Comparative religion Books

Book SynopsisA lively volume exploring the use and abuse of the word 'magic' in late antique texts.Trade Review'This is an entertaining and scholarly introduction to magical beliefs and practices in the early centuries of the Christian era ... This book will be required reading for students and researchers of ancient magic.' - R.J.Clare University of Leeds'[Janowitz's] book will help serve as an introduction to the fascinating study of ancient magic for the non-specialist ...' - Journal of Roman StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction; Chapter 1 Greco-Roman, Christian and Jewish Concepts of “Magic”; Chapter 2 Daimons and Angels and the World of Exorcism; Chapter 3 Ancient Rites for Gaining Lovers; Chapter 4 Using Natural Forces for Divine Goals; Chapter 5 Divine Power, Human Hands; Chapter 6 “Even the Decent Women Practice Witchcraft”; Chapter 7 Concluding Note;

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Book SynopsisA brief introduction to a selection of the world's spiritual classics, from City of God by Augustine of Hippo to Be Here Now by Ram DassTrade Review[Praise for A Brief Guide to Philosophical Classics:]An accessible and intellectually stimulating guide to 67 philosophical classics and thought-provoking books . . . a fascinating and entertaining introduction to philosophy which is ideal for the general reader or anyone thinking of studying the subject. - Jazzrook

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Book SynopsisThis completely reworked second edition of Modern Esoteric includes new information, over a dozen additional images, and up-to-date revisions. Winner of the Best Book Design 2014, Modern Esoteric examines the flaws in modern history and looks at how conspiracy theories, esoteric knowledge, and fringe subjects can be used to help change the dead-end course humanity seems to be following. The Lifeology section explores the long and storied "alternative narrative" of life on this planet. In the Control section, author Brad Olsen examines how Big Brother is here in the form of the New World Order, and how they keep the knowledge of humankind's true nature from the mass population. Finally, the Thrive section looks at all the ways humans are evolving to achieve their full potential.

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Book SynopsisIn this fifth and final volume, we consider the persistence and transformation of pagan traditions in philosophy and the arts. This final volume also includes the extensive bibliography for the series. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation. The Pagan Heart of the West challenges current academic notions that paganism died when Christianization occurred; that the transition from paganism to Christianity was a fairly easy, nonviolent one; that persons once pagan were happy to accept the new religion because it fulfilled them or because they viewed it as superior as if the Inquisition never happened; and that all things pagan are in fact Christian prior to the mid-twentieth century, even though they demonstrate little or no connection to the Christian New Testament. Likewise, Pagan Heart challenges narrow conceptions of the West. Applying Indigenous and decolonial theories, together with Michel Foucaults conception of subjugated knowledges, Pagan Heart suggests that instead, paganism should be explored as an ancient and indigenous set of common beliefs and practices, at once ubiquitous and local, that includes the reverence of deities; the veneration of nature; rites celebrating the seasons and the life cycle; practices of healing, divination, and magic, often guided by ritual specialists; and arts and philosophies giving expression to pagan figures, concepts, and narratives.In this fifth and final volume, we consider the persistence and transformation of pagan traditions in philosophy and the arts. This final volume also includes the extensive bibliography for the series. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation. Most importantly, Pagan Heart emphasizes that the ancient gods did not die when Christian authorities forbade their worship and sought, in N. Scott Momadays terms, to commit deicide, but instead that they continue to exist and thrive.

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Book SynopsisLove for the Future: Building One World of Freedom and Democracy Under God's Truth is a compilation of select international lectures given by Ryuho Okawa during his (ongoing) global missionary tours. While conflicting values of justice exists, this book espouses that freedom and democracy are vital principles for global unification that will resolutely foster peace and shared prosperity, if adopted universally. The culminating reason - these principles are based on a belief in God's Love and that we all contain divine nature within. Chapter 1 of Part 1 introduces Okawa's lecture and Q&A session in Germany, held in October 2018. Okawa conveys that the time is now to liberate all remorseful memories of 20th-century totalitarianism mired by the acts of the German Reich, and to band together to stifle the present-day totalitarian-communist superpower from mercilessly violating human rights and advancing hegemonism throughout the world. This is a crucial step to arresting global aggression from escalating into World War III. To address the global problems that we currently face, Okawa identifies what God seeks humanity to accomplish in the 21st century from a historical, political, and ultimately a religious perspective. Chapter 2 is based on Okawa's 2011 Hong Kong address and Q&A session. In this lecture, Okawa encouraged the 1.4 billion people of China to strive for freedom-based prosperity and for the citizens of Hong Kong to champion this crucial movement. Okawa's insight became the foundation on which the people of Hong Kong organized their democratization movement the Umbrella Revolution, which occurred several years later. Chapter 3 is a transcription of Okawa's 2019 lecture and Q&A session held in Taiwan. In it, Okawa identifies the three signs of a totalitarian country and articulates the importance of spreading the principles of freedom, democracy, and faith from Taiwan to mainland China. This, he says, is the righteous future in the eyes of God that will help to bring happiness to the people of mainland China. Furthermore, Okawa encourages neighboring countries to overcome past grievances and seek prosperous development based on trust and adulation. Part 2 reveals the national and global strategies of four key world leaders: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, and Donald Trump. By accessing their hidden consciousnesses, through his unrivaled spiritual ability, Okawa divulges their true thoughts and intentions. What they candidly reveal underscores the importance of understanding and accepting the precepts expressed in Part 1, to safeguard peace from actions that are influenced by divisive political maneuverings. The new catalyst for humanity is to accept the universal spiritual Truths under which we all live: the inherent dignity of all people; God's Wisdom can resolve global conflict; God's Love extends to every person, beyond difference of race, nationality and religious ideology. Through these teachings, readers will sense from the depths of their souls, that the "Love of God," a universal force that watches over politics, philosophes and religions, is the coalescing power to lead humanity towards a prosperous and righteous tomorrow.

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Book SynopsisThe New Resurrection is an autobiographical account of an astonishing miracle experienced by author Ryuho Okawa in 2004. This event was adapted into the feature-length film Immortal Hero, released in Japan, the United States and Canada during the Fall of 2019. Chapter 1 recounts the incredible story of Ryuho Okawa's resurrection from physical death. At the age of 47, Okawa suffered a severe episode of chest pain and was rushed to a local hospital. Upon intake, attending physicians remarked "you should be dead ..." as the medical examination revealed that Okawa's heart had stopped. Unbelievably, during the onset of cardiac arrest, he was fully conscious and responsive, witnessing the startling diagnosis unfold by a team of respected physicians at a prestigious Tokyo hospital. Chapter 2 is a transcription of a live Q&A session from the 2019 lecture "The New Resurrection" in Tokyo, Japan, where Okawa candidly recounts how his life has changed post miracle. In chapter 3, Okawa publishes 15 select poems, out of 108, that he composed from his hospital bed amidst a modest recovery. For the first time, Okawa shares sincere thoughts and contemplations as he faced and overcame death. Today, Okawa lives each day with the readiness to die for the Truth and has dedicated his life to selflessly guide faith seekers towards spiritual development and happiness. In testament to Okawa's earnest resolve, the appendix showcases a myriad of accomplishments by Okawa, chronicled after his miraculous resurrection.

