Comparative religion Books

Book SynopsisThis book offers a philosophical approach to religion that acknowledges both the diversity of religions and the many and varied dimensions of the religious life. Rather than restricting itself to Christian theism, it covers a wide range of religious traditions, examining their beliefs in the context of the actual practice of the religious life. After outlining the aims of religion, the book focuses on claims to knowledge. What kinds of knowledge do religions purport to offer? In what idiom is it couched? From what sources do devotees draw their claims to knowledge? Are these sources reliable? Rather than trying to settle age-old questions about religious belief, the book offers its readers a set of criteria with which they can make informed decisions in matters of faith.Trade Review“This book is all about that philosophy and the knowledge behind religion. … This book is a good book on basic religious philosophy. While not dealing with any one particular religion, it finds basic principles on what makes a religion.” (Justin Dilliplane, Resolved for Christ, resolvedfc.blogspot.de, January, 2018)Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION.- 1. Religions, Philosophy, and Knowledge.- Part One: Religious Language and Thought.- 2. Religious Language.- 3. Modes of Thought.- 4. Theology / Dharmatology.- PART TWO: THE AIMS OF RELIGION.- 5. A Sacred Order.- 6. Individual Salvation.- 7. Knowledge and Skill.- 8. Embodied Knowledge.- PART THREE: MODES OF KNOWING.- MODE 1: INDICES, SYMBOLS, ICONS.- 9. Divination.- 10. Dreams and Visions.- MODE 2: KNOWLEDGE BY ACQUAINTANCE.- 11. Mysticism and Knowledge.- 12. Testing Mystical Knowledge.- 13. Self-Authentication.- MODE 3: DISCURSIVE REASON.- 14. Ontological Arguments.- 15. Cosmological Arguments.- 16. Teleological (Design) Arguments.- 17. The Role of Reason.- MODE 4: TESTIMONY (AUTHORITY).- 18. Possession and Prophecy.- 19. Revelation and Faith.- 20. Self-Authentication, Again.- Conclusion.- 21. Assessing Religious Beliefs.

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Trade Review'Elle nous donne, en tout cas, sur le site un bon dossier archéologique.' Robert Turcan, Revue des Études Anciennes, 1980.

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Book SynopsisThis volume, in honour of Professor Elena Lourie, focuses on various areas of interaction between Jews, Muslims and Christians in the late medieval Crown of Aragon and its environs. The articles deal with topics such as war, military campaigns, government, politics, and economics, relations between scholars of the different faiths and their sources, sexual relations and the politics of conversion, mythology and music. Other articles touch on issues such as vassalage, mercenaries, fiscal politics, communal politics and the inquisition. This book presents a mosaic of studies written by three generations of scholars who, using a broad variety of sources and methodologies, examine areas of great interest to Elena Lourie.Table of ContentsAbbreviations .. ix Part One: Introduction Crusade, Colonisation and Dancing Rabbis: In and Around the Work of E. Lourie .. 3 Harvey J. Hames Part Two: Politics, War And Law The Royal Accounts of the Crown of Aragon .. 15 Jocelyn N. Hillgarth The Crusade against Murcia: Provisioning the Armies of James the Conqueror, 1264–1267 .. 35 Robert I. Burns A Society Organized for War? Córdoba in the Time of Ferdinand and Isabella .. 75 John Edwards “Nam iudei servi regis sunt, et semper fisco regio deputati”: The Jews in the Municipal Fuero of Teruel (1176–7) .. 97 David Abulafia Part Three: Minority And Majority Interaction Love Between Muslim and Jew in Medieval Spain: A Triangular Affair .. 127 David Nirenberg “My Master, the Jew”: Observations on Interfaith Scholarly Interaction in the Middle Ages .. 157 Thomas F. Glick “Vassal and Friend”. Strategies of Mudejar Submission and Resistance to Christian Power in Castile .. 183 Ana Echevarria The Islamic “Beautiful Names of God” and the Lullian Art .. 197 Charles Lohr A Song and Dance: Transcultural Practices of Daily Life in Medieval Spain .. 207 Eleazar Gutwirth The Myth of Troy and Hercules as Reflected in the Writings of some Jewish Exiles from Spain .. 229 Ram Ben Shalom Part Four: Case Studies Mahomet Abenadalill: A Muslim Mercenary in the Service of the Kings of Aragon (1290–1291) .. 257 Brian A. Catlos Revisiting the Wax-Press Affair in Morvedre (1326–1327): Jewish Fiscal Politics in the Kingdom of Valencia .. 303 Mark D. Meyerson Solomon Anagni, Perpuntero of the King of Aragon and Deputy Merino of Saragossa (XIV Century) .. 321 Asuncíon Blasco Martínez An Inquisitorial Process against the Judiasing Juan del Escuela (1491–1492) .. 349 Carlos Carrete Parrondo Index .. 355

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Book SynopsisFreemasonry is the largest, oldest, and most influential secret society in the world. The Brill Handbook of Freemasonry is a pioneering work that brings together, for the first time, leading scholars on Freemasonry. The first section covers historical perspectives, such as the origins and early history of Freemasonry. The second deals with the relationship between Freemasonry and specific religious traditions such as the Catholic Church, Judaism, and Islam. In the third section, organisational themes, such as the use of rituals, are explored, while the fourth section deals with issues related to society and politics - women, blacks, colonialism, nationalism, and war. The fifth and final section is devoted to Freemasonry and culture, including music, literature, modern art, architecture and material culture.Trade Review"The Handbook of Freemasonry is a formidable and provocative collection of the thoughts of many of the most accomplished scholars of Freemasonry in Europe and America. Anyone involved in serious Masonic research will find it to be a valuable resource." Shawn Eyer, FPS, Philalethes, Summer 2014 "At 669 pages, meticulously indexed, and boasting detailed bibliographies at the end of each chapter, the Handbook of Freemasonry functions as a valuable and insightful compendium of a remarkable quantity of knowledge about an often misunderstood and yet strangely ubiquitous initiatory society. Those looking for a detailed study or help in inspiring their own research on Freemasonry would do well to tackle the Handbook." Nathan Schradle, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Nova Religio, Vol. 20, No. 2 "To sum up, the volume contributes significantly to the understanding of Freemasonry with its diverse entries and points of focus. The Handbook of Freemasonry likely qualifies as the most significant work to have been published on Freemasonry in recent years, and will be a source of great importance for years to come, both in terms of its theoretical developments and as a reliable source for consultation." Peter Olsson, Correspondence 4 (2016).Table of ContentsCONTENTS Acknowledgements List of Contributors List of Illustrations Chapter 1: Introduction Henrik Bogdan and Jan Snoek PART I HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES Chapter 2: The History of Freemasonry: An Overview Jan Snoek and Henrik Bogdan Chapter 3: The Old Charges Andrew Prescott Chapter 4: The Origins of Freemasonry: Scotland David Stevenson Chapter 5: The Origins of Freemasonry: England Matthew Scanlan Chapter 6: Freemasonry and Templarism Pierre Mollier Chapter 7: Freemasonry and the Enlightenment Margaret Jacob and Matthew Crow Chapter 8: Masonic Historiography Charles Porset PART II FREEMASONRY AND RELIGION Chapter 9: Freemasonry and the Catholic Church José A. Ferrer Benimeli Chapter 10: Freemasonry and the Orthodox Churches Jean-François Var Chapter 11: Freemasonry and Protestant Churches Guy Liagre Chapter 12: Freemasonry and Judaism Robert Jan van Pelt Chapter 13: Freemasonry and Islam Thierry Zarconne Chapter 14: Freemasonry and Eastern Religions Jessica Harland-Jacobs and Jan Snoek Chapter 15: Freemasonry and Western Esotericism Henrik Bogdan Chapter 16: Freemasonry and New Religious Movements Massimo Introvigne PART III RITUAL, ORGANISATION, AND DIFFUSION Chapter 17: Masonic Rituals of Initiation Jan Snoek Chapter 18: Freemasonry and Performance Kristiane Hasselmann Chapter 19: Masonic Rites and Systems Arturo De Hoyos Chapter 20: Relationships between Grand Lodges Jan Snoek Chapter 21: Freemasonry and Friendly Societies Daniel Weinbren PART IV FREEMASONRY, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS Chapter 22: Freemasonry and Women Jan Snoek Chapter 23: Freemasonry and Blacks Cecile Révauger Chapter 24: Freemasonry and Colonialism Jessica Harland-Jacobs Chapter 25: Freemasonry and Nationalism Jeffrey Tyssens Chapter 26: Freemasonry and War François Rognon PART V FREEMASONRY AND CULTURE Chapter 27: Freemasonry and Music Malcolm Davies Chapter 28: Freemasonry and Literature R.A. Gilbert Chapter 29: Freemasonry and Modern Art Marijo Ariens-Volker Chapter 30: Freemasonry and Architecture James Stevens Curl Chapter 31: The Material Culture of Freemasonry Mark J.R. Dennis

