Despite several decades of scholarship on African diasporic religion, Voodoo remains underexamined, and the few books published on the topic contain inaccuracies and outmoded arguments. In Voodoo: An African American Religion, Jeffrey E. Anderson presents a much-needed modern account of the faith as it existed in the Mississippi River valley from colonial times to the mid-twentieth century, when, he argues, it ceased to thrive as a living tradition. Anderson provides a solid scholarly foundation for future work by systematizing the extant information on a religion that has long captured the popular imagination as it has simultaneously engendered fear and ridicule. His book stands as the most complete study of the faith yet produced and rests on more than two decades of research, utilizing primary source material alongside the author’s own field studies in New Orleans, Haiti, Cuba, Senegal, Benin, Togo, and the Republic of Congo. The result serves as an enduring resource on Mississippi River valley Voodoo, Louisiana, and the greater African Diaspora.

He could quite possibly be the most effective unofficial saint of urban legend ever to have been discovered. For a variety of reasons, the Roman Catholic Church will not officially recognize St. Expedite; but, at the same time, they won't discount him either. That's because he's just too damned popular. And, according to his devotees, he's just that damned good. But that's okay, New Orleans Voudou has no problem embracing St. Expedite as one of her patron saints. And hoodoos, rootworkers, conjure doctors, spiritualists and sorcerers appreciate his worth, as well. No officialities are needed in these camps. Because when a saint works as well-and more importantly, as quickly-as St. Expedite works, he is more than welcome in the wide world of conjure. Indeed, St. Expedite is the go-to saint for fast solutions to problems of all kinds. His quick response makes him extremely popular among those who strive to put an end to procrastination and delays and to those who seek financial success. He is petitioned for prompt solutions to business problems and has recently been coined the Patron Saint of Nerds due to his association with computer programmers and hackers. St. Expedite is also known as one of the lawyers of impossible causes, and as such, is petitioned for court cases and legal issues, as well. Written for the individual interested in the mystical and folk magic aspects of the Minute Saint - St. Expedite - this book delves into areas of his history and patronage never before found in one publication. This book contains more than the usual description, wordplay, prayers and suggested offerings of pound cake and public gratitude. A detailed description of where he is found around the world and how he fits into the various religiomagical landscapes, including contemporary cults of devotion and decapitation, Haitian Vodou expeditions and death conjure, individual and community relationships, and public and secret celebrations and workings are described. His origin stories, legend as a member of the Thundering Legion, and other presuppositions are explored. And, the campaign to denounce and erase any legitimacy associated with St. Expedite by the Catholic Church is presented as a curious quandary, given the multitudes of peoples across the globe who revere him and love him and swear by his legendary ability to fix problems with lightning speed. An examination of references to St. Expedite or St. Espidee as he is referred to, in the Hyatt texts is also provided in this book. Many of the works are provided in contemporary language so it is easy to understand for the reader, while others are kept in their original transcriptions for historical value. Learn how informants petitioned him for court scrapes, banishing, road opening, getting a job and many other purposes. In addition, St. Expedite is discussed within the context of New Orleans Voudou as Baron Samedi, including his relationship to the Skull and Bones Gang and Mardi Gras, not as public celebration, but as the underlying Spirit who kicks off and drives the festival of decadence and debauchery. This book provides details for working with St. Expedite within the context of folk Catholicism, hoodoo and New Orleans Voudou. From setting up an altar, to an obscure nine hour novena similar to the one developed by students in the Ursuline convent in the late 1700s, to many additional, original conjures never before revealed to the public will keep the modern conjurer busy for years to come as the problems of daily life inevitably present themselves again and again. For the first time ever, find all of the information available on St. Expedite, and then some, at your fingertips in this excellent reference book.

At the core of African American religion’s response to social inequalities has been a symbiotic relationship between socio-political activism and spiritual restoration. Drawing on archival material and ethnographic fieldwork with African American Spiritual Churches in the USA, this book examines how their spiritual and social work can shed light on the interplay between corporate activism and individual spirituality. This book traces the development of this "politico-spiritual" approach to injustice from the beginning of the twentieth century through the opening decade of the twenty-first century, using the work of African American Spiritual Churches as a lens through which to observe its progression. Addressing subjects such as spiritual healing, support of the homeless, gender equality and the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, it demonstrates that these communities are clearly motivated by the dual concerns of the soul and the community. This study diversifies our understanding of the African American religious landscape, highlighting an approach to social injustice that conjoins both political and spiritual transformations. As such, it will be of significant interest to scholars of religious studies, African American studies and politics.

Today we associate the Renaissance with painting, sculpture, and architecture—the “major” arts. Yet contemporaries often held the “minor” arts—gem-studded goldwork, richly embellished armor, splendid tapestries and embroideries, music, and ephemeral multi-media spectacles—in much higher esteem. Isabella d’Este, Marchesa of Mantua, was typical of the Italian nobility: she bequeathed to her children precious stone vases mounted in gold, engraved gems, ivories, and antique bronzes and marbles; her favorite ladies-in-waiting, by contrast, received mere paintings. Renaissance patrons and observers extolled finely wrought luxury artifacts for their exquisite craftsmanship and the symbolic capital of their components; paintings and sculptures in modest materials, although discussed by some literati, were of lesser consequence. This book endeavors to return to the mainstream material long marginalized as a result of historical and ideological biases of the intervening centuries. The author analyzes how luxury arts went from being lofty markers of ascendancy and discernment in the Renaissance to being dismissed as “decorative” or “minor” arts—extravagant trinkets of the rich unworthy of the status of Art. Then, by re-examining the objects themselves and their uses in their day, she shows how sumptuous creations constructed the world and taste of Renaissance women and men.