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Book SynopsisTwiceborn: My Early Thoughts that Revealed My True Mission chronicles Ryuho Okawa's formative years up to the founding of Happy Science and rise to religious prominence. Comprised of two parts, Part One offers a glimpse into Okawa's early thoughts on profound philosophical themes. Part Two depicts Okawa's first mainstream lecture in Tokyo Dome, where he addressed a grand audience of 50,000 people in July, 1991. Okawa's milestone moments will be featured in the theatrical film, Twiceborn, a dramatized account of Okawa's ascent to greatness, scheduled for international release in the Fall of 2020. Since childhood, Okawa was conscious of an important mission steering his future, and dedicated his youth to assiduous study and training. Part One is comprised of six chapters, where Okawa shares vital lessons and discoveries from his youth that would later stand him in good stead when assuming his mission as a world teacher. Chapter One introduces Okawa's humble beginnings and his awareness of being ordinary. Okawa frames this perception as the impetus governing his aspirations and commitment to diligence. Drawing from experience, Okawa shares key points to consider for those who aspire for greatness. Chapter Two seeds the importance of cultivating a spirit of independence. In this context, independence is the spirit to take responsibility over your life, both mentally and financially, and to live a truly fruitful and meaningful existence. Chapter Three explores the notion of diverse values - why different values, such as people's way of thinking and religious ideas exist, and how we should perceive this diversity. Okawa also shares thoughts on the existence of good and evil and God's purpose behind this duality. Chapter Four focuses objectively on God - from how Okawa came to ponder the existence of God, to his actual experience with the divine - by contemplating his upbringing, environment and the struggles that he encountered throughout adolescence. Okawa accents the importance of controlling and refining one's own mind to encounter God. Chapter Five pertains to time and being. Okawa probes philosophical themes, including why we exist in this world and how we can universally validate the existence of God through love. Chapter Six describes, in detail, the crucial moment when Okawa overcame the Devils' temptation and vowed dedication to a life of religious prominence. Okawa's sincerity conveys his earnest mission to champion peace and deliver salvation to us all. Part Two depicts Okawa's 1991 milestone lecture in Tokyo Dome, "The Victory of Faith," where he made a stunning revelation that forever changed the lives of millions. In this powerful and inspiring lecture, Okawa reveals the spiritual truths governing this world and the reason for our existence. Twiceborn imbues readers with timeless wisdom to further spiritual enrichment and inspire meaningful societal contributions. Find God in your given circumstances and endeavor the mission that you are destined for!

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Book SynopsisThis book contains the historic lectures given on the first five principles of the Ten Principles of Happy Science from the author, Ryuho Okawa, who is revered as World Teacher. He established Happy Science in October 1986, and built Head Temples, local temples, and missionary centers around the world, with members in more than 160 countries around the globe. These first five lectures produced an enthusiastic fellowship in Happy Science Japan and became the foundation of the current global utopian movement. It starts with the historic lecture, The Principle of Happiness, in which Okawa delivered The Fourfold Path of Love, Wisdom, Self-Reflection and Progress, a universal method to attain true happiness for all people revealed to the world for the first time. In this book, you can learn the essence of Okawa’s teachings and the secret behind the rapid growth of the Happy Science movement in simple language. By reading this book and implementing the Exploration of the Right Mind in your life, you will come to know that your essence is that of a spiritual being and learn that the mind is the only thing you can take back to the other world or afterlife. Also, by living the Fourfold Path of Love, Wisdom, Self-Reflection and Progress, you will attain true happiness and start on your path to enlightenment. These principles serve to integrate all religion, philosophy, and academic study.

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Book SynopsisA rapid development of religious popular cultures and lifestyles can be observed across the globe. This book provides unique case studies from Asia and Europe illustrating new religious practices, forms of articulation and mass mediatization, all of which render religious traditions significant for contemporary issues and concerns. The essays examine experiences of spirituality in combination with commercialization and expressive performative practices as well as everyday politics of identity. Based on innovative theoretical reflections, the essays take into consideration what the transcultural negotiation of religion, tradition and the popular signifies in different places and social contexts. With contributions by Anthony Reid, Hubert Knoblauch, Ariel Heryanto, Stefanie von Schnurbein and others.

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Book SynopsisThis book analyzes the history and teachings of major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and more. It emphasizes the common teachings and essence of all religions, concluding with a discussion on the scientific approach to religion and central wisdom of world religions.

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Book SynopsisIn this insightful and thought-provoking book, Amish and Bhavna tackle burning questions about idol worship through simple, varied and astute interpretations of myths and religious texts. They unearth the symbolic essence of Ishta Devata, dive into the benefits of bhakti and tackle the importance of religion for people and society.

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Book SynopsisIn God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World, New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and religion scholar Stephen Prothero argues that persistent attempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlook the distinct problem that each tradition seeks to solve. Delving into the different problems and solutions that Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Yoruba Religion, Daoism and Atheism strive to combat, God is Not One is an indispensable guide to the questions human beings have asked for millennia—and to the disparate paths we are taking to answer them today. Readers of Huston Smith and Karen Armstrong will find much to ponder in God is Not One.

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Book SynopsisViolence has always played a part in the religious imagination, from symbols and myths to legendary battles, from colossal wars to the theater of terrorism. The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Violence surveys intersections between religion and violence throughout history and around the world.Trade ReviewThe authors of the volume's forty essays, who represent many disciplines including religion, anthropology, sociology, and political science, among others, offer a variety of ways of construing and explaining that relationship in both tradition-specific and cross-cultural contexts. The volume is thus a good resource for teaching as well as for brief introductions to the history of religion and violence in multiple traditions and to theories of religion and violence from multiple disciplines. * Rosemary Kellison, Religious Studies Review *[A] timely collection that provides a welcome guide to the emerging field of studies in violence and religion. Among only a few such efforts to survey the field as a whole, the book explores religious violence in both the past and present as well as in all its social, psychological, and theological complexities...this diverse volume is certainly well worth picking up, as all involved in such scholarship are sure to find something of pertinent interest. * Journal of Contemporary Religion *The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Violence is a welcome addition to the burgeoning scholarly literature on the relationship between religion and violence...it should definitely be read by all those interested in the various ways religion has been used to legitimate violence. * Politics, Religion, & Ideology *Quite excellent and easily navigated by specialists and nonspecialists alike. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsContributors ; Introduction: "The Enduring Relationship of Religion and Violence" - Mark Juergensmeyer, Margo Kitts, and Michael Jerryson ; Part I: Overview of Religious Traditions ; 1. Hindu: "Violence and Nonviolence at the Heart of Hindu Ethics" - Veena Das ; 2. Buddhist: "Buddhist Traditions and Violence" - Michael Jerryson ; 3. Sikh: "Sikh Traditions and Violence" - Cynthia Keppley Mahmood ; 4. Jewish: "Religion and Violence in the Jewish Traditions" - Ron Hassner and Gideon Aran ; 5. Christian:"Religion and Violence in Christian Traditions" - Lloyd Steffen ; 6. Islamic: "Muslim Engagement with Injustice and Violence"- Bruce Lawrence ; 7. African: "African Traditional Religion and Violence" - Nathalie Wlodarczyk ; 8. Pacific Island: "Religion and Violence in Pacific Island Societies" - Andrew Strathern and Pamela J. Stewart ; 9. Chinese: "Violence in Chinese Religious Traditions" - Meir Shahar ; Part II: Patterns and Themes ; 10. Evil: "The Religious Problem of Evil" - James Aho ; 11. Sacrifice: "Sacrifice/Human Sacrifice in Religious Traditions" - David Carrasco ; 12. Martyrdom: "Martyrdom in Islam" - David Cook ; 13. Self Mutilation: "Starvation and Self Mutilation in Religious Traditions" - Liz Wilson ; 14. Apocalypse: "Apocalyptic Religion and Violence" - Jamel Velji ; 15. Sacred War: "Cosmic War in Religious Traditions" - Reza Aslan ; 16. Genocide: "Genocide and the Religious Imaginary in Rwanda" - Christopher Taylor ; 17. Terrorism: "Terrorism as Performance Violence" - Mark Juergensmeyer ; 18. Torture: "Christianity and Torture" - Karen King ; 19. Just War: "Just War and Legal Restraints" - John Kelsay ; 20. Abortion: "Religiously Motivated Violence in the Abortion Debate" - Julie Ingersoll ; 21. Contested Sites: "Conflicts over Sacred Ground" - Ron E. Hassner ; 22. Political Violence: "Religion and Political Violence" - Monica Toft ; 23. Death Rituals: "Rituals of Death and Remembrance" - Susumu Shimazono and Margo Kitts ; 24. Violent Death: "Violent Death in Religious Imagination" - Margo Kitts ; Part III: Analytic Approaches ; 25. Sociology: "Religion and Violence from a Sociological Perspective" - John R. Hall ; 26. Anthropology: "Religion and Violence from an Anthropological Perspective" - Pamela J. Stewart and Andrew Strathern ; 27. Psychology: "Religion and Violence from a Psychological Perspective" - James W. Jones ; 28. Political Science: "Religion and Violence from a Political Science Perspective"- Daniel Philpott ; 29. Literary Theory: "Religion and Violence from Literary Perspectives" - Margo Kitts ; 30. Theology: "Religion and Violence from Christian Perspectives" - Charles Kimball ; Part IV: New Directions ; 31 Sacrifice: "Sacrificial Violence: A Problem in Ancient Religions" - Walter Burkert ; 32. Cities: "Cities as One Site for Religion and Violence" - Saskia Sassen ; 33. Armageddon: "Armageddon in Christian, Sunni and Shi'a Traditions" - Michael Sells ; 34. Phenomenal Violence: "Phenomenal Violence and the Philosophy of Religion" - Hent de Vries ; 35. Constructions of Evil : "The Construction of Evil and the Violence of Purification" - David Frankfurter ; 36. Mimetic Theory: "Mimetic Theories of Religion and Violence" - Wolfgang Palaver ; 37. Scarcity: "Religion and Scarcity: A New Theory for the Role of Religion in Violence" - Hector Avalos ; 38. Evolutionary Theory: "Ritual, Religion, and Violence: An Evolutionary Perspective" - Candance S. Alcorta and Richard Sosis ; 39. Rites of Terror: "Divergent Modes of Religiosity and Armed Struggle" - Harvey Whitehouse and Brian McQuinn ; 40. Sociotheology: "A Sociotheological Approach to Understanding Religious Violence" - Mark Juergensmeyer and Mona Sheik ; Index

