Why prophets are (not) shamans?

Abstract

The article explores the interface of prophecy and shamanhood from the point of view of intermediation, divination, and magic; performance and cosmology; gender; and social status. The most significant thing in common between prophets and shamans is the role of an intermediary and the superhuman authority ascribed to their activity. Other similarities include the performance in an altered state of consciousness, gender-inclusiveness, as well as some ritual roles and forms of social recognition. The action of the prophets rarely reaches beyond the transmission of the divine word, whereas the shamans' activity is more strongly oriented towards ritual efficacy. The cosmological explanation of prophetic and shamanistic performance is different, and the transgendered roles of the shamans appear stronger. The social status varies according to the different community structures reflected by the source materials. It is argued that, even though the conceptual difference between prophets and shamans should be upheld, there is a strong interface between the two phenomena.