Comparative religion Books

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

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A remarkably lively and intelligent book."---Robert Irwin, Times Literary Supplement

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

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Book SynopsisA collection of essays examining the Holiness, Radical Holiness, and Pentecostal movements, focusing on the circulation of ideas among these movements in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and Southeast and East Asia.Trade Review“This is a book that contains well presented, expertly researched pieces that together make a real and distinct contribution to our appreciation of these different intersections from historical and theological perspectives. Advanced students and scholars working in this field will make it an essential reference point.”—Mark J. Cartledge The Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society“According to the editors, their objectives were to provide readers with a work that was interdisciplinary and global in scope, and that demonstrates the ways in which these two movements are intertwined. They have delivered on this promise and produced a work that is highly suitable for those undergoing study in Pentecostal or Holiness seminaries.”—Andrea Shan Johnson Reading Religion“This is a rich and fascinating collection of essays that offers a variety of historical and theological insights, the fruit of closer academic cooperation between two traditions with deep Wesleyan roots to the benefit of both.”—Tim Woolley Wesley and Methodist Studies“A landmark study in not only Holiness and Pentecostal historiography, but the historiography of global Christianity itself.”—William Kostlevy Wesleyan Theological Journal“All chapters demonstrate erudite cutting-edge research and conclusions, making this collection an imperative resource. . . .”—Monte Lee Rice Journal of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity“The book lays a promising foundation for further scholarship and is a valuable resource for those interested in Holiness and Pentecostal movements.”—Sarah Anne Snyder Methodist History“The essays in this significant, well-researched volume make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex relations between Radical Holiness and Pentecostalism from both historical and theological perspectives. They cover a well-selected range of individuals, institutions, and ideas; they address key themes, such as gender, ethnicity, technologies, and mobilities; and they are dependably attentive to social, cultural, and economic contexts. Those working in this field will be grateful for such an authoritative collection.”—John Maiden,The Open University“The essays within this collection are thematically connected, insightfully written, and contextually responsible. By utilizing various methodologies, new perspectives are brought forth on current and past social issues, and through reconfiguring the interlocutors, new light is shed on standing themes of interest. This interdisciplinary volume signals the importance of this new series, highly recommended for scholars and students.”—Kenneth J. Archer,author of The Gospel Revisited: Towards a Pentecostal Theology of Worship and Witness“[Holiness and Pentecostal Movements] asserts the primary importance of the Wesleyan tradition to the intertwining of Holiness networks and Pentecostalism.”—Doug Weaver Church HistoryTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsIntroduction: Intertwined History, Theology, and ScholarshipDavid Bundy, Geordan Hammond, and David Sang-Ehil HanAt the Beginning1. The Preachers and Their Students: God’s Bible School as a Seedbed of Radical Holiness and Pentecostal Leaders, 1982-1910David Bundy2. Pandita Ramabai, the Holiness Movement, and the Mukti Revival of 1905Robert A. Danielson3. Alexander A. Boddy, the Pentecostal League of Prayer, and the Wesleyan Roots of British PentecostalismKimberley Ervin Alexander4. A World Tour of Evangelism: Henry Clay Morrison’s Radical Holiness meets “Global Holiness,” 1909-10Luther OconerUnity and Diversity5. “Spiritual Railroading”: Trains as Metaphor and Reality in the Holiness and Pentecostal Movements, ca. 1880—ca. 1920Daniel Woods6. Black Radical Holy Women at the Intersection of Christian Unity and Social JusticeCheryl J. Sanders7. Pneumatology as a Basis for Ecumenical Dialogue Between the Korean Methodist, Holiness, and Pentecostal TraditionsInsik ChoiTheological Engagement8. Baptized in the Spirit and Fire: The Relevance of Spirit Baptism for a Holiness and Pentecostal View of the AtonementFrank D. Macchia9. The Presence of the Kingdom: Optimism of Grace in the Holiness and Pentecostal MovementsHenry H. Knight III10. Fulfilling the Full Gospel: The Promise of the Theology of the Cleveland SchoolChris E. W. GreenList of ContributorsIndex

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

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Book SynopsisThis new and dynamic approach to the perennially fascinating subject of miracles adopts a strictly anthropological and phenomenological approach. Allowing the miracles to speak for themselves, Ian Richard Netton examines these phenomena in the Islamic and Christian traditions through the lens of narration.

