Comparative religion Books

Book SynopsisThis book presents a new examination of ethical dictum 'The Golden Rule' exploring its formulation and significance in relation to the world's major religions. The Golden Rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. This ethical dictum is a part of most of the world's religions and has been considered by numerous religious figures and philosophers over the centuries. This new collection contains specially commissioned essays which take a fresh look at this guiding principle from a comparative perspective. Participants examine the formulation and significance of the Golden Rule in the world's major religions by applying four questions to the tradition they consider: What does it say? What does it mean? How does it work? How does it matter?Freshly examining the Golden Rule in broad comparative context provides a fascinating account of its uses and meaning, and allows us to assess if, how and why it matters in human cultures and societies.Trade ReviewReview in Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol.25, no.2, 2010.Neusner, Chilton, and their colleagues maintain a focused discipline on opening the conversation, entering the exploration, and generating questions for further study. One exits a reading of The Golden Rule with an expansive awareness of how the golden Rule starts with and extends beyond concern for self-dignity, invites expansive application beyond local kith and kin, invokes anticipatory action over simple reactive reciprocity, and urges people toward honor of the other and unitive human care. -- Anglican Theological Review"After reading this collection, there can be little doubt that this powerful rule has had an enormous influence in shaping religious beliefs throughout the centuries and around the world. This study lends credence to the principle that religions have at their core certain overarching concepts that emphasize basic ethical teachings and that instruct believers to act morally and honorably." --Jewish Book World, Winter 2009 * Jewish Book World Quarterly Review *Table of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction: Parsing Reciprocity: Questions for the Golden Rule, William Scott Green (University of Miami, USA); 2. The Golden Rule in Ancient Israelite Scripture, Baruch A. Levine (New York University, USA); 3. Alternatives to the Golden Rule: Social Reciprocity and Altruism in Early Archaic Greece, Carolyn Dewald (Bard College, USA); 4. The Golden Rule in Graeco-Roman Religion and Philosophy, Robert Berchman (Dowling College, USA). 5. The Golden Rule in Classical Judaism, Jacob Neusner (Bard College, USA); 6. The Golden Rule in Zoroastrianism, Mahnaz Moazami (Columbia University, USA); 7. The Golden Rule in Earliest Christianity, Bruce D. Chilton (Bard College, USA); 8. The Golden Rule as the Law of Nature, from Origen to Martin Luther, Olivier du Roy (French National Center for Scientific Research, Paris); 9. The Golden Rule in Islam, Emil Homerin (University of Rochester, USA); 10. The Golden Rule in Buddhism [I], Kristen Scheible (Bard College, USA); 11. The Golden Rule in Buddhism [II], Charles Hallisey (University of Wisconsin, USA); 12. A Hindu Golden Rule in Context, Richard Davis (Bard College, USA); 13. The Golden Rule in Confucianism, Mark A. Csikszentmihalyi (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA); 14. Conclusion, William Scott Green (University of Miami, USA).

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that two conflicting styles of nationalist imagination led to the violent rending of Cyprus in 1974 and sustained that division over decades. Based on research in both southern and northern Cyprus, the work demonstrates how the conflict emerged through the Cypriot's encounters with modernity under British colonialism, and through a consequent re-imagining of the body politic in a new world in which Cypriots were defined as part of a European periphery. Rebecca Bryant demonstrates how Muslims and Christians were transformed into Turks and Greeks, and what it meant epistemologically, ontollogically and politically when they were.Trade Review'A timely and welcome contribution.' - Middle Eastern Studies

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Book SynopsisIs what, or whether, one believes the significant religious question? Although the religious communities differ in belief, how much do they really differ in faith? Do two people who assert a particular statement of belief necessarily share the same faith? Written by a highly respected scholar in the field of comparative religion, these issues are directly addressed in this investigation of the personal quality of faith, and its relationship to the concept of belief.Table of ContentsThe Buddhist instance - faith as atheist?; the Islamic instance - faith as theocentric; a Hindu contribution - Sraddha; "Credo" and the Roman Catholic church - baptism, St. Thomas Aquinas, Vatican I, the 20th century, Varia; the English word "believe"; conclusion - faith as generically human, belief and understanding, the intellectual dimension of faith.

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Book SynopsisToday the concept of "believing" is generally considered to be of central significance to one's faith. Smith traces the history of "believing" through a discussion of religious belief from a modern philosophical and linguistic perspective; an assessment of the history of the words "belief" and "believe"; as well as through the study of biblical passages. Smith's comprehensive enquiry reveals that this emphasis on its importance is a relatively modern phenomenon.Table of ContentsI. The Meaning of Religious Statements: Comments on a Debate. II. The Modern History of "Believing": The Drfit Away from Faith III. The Bible: Belief as Non-Scriptural Notes and References General Index Index of Biblical Passages Index of Some Significant Hebrew and Greek Terms.

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Book SynopsisCovering all the major religious traditions, from Christianity to Confucianism, this authoritative text presents all the understanding, comparative analysis, and philosophical insight necessary for an informed understanding of the meaning of life in the different world faiths.

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Book SynopsisEdited by two of the most prominent names in interfaith dialogue, this is an introduction to the complex relationships between Christianity and the other world faiths. Featuring essays from some of the key thinkers in the Christian faith. It covers both Catholic and Protestant approaches, and features all the rival points of view, including the uncompromising absolutism of Karl Barth and Pope John Paul II, the more ecumenical approaches of Karl Rahner and Hans Kung, and the religious pluralism of Wilfred Cantwell Smith and John Hick, among others.Table of ContentsKarl Barth - The Revelation of God as the Abolition of Religion. Karl Rahner - Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions. Vatican II - Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions. Wilfred Cantwell Smith - The Christian in a Religiously Plural World. Aloysius Pieris - The Place of Non-Christian Religions and Cultures in the Evolution of Third World Theology; Leslie Newbigin - The Christian Faith and the World Religions. Hans K ng - Is There One True Religion? An Essay in Establishing Ecumenical Criteria. Paul Knitter Christian Theology of Liberation and Interfaith Dialogue. John Hick - The Theological Challenge of Religious Pluralism. J rgen Moltmann - Dialogue or Mission?; Christianity and the Religions in an Endangered World. Pope John Paul II - Address of the Holy Father to the Congregation or the Doctrine of the Faith, together with extracts from that Congregation's "Dominus Jesus" - On the Unity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church.

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Book SynopsisThis volume outlines the approaches to human rights and responsibilities within the different world religions. Featuring contributions from over 15 scholars, the book covers such key issues as women's rights, the role of international law, and responsibility for the environment. It also includes a "Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions", presented at the third Parliament of the World Religions.Trade Review"an important contribution in many fields." * Studies in Religion *"a stimulus to debate about how to reach a universal view of human rights and responsibilites." * Epworth Review *"Ward's insights and hopes offer a stimulating antidote to the bad press that religion widely (and, sadly, too often deservedly) suffers from at present." * Epworth Review *"This is a brilliant collection on a very important theme. Buy now!" * Expository Times *"an important contribution to an unavoidable debate" * British Journal of Religious Education *

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Book Synopsis

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