Philosophy of religion Books

Book SynopsisAtheism: The Basics is a concise and engaging introduction to belief in the non-existence of deities. Atheism has long fascinated people but debate around this controversial position may seem daunting. In this lively and lucid book, Graham Oppy addresses the following important questions: What does it mean to be an atheist? What is the difference between atheism, agnosticism, theism and innocence? How has atheism been distributed over time and place? What does science tell us about atheism? Are there good reasons to be an atheist? Are there good reasons not to be an atheist? What do we mean by new atheism''? With a glossary of key terms and suggestions for further reading throughout, the book considers key philosophical arguments around atheism, making this an ideal starting point for anyone seeking a full introduction to the arguments between those who hold atheistic beliefs and those who do not.Trade Review'This is an important, and notably even-handed, contribution to our understanding of atheism and atheists. It is fascinating, eye-opening, admirably careful, and always clear.'Russell Blackford, University of Newcastle, Australia'Oppy provides a concise, informative, and highly engaging introduction to the subject, dispelling many of the most common misconceptions about atheism and atheists. The biographical profiles of notable atheists in world history bring out the human side of atheism. If you are looking for a brief introduction to atheism, you cannot do better than this book.'Neil A. Manson, University of Mississippi, USA'This is an intriguing, fact-filled book that anyone interested in atheism and theism ought to read. Oppy is one of atheism’s foremost academic defenders and this book provides a succinct and accessible introduction to his thinking. Highly recommended.'Stephen Law, Heythrop College, University of London, UK'All in all, Oppy’s book is well written, lively and—for the most part—concise and accessible. The book does cover much, if not most, of the basics of atheism (as the series claims), and the inclusion of a glossary of key terms as well as suggestions for further reading make for a good starting point. 'Maartje Gortworst, Utrecht University, NetherlandsThis is a very good proposal. It provides a clear raison d’etre for the book: to be educative rather than to advance either a pro- or anti-atheist position, and to raise the tone of debate in a rather emotive area. It also explains how this aim is to be achieved: by carefully distinguishing atheism from other positions with which it tends to be conflated. It is particularly valuable to distinguish atheism from both anti-religious and naturalist views.One attractive feature is that it covers a variety of approaches to the topic - historical, political and philosophical – though I would guess the last of these would predominate in what one might think of as the heart of the book: chapters 4 and 5.It’s good that the chapters build up to what then can be a sophisticated and informed analysis of how the contemporary theist/atheist debate over atheism is conducted.the main audience will I think be more likely to be undergraduates, for which this book would make an extremely suitable background text for introductory courses in the philosophy of religion or theology – one or both of which will be offered by philosophy or theology & religious departments, too numerous to listThe chapters are all appropriate, and are usefully ordered.Strongly recommend publicationRecommended readingLawrence J. Jost, University of Cincinnati, USA. I believe that the proposal is sound in the main and would be a valuable addition to the texts now available.I should think the main audience would be undergraduates in courses on atheism itself (rather rarely taught as such but I do teach such a course and would welcome this edition) and, of course, philosophy of religion classes.I think that the book sounds suitable for beginners and I have tried to indicate a very few suggestions for improving it, viz. more on late 20th C. discussion and the problem of evil. I also think that there should be a discussion of meaning and purpose in life and why atheism has a more sophisticated approach to these questions than does traditional theism. Recommend Publication Required reading/essential purchaseFrom my reading of other work by Oppy I would say that he is a top-notch expert in the field and his entry into the field of basic works for beginners would be very welcomeTable of Contents1. Hitching a Ride with Arthur Dent. 2. Setting the Record Straight. 3. Snapshots from History. 4. Facts and Figures. 5. Common Complaints. 6. Reasons and Arguments. 7. On the Road Again. What to Read Next. Glossary of Key Terms. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisSecularization' sounds simple, a decline in the power of religion. Yet, the history of the term is controversial and multi-faceted; it has been useful to both religious believers and non-believers and has been deployed by scholars to make sense of a variety of aspects of cultural and social change. This book will introduce the reader to this variety and show how secularization bears on the contemporary politics of religion. Secularization addresses the sociological classics' ambivalent accounts of the future of religion, later and more robust sociological claims about religious decline, and the most influential philosophical secularization thesis, which says that the dominant ideas of modern thought are in fact religious ones in a secularized form. The book outlines some shortcomings of these accounts in the light of historical inquiry and comparative sociology; examines claims that some religions are resistant to secularization'; and analyzes controversies in the poliTrade Review"Charles Turner has provided us with a well-informed, witty, and frequently surprising critical introduction to the concept of secularization, its voluminous literature, and its central place in the work of the classic social thinkers, as well as in the thinking of a long list of important Continental intellectuals. Its insightful discussion of Islam is a special bonus."Stephen Turner, Distinguished University Professor, University of South Florida"Charles Turner's primer on secularization is essential reading. Refreshingly open, non-moralizing, historically-alert, sociologically-comprehensive, culturally broad-ranging and politically astute, Secularization provides both succinct insight into secularization as a much-contested concept and much pithy guidance as to its real uses as well as limitations. Turner writes with an engagingly direct and accessible style whilst never losing sight of the genuine difficulties in any consideration of these issues. His discussion has at once a lightness of tone and a genuine depth of insight that will appeal to the curious and uninitiated as well as to the seasoned, weathered thinker on these matters - everyone can gain something from this book".Thomas Osborne, Professor of Social and Political Theory, University of BristolTable of Contents1. The Career of a Concept 2. Secularization and Ambivalence 3. Four Sociological Secularization Gospels 4. Secularization and Philosophy 5. The Revenge of History and Sociology 6. Fundamentalism, Zombie Religion, Secular Religion 7. An Inconclusive Conclusion

