Comparative religion Books

Book SynopsisCatalogues nearly three thousand demons in the mythologies and lore of virtually every ancient society and most religions. Also included are descriptions of the demonic and diabolical members making up the hierarchy of Hell and the numerous species of demons that, according to various folklores, mythologies, and religions, populate the earth and plague mankind.

Read more less

Book SynopsisVoltaire's Pocket Philosophical Dictionary is a major work of the European Enlightenment. It consists of a series of short essays, arranged alphabetically, whose unifying thread is an attack on religious and political intolerance. Highly entertaining, its concern with intolerance and its consequences is still relevant today.Trade Reviewa marvellously Swiftian look at the bleakness of existence. * Nicholas Lezard, The Guardian *In John Fletcher's wonderfully luminous translation, the Dictionnaire philosophique portatif is like a breath of fresh air... Nicholas Cronk's discreet, helpful introduction and notes direct us to Voltaire's main concern: religion. * David Coward, Times Literary Supplement *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1913, just before the outbreak of the First World War, a 19-year-old Czech Jew named Jiri Langer left his assimilated family to live in the remote village of Belz, Galicia (now Ukraine). He had gone to live under the Chassidic (or Hasidic) Rokeach dynasty, a line of Rabbis that survives to this day. Nine Gates is the record of Langer''s time amongst these isolated Chassidic mystics of Eastern Galicia, and a window into their world. Langer tells of their enthusiasm, their simple faith, their ecstasies, their austerities, their feasts, their wonder-working Holy Rabbis and their esoteric wisdom. Most of all, he recounts a collection of shrewd and earthy folk tales told by the holy men who ruled these little spiritual kingdoms for generation after generation.Over 80 years since its original publication in Czech, this translation by Stephen Jolly remains the definitive English version of this towering work of Jewish introspection. Nine Gates is a document from another time and place, andTrade Review'Lo! As he reached the roof, an unknown hand gave him a light' Nine Gates is not primarily for those whose approach to Hasidism is detached and analytical, although it would even be interesting to them. It is a book for the reader who wants to breathe Hasidic air. . . . Like the Rebbe Reb Shmelke, the reader of the Nine Gates is given the light without realizing from whence it comes. Isaac Bashevis SingerTable of ContentsForeword by Frantisek Langer Introduction - A Youth from Prague among the Chassidim Gate I - Of diamonds in the Lord's crown the costliest, the holy Reb Sholem of Belz Gate II - Child of God, our dearest, the holy Mayerl of Przemysl Gate III - Heart of our mirth, the holy Reb Naftali of Ropshitz Gate IV - Blazing lion of the heavenly Academy, the holy Reb Urele of Strelisk (also the holy Reb Jude Hersch of Stretena) Gate V - Two golden trambones in the angelic choir, the holy Rebe Reb Meshulem Sussya of Anipol and the holy Rebe Reb Melech of Lizensk Gate VI - Mystic twain, the holy Rebe Reb Schmelke of Mikulov and the holy Rebe Reb Pinchas of Frankfurt Gate VII - Three tall tamarisks in the broad plain, the holy Yismach Moyshe of Ihel - the holy Ohev Yisroel of Apta - and the Saint of Kalev Gate VIII - Mystic shining mirror, the holy Reb Jacob Yitzhak, the Seer of Lublin (also the holy Dyvre Chayyim of Sanz) Gate IX - Most secret brain of Greatness and Wisdom, the holy Reb Pinchas of Koritz (ah! the saints at Slavuta) The City of Wisdom - Gold and silver and pearls and all the precious stones of Kotsk - or the holy Reb Moyshe Yide Lieb of Sassov - Reb Simche Binem of Pzhysha - the Holy Jew - Mendele of Kotsk - and the wise Rim of Gora Kalwariye

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn THE CIRCLE OF THE SUN, Traleg Rinpoche asks: What is the starting point on the spiritual journey? It is possible that it is seeing oneself as inadequate. It is heartening that the Dzogchen and Mahamudra approach says that what one wants to attain is already present. There is no gap between what one is and what one wants to attain. In Dzogchen, the starting point, which is also the end point of the spiritual journey is having an understanding of the nature of mind. Tsele Natsok Rangdrol''s exposition of the Dzogchen path elucidates that the path rests on the practices of trekchö, which means cutting through, and thögal, which means leaping over. Trekchö practice entails settling the mind in its own natural state without effort and without the rejection of thoughts and emotions. Thögal practice makes use of images and visions to realize the innate wakefulness. Rinpoche explains there are many perspectives designed to help us uncover our authentic state, the ground-of-being, as it is o

Read more less

Book SynopsisHeaven's Gate, a secretive group of celibate monks awaiting pickup by a UFO, captured intense public attention in 1997 when its members committed collective suicide. As a way of understanding such perplexing events, many have seen those who join cults as needy, lost souls, unable to think for themselves. This book, a compelling look at the cult phenomenon written for a wide audience, dispels such simple formulations by explaining how normal, intelligent people can give up years of their livesand sometimes their very livesto groups and beliefs that appear bizarre and irrational. Looking closely at Heaven's Gate and at the Democratic Workers Party, a radical political group of the 1970s and 1980s, Janja Lalich gives us a rare insider's look at these two cults and advances a new theoretical framework that will reshape our understanding of those who join such groups. Lalich's fascinating discussion includes her in-depth interviews with cult devotees as well as reflections gained from her o