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Book SynopsisIn this study of everyday religious culture in early modern Syria and Palestine, James Grehan offers a social history that looks beyond conventional ways of thinking about religion in the Middle East. The most common narratives about the region introduce us to the separate traditions of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, highlighting how each one has created its own distinctive traditions and communities. Twilight of the Saints offers a reinterpretation of religious and cultural history in a region which is today associated with division and violence. Exploring the religious habits of ordinary people, from the late seventeenth to the end of the nineteenth century, when the region was part of the Ottoman Empire, Grehan shows that members of different religious groups participated in a common, overarching religious culture that was still visible at the beginning of the twentieth century.Most evident in the countryside, though present everywhere, this religious mainstream thrived in a sociTrade ReviewDeeply engaging and delightful. * H-Net *Grehan provides new and important insights into religious faith and practice in Ottoman Syria and Palestine, but more broadly, his utilization of the concept of agrarian religion is a major contribution to understanding pre-modern religion. This book should be of help to anyone interested in the world history of religion. * John Voll, Professor Emeritus of Islamic History, Georgetown University *Too often, the religious attitudes of pre-modern societies such as those of Syria and Palestine during the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries are interpreted through the prism of modern conceptions of religion. In a long-overdue intervention, Grehan demonstrates that these views warp our understanding of their history, and project our modern conflicts over religion onto the past in misleading ways. It will be an essential reader for decades to come. * John Curry, author of The Transformation of Muslim Mystical Thought: The Rise of the Halveti Order 1350-1650 (2010) *Grehan's book is a pioneering study of folk religion in the Middle East on the eve of modernity. Looking for evidence 'on the ground' rather than in the texts of ulama or Islamic modernists, this richly documented historical ethnography of Syria and Palestine charts a world of saints and tombs, caves, and trees, genies and rites of blood which was shared by Muslims, Christians, and Jews of all walks of life. * Itzchak Weismann, author of Taste of Modernity: Sufism, Salafiyya and Arabism in Late Ottoman Damascus *Grehan provides an important corrective to earlier scholarly biases, such as describing folk customs in terms of their deviance from textual norms, and he recognizes that urban elites repeatedly joined in supposedly rural practices, whether venerating saints or appeasing ghosts. The author's careful appraisal of the evidence demonstrates that there is less of a gap between countryside and cityscape as much as there is a gulf between premodern and modern ways of enacting religion. A major benefit comes from how Grehan reads Muslim, Jewish, and Christian sources all together, emphasizing shared practices and common presumptions. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction I. Religious Possibilities II. Magic Men III. A Religion of Tombs IV. Sacred Landscapes V. Haunted Landscapes VI. Blood and Prayer VII. Conclusion Appendix Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThough much has been written about particular forms of violence related to religion, such as sacrificial rites and militant martyrdom, there have been few efforts to survey the phenomena in all of the world''s major religious traditions, historically and in the present, viewing the subject in personal as well as social dimensions, and covering both literary themes and political conflicts. This compact collection of essays provides such an overview. Each of the essays explores the ways in which violence is justified within the literary and theological foundation of the tradition, how it is used symbolically and in ritual practice, and how social acts of vengeance and warfare have been justified by religious ideas.The nature of the connection between violence and faith has always been a topic of heated debate, especially as acts of violence performed in the name of religion have erupted onto the global stage. Some scholars argue that these acts of violence are not really religious at allTrade ReviewThe nine essays of this volume give a thought-provoking overview on this topic... They engage the topics in a way that is accessible, inspirational, and challenging to people familiar with the religions, as well as those beginning to learn about religions. * Fortunatus Mugisha, Religious Studies Review *Violence in the World's Religious Traditions is sure to provoke thoughtful response and get readers asking the right questions...anyone interested in the subject of religion and violence will find much to think about before drawing hasty conclusions on this highly-charged topic. * Jamin Hübner, Reading Religion *As an introduction to the study of religion and violence, this volume provides a valuable overview of a timeless, yet all-too-timely, subject. * Andrew R. Murphy, Sociology of Religion *All of the essays are thought-provoking as they address texts and scriptural traditions, symbols and metaphors, and manifestations of actual violence... There is food for thought in these readings for scholars already familiar with the broad strokes of theories of religion and violence, as well as those knowledgeable in the world's religious traditions. * Nova Religio *Table of ContentsIntroduction "The Enduring Relationship of Religion and Violence" Mark Juergensmeyer, Margo Kitts and Michael Jerryson 1. Hinduism "Violence and Nonviolence at the Heart of Hindu Ethics" Veena Das 2. Buddhism "Buddhist Traditions and Violence" Michael Jerryson 3. Sikhism "Sikhs and Violence" Cynthia Keppley Mahmood 4. Judaism "Religion and Violence in the Jewish Tradition" Ron Hassner and Gideon Aran 5. Christianity "Religion and Violence in Christianity" Lloyd Steffen 6. Islam "Muslim Engagement with Injustice and Violence" Bruce Lawrence 7. Africa "African Traditional Religion and Violence" Nathalie Wlodarczyk 8. Pacific Islands "Religion and Violence in Pacific Island Societies" Andrew Strathern and Pamela J. Stewart 9. China "Mutual Tolerance, State Persecution, and Martial Divinities in Chinese Religion" Meir Shahar Authors Index

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Book SynopsisHindu God, Christian God offers an in-depth study of key themes common to the Hindu and Christian religious traditions. It redefines how we think about Hinduism, comparative study, and Christian theology. This book offers a bold new look at how the two traditions encounter one another, and how comparisons can be made between the two. Redefining theology as an interreligious, comparative, dialogical, and confessional practice open to people of all traditions, it invites not only Hindus and Christians, but also theologians from all religious traditions, to enter into conversation with one another.Trade Review... if there is to be inter-religious theological conversation at all ... it is true that reason must be its presupposition and mainstay. Francis Clooney has written the definitive work on this in the context of the Hindu-Christian encounter. The book is therefore indispensable reading for any serious study on the topic. * Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin *Clooney's account is lucid and clearly argued, establishing a regular format with a neat juxtaposition of approaches and brief but well-focused summaries ... Theology which is so imaginative and so intelligent is a rare commodity these days. This is a book which deserves a wide readership. * Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society *

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Book SynopsisThis title brings together scholars of a variety of the world's major civilizations to focus on the universal theme of inner transformation. All major religions insist on this, yet conceptions of the inner world of the person vary widely from one civilization to another.

