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Thanks for that, Emma. Yes, I'm familiar with non-Western traditions in which healers suck out illness and/or transfer it to someone/thing else -- usually not themselves, though. But it's a lot of leaps from that to assuming that Celtic healing traditions worked the same way, and that sickness = sin, and that somehow the two traditions merged. Possible, but I'd love to have some evidence. But of course we don't know what the book actually says. Kimberly? Best, Sabina 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 emma wilby [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 11:42 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Information on Sin Eaters Hi Sabina, I haven't read the book , but guess it may be something to do with the idea that a shaman (as represented in many contemporary anthropological sources) can heal by taking a person's sickness onto him/herself - and then either dispose of it or live through it (or even pass it on to someone else!). Shamans often literally 'suck' the sickness or bad spirits out of a person - or draw it out in some other way. I'm not aware of any direct evidence, however, linking such practices to Celtic shamans - although its not beyond the realms of possibility that IF they were part of Celtic shamanism they may have merged with Christian explanations for misfortune and morphed into sin-eating .....? Best wishes, Emma ________________________________ From: "Magliocco, Sabina" <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Thu, 7 April, 2011 18:30:06 Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Information on Sin Eaters Just curious: how is sin-eating presented as Celtic shamanism in this publication? It seems to me that the whole idea of sin, and the rite to displace it from the dying person to a designated sin-eater so the deceased can enter Heaven, is heavily influenced by Christian concepts. I'm not saying this is a part of official, scripted Christian doctrine; it's clearly a part of venracular religion. But what's the Celtic part? Best, Sabina Sabina Magliocco Professor Department of Anthropology California State University - Northridge [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> ________________________________________ From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf Of Kim Hunter [[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 10:04 AM To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Information on Sin Eaters Interesting synchronicity for once...I've just finished this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sin-Eaters-Last-Confession-Traditions/dp/0738713562 ________________________________ Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 02:53:35 +0000 From: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Information on Sin Eaters To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 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?