Final answer:
Anthropologist Angela Ricci is engaged in studying religious practices through fieldwork in a Chinese village temple, using a cultural anthropology approach to understand the role of religion in the society she observes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religion can be broadly defined as a shared system of beliefs and practices concerning the interaction of natural and supernatural phenomena. Anthropologists like Angela Ricci, who is studying religion in a Chinese village temple, engage in fieldwork to gather an in-depth understanding of religious practices. They embody a method of cultural anthropology that provides a comprehensive toolkit for understanding the emotional, social, and spiritual contributions that religion makes to human experience.
When Angela Ricci investigates the religious practices within the Chinese village temple, she is primarily engaged in studying religious practices through fieldwork (option c). This approach ensures that her observations and analyses of religious behavior, symbols, rituals, belief systems, and the role of religion within that society are conducted respectfully and insightfully, providing her with an emic or insider's perspective.
Anthropologists like Angela Ricci contribute to our understanding of religion by dissecting its complexities through hands-on observation and participation. Through this lens, they identify the ways in which religion is intertwined with cultural identity, community cohesion, and personal spirituality.