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The practice of sin-eating was documented in Appalachia into the early 20th century, I think in one of the Foxfire books. Vance Randolph also refers to it in _Ozark Magic and Folklore_. According to this custom, one individual in a community would take upon himself the sins of the deceased by performing a deathbed ritual that involved symbolically eating the dead person's sins. This allegedly allowed the deceased to enter heaven. The sin-eater was often shunned by other community members, because he was already something of an outcast; this practice would only be taken on by a person already marginal in society. Taking all those sins upon him didn't help his reputation, either. And of course, some viewed the practice itself as non-normative and problematic. I don't know about the origins of this practice, but perhaps another reader can help with that. Best, Sabina Magliocco Professor Department of Anthropology California State University - Northridge [log in to unmask] ________________________________________ From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of BJ Duncan [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 7:53 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Information on Sin Eaters Hello all... I am one of those non-academics with a keen interest in occult, paranormal and metaphysics. I am looking for information on the origin and practice of sin eating.. Any thoughts?