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Book SynopsisIn this new book, author Russell McCutcheon offers a powerful critique of traditional scholarship on religion, focusing on multiple interrelated targets. Most prominent among these are the History of Religions as a discipline; Mircea Eliade, one of the founders of the modern discipline; recent scholarship on Eliade''s life and politics; contemporary textbooks on world religions; and the oft-repeated bromide that religion is a sui generis phenomenon. McCutcheon skillfully analyzes the ideological basis for and service of the sui generis argument, demonstrating that it has been used to constitute the field''s object of study in a form that is ahistoric, apolitical, fetishized, and sacrosanct. As such, he charges, it has helped to create departments, jobs, and publication outlets for those who are comfortable with such a suspect construction, while establishing a disciplinary ethos of astounding theoretical naivete and a body of scholarship to match. Surveying the textbooks available for introductory courses in comparative religion, the author finds that they uniformly adopt the sui generis line and all that comes with it. As a result, he argues, they are not just uncritical (which helps keep them popular among the audiences for which they are intended, but badly disserve), but actively inhibit the emergence of critical perspectives and capacities. And on the geo-political scale, he contends, the study of religion as an ahistorical category participates in a larger system of political domination and economic and cultural imperialism.Trade Review"[McCutcheon] stands in a long tradition of excellent company that goes back at least as far as classical Greek dramatists and philosphers who inquired persistently into the prevailing mythos....This book's likely to provoke very fruitful debate for many years."--Choice"...McCutcheon's book is a sharp, sustained critique of the way religion is studied in North America, with an alternative proposal for a naturalist, materialist method of studying religion."--The Cresser Trinity"McCutcheon's book is a formidable critique of its subject and should be widely read and debated. It will repay close critical attention from those interested in theory and method."--British Association for the Study of Religions"...the book is fascinating and thought-provoking."--eligious Studies Review

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Book SynopsisSocial scientists sometimes seem not to know what to do with religion. In the first century of sociologys history as a discipline, the reigning concern was explaining the emergence of the modern world, and that brought with it an expectation that religion would simply fade from the scene as societies became diverse, complex, and enlightened. As the century approached its end, however, a variety of global phenomena remained dramatically unexplained by these theories. Among the leading contenders for explanatory power to emerge at this time were rational choice theories of religious behavior. Researchers who have spent time in the field, observing religious groups and interviewing practitioners, however, have questioned the sufficiency of these market models. Studies abound that describe thriving religious phenomena that fit neither the old secularization paradigm nor the equations predicting vitality only among organizational entrepreneurs with strict orthodoxies. In this collection of Trade ReviewThis book plots a new agenda for understanding religion in contemporary society. Based on case studies in both Europe and the United States, the poverty of rational-choice explanations of religion is exposed, along with the inadequacy of charting religious change by surveying beliefs and patterns of institutional affiliation. Pluralism may challenge traditional perceptions of religion, but it certainly has not led to the demise religion if one examines what people do in everyday life. This is a wonderful collection of essays, framed by Ammerman's brilliant opening and closing chapters. * Donald E. Miller, Professor of Religion and Executive Director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California *

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Book SynopsisThe true role of religion in the AIDS epidemic in Africa has been debated for years: some scholars and activists claim that religious groups have provided much-needed education and assistance to those afflicted with the disease, and others argue that religion has contributed to the spread and stigmatization of AIDS. Drawing upon extensive fieldwork in Malawi and survey data from 26 other sub-Saharan African countries, Jenny Trinitapoli and Alexander Weinreb provide the first comprehensive empirical account of how religious groups affect the spread of knowledge, prevention, and mitigation of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.Trinitapoli and Weinreb identify religious patterns in the infection of HIV, examine differences across religions in risk and preventive behaviors, and discuss the role of religion in the provision of assistance to the sick and their families. Their study also shows how religious groups shape social and cultural interpretations of AIDS, addressing such issues as the discouTrade ReviewTrinitapoli and Weinreb challenge much that is holy writ for modern, Western, secular minds. For those with an interest in development or medicine, it is fascinating, and perhaps infuriating. * Michael Beasley, Theology *Religion and AIDS in Africa is a Scholarly yet readable exploration of many of the questions key to understanding the complexity of HIV and religion in Africa ... * Ann Smith, the Tablet *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Introduction ; Part One / THE BASICS ; 1. AIDS in Context ; 2. Religious Patterns ; Part Two / UNDERSTANDING AIDS ; 3. Interpreting the Epidemic ; 4. Knowledge about HIV ; Part Three / HIV PREVENTION ABC...Z ; 5. The ABCs of prevention ; 6. Beyond ABC: Local prevention strategies ; 7. Congregational Combinations ; Part Four / RESPONDING ; 8. Stigma ; 9. Safety nets ; 10. Effects of AIDS on Religion ; Conclusions ; Appendices ; Notes ; References ; Index

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Book SynopsisWhat are we to make of the Latina schoolteacher who considers herself a good Catholic, rarely attends Mass, but meditates daily at her home altar (where she mixes images of the Virgin of Guadalupe with those of Frida Kahlo, and traditional votive candles with healing crystals), yet feels particularly spiritual while preparing food for religious celebrations in her neighborhood? Diverse religious practices such as these have long baffled scholars of contemporary religion, whose research started with the assumption that Individuals commit, or refuse to commit, to an entire institutionally-defined package of beliefs and practices. Social surveys typically ask respondents to self-identify by denominational or other broad religious categories. Sociologists attempt to measure religiosity according to how well individuals conform to the official religious standards, such as frequency of church attendance, scripture-reading, or prayer. In this book Meredith McGuire points the way forward towarTrade ReviewAn invaluable resource that broadens understandings of the complicated interactions of personal spirituality and social contexts. ...This important book provides an extraoridnary overview that challenges quantitative researchers to develop new approaches and stimulates qualitative researchers to addres new questions in new ways. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *Meredith McGuire's Lived Religion richly endows an expanding academic literature highlighting the relevance of religious-spiritual practices that are typically excluded from the received view of what counts as religion and spirituality. ...McGuire's thoughtful, intellectually engaging, and well-written book is a welcome addition to the analysis of the prevalence of religion and spirituality in everyday practices. ...McGuire succeeds in making visible the many hybrid sources of religious community and commitment that might otherwise remain beyond the gaze of scholarly attention. * American Journal of Sociology *McGuire's thoughtful, intellectually engaging, and well-written book is a welcome addition to the analysis of the prevalence of religion and spirituality in everyday practices. * Michele Dillon, University of New Hampshire *This is an important book in the sociology of religion, because it prods us to take seriously religious practices...rich analysis.... * Wyndy Corbin Reushling *...A creative blending of a personal and professional narrative and normative zeal to reform the field of sociology and religion... The book succeeds in its goal to infuse tired debates in the sociology of religion with a fresh perspective. It will stimulate many conversations about which lamppost we should look under to find religion in contemporary society, how it got there, and where it is going. * Contemporary Sociology *Table of Contents1. Everyday Religion as Lived ; 2. Contested Meanings and Definitional Boundaries: Historicizing the Sociology of Religion ; 3. Popular Religious Expressions Today: U.S. Latinos and Latinas ; 4. Popular Religions in Practice Today: Southern White Evangelicals ; 5. Spirituality and Materiality: Why Bodies Matter ; 6. Embodied Practices for Healing and Wholeness ; 7. Gendered Spiritualities ; 8. Rethinking Religious Identity, Commitment, and Hybridity