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Book SynopsisThe first intellectual history of interreligious dialogue, a relatively new and significant dimension of human religiosityTrade Review“Significant and deeply researched...A must-read on interfaith dialogue”—Brian Cooper, Church of England Newspaper“Howard makes a convincing case for the need for genuine interfaith dialogue [and his] concluding chapter brings the story of interfaith dialogue up to date.”—Ed Kessler, Times Literary Supplement“Howard has written a scholarly, finely crafted, and fascinating book…He gracefully deals with micro details, the different disciplines related to this field (sociology, history, philosophy, theology, and cultural studies), and the bigger landscape - moving from one to the other seamlessly and sympathetically.”—Gavin D’Costa, Journal of Religious History"The Faith of Others addresses this gap by examining the roots of the wider interfaith movement. A welcome addition to literature on interfaith work."—Deanna Ferree Womack, Scottish Journal of TheologyCHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2022“Thomas Albert Howard has the gift of writing history in a captivating way, with great erudition and mastery of sources. This is a truly impressive piece of scholarship.”—Catherine Cornille, Boston College"A wonderfully illuminating book that shows how faith has been a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division across time and place. Highly recommended."—Eboo Patel, author of Out of Many Faiths: Religious Diversity and the American Promise“In an era overwhelmed by conflict, rage and hate, the brilliant historian Thomas Albert Howard shows us another side of ourselves: our extraordinary interest in the faith of others. Interreligious dialogue has become our defining theological concern today and Howard skillfully analyzes both its pitfalls and its potential for great contributions to a safer, peaceful world order.”—Susannah Heschel, Dartmouth College “In rich detail, Howard tells the history of interreligious conversations and initiatives, from the birth of Christianity to the present when, after 9/11, the number centers, journals, dialogues increased exponentially. Theologically astute, his critical assessment of it all is bracing but hopeful.”—James L. Heft, S.M., University of Southern California “Cleverly rooting historical turning points in key influential geographical centers, Thomas Albert Howard engagingly traces the essential junctures of the dynamic history of interreligious dialogue from its forerunning harbingers to the ‘booming heyday’ of the present.”—Hans Gustafson, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota

