Enchantment - A Critical Primer - Ian Alexander Cuthbertson

Enchantment - A Critical Primer - Ian Alexander Cuthbertson

Spiritual Re-Enchantment

Enchantment - A Critical Primer - Ian Alexander Cuthbertson

Ian Alexander Cuthbertson [+-]
Dawson College
Ian Alexander Cuthbertson is a professor in the Humanities Department at Dawson College in Montréal, Québec. Ian is broadly interested in exploring how the category “religion” is deployed to legitimize certain beliefs, practices, and institutions while delegitimizing others.

Description

In this chapter, I describe a different version of re-enchantment, one in which enchantment pertains to interactions with magic, spirits, and invisible forces and re-enchantment involves the recovery of pagan belief and practice or else the creation of new alternative spiritual paths. I begin by outlining the most detailed theoretical account of spiritual re-enchantment, focussing on the work of Christopher Partridge and his description of occulture. I describe a variety of ‘neo-pagan’ new religious movements in which many practitioners both believe in and actively engage with gods, magic, and spirits. Next, I consider a range of popular alternative spiritual beliefs and practices that focus on contact with spirit entities and alternative healing practices and which are often categorized as ‘New Age.’ Finally, I explore the renewed interest in the presence of ghosts and spirits in modern society along with individuals who claim to be able to communicate or interact with them.

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Citation

Cuthbertson, Ian Alexander. Spiritual Re-Enchantment. Enchantment - A Critical Primer. Equinox eBooks Publishing, United Kingdom. Jun 2024. ISBN 9781800504462. https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/view-chapter/?id=43969. Date accessed: 29 Mar 2024 doi: 10.1558/equinox.43969. Jun 2024

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