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Book SynopsisFew religious currents have been as influential as the Theosophical. Yet few currents have been so under-researched, and the Brill Handbook of the Theosophical Current thus represents pioneering research. A first section surveys the main people and events involved in the Theosophical Society from its inception to today, and outlines the Theosophical worldview. A second, substantial section covers most significant religions to emerge in the wake of the Theosophical Society - Anthroposophy, the Point Loma community, the I AM religious activity, the Summit Lighthouse Movement, the New Age, theosophical UFO religions, and numerous others. Finally, the interaction of the Theosophical current with contemporary culture - including gender relations, art, popular fiction, historiography, and science - are discussed at length.Trade Review"The Handbook is an indispensable addition to the growing body of scholarship on Theosophy. It provides enough range and diversity to appeal to readers’ curiosity about the movement’s history, institutions, and leaders." Gauri Viswanathan, Columbia University, Journal of Religion in Europe, Vol. 8 "This volume is a valuable contribution to the study of the Theosophical Society and its influence not only for its clear and organised presentation of existing research but the platform it creates for ongoing and future work in this large and complex area." Collin Duggan, Aigne, 2014 "This wide-ranging scholarly overview of the modern Theosophical movement, or rather movements, is a welcome addition to literature on that influential, but somewhat understudied, current of spirituality." Robert Ellwood, University of Southern California, Nova Religio, Vol. 17, No. 3 "It is a collection of contributions which provide reliable information on important aspects of theosophy. In this perspective, the book is highly valuable and a starting point for every further research." Helmut Zander, Universität Fribourg, H-Soz-u-Kult (2014) "The book has comprehensive references and a good index. It will provide the student with an accurate overview of the Theosophical movement, through both its past and present currents. It may also stimulate further investigation of the influences of Blavatsky and her followers in the development of a number of manifestations of contemporary spirituality" Kevin Tingay, Bath Spa University, UK,Journal of Contemporary Religion 29:1 "This volume is important for collections on new religions, esotericism, and culture." Erin Prophet, Rice University, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 41, No. 1 "The fact of the book’s cohesion, compounded with the remarkably high quality of the component essays, makes the Handbook of the Theosophical Current required reading for any scholar whose work touches at all on the Theosophical Society, its dominant current, or the myriad of related organizations and movements which emerged in its wake (...) As is typical of books in the Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion series, the volume is handsomely produced, with high quality binding and paper, resulting in a book which should easily withstand either the rigors of library ownership, or the heavy reference use of an individual owner." Christopher A. Plaisance, Correspondence Vol. 4 (2016).

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Book SynopsisReligion and Secularity traces the history of the conceptual binary of religion and secularity in Europe and the repercussions it had in other regions and cultures of the Eurasian continent during the age of imperialism and beyond. Twelve authors from a wide range of disciplines, deal in their contributions with the trajectory, the concepts of „religion“ and „secularity/secularization“ took, as well as with the corresponding re-configurations of the religious field in a variety of cultures in Europe, the Near and Middle East, South Asia and East Asia. Taken together, these in-depth studies provide a broad comparative perspective on a penomenon that has been crucial for the development of globalized modernity and its regional interpretations.Trade Review"The book certainly demonstrates how weak the arguments are of those who see concepts such as ‘religion’ and the ‘secular’ simply as Western constructions imposed on other cultures. It also, importantly, shows that secularism was not necessarily seen by proponents as something ‘anti-religious’ so much as it served as a means of protecting religions." Ian Reader, Lancaster University, Journal of Religion in Europe, Vol. 8 "This volume of case studies is a rich contribution to the discussion of religion and secularity, and it reminds us of the importance of steering away from universalizing our thinking regarding the process of secularization." Courtney Bruntz, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Religion, 45:1 "The book presents a wide range of empirical studies, with geographical and historical variability, aiming successfully at clarifying concepts and their fluctuating meanings." Carolina Ivanescu, Amsterdam, Comparative Sociology, Vol. 15 "The editors of this useful and readable volume intend to furnish an ongoing debate on secularization with “historical and semantic reference points.” Barbara Hendrischke, University of Sydney, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 40, No. 1

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Book SynopsisExploration, trade and conquest expanded and upset traditional worldviews of early modern Europeans. Christians saw themselves confronted with a largely heathen world. In the wake of Iberian colonization, Jesuits successfully christianized heathen populations overseas. In his De conversione Indorum et gentilium, Johannes Hoornbeeck presents a systematic overview of every aspect of the missionary imperative from a Reformed Protestant perspective. The most attractive part of his book may be the global survey it offers of the various types of heathens, an early example of comparative religion. Of equal interest, however, is his critical approach to mission. Hoornbeeck rejects ecclesiastical hierarchy and top-down imposition of Christianity. In this he is perfectly orthodox, and at the same time startlingly original and a harbinger of modern missions. His practical recommendations offer a flexible framework for missionaries, to fit a wide variety of circumstances.Trade Review“In all respects, this is an excellent academic book that lives up to standards and expectations carried by Brill’s Studies in intellectual history.” Dolf Britz, University of the Free State. In: Acta Theologica, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 218–221. “This is a welcome critical translation of an important work that reflected the desire of many within the Reformed camp to spread the Christian message throughout the world. Each chapter contains a helpful summary by the editors. Impressive notes and an index make the volume more accessible.” Martin I. Klauber, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. In: Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 74, No. 2 (Summer 2021), pp. 669–670. "The many footnotes containing explicative material and clear references to the sources to which Hoornbeeck refers and a similar bibliography and index increase the importance of this very well-kept and valuable edition." (translated from Dutch) Jaap Geraerts, Leibniz-Institut für Europäische Geschichte (IEG). In: Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis, Vol. 132, No. 3 (2019), pp. 515–517. "De vele voetnoten met daarin zowel explicatief materiaal als duidelijke verwijzingen naar de bronnen waaraan Hoornbeeck refereert en een de-gelijke bibliografie en index vergroten het wetenschappelijke belang van deze zeer verzorgde en waardevolle editie." Jaap Geraerts, Leibniz-Institut für Europäische Geschichte (IEG). In: Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis, Vol. 132, No. 3 (2019), pp. 515–517.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Figures Introduction To the Reader (by Hoornbeeck) First Book about the Conversion of the Indians and Heathens Book I, Chapter 1, Reason for the work and its division into parts Book I, Chapter 2, About both of the indies, their first discovery and the Dutch Indian Company Book I, Chapter 3, Heathenism (Gentilismus). About its name and that of the pagans. What is heathenism? The origin of idol-worship Book I, Chapter 4, The heathenism of the ancients. First that of the Chaldeans and the Sabaeans. Many of the laws of Moses can be explained from rites that are their opposite. From these derive also the names of the days, named after the planets, and the first idol-worship of the stars. The idol-worship of the Egyptians. The progress of the idols, from the stars to the things under the heavens, finally to people and animals. The Greeks and Romans. Finally, the Germans Book I, Chapter 5, The present heathenism of Africans and Asians. Former and present Brahmans of the Indians. The people of Gujarat. The religion of the people in the kingdom of the Deccan, in Malabar, Narsinga, Ceylon, Pegu, Etc. Book I, Chapter 6, The Chinese, Formosans, and Koreans Book I, Chapter 7, The Japanese Book I, Chapter 8, The Tatars Book I, Chapter 9, The American Lapps, first about their land, then about their religion Second Book about the Conversion of the Indians and Heathens Book II, Chapter 1, The Greek and Roman Church Fathers who wrote against the heathens Book II, Chapter 2, More recent and modern authors of works against the heathens Book II, Chapter 3, The Sibylline Books, their author and the Poemander of Hermes Trismegistus Book II, Chapter 4, About God, that he exists, that he is One and also how and who he is Book II, Chapter 5, The world, how it was created and how it is governed Book II, Chapter 6, About man, immortality and the state of the soul after death, and the resurrection of the dead Book II, Chapter 7, The sins of the Indians and heathens with respect to the worship of God Book II, Chapter 8, The sins of the Indians and heathens against a decent way of life, in particular against the sixth and seventh commandments Book II, Chapter 9, How to convince people of the Christian religion and, in particular, of the divinity of the Scripture Book II, Chapter 10, The authority of Christ and the apostles and the truth of the Christian religion Book II, Chapter 11, Where it is taught that the conversion of the heathens also pertains to us Book II, Chapter 12, How to convert the heathens and what is to be taken care of and performed by churches, universities and politicians Book II, Chapter 13, Where it is shown what kind of clergymen should be sent Book II, Chapter 14, Where we show the manner and the means to be used by ministers to advance the work of conversion, negative and positive examples Book II, Chapter 15 and last, where the example of the conversion of the Indians and heathens in America by the Reformed and pious Englishmen is presented for imitation Disputations in Johannes Hoornbeeck, De Conversione Indorum et gentilium, disquisitiones institutae in Academiae Lugduno-Batava, Leiden, Elzevier, 1664 Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDoes religiosity diminish democratic economic and civil tendencies? Do Islamic traditions provoke more hostility to democratic values in comparison to other religious traditions? In Religion, Religiosity, and Democratic Values, Abbas Mehregan undertakes an empirical examination of the effects of individual religiosity, historical religion, institutional democracy, and socioeconomic development on attitudes towards free market economics and confidence in traditional, modern, and post-modern civil society organizations. Using multilevel analysis, Mehregan compares 60 Islamic, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and folk-religion societies in these regards. Furthermore, in addition to an empirical comparison of Sunni and Shia Islamic countries, a theoretical investigation of the relationship between Islam and democratic economic and civil values provides a comprehensive insight into the topic.Trade Review"The book contains many other remarkable findings that make its reading worthwhile to academics, researchers, students, socio-economic and political commentators, as well as the non-academic public, who are interested in the relationship between religion, and Islam in particular, and democratic values." Mohammad Reza Bayat, University of Tehran, Review of Religious Research 58 (2016)