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the face of climate change, species loss, and vast environmental destruction, Belden C. Lane's spiritually centered environmentalism suggests that we must look to teachers in nature to understand how to save ourselves. Pairing anecdotes of personal encounters with nature with the teachings of spiritual leaders from a range of religious traditions, this book invites us to participate once more in the great conversation among all creatures and the earthitself.Trade ReviewIn this extraordinary book, Lane explores our human need for deep and meaningful connections with nature ... This is a precious book for all nature lovers and also for those who after reading it, will be. * Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface Introduction: Wilderness and Soul Work Part I: Beginning to Listen Chapter 1: Restoring the Great Conversation Chapter 2: Falling in Love with a Tree Part II: Nature Teachers and the Spiritual Life AIR: The Child Chapter 3. Birds: Sandhill Cranes, the Platte River, and Farid ud-Din Attar Chapter 4. Wind: Buford Mountain and The Way of a Pilgrim Chapter 5: Trees: A Cottonwood Tree in a City Park and Hildegard of Bingen FIRE: The Adolescent Chapter 6. Wildfire: North Laramie River Trail and Catherine of Siena Chapter 7. Stars: Cahokia Mounds and Origen of Alexandria Chapter 8. Deserts: The Western Australian Bush and Gregory of Nyssa WATER: The Adult Chapter 9. Rivers: Colorado's Lost Creek Wilderness and Teresa of Avila Chapter 10. Canyons: Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness and Laozi Chapter 11. Islands: Monhegan Island and Nikos Kazantzakis EARTH: The Elder Chapter 12. Mountains: Hemmed-In-Hollow and the Baal Shem Tov Chapter 13. Caves: Lewis Cave and Ignatius of Loyola Chapter 14. Wolves: Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Francis of Assisi Conclusion: Taking the Great Conversation Seriously Afterword Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisBibliophobia is a book about material books, how they are cared for, and how they are damaged, throughout the 5000-year history of writing from Sumeria to the smartphone. Its starting point is the contemporary idea of ''the death of the book'' implied by the replacement of physical books by digital media, with accompanying twenty-first-century experiences of paranoia and literary apocalypse. It traces a twin fear of omniscience and oblivion back to the origins of writing in ancient Babylon and Egypt, then forwards to the age of Google. It uncovers bibliophobia from the first Chinese emperor to Nazi Germany, alongside parallel stories of bibliomania and bibliolatry in world religions and literatures. Books imply cognitive content embodied in physical form, in which the body cooperates with the brain. At its heart this relationship of body and mind, or letter and spirit, always retains a mystery. Religions are founded on holy books, which are also sites of transgression, so that writing Trade ReviewAs a book historian, I felt dazzled...It is full of treasures and sparkling insights...be prepared to be led through a rich gallery of intriguing scenarios at a cracking pace. I advise taking a deep breath before diving in. * Martyn Lyons, Modern Philology *Richly illustrated with textual forms, material objects and art works, this book's inspiration remains staunchly within the power that books always (and continue to) have amid the emotional, spiritual, bodily and imaginative lives of readers. * David Marx, David Marx Book Reviews *It is full of treasures and sparkling insights...Be prepared to be led through a rich gallery of intriguing scenarios at a cracking pace. * Martyn Lyons, University of New South Wales, Modern Philology *Table of ContentsPreface Note on Texts I. DEATH OF THE BOOK 1: Is there a future for the book? 2: The library as computer 3: The message of Ashurbanipal from antiquity 4: Living in the Tower of Babel II. BOOKS AND VIOLENCE 5: The book-fires of 1933 6: The making and unmaking of libraries 7: Incombustible heresy in the age of Luther 8: The bondage of the book III. SACRED TEXT 9: The mystery of Arabic script 10: The unnameable Hebrew God 11: How the alphabet came to Greece from Africa 12: The characters of Chinese IV. THE CULT OF THE BOOK 13: Words and images 14: Kissing the book 15: Books under the razor 16: Shakespeare and bibliofetishism V. THE BODY AND THE BOOK 17: The book incarnate 18: The hand in the history of the book 19: Written on the flesh 20: Book burial VI. GHOST IN THE BOOK 21: The book after the French Revolution 22: The smartphone inside our heads 23: Heresy and modernity 24: Glyph Notes Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisReligions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations, Third Edition is the ideal textbook for those coming to the study of religion for the first time, as well as for those who wish to keep up-to-date with the latest perspectives in the field. This third edition contains new and upgraded pedagogic features, including chapter summaries, key terms and definitions, and questions for reflection and discussion. The first part of the book considers the history and modern practices of the main religious traditions of the world, while the second analyzes trends from secularization to the rise of new spiritualities. Comprehensive and fully international in coverage, it is accessibly written by practicing and specialist teachers. Trade Review"We often throw a word like 'modern' around, as if we know what it means, or as if there were only one way of getting to or being modern. The present collection of essays on the religions and modernity (and on the modern study of religion) is a powerful reminder that we usually do not know what we are talking about, and that there are multiple religious modernities, each with their own specific political, colonial, economic, psychological, moral, and secular nuances. The volume is a model of comparative theorizing done precisely and deeply."Jeffrey J. Kripal, Rice University, USATable of ContentsIntroduction - Linda Woodhead. 1. How to Study Religion - Kim Knott. 2. Hinduism - David Smith. 3. Buddhism - Cathy Cantwell and Hiroko Kawanami. 4. Sikhism - Gurinder Singh Mann. 5. Chinese Religions - Stephan Feuchtwang. 6. Judaism - Seth Kunin. 7. Christianity - Linda Woodhead. 8. Islam - Anna Bigelow. 9. Religion in Africa - Mark Faulkner. 10. Native American Religions - Kenneth Mello. 11. Spirituality - Giselle Vincett and Linda Woodhead. 12. Paganism - Graham Harvey. 13. Contemporary Esotericism - Kennet Granholm. 14. New Religious Movements - Douglas E. Cowan. 15. Religion and Migration - Manuel Vásquez. 16. Religion and Politics - Paul Djupe. 17. Religion and Violence - Ian Reader. 18. Religion and Gender - Linda Woodhead. 19. Religion and Popular Culture - Christopher Partridge. 20. Secularism and Secularization - Grace Davie, Rebecca Catto, and Linda Woodhead

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis Element provides a comprehensive overview of the Transcendental Meditation and examines the movement's history, beginning in India in 1955, and concludes with an analysis of the splinter groups that have come along in the past twenty-five years.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The Very Beginning of TM; 2. Maharishi Multiplies Himself; 3. Maharishi Embraces the Love Generation; 4. Discovering Inner Energy and Overcoming Stress; 5. TM on Trial; 6. A Taste of Utopia and a Return to the Vedas; 7. Gurus who Broke from Maharishi; 8. Deepak Chopra and Maharishi Ayur Veda; 9. Suspicious Science and Trouble in Paradise; 10. After Maharishi; Bibliography; Acknowledgments.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs an atheistic religious tradition, Buddhism conventionally stands in opposition to Christianity, and any bridge between them is considered to be riddled with contradictory beliefs on God the creator, salvific power and the afterlife. But what if a Buddhist could also be a Classical Theist?Showing how the various contradictions are not as fundamental as commonly thought, Tyler Dalton McNabb and Erik Baldwin challenge existing assumptions and argue that Classical Theism is, in fact, compatible with Buddhism. They draw parallels between the metaphysical doctrines of both traditions, synthesize their ethical and soteriological commitments and demonstrate that the Theist can interpret the Buddhist's religious experiences, specifically those of emptiness, as veridical, without denying any core doctrine of Classical Theism. By establishing that a synthesis of the two traditions is plausible, this book provides a bold, fresh perspective on the philosophy of religion and reinvigorates philosoTrade ReviewClassical Theism and Buddhism is a refreshingly generous and well-defended counterpoint to all those who fashionably maintain the incommensurability of Buddhism-Christianity and East-West. * Kelly James Clark, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Ibn Haldun University, Turkey *A timely contribution to cross cultural philosophy of religion, combining rigour and philosophical imagination to open a door between Buddhism and Classical Theism. * Victoria S. Harrison, Professor of Philosophy, University of Macau, China *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Can a Buddhist be a Classical Theist? 2. Buddhist Objections to Classical Theism 3. Contemporary Objections to Classical Theism 4. Buddhist Ethics and Theistic Ethics: A Synthesis 5. Buddhist Soteriology and the God of Abraham 6. Pluralism Part 1 7. Pluralism Part 2 Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE RELIGION TOOLKIT A comprehensive survey of the study of religion worldwide, from ancient indigenous traditions to today's religious nationalism. This is an excellent book that is a good, comprehensive overview of the history of religions and the ways of studying religion within Religious Studies it really brings religions to life for the reader. Gavin Flood, Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion, Oxford University The authors provide a clear, first-rate introduction to the study of religions, origins, leading scholars and their theories and beliefs. This is by far the best introductory volume I am aware of both in terms of substance, clarity, and insights. John L. Esposito, Distinguished University Professor, Georgetown University, and Past President of the American Academy of Religion The Religion Toolkit: Understanding Religion in the World Today is a clear and comprehensive introduction to the academic study of religions, providing readers an introduction to the

Read more less

Book SynopsisUses The Innocence of Muslims controversy as a starting point for exploring Christian Muslim relations in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis accessible guide to the development of Japan's indigenous religion from ancient times to the present day offers an illuminating introduction to the myths, sites and rituals of kami worship, and their role in Shinto's enduring religious identity.Trade Review“It is a measure of the book’s achievement that it has managed to introduce such scholarly notions in a way that is at once accessible and instructive. Even those skeptical about its claims would have to admit the solidity of the research, and the book renders valuable service by opening up debate about Shinto’s origins to a general readership. Its influence is likely to be long lasting.” (Japan Review, 2012) "Breen and Teeuwen offer a postmodern, historical exposition of Shinto. In addition to independent research, they draw on a wide field of contemporary Japanese Shinto studies . . . The book is thus not only a result of solid academic work-it is also an ambitious political assessment." (Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 2010) "But for anyone interested in Shinto studies, religion and nationalism, and the contested and ever-changing nature of religious traditions, this is an essential read." (Religious Studies Review, 1 March 2011) "Written by two scholars at the forefront of the study of Japanese religions, this book offers much more than a ‘brief history’. It is in fact a very bold and lucid attempt to redraw the parameters that govern our understanding of that elusive body of thought and practice we call Shinto … This book will surprise and on occasion shock; it will surely be required reading for all those interested in Japan and the Japanese." --Richard Bowring, Professor of Japanese Studies, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vi Conventions and Abbreviations Used in the Text vii Prologue ix 1 An Alternative Approach to the History of Shinto 1 2 Kami Shrines, Myths, and Rituals in Premodern Times 24 3 The History of a Shrine: Hie 66 4 The History of a Myth: The Sun-Goddess and the Rock-Cave 129 5 The Daijōsai: A “Shinto” Rite of Imperial Accession 168 6 Issues in Contemporary Shinto 199 Conclusion 221 Notes 229 References 242 Index 253

