Studying Religion, Past and Present : Essays in Honor of Panayotis Pachis

Renowned scholars discuss the past, present, and future of the study of religion in both antiquity and modernity, celebrating the contributions of Panayotis Pachis to the field. An advocate of the historical and scientific study of the religions of past and present, Panayotis Pachis has dedicated his celebrated career at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to the study of various aspects of ancient religions.

These range from the importance of agriculture and religion in ancient Greece, the Mystery Cults, the centrality of initiatory rituals and rites of passage, to the promotion of a modern, scientific study of religion that extends from the comparative and historical method to the cognitive study of religion. The contents of this book reflect Pachis' conviction that the study of religious ideas and practices should be focused on three pillars: the study of history, the formulation and application of theoretical frameworks, and the utilization of traditional as well as innovative methodological tools.