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

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Book SynopsisMost people have heard of the Celts-the elusive, ancient tribal people who resided in present-day England, Ireland, Scotland and France. Paradoxically characterized as both barbaric and innocent, the Celts appeal to the modern world as a symbol of a bygone era, a world destroyed by the ambition of empire and the spread of Christianity throughout Western Europe. Despite the pervasive cultural and literary influence of the Celts, shockingly little is known of their way of life and beliefs, because very few records of their stories exist. In this book, for the first time, Philip Freeman brings together the best stories of Celtic mythology.Everyone today knows about the gods and heroes of the ancient Greeks, such as Zeus, Hera, and Hercules, but how many people have heard of the Gaulish god Lugus or the magical Welsh queen Rhiannon or the great Irish warrior Cú Chulainn? We still thrill to the story of the Trojan War, but the epic battles of the Irish Táin Bó Cuailgne are known only to a few. And yet those who have read the stories of Celtic myth and legend-among them writers like J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis-have been deeply moved and influenced by these amazing tales, for there is nothing in the world quite like them. In these stories a mysterious and invisible realm of gods and spirits exists alongside and sometimes crosses over into our own human world; fierce women warriors battle with kings and heroes, and even the rules of time and space can be suspended. Captured in vivid prose these shadowy figures--gods, goddesses, and heroes--come to life for the modern reader.Trade Review"Freeman s Celtic Mythology is a satisfying presentation of a decent selection of Irish and Welsh myths and tales from both pagan and Christian sources...the Oxford hardback is smallish and well-designed. The introductions are short and sweet, as are the endnotes, and since Irish and Welsh names are tricky, a glossary is provided. This would be an excellent collection for introductory courses in Celtic Studies; it is also an entry point for anyone wanting to become familiar with these tales. Freeman's version is engaging, accessible, and faithful."--Reading Religion "Philip Freeman's book is a delight. This spirited retelling of the famous stories of the Celtic west serves as a brilliant introduction to the beliefs and values of the pagan and early Christian communities of Ireland and Wales. I can think of no better way to begin to explore the culture of the early Irish and Welsh." --Barry Cunliffe, author of Britain Begins "Philip Freeman brings to life the tales the ancient Celts told to each other, and what tales they were! Filled with passion, rage, bravery, and adventure, these stories are as exciting today as they were on the dark nights of the distant past. Heroes, heroines, gods and goddesses come to life in Philip Freeman's brilliant re-telling of these little-known but unforgettable stories." --Terry Golway, author of The Irish in AmericaTable of ContentsIntroduction: Who were the Celts? Pronunciation Guide Chapter One: The Earliest Celtic Gods Chapter Two: The Book of Invasions Chapter Three: The Wooing of Étaín Chapter Four: Cú Chulainn and the Táin Bó Cuailnge Chapter Five: Tales from the Ulster Cycle Chapter Six: Stories of the Irish Otherworld Chapter Seven: Finn the Outlaw Chapter Eight: Welsh Mythology-The Mabinogi Chapter Nine: Welsh Stories and Sagas Chapter Ten: Christian Mythology Glossary Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the story of the Israelites'' worship of the Golden Calf in its Jewish, Christian, and Muslim contexts, from ancient Israel to the emergence of Islam. It focuses in particular on the Qur''an''s presentation of the narrative and its background in Jewish and Christian retellings of the episode from Late Antiquity. Across the centuries, the interpretation of the Calf episode underwent major changes reflecting the varying cultural, religious, and ideological contexts in which various communities used the story to legitimate their own tradition, challenge the claims of others, and delineate the boundaries between self and other. The book contributes to the ongoing reevaluation of the relationship between Bible and Qur''an, arguing for the necessity of understanding the Qur''an and Islamic interpretations of the history and narratives of ancient Israel as part of the broader biblical tradition. The Calf narrative in the Qur''an, central to the qur''anic conception of the legacy of Israel and the status of the Jews of its own time, reflects a profound engagement with the biblical account in Exodus, as well as being informed by exegetical and parascriptural traditions in circulation in the Qur''an''s milieu in Late Antiquity. The book also addresses the issue of Western approaches to the Qur''an, arguing that the historical reliance of scholars and translators on classical Muslim exegesis of scripture has led to misleading conclusions about the meaning of qur''anic episodes.Trade ReviewPregill's work is an important contribution, both as a model for exploring scriptural intertextuality and as a prolegomenon to a similarly detailed study of the Calf story in Islamic, Christian, and Jewish (and perhaps also modern secular) traditions after the Qur'an. This volume will be of as much interest to biblical scholars and historians of religion as to scholars of the Qur'an. * Franz Volker Greifenhagen, professor of religious studies at Luther College, University of Regina, Canada, Reading Religion *...excellent study * Stephen J. Shoemaker, University of Oregon, Church History *This fascinating and brilliant study traces the use and transformation of the episode of the Golden Calf (Exod. 32.1-35) in Judaism, Christianity and the Qur'an...This is an incredibly rich study that will set new standards for the exploration of biblical themes in the Qur'an. * Anslem C. Hagedorn, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *Pregill's work provides an outstanding example of the uses to which comparison can be put when done seriously and on a small scale. While based on careful scholarship and responsible philological practice, his comfort with the material and the novelty of the analysis leads him to venture forth and make much bolder claims about the nature of the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. The result is a textually rich and theoretically sophisticated work that, while closely focused on one base text, subsequently broaches much larger issues that deal with textuality, politics, and the nature of scholarship. * 2021 AAR Book Awards *This monograph is one of the most comprehensive works to investigate the interpretation of the Golden Calf narrative, as it includes the full spectrum of Jewish, Christian and Muslim reception history. * Abdulla Galadari, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Note on Style 1: Introduction: Method and Context in the Study of Bible and Qur'an Part I: Foundations 2: Biblical Beginnings: The Calf of Sinai, the Calves of Jeroboam, and the Invention of Idolatry 3: Early Jewish Interpretation: An Opportunity for Repentance, a Pretext for Polemic Part II: Jews, Christians, and the Contested Legacy of Israel 4: A Hard Yoke upon Their Neck: Patristic Polemic and Amoraic Apologetic 5: The Syrian-Palestinian Milieu in Late Antiquity: The Contested Legacy of Aaron and the Priesthood Part III: The Qur'anic Calf Episode 6: The Qur'anic Calf Episode between Orientalism and Islamic Tradition 7: A Living Calf at Sinai? Reevaluating the Qur'anic Calf Episode 8: Rescripting Sinai: The Qur'an in the History of Interpretation of the Calf Episode 9: Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisReligion plays a central role in human experience. Billions of people around the world practice a faith and act in accordance with it. Religion shapes how they enter the world and how they leave it - how they eat, dress, marry, and raise their children. It shapes their assumptions about who they are and who they want to be. Religion also identifies insiders and outsiders, who has power and who doesn''t. It sanctifies injustice and combats it. It draws national borders. It affects law, economy, and government. It destroys and restores the environment. It starts wars and ends them. Whether you notice it or not, religion plays a role in how billions conduct their lives. We are called, then, to understand this important factor in human life today.Beginning with the first signs of religion among ancient humans and concluding with a look at modern citizens and global trends, leading scholar Thomas Tweed examines this powerful and enduring force in human society. Tweed deftly documents religion as it exists around the world, addressing its role in both intensifying and alleviating contemporary political and environmental problems, from armed conflict to climate change. Religion: A Very Short Introduction offers a concise non-partisan overview of religion''s long history and its complicated role in the world today.Trade Review...illuminating... * John Pridmore, The Way *...Tweed's book is strong on historizing and contextualizing religion... * Michael Stausberg, Religion *Table of ContentsPreface: Why Religion Matters 1. What Religion Is 2. What Religion Does 3. How Religion Is Expressed 4. How Religion Has Changed 5. Global Religion Today