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Book SynopsisFor over 40 years, Mary Midgley made a forceful case for the relevance and importance of philosophy. With characteristic wit and wisdom, she drew special attention to the ways in which our thought influences our everyday lives. Her wide-ranging explorations of human nature and the self; our connections with animals and the natural world; and the complexities of morality, gender, science, and religion all contributed to her reputation as one of the most expansive and compelling moral philosophers of the twentieth century. Mary Midgley: An Introduction is the first substantive introduction to Midgley''s influential philosophy on the human condition. This volume, supplemented by original interviews with Midgley, outlines the concepts and perspectives for which she is best known and illuminates the philosophical problems to which she devoted her life''s work.Trade ReviewMcElwain became a friend as well as an interpreter to Midgley over the decade he spent on this project. Midgley is compulsively quotable--a crucial skill for a popular philosopher and one of the delights of McElwain's book are the many quotations he includes, not only from across her enormous oeuvre, but also from years of interviews conducted at her home outside Newcastle. * Environmental Values *An original and imaginative philosopher, Midgley (1919–2018) wrote with passion, wit, and clarity on a wide range of subjects … This introduction to Midgley's thought is admirably clear, accessible, wide-ranging, and sympathetic … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, general readers. * CHOICE *McElwain offers a clear and lucid exploration of the philosophical concerns and contributions of the late Mary Midgley. Balancing depth and breadth, he engages and connects her views on ethical, environmental, feminist, and epistemological themes. Midgley emerges as a philosopher acutely sensitive to the possibilities for integration between the many aspects of human existence and the perils of their fragmentation. We should take from this book a richer understanding of Midgley and a deeper vision of the the role of philosophy in caring for ourselves and our world. * Ian James Kidd, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Nottingham, UK *Mary Midgley is the ideal philosopher for those who believe nothing is simple, that human nature is both bestial and cultural, that gender is neither a construct nor biological destiny, that we are one with nature yet keen to be separate, that we are selfish and social at the same time. We can only love a philosopher who respects contradictions and embraces our animal nature. She will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest we have ever had. * Frans de Waal, C.H. Candler Professor, Emory University, Atlanta, USA *Mary Midgley deserves to be recognized as one of the most interesting and individual philosophical minds of the twentieth century. McElwain’s book captures the personality of a thinker overflowing with ideas, buzzing with excitement and on a mission. Midgley retained the sense of wonder and mischief that characterizes childhood into her late 90s. She transforms that wonder into wisdom though her deep knowledge of philosophical method and history, and her serious study of human and animal nature. For Midgley, philosophers must be cartographers for their time, and this book provides those uninitiated into her complex and systematic philosophy with an invaluable map. * Rachael Wiseman, Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Liverpool, UK *Table of Contents1. Philosophical Plumbing 2. Human Nature and the Self 3. Morality and Wholeness 4. Animals and Why They Matter 5. Our Connection to Nature 6. Gender and Fragmentation 7. Science in Context 8. Religion, Science, and Complexity 9. Afterword: One World, But A Big One Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn recent years there has been a bold revival in the field of natural theology, where natural theology can be understood as the attempt to demonstrate that God exists by way of reason, evidence, and argument without the appeal to divine revelation. Today''s practitioners of natural theology have not only revived and recast all of the traditional arguments in the field, but, by drawing upon the findings of contemporary cosmology, chemistry, and biology, have also developed a range of fascinating new ones. Contemporary Arguments in Natural Theology brings together twenty experts working in the field today. Together, they practice natural theology from a wide range of perspectives, and show how the field of natural theology is practiced today with a degree of diversity and confidence not seen since the Middle Ages. Aimed primarily at advanced undergraduates and graduate students, the volume will also be of interest to researchers in philosophy, theology, biblical studies, and religTrade ReviewThe scope of these essays helps to articulate the exceptional breadth of Contemporary Argument in Natural Theology as a whole. The variety of arguments throughout the book provide a point of contact no matter the interest of the reader, and sprawling bibliographies at the end of each essay open up significant inroads to further study ... Contemporary Arguments in Natural Theology is a worthwhile read for anybody interested in the topic. * Modern Reformation *Graduate students who wish to keep up with the latest work in natural theology will find this a useful resource. * Heythrop Journal *This excellent book is proof of the continuing interest in and relevance of natural theology. The essays are creative, clear, and rigorous. They provide both new arguments and creative, cutting-edge slants on old arguments. Contemporary Arguments in Natural Theology will be helpful to advanced undergraduate students, seminary and graduate students, as well as philosophical scholars. * Stephen T. Davis, Russell K. Pitzer Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Claremont McKenna College, USA *Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction, Colin P. Ruloff and Peter Horban Part I: Revisiting the Classical Arguments for the Existence of God 1. The Argument from Contingency, Joshua Rasmussen 2. The Kalam Cosmological Argument, Andrew Loke 3. The Ontological Argument, Jason Megill 4. The Fine-tuning Argument, Michael Rota 5. The Argument from Biological Complexity, Michael Behe 6. The Argument from Information, Stephen Meyer 7. The Moral Argument, CS Evans and Trinity O’Neill Part II: Further Directions in Natural Theology 8. The Argument from Phenomenal Consciousness, JP Moreland 9. The Argument from Beauty, Brian Ribeiro 10. The Argument from Certainty, Katherin Rogers 11. The Argument from Mathematics, William Lane Craig 12. The Conceptualist Argument, Greg Welty 13. The Argument from Desire, William A. Lauringer 14. The Argument from Religious Experience, Kai-man Kwan 15. The Wager Argument, Joshua Golding 16. The Argument from the Meaning of Life, Stewart Goetz 17. The Argument from Common Consent, Jonathan Matheson 18. The Argument from Ramified Natural Theology, Sandra Menssen and Thomas D. Sullivan Index

