Power and Religiosity in a Post-Colonial Setting

Download or read book Power and Religiosity in a Post-Colonial Setting written by R. L. Stirrat and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1992-09-10 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study of religious change and cultural fragmentation in contemporary Sri Lanka focuses on a series of new Catholic shrines that attract hundreds of pilgrims. Their fame is based, among other things, on their efficacy as centers for demonic exorcism, alleviating suffering and helping people to find jobs. The author looks at the rise of these shrines in relation to the historical experience of the Catholic community in Sri Lanka, rather than in terms of narrowly defined religious criteria. Central to this broader nonreligious context is the role of power and especially the impact of post colonialism on the small Roman Catholic population.