East Asian religions and spiritual beliefs Books

Book SynopsisOrthodox theology and the Orthodox Churches had, and continue to have an ambiguous relationship towards the concept of Human Rights: principal approval often stands alongside serious criticism. This is especially true for those Orthodox Churches which have their centre in a country of the former Soviet sphere. On the one hand, especially since the fall of Communism they enjoy religious freedom that forms a central element within the framework of Human Rights. On the other hand, the transformation process of the 1990s and the challenge of pluralism and globalization have all confronted them with aspects of freedom that could not but affect their stance towards the Human Rights concept in general. This also means, that doubts and reservations related to this concept came to the fore again, which had yet existed already decades before. These reservations focused on such issues as Church and secular society, Church and state, furthermore on the understanding of central terms such as "freedom", "dignity", "rights" - central also for an Orthodox anthropology, that needs to be reconciled with the partly differing approaches behind the Human Rights concept.The chapters of this volume try and explore as much the philosophical and theological as the social, historical and practical aspects of this complex relationship. Based either on the discussion of differing theological concepts, or on empirical and concrete case studies respectively, they clearly show the tensions and fractures that do exist. On the other hand, in this way they also hint at possibilities to overcome these tensions, to continue a dialogue that already has begun, and to avoid the numerous misunderstandings between East and West which currently tend to form a hindrance to this dialogue at various points.

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Book SynopsisThe Second Vatican Council diaries of the late Met. Maxim Hermaniuk, C.Ss.R., provide a captivating glimpse into the public and behind-the-scenes work of this Council Father. Hermaniuk was a graduate of the Catholic University of Louvain, and taught for a number of years in Belgium in the study houses of the Redemptorist order before being named the first Metropolitan of the Ukrainian (Eastern) Catholics in Canada. Hermaniuk was by far the most active of all the Ukrainian Catholic bishops at the Council. Much of his work was carried out through his membership in the Preconciliar Theological Commission and in the influential Secretariat for Christian Unity. Hermaniuk's activities centred on his proposal to establish an Apostolic College, as well as his call to nullify the anathemas of 1054 between the East and West. He was a strong advocate of ecumenical dialogue with other Christians, particularly with the Eastern Orthodox churches. His work also included the promotion of dialogue with other faiths. In reference to the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which was at the time severely persecuted in the Soviet Union, one sees his affirmations of the particularity and dignity of his Church, his promotion of religious liberty, and his condemnations of religious and political oppression. These diaries also reveal how the Ukrainian Catholic bishops responded to the pastoral needs of their faithful - in liturgy, catechesis, education, mission and ecclesial governance - and the call to renewal made by the Council. Finally, the diaries are unique since they are one of the very few accounts of the Council by an Eastern Catholic Council Father.

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Book SynopsisThe Armenians’ perspectives on and perceptions of Islam are some of the earliest and integral parts of Near Eastern interactive history, yet the subject remains in virtual obscurity. A novel and extensive study, Islam in Armenian Literary Culture. Texts, Context, Dynamics is a maiden voyage into this unchartered territory and an overdue task in regional, Armenian and Interfaith studies. In view of the broad temporal and thematic peripheries, multiple aspects and complicated problematics, primarily Armenian texts – such as hitherto unknown manuscripts and/or indirectly familiar literature – are given high priority and cited. They are analyzed in their social, cultural and political contexts in dynamic processes. For greater clarity and ease of navigation, the book is organized around three main themes: the “Armenian Mahmet”, the “Armenian Ghurans”, and the “Armenian Pax Islamica”, from the seventh to the twenty-first centuries. These are also arguments, tools of analysis and major chapters in the book.

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Book SynopsisAn internationally recognized authority on Chinese history and a leading innovator in its telling, Cho-yun Hsu constructs an original portrait of Chinese culture. Unlike most historians, Hsu resists centering his narrative on China's political evolution, focusing instead on the country's cultural sphere and its encounters with successive waves of globalization. Beginning long before China's written history and extending through the twentieth century, Hsu follows the content and expansion of Chinese culture, describing the daily lives of commoners, their spiritual beliefs and practices, the changing character of their social and popular thought, and their advances in material culture and technology. In addition to listing the achievements of emperors, generals, ministers, and sages, Hsu builds detailed accounts of these events and their everyday implications. Dynastic change, the rise and fall of national ambitions, and the growth and decline of institutional systems take on new significance through Hsu's careful research, which captures the multiple strands that gave rise to China's pluralistic society. Paying particular attention to influential relationships occurring outside of Chinese cultural boundaries, he demonstrates the impact of foreign influences on Chinese culture and identity and identifies similarities between China's cultural developments and those of other nations.Trade ReviewAn important and original book on a permanently important topic by one of the world's leading historians of China. The writing is lucid, often elegant, and has been beautifully translated into English." —William C. Kirby, director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University"Nothing quite like this exists in the modern literature, and it is especially valuable for readers interested in world/global history." —James L. Watson, Harvard University"Hsu's book is unique in the field, and makes a distinct contribution above the many other grand narratives of Chinese history. Impeccably researched and consistently insightful, this is precisely the sort of book that every serious scholar of China should keep within arm's reach." —Thomas David DuBois, China Journal

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Book SynopsisMunro was more than an intellectual mentor. He has been an unfailing source of wisdom, inspiration, and support.Over five decades, Donald J. Munro has been one of the most important voices in sinological philosophy. His rapprochement with contemporary cognitive and evolutionary science helped bolster the insights of Chinese philosophers, and set the standard for similar explorations today. In this festschrift volume, students of Munro and scholars influenced by him celebrate Munro’s body of work in essays that extend his legacy, exploring their topics as varied as the ethics of Zhuangzi’s autotelicity, the teleology of nature in Zhu Xi, and family love in Confucianism and Christianity.Trade Review“Munro’s hallmark as a teacher was the absence of an official ideology and an open and welcoming tolerance to differences of opinion.” — Chad Hansen, Professor Emeritus, The University of Hong Kong

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