Jesus Through a Shamanic Lens

Ren Q. Campbell
Dr. Dereck Daschke, Faculty Mentor

    Jesus of Nazareth has been analyzed time and again as a religious figure within the concept of structured, major world religions. This paper proposes an alternative analysis of Jesus, that of the shamanic healer. Through sociological, anthropological, and historical analysis, this paper cites the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) as sources for his work. His actions and the context of his life will be held against definitions of shamanism from Mircea Eliade, Michael Winkelman, Thomas A. DuBois, and Graham Harvey. The primary focus will be on Jesus’s work of healing (laying on of hands), exorcism/interaction with spirits, altered state of consciousness, raising the dead, and work as a psychopomp. With in-depth analyses and glimpses into the cultural context of the work of Jesus, this paper will conclude that while there are many ways to view the historical figure Jesus of Nazareth, shamanic healer is one of them.

Keywords: Jesus, shamanism, healer

Topic(s):Philosophy & Religion

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA