Religion and beliefs Books

Book SynopsisAn anthology of primary texts drawn from the diverse yoga traditions of India, greater Asia, and the West. It features elegant translations of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and even Islamic yogic writings, emphasizing the lived experiences to be found in the many worlds of yoga.Trade Review"In this volume, which is designed to serve as a course on the historical development of the practice of yoga, editor White brings together many leading scholars to present and analyze twenty significant primary texts drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism (and a text from Islam)... Featuring a useful glossary, this work would be excellent as a course text or for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students undertaking research on yoga. It would also benefit practitioners who want to deepen their understanding."--Choice "For upper level undergraduates, graduate students, and intellectual practitioners desiring to engage the true variety of yoga, this dense and disparate collection is indispensable."--Lloyd W. Pflueger, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsContents by Tradition vii Contents by Country ix Contributors xi Introduction by David Gordon White 1 Note for Instructors by David Gordon White 24 Foundational Yoga Texts 29 Chapter 1. The Path to Liberation through Yogic Mindfulness in Early Apyurveda by Dominik Wujastyk 31 Chapter 2. A Prescription for Yoga and Power in the Mahabharata by James L. Fitzgerald 43 Chapter 3. Yoga Practices in the Bhagavadgita by Angelika Malinar 58 Chapter 4. Ptanjala Yoga in Practice by Gerald James Larson 73 Chapter 5. Yoga in the Yoga Upanisads: Disciplines of the Mystical OM Sound by Jeffrey Clark Ruff 97 Chapter 6. The Sevenfold Yoga of the Yogavasistha by Christopher Key Chapple 117 Chapter 7. A Fourteenth-Century Persian Account of Breath Control and Meditation by Carl W. Ernst 133 Yoga in Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu Tantric Traditions 141 Chapter 8. A Digambara Jain Description of the Yogic Path to Deliverance by Paul Dundas 143 Chapter 9. Saraha's Queen Dohas by Roger R. Jackson 162 Chapter 10. The Questions and Answers of Vajrasattva by Jacob P. Dalton 185 Chapter 11. The Six-Phased Yoga of the Abbreviated Wheel of Time Tantra (Laghuklacakratantra) according to Vajrapni by Vesna A. Wallace 204 Chapter 12. Eroticism and Cosmic Transformation as Yoga: The Atmatattva of the Vaisnava Sahajiyas of Bengal by Glen Alexander Hayes 223 Chapter 13. The Transport of the Hamsas: A Sakta Rasalila as Rajayoga in Eighteenth-Century Benares by Somadeva Vasudeva 242 Yoga of the Nath Yogis 255 Chapter 14. The Original Goraksasataka by James Mallinson 257 Chapter 15. Nath Yogis, Akbar, and the "Balnath Tilla" by William R. Pinch 273 Chapter 16. Yogic Language in Village Performance: Hymns of the Householder Naths by Ann Grodzins Gold and Daniel Gold 289 Yoga in the Colonial and Post-Colonial Periods 307 Chapter 17. The Yoga System of the Josman?s by Sthaneshwar Timalsina 309 Chapter 18. Songs to the Highest God (Isvara) of Samkhya-Yoga by Knut A. Jacobsen 325 Chapter 19. Yoga Makaranda of T. Krishnamacharya by Mark Singleton, M.Narasimhan, and M. A. Jayashree 337 Chapter 20. Theos Bernard and the Early Days of Tantric Yoga in America by Paul G. Hackett 353 Chapter 21. Universalist and Missionary Jainism: Jain Yoga of the Terapanthi Tradition by Olle Qvarnstrom and Jason Birch 365 Glossary of Foreign Terms 383 Index 389

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Book SynopsisShould members of religious sects be able to use peyote in worship? How can the law address the refusal of parents to provide medical care to their children or the refusal of doctors to perform abortions? This title presents a framework for addressing such questions that involve competing demands of fairness, liberty, and constitutional validity.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2006 "Kent Greenawalt is a masterful guide to the range of issues and varied sources concerning free exercise, and teachers and scholars of constitution law will find his book an invaluable resource on free exercise questions."--L. Joseph Hebert, Law and Politics Book Review "Kent Greenawalt's latest masterwork ... is written with elegance, power, and lucidity--and filled with the kind of wit, wisdom, and Wissenschaft that [his] readers have come to expect."--John Witte, Jr., Constitutional Commentary "[A] comprehensive resource and guide to a wide range of free exercise issues and an incisive reminder of the challenges in interdisciplinary discourse."--Annika Thiem, Law, Culture and the Humanities "Kent Greenawalt argues for taking religion more seriously as a source of meaning in people's lives and accommodating religious freedom to the maximum amount that is consistent with a commitment to fairness."--Law & Social InquiryTable of ContentsPreface ix CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 CHAPTER 2: History and Doctrine 11 CHAPTER 3: Freedom from Compelled Profession of Belief, Adverse Targeting, and Discrimination 35 CHAPTER 4: Conscientious Objection to Military Service 49 CHAPTER 5: Religious Exemptions and Drug Use 68 CHAPTER 6: Free Exercise Objections to Educational Requirements 86 CHAPTER 7: Sincerity 109 CHAPTER 8: Saying What Counts as Religious 124 CHAPTER 9: Controlled Environments: Military and Prison Life 157 CHAPTER 10: Indirect Impingements: Unemployment Compensation 172 CHAPTER 11: Sunday Closing Laws and Sabbatarian Business Owners 184 CHAPTER 12: Government Development of Sacred Property 192 CHAPTER 13: Difficult Determinations: Burden and Government Interest 201 CHAPTER 14: Land Development and Regulation 233 CHAPTER 15: Confidential Communications with Clergy 246 CHAPTER 16: Settling Disputes over Church Property 261 CHAPTER 17: Wrongs and Rights of Religious Association: The Limits of Tort Liability for Religious Groups and Their Leaders 290 CHAPTER 18: Employment Relations: Ordinary Discrimination and Accommodation 326 CHAPTER 19: Employment Relations: Harassment 359 CHAPTER 20: Rights of Religious Associations: Selectivity 377 CHAPTER 21: Medical Procedures 396 CHAPTER 22: Child Custody 421 CHAPTER 23: Conclusion (and Introduction) 439 Index 445

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Book SynopsisRife with incest, rape, and murder, the biblical story of Jacob and his children must have troubled ancient readers. This title traces the steps of ancient biblical interpreters as they struggled with such problems. It reveals how they often fixed on a little detail in the Bible's wording to 'deduce' something not openly stated in the narrative.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2007 "The Ladder of Jacob is one of the most readable and attractive introductions to the general style of traditional Jewish reasoning from Scripture. It captures the strange combination of playfulness with deadly seriousness that characterizes this exegetical tradition, and which makes studying it so enjoyable. The methods it works with are profoundly interesting to the historian of ideas, who will be aware of parallels in other scriptural religions."--John Baron, Times Literary Supplement "James L. Kugel demonstrates that ... ancient sources described the biblical narratives in terms of various motifs that brought fresh meanings to the stories and their place in Israel's religious history... Kugel helpfully guides us through the marvelous world of ancient biblical interpretation."--Publishers Weekly "In his elegant new book, ... James L. Kugel takes on ... perplexing ... questions with great erudition and admirable lucidity... Whether unravelling some philological tangle or reconciling divergent readings, he has the enviable knack of capturing his reader's attention and keeping it firmly tethered... Whether discussing Reuben's sin with Bilhah or the priesthood of Levi or Judah and Tamar, Mr. Kugel moves easily from moral dilemmas to textual enigmas; his book thus serves as a guide to interpretation as well."