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe contributors to Embodying Black Religions in Africa and Its Diasporas investigate the complex intersections between the body, religious expression, and the construction and transformation of social relationships and political and economic power. Among other topics, the essays examine the dynamics of religious and racial identity among Brazilian Neo-Pentecostals; the significance of cloth coverings in Islamic practice in northern Nigeria; the ethics of socially engaged hip-hop lyrics by Black Muslim artists in Britain; ritual dance performances among Mama Tchamba devotees in Togo; and how Ifá practitioners from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, and the United States join together in a shared spiritual ethnicity. From possession and spirit-induced trembling to dance, the contributors outline how embodied religious practices are central to expressing and shaping interiority and spiritual lives, national and ethnic belonging, ways of knowing and techniques of healingTrade Review“This groundbreaking book provides insight into how religious communities use expressive practices to unify and find healing. It offers an epistemological shift, recognizing the relevance of corporeality in galvanizing communities while allowing for individualist expressions of relationships to the otherwordly. This volume will make a strong impact in the fields of religious studies, anthropology, performance studies, and African diaspora studies.” -- Anita Gonzalez, author of * Afro-Mexico: Dancing between Myth and Reality *“This volume makes a unique and important contribution to the study of African diasporic religions giving priority---in our analysis—not to the theological nor necessarily the social but to the embodied and performative nature of religious practice. In this groundbreaking set of essays we learn the ways in which embodied practices inform ideas like empowerment, resistance and survival.” -- Marla F. Frederick, author of * Colored Television: American Religion Gone Global *“The focus of this theoretically engaged and ethnographically rich book . . . is a body-centered perspective on continental and diasporic African religions, offering valuable insights into the body as a medium of communication that generates knowledge, and the role of the body in producing intersubjectivity and relationality.” -- Susan Rasmussen * Journal of Anthropological Research *"This eloquent anthology takes the study of the Black body in renewed directions, weaving analytics of healing, bodily movement, materiality, energy, and collective knowledge and practices. This volume advances the field of anthropology with a wide range of methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of African diaspora religion, culture, and society. . . . The book is also ideal for teaching undergraduates and graduate students. Undoubtedly, it ought to be of great interest to scholars of religion, particularly African and African diasporic religions, and other interdisciplinary areas within anthropology and beyond such as women, gender and sexuality studies, African and African diaspora studies, ethics, and performance studies." -- Nessette Falu * American Ethnologist *Table of ContentsForeword / Jacob K. Olupona vii Editors' Acknowledgments xv Introduction: Embodiment and Relationality in Religions of Africa and Its Diasporas / Yolanda Covington-Ward and Jeanette S. Jouili 1 Part I. Spiritual Memories and Ancestors 1. Spirited Choreographies: Embodied Memories and Domestic Enslavement in Togolese Mama Tchamba Rituals / Elyan Jeanine Hill 23 2. Alchemy of the Fuqara: Spiritual Care, Memory, and the Black Muslim Body / Youssef Carter 49 3. Spiritual Ethnicity: Our Collective Ancestors in Ifá Devotion across the Americas / N. Fadeke Castor 70 Part II. Community, Religious Habitus, and the Senses 4. Faith Full: Sensuous Habitus, Everyday Affect, and Divergent Diaspora in the UCKG / Rachel Cantave 99 5. Covered Bodies, Moral Education, and the Embodiment of Islamic Reform in Northern Nigeria / Elisha P. Renne 122 6. Embodied Worship in a Haitian Protestant Church in the Bahamas: Religious Habitus among Bahamians of Haitian Descent / Bertin M. Louis Jr. 152 Part III. Interrogating Sacredness in Performance 7. The Quest of Spiritual Purpose in a Secular Dance Community: Bélé's Rebirth in Contemporary Martinique / Camee Maddox-Wingfield 175 8. Embodying Black Islam: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Afro-Diasporic Muslim Hip-Hop in Britain / Jeanette S. Jouili 197 9. Secular Affective Politics in a National Dance about AIDS in Mozambique / Aaron Montoya 222 Part IV. Religious Discipline and the Gendered and Sexual Body 10. Wrestling with Homosexuality: Kinesthesia as Resistance in Ghanaian Pentecostalism / Nathanael J. Homewood 253 11. Exceptional Healing: Gender, Materiality, Embodiment, and Prophetism in the Lower Congo / Yolanda Covington-Ward 273 12. Dark Matter: Formations of Death Pollution in Southeastern African Funerals / Casey Golomski 297 Contributors 317 Index 321