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Book SynopsisAs an atheistic religious tradition, Buddhism conventionally stands in opposition to Christianity, and any bridge between them is considered to be riddled with contradictory beliefs on God the creator, salvific power and the afterlife. But what if a Buddhist could also be a Classical Theist?Showing how the various contradictions are not as fundamental as commonly thought, Tyler Dalton McNabb and Erik Baldwin challenge existing assumptions and argue that Classical Theism is, in fact, compatible with Buddhism. They draw parallels between the metaphysical doctrines of both traditions, synthesize their ethical and soteriological commitments and demonstrate that the Theist can interpret the Buddhist's religious experiences, specifically those of emptiness, as veridical, without denying any core doctrine of Classical Theism. By establishing that a synthesis of the two traditions is plausible, this book provides a bold, fresh perspective on the philosophy of religion and reinvigorates philosoTrade ReviewClassical Theism and Buddhism is a refreshingly generous and well-defended counterpoint to all those who fashionably maintain the incommensurability of Buddhism-Christianity and East-West. * Kelly James Clark, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Ibn Haldun University, Turkey *A timely contribution to cross cultural philosophy of religion, combining rigour and philosophical imagination to open a door between Buddhism and Classical Theism. * Victoria S. Harrison, Professor of Philosophy, University of Macau, China *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Can a Buddhist be a Classical Theist? 2. Buddhist Objections to Classical Theism 3. Contemporary Objections to Classical Theism 4. Buddhist Ethics and Theistic Ethics: A Synthesis 5. Buddhist Soteriology and the God of Abraham 6. Pluralism Part 1 7. Pluralism Part 2 Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisGereon Kopf is Professor of East Asian Religions and Philosophy of Religion at Luther College, USA. He is the Editor of the Journal of Buddhist Studies.Purushottama Bilimoria Adjunct Lecturer at the California State University, USA and Principal Fellow of Historical and Philosophical Studies at The University of Melbourne, Australia. He is Senior Fellow Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Editor-in-Chief of Sophia, Journal of Philosophy of Religion.

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Book SynopsisThe evil-god challenge is one of the most popular topics in contemporary philosophy of religion. In this landmark text, Jack Symes offers the most detailed examination of the challenge to date. Exploring the nature of god through the leading schools of philosophical theology, Symes argues that it is significantly more reasonable to attribute goodness to god than evil. Drawing from a breadth of ground-breaking material in metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics and epistemology Symes claims to defeat the evil-god challenge on behalf of traditional theism.Is it any more reasonable to believe in a good god than an evil god? Not according to proponents of the evil-god challenge. After all, the world contains a significant amount of good and evil for which either god could be held responsible. However, if belief in both gods is equally as reasonable, then religious believers are unjustified in favouring one hypothesis over the other. Therefore, in order to defend their faith, theists m

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Book SynopsisExamines themes of loss and mourning in the late work of Derrida.In this book, Kas Saghafi argues that the notion of "the end the world" in Derrida''s late work is not a theological or cosmological matter, but a meditation on mourning and the death of the other. He examines this and several other tightly knit motifs in Derrida''s work: mourning, survival, the phantasm, the event, and most significantly, the term salut, which in French means at once greeting and salvation. An underlying concern of The World after the End of the World is whether a discourse on salut (saving, being saved, and salvation) can be dissociated from discourse on religion. Saghafi compares Derrida''s thought along these lines with similar concerns of Jean-Luc Nancy''s. Combining analysis of these themes with reflections on personal loss, this book maintains that, for Derrida, salutation, greeting, and welcoming is resistant to the economy of salvation. This resistance calls for what Derrida refers to as a "spectro-poetics" devoted to and assigned to the other''s singularity.

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Book SynopsisOffers an immanent critique of Levinas''s core philosophical proposals by reference to his allegedly eurocentric statements.Levinas''s big idea is that our lived sense of moral obligation occurs in an immediate experience of the otherness of the Other, and that moral meaning is grounded in alterity rather than identity. Yet he also held what seemed an inconsiderate, or "eurocentric," view of other cultural traditions. In Saying Peace, Jack Marsh explores this problem, testing the coherence and adequacy of Levinas''s central philosophical claims. Using a twofold method of reconstruction and critique, Marsh conducts a holistic immanent evaluation of Levinas''s major works, showing how the problem of eurocentrism, and abiding ambiguities in Levinas''s political and religious thought, can be traced back to specific problems in his general philosophical methodology. Marsh offers an original analysis of Levinas''s method that verifies and extends existing critical work by Jacques Derrida, Robert Bernasconi, Judith Butler, and others. This is the first book to foreground the normative question of chauvinism in Levinas''s work, and the first to perform a holistic critical diagnosis of his general philosophical method.

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Book SynopsisArgues that Giambattista Vico''s early modern account of Roman mythology was a sophisticated attempt to present an epistemological and political critique of the aristocratic way of conceiving the world.Living in a province dominated by powerful oligarchs, Giambattista Vico (1668?1744) concluded that political philosophy should work to undermine aristocratic authority and prevent political devolution into feudalism. Rejecting the possibility that the free market could successfully instill civil behavior, he advocated for a strong central judicial system to work closely with citizens to promote stability and justice. This study puts Vico in conversation with other Enlightenment thinkers such as Locke, Rousseau, and Mandeville to show how his alternative warrants serious consideration. In contrast to scholars who read Vico''s New Science as a defense of the imagination, this study casts his account of poetic wisdom politically as an epistemological critique of the aristocratic mentality. Myth and Authority argues that Vico''s depiction of pagan religion is a refined attempt to explain how oligarchy maintains its stranglehold on power. While Western civilization did not follow the path Vico suggested, it may now be more relevant as concerns grow about the increasing influence of the wealthy on civil institutions.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewRustom’s new book is a masterful translation, superb critical edition and comprehensive guide to the thought of one of the most prominent Muslim thinkers. * Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations *The Essence of Reality is a clear and fluent translation that successfully transfers the literary power of the original text into English. * Nazariyat *[Rustom’s] translation strikes a delicate balance between faithfulness to the Arabic original and readability for a wide audience… A historical classic brought back to life by Rustom’s able skills as translator and commentator. * Marginalia (Los Angeles Review of Books) *