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Book SynopsisA concise and up-to-date guide to the history, teachings, and practice of Buddhism by two luminaries in the field of world religions.Trade Review"A valuable primer on Buddhism East and West, old and new." -- David Loy, author of A Buddhist History of the West "Stellar...outstanding...Highly recommended." -- Library Journal "Those seeking to dip a toe into Buddhism will find this an inviting pond." -- Dallas Morning News "A useful primer for those new to the study of Buddhism." -- Indianapolis Star "This book is an impressive and accessible overview of the core teachings [of Buddhism]. -- Inquiring Mind Magazine

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Book SynopsisFor almost 1,500 years, the New Testament manuscripts were copied by hand––and mistakes and intentional changes abound in the competing manuscript versions. Religious and biblical scholar Bart Ehrman makes the provocative case that many of our widely held beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine origins of the Bible itself are the results of both intentional and accidental alterations by scribes. In this compelling and fascinating book, Ehrman shows where and why changes were made in our earliest surviving manuscripts, explaining for the first time how the many variations of our cherished biblical stories came to be, and why only certain versions of the stories qualify for publication in the Bibles we read today. Ehrman frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultra–conservative views of the Bible.

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Book SynopsisIn this thoroughly revised and updated edition, leading religion and Middle East expert Charles Kimball shows how all religious traditions are susceptible to these basic corruptions and why only authentic faith can prevent such evil.The Five Warning Signs of Corruption in Religion1. Absolute Truth Claims2. Blind Obedience3. Establishing the Ideal Time4. The End Justifies Any Means5. Declaring Holy War