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Book SynopsisGlobalized Religion and Sexual Identity reflects on the ways religion, gender and sexual identity are framed and regulated in multiple spheres across the globe. Controversies in the public arena regarding religion and sexual identity often construct these categories as inherently oppositional or already in conflict. As state policies regarding sexuality and sexual diversity develop, promoting inclusivity and non-discrimination, it is imperative to develop a more nuanced discussion regarding the relationship of religion/ideology to sexual diversity and sexuality. The goal of this volume is to explore religion and sexual identity from a range of countries across the globe, focusing on the theme of religious/ideological voices in state policies, such as same-sex marriage, identification, and education.Trade Review"As socio-cultural constructions, religion and sexuality — as well as their intersections — should be studied in their specific contextual configurations. That precise challenge is taken up in this volume. Fourteen chapters describe such intersections in different contexts. [...] As this overview suggests, this book has a lot to offer with respect to current debates on religion and sexual diversity." R.R. Ganzevoort, VU University, in Journal of Empirical Theology 28 (2015), 144-145.

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Book SynopsisReligion can play a dual role with regard to conflict. It can promote either violence or peace. Religion and Conflict Attribution seeks to clarify the causes of religious conflict as perceived by Christian, Muslim and Hindu college students in Tamil Nadu, India. These students in varying degrees attribute conflict to force-driven causes, namely to coercive power as a means of achieving the economic, political or socio-cultural goals of religious groups. The study reveals how force-driven religious conflict is influenced by prescriptive beliefs like religious practice and mystical experience, and descriptive beliefs such as the interpretation of religious plurality and religiocentrism. It also elaborates on the practical consequences of the salient findings for the educational process.

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Book SynopsisIn contrast with the growing belief in society that traditional religious institutions are losing credibility, there has been renewed interest in monasteries going beyond what is strictly defined as religious. There are, for example, increasingly numerous requests for cooking and gardening courses as well as guided tours in monasteries, the appeal of monastic products and media interest in the subject. In parallel with a strong crisis in its recruitment, monasticism in the Western world is experiencing a period of innovation and experiments accompanied by unexpected popularity, as is evidenced by numerous films and publications. We hope that this book will deepen the understanding of the specificity of monastic life in the in the contemporary world, in a religious area, and from a sociological point of view.Trade Review"This reader is an interesting document, with a specific focus on the widespread but underestimated social phenomenon of prayer, and the role it may play in different societies. The volume contributes to a broader empirical and theoretical understanding of prayer in a societal context." – Wim Vandewiele, University of Leuven / University of Antwerp / IKKS, in: Journal of Empirical Theology 28 (2015), 150-151Table of ContentsContents: List of Contributors Introduction: The State of the Art in the Sociology of Monasticism xiii Part 1: Catholic Monasticism 1 Monastic Asceticism and Everyday Life - Salvatore Abbruzzese 2 Virtuosity, “Folklorisation” and Cultural Protest: Monasticism as a Laboratory of the Confrontation between Christianity and Modernity - Danièle Hervieu-Léger 3 Female Monasticism in Italy: A Sociological Investigation - Giovanni Dalpiaz 4 Ethnography of Cloistered Life: Field Work into Silence - Francesca Sbardella 5 Redefinition of the Role of Monks in Modern Society: Economy as Monastic Opportunity - Isabelle Jonveaux 6 An Innovative Return to Tradition: Catholic Monasticism Redux - Stefania Palmisano 7 New Spirituality in Old Monasteries? - Kees De Groot, Jos Pieper and Willem Putman Part 2: Ex Oriente lux: Other forms of Monasticism 8 Athos Outside of Athos: Orthodox Monasticism in the West - Laurent Denizeau 9 Spiritual Direction in Orthodox Monasticism: The Elder Beyond Weber’s Theory of Charisma - Maria Hämmerli 10 A National Monasticism? Monastic Politics of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Syria - Anna Poujeau 11 Contemplative Spirituality and the Intermonastic Encounter Movement - Timon Reichl 12 Experiencing the Liminal: Understanding Separation and Transition among Buddhist Monastic Women in Contemporary Britain - Caroline Starkey 13 A Space of Mountains within a Forest of Buildings? Urban Buddhist Monasteries in Contemporary Korea - Florence Galmiche Part 3 Methodology and Classical Authors of the Sociology of Monasticism 14 Studying Contemporary Monasticism in Italy: An Anthropological and Historical Perspective - Maria Chiara Giorda, Javier González Díez, Sara Hejazi 15 Monasticism and Society in Max Weber and Ernst Troeltsch - Paul-André Turcotte 16 Séguy and the Monastic Utopia - Enzo Pace 17 A Sociology of Imagined Societies: Monasticism and Utopia - Jean Séguy Index

