Working the Spirit: Ceremonies of the African Diaspora » (REPRINT)

"A brilliant comparative study of the workings of the Spirit among practitioners of African-derived religions. . . . A 'must read' for students of African, Caribbean, Brazilian, and African American religions." —Choice

Publishers Weekly

Blending personal observation with analysis of numerous secondary sources, Murphy, an associate professor of theology at Georgetown University, looks closely at five diasporan religions: Haitian voodoo; Brazilian candomble; Cuban and Cuban-American santeria; Jamaican Revival Zion; and the American ``Black Church.'' He is a sensitive and close observer, offering much valuable detail on the history and development of religious practice. Most important, though, is the final chapter in which Murphy explores the similarities among the religions, such as the interdependence of human and spirit, the relationship between the one God and the multiple spirits, and the retention of certain African inflections despite the obvious syncretism. It is the ``work of rhythm, song and movement'' that animates such traditions in public ceremonies, he writes. (Dec.)