--Eric Ormsby, New York Sun "Biblical scholar Kugel offers an in-depth study of some of the more difficult stories of Jacob and Jacob's family... [A]ny biblical researcher can profit from understanding the questions raised by these text, and analyzing the answers they provide. A valuable resource."--Library Journal "Highly recommended... James L. Kugel persuasively argues that ancient interpreters did more than simply apologize for the less-than-illustrious behavior of certain biblical figures ... by demonstrating how exegetical motifs arise from some quirk in scripture... Kugel has written a book that is obviously important for specialists (it will certainly be instrumental in reevaluating the history of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs), but he is so remarkably adept at making opaque materials accessible to nonspecialists that both novices and the initiated will read his latest work with evident relish."--Choice "James Kugel...is an expert in the history of biblical interpretation and well equipped to write a book that gives the reader an introduction to and explanation of the ancient exegesis of the particular text from Genesis under discussion in this book... [It] can be recommended for every one interested in the development of certain biblical traditions, but especially for those interested in the way ancient interpreters treated biblical texts."--S I Cronje, Verbum et Ecclesia "[Kugel]...takes half a dozen Biblical stories--Jacob's career, his heavenly ladder, the rape of Dinah, Reuben's dalliance with Bilhah, Levi's elevation to priesthood, Judah's victimization of Tamar--and invites the reader to accompany him in a survey of ancient Biblical commentaries which range far beyond the well known canonical literature...James Kugel has presented the reader with a dazzling array of Midrashic and other texts which testify to the extraordinary vitality of the rabbinic mind and its successors in unpackaging the hidden meanings in the Hebrew Bible."--Arnold Ages, Chicago Jewish Star "[Kugel] masterfully reveals why mishnaic, rabbinic, and targumic commentaries make the moves they do by analytically assessing the how and the why in each step. In this sense what Kugel does, helps the most rigid historical-critical exegetes ... become more alert to the intricacies of the literary-syntactical elements--particularly the cruxes--and also become more appreciative of the artistic aspects of ancient allegorical methods."--Craig D. Bowman, Book Reviews and Notes "Kugel ... most elegantly and convincingly explores how ... early interpreters conceived of the Bible and of their hermeneutical task... This book--and Kugel's major oeuvre of recuperating early exegesis--is an important, fascinating, and often brilliant endeavor."--Ronald Hendel, Interpretation "I can certainly recommend Kugel's book as yet another masterpiece of the history of interpretation. It should serve as a guide for others attempting to do so, as well as a wonderful sourcebook for those working on Genesis."--Dan Clanton, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures "All in all a fascinating and valuable contribution to the history of interpretation."--R. Tomes, Society for Old Testament StudiesTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix List of Abbreviations xi Chapter One: Jacob and the Bible's Ancient Interpreters 1 Chapter Two: The Ladder of Jacob 9 Chapter Three: The Rape of Dinah, and Simeon and Levi's Revenge 36 Chapter Four: Reuben's Sin with Bilhah 81 Chapter Five: How Levi Came to Be a Priest 115 Chapter Six: Judah and the Trial of Tamar 169 Chapter Seven: A Prayer about Jacob and Israel from the Dead Sea Scrolls 186 Notes 223 Subject Index 263 Hebrew Bible Index 271 Index of Motifs Studied 276

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Book SynopsisShows that the end of the Religious Right doesn't signal the decline of evangelical Christianity but rather its disentanglement from a political machine that sold it out to a narrow electoral agenda of such causes as opposition to gay marriage and abortion.Trade Review"Souled Out, by the respected political journalist and progressive Catholic E.J. Dionne Jr., is a deeply personal and searchingly intelligent reflection on the noble history, recent travails, and likely prospects of American liberalism."--R. Scott Appleby, New York Times Book Review "[Souled Out] is a highly worthy alternative to polarizing arguments regarding religion, whether pro or con... Rousing and wry, Dionne's sensible voice makes a powerful case for broadening religious vision and visibility in the public square."--Publishers Weekly "Souled Out gives facts, analysis and inside details on religious leaders' views. Dionne is well-equipped for the task... Many of Dionne's chapters are must-reads for progressive activists."--Kim Bobo, In These Times "Recognizing that 'it's much easier to scream across barricades,' he provides a political primer for politicians who want to reclaim the center...[H]is book provides new ways of talking about religion and public policy--just in time for liberals laboring to be 'born again.'"--Glenn C. Altschuler, New York Observer "Liberal commentator Dionne foresees different relations between faith and politics now that the religious Right is declining... He turns to recent developments in Catholicism since Vatican II and among liberal Catholics as a springboard to his concluding injunction that Christians continue to participate in politics, out of Christian hope rather than self-righteousness."--Booklist "E.J. Dionne writes well, and his latest effort, Souled Out, is no exception. Souled Out offers a critical and at times discomforting account of the rise and role of the Christian right in politics. A liberal Catholic, Dionne also gives an insider's account of the battles going on within Catholicism."--World Magazine "Is this really the year liberal Christians are going to take back politics? Not likely, but it is also not likely the year that the 'religious right' will dominate the political scene. Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, a Catholic with extensive background in religion, writes in Souled Out that 'we do not need and should not want, to end religion's public role. We do need a more capacious understanding of what that role is.'"--William R. Wineke, Wisconsin State Journal "Souled Out tells the recent history of religion's role in American politics and the outlook for the future. Dionne ... points to a general trend of increasing moderation of religious people in America. Christians who support abortion rights are acknowledging the horror of the practice, he writes, and Christians who used to vote exclusively on abortion are looking at other issues, too, including poverty and the AIDS crisis in Africa."--Daniel Heim, Roll Call "Souled Out by E.J. Dionne Jr. is an attempt to chart the rocky ride our ship of state has endured the last few years. Given that this popular syndicated newspaper columnist is often the standard-bearer for rational progressive politics, this book is well researched, much sourced, and eminently readable."--Susan Campbell, The Hartford Courant "In his new book Souled Out, E.J. Dionne zeroes in on how spiritual restlessness is affecting American politics. Since the Reagan years, a seemingly monolithic religious right has focused on a narrow moral agenda and voted accordingly. But Dionne sees signs that this agenda (stopping gay marriage, abortion, and stem-cell research) may at last be broadening to encompass concerns with the poor and the environment."