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What might a Mithraic initiate have seen when he viewed the ubiquitous tauroctonous image? Rather than understanding the tauroctony as illustrating an episode in a presumed mythic life of Mithras or as exemplifying some conceptual principle, this article seeks to understand the tauroctony as image qua image. Insights from art historians, neurophysiologists, and neurocognitivists show that cultural expectations for seeing the tauroctony are as an image of sacrifice and, at the same time, as an astrologically configured star map, cultural perceptions that were subject to local interpretations. A conclusion briefly suggests how all Mithraic images might have been seen and how scientific methodologies might profitably be incorporated into a history of religions.

Unlike the classical sources, nineteenth-century historians of religion characterized certain Hellenistic initiatory cults as "Mystery Religions." This was also the century in which the literary genre of mysteries (i.e., detective stories) developed (e.g., E. A. Poe). Was the nineteenth-century development of literary mysteries and the contemporaneous characterization of some Hellenistic initiatory practices by historians of religion also as "mysteries," especially, those characterized by R. Reitzenstein as "reading mysteries" (Lesemysterien), coincidental? I suggest that mystery novels may be read for insights into the historical and/or cultural landscape of Romanticism. These novels disclose a fascination with "mysteries," a "presentist" bias that influenced nineteenth-century characterizations of Hellenistic initiatory cults by historians of religion. In addition to a shared cultural influence, common neurocognitive features underlie both the act of reading itself, especially reading detective novels, and the Lesemysterium hypothesis.

Carta de Luther H. Evans, Director de la Biblioteca del Congreso de Washington. Publicada en el boletín interno de los empleados de esa institución. El Director de la Biblioteca del Congreso de Washington, entre otras ciudades de América Latina, visitó Lima con el objeto de hacer la entrega oficial a la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú de una colección de libros reunidos, tanto de fuentes gubernamentales como privadas, para contribuir a la restauración de la colección destruida por el fuego en mayo de 1943 al quemarse el edificio de la Biblioteca Nacional.

In this commentary on Claire White’s An Introduction to the Cognitive Science of Religion: Connecting Evolution, Brain, Cognition, and Culture (London: Routledge, 2021), I contrast the circuitous way in which I (and probably a number of others) initially came to teach cognitive science of religion (CSR) at the undergraduate university level with the more direct (and knowledgeable) way in which White came to do so. I then briefly discuss her comprehensive and coherent presentation of the CSR, noting, however, several issues with which I have problems (fractionation, an ahistorical “presentist” bias, and whether or not an “agnostic” view of religious teachings should remain the norm in the modern university curricula). Nevertheless, White’s Introduction is a most welcome and long-overdue contribution to the academic study of religion, the 150-year trajectory of which has been characterized by an anti-scientific history.

In determining the role of professional religious leadership on the college or university campus, it is first necessary to ascertain and accept the theory that there is and ought to be a symbiotic relationship between religion and higher education. The religious professional, then, herein referred to as the campus chaplain, has a responsibility to the entire university community; that having such responsibility he should in informal ways establish such relationships as are desirable with other officers and departments of the university, including student affairs. In particular, his function is: (1) to provide stimulation, leadership, and coordination of extra-curricular activities and efforts pointed toward such general education; (2) to help develop an atmosphere for attitudes, understandings and ideals among administration, faculty and students as will provide optimum conditions for the achievement of its objectives; and (3) to maintain an active liaison between the university and religious institutions. (Author/HS)

This paper discusses research findings applicable to the nongraded plan of school organization (also referred to as ungraded, continuous progress, multigraded, multiaged, and ungraded primary unit). The introduction notes a rapidly increasing movement toward nongrading and defines the concept. Part 1, presents the case for and against nongrading and includes a list of the researchers' concluding observations and questions suggested for group discussion. Part 2, the research review, reports three types of studies: (1) survey-questionnaire studies which report the perceptions of educators in communities which have adopted the nongraded plan, (2) studies related to grouping practice which have a bearing on nongraded organizations, and (3) studies which compare nongraded organization with the traditional self-contained classroom. This section concludes with a critique of the research, noting conflicting findings and problems which make it difficult to generalize results to other situations. Part 3, "An Approach," contains a position statement and a list of steps for implementing an organizational plan with suggestions regarding organization, grouping of pupils, curriculum revision, equipment and materials, scheduling, evaluation, the library (laboratory for learning) and reporting to parents. The "Bibliography and Selected References" includes 37 books and 75 periodicals. (JS)