Secrecy and Concealment - Studies in the History of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Religions

This volume deals with secrecy and concealment in the history of mediterranean religions as pattern of social interaction. Secrecy is a powerful means in establishing identity and interaction as G. Simmel has demonstrated. Using his approach the scholars of this volume describe and explain the practical meaning of concealment in two different religious systems: in Egyptian and Greek polytheism and in Jewish, Christian, Gnostic and Shi'i monotheisms. This point of view reveals that all these religions shaped social norms concerning public and private aspects of the human self.

About the author

Hans G. Kippenberg, Ph.D. at the University of Göttingen, habilitation at the University of Berlin, held the chair for Comparative religion at the University of Groningen (1977-1989) and presently at Bremen. He is the editor of Numen (Brill).

Product details

• Assisted by: Hans Kippenberg (Editor), Guy Stroumsa (Editor)
• Publisher: Brill
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.05.1995
• EAN: 9789004102354
• ISBN: 978-90-04-10235-4
• No. of pages: 428
• Dimensions: 169 mm x 251 mm x 37 mm
• Weight: 885 g
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Interior design, design; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works