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Book SynopsisMatthias Smalbrugge compares modern images to plays without a script: while they appear to refer to a deeper identity or reality, it is ultimately the image itself that truly matters. He argues that our modern society of images is the product of a destructive tendency in the Christian notion of the image in general, and Augustine of Hippo''s in particular. This insight enables him to decode our current scripts' of image. As we live in an increasingly visual culture, we are constantly confronted with images that seem to exist without a deeper identity or reality but did this referential character really get lost over time? Smalbrugge first explores the roots of the modern image by analysing imagery, what it represents, and its moral state within the framework of Platonic philosophy. He then moves to the Augustinian heritage, in particular the Soliloquies, the Confessions and the Trinity, where he finds valuable insights into images and memory. He explores within Trade ReviewIn this volume, Matthias Smalbrugge argues convincingly that we have lost track of the fundamentally referential nature of images. That images are referential at best, Smalbrugge argues, is demonstrated by Augustine’s doctrine of mankind’s fall. By stressing the dogma that sin broke the image of God that mankind possessed in paradise, Augustine focused on dissimilarity, or deconstruction, on an epistemological, moral and ontological level. In the time since Augustine, however, the West has forgotten the notion of the constructive relation of similarity that binds an image and its original. Consequently, we approach images as realities that stand on their own and have lost sight of the originals that stand behind them. This essay – erudite, eloquent, and thoroughly researched – is highly recommended both for specialists in Augustine and ancient thought as well as for anyone who wants to reflect on the history of Western thought and contemporary culture. It invites us to imagine, to hold our images up to the light, and to see them for what they really are. -- Anthony Dupont, KU Leuven, BelgiumTable of Contents1. Introduction: A Play without a Script 2. The Image as a Shadow: Plato’s Cave 3. Augustine and the broader focus on Image 4. The Different Forms of Similarity 5. De Trinitate 6. The Final Question: It’s all about Language Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisReligious commitments can be a powerful engine for progressive social change, and in this new book, Raúl E. Zegarra examines the process of articulation of religious beliefs and political concerns that takes place in religious organizing and activism. Focusing on the example of Latin American liberation theology and the work of Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez, Zegarra shows how liberation theology advocates have been able to produce a new balance between faith and politics that advances an agenda of progressive social change without reducing politics to faith or faith to politics. Drawing from theologian David Tracy's method of critical correlation, the book focuses on key historical, philosophical, and theological shifts that have allowed liberation theologians to produce a new interpretation of the relationship between faith and politics in the Christian tradition, especially when issues of social justice are at stake. The book further approaches liberation theology's contributions to theorizing social justice through an unconventional path: a critical dialogue with the work of philosopher John Rawls. This dialogue, as Zegarra contends, allows us to see more clearly the contributions of liberation theology to the cause of progressive social change. Ultimately the book stands between "public religion" and "public reason," offering something of a blueprint for theological innovation and for how to remain committed to one's faith while respecting and defending the core values of democracy. Trade Review"This is the best book on public theology I have read in a long time. A compelling read on every page, A Revolutionary Faith offers a highly original reflection on liberation theology and its relevance for our secular age."—José Casanova, Georgetown University"How do religious people articulate their theological commitments to social justice? A Revolutionary Faith offers a lucid and insightful account. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the convergence of faith and politics."—Mayra Rivera, Harvard University

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Book SynopsisFor over twenty years, Beverley Clack and Brian R. Clack's distinctive and thought-provoking introduction to the philosophy of religion has been of enormous value to students and scholars, providing an approach to the subject that is bold and refreshingly alternative. This revised and updated edition retains the accessibility which makes the book popular, while furthering its distinctive argument regarding the human dimension of religion. The central emphasis of the philosophy of religion – the concept of God, and the arguments for and against God's existence – is reflected in thorough analyses, while alternative approaches to traditional philosophical theism are explored. The treatments of both the miraculous and immortality have been revised and expanded, and the concluding chapter updates the investigation of how philosophy of religion might be conducted in an age defined by religious terrorism. Clear, systematic and highly critical, the third edition of The Philosophy of Religion will continue to be essential reading for students and scholars of this fascinating and important subject.Trade Review‘An engaging and accessible book which gives a clear, critical account of some of the standard topics in philosophy of religion, and also includes stimulating discussion of how religious belief relates to the very human problems of identity, transience and mortality.’John Cottingham, University of Reading ‘This lucid introduction goes beyond the common approaches in Anglo-American philosophy of religion to include engagements with contemporary social movements (feminism, religious violence). The presentations of the usual topics – God’s existence and attributes, miracles, evil, death and immortality – show clearly and fairly the shapes of the debates on these issues. By basing their approach in religion as a human (but not always humane) experience, the Clacks provide a splendid path into the field.’Terrence W. Tilley, Fordham University

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Book Synopsis'A warm and wise read for those feeling hopeful or hopeless, or somewhere in between.' - The Rev Canon Kate BottleyWe live in an age where more and more people are saying something like, 'I'm not religious, but I am spiritual'. 'Hope' isn't just a nice idea - it can be life-changing and at the very least, an empowering lens to navigate troubled times and transcend daily stress. Hope, alongside the idea of a higher power, can help people feel less alone and more supported, especially when the world turns on its head, which can happen at any point. It is well-known through history that during troubled waters and periods of change, whether that be a pandemic, the loss of a loved one or simply someone's lack of purpose, people turn to religion for the answers. Reverend Pat Allerton is here to lead us through the different themes and issues of modern life, showing us that Hope is always there. He leads us though topics such as Anxiety, Acceptance, Connection, Forgiveness, Grief, Love, Togetherness, Trust and Uncertainty to prove to us that Hope is the answer even in the darkest of times.Trade ReviewA warm and wise read for those feeling hopeful or hopeless, or somewhere in between. -- The Rev Canon Kate Bottley

