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Anthropology of the Spirit World. Anthropology of the spirit world: Characteristics “ad intra” . Two general clusters of features Characteristics of immateriality Characteristics of personality //. Invisible Intangible Immortal //.
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Anthropology of the spirit world:Characteristics “ad intra” Two general clusters of features • Characteristics of immateriality • Characteristics of personality //
Invisible Intangible Immortal // The immateriality of the spirits
Discrete Conscious Named Feel emotions Live above or below Live in community // Spirits as personal entities
Anthropology of the spirit world:Characteristics “ad extra” • Aware of humans • Concerned with humans • Can communicate with humans • Can hear communications from humans • Have power to reward and benefit humans • Have power to punish and harm humans • Can possess humans, positively or harmfully • Can be influenced by human petitions or rituals //
Types of spirits • Zoomorphic: form of plant or animal • Anthropomorphic: form of man or woman • Hybrid: Combined zoo- and anthro-
Emergence of the Supreme Being • Political and theological co-evolution • Special traits of the Supreme Being • Gradual stripping of human traits //
Stepwise disappearance of anthropomorphic features • Disappearance of God’s body • God’s gender • God’s body parts • Disappearance of God’s psyche • God’s emotions • God’s consciousness:
Types of pantheons: Social organization of the spirit world • Egalitarian polytheism • Ranked polytheism • Henotheism • Monotheism