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Book SynopsisSpace and Conversion in Global Perspective examines experiences of conversion as they intersect with physical location, mobility, and interiority. The volume’s innovative approach is global and encompasses multiple religious traditions. Conversion emerges as a powerful force in early modern globalization. In thirteen essays, the book ranges from the urban settings of Granada and Cuzco to mission stations in Latin America and South India; from villages in Ottoman Palestine and Middle-Volga Russia to Italian hospitals and city squares; and from Atlantic slave ships to the inner life of a Muslim turned Jesuit. Drawing on extensive archival and iconographic materials, this collection invites scholars to rethink conversion in light of the spatial turn. Contributors are: Paolo Aranha, Emanuele Colombo, Irene Fosi, Mercedes García-Arenal, Agnieszka Jagodzińska, Aliocha Maldavsky, Giuseppe Marcocci, Susana Bastos Mateus, Adriano Prosperi, Gabriela Ramos, Rocco Sacconaghi, Felicita Tramontana, Guillermo Wilde, and Oxana Zemtsova.Trade Review"The editors are to be congratulated for bringing together a truly global range of perspectives and insights to stimulate what is still a new and vital field." – Simon Ditchfield, University of York, in: Journal of Jesuit Studies 2/3 (2015), pp. 493-499 [DOI: 10.1163/22141332-00203005-07]Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Notes on the Editors Notes on the Contributors List of Illustrations Introduction: Space, Conversion, and Global History GIUSEPPE MARCOCCI, WIETSE DE BOER, ALIOCHA MALDAVSKY, ILARIA PAVAN PART ONE: CITY AND COUNTRY Granada as a New Jerusalem: The Conversion of a City MERCEDES GARCÍA-ARENAL Conversion on the Scaffold: Italian Practices in European Context ADRIANO PROSPERI The Incas of Cuzco and the Transformation of Sacred Space under Spanish Colonial Rule GABRIELA RAMOS The Spread of Catholicism in Seventeenth-Century Palestinian Villages FELICITA TRAMONTANA Christian Missionaries and Jewish Spaces: British Missions in the Kingdom of Poland in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century AGNIESZKA JAGODZIŃSKA PART TWO: SEGREGATION AND PERMEABILITY The Citadel of the Lost Souls: Spaces of Orthodoxy and Penance in Sixteenth-Century Lisbon SUSANA BASTOS MATEUS The Hospital as a Space of Conversion: Roman Examples from the Seventeenth Century IRENE FOSI The Political Dimension of Space-Time Categories in the Jesuit Missions of Paraguay (Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries) GUILLERMO WILDE The Social and Physical Spaces of the Malabar Rites Controversy PAOLO ARANHA PART THREE: DISTANCE AND MOBILITY Saltwater Conversion: Trans-Oceanic Sailing and Religious Transformation in the Iberian World GIUSEPPE MARCOCCI Giving for the Mission: The encomenderos and Christian Space in the Late Sixteenth-Century Andes ALIOCHA MALDAVSKY Telling the Untellable: The Geography of Conversion of a Muslim Jesuit EMANUELE COLOMBO AND ROCCO SACCONAGHI Confessional Rivals: Conversions and Apostasies in the Middle-Volga Region of the Russian Empire (Nineteenth Century) OXANA ZEMTSOVA   Index

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Book SynopsisIn Esotericism in African American Religious Experience: “There is a Mystery” …, Stephen C. Finley, Margarita Simon Guillory, and Hugh R. Page, Jr. assemble twenty groundbreaking essays that provide a rationale and parameters for Africana Esoteric Studies (AES): a new trans-disciplinary enterprise focused on the investigation of esoteric lore and practices in Africa and the African Diaspora. The goals of this new field — while akin to those of Religious Studies, Africana Studies, and Western Esoteric Studies — are focused on the impulses that give rise to Africana Esoteric Traditions (AETs) and the ways in which they can be understood as loci where issues such as race, ethnicity, and identity are engaged; and in which identity, embodiment, resistance, and meaning are negotiated.Trade Review"Overall, the book is well worth the read. For one, its transdisciplinary nature makes it appealing to scholars in the fields of visual and performing arts, history, anthropology, religious studies, African American studies, and business. Moreover, while it does not quite succeed in decentering Christianity, it certainly shows the importance of esoteric traditions alongside and within the religion. Perhaps most importantly, it refuses to reduce the African American experience to a simple narrative of the struggle for political equality. On the contrary, it enriches the realm of scholarly interpretation by persuasively arguing that secrets can drive culture and religion just as well as politics." Jeffrey E. Anderson, University of Louisiana Monroe, Nova Religio, Vol. 20, No. 4Table of ContentsCONTENTS Foreword Jeffrey J. Kripal Preface Introduction: Africana Esoteric Studies: Mapping a New Endeavor Stephen C. Finley, Margarita Simon Guillory, and Hugh R. Page, Jr. Part I: (Pre-) 19th Century 1 Esoteric Writing of Vodou: Grimoires, Sigils, and the Houngan’s Notebook Yvonne Chireau and Bon Mambo Vye Zo Kommande 2 Paschal Beverly Randolph in the African American Community Lana Finley 3 The Self Divine: Know Ye Not that Ye are Gods? Darnise C. Martin Part II: Early to Mid 20th Century 4 Working Roots and Conjuring Traditions: Relocating ‘Cults and Sects’ in African American Religious History Elizabeth Perez 5 Spiritual is Universal: Development of Black Spiritualist Churches Mary Ann Clark 6 The Harlem Renaissance as Esotericism: Black Oragean Modernism Jon Woodson 7 Mathematical Theology: Numerology in the Religious Thought of Tynnetta Muhammad and Louis Farrakhan Stephen C. Finley 8 On the Knowledge of Self and Others: Secrecy, Concealment, and Revelation in Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam (1934-1975) Justine Bakker 9 Post-Imperial Appropriation of Text, Tradition, and Ritual in the Writings of Henri Gamache Hugh R. Page, Jr. 10 Mystery Matters: Embodiment and African American Mystics Chad Pevateaux 11 Show and Prove: Five Percenters and the Study of African American Esotericism Biko Mandela Gray 12 The “Nu” Nation: An Analysis of Malachi Z. York’s Nuwaubians Paul Easterling 13 Sacred Not Secret: Esoteric Knowledge in the United Nuwanbian Nation of Moors Julius Bailey Part III: Late 20th Century to Present-day 14 Astro-Black Mythology Marques Redd 15 Conjurational Contraptions: Techno-hermeneutics, Mechanical Wizardry, and the Material Culture of African American Folk Magic Stephen Wehmeyer 16 Portraying Portraits: The Intersectionality of Self, Art, and the Lacanian Gaze in the Nahziryah Monastic Community Margarita Simon Guillory and Aundrea Matthews 17 Those Mysteries, Our Mysteries: Ishmael Reed and the Construction of a Black Esoteric Tradition Marques Redd 18 Rocking’ for a Risen Savior: Bakongo and Christian Iconicity in the Louisiana Easter Rock Ritual Joyce Marie Jackson 19 Pole Dancing for Jesus: Negotiating Movement and Gender in Men’s Musical Praise Alisha Lola Jones 20 Wonder Working Power: Reclaiming Mystical and Cosmological Approaches to Africana Spiritual Practices Barbara A. Holmes Conclusion: The Continuing Quest to Map Secrecy, Concealment, and Revelatory Experiences in Africana Esoteric Discourse: “There Is a Mystery…” Stephen C. Finley, Margarita Simon Guillory, and Hugh R. Page, Jr. Afterword Anthony B. Pinn Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis volume explores the religious transformation of each nation in modern Asia. When the Asian people, who were not only diverse in culture and history, but also active in performing local traditions and religions, experienced a socio-political change under the wave of Western colonialism, the religious climate was also altered from a transnational perspective. Part One explores the nationals of China (Taiwan), Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan, focusing on the manifestations of Japanese religion, Chinese foreign policy, the British educational system in Hong Kong in relation to Tibetan Buddhism, the Korean women of Catholicism, and the Scottish impact in late nineteenth century Korea. Part Two approaches South Asia through the topics of astrology, the works of a Gujarātī saint, and Himalayan Buddhism. The third part is focused on the conflicts between ‘indigenous religions and colonialism,’ ‘Buddhism and Christianity,’ ‘Islam and imperialism,’ and ‘Hinduism and Christianity’ in Southeast Asia.Trade ReviewBy directing attention to the study of religions in Asia, David Kim’s Religious Transformation in Modern Asia goes some distance towards redressing the imbalance in Religious Studies, which, even in the study of the major religions of Asia, has favoured approaches that reflect topics of primary concern to students of religion in the West. This collection of essays written by experts in Northeast, South and Southeast Asia offers a rare insight into themes and issues that confront both practitioners as insiders as well as academics and informed outsiders. As such, it promises to contribute to the understanding of the study of religions in Asia, both historically and in contemporary settings, while at the same time offering important theoretical advances in the academic study of religions generally. - James L.Cox, Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, University of Edinburgh.

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Book SynopsisIssues in Religion and Education, Whose Religion? is a contribution to the dynamic and evolving global debates about the role of religion in public education. This volume provides a cross-section of the debates over religion, its role in public education and the theoretical and political conundrums associated with resolutions. The chapters reflect the contested nature of the role of religion in public education around the world and explore some of the issues mentioned from perspectives reflecting the diverse contexts in which the authors are situated. The differences among the chapters reflect some of the particular ways in which various jurisdictions have come to see the problem and how they have addressed religious diversity in public education in the context of their own histories and politics.

