Abstract

ADEMILUKA, S. O.. The sociological functions of funeral mourning: Illustrations from the Old Testament and Africa. Old testam. essays [online]. 2009, vol.22, n.1, pp.9-20. ISSN 2312-3621.

Funeral mourning is an essential rite of passage in many societies. While there are differences among those aspects peculiar to each culture, there are certain motifs common to mourning in all cultures. Among such common motifs are the sociological functions which in most cultures are served by funeral mourning rituals. Hence this study examines the sociological functions that funeral mourning serves in the Old Testament and in Africa. The fact that mourning serves certain functions in the society has an implication for theology in Africa.

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