--M.J. Andersen, Providence Journal "This book offers an insightful look into the intersection between religion and politics, coming from a self-described 'progressive Catholic.' While he doesn't mince words in his criticism of the Religious Right, it is clear that he believes that people of faith still have a part to play in directing the moral compass of our society."--Ann Fetters, The Wichita Eagle "E.J. Dionne brings special credentials to [SOULED OUT] on the role of religion in American politics. As a former New York Times correspondent to the Vatican, current political analyst for The Washington Post and professor at Georgetown University, he knows the present with the keen sense of a beat reporter and the past with the perspective of a scholarly historian. He seems to have read and digested every book written on the subject, as 20 pages of footnotes amply attest. The result is an astute and important review of the intersection of faith and public policy."--America Magazine "In Souled Out, Dionne recognizes that the Right raises legitimate points about the importance of personal morality, and that Christianity does have a 'conservative' streak in its skepticism about efforts to remake society in fundamental ways... Another virtue of Dionne's book is the substantial attention it gives to specifically Catholic dynamics... Dionne's book gives us reason to hope that an emphasis on human dignity across a broad range of issues--an emphasis resonating with Catholic thought, and increasingly embraced by Evangelicals--might be combined with Niebuhrian understanding of the limits and possibilities of politics."--Thomas C. Berg, Commonweal "E. J. Dionne's clever title, Souled Out, does not do justice to the wisdom of his meditation on the essential connection between religion and American politics. Dionne is right that many Americans are tired of the spectacle of political wrangling over morals and ethics that should never have been reduced to party slogans."--Anne C. Rose, Centre Daily Times "Dionne is a gifted writer who knows a lot about religion and electoral politics in America. He offers astute observations that would escape most churchgoers and citizens, and does not hesitate to debunk widely held assumptions about the culture war... A Catholic from the liberal fold, ... [he] explores the ongoing mystery of the Catholic vote."--Darryl Hart, American Conservative "Souled Out is an intelligent, written and eminently fair-minded work of advocacy."--Rev. Richard P. Mcbrien, ConscienceTable of ContentsIntroduction: Is God's Work Our Work? Faith, Doubt, and Radical Amazement 1 Chapter 1: Is Religion Conservative or Progressive? (Or Both?) 25 Chapter 2: Why the Culture War Is the Wrong War: Religion, Values, and American Politics 45 Chapter 3: What Are the "Values" Issues? Economics, Social Justice, and the Struggle over Morality 71 Chapter 4: Selling Religion Short: When Ideology Is Not Enough 92 Chapter 5: John Paul, Benedict, and the Catholic Future 126 Chapter 6: What Happened to the Seamless Garment? The Agony of Liberal Catholicism 151 Chapter 7: Solidarity, Liberty, and Religion's True Calling 183 Notes 205 Acknowledgments 227 Index 235

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Book SynopsisTraces how governments across Western Europe have responded to the presence of Muslim immigrants in their countries over the years. This title challenges the widespread notion that Europe's Muslim minorities represent a threat to liberal democracy.Trade ReviewCo-Winner of the 2013 Best Book Award in Migration and Citizenship, American Political Science Association Winner of the 2013 Hubert Morken Award for Best Book, Religion and Politics Section of the American Political Science Association One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2012 "The Emancipation of Europe's Muslims ... looks at the largely unnoticed ways in which European governments have begun to integrate Muslims and Muslim organisations into public life... Relying on extensive research and a wide range of interviews, Mr. Laurence has written an original and thought-provoking study."--Economist "[Laurence's] book is perhaps the subtlest and most solidly researched analysis of European policies toward Islam... Laurence establishes firm ground for hope."--Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs "Laurence examines the transformation of the relations between Western European states and their Muslim populations. This ethnographically rich, well-documented book successfully reveals that European states (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK) have more similarities than differences in terms of their interactions with Muslims... [The Emancipation of Europe's Muslims] is very informative; it includes several figures and tables about Muslim demography, organizations, and representation in Western Europe. By emphasizing the complexity of state-Islam relations in Europe, it goes beyond simplistic dichotomies and cliches, and provides a much-needed, broad perspective on this important subject."--Choice "Laurence's book is filled with thoughtful reflections and deep insights about one of the most fundamental political issues of our time and presents the result of a meticulous study of a long and complex political process, masterfully documented and made vivid with the help of a substantial body of evidence collected from a number of countries across Europe."--Reza Azarian, European Societies "Laurence's study is rigorously researched and a noteworthy contribution to the field."--Sanam Vakil, International-Spectator "The Emancipation of Europe's Muslims is a very impressive book. It is historically informed, theoretically rich, and comprehensive in its scope."--J. Christopher Soper, Journal of Church and StateTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix List of Tables xi List of Abbreviations xiii Preface xvii Chapter One: A Leap in the Dark: Muslims and the State in Twenty-fi rst-Century Europe 1 Chapter Two: European Outsourcing and Embassy Islam: L'islam, c'est moi 30 Chapter Three: A Politicized Minority: The Qur'an is our Constitution 70 Chapter Four: Citizens, Groups, and the State 105 Chapter Five: The Domestication of State-Mosque Relations 133 Chapter Six: Imperfect Institutionalization: Islam Councils in Europe 163 Chapter Seven: The Partial Emancipation: Muslim Responses to the State--Islam Consultations 198 Chapter Eight: Muslim Integration and European Islam in the Next Generation 245 Notes 273 Interviews 309 Bibliography 317 Index 355

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Book SynopsisLate one night in 1823 Joseph Smith, Jr was reportedly visited in his family's farmhouse in upstate New York by an angel named Moroni. Thus began the unlikely career of the "Book of Mormon". This book traces the life of this book as it has formed and fractured different strains of Mormonism and transformed religious expression around the world.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "To explain this book--now published in 150 million copies in 110 languages--Gutjahr recounts the life of Joseph Smith, whose status as the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints rests upon his claim that he translated the Book of Mormon from ancient gold plates delivered to him by an angel... Undeterred by skeptics' allegations of fraud, a small army of missionaries have made the book a powerful proselytizing tool ... but as an engaging human story, it has also inspired the creative impulses of visual, cinematic, and theatrical artists... A very helpful introduction to a perplexing but increasingly visible religious text."--Bryce Christensen, Booklist "[A] fascinating history of an important document of American culture."