Funeral Rituals – Discussion

Think of a funeral ritual you have personally attended.

  1. How were the components we have discussed in class (e.g., worldview, myth, symbol, ritual specialists, altered states) reflected in the ritual? You can focus on any two of the components.
  2. How did the ritual reflect beliefs about the soul and the afterlife?
  3. How does it compare to rituals in other cultures that you have learned about this week? Include specific examples.

If you have never been to a funeral ritual, you may research and post about a funeral ritual (answering the same questions as above and citing your sources).