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Book SynopsisIn Psychology of Religion in Turkey, senior and emerging Turkish scholars present critical conceptual analyses and empirical studies devoted to psychology of religion in Turkey. Part 1 consists of articles placing the psychology of religion in the historical context of an ancient culture undergoing modernization and secularization and articles devoted to conceptual themes suggesting the uniqueness of Islam among the great faith traditions. Part 2 is devoted to empirical studies of religion in the Turkish-Islamic includuing studies focused on the religious life of Turkish youth, popular religiosity, spirituality, and Muslim religious development in light of Al-Ghazzali. Part 3 is devoted to several empirical studies on a variety of social outcomes of religious commitment in Turkey.

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Book SynopsisOver the past dozen years or so, an increasingly disproportionate percentage of new religions scholars have arisen in Nordic countries, which now teach at universities in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Baltic countries. Nordic New Religions, co-edited with Inga B. Tøllefsen, surveys this rich field of study in this area of the world, focusing on the scholarship being produced by scholars in this region of northern Europe.

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Book SynopsisIn The Concept of Religion Hans Schilderman edits a volume on the definition and empirical study of religion within the changing landscape of modern society. Now that we can no longer assume a simple harmony between the scientific concept of religion, church doctrine and practiced belief, issues concerning the definition and measurement of religion are becoming crucial issues to academic institutions. The contributing authors present empirical studies studying issues of lifespan and socialisation at school settings; of vocation and profession at church and hospital settings; and culture and nation of society at large. The volume offers a beautiful sample of the empirical study of religion; a conceptual and illustrative overview of the academic field for students and scholars in religion.

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Book SynopsisIn Theory of Religious Cycles: Tradition, Modernity and the Bahá’í Faith Mikhail Sergeev offers a new interpretation of the Soviet period of Russian history as a phase within the religious evolution of humankind by developing a theory of religious cycles, which he applies to modernity and to all the major world faiths of Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Sergeev argues that in the course of its evolution religion passes through six common phases—formative, orthodox, classical, reformist, critical, and post-critical. Modernity, which was started by the European Enlightenment, represents the critical phase of Christianity, a systemic crisis that could be overcome with the appearance of new religious movements such as the Bahá’í Faith, which offers a spiritual extension of the modern worldview.Trade Review"There is no doubt that Sergeev’s theory of religious cycles and his philosophical, sociological and political analysis of the evolution of religion, presents a significant scholarly value, not only in theological but also in philosophical and sociological contexts, because ... it sets the landmarks of understanding and reinterpretation of pressing problems of modern humanity." - Natalya Shelkovaya "It should be acknowledged that Mikhail Sergeev’s book is undoubtedly a profound and thorough scholarly work, based on a wide range of sources. Not only is it a valuable contribution to studies in the evolution of human religious and social consciousness, but it also outlines possible perspectives for that evolution in the future." - Youli A. Loannesyan "[T]his is an extremely important book in understand that religions change or evolve according to a precise system of phases. Sergeev has argued clearly, too, that this evolution comes not from a simplistic "decline in faith", but from a highly complex series of interactions between texts, traditions, and believers, and the forces of modernity and cultural change." - Benjamin B. Olshin, The University of the Arts "In this insightful and provocative book, Sergeev creatively takes the reader through the world religions, with a remarkable and easy-to-understand table of comparisons at the end. It shows not only his deep interest in religions but also a fair and accurate understanding of the Bahá’i Faith, which takes up a major part of this book. ... In my opinion this book provides the best bridging of religious changes I have read. It is more relevant now than any time since the Enlightenment, so is highly recommended." - Gity Banan Etemad, Temple University, Philadelphia, PATable of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword Preface Part I 1. Cycles of Religion: Theory and Application 1.1. Model of Religious Cycle 1.2. The Cycle of Judaism 1.3. The Cycle of Buddhism 1.4. The Cycle of Christianity 1.5. The Cycle of Islam 2. The Project of Modernity: Pro et Contra 2.1. Defining Modern Times 2.2. The Project of the Enlightenment 2.3. Critics of Modernity Part II 3. The Bahá’í Faith: A New Paradigm 3.1. Modernity as a Point of Departure 3.2. Traditional vs. Bahá’í Religion 3.3. The Enlightenment vs. Bahá’í Teachings 4. Principles of Bahá’í Organization 4.1. Interpretation vs. Administration 4.2. Approaches to Unity and Dissent 4.3. Conflation of Religion and State Conclusions Postscript: Theses on Modernity and the Bahá’í Faith Appendices Charts Structure of Religious cycle Religious Cycles of Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam World Religions: A Comprehensive Chart Comparative Tables Phases of Religion: A Comparative Table Sacred Scriptures and Sacred Tradition in World Religions Three Main Trends of the Enlightenment Thought Piotr Chaadaev and Two Main Ideological Trends in Modern Russia Theory of Religious Cycles vs. Classical Westernism and Slavophilism Comparative Table of New Religious Movements The Enlightenment Ideology / Soviet Marxism vs. the Bahá’í Faith Christianity vs. the Bahá’í Faith: A Doctrinal Summary Traditional Religions vs. the Enlightenment: Controversial Issues The Bahá’í Faith vs. Catholicism: Organizational Principles / Practices Religion and State: Comparative Table of Possible Bahá’í Models Timelines Timeline of World Religions Self-Governance, Parliamentarism and Democracy: A Timeline Bibliography Works Cited Additional Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the relationship between the state state implementation of Shariʿa and diverse lived realities of everyday Islam in contemporary Aceh, Indonesia. With chapters covering topics ranging from NGOs and diaspora politics to female ulama and punk rockers, the volume opens new perspectives on the complexity of Muslim discourse and practice in a society that has experienced tremendous changes since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. These detailed accounts of and critical reflections on how different groups in Acehnese society negotiate their experiences and understandings of Islam highlight the complexity of the ways in which the state is both a formative and a limited force with regard to religious and social transformation. Contributors are: Dina Afrianty, R. Michael Feener, Kristina Groβmann, Reza Idria, David Kloos, Antje Missbach, Benjamin Otto, Jan-Michiel Otto, Annemarie Samuels and Eka Srimulyani.Trade Review"Islam and the Limits of the State is a must-read for anyone with an interest in contemporary Aceh, Islam and the state, Islamic legal systems in practice, and Islam and gender." Daniel Andrew Birchok in: Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, 172 (2016).Table of ContentsList of Contributors Glossary Illustrations Preface R. Michael Feener State Shari‘a and its limits Annemarie Samuels Hikmah and narratives of change: How different temporalities shape the present and the future in post-tsunami Aceh David Kloos Sinning and ethical improvement in contemporary Aceh Kristina Großmann Women’s rights activists and the drafting process of the Islamic Criminal Law Code (Qanun Jinayat) Dina Afrianty Local women’s NGOs and the reform of Islamic law in Aceh: The case of MISPI Eka Srimulyani Teungku Inong Dayah: Female religious leaders in contemporary Aceh Reza Idria Muslim punks and state Shariʿa Benjamin Otto & Jan Michiel Otto Practices and perceptions of Shariʿa reinforcement in Banda Aceh: The Wilayatul Hisbah and local communities Antje Missbach “That is Jakarta’s project”: Views from the Acehnese diaspora on Shariʿa, self-determination and political conspiracy Index