--Steven Poole, The Guardian "This is a book that has been waiting to be written. There have been previous accounts of the Book of Mormon by believers and nonbelievers, but most have been too polemical for general readers. Gutjahr (English, Indiana Univ.; Charles Hodge: Guardian of American Orthodoxy) doesn't ignore controversial issues of history and authenticity, as is the case with some other short introductions; rather, he provides several alternative interpretations of the book's origins... Needless to say, especially with the tremendous success of the Broadway show The Book of Mormon, there is a great need for a book like this. It should appeal to scholars and interested general readers alike."--David S. Azzolina, Library Journal (starred review) "America is experiencing something of a Mormon moment... But much remains unknown about this faith, including the circumstances surrounding its primary sacred text. Paul C. Gutjahr's well-written and erudite account of the history of the Book of Mormon fills much of this void... Gutjahr's account leaves one with considerable appreciation for the enduring value of the Book of Mormon."--Wade Clark Roof, Pacific Standard Magazine "Gutjahr has read widely in both Mormon and non-Mormon sources, and he has taken the trouble to get the basic facts right... The Book of Mormon: A Biography is a quick read that Latter-day Saints will find enjoyable and thought-provoking. It would also be perfect for non-member friends who are curious about the Book of Mormon but are looking for something more neutral or balanced than materials published by the Church, yet are perhaps not quite interested enough to take on a thick monograph like By the Hand of Mormon or Understanding the Book of Mormon."--Grant Hardy, Meridian Magazine "[I]t's refreshing to read a nonpartisan book about Mormonism."--Justin Moyer, Washington Post Book World "Gutjahr's biography is an easy-to-read overview of the Book of Mormon's life, a reminder that the Book of Mormon is the world's text, not merely the text of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in spite of the Church's careful efforts (through copyright measures and other means) to maintain the text's integrity. And even within the LDS tradition itself, the book shapeshifts as it traverses landscapes of differing historical contexts and rhetorical objectives. Such is the life of books, such is the life Gutjahr ably recounts."--Blair Hodges, Dialogue "Book of Mormon: A Biography takes readers on a quick journey through Mormon history from past to present focused on the Book of Mormon. The topics covered include Joseph Smith, the translation of the Book of Mormon, how the book was used in early church history, the death of Joseph Smith, the church's move to Utah, missionary work, further growth of the church, and the influence of the Book of Mormon on movies, music, theater, art and culture."--Ryan Morgenegg, Deseret News "Gutjahr tells the story of this very strange book ... with courage and verve."--Jon Sweeney, Tablet "Gutjahr's contribution to the 'Lives of Great Religious Books' series is a concise and eminently teachable history of the most important American-made world scripture. In a welcome departure from most such accounts, Gutjahr gives as much space to the Book of Mormon's 20th-century life as he does to its ancient or 19th-century origins, presenting in a compact, readable form a great deal of relatively recent history about its cultural and religious significance... Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers."--Choice, Editor's Picks "The Book of Mormon: A Biography is overall a delight... Gutjahr's ... book is a terrific example of a work typifying legitimate academic study, particularly as compared with most of the poor mistreatments of Mormon studies. It is balanced and engaging enough to give non-LDS readers a clear insight into what members consider a truly divine work and, perhaps more importantly, accurate and honest enough to satisfy LDS readers."--Tod R. Harris, BYU Studies Quarterly "Gutjahr succeeded in writing an informative account of the history of the Book of Mormon. His style provides enough information for those who are just curious about the Book of Mormon and Mormonism while at the same time satisfying a more interested reader's curiosity by providing a platform for further research."--Ingrid Sherlock-Taselaar, International Journal for the Study of New Religions "Gutjahr has produced a valuable biography of an American apocrypha for a general audience. He provides a valuable summary of various editions and translations of a sacred text that has made an indelible impact on religion in America and beyond. The overview of scholarly debates about the historical claims of the scripture is fair, accessible and concise. His outline of the illustrations in the Book of Mormon and its life on the stage and in the cinema is original and will be of value even to specialists in Mormonism."--Thomas Murphy, Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions "The Book of Mormon: A Biography is very readable and portrays the Mormon position well."--Eric Johnson, Christian Research JournalTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xi Acknowledgments xiii A Note on Usage xix Part I: Germination 1 Prologue 3 Chapter 1: Joseph's Gold Bible 11 Chapter 2: Holy Writ or Humbug? 38 Part II: Budding 59 Chapter 3 Multiplying Prophets 61 Chapter 4 Great Basin Saints and The Book 86

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Book SynopsisHow can intense religious beliefs coexist with pluralism in America? Examining the role of the religious imagination in contemporary religious practice and in some of the best-known works of American literature, this title shows how belief for its own sake has become an answer to pluralism in a secular age.Trade ReviewShortlisted for the 2011 American Academy of Religion Award for Excellence in the Textual Study of Religion "Postmodern Belief offers keen insights for the serious reader regarding current writers and their conception of the sacred."--Cliff Prewencki, Salem Press Magill Book Reviews "Hungerford's text is for scholars of contemporary literature and contemporary religion; for readers concerned about the relevance of literary texts and their continued ability to inform our lives; and for readers pursuing the meaning of religious belief in a postmodern world. Her work is richly researched and interdisciplinary, moving deftly between religious history and literary theory. Her reframing of belief is both creative and capacious, reaffirming the ability of literature to convey meaning in an allegedly postliterary age."--Kristina K. Groover, Modern PhilologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix INTRODUCTION: Belief in Meaninglessness xiii CHAPTER ONE: Believing in Literature Eisenhower, Salinger, St. Jacques Derrida 1 CHAPTER TWO: Supernatural Formalism in the Sixties Ginsberg, Chant, Glossolalia 28 CHAPTER THREE: The Latin Mass of Language Vatican II, Catholic Media, Don DeLillo 52 CHAPTER FOUR: The Bible and Illiterature Bible Criticism, McCarthy and Morrison, Illiterate Readers 76 CHAPTER FIVE: The Literary Practice of Belief Lived Religion, Marilynne Robinson, Left Behind 107 CONCLUSION: The End of The Road, Devil on the Rise 132 Notes 141 Bibliography 175 Index 187