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Book SynopsisNatural theology is a matter of debate among theologians and Christian philosophers. In this book, top scholars in the fields of theology and Christian philosophy introduce readers to five prevailing views on the topic. Contributors include John C. McDowell, Alister E. McGrath, Paul K. Moser, Fr. Andrew Pinsent, and Charles Taliaferro.The contributors offer constructive approaches from major perspectives--contemporary, Catholic, classical, deflationary, and Barthian--in a multiview format to provide readers with the 'state of the question' on natural theology. Each unit consists of an introduction by a proponent of the view under discussion, responses from the other contributors, and a final response by the proponent. James Dew and Ronnie Campbell provide a helpful introduction and conclusion.Offering a model of critical thinking and respectful dialogue, this volume provides a balanced, irenic approach to a topic of ongoing debate. Students of th

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Book SynopsisThis book is constructed around a series of late night conversations between Cheryl Simone and Sadhguru Vasudev at her mountain retreat in rural Georgia. Part personal journey, part teaching book, MIDNIGHTS WITH THE MYSTIC is the most thorough exposition of the teaching of India''s most sought after mystic. Jaggi challenges us to embrace the possibility that to each of is available a higher realm of reality; a peak of consciousness; an entrée into the realm of freedom and bliss.Simone, a successful Atlanta real estate developer, is the typical baby boomer in search of an authentic spiritual experience. Her forays into Buddhism, the Kaballah and esoteric Christianity left her unsatisfied. Professionally successful, yet spiritually arid, she discovered the teaching of Jaggi. She became one of his many students and found the answers for which she was searching. Jaggi''s teaching centres around Isha Yoga: a particular form of yoga that has relieved a variety of physical and emotional maladies including asthma, depression, migraines, obesity and anxiety. It is a form of yoga that revolves around breathing exercises. The material is concrete and down-to-earth. Part of what makes this book appealing is that one gets the sense of the man, not just his teaching. This is a guy who appears to be a fairly conventional looking Indian guru, with a taste for fast cars, fast planes and practical jokes. In addition, the book includes Isha yoga exercises."With the elegance of simplicity, this book takes you on an exploration of consciousness, that will shift you to a higher reality." Deepak Chopra"Extraordinary wisdom, the insight and clarity of logic, the language of a poet. If you read this powerful book, you will discover who you really are, who we all are." Neale Donald Walsch

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1845, this concise critique formed the basis of thirty later lectures delivered in 1848 by Ludwig Feuerbach, one of Germany's most influential humanist philosophers. In The Essence of Religion Feuerbach applied the analysis expounded in The Essence of Christianity (1841) to religion as a whole. The main thrust of Feuerbach's argument is aptly summed up in the original subtitle to this work: "God the Image of Man. Man's Dependence upon Nature the Last and Only Source of Religion." Feuerbach reviews key aspects of religious belief and in each case explains them as imaginative elaborations of the primal awe and sense of dependence that humans experience in the face of nature's power and mystery. Rather than humans being created in the image of God, the situation is quite the reverse: "All theology is anthropology," he says, and "the being whom man sets over against himself as a separate supernatural existence is his own being." Feuerbach goes on to argue that the attributes of God are no more than reflections of the various needs of human nature. Further, as human civilization has advanced, the role of God has gradually diminished. In ancient times, before human beings had any scientific understanding of the way nature works, divine powers were seen behind every natural manifestation, from lightning bolts to the change of seasons. By contrast, in the modern era, when an in-depth understanding of natural causes has been achieved, there is no longer any need to imagine God behind the workings of nature: "He who for his God has no other material than that which natural science, philosophy, or natural observation generally furnishes to him . . . ought to be honest enough also to abstain from using the name of God, for a natural principle is always a natural essence and not what constitutes the idea of a God." Feuerbach's naturalistic philosophy had a decisive influence on Karl Marx and radical theologians such as Bruno Bauer and David Friedrich Strauss. His incisive critique remains a challenge to religion to this day.

