The Appalachian ‘Other’: Academic Approaches to the Study of Serpent‐handling Sects

Abstract

Serpent-handling sects are often portrayed in the media as bizarre Southern cults whose members engage in dangerous primitive rituals. The fact that a religious ritual identified as existing outside the normative boundaries of Christianity, and perhaps religion in general, defines this Christian tradition marks serpenthandling sects as abnormal or 'other'. Consequently, scholars investigating why these Christians handle poisonous snakes during religious services must address the boundary between 'abnormal' and 'normal' religion, the 'norm' and the 'other'. This essay surveys the multi-disciplinary literature on serpenthandling sects with a particular eye toward the ways scholars both negotiate and perpetuate this boundary.