Performance, Cognitive Theory, and Devotional Culture

Download or read book Performance, Cognitive Theory, and Devotional Culture written by J. Stevenson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2010-05-24 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Performance, Cognitive Theory, and Devotional Culture, Jill Stevenson uses cognitive theory to explore the layperson s physical encounter with live religious performances, and to argue that laypeople s interactions with other devotional media - such as books and art objects - may also have functioned like performance events. By revealing the remarkable resonance between cognitive science and medieval visual theories, Stevenson demonstrates how understanding medieval culture can enrich the study of performance generally. She concludes by applying her theories of medieval performance culture to contemporary religious forms, including creationist museums, Hell Houses, and megachurches.