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Book SynopsisIsaac’s Fear is a wide-ranging study of a Hebrew encyclopedia of Judaism by Isaac Lampronti, a rabbi and physician from eighteenth-century Ferrara, in Italy; this is the first encyclopedia of Judaism, with entries on thought and praxis. The book’s eight chapters are previously published studies. Isaac’s Fear represents the attempt to synthesize modern science and religious tradition, a fundamental issue then and in our own day. Encyclopedia entries illuminate the society and culture of early modern Italy, its Jewish community and the intellectual life of the author and his contemporaries.Trade Review“Isaac’s Fear (Pachad Yitzhak) was the first multi-volume encyclopedia of Jewish law, edited by Isaac Lampronti (1679-1756), a rabbi and physician from Ferrara. David Malkiel… explores the religious, cultural, and intellectual life of eighteenth-century Italian Jews through a detailed scholarly study of the encyclopedia. … This title is highly recommended for an academic library.”— Harvey Sukenic, Hebrew College Library, AJL News and Reviews“In this work of meticulous scholarship, David Malkiel has produced a detailed portrait of the paradoxical relationship between science and religion in early modern Italy. The main focus of this learned study is Isaac’s Fear, an encyclopedia of Jewish law written by IsaacLampronti, a rabbi and university-trained physician who aimed to lead readers though the bewildering maze of ritual traditions in an enlightened age. Malkiel demonstrates painstakingly how Lampronti’s searching mind, thirst for knowledge, and empiricist leanings were in tension with his profound reverence for received tradition, which he upheld as a repository of truths that eluded scientific investigation. The strength of this fine book is its sensitive portrayal of Lampronti’s struggle to meet the demands of competing intellectual traditions—a struggle he shared with his Christian counterparts.”—Jay R. Berkovitz, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst; Professor, Rothberg International School, The Hebrew University of JerusalemTable of ContentsTable of Contents AcknowledgementsIntroductionPart One1. EmpiricismSource: “Empiricism in Isaac Lampronti’s Pahad Yizhak,” Materia Giudaica 10 (2005), pp. 341-51.2. Palazzo TèSource: “Palazzo Tè between Science and Imagination,” Journal of Early Modern History 20 (2016), pp. 429-61.3. The PastSource: “The Burden of the Past in the Eighteenth Century: Authority and Custom in the Pahad Yizhaq,” Jewish Law Annual 16 (2006), pp. 93-132.4. Traditional SocietySource: “Ebraismo, tradizione e società: Isaaco Lampronti e l’identità ebraica nella Ferrara del XVIII secolo,” Zakhor 7 (2005), pp. 9-42.Part Two5. The SambationSource: “The Sambation River and the Ten Lost Tribes in Isaac Lampronti’s Pahad Yizhak,” [Hebrew] Pe‘amim 94-95 (2003), pp. 159-80.6. Intercessory PrayerSource: “Between Worldliness and Traditionalism: Eighteenth-Century Italian Jews Debate Intercessory Prayer,” Jewish Studies Internet Journal 2 (2003), pp. 169-98.7. PollutionSource: “Law and Architecture: The Pollution Crisis in the Italian Ghetto,” European Journal of Jewish Studies 4.2 (2011), pp. 255-84.8. Christian HebraismSource: “Christian Hebraism in a Contemporary Key: The Search for Hebrew Epitaph Poetry in Seventeenth-Century Italy,” Jewish Quarterly Review 96 (2006), pp. 123-46.Index

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Book SynopsisBoth deliciously funny and deeply insightful, THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN is a beguiling multi-layered memoir that has touched the hearts of readers all over the world and has received a truly astonishing list of endorsements from all quarters across the political, religious, ethnic and cultural spectrums. (Some say spectra, but spectrums is also valid.)At the age of one (and-a-half, nearly), Imran Ahmad moved from Pakistan to London, growing up torn between his Islamic identity and his desire to embrace the West. Imran''s unimagined journey makes thoughtful, compelling, and downright delightful reading. With a unique style and unflinching honesty, THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN addresses serious issues in an extraordinarily light way, and will leave readers both thinking deeply and laughing out loud.

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Book SynopsisWe live in an age of emergency, exacerbated by a collapse of meaning. Writer and psychotherapist Mark Vernon examines the type of intelligence that, whilst often dismissed and overlooked, is crucial to understand and cultivate if we are to survive and thrive in our times. Spiritual intelligence is the foundation of who we are and our particular type of consciousness. It is the perception identified across wisdom and religious traditions, and known by many names, which can be summarised as the awareness of awareness, and so of being itself. It is the foundation of peace, even in the face of death, as well as purpose and solidarity. The challenge today is to recover and live according to that knowledge. Examining themes from the nature of consciousness to the experience of time, the emergence of our species and the teaching of spiritual adepts, the book is an antidote to rampant AI and a complement to emotional intelligence. It is written without presuming religious commitments in readers and draws on a mix of sources and experience gained from the author's own practices. It advocates pilgrimage and improvisation, virtues over morality, and big histories that do not turn the story of our species into a bleak struggle for survival. The seven steps will help readers identify spiritual intelligence within themselves, unpack why it matters, and suggest how a wider trust in it may be revived.

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Book SynopsisIn a fresh and readable style, Vaughan Roberts, issues a challenging call to Christians to live out their faith. We should be different from the world around us.Targeting difficult but crucial areas such as our attitude to money and possessions, sexuality, contentment, relativism and service, this teaching is holiness in the tradition of J.C Ryle for the contemporary generation. Roberts helps us to consider how we are to respond biblically to the temptations and pitfalls surrounding us--giving what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose.

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Book SynopsisWritten by Gregory A. Barker and Richard Gray, this innovative Revision Guide provides students with an effective way to recall and revise the comprehensive content of their Religious Studies A Level Year 1 and AS course. / It reinforces the knowledge and skills provided by the officially endorsed and popular Student Book, and takes students to the next level in preparation for their exams. / Successful revision through an innovative and proven 'Trigger' approach / Essential AO1 information is provided in easy to understand bullet points, and key AO2 issues are clearly and fully explained / Students will develop the skills required to manage the essential information from the course, and transfer everything they have learned into the exam / Revision activities help students unpack their knowledge and prepare for the exam / Sample answers for AO1 and AO2 exam-style questions, with expert insight and advice on creating an effective answer / Synoptic Links show how other areas of the specification can enhance or support answers.

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Book SynopsisGary Markwick is the author of four published self-awareness books: Now it Begins, Adventures of the Great Marlo and the Blue Pearl, Mirror Images, and his latest book Earth School Past Lives and Beyond. Gary is a qualified clinical Hypnotherapist with a holistic approach, NLP, a Past Life Regressionist, a Usui & Karuna Reiki Master teacher, Spiritual healer, and Meditation teacher. Gary is also an international celebrity third-generation Palmist, Clairsentient after his grandfather and mother. He has been using his talent for the last thirty-five years and has read the hands of more than thirty thousand people worldwide. He has appeared on BBC TV, BBC Radio 4, Sky TV, Virgin Radio. He has also had write ups in newspapers and magazines; The News of the World, Daily Express, Cosmopolitan, Metro, Camden Gazette, Spirit and Destiny, Psychic News. Gary's family were well known in the 1950`s for performing with the BBC and theatres the throughout Great Britain, with mind reading, escapology, illusionary, and later on with palmistry.

