Peter B. Clarke: Difference between revisions

In discussing [[Australian aborigines|Australian aboriginal]] and African "primal religions" in a chapter of ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Religions'', Clarke asserted that terms such as "primal" or "traditional" religions are "controversial", as they are often "wrongly taken to refer to static, unchanging and primitive, or unsophisticated religions found in underdeveloped societies"; Clarke made clear that he was not using the terms in this way, but used them in the sense of "religions that have always been an integral part of the culture of a society", unlike religions "with global ambitions such as Christianity and Islam".<ref>Cox, James Leland. ''From primitive to indigenous: the academic study of indigenous religions'', [[Ashgate Publishing]] 2007, pp. 56–57, ISBN 9780754655695</ref>

 

Clarke died in late June 2011, due to complications arising from [[deep-vein thrombosis]].<ref name=obit>{{cite journal |url= http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13537903.2011.620796?journalCode=cjcr20 |title=Peter B. Clarke (1940–2011) |first= Elisabeth |last=Arweck |journal=Journal of Contemporary Religion |volume=26|issue=3 |year=2011 |accessdate=22 October 2011}}</ref> In view of his contributions to the field, a decision was made to retain his name as the editor of the ''Journal of Contemporary Religion'' until the end of the year 2011.<ref name=obit />