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Rhythmic flesh : How the regulation of bodily rhythm contributes to spirituality in the Jesus prayer, medieval dance, and African American preaching
Eikelboom, Lexi
Eikelboom, Lexi
Author
Abstract
Recent scholarship on the concept of flesh in Christianity points to the body’s susceptibility to change and influence from material phenomena as well as from social and discursive forces. But what are the processes by which such forces shape the body? This article argues, by analyzing three Christian practices from distinctive contexts—the Hesychast Jesus Prayer, medieval liturgical dance, and African American preaching—that rhythm is a key to understanding these processes. Each practice forms a body capable of connecting with spiritual forces by leveraging the body’s material rhythms and their symbolic associations through a process called entrainment in relation to a particular social context. The analysis of each practice, therefore, contributes to our understanding of how material and nonmaterial factors work together in the process of religious formation by uncovering the ways in which rhythm connects both dimensions.
Keywords
Date
2020
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Religion
Book
Volume
88
Issue
3
Page Range
805-831
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
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Open Access Status
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All rights reserved
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Controlled