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Book SynopsisAbolition can be a spiritual practice, a spiritual journey, and a spiritual commitment. What does abolition mean and how can we get there as a collective and improvisational project?To posit the spirituality of abolition, is to consider the ways historical and contemporary movements against slavery, prisons, the wage system, animal and earth exploitation, racialized, gendered, and sexualized violence, and the death penalty necessitate epistemologies that have been foreclosed through violent force by Western thought of philosophical and theological kinds. It is also to claim that the material conditions that will produce abolition are necessarily Black, Indigenous, queer and trans, feminist, and also about disabled and other non-conforming bodies in force and verve.Abolition and Spirituality asks what can prison abolition teach us about spiritual practice, spiritual journey, spiritual commitment? And, what can these things underscore about the struggle for abolition as a desired manifestation of material change in worlds we inhabit currently? Collecting writings, poetry, and art from thinkers, organizers, and incarcerated people the editors trace the importance of faith and spirit in our ongoing struggle towards abolitionist horizons.Trade ReviewPraise for Abolition Collective"Abolishing Carceral Society is an immense contribution to contemporary struggles for freedom."—Dean Spade, author of Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics and the Limits of Law"Abolishing Carceral Society is a wonderful mix of provocative ideas married with art, to help us consider a world without prisons, policing, and surveillance...This inaugural issue from Abolition Collective pushes us to ask a number of questions that are important to moving us toward an abolitionist horizon."—Mariame Kaba, author of We Do This 'Til We Free Us"Abolishing Carceral Society, presents incisive interventions in the current debates about prison abolition and abolitionism as a political principle. It is a bold beginning for what will become an essential forum for all insurgent thinkers."—Silvia Federici, author of Revolution at Point Zero: Housework, Reproduction, and the Feminist Struggle and Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body, and Primitive Accumulation"The Abolition Collective embodies the kind of work anybody interested in justice should aspire to reproduce. Astute, rigorous, and uncompromising."—Steven Salaita, author of Inter/Nationalism: Decolonizing Native America and Palestine"The Abolition Journal project offers a unique, revolutionary lens through which to view, analyze and fight against capitalism and patriarchy on the terrain of the prison-industrial complex."—James Kilgore, author of Understanding Mass Incarceration: A People's Guide to the Key Civil Rights Struggle of Our Time“This brilliant and absorbing collection of rigorous research articles, thoughtful political interventions, and innovative artworks is immensely important to the work of committed scholars, activists and organizers. There is much that teaches, fortifies, motivates and mobilizes here.”—Laleh Khalili, author of Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula and Time in the Shadows: Confinement in Counterinsurgencies"Finally, here is a journal providing a platform capacious enough to embrace the insurgent knowledge of activists, the analytical rigor of scholars, and the visionary power of artists."—Jackie Wang, author of Carceral Capitalism"Inspiring and incisive, these political interventions advance collective and transformative revolutionary praxis—what we need, now more than ever. On fire, indeed!"—J. Kēhaulani Kauanui, author of Hawaiian Blood and Paradoxes of Hawaiian Sovereignty and editor of Speaking of Indigenous PoliticsPraise for Ashon Crawley*Winner of the 2021 Lammy Award in Nonfiction**Winner of the Believer Book Award for Nonfiction*"Ashon T. Crawley pushes his readers to contemplate the intimacy of living the life of the mind as a spiritual, enfleshed, and intellectual matter."—Imani Perry, author of Looking for LorrainePraise for Roberto Sirvent“Danny Haiphong and Roberto Sirvent are two of the most courageous and truthful intellectuals in the belly of the U.S. imperial beast!"—Cornel WestTable of Contents​​Searching For An Abolitionist Spirituality—Jared WareThe Manual For Liberating Survival: Lesson 1. How self-care matters as an embodied practice of abolition—Rae Leiner and Jasmine SyedullahIs, Was, and is to Come: Freedom Dreamworld Dispatches—Andrew KrinksResurrection at the Fractured Locus: Incarcerated Black Trans Embodiment and Decolonial Abolition Praxis—AK WrightGod is Blackness: Mysticism of the Unowned Earth—Peter KlineThe Abolition of Hell: Abolitionist Interpretations of Jesus’ Descent into Hell—Hannah Bowman

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Book SynopsisOriginally delivered as the Hibbertectures in Oxford in 1930, The Religion of Man (1931) is an extensive and commanding exposition of Rabindranath Tagore''s understanding of the meaning and significance of religion in the cultural history of man. Tagore delivered theseectures when he was nearly seventy-years-old, they are born of experience, not theory.

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Book SynopsisWe live in times where people have extreme views. On the one hand, there are scholars who describe Shiva''s linga literally as a phallus, and see all metaphoric meaning as embarrassed apology of the uneducated. On the other hand, we have puritanical Hindus who want to strip the Shiva linga of all sexual meaning and sanitize Shiva''s lore. In both cases, a symbol is being reduced to a sign. In Shiva to Shankara, Devdutt Pattanaik, India''s leading mythologist, seeks to bridge the gap.

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Book SynopsisHow do we know if God is benevolent? Can we trust God, or is our faith finally in vain? Noted philosopher Paul Moser takes up this concern with a rigorous and persuasive argument that God is constantly seeking to vindicate divine goodness and to self-manifest God's divinity as perfect goodness to humans.