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of the Study of Religion provides a comprehensive overview of the academic study of religion. Written by an international team of leading scholars, its fifty-one chapters are divided thematically into seven sections. The first section addresses five major conceptual aspects of research on religion. Part two surveys eleven main frameworks of analysis, interpretation, and explanation of religion. Reflecting recent turns in the humanities and social sciences, part three considers eight forms of the expression of religion. Part four provides a discussion of the ways societies and religions, or religious organizations, are shaped by different forms of allocation of resources. Other chapters in this section consider law, the media, nature, medicine, politics, science, sports, and tourism. Part five reviews important developments, distinctions, and arguments for each of the selected topics. The study of religion addresses religion as a historical phenomenon and part six loTable of ContentsList of Figures and Tables List of Contributors Michael Stausberg and Steven Engler: Introduction: Aims, Scope, and Organization Part I. Religion 1: Michael Stausberg & Mark Q. Gardiner: Definition 2: Giovanni Casadio: Historicizing and Translating Religion 3: Michael Stausberg & Steven Engler: Theories of Religion 4: Heinz Streib and Constantin Klein: Religion and Spirituality 5: Lois Lee: Non-religion Part II. Theoretical Approaches 6: Armin W. Geertz: Cognitive Science 7: Peter Seele & Lucas Zapf: Economics 8: John H. Shaver, Benjamin Grant Purzycki, and Richard Sosis: Evolutionary Theory 9: Darlene Juschka: Feminism and Gender Theory 10: Gavin Flood: Hermeneutics 11: Matthew Day: Marxism 12: Arvind Mandair: Postcolonialism 13: Mark Q. Gardiner and Steven Engler: Semantics 14: Robert A. Yelle: Semiotics 15: Paul-François Tremlett: (Post)-structuralism 16: Philip A. Mellor and Chris Shilling: Social Theory Part III. Modes 17: Volkhard Krech: Communication 18: David Morgan: Materiality 19: Jeppe Sinding Jensen: Narrative 20: Axel Michaels and William S. Sax: Performance 21: Rosalind I. J. Hackett: Sound 22: David Chidester: Space 23: David Chidester: Time Part IV. Environments 24: Anne Koch: Economy 25: Benjamin Schonthal: Law 26: Oliver Krüger: Media 27: Adrian Ivakhiv: Nature 28: Pamela Klassen: Medicine 29: Hubert Seiwert: Politics 30: Laura J. Vollmer and Kocku von Stuckrad: Science Carole M. Cusack: Sports Alex Norman: Tourism Part V. Topics 33: Jason C. Bivins: Belief 34: John Corrigan: Emotion 35: Craig Martin: Experience 36: Christoph Auffarth: Gift and Sacrifice 37: Gustavo Benavides: Gods 38: Henrik Bogdan: Initiation and Transitions 39: Manfred Hutter: Priests, Prophets, Sorcerers 40: Hugh B. Urban: Purity 41: Gavin Flood: Salvation Part VI. Processes 42: Steve Bruce: Differentiation 43: Albert de Jong: The Disintegration and Death of Religions 44: Asonzeh Ukah: Expansion 45: Manuel A. Vásquez and David Garbin: Globalization 46: Jörg Rüpke: Individualization and Privatization 47: Olav Hammer: Tradition and Innovation 48: Jeremy Carrette: Objectification and Commodification 49: Paul Christopher Johnson: Syncretism and Hybridization Part VII. The Discipline 50: Michael Stausberg: History 51: Thomas A. Tweed: Relevance

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions includes authoritative yet accessible studies on a wide variety of topics dealing comparatively with Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as with the interactions between the adherents of these religions throughout history. The comparative study of the Abrahamic Religions has been undertaken for many centuries. More often than not, these studies reflected a polemical rather than an ecumenical approach to the topic. Since the nineteenth century, the comparative study of the Abrahamic Religions has not been pursued either intensively or systematically, and it is only recently that the comparative study of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam has received more serious attention. This volume contributes to the emergence and development of the comparative study of the Abrahamic religions, a discipline which is now in its formative stages. This Handbook includes both critical and supportive perspectives on the very concept of the Abrahamic reliTrade ReviewThose interested in interfaith movements and the relationship between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism will find much to benefit in reading The Oxford Handbook of The Abrahamic Religions * Jamin Hübner, Reading Religion *The Handbook is a useful tool for students and scholars alike that gives a comprehensive insight into the current state of research as well as the desiderata in the field of Abrahamic studies. * Dennis Halft, Trier University, Medieval Encounters *a valuable resource for any library whose readers wish to engage in serious study of the relationship between the three faiths. * Tom Wilson, Anvil *Table of ContentsPreface List of Contributors Part I: The Concept of the Abrahamic Religions 1: Reuven Firestone: Abraham and Authenticity 2: Adam Silverstein: Abrahamic Experiments in History 3: Guy G. Stroumsa: Three Rings or Three Impostors? The Comparative Approach to the Abrahamic Religions and its Origins 4: Mark Silk: The Abrahamic Religions as a Modern Concept 5: Rémi Brague: Philosophical Perspectives 6: Gil Anidjar: Yet Another Abraham Part II: Communities 7: Richard Bulliet: Islamo-Christian Civilization 8: David Abulafia: The Abrahamic Religions in the Mediterranean 9: Uriel Simonsohn: Justice 10: John Tolan: Jews and Muslims in Christian Law and History 11: Dorothea Weltecke: Beyond Exclusivism in the Middle Ages: On the Three Rings, the Three Impostors, and the Discourse of Multiplicity Part III: Scripture and Hermeneutics 12: Nicolai Sinai: Historical-Critical Readings of the Abrahamic Scriptures 13: Carol Bakhos: Interpreters of Scripture 14: David Powers: The Finality of Prophecy 15: Lutz Greisiger: Apocalypticism, Millenarianism, and Messianism 16: Yuri Stoyanov: Religious Dualism and the Abrahamic Religions Part IV: Religious Thought 17: Peter E. Pormann: The Abrahamic Religions and the Classical Tradition 18: Sidney Griffith: Confessing Monotheism in Arabic (at-Tawḥīd): The One God of Abraham and His Apologists 19: Carlos Fraenkel: Philosophy and Theology 20: William E. Carroll: Science and Creation: The Mediaeval Heritage 21: Moshe Idel: Mysticism in the Abrahamic Religions 22: Anthony Black: Political Thought Part V: Rituals and Ethics 23: Prayer: Clemens Leonhard and Martin Lüstraeten 24: Moshe Blidstein: Purity and Defilement 25: David Freidenreich: Dietary Law 26: Harvey E. Goldberg: Life-Cycle Rites of Passage 27: Yousef Meri: The Cult of Saints and Pilgrimage 28: David Nirenberg: Religions of Love: Judaism, Christianity, Islam 29: Malise Ruthven: Religion and Politics in the Age of Fundamentalisms Part VI: Epilogues 30: Peter Ochs: Jewish and other Abrahamic Philosophic Arguments for Abrahamic Studies 31: David F. Ford: Christian Perspectives: Settings, Theology, Practices, and Challenges 32: Tariq Ramadan: Islamic Perspectives