Read more less

Book SynopsisFinalist, Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, Analytical-Descriptive Studies, given by the American Academy of ReligionA groundbreaking reframing of religious pilgrimagePious processions. Sites of miraculous healing. Journeys to far-away sacred places. These are what are usually called to mind when we think of religious pilgrimage. Yet while pilgrimage can include journeying to the heart of sacred shrines, it can also occur in apparently mundane places. Indeed, not everyone has the resources or mobility to take part in religiously inspired movement to foreign lands, and some find meaning in religious movement closer to home and outside of officially sanctioned practices. Powers of Pilgrimage argues that we must question the universality of Western assumptions of what religion is and where it should be located, including the notion that genuine pilgrimage needs to be associated with discrete, formally recognized forms of religiosity. This necessary volume makes the case for eTrade ReviewAn impressive overview of the state of the field of pilgrimage studies. Coleman does an excellent job of putting scholars in context and in dialogue with each other, from anthropologists Victor and Edith Turner to cultural studies scholar Stuart Hall. Coleman presents a complex view of pilgrimage that opens up new possibilities for study and analysis. . . . This book will be an invaluable resource for scholars of ritual, pilgrimage, religion, geography, politics, and beyond. -- Sarah Pike, California State University, ChicoA lucid, wide-reaching, and brilliant book that provides us with a valuable new theoretical lexicon and framework for exploring human pilgrimage. Coleman’s attention to mobilities, context at multiple scales, emergence, uncertainties, and ambiguities further illustrates the relevance of political economy and social justice for pilgrimage studies. This volume will have a major and lasting impact on Pilgrimage Studies and beyond. -- Sharon R. Roseman, co-editor of The Tourism Imaginary and Pilgrimages to the Edges of the WorldPowers of Pilgrimage is an important book for scholars of pilgrimage and religion, but also for scholars of culture, mobility, economy, and geography. The book provides an impressive overview and analysis of the field as well as an impassioned call to expand the field’s approaches and subjects. -- Melissa Coles * The Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism *Coleman’s book is an extremely worthwhile read, bound to leave its mark on the anthropology of religion and beyond.It successfully sets an agenda of interest to anyone, or any discipline engaged in the study of religion. -- Maja Balle and Bjorn Thomassen * Social Sciences and Missions *Simon Coleman’s book presents a much-needed and long overdue exploration of the richness of pilgrimage research… Power of Pilgrimage: Religion in a World of Movement is a compelling and influential book that establishes parameters for comparative research in pilgrimage studies. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *Powers of Pilgrimage is an insightful voyage into the complexities and intricacies of pilgrim practices in various parts of the world today…Coleman’s book is an extremely worthwhile read, bound to leave its mark on the anthropology of religion and beyond. * Social Sciences and Missions *Powers of Pilgrimage makes an enormous contribution to studies of pilgrimage by reframing and expanding the field…The book provides an impressive overview and analysis of the field as well as an impassioned call to expand the field’s approaches and subjects, including by rejecting false binaries between “religious” and “secular” spaces, peoples, and practices. * Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Nothing less than a guided tour of the human soul ... A masterpiece' Elizabeth Gilbert 'A work of spiritual evolution [and] inner journeys told through extraordinary exteriors' Washington Post One of our most perceptive travel writers embarks on an exploration of the world's holiest places and where we might find paradise on Earth. It’s so easy, I thought, to place Paradise in the past or the future – anywhere but here. After half a century of travel, Pico Iyer asks himself what kind of paradise can ever be found in a world of unceasing conflict. In a spectacular journey, both inward and outward, he roams the globe from Jerusalem to Belfast to North Korea, from crowded mosques in Iran to a holy mountain in Japan. By the end, he has upended any of our expectations and dared to suggest that we can find paradise right in the heart of our angry and confused world.Trade ReviewA luminous and absorbing book, and one that is good to think with -- Caroline Eden * Financial Times *Nothing less than a guided tour of the human soul. Filled with hope, wisdom, and extraordinary tenderness, this is a book not only for the ages, but for our very specific, very troubled age. A masterpiece. -- Elizabeth GilbertIn elegant and ecstatic prose, Pico Iyer uncovers our wonderful capacity for hope, wearing his erudition so lightly. I was revitalised by this book -- Katherine MayIyer shares Graham Greene’s gift for the enthralling sentence, and can be a charming and perceptive companion . . . He reminds us that the key to good travel writing lies in the discrepancy between what you expect of a country and what you get. And at an even more primal level, he makes you want to go to the countries themselves -- Hugh Thomson * Spectator *To step into The Half Known Life feels both a privilege and a necessity . . . Iyer is more than a guide or a compatriot in an unfamiliar land: in the inward journey to lucidity he is a companion of our own searching minds -- Yiyun LiI defy anyone to read this profound travelogue and not immediately start reading it again. If there is a "paradise of words", this is it -- John KeayA wise, immaculately written achievement that could only be contemplated after a lifetime of travel and reading and pondering. Reading The Half Known Life is to yield to the most invigorating and thought-provoking meditation. -- Nicholas ShakespeareThoughtful . . . Iyer comes across as that finest of all personality types, the pragmatic idealist ... There’s a lovely patience in evidence here; he is calm, reasonable and curious -- Darragh McManus * Irish Independent *Iyer has done the impossible with this book . . . This is a singular offering of magnetic story, deep thinking, truth telling and spiritual refreshment for our tumultuous young century -- Krista TippettI really really enjoyed the book -- Frank Cottrell BoyceEven as Iyer takes you around the world, he remains a most faithful companion to the spirit of that ultimate journey into uncharted territories—our inner selves . . . The Half Known Life is a vigorous quest for the paradise within * Los Angeles Review of Books *Iyer's chronicle, which begins with an appreciation of the sophistication, beauty and culture of Iran, becomes a requiem for a world — and an existence — estranged from itself . . . His book has the ring of a classic Buddhist meditation strategy * New York Times *Thought-provoking . . . Iyer has an acutely observant eye for the telling detail and a delicious turn of phrase -- Richard Hopton * Country and Town House Magazine *Reading Mr Iyer’s book in the depth of winter, in a troubled world, it’s heartening to think that paradise—or at least a glimpse of it—might be available from where we sit * Wall Street Journal *A masterful merging of Iyer’s past and current concerns, a book of inner journeys told through extraordinary exteriors * Washington Post *Iyer’s prose is elegant and never hurried as it roams like a travelling mind . . . He comes to his destinations with years of learned erudition and yet seemingly without expectations . . . It may be Iyer’s unique positioning that makes The Half Known Life so much of this moment, in a world reeling from a devastating pandemic as well as lasting divisons * Japan Times *Humming with wisdom and a profound appreciation of nature’s inherent contradictions, Pico Iyer’s meditation on paradise—where it is, what it means, if it can be found on Earth—is much more than a diary of his country-spanning travels. It’s a work of philosophy, probing the scientific and the spiritual to understand why the most beautiful places often become such sources of pain, and how paradise might be re-discovered * Elle US *Iyer’s smooth, intelligent yet elegant prose style makes this an enjoyable and often thought-provoking read * New York Journal of Books *Everywhere Pico Iyer travels his keen vision allows him to see both ravishing beauty and profound flaws * Shelf Awareness *From one of the most perceptive writers of our times, this one brings forth a lifetime of explorations to upend our ideas of utopia and ask how we might find peace in the midst of difficulty and suffering. Could there be anything better to pick at the start of the year? * Harper’s Bazaar India *Iyer flexes his remarkable skill of reading between the lines of passing conversations to extract profound meaning and draw connections between disparate places across the world . . . He does provide hours of thought-provoking meditations on what it means to speak of paradise * New York Times *Mesmering . . . riveting . . . revelatory . . . Iyer poetically depicts the otherworldly beauty of these places while trenchantly examining the paradox of utopia -- Thuy Dinh * NPR *Iyer is the loveliest of writers, a person whose prose is in harmony with the man himself: sharp-minded, witty, benevolent, wise, and never for a second ponderous or spiritually meretricious. To read Iyer, initially, is to entertain ourselves, and then, well, the rest is up to you -- Jim Kelly * Air Mail *Iyer travels the globe—from Iran to Kashmir to Japan to Northern Ireland—to demystify how different communities perceive eternal happiness, and how their quest to achieve it manifests in the face of political, social, and environmental instability. The result is a lyrical, if paradoxical, meditation on a fervent pursuit for happiness that often feels out of reach * TIME, The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Norns: Weavers of Fate and Magick, we meet the ones who weave, measure, and cut at the base of the World Tree. With Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld we travel across time and meet ourselves as part of fate. In this meeting, we join the Norns, weavers of destiny, and encounter the wyrd.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 2017 NatCen’s British Social Attitudes survey published statistics that 53% of the people in Britain say they have ‘no religion’ and that of those 70% of the 18-24 age-group claim to have 'no religion'. These essays attempt to say why, and are individual responses rather than a systematic examination of the question. Atheist, Agnostic, Irish, Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim views are represented. The purpose was to explain a social trend but, in the process of writing, several of the contributors have, as if by chance, produced material which is richly meditative and can be read both for information and as spiritual reflection. The Editor, Brian Mountford, is concerned that, too often, the religious views of the young are discussed by older clergy and writers but rarely heard first hand. This book is a partial remedy. Mountford has written opening and closing chapters, setting the scene and finally asking what future there is for religion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume investigates contemporary bodily practices as a mode of transmitting and receiving South Asian religious and spiritual traditions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisReligions of the World: Questions, Challenges, and New Directions provides a critical introduction to the social, political, and cultural interests that inform how people describe and identify with religion. One of its goals is to provide a sense of methodological transparency that few, if any, other textbooks today offer. The book opens with an Introduction that discusses contemporary methodological concerns in the study of religion, with special focus on the World Religions Paradigm. This is followed by ten chapters, six (6) of which discuss a distinct religion and four (4) of which discuss regional traditions. This organization is intentional and self-conscious, as the authors discuss how these scholarly categories (distinct tradition vs. regional tradition) shape the ways that both insiders and outsiders discuss, practice, and engage religion in their daily lives. Each chapter introduces four different popular descriptions, or representations, of a particular religion or regional tradition. Following each representation is an analysis of what this representation accomplishes for those who promote it and what (or who) it also leaves out. Following this, a specific case study provides a real-world example of the difficulties in thinking about religion in overly simplistic ways. The text does not attempt to diminish or reconcile the possible contradictions between the different representations so as not to leave the reader with the idea that one representation is more correct or authentic than another, or that all four can be easily stitched together to make a tidy picture. Instead, students take away from each chapter a foundation of knowledge about the practices, issues, and conceptions that are associated with global religious traditions as well as the complexity behind any single representation. The objective is to make more transparent the human activity of constructing religion as well as the contemporary consequences of these representations, as people use them to legitimize identities and negotiate for social, legal, and economic resources. Thus, throughout the text, students are challenged to interrogate who gets to decide on a particular portrayal of a religious tradition as well as the interests informing those decisions. An Afterword also discusses ways that the skills learned in the text have applicability beyond the study of religious discourses.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. African Religions 3. Buddhism 4. Chinese Religions 5. Christianity 6. Hinduism 7. Indigenous Religions of North America 8. Islam 9. Japanese Religions 10. Judaism 11. Sikhism