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Book SynopsisIn times when gender and the status of women are played into the field of religious identity politics, this book shows that bringing female readers together to explore the canonical texts in the two traditions provides new insights about the texts, the contexts, and the ways in which Muslim-Christian dialogue can provide complex and promising hermeneutical space where important questions can be posed and shared strategies found.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Acknowledgements PART I - INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND, AIM, AND FOCUS Gender Justice Delimitations of this Study PART II - THEORETICAL, CONTEXTUAL, AND METHODOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES CHAPTER 2 THEORETICAL AND CONTEXTUAL PERSPECTIVES Hermeneutics, Dialogue, and Feminisms Hermeneutics Dialogue and Hermeneutics Two Models of Interreligious/Transreligious Dialogue Feminisms, Muslim‐Christian Dialogue, and Hermeneutics CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS, CHOICES, AND TOOLS Situating the Project Methodologically Establishing the Empirical Material: Selecting Texts, Participants, and Working Methods Methodological Discussions Ethical Perspectives The Empirical Material in the Study and the Analysis PART III - SITUATING THE BIBLE, THE KORAN, AND THE HADITH: READINGS OF THE HAGAR/HAJAR NARRATIVES CHAPTER 4 SHARING IMAGES AND EXPERIENCES OF THE KORAN AND THE BIBLE Is it OK to Leave the Bible on the Floor? Different Understandings of Materiality and Respect for the Bible and the Koran The First Discussion in the Group: Complex Communication What is at Stake for the Participants in this Discussion CHAPTER 5 MAKING MEANING OF THE HAGAR/HAJAR NARRATIVES The Hagar/Hajar Narratives in the Old Testament and the Hadith The First Comments on the Hagar/Hajar Narratives Discussion 1 on the Hagar/Hajar Narratives: The Practice of Naming Women Practices of Naming as an Example of Discrimination Against Women in Text and Context Discussion 2 on the Hagar/Hajar Narratives: Eva: “How could Hagar/Hajar abandon Ishmael in the desert?” Discussion 3 on the Hagar/Hajar Narratives: The Complexity of the Hagar/Hajar Narratives in the Process of Interpretation Testimonies about Narratives of Equality and Hope: Temporal and Spatial Aspects Discussion 4 on the Hagar/Hajar Narratives: Obedience versus Forgiveness in the Christian and Islamic Traditions PART IV - SITUATING THE CONTEXTS: READINGS OF SURA 4:34 AND 1 TIMOTHY 2:8‐15 CHAPTER 6 MAKING MEANING OF SURA 4:34 AND 1 TIMOTHY 2:8‐15 The Texts: 1 Timothy 2:8‐15 (the New Testament) and Sura 4:34 (the Koran) Discussion 1 on Sura 4:34 and 1 Timothy 2:8‐15: Inger: “Why do I have to read this in 2006? These texts belong to the past” Discussion 2 on Sura 4:34 and 1 Timothy 2:8‐15: Aira: “The old understanding of old things that perhaps used to be sufficient but is not today” Discussion 3 on Sura 4:34 and 1 Timothy 2:8‐15: Inger: “Women as wise as us ... need … to get something said!” Discussion 4 on Sura 4:34 and 1 Timothy 2:8‐15: Shirin: “But think about it. This is much better than what happens in real life” Concluding Discussion on Sura 4:34 and 1 Timothy 2:8‐15: Strategies of Making Meaning and Ethical Implications for the Readers PART V - CONCLUSIONS CHAPTER 7 MAKING MEANING OF CANONICAL SCRIPTURES: A STEP TOWARD GENDER JUSTICE? The Crucial Focus Point in Gender Justice: The Texts or the Readers? The Canonical Texts: Roles and Functions The Hermeneutical Strategies and Tools: Shared and Particular Different Hermeneutical Strategies Used in the Narrative and the Prescriptive Texts? Religious Differences and How They Are Interpreted: Constitutive or Challenging? A Dialogically Situated Feminist Hermeneutics Gender Justice, Religious Traditions, and Dialogue: In Search for Places of Human Equality Bibliography Index of subjects Index of authors

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Book SynopsisWithin Christian theology, debates on the theology of religions have intensified over the last thirty or so years. This volume surveys the field and maps future directions in this expanding and important area of research. Both established experts and new voices address typological debates, comparative theology, multiple religious belonging or identity, and how dialogue between different religious traditions affects our understanding of these issues. Different perspectives and traditions are represented, and, while focusing upon debates in Christian theology, voices and perspectives from a range of religious traditions are also included. This volume is an essential tool for research students and established scholars working within the theology of religions and interreligious studies. Contributors are: Graham Adams, Tony Bayfield, Abraham Velez de Cea, Gavin D’Costa, Reuven Firestone, Ray Gaston, Elizabeth Harris, Paul Hedges, Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi, Haifaa Jawad, Kristin Beise Kiblinger, Paul F. Knitter, Oddbjørn Leirvik, Marianne Moyaert, Mark Owen, Alan Race, Sigrid Rettenbacher, Perry Schmidt-Leukel, Leonard Swidler, Philip Whitehead, Janet Williams, Ulrich Winkler.Trade Review"To conclude, this well-edited book is an excellent introduction to the present state of the theology of religions (...) the reader who is looking for an answer to post-typological questions will not find here one single answer, but rather a good number of diverse reflections (...) This book is not the end of the debate." Risto Jukko, in: Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations, Vol. 28.4 (2017). "While those seeking a systematic text or homogeneous viewpoint may be disappointed, I would contend that one of the strengths [of this book] lies in the very convergence of different and sometimes dissonant perspectives. (...) This volume is a fitting tribute to [Alan] Race's contribution to this vital area of work. It is also a testament to the abiding significance of the paradigm which he established, a model which remains as vital as ever in an age of ever-deeper dialogue, of religious hyper-diversity, of new congruences and of multiple religious identity and of new ways of religious belonging." Stephen Bishop, Leicester Diocese, in: Insight, Vol. 15.2 (2017).Table of ContentsContents Foreword: Three Paths — Whither? – Leonard Swidler Introduction: Theologies of Religions in the Twenty-First Century – Elizabeth Harris, Paul Hedges, and Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi Section I - Disputing and Using the Typology Chapter 1. Shaking the Typology: Being Honest and Hospitable – Graham Adams Chapter 2. Comparative Theology of Religions and the Typology Exclusivisms-Inclusivisms Pluralisms – Abraham Velez de Cea Chapter 3. The Typology and Theological Education: Towards a Practical Theology of InterFaith Engagement – Ray Gaston Chapter 4. Exclusivism, Inclusivism and Pluralism: A Spatial Perspective – Elizabeth Harris Chapter 5. The Theology of Religions Typology Redefined: Openness and Tendencies – Paul Hedges Chapter 6. Rethinking the Typology from a Biblical Perspective: Paul, Adam, and the Theology of Religions – Philip Whitehead Section II - Pluralist Voices and Contestations Chapter 7. Race, Religion and Shared Theology – Tony Bayfield Chapter 8. Changing the Typology: Why Pluralism should be Renamed Post-Christian Inclusivism – Gavin D’Costa Chapter 9. The Pluralist Path: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going – Paul F. Knitter Chapter 10. Pluralist Approaches in Some Major Non-Christian Religions – Perry Schmidt-Leukel Section III - Beyond the Typology: New Debates, New Vistas Chapter 11. Avowing Religious Identity and the Religious Other: A Postcolonial Perspective – Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi Chapter 12. After Deconstruction: A ‘Weak’ Theology of Religions? – Kristin Beise Kiblinger Chapter 13. Towards a Relational and Humanizing Theology: A Christian-Muslim Dialogue – Oddbjørn Leirvik Chapter 14. Christianity as the Measure of Religion? Materializing the Theology of Religions Theology – Marianne Moyaert Chapter 15. Theology of Religions in a Postcolonial Perspective: Epistemological and Ecclesiological Reflections – Sigrid Rettenbacher Chapter 16. The Four Chalcedonian Adverbs: A Reflection on Buddhist-Christian Dual Belonging – Janet Williams Chapter 17. Passion and Fog: The Impact of the Discussion about the Theology of Religions Typology on the Epistemology of Comparative Theology – Ulrich Winkler Section IV - Some Responses to the Christian Theology of Religions Chapter 18. A Jewish Response to the Christian Theology of Religions:– Reuven Firestone Chapter 19. A Muslim Response to the Christian Theology of Religions – Haifaa Jawad Chapter 20. A Buddhist Response to the Christian Theology of Religions – Mark Owen Afterword: Persisting with the Typology and Pluralism – Alan Race List of Contributors Index of Subjects Index of Names