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Book SynopsisJacob Kinnard offers an in-depth examination of the complex dynamics of religiously charged places. Focusing on several important shared and contested pilgrimage placesGround Zero and Devils Tower in the United States, Ayodhya and Bodhgaya in India, Karbala in Iraqhe poses a number of crucial questions. What and who has made these sites important, and why? How are they shared, and how and why are they contested? What is at stake in their contestation? How are the particular identities of place and space established? How are individual and collective identity intertwined with space and place? Challenging long-accepted, clean divisions of the religious world, Kinnard explores specific instances of the vibrant messiness of religious practice, the multivocality of religious objects, the fluid and hybrid dynamics of religious places, and the shifting and tangled identities of religious actors. He contends that sacred space is a constructed idea: places are not sacred in and of themselves, bTrade ReviewJacob Kinnard sets his sights on a place, and sits and watches that place over time, observing shifts in light, the movements of people cutting across the frame, and ultimately takes note of the ways people gather together. These chapters are like long exposure photographs, with the resulting image capturing the blurs of activity of many people for many purposes over time. By seeing places in motion, Kinnard also puts scholarship in motion. A rich take on space through time. * S. Brent Plate, author of A History of Religion in 5 1/2 Objects *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Preface: The Questions of Places ; 1. Place, Contestation, and the Complexities of Agency ; 2. Power Fallen from the Sky ; 3. The Polyvalent Padas of Vishnu and the Buddha ; 4. The Drama of Vishnu and the Buddha at Bodhgaya ; 5. Bodhgaya, UNESCO, and the Ambiguities of Preservation ; 6. The Power and the Politics of Emplacement ; 7. Public Space or Sacred Place? ; 8. Fences and Walls: A Not-So-Final Reflection On Preservations, Prohibitions, and Places in Motion ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisPremodern and early modern yoga comprise techniques with a wide range of aims, from turning inward in quest of the true self, to turning outward for divine union, to channeling bodily energy in pursuit of sexual pleasure. Early modern yoga also encompassed countercultural beliefs and practices. In contrast, today, modern yoga aims at the enhancement of the mind-body complex but does so according to contemporary dominant metaphysical, health, and fitness paradigms. Consequently, yoga is now a part of popular culture. In Selling Yoga, Andrea R. Jain explores the popularization of yoga in the context of late-twentieth-century consumer culture. She departs from conventional approaches by undermining essentialist definitions of yoga as well as assumptions that yoga underwent a linear trajectory of increasing popularization. While some studies trivialize popularized yoga systems by reducing them to the mere commodification or corruption of what is perceived as an otherwise fixed, authentic sTrade ReviewAndrea Jains Selling Yoga represents a major new advance in the critical discussion of the history of yoga and its modern constructions in an increasingly globalizing world. The reader is treated to any number of surprises here, from the unexpected importance of a censored and suppressed countercultural reception of yoga and tantra in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to a stunning embrace of both in the second half of the twentieth century within a new consumerist pop culture. In the process, Jain manages to avoid all of the usual moralisms, political and religious essentialisms, and naive orientalisms, opting instead for an approach that is robustly historical, theoretically sophisticated, and deeply, deeply humane. * Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion *Table of ContentsNote on Transliteration ; Preface ; Acknowledgments ; Chapter One: Premodern Yoga Systems ; Chapter Two: From Counterculture to Counterculture ; Chapter Three: Continuity with Consumer Culture ; Chapter Four: Branding Yoga ; Chapter Five: Postural Yoga as a Body of Religious Practice ; Chapter Six: Yogaphobia and Hindu Origins ; Conclusion ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisReligions manage human emotions by coupling them with core cultural values, and particular religious traditions favour a distinctive pattern or syndrome of emotions and values. Douglas J. Davies uses insights from anthropology-sociology, cognitive science, and psychology, to explore the dynamics of emotional life that forge our human identity.Trade ReviewDavies offers a rich, challenging, interdisiplinary analysis of the complex interface of emotion and religious identity. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Dynamics, feelings, and meanings ; 2. Ritual, values, and emotions ; 3. Identity depletion ; 4. Grief, intensive living, and charisma ; 5. Gender, identity, and purity ; 6. Love, mercy, humility, and betrayal ; 7. Merit, grace, and pardon ; 8. Moral-somatics, hope, despair, and suffering ; 9. Revelation, conversion, and spirit power ; 10. Sacred place, worship, and music ; Conclusion ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis timely book aims to change the way we think about religion by putting emotion back onto the agenda. It challenges a tendency to over-emphasise rational aspects of religion, and rehabilitates its embodied, visceral and affective dimensions. Against the view that religious emotion is a purely private matter, it offers a new framework which shows how religious emotions arise in the varied interactions between human agents and religious communities, human agents and objects of devotion, and communities and sacred symbols. It presents parallels and contrasts between religious emotions in European and American history, in other cultures, and in contemporary western societies. By taking emotions seriously, A Sociology of Religious Emotion sheds new light on the power of religion to shape fundamental human orientations and motivations: hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, loves and hatreds.Trade ReviewA Sociology of Religious Emotion is exactly the kind of specialist academic book that is usually overlooked by the celebrity combatants in the secular commentariat. If the book's arguments and its proposals for research are heeded, it might ground the wrangles about the proper place of religion. * Bernice Martin, Times Literary Supplement *I came away from this book better informed, and richer in understanding. My respect for these authors is considerable, because there is a real art to making academic research accessible; and this book did a good job of interesting me, a lay person, in a discipline I didn't know ... I felt wiser when I had finished A Sociology of Religious Emotion. * Gwen Adshead, Church Times *Riis and Woodhead's efforts here are essential for a field of study which has all too often trivialised the role of emotions in religious belief in an effort to understand society without the reflexivity and depth due unto persons. ... Riis and Woodhead stake out an important and highly recommended path for what will hopefully be a renewed interest in 'A Sociology of Religious Emotion'. * Grant Brooke, Scottish Journal of Theology *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Emotion - a relational view ; 2. Delineating religious emotion ; 3. Dynamics of religious emotion I: connections of self, society, and symbols ; 4. Dynamics of religious emotion II: disconnections of self, society, and symbols ; 5. The power of religious emotion ; 6. Religious emotion in late modern society and culture ; Conclusion ; Appendix: Studying religious emotion: Suggestions for method and practice

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Book SynopsisThis book provides the first collection of Slavonic pseudepigrapha translated into a western European language. It includes the original texts, their translations, and commentaries focusing on the history of motifs and based on the study of parallel material in ancient and medieval Jewish and Christian literature.Trade ReviewAny scholarly work of high quality that makes primary sources available to a wider readership is welcome and praiseworthy. This fine publication brings attention to the once dynamic and widespread tradition of Slavonic pseudepigrapha and provides all the necessary tools for their further study. * Julia Verkholantsev, University of Pennsylvania, Speculum *[The authors] find parallels in the motives of the Slavic pseudepigrapha in unexpected places -- Old Irish, Scandanavian, medieval Latin, Arabic and Armenian mythology and texts as well as Zoroastrian sources -- indicating the extremely deep familiarity the authors have with their subject. At points, the authors also suggest an East Slavic origin for some of the pseudepigraphic texts. There is an impressive bibliography with books in more than ten languages and three indexes. * Illya Bey, Reading Religion *The material in these works can contribute significantly to a better understanding of the roots of postbiblical mysticism, rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity, ancient and medieval dualistic movements, as well as the beginnings of the Slavonic literary tradition. The volume provides a collection of the minor biblical pseudepigrapha preserved solely in Slavonic; at the same time, it is also the first collection of Slavonic pseudepigrapha translated into a western European language. It includes the original texts, their translations, and commentaries focusing on the history of motifs and based on the study of parallel material in ancient and medieval Jewish and Christian literature. * Studies in Religion *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Book