Religion and identity in a rural Greek community
This thesis examines ritual activities in the town of Ve1vendos, northern Greece, seeing them in their social context. It is argued that identity boundaries are both affirmed and dissolved in religious contexts and that theoretical approaches to religion must allow for this or the boundary between what is individual and what is social in religion must remain obscure. The symbolic expression of attitudes to identity is found in ritual practice, and their explicit conceptualisation in theology. The Velvendos community had a high level of involvement in the struggle for a national existence but, by 1913, the nationalist cause had ceased to be a focus for community unity, and community identity in the present day is no simple matter. In ritual activities the community is depicted in two ways, as that body which has responsibility for maintaining the traditions of Orthodoxy, and as a community which shares enjoyment of a particular place in the universe. A distinction is made and maintained between material commitment or involvement and moral commitment. Only in the family are the two combined in a strong and exclusive loyalty. The family is a religious, as well as economic, unit, and the importance of its continuity
Rushton, L.
Philosophy
Religion and identity in a rural Greek community. This thesis examines ritual activities in the town of Ve1vendos, northern Greece, seeing them in their social context. It is argued that identity boundaries are both affirmed and dissolved in religious contexts and that theoretical approaches to religion must allow for this or the boundary between what is individual and what is social in religion must remain obscure. The symbolic expression of attitudes to identity is found in ritual practice, and their explicit conceptualisation in theology. The Velvendos community had a high level of involvement in the struggle for a national existence but, by 1913, the nationalist cause had ceased to be a focus for community unity, and community identity in the present day is no simple matter. In ritual activities the community is depicted in two ways, as that body which has responsibility for maintaining the traditions of Orthodoxy, and as a community which shares enjoyment of a particular place in the universe. A distinction is made and maintained between material commitment or involvement and moral commitment. Only in the family are the two combined in a strong and exclusive loyalty. The family is a religious, as well as economic, unit, and the importance of its continuity
religion identity rural greek_community examines ritual_activity town northern_greece see social_context argue identity boundary affirm dissolve religious_context theoretical_approach religion must allow boundary individual social religion must remain obscure symbolic expression attitude identity find ritual_practice explicit conceptualisation theology community high_level involvement struggle national existence nationalist cause cease focus community unity community_identity present_day simple matter ritual_activity community depict two_way body responsibility maintain tradition orthodoxy community share enjoyment particular place universe distinction_make maintain material commitment involvement moral_commitment family combine strong exclusive loyalty family religious well economic unit importance continuity