
The Invention of Satanism
Oxford University Press Inc
Published on 10. December 2015
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-0-19-518110-4 (ISBN)
Description
Satanism is a complex and controversial phenomenon co-existing in many social and rhetorical contexts. Some consider it the root of all evil in the world. Others see it as a juvenile proxy for rebellion or as a misapplication of serious esoteric beliefs and practices. Then again, some consider it a specific religious or philosophical position serving as a personal and collective identity. This book, written by three experts in the field of Satanism studies, examines Satanism as a contemporary movement in continuous dialogue with popular culture, aiding as a breeding ground for other new religious movements.
Shifting the focus from mythology to meaning-making, this is a book about the invention of Satanism among self-declared religious Satanists. Like all ideologists and believers, Satanists incorporate, borrow, and modify elements from other traditions, and this book explores how traditional folklore and prior strands of occultism were synthesized by Anton LaVey in his founding of the Church of Satan and the creation of the Satanic Bible. Later chapters examine contemporary Satanist subcultures from various perspectives, also demonstrating how Satanism, despite its brief history as an organized phenomenon, continues to reinvent itself. There are now numerous Satanisms with distinctive interpretations of what being a Satanist entails, with some of these new versions deviating more from the historical "mainstream" than others. In this fascinating account of a seemingly abstruse and often-feared movement, Dyrendal, Lewis, and Petersen demonstrate that the invention of Satanism is an ongoing, ever-evolving process.
Shifting the focus from mythology to meaning-making, this is a book about the invention of Satanism among self-declared religious Satanists. Like all ideologists and believers, Satanists incorporate, borrow, and modify elements from other traditions, and this book explores how traditional folklore and prior strands of occultism were synthesized by Anton LaVey in his founding of the Church of Satan and the creation of the Satanic Bible. Later chapters examine contemporary Satanist subcultures from various perspectives, also demonstrating how Satanism, despite its brief history as an organized phenomenon, continues to reinvent itself. There are now numerous Satanisms with distinctive interpretations of what being a Satanist entails, with some of these new versions deviating more from the historical "mainstream" than others. In this fascinating account of a seemingly abstruse and often-feared movement, Dyrendal, Lewis, and Petersen demonstrate that the invention of Satanism is an ongoing, ever-evolving process.
Reviews / Votes
The Invention of Satanism is a useful text for those wanting a detailed, if brief, history of the Church of Satan, its development, and the demographic of its believers. The text is straightforward and information rich, a credit to the detailed knowledge of the compilers. * Tara Blue Moon Smith, University of Sydney, The Journal of Religious History * Well worth a read, representing perhaps the best place for students to begin their exploration of this subject. * Ethan Doyle White, Correspondences * The Invention of Satanism provides an accessible and highly informative introduction to contemporary Satanism as a religious movement. Succinctly covering a number of important themes in the history of Satanism, it will be especially useful to students and scholars interested in contemporary Western esotericism, Paganism, and New Religious Movements (NRMs). It also suggests many fruitful venues for future research. * Manon Hedenborg-White, Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism * An important contribution to the field of Satanism studies... This volume functions as an excellent introduction to the subject in addition to establishing central research avenues in the field, supplemented by illuminating discussions of work that remains to be done. The Invention of Satanism will be a good first reference for both specialists and lay readers interested in Satanism, along with those investigating the various and overlapping fields of new religious movements, Paganism, occultism, the subjects of religious rhetoric, and other alternative religious currents and antinomian discourses. * Nova Religio *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
8 illustratons
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
578 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-518110-4 (9780195181104)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Asbjorn Dyrendal | James R. Lewis | Jesper Aa. Petersen
The Invention of Satanism
E-Book
10/2015
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€30.49
Available for download

Asbjorn Dyrendal | James R. Lewis | Jesper Aa. Petersen
The Invention of Satanism
E-Book
10/2015
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€30.49
Available for download
Persons
Asbjorn Dyrendal is Professor of Religious Studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway.; James R. Lewis is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Tromso in Tromso, Norway.; Jesper Aa. Petersen is Associate Professor at the Programme for Teacher Education at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway.
Author
Professor of Religious StudiesProfessor of Religious Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Professor of Religious StudiesProfessor of Religious Studies, University of Tromso, Tromso, Norway
Associate Professor at the Programme for Teacher EducationAssociate Professor at the Programme for Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Content
Acknowledgements ; Preface: Introducing Satanism ; Chapter 1 - Anthropology of Evil: The Folklore of Satanism ; Chapter 2 - Satanic Precursors ; Chapter 3 - The Age of Satanism: Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan ; Chapter 4 - The Satanic Bible ; Chapter 5 - Reading Satanism through Demonology: The Satanism Scare ; Chapter 6 - Adopting Satanic Identities ; Chapter 7 - Little Nicky Grows Up? ; Chapter 8 - Satanic Attitudes ; Chapter 9 - Children of the Black Goat ; Epilogue: Satanism in Play ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index