This book explores the role of bodily, sensory experience in early Christianity (first - seventh centuries AD) by focusing on the importance of smell in ancient Mediterranean culture. Following its legalization in the fourth century Roman Empire, Christianity cultivated a dramatically flourishing devotional piety, in which the bodily senses were utilized as crucial instruments of human-divine interaction. Rich olfactory practices developed as part of this shift, with lavish uses of incense, holy oils, and other sacred ...
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This book explores the role of bodily, sensory experience in early Christianity (first - seventh centuries AD) by focusing on the importance of smell in ancient Mediterranean culture. Following its legalization in the fourth century Roman Empire, Christianity cultivated a dramatically flourishing devotional piety, in which the bodily senses were utilized as crucial instruments of human-divine interaction. Rich olfactory practices developed as part of this shift, with lavish uses of incense, holy oils, and other sacred scents. At the same time, Christians showed profound interest in what smells could mean. How could the experience of smell be construed in revelatory terms? What specifically could it convey? How and what could be known through smell? Scenting Salvation argues that ancient Christians used olfactory experience for purposes of a distinctive religious epistemology: formulating knowledge of the divine in order to yield, in turn, a particular human identity. Using a wide array of Pagan, Jewish, and Christian sources, Susan Ashbrook Harvey examines the ancient understanding of smell through religious rituals, liturgical practices, mystagogical commentaries, literary imagery, homiletic conventions; scientific, medical, and cosmological models; ascetic disciplines, theological discourse, and eschatological expectations. In the process, she argues for a richer appreciation of ancient notions of embodiment, and of the roles the body might serve in religion.
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Add this copy of Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christianity and the to cart. $39.00, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by University of California Press.
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Seller's Description:
Dust jacket in very good condition. Minor shelf and handling wear, overall a clean solid copy with minimal signs of use. The dust jacket has been placed in protective mylar for preservation. Cover boards and spine in very good condition. Previous owner's notation made on back free end page. Gilt lettering on spine. The binding suffers minor loosening due to age and wear, but remains secure and in-tact; the pages are clean and unmarked. Secure packaging for safe delivery.
Add this copy of Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christianity and the to cart. $40.00, good condition, Sold by Henry Stachyra, Bookseller rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from STILLWATER, MN, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by University of California Press.
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Seller's Description:
Good+ in Good+ jacket. Book. 8vo-over 7¾-9¾" tall. xviii, 421pp., (i). Just a hint of a bump to upper corner of back board. Text clean. Binding sound. A tiny area to top-edges of pages where some glue from the binding process spilled over, though this does not effect turning the pages. Light wear to extremities of dust-jacket, with mild wear to remainder of jacket, too. Overall, a nice, clean, sound and attractive copy.
Add this copy of Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christianity and the to cart. $67.35, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by University of California Press.
Add this copy of Scenting Salvation, 42: Ancient Christianity and the to cart. $91.26, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2006 by University of California Press.
Add this copy of Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christianity and the to cart. $193.40, new condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by University of California Press.