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Book SynopsisSpaces are produced and shaped by discourses and, in turn, produce and shape discourses themselves. ‘Space’ is becoming a significant and complex concept for the encounter between people, cultures, religions, ideologies, politics, between histories and memories, the advantaged and the disadvantaged, the powerful and the weak. As a result, it provides a rich hermeneutical and methodological inventory for mapping interculturality and interreligiosity. This volume looks at space as a critical theory and epistemological tool within cultural studies that fosters the analysis of power structures and the deconstruction of representations of identities within our societies that are shaped by power.Table of ContentsContents Dedication Preface Part I - Approaching the Topos Chapter 1. In Search of Pastoral Power: Religious Confrontations with Thirdspace - Hans-Joachim Sander Chapter 2. Texts as Places of Sacred Meeting: Towards an Ethic for Comparative and Interreligious Readings and Transgressions - Paul Hedges Chapter 3. Interreligious Studies: A New Academic Discipline? - Oddbjørn Leirvik Chapter 4. Religious Identities in Third Space: The Location of Comparative Theology - Ulrich Winkler Part II - Changing Spaces Chapter 5. The Maps and Tours of Theological Knowledge: Reading Melchior Cano’s De Locis Theologicis after the Spatial Turn - Judith Gruber Chapter 6. Sacred Time as Sacred Space: The Spaces of Memory and Anticipation in Christianity and Judaism - Emma O’Donnell Chapter 7. Metaphors We Dialogue By: Spatial Metaphors in the Common Word Dialogue Process - Vebjørn L.Horsfjord Chapter 8. Hagia Sophia and the Third Space. An Enquiry into the Discursive Construction of Religious Sites - Sigrid Rettenbacher Chapter 9. Reform in a Muslim Context: Contested Interpretations Through Time and Space - Yaser Ellethy Chapter 10. The Location of Religion in Bruce Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball: Common Ground Prior to ‘Religious’ and ‘Secular’? - Henry Jansen Part III - Theological Transgression: Facing the Other in Migration and Gender Chapter 11. Christian Migrants and the Theology of Space and Place - Mechteld Jansen Chapter 12. Transreligious Critical Hermeneutics and Gender Studies: Contested Gendered Spaces - Anne Hege Grung Chapter 13. Claiming Space for Women: Women Reading Scripture in Critical Dialogue - Gé Speelman Part IV - Islam in Spain Chapter 14. The Reconquista Reversed? Muslim Presence in Contemporary Spain - John Chesworth Chapter 15. Blazing Light and Perfect Death: The Martyrs of Córdoba and the Growth of Polemical Holiness - Aaron T. Hollander Chapter 16. From Acceptance to Religious Freedom: Considerations for Convivencia in Medieval Spain and Multireligious Coexistence Today - Mariano Delgado Part V - The Basque Country: Sharing Space as a Minority Religion Chapter 17. Religious Minorities and Access to Public Space in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country and in Navarre: The Perspective of Religious Minorities - Lidia Rodríguez Fernández and Luzio Uriarte Ganzález Chapter 18. Contested Spaces and Religious Minorities: The Basque Experience and the Swiss Pyrenees - Eduardo J Ruiz Vieytez Chapter 19. Scenarios of Interreligious Dialogue in the Basque Country - José Luis Villacorta Núñez Part VI - Space and Eastern Religion Chapter 20. The Secular and the Sacred as Contested Spaces? A Cross-Cultural Hermeneutical Investigation into Western and Chinese Perspectives - André van der Braak Chapter 21. A Style for Better Understanding: A Buddhist-Christian Approach to ‘Truly Beautiful Spaces’ - Sybille Fritsch-Oppermann Chapter 22. Time and History in Buddhist-Christian Relations - John D’Arcy May Part VII - Europe and the City Chapter 23. Europe as a Contested Space and European Cities as Shifting Symbols of Europe throughout History: Historical Changes in the Spatial Orientation of Europe and its Images of ‘Europeanness’ - Lourens Minnema Chapter 24. The Festival as Heterotopia in the City as Shared Religious Space - Jaco Beyers Chapter 25. Between Fear, Freedom, and Control: Islam and the Construction of a Modern European Identity - Lucien van Liere Index of Subjects Index of Names Contributors to this Volume

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Book SynopsisThis collection of articles is an innovative contribution to religious studies, because it picks up concepts developed in the wake of the so-called “spatial turn”. Religions are always located in a certain cultural and spatial environment, but often tend to locate (or translocate) themselves beyond that original setting. Also, many religious traditions are not only tied to or associated with the area its respective adherent live in, but are in fact “bi-local” or even “multi-local”, as they closely relate to various spatial centers or plains at once. This spatial diversity inherent to many religions is a corollary to religious diversity or plurality that merits in-depth research. The articles in this volume present important findings from a series of settings within and between Asia and EuropeTrade Review"The eclectic breadth of Locating Religions will draw scholars from all time periods and geographical locations. The powerful spectrum of this edited volume demands a lot from its readers. Although the essays are accessible to anyone interested in phenomenology and the history of religions, the reader must prepare to engage religious history at the microcosmic level." Josefrayn Sánchez-Perry, University of Texas at Austin, Reading Religion

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Book SynopsisIn Religious Stories in Transformation: Conflict, Revision and Reception, the editors present a collection of essays that reveal both the many similarities and the poignant differences between ancient myths in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and modern secular culture and how these stories were incorporated and adapted over time. This rich multidisciplinary research demonstrates not only how stories in different religions and cultures are interesting in their own right, but also that the process of transformation in particular deserves scholarly interest. It is through the changes in the stories that the particular identity of each religion comes to the fore most strikingly.

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Book SynopsisIslamic Studies Today: Essays in Honor of Andrew Rippin, is a collection of essays on the Qur’ān, qur’anic exegesis, the early history of Islam, the relationship of the qur’anic text to writings from other religious traditions, and the use of the Qur’ān in modern discussions and debates. Its scope is medieval and modern contexts and it covers regions right across the Muslim world. The essays are based on and reflect Rippin's broad interests and methodological innovations; his studies of text transmissions, hermeneutical studies of the Qur’ān; careful unpacking of the complex relations between qur’anic exegesis and historical contexts; and exploring potential new methodologies for future research. With contributions by: Herbert Berg, Stefano Bigliardi, Majid Daneshgar, Bruce Fudge, Claude Gilliot, Andreas Görke Feras Hamza, Gerald Hawting, Aaron W. Hughes, Tariq Jaffer, Marianna Klar, Jane McAuliffe, Arnold Yasin Mol, Angelika Neuwirth, Gordon Nickel, Johanna Pink, Michael E. Pregill, Gabriel S. Reynolds, Peter G. Riddell, Walid A. Saleh, Nicolai Sinai, Roberto TottoliTable of ContentsTable of Contents: - Preface - Acknowledgments - List of figures and tables - List of contributors Part I Islamic Exegesis and Tradition: Formative and Classical Period - “A Plaything for Kings”: ʿĀʾisha’s Ḥadīth, Ibn al-Zubayr, and Rebuilding the Kaʿba Gerald Hawting - Remnants of an Old Tafsīr Tradition? The Exegetical Accounts of ʿUrwa b. al-Zubayr Andreas Görke - Muqātil on Zayd and Zaynab: “The sunna of Allāh concerning those who passed away before” (Q 33:38) Gordon Nickel - Sabab/Asbāb al-Nuzūl as a Technical Term: Its Emergence and Application in the Islamic Sources Roberto Tottoli - Laylat al-Qadr as Sacred Time: Sacred Cosmology in Sunnī Kalām and Tafsīr Arnold Yasin Mol - Is there Covenant Theology in Islam? Tariq Jaffer Part II The Qurʾān and Qurʾanic Studies: Issues and Themes - The Qurʾān’s Enchantment of the World. “Antique” Narratives Refashioned in Arab Late Antiquity Angelika Neuwirth - Messianism and the Shadow of History: Judaism and Islam in a Time of Uncertainty Aaron W. Hughes - Some Reflections on Borrowing, Influence, and the Entwining of Jewish and Islamic Traditions; or, What the Image of a Calf Might Do Michael E. Pregill - Inheriting Egypt: The Israelites and the Exodus in the Meccan Qurʾān Nicolai Sinai - Re-examining Textual Boundaries: Towards a Form-Critical Sūrat al-Kahf Marianna Klar - Philology and the Meaning of Sūrat al-Burūj Bruce Fudge - A Flawed Prophet? Noah in the Qurʾān and Qurʾanic Commentary Gabriel S. Reynolds Part III Islam, Qurʾān, and Tafsīr: Modern Discussions - An Asiatic and Moslem Jesus: Deracinating and Reracinating Jesus by Drew Ali Herbert Berg - Reading the Qurʾān Chronologically: An Aid to Discourse Coherence and Thematic Development Peter G. Riddell - The Fig, the Olive, and the Cycles of Prophethood: Q 95:1–3 and the Image of History in Early 20th-Century Qurʾanic Exegesis Johanna Pink - The “Scientific Miracle of the Qurʾān”: Map and Assessment Stefano Bigliardi - Locating the “Esoteric” in Islamic Studies Feras Hamza - Western Non-Muslim Qurʾanic Studies in Muslim Academic Contexts: On Rippin’s Works from the Middle East to the Malay-Indonesian World Majid Daneshgar - A Concluding Appreciation Jane McAuliffe - Andrew Rippin : La Sainte Sagesse et Le Saint Silence (Ἁγία Σοφία, Ἁγία σιγή) Claude Gilliot - Appendix: Publications by Andrew Rippin - Index