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe world's first Bible, with an attractive colour design, that gives equal weight to different religious traditions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHearing and listening are two different things. Learning to listen—really listen—requires sacred practice.The Sacred Art of Listening guides you through forty practices of deep listening—to our Source, to ourselves, and to each other.Inspiring text and contemplative artwork combine to communicate the three essential qualities of deep listening—silence, reflection and presence. They demonstrate that the key to healthy relationships and spiritual transformation can be as basic as practicing the art of listening.You will learn how to: Speak clearly from the heart Communicate with courage and compassion Heighten your awareness and sensitivity to opportunities for deep listening Enhance your ability to listen to people with different belief systems Trade Review"The lost art of listening is found in The Sacred Art of Listening. The work of Kay Lindahl could assist you to find your spiritual path." —Pauline Oliveros, composer/performer and founder of Deep Listening® “This elegantly profound book will help lead us to a more enlightened time when the listening ear, not the penetrating eye, will be our primary symbol of understanding. The Sacred Art of Listening will help us create harmony within ourselves as well as with all around us.” —Brooke Medicine Eagle, author of Buffalo Woman Comes Singing and The Last Ghost Dance “This is a truly beautiful book, and a powerful one—opening us in an effective and practical way to wondrous new depths of human living. So much in so few pages, true wisdom.” —M. Basil Pennington, OCSO, coauthor of Finding Grace at the Center: The Beginning of Centering Prayer “I like the insight that life is too often defined by meetings instead of meeting. We need both at the same time. The Sacred Art of Listening, in its wise and reflective way, tells us how. Read, ponder and inwardly digest it.” —Malcolm Boyd, poet/writer-in-residence, Cathedral Center of St. Paul, Los Angeles “The Sacred Art of Listening unlocks multiple doors of separation and allows the reader to enter into realms of authentic and clear relationships.” —Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, Episcopal Bishop, Diocese of California; founder and president of the United Religions InitiativeTable of ContentsPart One: The Beginning Your Invitation 3 The Circle of Life 6 Part Two: Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening 1. Qualities of Deep Listening Listening for essence 11 2. A Sacred Art Listening as spiritual awareness 14 3. Using Silence Listening to access your stillpoint 17 4. Learning from Experience Listening for new possibilities 20 5. Communion Listening to communicate 23 6. Rituals Listening for meaning 26 7. Dialogue or Discussion Listening for context 29 8. Seeking Common Ground Listening to appreciate 32 9. Common Values Listening for connection 35 10. Presence Listening from your heart 38 11. Conversations of the Heart Listening for soul 41 12. Creating Safe Spaces Listening with love 44 13. Self-Expression Listening with humility 47 14. Practicing Peace Listening to understand 50 15. Creating Harmony Listening for integration 53 16. Delving Deeper Listening for insight 56 17. Simple Sharing Listening for experiences 59 18. Love in Action Listening as caring 62 19. Hearing Nuances Listening for each voice 65 20. Slowing Down Listening to reflect 68 21. The Voice Within Listening for change 71 22. Assumptions Listening for clarity 74 23. Learning from Passion Listening for vision 77 24. Contemplative Prayer Listening for guidance 80 25. The Agenda-free Conversation Listening with openness 83 26. Cultural Differences Listening without prejudice 86 27. Attention Listening for perspective 89 28. Hospitality Listening as a gift 92 29. Focus Listening for the holy 95 30. Engage First Listening beyond appearances 98 31. The Challenge of Change Listening creatively 101 32. Relationships Listening for deeper connections 104 33. The Gift of Solitude Listening to the silence 107 34. Practicing Reflection Listening for the questions 110 35. A Sacred Meeting Place Listening through prayer 113 36. Recognizing Intolerance Listening for your humanity 116 37. Patience Listening with intention 119 38. Harvest Time Listening with gratitude 122 39. Being Yourself Listening with authenticity 125 40. Being Complete Listening beyond the past 128 Part Three: In Closing Listening in Your World 133 Principles of Dialogue 134 How This Book Was Created 136 How the Art Was Created 137 Acknowledgments 138 Source Notes 140

Read more less

Book SynopsisDaily Prayers from the World's Faiths. This inclusive collection of prayers from the world's major faiths offers readers a direct encounter with the spirituality of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity East and West, Islam, Sikhism and even Alcoholics Anonymous. It was written in collaboration with members of each faith.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisJoseph Shatzmiller’s Collected Studies (Volume 3): Maimonidean Argument in France is a comprehensive compilation of his research on the intellectual and mental history of the Jews in Provence. The central focus of the book is the ongoing conflict between adherents of Maimonidean philosophy and its opponents, which persisted throughout the thirteenth century due to the movement of translations from Arabic to Hebrew. Additionally, the book delves into other important aspects of Provence Jewry, including their attitudes towards the Albigensian heresy and the intellectual contributions of figures such as Kalonymus ben Kalonymus, Jacob ben Eliyahu, and the renowned biblical commentator, astronomer, and philosopher Gersonides. Shatzmiller’s research illuminates the significance of Provence Jewry within the larger framework of Jewish communities in the Mediterranean and western Europe during the Middle Ages.“The collection of studies that these four volumes offer is the result of more than sixty years of commitment to scholarship. Like many colleagues, I relied in the beginning on printed material in books that dealt with law, religion, and secular literature. Then, as a disciple of George Duby, I discovered the world of archives and hand-written Latin manuscripts. The present collection relies, to a great extent, on previously unknown information discovered during years of search in the archives of Southern France, mostly on those of the county of Provence. They are situated in the cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence as well as the town of Digne. The legal registers of the High Middle Ages (1250-1350) as well as those produced by the counties’ administration introduce us to the ordinary people of the region, to their daily life and to their preoccupations; their names are spelled out, the dates are recorded and the localities in which they were active are designated. At times these documents encourage us to endorse information found in contemporary literary sources and to overcome our hesitation and excessive caution concerning their value as historical evidence.”— Joseph ShatzmillerTrade Review“Joseph Shatzmiller, the foremost expert on Provençal Judaism, has throughout the course of his career provided a rich and powerful mosaic of Jewish society in Provence. Known for his insightful analysis of historical documents and primary sources, Shatzmiller’s research consistently illuminates the significance of Provence Jewry within the larger framework of Jewish communities in the Mediterranean and western Europe during the Middle Ages. Drawing on a wealth of archival sources and intellectual history, his work is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Jewish communities in medieval Europe.”— Ram Ben-Shalom, Professor of the History of the Jewish People, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; author of The Jews of Provence and LanguedocTable of ContentsVol. Three: Maimonidean Argument in FranceI Intellectualism in Provence 1 Kalonymos ben Kalonymos: ‘A Scroll of Petty Apologetics’ (Hebrew) 2 Rationalisme et orthodoxie religieuse chez les juifs provençaux au commencement du XIVe Siècle* 3 Albigensian Heresy as Reflected in the Eyes of Contemporary Jewry II The Great Maimonidean Controversies1 Towards a Picture of the First Maimonidean Controversy 2 The letter from Rabbi Asher ben Gershom to the Rabbis of France at the Time of the Controversy about the Works of Maimonides3 Les Tossafistes et la première controverse maïmonidienne. Le témoignage du Rabbin Asher Ben GershomIII The Ban of Barcelona1 In Search of the “Book of Figures”: Medicine and Astrology in Montpellier at the Turn of the Fourteenth Century2 The Lion Figure for the Cure of Kidney and the Controversy over the Study of Philosophy at the Beginning of the Fourteenth Century 3 Between Abba Mari and Rashba: The Negotiations that Preceded the Ban of Barcelona (1303–1305)IV Gersonides1 Gersonides and the Jewish Community of Orange in His Time2 More about Gersonides and the Community of Orange in His Time3 Gersonide et la société juive de son temps4 Un autographe de Gersonide : Examen graphologique5 Compte-RenduV Outstanding Intellectuals1 Jacob Ben Elie, traducteur multilingue à Venise à la fin du XIIIe siècle2 Au service de la Cour de Naples : Kalonymos d’Arles et Judah Romano Appendix: Early Academic Experiments 1 Une expérience universitaire méconnue : le Studium de Manosque, 1247–12492 Une expérience universitaire renouvelée : le Studium de Manosque (1299–1300)

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA sensitive consideration of Mary, mother of Jesus, in the Qur'an. An entire chapter (surah) is dedicated to her, and she is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur'anindeed, her name appears more frequently than that of either Muhammad or Jesus. From the earliest times to the present day, Mary, the mother of Jesus, continues to be held in high regard by Christians and Muslims alike, yet she has also been the cause of much tension between these two religions. In this groundbreaking study, Muna Tatari and Klaus von Stosch painstakingly reconstruct the picture of Mary that is presented in the Qur'an and show how veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic Church intersects and interacts with the testimony of the Qur'an. This sensitive and scholarly treatise offers a significant contribution to contemporary interfaith dialogue.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA stunning spread-by-spread treatment of the world's major religionsTable of ContentsContentsIntroduction 7Theory and Background 8Defining World ReligionsMapping the World’sReligions 10Primal Religion 12Primitive beliefsAncient Civilizations 14Mesopotamia and BabylonEgypt 16Getting ready for deathand the afterlifeGreece and Rome 18Greco-Roman religionNorthern Europe 20The Celts and the Germanic tribesIndus ValleyCivilization 22Harappans and AryansAfrican Religion 24Diversity and communityShamanism 26Religion of ecstacyPacifica and AustralianAboriginal 28Melanesian, Micronesian,and polynesianNative AmericanReligion 30Natural and spiritual worldsThe Peoples ofthe Andes 32The IncasHinduism 34A way of life 34Literature of the Hindus 36The key ideas 38Society and village life 40Influence in the West 42Buddhism 44The life of the Buddha 44A global religion 46The Four Truths and Buddhisttexts 48Sects and movements 50A Western phenomenon 52Chinese Religions 54The three teachingsDaoism 56Teachers and historicaldevelopment 56Main ideas and influence 58Confucianism 60Confucius the man 60Key ideas, teachings, the Analects 62the legacy in China 64Judaism 66Historical foundations andoverview 66The patriarch, Moses 68Belief 70Ritual and action 72Modern Judaism and the state 74Christianity 76The centrality of Jesus 76Its establishment and shape 78The Bible 80Belief and practice 82Going global 84Islam 86Introduction and definitions 86Muhammad 88The Holy Scriptures 90BeliefS and practices 92Sunni, Shi’a, and Sufi 94Yoruba Religionand Voodoo 96From Africa to the WorldJainism 98A peaceful religionZoroastrianism 100and the Parsees of MumbaiSikhism 102guru nanak, belief,and the gurudwaraJapanese Religionand Shinto 104Old Religion in A MODERN STATE Bahai 106unity of allMormonism 108Church of Jesus Christof Latter Day SaintsPaganism 110ancient religion in a new agePostmodernity 112Challenge to religionAtheism, Secularism,and Unbelief 114No need for godRevivals and RenewalMovements 116New religious movementsNew Age Movementand Esoterica 118making life sacred againFundamentalism 120extreme religionBibliography 123Index 124Picture Acknowledgments 127