SynopsisThis volume offers an in-depth study of key themes common to the Hindu and Christian religious traditions. It redefines how we think about Hinduism, comparative study, and Christian theology. This book offers a bold new look at how traditions encounter one another, and how good comparisons are to be made. Redefining theology as an interreligious, comparative, dialogical, and confessional practice open to all people, it invites not only Hindus and Christians, but also theologians from all religious traditions, to enter into conversation with one another.Trade ReviewIt is no longer acceptable for theologians to criticize other religions or to think their own religion superior unless and until they have engaged in true dialogue (which means learning the necessary languages and texts, etc.). Clooney's work thus argues for and exemplifies a new kind of multireligious theological conversation. * The Journal of Religion *Francis Clooney's Hindu God, Christian God * which embodies disciplined scholarship, a strong faith commitment that is tempered by deep devotion to reason, and radical openness to theological conversation across religious boundariesbrings a breath of theological fresh air.Journal of the American Academy of Religion *...a thought-provoking and deeply researched book that all Indologists, philosophers of religion, and Christian theologians will benefit from reading. * Philosophy East & West *This is a wonderfully conceived and well-written book. A model of an emerging theology which is interreligious, comparative, dialogical, and confessional at the same time. * Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection *Thinkers within one religious tradition hone their work through appreciation for and opposition to views of major predecessors in that tradition. Francis Clooney demonstrates that Christian faith genuinely seeking understanding can and must widen this circle of formative dialogue to include figures in other religions as models and critics. Even when they were not speaking to each other, the Hindu and Christian theologians Clooney matches have a great deal to say to each other, precisely because they share the medium of rational argument, argument for God and about God. They emerge as collaborators, yet undiminished in their distinct identities. No other book so powerfully presents comparative study as integral to the healthy internal life of a religious tradition. * S. Mark Heim, Andover Newton Theological Seminary *Distinguished by its admirably close attention to textual detail, Hindu God, Christian God is an exemplary contribution to comparative theology. It will be essential reading for courses in comparative theology. * Keith Ward, Oxford University "Francis X. Clooney's new book takes a major step forward in developing a lucid presentation and close analysis of reasoning about topics common to much theistic thought. Clooney exemplifies his own interpretation of theology as both the affirmation of a particular faith tradition, and the mutual understanding (and possible agreement) of theologians in very different traditions. The book's compelling climax urges both Christian and Hindu theologians to join him in conducting scholarly comparison as interreligious dialogue.John B. Carman, Harvard University, Emeritus *If there is to be inter-religious thological conversation at all reason must be its presupposition and mainstay. Francis Clooney has written the definitive work on this in the contect of the Hindu-Christian encounter. The book is therefore indispensable reading for any serious study on the topic. * Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin *Francis Clooney's Hindu God, Christian God * which embodies disciplined scholarship, a strong faith commitment that is tempered by deep devotion to reason, and radical openness to theological conversation across religious boundariesbrings a breath of theological fresh air.... Clooney traverses the Hindu and Christian textual and theological terrains with equal ease, remarkable skill, keen sensitivity, and admirable sophistication. His command of the intricate nuances of both Hindu and Christian theologies impressively shines throughout the work.Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Francis Clooney's Hindu God, Christian God * which embodies disciplined scholarship, a strong faith commitment that is tempered by deep devotion to reason, and radical openness to theological conversation across religious boundariesbrings a breath of theological fresh air.... Clooney traverses the Hindu and Christian textual and theological terrains with equal ease, remarkable skill, keen sensitivity, and admirable sophistication. His command of the intricate nuances of both Hindu and Christian theologies impressively shines throughout the work.Journal of the American Academy of Religion *a thought-provoking and deeply researched book that all Indologists, philosophers of religion, and Christian theologians will benefit from reading. * Philosophy East & West *This is a wonderfully concieved and well-written book . A model of an emerging theology which is interreligious, comparative, dialogical, and confessional at the same time. * Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection *By virtue of its theological sophistication, it analytical strength, its breadth of vision for a broadened and renewed theology, and the sheer number of theologians studied, this landmark contribution is an indispensable resource for Hindu and Christian scholars and other theologians."-The Journal of the American Academy of ReligionDistinguished by its admirably close attention to textual detail, Hindu God, Christian God is an exemplary contribution to comparative theology. It will be essential reading for courses in comparative theology. * Keith Ward, Oxford University *Francis X. Clooney's new book takes a major step forward in developing a lucid presentation and close analysis of reasoning about topics common to much theistic thought. Clooney exemplifies his own interpretation of theology as both the affirmation of a particular faith tradition, and the mutual understanding (and possible agreement) of theologians in very different traditions. The book's compelling climax urges both Christian and Hindu theologians to join him in conducting scholarly comparison as interreligious dialogue. * John B. Carman, Harvard University, Emeritus *Thinkers within one religious tradition hone their work through appreciation for and opposition to views of major predecessors in that tradition. Francis Clooney demonstrates that Christian faith genuinely seeking understanding can and must widen this circle of formative dialogue to include figures in other religions as models and critics. Even when they were not speaking to each other, the Hindu and Christian theologians Clooney matches have a great deal to say to each other, precisely because they share the medium of rational argument, argument for God and about God. They emerge as collaborators, yet undiminished in their distinct identities. No other book so powerfully presents comparative study as integral to the healthy internal life of a religious tradition. * S. Mark Heim, Andover Newton Theological Seminary *It is no longer acceptable for theologians to criticize other religions or to think their own religion superior unless and until they have engaged in true dialogue (which means learning the necessary languages and texts, etc.). Clooney's work thus argues for and exemplifies a new kind of multireligious theological conversation. * The Journal of Religion *If there is to be inter-religious thological conversation at all reason must be its presupposition and mainstay. Francis Clooney has written the definitive work on this in the contect of the Hindu-Christian encounter. The book is therefore indispensable reading for any serious study on the topic. * Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin *Table of Contents1. Widening the Theological Conversation in Today's Pluralistic Context 2. Arguing the Existence of God: From the World to Its Maker 3. Debating God's Identity 4. Making Sense of Divine Embodiment 5. How Revelation Matters in the Assessment of Religions 6. Faithful and Reasonable Theology in a Pluralistic World A Hindu Theologian's Response: A Prolegomenon to "Christian God, Hindu God" by Parimal G. Patil Appendix I: LIst of Theologians Appendix II: Note on the Translations and Pronunciations Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisJesus and Muhammad are two of the best known and revered figures in history, each with a billion or more global followers. Now, in this intriguing volume, F.E. Peters offers a clear and compelling analysis of the parallel lives of Jesus and Muhammad, the first such in-depth comparison in print. Like a detective, Peters compiles dossiers of what we do and do not know about the lives and portraits of these towering figures, drawing on the views of modern historians and the evidence of the Gospels and the Quran. With erudition and wit, the author nimbly leads the reader through drama and dogma to reveal surprising similarities between the two leaders and their messages. Each had a public career as a semi-successful preacher. Both encountered opposition that threatened their lives and those of their followers. Each left a body of teaching purported to be their very words, with an urgent imperative that all must become believers in the face of the approaching apocalypse. Both are symbols ofTrade Reviewanother remarkable book * Murad Wilfried Hofmann, Journal of Islamic Studies *Table of Contents1. Clearing the Ground 2. The Settings 3. Opening the Files 4. The Critic at Work 5. The Living Voice 6. The Message: Jesus in Galilee 7. The Message: Muhammad at Mecca 8. Tragedy and Triumph 9. A New Dawn: The Aftermath, The Legacy 10. Epilogue: Spreading the Word A Guide to Further Reading Notes Index