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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 SynopsisThrough in-depth analysis of musical theatre choreography and choreographers, Making Broadway Dance challenges long-held perceptions of Broadway dance as kitsch, disposable, a dance form created without artistic process. Setting out to demonstrate that musical theatre dance is not a monolith but rather multi-varied in terms of dance styles, aesthetics and methodologies, author Liza Gennaro provides insights into how Broadway dance is made. By examining choreography for musical theatre through the lens of dance studies, script analysis, movement research and dramaturgical inquiry, she treads in uncharted territory by offering a close examination of a dance form that has heretofore received only the most superficial interrogation. She also explores how musical theatre choreographers create within the parameters of librettos, enhance character development and build dance languages that inform and propel narrative. By considering influences from ballet, modern, postmodern, Jazz, social andTrade ReviewGennaro successfully probes musical theater choreography through the lens of dance studies, script analysis, movement research, and dramaturgical inquiry, offering a closer examination of a dance form that has often been sidelined. * G. King, CHOICE *For anyone who wants to know what it takes to make Broadway dances, read Making Broadway Dance. * Rosemary Novellino-Mearns, Wendy Perron *Gennaro's close analyses of Broadway dance numbers, combined with her fantastic selection of photographs, effectively demonstrate how musical theatre dance can augment storytelling onstage. Making Broadway Dance introduces an oft overlooked subject and whets the readers' appetites for further exploration. * Meredith Joelle Charlson, SDC Journal *A dance history told with precision and authority. * Kevin Winkler, Studies in Musical Theatre *A meticulous in-depth analysis of musical theater choreography and choreographers, while demonstrating the multifaceted styles, aesthetics, and methodologies of Broadway dance through the lens of dance studies, script analysis, movement research, and dramaturgical inquiry. * Deb Miller, DC Metro Theater Arts *Gennaro's book contains some of the best academic writing about musical theatre dance I have ever read. * Lisa Jo Sagolla, American Theatre Magazine *I have always believed that it is up to each one of us to carry the torch and pass on our stories, experiences and knowledge to the next generation to ensure that Musical Theatre History pervades. Liza Gennaro has beautifully crafted a book that not only inspired me but taught me so much about our History, She is a passionate and gifted storyteller, who has always been enamored by Musical Theatre and the gatekeeper of all truths. Thank-you for giving all of us and future generations this enlightening book."-Sergio TrujilloPrecise and lively, admiring and analytical, critical and joyful, and deeply informed by Gennaro's years in the archives, the rehearsal hall, and the theatre, this book brings Broadway musical theatre dance to life and more than that: it makes readers into dancers. Through meticulous and evocative dance reconstructions and brilliant and perceptive dramaturgy, Gennaro recovers, recuperates, and reinterprets choreographers' influences and legacies. Making Broadway Dance is a masterful and groundbreaking demonstration of the importance of Broadway musical theatre dance."-Stacy Wolf, author of Beyond Broadway: The Pleasure and Promise of Musical Theatre Across America and Changed for Good: A Feminist History of the Broadway MusicalOne of my favorite aspects of Making Broadway Dance illustrates the simultaneous development of Theatre Dance and Jazz Dance. Author Liza Gennaro does this via both robust research and oral history. This book informs you on the how, when, and why many of our iconic dance scenes were staged, often, by way of intimate details from those of direct lineage to the Broadway Titans that populate the book. I especially appreciate, being a lover of early jazz dance, that Liza chose to interweave and not marginalize the stories of the important roles that early Black pioneering choreographers played in the making of Broadway dance."-Kenneth L. Roberson; Broadway dancer and choreographer, and former Professor of Practice at Indiana University's department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary DanceTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Musical Theatre Dance Training and Choreography in the 1920-30s Chapter 2: The Road to Oklahoma!: Americana and Dance Modernism Chapter 3: Agnes de Mille's Broadway: 1943-45 Chapter 4: Jerome Robbins: "Run of de Mille" The Evening Bulletin, September 16,1947 Chapter 5: Taking the Reigns: Emergence of the Director-Choreographer Chapter 6: Post de Mille/Robbins Chapter 7: Broadway Dance: Plague and The New Millennium Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of the Cognitive Science of Religion is the most authoritative and comprehensive examination of the growing field of CSR. With contributions from the field's founders and its rising stars, this volume offers a critical overview of more than 25 years of research.Trade ReviewA fascinating volume... For advanced students and scholars seeking to develop research in this emerging field, the book provides a good foundation. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsTable of Contents Part One: Historical, Theoretical, and Methodological Foundations of CSR 1. Ghostly Relationships: Differentiating Cognitive Science of Religion and Psychology of Religion Justin L. Barrett 2. The Historical Genesis of Cognitive Science of Religion E. Thomas Lawson 3. Philosophical Foundations of the Cognitive Science of Religion Aku Visala 4. The Cognitive Study of Religious Activity: Beyond Religion and Belief Pascal Boyer Part Two: Religious Concepts 5. Gods: Cognition, Culture, and Ecology Benjamin Grant Purzycki 6. The Nature of Humans Rebekah A. Richert and Kirsten Lesage 7. Nature of the World Julie Scott and Justin L. Barrett Part Three: Religious Actions 8. Explaining and Solving Practical Problems Supernaturally Rachel Watson-Jones & Cristine H. Legare 9. Mortuary Practices Claire White Part Four: Religious Objects 10. Scripturalism: A theory Brian Malley 11. Special Objects Tyler S. Greenway Part Five: Religious Experiences 12. Conceiving Religious Dreams and Mystical Experiences: A Predictive Processing Investigation Robert E. Sears 13. Extreme Rituals Dimitris Xygalatas Part Six: Forming Religious Systems 14. Key Ingredients for a World Religion: Insights from Cognitive and Evolutionary Science James Van Slyke and D. Jason Slone 15. What is the Role of Ritual in Binding Communities Together? Harvey Whitehouse and Christopher M. Kavanagh 16. The Failure of Religious Systems Hugh Turpin and Jonathan A. Lanman Part Seven: CSR's Relations and Implications 17. Neuroscience of Religion Uffe Schjoedt and Michiel van Elk 18. Soul Mates? Conflicts and Complementarities in the Evolutionary and Cognitive Sciences of Religion Richard Sosis, John Shaver, Benjamin Grant Purzycki, and Jordan Kiper 19. CSR and Religious Belief. Epistemic friends or foes? Hans Van Eyghen 20. The Cultural & Developmental Niche of Religious Cognitions: Educational Implications of the Cognitive Science of Religion Rebekah A. Richert 21. Lived Faith and Cognitive Intuitions: Some Theological Implications of Cognitive Science of Religion Laird R. O. Edman and Myron A. Penner

