Ritual and Belief: Readings in the Anthropology of Religion

Hicks's prefaces and forewords in this collection of articles and excerpts on religious anthropology aren't nearly as interesting as the choice bits & pieces he's assembled. This was my text for a college level course on the subject, and the large selection of wide-ranging pieces on everything from the standard western funeral to the beliefs of the Dogon worked well with my class lectures to provide a solid basis of knowledge on the subject. Hicks's analyses, while informative, are outshown by the various authors' wonderful descriptions of beliefs and rites and their own conclusions made from their studies. The readings are grouped by topic, including Death, Religious Rites, Totems, Revitalization, etc. Overall, I found it an enjoyable read. The article / excerpt format also makes it easy to read a complete piece on a particular subject in one sitting, or if you're a professor to provide interesting, reasonably-sized reading assignments.