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Book SynopsisIn recent years scholars have begun to question the usefulness of the category of ''''religion'''' to describe a distinctive form of human experience and behavior. In his last book, The Ideology of Religious Studies (OUP 2000), Timothy Fitzgerald argued that ''''religion'''' was not a private area of human existence that could be separated from the public realm and that the study of religion as such was thus impossibility. In this new book he examines a wide range of English-language texts to show how religion became transformed from a very specific category indigenous to Christian culture into a universalist claim about human nature and society. These claims, he shows, are implied by and frequently explicit in theories and methods of comparative religion. But they are also tacitly reproduced throughout the humanities in the relatively indiscriminate use of ''''religion'''' as an a priori valid cross-cultural analytical concept, for example in historiography, sociology, and social anthTrade ReviewTimothy Fitzgerald is one of the most important scholars raising questions about the category of religion today, and in this essay he makes significant new contributions. He broadens the range of the discussion to include important but neglected categories that arose along with the category of religion, most notably the secular and the political, and he traces the emergence of this discourse in English-language texts dealing with travel and governance, showing that they emerge much later than is widely assumed. Anyone seriously interested in religion simply must take seriously Fitzgerald's central claim: it is wrong to think of religion as something that exists in and of itself, as an observable, objective domain essentially distinct from other domains such as politics and economics. * Gregory Alles, Professor of Religious Studies, McDaniel College and author of Religious Studies: A Global View *This important book continues Fitzgerald's investigations into the rhetorical uses and abuses of religion" and related terms. Here Fitzgerald leads us into close readings of primary texts from the early modern era, and shows that "religion" and "politics" and "economics" are not value-neutral descriptive categories, but modern inventions that serve the interests of a new kind of state and a new kind of market. With relentless logic, Fitzgerald cuts through the confusions, anachronisms, and nonsense that surround the modern use of these terms. In so doing, he helps us see that the way that Western social sciences have constructed the world is not inevitable, and that we need not see non-Western others through only one lens. This book will be of tremendous benefit not only to those in religious studies, but to political scientists, sociologists, and historians as well. * William T. Cavanaugh, Associate Professor of Theology, University of St. Thomas *In this perceptive study, Fitzgerald shows us just how the assumption that religion is essentially about personal belief becomes a crucial step in the construction of 'religion' as the name of a universal human experience. His emphasis is on changing configurations rather than binaries, which leads him to argue that in taking 'the religious' as the binary opposite of 'the secular' one is subscribing to an ideological enterprise. Discourse on Civility and Barbarity is an important contribution to the growing critical literature on the idea of Religion as an essentialized category. * Talal Asad, Author of Formations of the Secular *Table of ContentsNOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Book SynopsisViolence has always played a part in the religious imagination, from symbols and myths to legendary battles, from colossal wars to the theater of terrorism. The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Violence surveys intersections between religion and violence throughout history and around the world. The forty original essays in this volume include overviews of major religious traditions, showing how violence is justified within the literary and theological foundations of the tradition, how it is used symbolically and in ritual practice, and how social acts of violence and warfare have been justified by religious ideas. The essays also examine patterns and themes relating to religious violence, such as sacrifice and martyrdom, which are explored in cross-disciplinary or regional analyses; and offer major analytic approaches, from literary to social scientific studies. The contributors to this volume---innovative thinkers who are forging new directions in theory and analysis related to religioTrade ReviewThe authors of the volume's forty essays, who represent many disciplines including religion, anthropology, sociology, and political science, among others, offer a variety of ways of construing and explaining that relationship in both tradition-specific and cross-cultural contexts. The volume is thus a good resource for teaching as well as for brief introductions to the history of religion and violence in multiple traditions and to theories of religion and violence from multiple disciplines. * Rosemary Kellison, Religious Studies Review *With The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Violence, editors Mark Juergensmeyer, Margo Kitts, and Michael Jerryson have released a timely collection that provides a welcome guide to the emerging field of studies in violence and religion. * Phil Rose, Journal of Contemporary Religion *Table of ContentsContributors ; Introduction: "The Enduring Relationship of Religion and Violence" - Mark Juergensmeyer, Margo Kitts, and Michael Jerryson ; Part I: Overview of Religious Traditions ; 1. Hindu: "Violence and Nonviolence at the Heart of Hindu Ethics" - Veena Das ; 2. Buddhist: "Buddhist Traditions and Violence" - Michael Jerryson ; 3. Sikh: "Sikh Traditions and Violence" - Cynthia Keppley Mahmood ; 4. Jewish: "Religion and Violence in the Jewish Traditions" - Ron Hassner and Gideon Aran ; 5. Christian:"Religion and Violence in Christian Traditions" - Lloyd Steffen ; 6. Islamic: "Muslim Engagement with Injustice and Violence"- Bruce Lawrence ; 7. African: "African Traditional Religion and Violence" - Nathalie Wlodarczyk ; 8. Pacific Island: "Religion and Violence in Pacific Island Societies" - Andrew Strathern and Pamela J. Stewart ; 9. Chinese: "Violence in Chinese Religious Traditions" - Meir Shahar ; Part II: Patterns and Themes ; 10. Evil: "The Religious Problem of Evil" - James Aho ; 11. Sacrifice: "Sacrifice/Human Sacrifice in Religious Traditions" - David Carrasco ; 12. Martyrdom: "Martyrdom in Islam" - David Cook ; 13. Self Mutilation: "Starvation and Self Mutilation in Religious Traditions" - Liz Wilson ; 14. Apocalypse: "Apocalyptic Religion and Violence" - Jamel Velji ; 15. Sacred War: "Cosmic War in Religious Traditions" - Reza Aslan ; 16. Genocide: "Genocide and the Religious Imaginary in Rwanda" - Christopher Taylor ; 17. Terrorism: "Terrorism as Performance Violence" - Mark Juergensmeyer ; 18. Torture: "Christianity and Torture" - Karen King ; 19. Just War: "Just War and Legal Restraints" - John Kelsay ; 20. Abortion: "Religiously Motivated Violence in the Abortion Debate" - Julie Ingersoll ; 21. Contested Sites: "Conflicts over Sacred Ground" - Ron E. Hassner ; 22. Political Violence: "Religion and Political Violence" - Monica Toft ; 23. Death Rituals: "Rituals of Death and Remembrance" - Susumu Shimazono and Margo Kitts ; 24. Violent Death: "Violent Death in Religious Imagination" - Margo Kitts ; Part III: Analytic Approaches ; 25. Sociology: "Religion and Violence from a Sociological Perspective" - John R. Hall ; 26. Anthropology: "Religion and Violence from an Anthropological Perspective" - Pamela J. Stewart and Andrew Strathern ; 27. Psychology: "Religion and Violence from a Psychological Perspective" - James W. Jones ; 28. Political Science: "Religion and Violence from a Political Science Perspective"- Daniel Philpott ; 29. Literary Theory: "Religion and Violence from Literary Perspectives" - Margo Kitts ; 30. Theology: "Religion and Violence from Christian Perspectives" - Charles Kimball ; Part IV: New Directions ; 31 Sacrifice: "Sacrificial Violence: A Problem in Ancient Religions" - Walter Burkert ; 32. Cities: "Cities as One Site for Religion and Violence" - Saskia Sassen ; 33. Armageddon: "Armageddonin Christian, Sunni and Shi'a Traditions" - Michael Sells ; 34. Phenomenal Violence: "Phenomenal Violence and the Philosophy of Religion" - Hent de Vries ; 35. Constructions of Evil : "The Construction of Evil and the Violence of Purification" - David Frankfurter ; 36. Mimetic Theory: "Mimetic Theories of Religion and Violence" - Wolfgang Palaver ; 37. Scarcity: "Religion and Scarcity: A New Theory for the Role of Religion in Violence" - Hector Avalos ; 38. Evolutionary Theory: "Ritual, Religion, and Violence: An Evolutionary Perspective" - Candance S. Alcorta and Richard Sosis ; 39. Rites of Terror: "Divergent Modes of Religiosity and Armed Struggle" - Harvey Whitehouse, with Brian McQuinn ; 40. Sociotheology: "A Sociotheological Approach to Understanding Religious Violence" - Mark Juergensmeyer and Mona Sheik ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe Vatican II Council of 1965 signaled a new era in the relationship of the Jewish and Christian faiths. Determined to free the Church of the anti-Jewish polemic which led to such widespread suffering of the innocent, Catholic authorities completely revised their conceptions of Jews and Judaism. Soon, many mainstream Protestant churches also issued a series of official statements that affirm the eternal nature of God''s ancient covenant with Israel. An entirely new category of theology emerged as part of the developing Jewish-Christian dialogue, and gradually Jewish theologians began to respond. Opening the Covenant represents a significant advance in Jewish thinking about Christianity. Michael Kogan delves deep into the theologies of the two faiths to locate precise points of difference and convergence. He sees Christianity as the breaking open of the original Covenant to include Gentile peoples. God has brought this about, says Kogan, through the work of Jesus and his interpreters.Trade ReviewIn Opening the Covenant, Michael Kogan faces the people, confronts them with a theological challenge in an honest and upright way, and does it with a purity of language, as the tradition demands. * Rabbi David Lincoln, Park Avenue Synagogue *Michael Kogan's book, Opening the Covenant: A Jewish Theology of Christianity, is a major contribution toward a thoughtful understanding of what Christianity might mean for us as Jews. The product of his extensive experience in talking with Christians about faith, his philosophical training, and his deep knowledge of Jewish thought, this book maps out some critically important features of Jewish belief that can help Jews be fully committed to Judaism and, as a result of those convictions (and definitely not in spite of them) come to understand Christians as people of a different but an intelligent and sincere faith. Indeed, only in comparison to such a conception of Christianity can Jews understand the values and concepts that their own tradition affirms. * Rabbi Elliot Dorff, American Jewish University *Michael Kogan does what Jews must do if they are to engage in a true dialogue with Christianity, namely, take Christianity seriously as an object of God's communication and affection. Dialogue is mutuality. Until now, one could claim that the Jewish-Christian conversation was only a prolegomenon to dialogue. Now it enters into an authentic dialogue. * Leonard Swidler, Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue, Temple University *Are Jews anonymous Christians? Are Christians anonymous Jews, co-witnesses of the God of Israel among the Gentiles? With an intimate knowledge of both of these communities, Michael Kogan answers Yes and No to both ideas. He represents these two religions as standing on the edge of grasping the implications of encountering the absolute and incomprehensible Holy Mystery revealed to each. Each community has been addressed by, has responded to, and thus is constituted by the same faithful presence, or Word, or love of God. This book cuts through the phony complexity of theological mystification and opens up the exhilarating simplicity of the choice offered to each community: to recognize the other as kin, to appreciate the intimate partnership of responding to the transcendent God of power and love, and to witness together to the values of God's kingdom in this world. This is essential reading for all Jews and Christians. * Roger Haight, S. J., Union Theological Seminary *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Defining Our Terms ; 2. The Question of the Messiah ; 3. Three Jewish Theologians of Christianity ; 4. Affirming the Other's Theology: How Far Can Jews and Christians go? ; 5. The Forty Years' Peace: Christian Churches Reevaluate Judaism ; 6. Engaging Two Contemporary Theologians of the Dialogue ; 7. Into Another Intensity: Christian-Jewish Dialogue Moves Forward ; 8. Truth and Fact in Religious Narrative ; 9. Bringing the Dialogue Home ; 10. Does Politics Trump Theology? The Israeli-Palestinean Dispute Invades the Jewish-Christian Dialogue ; 11. Toward a Pluralist Theology of Judaism ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisFreedom and Creation in Three Traditions is a work of philosophical theology that brings together Jewish, Christian, and Muslim perspectives on the complex questions surrounding divine and human freedom.Trade Review"Philosophical theology is not an easy subject, but in this book Burrell manages to make it as accessible as it will ever be. He himself controls the literature and language of all three traditions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—and he appends an index of key Arabic terms used." —Journal of Ecumenical Studies"In his philosophically acute analyses, Burrell moves smoothly from tradition to tradition ... in order to show how in all three traditions one can discuss creation and freedom and why this discussion will be mutually enlightening and corrective." —The Journal of Religion"Among the most gratifying of Burrell's contributions here is his continuing insistence that we in our century take the relevant Jewish and Islamic sources and themes at least as seriously as Aquinas did in his." —Theological Studies

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