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

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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 SynopsisEsteemed scholar David Leeming, who has authored more than twelve books on mythology, here offers the first comprehensive narrative study of the mythology of the Middle East, that tumultuous region that was the cradle of civilization. Leeming begins with a brief, engaging history of the Middle East, spanning Neolithic cultures, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, the invention of writing and the rise of Egypt and Babylonia, Israel and Roman rule, and the early history of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of the mythology of the region, covering individual pantheons, cosmic myths, mythic heroes, and much more. Leeming ranges from prehistoric figures such as the Mother Goddess of Çatal Hüyük to Mesopotamian gods such as Marduk and mythic heroes such as Gilgamesh, to the pantheon of Egyptian mythology, including the falcon-headed sky-sun god Horus and jackal-headed Anubis. The author also offers an illuminating exploration of the mythology of the Trade Review"An excellent introduction to the important mythologies formulated by peoples whose descendents still shape the conflicts in the Middle East. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all arose in the Middle East, and in accessible and graceful prose, Leeming illuminates the archaelogical and cultural background for the emergence of those warring-cousin belief systems."--Booklist"Leeming's useful survey offers an introductory guide to tales that for centuries have influenced people's religion and culture."--Publishers Weekly"In this accessible survey of Middle Eastern mythology, Leeming chooses not to dwell on competing ideologies and predicaments of the troubled region and instead demonstrates that spiritual truth and religion, like mythology, make for metaphorical rather than factual history.... This book offers an accessible treatment of a dense and complex topic that will be equally useful to nonspecialists and scholars seeking a quick and informed understanding of Middle Eastern mythology. Highly recommended for any public or academic library."--Library Journal

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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 Dialogue of Ipuwer and the Lord of All is one of the major works from the golden age of Egyptian literature, the Middle Kingdom (c. 1980-1630 BC). The poem provides one of the most searching explorations of human motivation and divine justice to survive from Ancient Egypt, and its stark pessimism questions many of the core ideologies that underpinned the Egyptian state and monarchy. It begins with a series of laments portraying an Egypt overwhelmed by chaos and destruction, and develops into an examination of why these disasters should happen, and who bears responsibility for them: the gods, the king, or humanity. This volume provides the first full literary analysis of this poem for a century. It provides a detailed study of questions such as: its date of composition; its historicity; the identity of its protagonists and setting; its reception history within Egyptian culture; and whether it really is a unified literary composition, or a redacted collection of texts of heterogenousTrade ReviewWith full new translation at the close, this volume brings the work firmly within reach of other ancient historical disciplines as well as studies in comparative literature ... Enmarch offers meticulous and methodical literary commentary * Stephen Quirke, Orientalia *Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Literary aspects of Ipuwer ; 2.1 Description of text ; 2.2 Survey of previous research ; 2.3 Textual unity ; 2.4 Dating ; 2.5 Reception ; 2.6 Speakers, section boundaries, and setting of the poem ; 2.7 Genre and intertext ; 2.8 Literary style ; 2.9 Style, structure, and meaning ; 2.10 Towards a reading of the poem ; 3. Commentary ; 3.1 Commentary on Lament I ; 3.2 Interpretation of Lament I ; 3.3 Commentary on Lament II ; 3,4 Interpretation of Lament II ; 3.5 Commentary on Lament III ; 3.6 Interpretation of Lament III ; 3.7 Commentary on Injunction I ; 3.8 Interpretation of Injunction I ; 3.9 Commentary on Injunction II ; 3.10 Interpretation of Injunction II ; 3.11 Commentary on Injunction III ; 3.12 Interpretation of Injunction III ; 3.13 Commentary on Reproach I ; .14 Interpretation of Reproach I ; 3.15 Commentary on the Meditation ; 3.16 Interpretation of the Meditation ; 3.17 Commentary on Reply I ; 3.18 Interpretation of Reply I ; 3.19 Commentary on Reproach II ; 3.20 Interpretation of Reproach II ; 3.21 Commentary on Reply II ; 3.22 Interpretation of Reply II ; 3.23 Excursus: the jottings of 17A.1-3 ; 4. Continuous transliteration and translation of Ipuwer