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Book SynopsisThis volume brings together Rosenzweig's central essays on theology and philosophy, including two works available for the first time in English: the conclusion to Rosenzweig's book Hegel and the State, and Rosenzweig's famous letter to Rudolph Ehrenberg known as the Urzelle of the Star of Redemption, an essential work for understanding Rosenzweig, Weimar theology and philosophy, and German idealism and the existential reaction of the period. Additional selections are presented in new or revised translations. Introduction and notes by Franks and Morgan set Rosenzweig's works in context and illuminate his role as one of the key thinkers of the period.Trade ReviewBoth the translations and the commentaries are first-rate. This selection of Rosenzweig's shorter writings throws important light not only on Rosenzweig's thought, but on the history of early twentieth-century philosophy. --Alasdair MacIntyre, University of Notre DameAn eminently needed book. --Emil L. Fackenheim, Hebrew University, JerusalemExcellent presentation of Rosenzweig's ideas. The commentary is the most illuminating and informative I've yet seen. One can finally understand Franz Rosenzweig's work in the context of German culture and philosophy. --Michael A. Signer, University of Notre Dame

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Book SynopsisIn the 1930s, a young Samuel Beckett confessed to a friend that he had been living his life according to an abject self-referring quietism. Andy Wimbush argues that quietisma philosophical and religious attitude of renunciation and will-lessnessis a key to understanding Becketts artistic vision and the development of his career as a fiction writer from his early novels Dream of Fair to Middling Women and Murphy to late short prose texts such as Stirrings Still and Company. Using Becketts published and archival material, Still: Samuel Becketts Quietism shows how Beckett distilled an understanding of quietism from the work of Arthur Schopenhauer, E.M. Cioran, Thomas á Kempis, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and André Gide, before turning it into an aesthetic that would liberate him from the powerful literary traditions of nineteenth-century realism and early twentieth-century high modernism. Quietism, argues Andy Wimbush, was for Beckett a lifelong preoccupation that shaped his perspectives on art, relationships, ethics, and even notions of salvation. But most of all it showed Beckett a way to renounce authorial power and write from a position of impotence, ignorance, and incoherence so as to produce a new kind of fiction that had, in Molloys words, the tranquility of decomposition.

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Book SynopsisContains some of Heidegger's most crucial statements about temporality, ontological difference and dialectic, and being and time in Hegel. This title is suitable for students of Heidegger and Hegel and of contemporary Continental philosophy.Trade Review" . . . an important contribution . . . offers a penetrating glimpse into certain uncharted waters in the development of German thought." —Review of Metaphysics "A must for all students of Hegel, Husserl, and Heidegger." —Choice

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Book SynopsisTreatise on Divine Predestination is one of the early writings of the author of the great philosophical work Periphyseon (On the Division of Nature), Johannes Scottus (the Irishman), known as Eriugena (died c. 877 A.D.). It contributes to the age-old debate on the question of human destiny in the present world and in the afterlife.The work survives in a single manuscript of which editions were published in 1650 and 1853. It has been most recently edited in 1978. The present translation was made from that edition. Modern scholars are able to discern in this early work strong intimations of Eriugena''s later major writings.Trade Review“The De divina praedestinatione liber was written in 850-51 at the request of two prelates while John the Scot resided at the court of Charles II, grandson of Charlemagne. It is his earliest attested work, a refutation of the heretical teaching of Gottschalk on double predestination. Both John and Gottschalk claimed to base their interpretation on St. Augustine, and both continued to be subjects of controversy during the decade between 850 and 860.” —Theology Digest“Mary Brennan’s translation is as helpful as her foreword. The rendition into English of Madec’s text from the Corpus Christianorum is careful. The book is elegantly produced and a delight to read.” —The Medieval Review

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Book SynopsisOne of the foremost experts on magic, religion, and the occult in the ancient world provides an unparalleled exploration of magic in the Greco-Roman world, giving insight into the shifting ideas of religion and the divine in the ancient past and in the later Western tradition.Trade Review"[An] ambitious and enthusiastic study of magic in classical antiquity."---Marina Warner, New York Review of Books"An insightful and approachable survey of magical (or non-normative) practices and the beliefs thereto attached in Greco-Roman antiquity. The reasonable price and the attractive design of the volume, with high-quality pictures, make it particularly useful to students and general readers."---Leonardo Constantini, Classical Review"[Edmonds] does a terrific job of covering a vast amount of ground, adducing a phenomenal amount of evidence, and providing a synoptic but detailed overview of the most significant magical phenomena. . . . [Drawing Down the Moon] should, from now on, be the first port of call for anyone who wants to be introduced to the field."---Andrej Petrovic, Greece and Rome"Drawing Down the Moon can be recommended as an updated gateway into ancient 'magic' for English-speaking academic and public readers. Edmonds offers a rich overview of the present state of knowledge in the field announced by the subtitle: Magic in the Ancient Greco-Roman World."---Bryn Mawr Classical Review, Thomas Galoppin"In Drawing Down the Moon, Edmonds has produced an extensive, engaging and, crucially, accessible overview which is likely to establish itself quickly as essential reading for anyone seeking to learn more about the vast array of topics that fall under the sweeping category of magic. . . . Ultimately, this work should be considered a resounding success and Edmonds is to be congratulated for providing an extensive and accessible introduction to such a wide-ranging and complex subject."---Jack Lennon, Bryn Mawr Classical Review"[A] careful scholarly study of ancient Mediterranean ‘magical’ practices and discourses of alterity—a significant advance in conceptualizing these historical subjects."---David Frankfurter, Review of Biblical Literature"Not only is Drawing Down the Moon for readers interested in magic, it is also one for readers interested in social history. An unmissable one, at that."---Owain Williams, Ancient History"Wide-ranging and meticulously researched."---Andrew Teverson, Folklore"A fresh approach and welcome comprehensive account. . . . [Drawing Down the Moon] will undoubtedly become a benchmark in the field of ancient magic scholarship.—David B. Levy, Classical World"

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Catholic Media Book Award, History Category""An excellent demonstration of what is possible when one marshals the skills of a historian of religion to 'make room for the creative apperception of sickness and disability beyond the measure of the norm'."---Mark Brians, Reading Religion

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