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Book SynopsisArgues that superstition become pervasive in contemporary culture. This title asks why people persist in superstitious convictions long after science has shown them to be ill-founded. It examines the controversies and concludes that science is the only way we have of understanding the world.Trade Review"Park writes with bemusement at human folly but also with outrage at the misappropriation of science."--Robert A. Segal, Times Higher Education "Park uses his personal story to great effect to champion scientific thinking. He also gets under its skin, to explain how, as well as what, science delivers."--Mark Henderson, Times (London) "For Princeton physicist Robert Park, science serves as a rapier for skewering all beliefs not sustained by empirical proof. Predictably, religion heads the list of targets ... [Park] pits experimental rigor not only against the creeds of antiquity but also against the irrationality of New Age gurus who evangelize for alternative medicines or extrasensory perception... Sure to spark sharp debate."--Bryce Christensen, Booklist "Parks' main target in the first part of his book is Christianity, especially its creationist and so-called intelligent-design offshoots. However, the world's other religions do not emerge unscathed... He takes on New Age beliefs, reserving particular scorn for those practitioners who add the word 'quantum' to unrelated topics like 'healing' to give themselves an imprimatur of scientific respectability... Both religious and non-religious scientists are sure to find something of interest in the rest."--Physics World "Genial anecdotal tales introduce each chapter, which are then followed with the cutting criticism of various pseudobelief systems. Dogmatic in his emphasis that science is the only way of knowing, Park weighs faith-based beliefs against scientific evidence and makes no allowance for other ways of knowing... The controversial content should provide debate material for the high school and young college crowd as well as the general public."--R.A. Hoots, Choice "With acerbic wit, Park, professor of physics at the University of Maryland, asks why we believe weird things even when no evidence supports our claims... A humanist and naturalist, Park asserts that science rejects appeal to authority in favor of empirical evidence."--Roy E. Perry, The Tennessean Bob Park is a sceptic's sceptic, a consummate critical thinker, a no-nonsense scientist who knows baloney when he detects it... Superstition is more than an entertaining romp through the weird and wonderful. It is an important contribution to the sceptical literature ... that every scientist needs to be aware of."--Michael Shermer, Nature Physics "Guns blazing, Park hunts down what he calls pseudo-science... I found myself enjoying much of this feisty book as a kind of entertainment that raises serious questions."--Evelyn Juers, AustralianTable of ContentsIntroduction: Lessons from a tree vii CHAPTER ONE: A BIGGER PRIZE 1 In which we discover scientists of faith CHAPTER TWO: THE SECRET OF LIFE 23 In which Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection survives CHAPTER THREE: MIRACLE AT COLUMBIA 56 In which both sides pray for victory CHAPTER FOUR: GIVING UP THE GHOST 79 In which we search for the soul CHAPTER FIVE: THE SILENT ARMY 93 In which we search for an afterlife CHAPTER SIX: THE TSUNAMI GOD 104 In which the innocent suffer CHAPTER SEVEN: THE NEW AGE 116 In which anything goes CHAPTER EIGHT: SCHRODINGER'S GRAVE 129 In which quantum mysticism is found to be superstition CHAPTER NINE: THE BARBARY DUCK 142 In which the body heals itself CHAPTER TEN: THE DEER 161 In which the placebo effect is explained CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE MORAL LAW 188 In which we instinctively know right from wrong CHAPTER TWELVE: THE LAST BUTTERFLY 202 In which there is no place else to go Bibliography 217 Index 221

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Book SynopsisMuch has been written about the profound impact the post-World War II baby boomers had on American religion. But the lifestyles and beliefs of the generation that has followed - and the influence these younger Americans are having on the face of religion - are not so well understood. This book offers a look at the future of American religion.Trade Review"Robert Wuthnow of Princeton has just published a tremendously valuable book, After the Baby Boomers that looks at young adulthood through the prism of religious practice."--David Brooks, New York Times "In a volume sure to change how pundits and clergy think about religion in the contemporary U.S., prolific Princeton sociologist Wuthnow assembles and analyzes a vast amount of data about the religious lives of Americans aged 21 to 45... Wuthnow argues that our society provides lots of structural support for children and teens, but leaves younger adults to fend for themselves during the decades when they're making crucial decisions about family and work. Though long passages of dense statistics make for a sometimes clunky read, this book is terrifically important."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Robert Wuthnow, [a] distinguished sociologist of religion...focuses on...a group that is not just the harbinger of the future but that already constitutes about half the country's adult population. Wuthnow has a great deal to say about marriage, weddings, marital happiness and parenting [and] describes modest changes in worship services and programs that might help congregations engage young adults, especially unmarried ones."--Peter Steinfels, New York Times "Wuthnow has analyzed an impressive array of data and provided a thought provoking argument about the future, and the present, of American religion."--Matthew T. Loveland, Catholic Books Review "[This book provides] a challenge to think more broadly about the future of the church, assisted by a leading sociologist's analysis of current trends."--Brian D. McLaren, Christian Century "As generations pass and distance grows, so do the values which issues from the body of believers gathered in...the church...Robert Wuthnow's important new book After the Baby Boomers...is a potential wake-up signal, an alarm blast."--Martin Marty, Sightings "Christian leaders who are ready for change will not find a prescription or program in After the Baby Boomers. What they will find is a challenge to think more broadly about the future of the church, assisted by a leading sociologist's analysis of current trends. And they will find something else: a sympathetic voice speaking on behalf of young adults who are highly interested in God, highly in need of guidance and support, highly networked and networkable, highly available to be equipped for vital mission, and largely uninspired by what churches are currently doing...I find myself even more eager to be part of the solution to the problems raised by Wuthnow. Much is at stake."--Brian McLaren, Christian Century "Wuthnow shares the concerns of religious and spiritual leaders because...he understands the great benefits religion provides society...[A] precise study...After the Baby Boomers is a work of social science [that paints] a detailed picture of the lives of young adults today."--Patton Dodd, Shambhala Sun "Princeton University's Robert Wuthnow, the most distinguished sociologist of religion in America today, has presented a timely and important text for pastors and those who are concerned about the future of religious communities in America. After the Baby Boomers offers pastors and church leaders an important text to ponder. Wuthnow places his finger on many issues that the church must confront."--Andrew Root, Word & World "Open any page of Robert Wuthnow's latest book, After the Baby Boomers, and you are sure to find a nugget of data that will add nuance to some of the well-worn assumptions about he religious lives of the so-called Generation X."--Michelle Dillon, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion "Wuthnow's text is a refreshing read... [He] does an excellent job of addressing the cultural shifts that explain why it is the case the young adults are less involved in religious institutions. As a macrolevel study, he astutely ties personal level practices to larger social forces, and tacitly employs the sociological imagination--a skill that non-academic readers could find informative."--Katrina C. Hoop, International Review of Modern Sociology "After the Baby Boomers is a dense but fascinating read; I had trouble deciding which chapters not to assign to my classes... Every chapter of this book contains questions churches and religious leaders must face--and soon."