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Book SynopsisNear-death experiences are known around the world and throughout human history. They are sometimes reported by individuals who have revived from a period of clinical death or near-death and they typically feature sensations of leaving the body, entering and emerging from darkness, meeting deceased friends and relatives, encountering beings of light, judgment of one''s earthly life, feelings of oneness, and reaching barriers, only to return to the body. Those who have NDEs almost invariably understand them as having profound spiritual or religious significance.In this book, Gregory Shushan explores the relationships between near-death experiences, shamanism, and beliefs about the afterlife in traditional indigenous societies in Africa, North America, and Oceania. Drawing on historical accounts of the earliest encounters with explorers, missionaries, and ethnologists, this study addresses questions such as: Do ideas about the afterlife commonly originate in NDEs? What role does culture play in how people experience and interpret NDEs? How can we account for cross-cultural similarities and differences between afterlife beliefs? Though NDEs are universal, Shushan shows that how they are actually experienced and interpreted varies by region and culture. As the historical documents reveal, in North America, they were commonly valorized, and attempts were made to replicate them through shamanic rituals. In Africa, however, they were largely considered aberrational events with links to possession or sorcery. In Oceania, Micronesia corresponded more to the African model, while Australia had a greater focus on afterlife journey shamanism. Polynesia and Melanesia showed an almost casual acceptance of the phenomenon as reflected in numerous myths, legends, and historical accounts.This study examines the continuum of similarities and differences between NDEs, shamanism, and afterlife beliefs in dozens of cultures throughout these regions. In the process, it makes a valuable contribution to our knowledge about the origins of afterlife beliefs around the world and the significance of related experiences in human history.Trade ReviewShushan's comprehensive comparative study of neardeath experiences from Native American, Oceanian, and African traditions features accounts by explorers and ethnologists from the sixteenth to twentieth century. Shushan provides compelling evidence of a persistent core of imagery and experience in NDE from a variety of times and cultures. * Melissa Conroy, Religious Studies Review *The book should be of interest not only to scholars of NDEs, but also to ethnographers and scholars of the anthropology or sociology of death. * Jennifer Uzzell, Mortality *A fundamental book for all those interested in religious expressions related to after-life and post-mortem, this volume will surely remain a milestone in the study of what Shakespeare precipitously called "the undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller returns" (Hamlet, 3,1). After all, some travellers, so it seems, have trodden there. * Davide Torri, Shaman *For researchers and graduate students, Shushan does an admirable job explaining the challenges of comparing exceptional experience, and demonstrates subtlety and nuance as he compares and contrasts Indigenous NDE in North America, Africa, and Oceania. Readers will be challenged by the breadth of methodological concerns Shushan examines, and by his careful thesis regarding how we can study the power of NDE within the organization of cultural knowledge surrounding the fundamental human concern with the significance of death. * Mary L. Keller, Reading Religion *Gregory Shushan has produced the most important scholarly work on near-death experiences in the last thirty years He describes the process by which, despite regular attempts to marginalize its power, the NDE has been perhaps the most important shaper of religious creativity in human history. This is a journey and an argument as fascinating and as engrossing as the social history of mankind itself. * From the foreword by Allan Kellehear, 50th Anniversary Professor, End of Life Care, University of Bradford *Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions is a tour de force. By comparing recorded cases from North America, Africa, and Oceania, Shushan presents a compelling argument for the centrality of Near-Death Experiences to the development of religious ideas across time and culture. Any future discussions of NDEs and the origins of religion will need to take Shushan's major contribution into account. * Fiona Bowie, founding member of the Afterlife Research Center *Gregory Shushan's new book provides a uniquely insightful and provocative analysis of near-death experiences that documents their formative influence on worldwide beliefs about an afterlife. His ethnological perspective results in a more comprehensive understanding of NDEs than a purely biological or psychological model can provide, and suggests that afterlife beliefs are rooted not in culture but in the universal human experience of NDEs. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand NDEs and their role in society. * Bruce Greyson, Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Division of Perceptual Studies, University of Virginia *This is a remarkable survey of near death experiences gathered from reports across the world. Interested readers will be amazed at the data reported by the author in this erudite and intelligent inquiry. * Gavin Flood, Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion, Oxford University *Shushan's comprehensive comparative study of near-death experiences from Native American, Oceanian, and African traditions features accounts by explorers and ethnologists from the sixteenth to twentieth century. Shushan provides compelling evidence of a persistent core of imagery and experience in NDE from a variety of times and cultures. * Melissa Conroy, Religious Studies Review *<"Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions provides a detailed examination of NDEs throughout history and across cultures. It explores relationships among NDEs, shamanic traditions, and beliefs after the afterlife, and it shows that NDEs are experienced differently depending on region and culture. By significantly expanding our understanding of NDEs, we find that the experiential phenomenon is well-recognized worldwide, but how it is interpreted * the meaning of an NDEis not universal and is strongly shaped by culture.>Parapsychological Association *Table of ContentsForeword by Allan Kellehear Acknowledgements I. Exploring Near-Death Experiences Across Cultures II. North America III. Africa IV. Oceania V. Interpretations, Implications, and Conclusions Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisBirds have a larger place in religions than any other non-human animal, from their role as messenger between humans and gods among the ancient Mayans, to the Christian Holy Spirit taking flesh as a dove. More than symbols, birds gained divine status by guiding humans to water and food, replanting forests after ice ages and fires, and living with humans as they settled into farming and urban life. With the natural world facing multiple crises--climate change, epidemics of disease, pollution, famine--Peter (Petra) Gardella and Laurence Krute argue that humanity needs a new religion, a religion of nature in which birds and other animals are treated as equal inhabitants and citizens of Earth, to save the beauty and wonder that has inspired belief in God.Wings of the Gods surveys the many roles that birds have played in the development of religions, from legends, rituals, costumes, wars, and spiritual disciplines to the current ecological crisis. It also explores the relations between birds

