Exam from 2016 in the field of Theology - Comparative Religious Studies, Grade: 1.3, Free University of Berlin (Comparative Religious Studies), Course: Master's - Final Examination, written exam - test, Language: German.

Abstract: In this paper, I will briefly present the ritual theories of two ethnologists who are important for the development of ritual research up to its current state: A. van Gennep and V. Turner. In the past, rituals were often understood as relatively stable, periodically performed sequences of actions, primarily in the context of religion. Accordingly, the term ritual was mostly used in the sense of "worship service." Today, rituals are understood much more generally as symbolic actions, as interactions with the environment, or as regulated communication processes. Rituals can be found in today's understanding.