Interpreting Child Sacrifice Narratives - by Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Examining the theme of child sacrifice as a psychological challenge, this book applies a unique approach to religious ideas by looking at beliefs and practices that are considered deviant, but also make up part of mainstream religious discourse in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

Ancient religious mythology, which survives through living traditions and transmitted narratives, rituals, and writings, is filled with violent stories, often involving the targeting of children as ritual victims. Christianity offers Abraham's sacrifice and assures us that the "only begotten son" has died, and then been resurrected. This version of the sacrifice myth has dominated the West. It is celebrated in an act of fantasy cannibalism, in which the believers share the divine son's flesh and blood.

This book makes the connection between Satanism stories in the 1980s, the Blood Libel in Europe, The Eucharist, and Eastern Mediterranean narratives of child sacrifice.

Review Quotes

With QAnon the most visible agent, contemporary demonologies of politics, culture and gender are once again seeing satanic conspiracies behind and in everything. In this timely and erudite volume, Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi explains the religio-historical background of these topics, analyzes factors in their recent dissemination, and gives a deep, psychoanalytical reading of central motifs.
Asbjørn Dyrendal, Professor of Religious Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

About the Author

Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Haifa, Israel.