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Book SynopsisThe essays in this volume offer a groundbreaking comparative analysis of religious education, and state policies towards religious education in seven different countries and in the European Union as a whole. They pose a crucial question: can religious education contribute to a shared public sphere and foster solidarity across different ethnic and religious communities? In many traditional societies and even in what are largely secular European societies, our place in creation, the meaning of good and evil, and the definition of the good life, virtue, and moral action, are all primarily addressed in religious terms. It is in fact hard to come to grips with these issues without recourse to religious language, traditions, and frames of reference. Yet, religious languages and identities divide as much as unite, and provide a site of contestation and strife as much as a sense of peace and belonging Not surprisingly, different countries approach religious education in dramatically different Trade ReviewThis is an important collection of essays that juxtaposes religious education in countries rarely ever juxtaposed in this fashion. More than showcasing different countries, the juxtaposition offers significant, and at times even startling, insights about religious education as a particularly contested site, which in turn reveals the fluidity of identity across different facets of belonging, and community that dont always fit easily together. An impressive work that should be read by anyone interested in how education centrally features in current debates about law, religion, and politics. * Anver M. Emon, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto *The authors also move past description to suggest a way beyond the separation of sacred and secular spheres: education for knowledge about one another for the purpose of common action in 'shared civil life.' * L. J. Alderink, CHOICE *Table of ContentsContributors ; Preface ; Introduction: Living Together Differently, Education, and the Challenge of Deep Pluralism - Adam Seligman ; 1. Teaching Religion in the European Union: A Legal Overview - Silvio Ferrari ; 2. Religion and Ethical Education in Divided Societies: The Case of Cyprus - Dilek Latif ; 3. Teaching Religion in Bulgarian Schools; Historical Experience and Post-Atheist Developments -Maria Schnitter & Daniela Kalkandjieva ; 4. The Vanishing State: Religious Education and Intolerance in French Jewish Schools - Kimberly Arkin ; 5. The Crises of Liberal Citizenship: Religion and Education in Israel - Shlomo Fischer ; 6. Secularism(s), Islam, and Education in Turkey: Towards E Pluribus Unum? - Ahmet Kuru ; 7. Walking the Tightrope: Prospects for Civil Education and Multiculturalism in <"Ketuanon Melayu>" Malaysia - Joseph Liow ; 8. Educating Citizens in America: The Paradoxes of Difference and Democracy - Ashley Berner and James D. Hunter ; 9. Afterword - Adam Seligman ; Index

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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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