Religion in Context Cults and Charisma

Religious power assumes strikingly different forms, often regarded as unique and unrelated. Religion in Context, however, argues that these apparently contradictory experiences are part of a web of mutually sustaining elements. I.M. Lewis analyzes phenomena such as witchcraft, cannibalism, and shamanism, revealing connections among them and with the world religions. This expanded and updated edition illuminates critical aspects of religious power, and will be of value to anyone concerned with the nature of religion in the modern world.