Them That Believe: The Power and Meaning of the Christian Serpent-Handling Tradition

About this book

Although outlawed in many states serpent handling remains an active religious practiceand one that is far more stereotyped than understood. Ralph W. Hood Jr. and W. Paul Williamson have spent fifteen years touring serpent-handling churches in Alabama Georgia Tennessee Kentucky North Carolina and West Virginia conducting scores of interviews with serpent handlers and witnessing hundreds of serpent-handling services. In this illuminating book they present the most in-depth comprehensive study of serpent handling to date. Them That Believe not only explores facets of this religious practiceincluding handling preaching and the near-death experiences of individuals who were bitten but survivedbut also provides a rich analysis of this phenomenon from historical social religious and psychological perspectives.