Satanism is a current of thought that generates intense feelings. It remains understudied by academics. This selection of key source texts from the period 1841 to 2017 attempts to remedy that gap. Ranging from the esoteric to the anti-clerical, countercultural, and political, the texts span a wide variety of genres, from poetry and polemical religious tracts to ritual instructions and internet FAQ's. All are provided with comprehensive introductions, written by specialists in the field, that offer readers both critical historical context and expert scholarly interpretation. Chronologically structured, the book can be read as a succinct historical overview of the development of Satanism, with the immediacy that only primary sources can provide. It is ideal for both classroom and research use, as well as a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in the occult, the transgressive, secularization, and the fringes of the religious landscape.

About the Author
Per Faxneld is an historian of religions at Soedertoern University, Sweden, where he is conducting a project on spiritual dimensions of Japanese martial arts. He is the author of the award-winning Satanic Feminism: Lucifer as the Liberator of Woman in Nineteenth-Century Culture and several other books. Johan Nilsson is an historian of religions at Lund university, Sweden, where he is currently working on a research project about the reception of Buddhism in Swedish Theosophy. He is the author of As a Fire Beneath the Ashes: The Quest for Chinese Wisdom within Occultism, 1850-1949.


Book Information
ISBN 9780199913558
Author Per Faxneld
Format Paperback
Page Count 360
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 526g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 158mm * 21mm