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Book SynopsisFreemasonry is the largest, oldest, and most influential secret society in the world. The Brill Handbook of Freemasonry is a pioneering work that brings together, for the first time, leading scholars on Freemasonry. The first section covers historical perspectives, such as the origins and early history of Freemasonry. The second deals with the relationship between Freemasonry and specific religious traditions such as the Catholic Church, Judaism, and Islam. In the third section, organisational themes, such as the use of rituals, are explored, while the fourth section deals with issues related to society and politics - women, blacks, colonialism, nationalism, and war. The fifth and final section is devoted to Freemasonry and culture, including music, literature, modern art, architecture and material culture.Trade ReviewLo Handbook offre una veduta estremamente ampia e circostanziata della Massoneria come soggetto di studio, proponendo un approccio estremamente ancorato al rigore documentario e senza concedere o togliere nulla ai diversi soggetti affrontati, secondo una linea di indagine scevra da apriorismi partigiani e antiscientifici o, di converso, da ostilità più o meno inconfessate. Di fatto, uno degli scopi di questo imponente saggio è proprio quello di risultare intellegibile e soprattutto scientificamente utile sia agli addetti ai lavori, sia a quegli storici che, pur non essendo esperti di vicende libero-muratorie, hanno necessità di trovare una guida affidabile e ben documentata su tale soggetto di studio. In questo senso la liberazione degli studi massonici come dominio di ricerca pienamente autonomo, sdoganato da riserve confessionali o persecutorie, ma anche riportato a quella necessaria competenza professionale, che così lo riscatta finalmente da un certo (e ampiamente praticato) dilettantismo, merita una forte attenzione. - Antonio C. D. Panaino in: HIRAM no.1, 2015.Table of ContentsCONTENTS Acknowledgements List of Contributors List of Illustrations Chapter 1: Introduction Henrik Bogdan and Jan Snoek PART I HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES Chapter 2: The History of Freemasonry: An Overview Jan Snoek and Henrik Bogdan Chapter 3: The Old Charges Andrew Prescott Chapter 4: The Origins of Freemasonry: Scotland David Stevenson Chapter 5: The Origins of Freemasonry: England Matthew Scanlan Chapter 6: Freemasonry and Templarism Pierre Mollier Chapter 7: Freemasonry and the Enlightenment Margaret Jacob and Matthew Crow Chapter 8: Masonic Historiography Charles Porset PART II FREEMASONRY AND RELIGION Chapter 9: Freemasonry and the Catholic Church José A. Ferrer Benimeli Chapter 10: Freemasonry and the Orthodox Churches Jean-François Var Chapter 11: Freemasonry and Protestant Churches Guy Liagre Chapter 12: Freemasonry and Judaism Robert Jan van Pelt Chapter 13: Freemasonry and Islam Thierry Zarconne Chapter 14: Freemasonry and Eastern Religions Jessica Harland-Jacobs and Jan Snoek Chapter 15: Freemasonry and Western Esotericism Henrik Bogdan Chapter 16: Freemasonry and New Religious Movements Massimo Introvigne PART III RITUAL, ORGANISATION, AND DIFFUSION Chapter 17: Masonic Rituals of Initiation Jan Snoek Chapter 18: Freemasonry and Performance Kristiane Hasselmann Chapter 19: Masonic Rites and Systems Arturo De Hoyos Chapter 20: Relationships between Grand Lodges Jan Snoek Chapter 21: Freemasonry and Friendly Societies Daniel Weinbren PART IV FREEMASONRY, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS Chapter 22: Freemasonry and Women Jan Snoek Chapter 23: Freemasonry and Blacks Cecile Révauger Chapter 24: Freemasonry and Colonialism Jessica Harland-Jacobs Chapter 25: Freemasonry and Nationalism Jeffrey Tyssens Chapter 26: Freemasonry and War François Rognon PART V FREEMASONRY AND CULTURE Chapter 27: Freemasonry and Music Malcolm Davies Chapter 28: Freemasonry and Literature R.A. Gilbert Chapter 29: Freemasonry and Modern Art Marijo Ariens-Volker Chapter 30: Freemasonry and Architecture James Stevens Curl Chapter 31: The Material Culture of Freemasonry Mark J.R. Dennis

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Book SynopsisIn many near eastern traditions, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam, demons have appeared as a cause of illness from ancient times until at least the early modern period. This volume explores the relationship between demons, illness and treatment comparatively. Its twenty chapters range from Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt to early modern Europe, and include studies of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They discuss the relationship between ‘demonic’ illnesses and wider ideas about illness, medicine, magic, and the supernatural. A further theme of the volume is the value of treating a wide variety of periods and places, using a comparative approach, and this is highlighted particularly in the volume’s Introduction and Afterword. The chapters originated in an international conference held in 2013. "Ultimately, Demons and Illness admirably performs the important task of reminding modern scholars of premodern health of the integral role played by these complex and shifting entities in the lives of people across the globe and through the centuries." -Rachel Podd, Fordham University, in: Social History of Medicine 32.3 (2019) "Given the sheer breadth of its scope, the volume is, of course, illustrative rather than comprehensive in its coverage, yet there is a definite coherence to its content, aided by the introduction and afterword which bookend the work and help begin to draw out the threads of commonality and difference. As such it constitutes a significant and welcome resource for comparative explorations of historical-cultural links between demons, illness, medicine, and magic, while offering a clear invitation to future work." -Matthew A. Collins, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 43.5 (2019)Trade Review"Ultimately, Demons and Illness admirably performs the important task of reminding modern scholars of premodern health of the integral role played by these complex and shifting entities in the lives of people across the globe and through the centuries." - Rachel Podd, Fordham University, in: Social History of Medicine 32.3 (2019)Table of ContentsPreface List of Contributors Introduction, Siam Bhayro and Catherine Rider Antiquity Shifting Alignments: The Dichotomy of Benevolent and Malevolent Demons in Mesopotamia, Gina Konstantopoulos The Natural and Supernatural Aspects of Fever in Mesopotamian Medical Texts, András Bácksay Illness as Divine Punishment: The Nature and Function of the Disease-Carrier Demons in the Ancient Egyptian Magical Texts, Rita Lucarelli Demons at Work in Ancient Mesopotamia, Lorenzo Verderame Late Antiquity Demons and Illness in Second Temple Judaism: Theory and Practice, Ida Fröhlich Illness and Healing through Spell and Incantation in the Dead Sea Scrolls, David Hamidović Conceptualizing Demons in Late Antique Judaism, Gideon Bohak Oneiric Aggressive Magic: Sleep Disorders in Late Antique Jewish Tradition, Alessia Bellusci The Influence of Demons on the Human Mind According to Athenagoras and Tatian, Chiara Crosignani Demonic Anti-Music and Spiritual Disorder in the Life of Antony, Sophie Sawicka-Sykes Over-eating Demoniacs in Late Antique Hagiography, Sophie Lunn-Rockliffe Medieval Miracles and Madness: Dispelling Demons in Twelfth-Century Hagiography, Anne E. Bailey Demons in Lapidaries? The Evidence of the Madrid MS Escorial, h. I. 15., Carolina Escobar-Vargas The Melancholy of the Necromancer in Arnau de Vilanova’s Epistle against Demonic Magic, Sebastià Giralt Demons, Illness and Spiritual Aids in Natural Magic and Image Magic, Lauri Ockenström Between Medicine and Magic: Spiritual Aetiology and Therapeutics in Medieval Islam, Liana Saif Demons, Saints, and the Mad in the Twelfth-Century Miracles of Thomas Becket, Claire Trenery Early Modernity The Post-Reformation Challenge to Demonic Possession, Harman Bhogal From A Discoverie to The Triall of Witchcraft: Doctor Cotta and Godly John, Pierre Kapitaniak Healing with Demons? Preternatural Philosophy and Superstitious Cures in Spanish Inquisitorial Courts, Bradley J. Mollmann Afterword: Pandaemonium, Peregrine Horden Indices of subjects and texts

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