunidades rurales y urbanas que celebran los festivales no están aisladas una de la otra, puesto que comparten las mismas circunstancias (la Pax Augusta) y las mismas emociones (alegría y gratitud) y forman así una comunidad emocional.

Religious Agency and Time Regimes in the Roman Empire: The Cult of Anubis as a Case Study

This article analyzes three different case studies related to the Graeco-Roman cult of Anubis, located in different historical periods (Early, Middle, and Late Roman Empire) and approached by the study of different types of material (namely literary, epigraphic/archaeological, and iconographic sources). The goal of this study is to explore the social dimension of religious practice, stressing its variety, creativity, multiplicity, fluidity, and flexibility of identities, changes in forms of individuality, and spaces for individual distinction. By means of a detailed inquiry of Mustafa Emirbayer and Ann Mische’s schema of “disaggregation” of agency into three component elements (iteration, projectivity, and presentification), this analysis will stress the historical variability of religious agency and will show how, across time, emerging situations forced religious actors to select among alternative possibilities of action by recovering patterns belonging to past routines and creating new future options that responded to present hopes and fears. The results of this investigation will then be conceptualized according to the methodological framework of the Lived Ancient Religion paradigm.