Read more less

Book Synopsis"His life suggested that one could be spiritually grounded and thriving in more than one tradition at the same time.” —Marcus Braybrooke, for the Interfaith ObserverThis pioneering work harmonizes Hindu Vedanta philosophy with the Christian vision of the Word made flesh through the Spirit of God''s love.An introduction to the Vedic scriptures and Christian mysticism that reveals how God lavished his riches on both Christians and non-Christians alike and the importance of our unity as a people if we are to become whole. “Without Christianity I don''t think the oriental religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, can answer the needs of the modern world. But without the enrichment of the mystical tradition of Asia I doubt whether the Western Churches can really discover the fullness of Christ which we are seeking.” (Bede Griffiths)

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE WAY OF MARY, MARYAM, BELOVED OF GOD is a weaving of strands from ancient sources, traditional stories, poetry, prayers of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and beyond (with full colour illustrations), to reveal, through the illuminated being and twelve life stations of Beloved Mary, the palpable Oneness of all Creation, our Oneness in Spirit.Trade Review"Revered across the family of Abraham and Sarah, adored as Miriam, Mary, Maryam, Madre Maria, there is no other single figure who so universally serves to lift up the weary heart of the world, blessing us with lovingkindness and infusing us with hope. With her signature blend of sublime wisdom and grounded scholarship, beloved Sufi teacher Camille Helminski offers a penetrating and life-giving transmission of Maryam as guide to the awakening of the soul, during a time when we need her most." ~ Mirabai Starr, author of God of Love and Wild Mercy ; "I have read numerous books on the Holy Mother in Her many guises: Kali, Chochma, Sarada Devi, Shechinah, Avalokiteshvara, and of course Mary, but none was as striking, profound, and potentially heart-transforming as Camille Helminski’s The Way of Mary. This book, steeped in wisdom, is a book to be savored. I cannot recommend it more highly." ~ Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature ; "What beautiful blessedness: the wise and gentle heart of Mary mirrored in the wise and gentle heart of Camille Helminski." ~ The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault, author of The Wisdom Jesus and The Meaning of Mary Magdalene ; "I would like to thank Camille Hanim for bringing us Hazreti Meryem’s fragrance full of patience, compassion, mercy, and knowing. Camille Hanim has done a great service to humanity by writing this book—the fact that she quotes from the Bible, the Quran and the Masnavi is very important in terms of realizing that all paths lead to the One. Even though the paths are different, the destination is the same." ~ Esin Celebi Bayru, 22nd generation granddaughter of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi; Vice President, International Mevlana Foundation ; "Camille Helminski’s The Way of Mary is a lovely and welcome addition to the deep dialogue of the spirit shared between Muslims and Christians. The Qur’an uses the exact same verb to talk about Mary being “chosen and purified” as that of the most common honorific for the Prophet Muhammad, Mustapha. Indeed, one could say that there is a close association between Mary and Muhammad, in that the former receives God’s Word (Jesus) into her pure womb, and the latter God’s Word (the Qur’an) into his luminous heart. Deeply rooted in the Qur’an and the Sufi tradition, The Way of Mary is a beautiful way of accessing the rich waters of life that are shared across our tradition, and is highly recommended to all spiritual seekers." ~ Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University; Founder, Illuminated Courses and Tours ; "This priceless book is a treasure trove of precious insights, heartfelt poetry, sacred verses and meticulous scholarship. These elements exquisitely woven into twelve chapters uniquely and profoundly enrich our mind, purify our heart and exalt our soul. Our beings feel deeply grateful to be graced and blessed by beauty and a rare taste of the sacred." ~ Imam Jamal Rahman, Interfaith Community SanctuaryTable of ContentsAuthor’s Preface | Introduction: Twelve Stars of Blessing | I. The Gift of the Conception of Mary to Anna, She Who Had Been Barren | II. Within the Sanctuary | III. Annunciation of the Word | IV. Magnifi cat, Mary’s Song of Praise | V. Birthing Jesus | VI. Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple: Forty Days of Love | VII. Journey to Egypt | VIII. Losing and Finding Jesus: Calling the Beloved | IX. Miracles of Nourishment and New Life | X. The Gathering to God: Death and Resurrection | XI. Teaching Journeys | XII. Tranquility of Spirit | Rose Prayers | Antiphon | Appendix I: Songs of Love | Appendix II: Extended Context Notes | Illustrations | Selected Bibliography | Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe book presents the reader with an original and innovative account of current approaches to, and controversies within, religious studies, gathering and interlinking multifaceted voices. * Hannah Griese, Reading Religion *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction The "Religion is..." Statements 1. Definition and the Politics of Semantic Drift: A Reply to Susan Henking I Agree, And Yes, I Do Not: A Response to Craig Martin 2. Complicating Classification: Cognitive Sciences Comes to Religion: A Reply to Jeppe Sinding Jensen Religion in Mind? But Where: In Here-or Our There? 3. Negotiating Critical and Constructive Scholarship in the Study of Religion: A Reply to Martin Kavka On Truth and Lie in a Religious-Studies Sense: A Response to Kurtis R. Schaeffer 4. Defining Temptation: A Reply to Anne Koch Religion-ing/religion*: Tempting Since Aesthetically Irresistible: A Response to Susan Henking 5. Is Judaism a Religion and Why Should We Care?: A Reply to Nicola Denzey Lewis Are World Religions "Religions"? What about Ancient "Religions"? A Response to Shaul Magid 6. Minding Our Manners in World Without the Gods: A Reply to Kathryn Lofton What I Think About: A Response to S. Brent Plate 7. The Circularity in Defining Religion: A Reply to Shaul Magid Colonialism, Monotheism, and Spirituality: A Response to Kocku von Stuckrad 8. The Semantic Subject: Religion and the Limits of Language: A Reply to Craig Martin Religion Is..., Not Like Science 9. Agreed: Religion Is Not a Thing-But Is It an Agent? A Reply to Malory Nye Religion, Capital, and Other 'Things' Which are Not Things: A Response to Nicola Denzey Lewis 10. Is (What Gets Called) Religion an Argument, Discourse, or Ideology: A Reply to Laurie L. Patton Now What? A Response to Malory Nye 11. Religion is..., What it Does: A Reply to Anthony B. Pinn Optics Matter: A Response to Jeppe Sinding Jensen 12. Religion is an Ever-Adapting Ecosystem of Objects: A Reply to S. Brent Plate Evolution, Technology, Art: A Reply to Anne Taves 13. Scripturalization as Management of Difference: A Reply to Kurtis R. Schaeffer Inside/Outside, Then/Now: A Response to Vincent L. Wimbush 14. Critical Voices, Public Debates: A Reply to Kocku von Struckrad The Accountability of Embedded Scholarship: A Response to Laurie L. Patto 15. Let's Talk About Reading: A Reply to Ann Taves A Reader's Guide to Worldviews and Ways of Life: A Response to Martin Kavka 16. Arguments Against the Textualization Regime: A Reply to Vincent L. Wimbush Refracting the Scriptural: A Response to Anne Koch 17. Mapping Religion-religion: A Reply to Laurie Zoloth What Do We Mean When We Say We Teach "Religion?": A Response to Anthony B. Pinn Appendix Definitions of Religion and Critical Comments