Presents doll spells drawn from New Orleans Voodoo and hoodoo traditions as well as those from ancient Greece, Egypt, Malaysia, Japan, and Africa, intended to produce fast-acting, long-lasting magic.

The impact of The Late Great Planet Earth cannot be overstated. The New York Times called it the "no. 1 non-fiction bestseller of the decade." For Christians and non-Christians of the 1970s, Hal Lindsey's blockbuster served as a wake-up call on events soon to come and events already unfolding -- all leading up to the greatest event of all: the return of Jesus Christ. The years since have confirmed Lindsey's insights into what biblical prophecy says about the times we live in. Whether you're a church-going believer or someone who wouldn't darken the door of a Christian institution, the Bible has much to tell you about the imminent future of this planet. In the midst of an out-of-control generation, it reveals a grand design that's unfolding exactly according to plan. The rebirth of Israel. The threat of war in the Middle East. An increase in natural catastrophes. The revival of Satanism and witchcraft. These and other signs, foreseen by prophets from Moses to Jesus, portend the coming of an antichrist . . . of a war which will bring humanity to the brink of destruction . . . and of incredible deliverance for a desperate, dying planet.

"This splendid work of scholarship . . . sums up with economy and power all that the written record so far deciphered has to tell about the ancient and complementary civilizations of Babylon and Assyria."—Edward B. Garside, New York Times Book Review Ancient Mesopotamia—the area now called Iraq—has received less attention than ancient Egypt and other long-extinct and more spectacular civilizations. But numerous small clay tablets buried in the desert soil for thousands of years make it possible for us to know more about the people of ancient Mesopotamia than any other land in the early Near East. Professor Oppenheim, who studied these tablets for more than thirty years, used his intimate knowledge of long-dead languages to put together a distinctively personal picture of the Mesopotamians of some three thousand years ago. Following Oppenheim's death, Erica Reiner used the author's outline to complete the revisions he had begun. "To any serious student of Mesopotamian civilization, this is one of the most valuable books ever written."—Leonard Cottrell, Book Week "Leo Oppenheim has made a bold, brave, pioneering attempt to present a synthesis of the vast mass of philological and archaeological data that have accumulated over the past hundred years in the field of Assyriological research."—Samuel Noah Kramer, Archaeology A. Leo Oppenheim, one of the most distinguished Assyriologists of our time, was editor in charge of the Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute and John A. Wilson Professor of Oriental Studies at the University of Chicago.

“Voodoo Hoodoo” is the unique variety of Creole Voodoo found in New Orleans. The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook is a rich compendium of more than 300 authentic Voodoo and Hoodoo recipes, rituals, and spells for love, justice, gambling luck, prosperity, health, and success. Cultural psychologist and root worker Denise Alvarado, who grew up in New Orleans, draws from a lifetime of recipes and spells learned from family, friends, and local practitioners. She traces the history of the African-based folk magic brought by slaves to New Orleans, and shows how it evolved over time to include influences from Native American spirituality, Catholicism, and Pentecostalism. She shares her research into folklore collections and 19th- and 20th- century formularies along with her own magical arts. The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook includes more than 100 spells for Banishing, Binding, Fertility, Luck, Protection, Money, and more. Alvarado introduces readers to the Pantheon of Voodoo Spirits, the Seven African Powers, important Loas, Prayers, Novenas, and Psalms, and much, much more, including:Oils and Potions: Attraction Love Oil, Dream Potion, Gambler’s Luck Oil, Blessing OilHoodoo Powders and Gris Gris: Algier’s Fast Luck Powder, Controlling Powder, Money Drawing PowderTalismans and Candle MagicCurses and Hexes

Trample on the dust of the Dead lightly...This sentiment, held by old-time Hoodoos and traditional Rootworkers, is a subtle reminder of the importance of observing certain behaviors while in a graveyard. Knock before entering. Be careful where you walk. Don't step on graves or sit on tombstones. Always ask before taking anything-even stones, flowers, sticks and leaves. Never leave trash, always greet the gatekeeper and always come prepared with a pocket full of pennies, silver dimes and a bottle of rum or whiskey. The important thing to remember is that you never just walk in and take something. You must always treat the spirits with respect; both the spirits of the deceased, as well as the guardians of the cemeteries and the psychopomps. Workin' in da Boneyard is a primer for conjurers seeking a tangible connection to their past, their ancestors and the Spirit World by working with graveyards and graveyard dirt. From practical issues of safety, choosing a cemetery, locating ancestral graves, reading gravestone signs and symbols, avoiding haints and hauntings, to gathering graveyard dirt and making goofer dust, Workin' in da Boneyard has the information needed for working effective graveyard conjure, as well as words of caution for the ill-prepared.