--Kenda Creasy Dean, Theology Today "Robert Wuthnow has analyzed an impressive array of data and provided a thought provoking argument about the future, and the present, of American religion."--Matthew T. Loveland, Catholic Books Review "This is an interesting book... The object lesson in the skillful analysis of survey data is instructive, and the call to focus more analysis on young adults (especially this generation of young adults) is timely and thoughtful."--Anthony J. Filipovitch, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly "Wuthnow's book stands out as a timely, comprehensive, and thoughtful effort. Mixing a tremendous amount of empirical survey evidence with detailed qualitative interviews, the book covers a lot of ground, including emerging issues pertaining to immigration and new technology. Posing a number of smart questions that are ripe for political science answers, it is a sophisticated and yet accessible commentary on the future of American religion that is more than deserving of a place on bookshelves."--Anand Edward Sokhey, Cambridge Journals "The strength of this book lies ... in its careful analysis of a very wide range of largely quantitative data. Wuthnow is bitingly critical of sociologists of religion--particularly rational choice theorists--whose work is long on theory and short on evidence. This volume exemplifies the opposite--long on evidence, shorter on theory and explanation."--Linda Woodhead, Religion JournalTable of ContentsList of Figures and Tables ix Preface xiii Chapter 1: AMERICAN RELIGION An Uncertain Future 1 How to Think about Younger Adults 3 The Population of Young Adults 7 Coming of Age at Forty 9 The Religious Significance of Young Adults 12 A Generation of Tinkerers 13 An Uncertain Future 17 Chapter 2: THE CHANGING LIFE WORLDS OF YOUNG ADULTS Seven Key Trends 20 Delayed Marriage 21 Children-- Fewer and Later 24 Uncertainties of Work and Money 28 Higher Education (for Some) 36 Loosening Relationships 37 Globalization 42 Culture--An Information Explosion 44 Summing Up 49 Chapter 3: GOING TO CHURCH--OR NOT Who Participates in Congregations? 51 Attendance in Two Time Periods 52 The Reasons for Declining Participation 54 A Closer Look at Marriage and Children 62 Communities 65 Is the United States Becoming Like Europe? 66 The Profile of Regular Church Goers 68 Religious Attendance in Perspective 69 Chapter 4: THE MAJOR FAITH COMMUNITIES Thinking Beyond Winners and Losers 71 The Significance of Young Adults 72 The Major Faith Traditions 75 Evangelicals and Mainline Protestants 77 Black Protestants, Catholics, and Jews 84 Other Faiths and the Nonaffiliated 86 Beyond Winners and Losers 87 Chapter 5: THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO (I THINK) Recent Trends in Religious Beliefs 89 Some Possible Scenarios 90 Decline in Orthodox Beliefs 96 Orthodoxy, with Rising Secularity 98 Countervailing Effects of Diversity 101 Orthodoxy Mixed with Heterodoxy 103 Different Trends among Educational Categories 107 Changing Relationships with Education 108 Different Trends among Faith Communities 110 Chapter 6: SPIRITUALITY AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES The Role of Faith in Personal Life 112 Church Shopping and Hopping 114 Social Networks 117 Civility 120 Are Converts Different? 123 Seeking Answers 124 Spiritual Practices 127 Music and Art 129 Spiritual but Not Religious? 131 The Nature of Spiritual Tinkering 134 Chapter 7: FAITH AND FAMILY Facing the Difficult Choices 136 Considering Marriage 136 Having Sex 138 Weddings 139 Marital Happiness 141 Parenting 142 Right and Wrong 145 Empathy 148 Threats to Today's Families 149 Seeking Support 151 Religious and Ethnic Diversity 152 Faith Matters 155 Chapter 8: THE DIVIDED GENERATION Religion and Public Life 157 The Split between Conservatives and Liberals 160 Civil Religion 163 Voting in Presidential Elections 167 Mixing Religion and Politics 171 Hot-Button Issues: Abortion 173 Hot-Button Issues: Homosexuality 174 The Religious Right 177 War and Peace 179 Why It Matters 180 Chapter 9: EMERGING TRENDS Immigration and Ethnic Diversity 183 Hispanic Catholics 183 A Note on Hispanic Protestants 187 Asian Americans 188 Hospitality or Hostility 193 A Closer Look at Church Involvement 197 Chapter 10: THE VIRTUAL CHURCH Religious Uses of the Internet 201 Religion Websites 201 Social Issues 203 The Internet and Religious Music 206 Staying in Touch by E-mail 207 The Internet and Spiritual Seeking 209 Congregations and the Internet 212 Chapter 11: VITAL CONGREGATIONS Youthful and Diverse 214 The Profile of Youthful Congregations 219 Minichurch or Megachurch 221 Alternative Styles of Worship 223 Meeting the Changing Needs of Families 225 Interreligious Programs 226 Opportunities for International Ministry 227 Opportunities for Service 228 A Future for Congregations 230 APPENDIX 233 The National Young Adults and Religion Study 233 Methodology 234 The Surveys and Other Data 238 Qualitative Interviews 247 Supplementary Tables 251 Notes 255 Selected Bibliography 279 Index 293

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Book SynopsisWho were the Christians in the Arabic-speaking milieu of Mohammed and the Qur'an? This title presents a discussion in English of the cultural and intellectual life of such Christians indigenous to the Islamic world.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2008 Albert C. Outler Prize, American Society of Church History "The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque makes a contribution to the understanding of relations between Christians and Muslims that is both necessary and enriching. Its author, Sidney Griffith, has almost unparalleled knowledge of his subject, and brings together here the fruit of decades of painstaking work in Syriac and Arabic to piece together a history that gives color to Christian-Muslim relations, and illuminates many of the points of controversy between the faiths by situating them in a historical context."--David Thomas, Middle East Journal "This splendid book provides a revelatory account of those Christians--and they were legion--who lived under Islamic rule between the time of Mohammed and the Mongol conquests in the Near East during the 13th century...Through a close reading of the texts they produced, Griffith explores the unique theological and ecclesiological visions fashioned by these often unsung Christians."--Jonathan Wright, Catholic Herald "This is a wonderfully written and important book--so much so that immediately after reading it, I started recommending it to students in two courses on 'Eastern Christianity and the Encounter with Islam' that I am teaching currently. From Griffith we should expect nothing less than such a masterful treatment for he has spent the last thirty years researching Muslim-Christian relations, research he displays here with elegance and cogency--and in a thirty-page bibliography, which is most useful."--Adam A. J. DeVille, LOGOS: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies "Sidney Griffith's work is a milestone in the field of classical Christian-Arabic studies. It provides specialists in the field as well as the general reader with wide-ranging information, precious insights and judicious assessments."--Christian Troll, The Tablet "In [The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque], Griffith sets out to correct important facets of the history of Muslim/Christian interaction. One of the most fascinating aspects of this history is the way in which the Arabization of oriental Christians provided them with a new language and a new cultural medium in which to rearticulate doctrines that they considered central to their faith."--M. Swartz, CHOICE "In today's English-speaking world, Griffith's lucid reintroduction of these thinkers should be welcomed both by Christians seeking to honor non-European expressions of Christian faith and by Muslims interested in reconciling Islamic ways of knowing with the Western commitment to empirical knowledge and ideas of cause and effect."