Asie du Sud

États-Unis d'Amérique

Head, Department of Philosophy and Religion

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

william-harman@utc.edu

Department of Philosophy and Religion
232e Holt Hall
615 McCallile Avenue
University of Tennnessee at Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37403 USA

phone: 423-755-4336

Most published work has focused on Hinduism in the Tamil speaking areas of southern India. I have been especially concerned about temple
worship associated with local goddesses in the city of Madurai and the surrounding area.

Recently, I have begun to focus on goddesses of healing, especially in rural areas, and on the dynamics of faith and healing. The concept of
ritual sacrifice in religious traditions has occupied my interest over the past 6 or 8 months, and I am concerned with how sacrificial imagery
pervades religous imagery not simply in Hinduism. Indeed, the whole notion of a millenial end that approaches in Western religious consciousness can
be understood, I believe, in view of sacrificial models such as those presented by David Koresh, Jim Jones, the Order of the Solar Temple, and
the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo movement.

"Religion, Healing, and Medicine," "Satanism, "Witchcraft, and Spirit Possession,"
and "Goddess Traditions"

None on file

religion ; healing ; medicine ; satanism ; witchcraft ; spirit possession ; Hinduism ; Tamil ; India