Read more less

Book SynopsisDespite its enduring popularity both in China and worldwide, the Yijing is often poorly understood. As a divinatory text, it has a devoted following in the western hemisphere, even as it represents a foundational text of both Confucianism and Daoism. A fascination with the Yijing has been evident among western scholars since the Enlightenment, as well as in notable modern literary and artistic figures. This book provides an introduction for the general reader to this classic sacred text. Joseph A. Adler explains its multi-layered structure, its origins, its history of interpretation from the early first millennium BCE up to the present day, its function of divination, its significance in the history of Chinese thought, and its modern transformations. He explores why the Yijing has been considered the most profound expression of traditional Chinese thought and what meaning it can have for contemporary readers.Trade ReviewAn invaluable book for college classes related to Chinese studies, as well as comparative religion, anthropology, philosophy, and literature. Students of allied arts such as Chinese medicine and martial arts will appreciate Adler's treating theory and practice as being equally important; the Yijing is not just an academic pursuit. * Contemplating the I Ching *This is the best summary in any Western language of the origins, structure, evolution, cultural significance, and transnational travels of the Yijing (Scripture of Change), one of the most important texts in all of Chinese history. * Richard J. Smith, Rice University *Taking a culturally comparative perspective, Adler does a superb job of demonstrating how "The Yijing represents the 'essence' of Chinese culture". * Choice *Table of Contents1. What is the Yijing? 2. Layers of Change 3. Yijing Divination 4. The Early History of Yijing Interpretation 5. Early Modern Views of the Yi 6. The Yijing in Modern China and the West 7. Why the Yijing? Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection of essays, which originated in 1987 at a symposium titled ""God and Creation: An Ecumenical Symposium in Comparative Religious Thought,"" is devoted to the doctrine of creation in the three Western monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Trade Review“A gem of a book that no student of Abrahamic faiths in general or of Islam in particular can afford to miss. God and Creation marks a major contribution to comparative religious thought as well as to the doctrine of divine creation in the monotheistic traditions. . . . One fervently hopes that this remarkable book soon becomes available as a paperback so that it can reach the hands of eager students instead of collecting dust on the bookshelves of wearied specialists.” —Muslim World Book Review"God and Creation is an important contribution to comparative religious thought in general and to serious theological reflection on the doctrine of divine creation in Judaism, Christianity and Islam in particular." —Temple University"The doctrine of creation is the issue under consideration in God and Creation, the collection of papers and responses originally delivered at a symposium held at the University of Chicago and the University of Notre Dame in 1987. The symposium aims at, and to a remarkable extent, succeeds in fostering conversation between the three great Western traditions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, on some ways in which the doctrine of creation has functioned in each." —AmericaTable of ContentsPhilosophical elaboration of the scriptural witness, Seymour Feldman et al; Judaism, David Blumenthal et al; Christianity, John Kenney et al; Islam, Azim Nanji et al.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe ambiguity concerning the interpretation of the physical body' in religious thought is not peculiar to any given religion, but is discernible in the scriptures, practices, and disciplines in most of the world's major religious traditions. This book seeks to address the nuances of difference within and between religious traditions in the treatment and understanding of what constitutes the body as a carrier of religious meaning and/or vindication of doctrine.Bringing together an international team of contributors from different disciplines, this collection addresses the intersection of religion, gender, corporeality and/or sexuality in various Western and Eastern cultures. The book analyses instances when religious meaning is attributed to the human body's physicality and its mechanics in contrast to imagined or metaphorical bodies. In other cases, it is shown that the body may function either as a vehicle or a hindrance for mystical knowledge. TheTable of ContentsIntroduction: From Reflections to Membranes: Transcripts on the Body in Religious Discourse, Georgios T. Halkias 1 Semper Aliquid Haeret! The Accusation of Fornication and of Sexualized Cults as a Means of Demarcation in the Hebrew Bible, Christian Frevel 2 Some Daoist Theories on Sexual Body Alteration, Stephen Eskildsen 3 The Female Body In The Practice Of Minority Muslim Communities In Medieval Iberia, Ana Echevarria 4 Strong Men and Sensual Women in Sinhala Buddhist Poetry, Stephen C. Berkwitz 5 The Dangers of the Body in Early Jewish Mysticism, Rebecca Lesses 6 Hoc est Corpus meum – Body Talk in ‘Orthodox’ Lutheran Protestantism in the Eighteenth Century, Knut Martin Stünkel 7 Fishing for Cod: The Image of the Penis in European Imperial Expansion, Adam Knobler 8 Body, Senses and Gender-related Questions as Gates to the Transcendent: A New Reading of the Masāʾil ʿAbdallāh ibn Salām, Ulisse Cecini 9 Ambivalent Models of Manliness in Medieval Islamic Hagiography, Linda G. Jones 10 Coming Together in the Air: Mysticism and the Queering of Jesus in the Toledot Yeshu, Alexandra Cuffel 11 Embodying the Diamond Sow: Tantric Pilgrims in the Secret Lotus Land, Amelia Hall 12 Monasticism, the Body, and Sexual Desire in Mongolian Pastoral Culture, Vesna A. Wallace

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this seminal work, pioneering theologian Ernst Troeltsch raises the question, how can we pass beyond the diversity with which history presents us to norms for our faith and for our judgments about life? He trenchantly probes the issue of how one religion--when viewed historically in the context of other world religions--can be universally...

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat the Qur'an teaches about Christ, salvation, the Trinity, and other important topics, and how it differs from the key teachings of the Bible.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction | 1 Catherine Cornille Why Atonement?Who Needs It? Atonement in Muslim-Christian Theological Engagement | 11 Daniel A. Madigan, S.J. Christian Atonement Enlightened by a Buddhist Perspective on Craving | 40 Thierry-Marie Courau, O. P. How Q 5:75 Can Help Christians Conceptualize Atonement | 61 Klaus von Stosch Not for Myself Alone: Atonement and Penance After Daoism | 78 Bede Benjamin Bidlack Suffering and the Scandal of the Cross God’s Suffering in the Hindu-Christian Gaze | 105 Francis X. Clooney, S . J . More Than Meets the Eye: The Cross as Maṇḍala | 130 Michelle Voss Roberts Divine Suffering and Covenantal Belonging: Considering the Atonement with Heschel and Moltmann | 149 Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski The Clash and Continuity of Interpretation of Redemptive Suffering Between African Religions and Christianity | 167 Elochukwu Uzukwu, C.S.Sp. Rethinking Redemption Redemptive Suffering After the Shoah: Going Back and Forth Between Jewish and Christian Traditions | 189 Marianne Moyaert Judgment on the Cross: Resurrection as Divine Vindication | 214 Joshua Ralston “At One or Not At One?” Christian Atonement in Light of Buddhist Perspectives | 239 Leo D. Lefebure How Empty Is the Cross? Realization and Novelty in Atonement | 259 S. Mark Heim Bibliography | 281 List of Contributors | 301 Index | 305