--Richard J. Jones, International Bulletin of Missionary Research "In a post-modern, pluralistic, global environment, core Christian beliefs will face new challenges. One of the most overt challenges will come from a close encounter with Islam. This book will be a vital, even necessary, resource in filling in a major historical gap in that encounter."--Everett W. Huffard, Book Reviews "After more than thirty years of specialized research focused on the literature of Arabic Christian theology, Sidney Griffith seeks to introduce this part of Eastern Christianity's intellectual and cultural heritage to a broader audience. This is a worthy undertaking, realized in a way that non-experts are likely to consider accessible and appealing."--Stanley H. Skreslet, Interpretation "Sidney Griffith's book elegantly enlarges conventional conceptions frequently found in histories of Christianity... The book provides access to a field of study that is usually not open to non-specialists. It also offers points of reflection and debate for scholars who themselves are interested in opening their respective areas of study to non-specialists across the disciplines."--Kirsten Ruther, Canadian Journal of History "This important book, more than twenty-five years in the making, represents a significant contribution to the history of Christian-Muslim dialogue by an acknowledged expert on the interaction between indigenous Christians, particularly those of the Eastern Church's, and their Muslim rulers, resulting from the meteoric expansion of the new religion. Of value to the specialist, not least for the extensive bibliography provided, the book is nevertheless written in such a way as to be accessible to the general reader."--John Flannery, Cambridge Journals "This will become a valuable resource for many years to come... In a post-modern, pluralistic, global environment, core Christian beliefs will face new challenges. One of the most overt challenges will come from a close encounter with Islam. This book will be a vital, even necessary, resource in filling in a major historical gap in that encounter."--Evertt W. Huffard, Missiology "The study offers engaging and accessible reading for the layman, as well as a helpful overview for the researcher--some thirty pages of reference literature will prove useful for anyone who embarks on the search of the earliest Christian-Muslim contacts."--Ljubica Miocevic, European Legacy "This book is a welcome synthesis of a lifetime of scholarship that lays out the little-known history of churches under Islam that whets the appetite to learn more."--Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Anglican and Episcopal History "This is an important and helpful volume. It reminds us that Christian-Muslim dialogue has a long history. It helps us understand the beginning of Christian-Muslim dialogue that predated thinkers like Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas... [Griffith's] volume might well help us think about how better to engage and encounter Muslims in interfaith conversation."--David C. Ratke, Dialog "[T]his book provides an excellent introduction of the pertinent material and literature. It is also useful for scholars who wish to pursue further the topics that Griffith raises because he includes a wealth of resources in the footnotes and bibliography. Thanks to Griffith's work, the history of Christianity in the East does not lie completely in the shadow."--J. Edward Walters, Restoration Quarterly "The volume is very nicely produced. A good index is provided, and over 30 pages of bibliography... It can indeed serve as an excellent guide."--Michael L. Fitzgerald, BibliographieTable of ContentsLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix PREFACE xi Introduction 1 CHAPTER I: "People of the Gospel," "People of the Book": C Hristians and Christianity in the World of Islam 6 CHAPTER II: Apocalypse and the Arabs: The First Christian Responses to the Challenge of Islam 23 CHAPTER III: Christian Theology in Arabic: A New Development in Church Life 45 CHAPTER IV: The Shape of Christian Theology in Arabic: The Genres and Strategies of Christian Discourse in the World of Islam 75 CHAPTER VP: Christian Philosophy in Baghdad and Beyond: A Major Partner in the Development of Classical Islamic Intellectual Culture 106 CHAPTER VI: What Has Baghdad to Do with Constantinople or Rome?: Oriental Christian Self-Definition in the World of Islam 129 CHAPTER VII: Between the Crescent and the Cross: Convivencia, the Clash of Theologies, and Interreligious Dialogue 156 BIBLIOGRAPHY 181 INDEX 213

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Book SynopsisFor over a century, the Danish thinker Soren Kierkegaard (1813-55) has been at the center of a number of important discussions. He was an extraordinarily prolific writer. This title enables us to see the thinker in dialogue with his times and with himself.Trade Review"For all of his lyricism, many of Kierkegaard's works project themselves as an impenetrable fortress of abstractions. These magnificently translated journals are a tunnel beneath the moat of that fortress. They capture the unpackaged and unbuttoned Kierkegaard and thus provide a stimulus to anyone intent on understanding a religious author who could well be reckoned a Luther of Lutheranism."--Gordon Marino, Christian Century "These new critical editions do an excellent job of making Kierkegaard's journals and notebooks available in all their richness."--Brian Gregor, Elizabeth C. Shaw and StaffTable of ContentsIntroduction vii Journal NB 1 Journal NB2 129 Journal NB3 243 Journal NB4 283 Journal NB5 367 Notes for Journal NB 431 Notes for Journal NB2 493 Notes for Journal NB3 551 Notes for Journal NB4 575 Notes for Journal NB5 617 Maps 651 Calendar 659 Concordance 667

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Zaman’s excellent study will remain indispensable to any student who seeks to understand Islam in Pakistan, while the methodologies, themes, and archives to which it does not attend invite scholars to build on this insightful monograph."---Ali Altaf Mian, Reading Religion"Thematically organized, deeply detailed, urgently relevant history of leading figures, groups and movements. . . . No other book offers a guide to ways in which the meaning and significance of Islam have been understood by proponents in South Asia. Essential."---G.R. Thursby, Choice Reviews"This is a wonderfully balanced treatment of Islam in Pakistan, which throughout respects nuance and complexity."---Francis Robinson, Times Literary Supplement"Zaman’s extensive survey of the kaleidoscopic range of Islamic movements and groups discerns and dissects dominant trends in Islamic discourses over the last seven decades."---Ali Usman Qasmi, Herald"This book is not meant to be read. It is meant to be studied. Encyclopedic in scope, subtle in analysis, Islam in Pakistan attempts to define a unique strand of Islam that the author calls ‘modernism,’ tracing its genealogy and relation to the corridors of political power."---Mahan Mirza, Maydan"A wonderfully balanced treatment of Islam in Pakistan, which throughout respects nuance and complexity . . . rooted in a deep knowledge of the writings of modernists, ulama and Islamists."---Francis Robinson, Times Literary Supplement"A rich intellectual history. . . . This work will immediately be established as essential reading for all specialists."---Justin Jones, H-Net Reviews"A landmark publication in the fields of religious studies, modern Islam, South Asian Islam, and by far the most important and monumental contribution to date in the study of Islam in Pakistan."---Sherali Tareen, Islamic Studies