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBelievers from a variety of faith communities were asked to assess how the Covid pandemic has affected their faith. The anthology collects their responses to key questions, such as: How does your faith explain why such events occur? How has it affected your religious practices? What changes has it necessitated? What differences might we expect once the pandemic is over? What have we learned from it? Two exponents of each major religion and a number of minority faiths comment on these issues, combined with a concluding essay by the editors assessing the overall impact of the pandemic on religion worldwide. Faiths explored include Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Sikh Baha'i, Jain, African Traditional Religion, Zoroastrian, Unitarian, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science.Trade ReviewFor religions of all kinds, the imperative to remember is of great importance. As we tentatively move into a post-Covid society, it is easy to forget the impact the pandemic had on our understanding and practice of faith and spirituality. This remarkable collection of reflections from a very wide range of traditions should serve as a multi-faceted reminder to the deep religious and ethical issues which Covid created, uncovered and amplified. * Michael Ipgrave OBE, Bishop of Lichfield, UK *By sharing experiences of the Covid Pandemic, people of different countries and beliefs will be better prepared to act together in the event of future global threats to peace and prosperity. * Marcus Braybrooke, Former President of the World Congress of Faiths, UK *George D. Chryssides and Dan Cohn-Sherbok have assembled an informed collection of contributors who provide a comparative window into how adherents of a wide variety of religious traditions responded to the global pandemic. Readers will learn not only how differently the religions understood and responded to the traumatic events, but also how united the human species is in drawing upon religion in times of need. * John W. Morehead, Director, Evangelical Chapter of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy/Multifaith Matters, USA *A collection of insightful responses and reflections from a wide variety of religious voices that are valuable in themselves and, as Rowan Williams says in the foreword, “They suggest that the process of distilling what is to be learned from the pandemic will need spiritual insight, not just a superficial optimism about doing better next time." * David Steers, Editor of Faith and Freedom, UK *Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors Foreword, Rowan Williams, Former Archbishop of Canterbury Acknowledgements Table of Acronyms 1. Covid and Religion – Christopher Lewis, (Dean Emeritus, Christchurch Cathedral, Oxford, UK) 2. Pandemics and Jewish Responses – Oliver Leaman (University of Kentucky, USA) 3. Some Jewish Perspectives from the United States – David J. Zucker (Rabbi and Author, UK) 4. Covid, Communion and Christianity – Clare Amos (World Council of Churches, Switzerland) 5. We Can’t Forget: Conservative Protestants in the COVID-19 Pandemic – Camille Kaminski Lewis (Furman University, USA) 6. “What people's hands have earned”: Islamic perspectives on Covid – Usama Hasan (Al Quran Society, UK) 7. Glimpses into Islamic Perspectives and Practice – Farhana Mayer (University of Oxford, UK) 8. Turning to Medicine is Not Turning Away from God: Hindu Resilience in a Pandemic – Anantanand Rambachan (St Olaf College, Minnesota, USA) 9. Karma, Chanting, Love, and Zoom; Hindu Responses to a Pandemic – Shaunaka Rishi Das (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, UK) and Utsa Bose 10. The Buddha’s Prescription for the World: How People Used Buddhism to Cope with the Pandemic – Bogodá Seelawimala (Head of the London Buddhist Vihara and the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain, UK) 11. Covid and Theravada Buddhism – Peter Harvey (University of Sunderland, UK) 12. Fostering Everyday Culture at Shinto Shrines under Covid – Taishi Kato (Shinto Priest, Hattori Tenjingu Shrine, Osaka, Japan) 13. The Significance of Matsuri festivals in Shinto during Epidemics – Koji Suga (Kokugakuin University, Japan) 14. Covid and Sewa: Practising Sikhi during a Global Pandemic – Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal (University of Southern California Riverside, USA) 15. Sikh Scriptemics during Pandemic – Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh (Colby College, USA) 16. Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: Building Resilience: Reflections of a Bahá’í – Wendi Momen (University of Derby, UK) 17. World-Embracing Vision Against World-Threatening Pandemic – George Merchant Ballentyne (Leicester Council of Faiths, UK) 18. Jains and Covid-19 – Vinod Kapashi (World Congress of Faiths, UK) 19. Jain Perceptions of the Pandemic – Kumarpal Desai 20. African Religion – Vibrant amid Covid-19 in Eswatini – Hebron L Ndlovu (University of Swaziland, Swaziland) 21. Opening our eyes: Covid-19 and Indigenous Funeral Processes in African Traditional Religion – Nokuzola Mndende (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa) 22. Zarathustra’s Wisdom: Accepting Natural Consequences – Jehangir Sarosh (The World Council of Religions for Peace) 23. Transforming Challenges into Progress: A Zoroastrian Perspective – Karishma Koka (University of Cambridge, UK) 24. Unitarians and global catastrophe: a pandemic, a war and a climate emergency – Feargus O’Connor (World Congress of Faiths, UK) 25. Unitarian Universalists Face Covid: Challenges, Surprises, and New Pathways – Jay Atkinson (Starr King School, USA) 26. When ‘No Resident Will Say: “I Am Sick”’ – The Global Religious Response of Jehovah’s Witnesses to the Covid-19 Pandemic – Jolene Chu (Archivist, World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, USA) 27. How one Jehovah’s Witness community negotiated the ride of the ‘pale horse’ – Gary Perkins (Independent Scholar, UK) 28. Practising my Christian Science Faith during the Covid-19 Pandemic – Shirley Paulson (Formerly Head of Ecumenical Affairs, Christian Science Church, USA) 29. Personal Experiences of the Christian Science Faith during Covid – Susan Searle, (Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia, Australia) 30. Covid and Theology – Dan Cohn-Sherbok 31. What Have We Learned? – George D. Chryssides Index

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy did many religious leadersMoses, Old Testament prophets, Zoroasterclaim they heard divine voices? Why do ancient civilizations exhibit key similarities, e.g., the living dead (treating the dead as if they were still alive); speaking idols (care and feeding of effigies); monumental mortuary architecture and houses of gods (pyramids, ziggurats, temples)? How do we explain strange behaviour such as spirit possession, speaking in tongues, channelling, hypnosis, and schizophrenic hallucinations? Are these lingering vestiges of an older mentality?Brian J. McVeigh answers these riddles by updating bicameralism. First proposed by the psychologist Julian Jaynes, this theory postulates that an earlier mentality existed: a human (the brain''s left hemisphere) heard voices of gods or ancestors (the brain''s right hemisphere). Therefore, ancient religious texts reporting divine voices were recounting of audio-visual hallucinationsa method of social control when early populations expanTable of ContentsContentsForeword by Marcel KuijstenAcknowledgmentsPrologue: Chasing Ghosts in TokyoPart I: The World According to the Gods1 The Failure of Science to Explain Religion2 Why the Gods Began to Speak3 Divine Voices and Visions as Social AdaptationPart II: When the Gods Spoke and Walked among Us4 The Living Dead: Explaining Entombment and Ancestor Worship5 Towns as the Domain of the Gods6 Temples as Relay Stations: Transmitting Divine Commands7 Talking Idols: Tools of Divine Control8 Mortuary Monuments: How the Gods Awed Their Followers9 Heavenly Ambassadors: God–Kings and Sacred Rulers10 Ancient Civilizations as God-Governed11 Mesoamerica: Theocentric Civilizations of the New World12 Trimming the Theological Tree: Monotheism as Adaptation13 Angels, Divine Messengers, and Swarms of DemonsPart III: When the Gods Fell Silent14 Prayers, Possessions, and Prophecies: Conjuring Up the Missing Gods15 The Gods Depart: The Late-Bronze-Period Dark Ages16 A Change of Mind in the Ancient World17 The Axial Age: The World Reborn without Gods18 Imagining the Transcendent: A New Cognitive Ability19 Introcosm: A New World of Space and Time20 The Self Replaces the Gods21 From Revelation to Reasoning22 When the Gods Still Whisper: Strange Behaviors ExplainedEpilogue: Science and Politics as Neo-ReligionAppendices and Supplementary ChartsA How to Chase GhostsB Explaining Religion versus Explaining Religion AwayC Gods on the Brain: NeurotheologyD The Problem with "Cultural Evolution"E Six Hypotheses of Jaynesian PsychologyF The Limitations of Evolutionary PsychologyG Prehistoric and Historic Mentalities in PerspectiveH Predictable Objections, Rebuttals, and QualificationsI Verification and Applications of Jaynes's TheoriesJ Primitive Psychopolitics and Neurocultural AdaptationK A History of MentalitiesL Population Size of Ancient Towns and CitiesM Dreams: A Form of Conscious InteriorityN Pre-Axial and Axial Ages ComparedO Solving the Mystery of HallucinationsP Autoscopy: Seeing One's DoubleQ What the Gods Can Teach Us: A New Understanding of the MindTimelines of MentalitiesExplanation1 Three Major Shifts in Human Mentality2 Prehistoric Mentalities3 Middle East4 Africa5 Europe6 South Asia7 East Asia8 Southeast Asia9 Oceania10 North America11 South America12 MesoamericaGlossaryReferencesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisMany young people fear that if they ask the wrong question about a religion or belief system, they''ll be seen as insensitive or unintelligent...But to Jessica deVega—a high school religion teacher and a professor of religion—there are no bad questions, and nothing is too taboo to ask. All You Want to Know But Didn''t Think You Could Ask clarifies the founding, history, practices, and beliefs of forty groups—from Islam, Shamanism, and Mormonism, to atheism, vampirism, and astrology.Here is everything teens and young adults need to know about world religions and philosophies in one place. Each chapter puts the group in context and explains how the religion is similar to or different from Christianity. No other book covers such a wide range of topics in as direct and gentle a manner.This book is perfect for you if you''ve ever: Heard puzzling statements or had questions about any belief system. Met som

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less