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Book SynopsisIn intellectual and political culture, the Enlightenment is routinely celebrated as the starting point of modernity and secular rationalism, or demonized as the source of a godless liberalism in conflict with religious faith. This book intends to alter our understanding by showing that the Enlightenment, at its heart, was religious in nature.Trade Review"Why can't religion and the Enlightenment be friends? What's that, you say? They were friends? Why didn't anyone tell us? Well, David Sorkin has. A professor of history and Jewish studies at the University of Wisconsin, he argues in a new study that religion and the Enlightenment were even more than friends... The French Revolution and its Napoleonic aftermath not only destroyed the religious Enlightenment in practice; it also created, as Dr. Sorkin notes, a 'religious-secular dichotomy' that condemned this side of the Enlightenment to historical obscurity. Rescuing it from that obscurity, he insists, is of much more than academic interest."--Peter Steinfels, New York Times "This is a book about religious ideas of the 18th century. Although scholars tend to see the Enlightenment as antireligious and secular, Sorkin persuasively argues that this was not the whole story. Instead, all of Europe's major religions produced movements of religious reform compatible with the Enlightenment... [S]orkin makes his case that there were individuals and groups within organized religion who welcomed the Enlightenment and tried to accommodate religion within it."--P. Grendler, Choice "Sorkin makes very interesting discoveries about the parallel developments within different religions in the eighteenth century."--Larry Wolff, American Historical Review "Sorkin has written a powerful, imaginative, and path-breaking study that fundamentally challenges reigning academic conceptions of the Enlightenment, the birth of modern Europe, and the path of modern European history... The author's argument for a more moderate view of the birth and path of modernity across the European continent--one that grew out of dialogue and toleration and not out of religious or ethnic conflict--is compelling and persuasive."--Scott Ury, Religious Studies Review "This dense, erudite and necessary book certainly establishes that religious reform was a central--and precarious--feature of the Enlightenment. It ... should effect a decisive shift in our understanding of that period."--Ritchie Robertson, German History "Sorkin's study presents a valuable contribution to the ongoing reassessment of the Enlightenment... The beautifully written essays display an uncommon fairness to each faith and are supported by an admirable historical erudition."--Louis Dupre, Catholic Historical Review "Theologians and historians will both find this book useful."--Erna Oliver, Studia Historiae Ecclesisticae "[O]ne hopes that this concise, erudite, and unprepossessing book succeeds in putting its moderate subjects where they should be: in the middle of our eighteenth-century map."--Suzanne Marchand, Cambridge Journals "[N]ot the least among this book's achievements is the revival of discussion on the religious Enlightenment in the multiconfessional and multinational Austrian monarchy."--Grete Klingenstein, Austrian History Yearbook "In brief, this is a deeply researched, well-written, and compelling account of the importance of religion in shaping European enlightenments."--James E. Bradley, Church HistoryTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xi List of Maps xii Preface xiii Introduction 1 Enlightenment or Enlightenments? 3 The Religious Enlightenment 5 Reasonableness 11 Toleration 14 The Public Sphere 16 State Nexus 18 The Enlightenment Spectrum 19 Chapter One: BRANT BROUGHTON, LONDON, GLOUCESTER William Warburton's "Heroic Moderation" 23 Natural Right and Toleration 31 History 39 Established Religion 53 Justifi cation, Philosophy, and Science 54 Secular Culture 61 Moderation in Decline 64 Conclusion 65 Chapter Two: GENEVA Jacob Vernet's "Middle Way" 67 Theology 76 Politics 85 The Enlightenment and the Philosophes 97 Geneva Transformed 109 Chapter Three: HALLE Siegmund Jacob Baumgarten's "Vital Knowledge" 113 "The Union with God" 128 Exegesis 136 History, Sacred and Secular 142 Natural Right and Toleration 152 Neology and the State 158 Chapter Four: BERLIN Moses Mendelssohn's "Vital Script" 165 Intellectual Renewal: Philosophy 176 Intellectual Renewal: Exegesis 180 "Civic Ac cep tance" and "Divine Legislation" 193 "The Socrates of Berlin" 206 Haskalah and Beyond 208 Conclusion 212 Chapter Five: VIENNA- LINZ Joseph Valentin Eybel's "Reasonable Doctrine" 215 Church Law 228 Linz and Joseph II 237 "True Devotion" 249 Revolution 254 Conclusion 258 Chapter Six: TOUL- PARIS- LYON Adrien Lamourette's "Luminous Side of Faith" 261 Where France Differed 263 Catholicism 266 The 1780s 269 Theology 274 Revolution, 1789-91 282 Revolution, 1791-94 296 Conclusion 307 Epilogue 311 Glossary 315 Index 319

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewLong-listed for the 2017 Jewish Quarterly Wingate Prize "It's refreshing to read a Jewish book on death that does not presume to offer guidance, either through that dark portal, or around it. Instead, Hillel Halkin ... has written a brief, pellucid account of the role death has played in Jewish texts, law, thought and lives--including his own."--Esther Schor, Wall Street Journal "[A]n accessible and trenchant exploration of Judaism's evolving concepts of death with his own struggle with understanding it... Halkin's frankness about his own difficulties in coming to terms with his parents' deaths and traditional Jewish rituals such as sitting shiva help make this nuanced quest for meaning personal and affecting."--Publisher's Weekly "By combining historical examples with his firsthand experiences, Halkin has created a well-rounded and thoroughly readable examination of how Jews face the unknown."--Jeff Fleischer, Foreword "Literary scholar, premier translator of Hebrew and Yiddish literatures, depth reporter on modern Israeli life, and on the far side of 75, Halkin is just the man to condense the riches of Jewish thanatology... What begins as analytic history ends in deeply moving, reflective memoir."--Ray Olson, Booklist "A very user-friendly historical account of Jewish ideas about death ... and how those ideas change... [Halkin] is a master at 'popularisation' in the best sense of that term, bringing to a non-academic audience what are, in essence, some very complicated ideas."--David Hillel-Ruben, Jewish Chronicle "Hillel Halkin, an American-born Israeli scholar and novelist, poignantly explores his own experiences while providing a history of Jewish thought."--Amy Frykholm, Christian Century "Hillel Halkin's After One-Hundred-and-Twenty: Reflecting on Death, Mourning and the Afterlife in Jewish Tradition is both instructive and thought-provoking... One would be hard-pressed to find a more knowledgeable or astute guide through the vast literature of Jewish thanatology than Hillel Halkin... Warm and affable, Hillel Halkin is also one of the flat-out brainiest persons I've ever met... The Biggest of Mysteries being tackled by one of our best and brightest."--Matt Nesvisky, Jerusalem Post "As he completes the eighth decade of his life, the distinguished author, critic, translator, and journalist Hillel Halkin ruminates in this learned and beautifully written book on mortality, including his own, and 'death, mourning, and the afterlife in the Jewish tradition'... Anyone interested in the history of Jewish views concerning the afterlife and changing Jewish thinking about death from biblical times to the present should begin with this volume."--Choice "At once scholarly and passionate, secular and religious, detached and autobiographical."--Edward Alexander, Chicago Jewish Star "Charming, frankly vulnerable, and deceptively deep book about death."--Abraham Socher, Jewish Review of BooksTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*BY WAY OF AN INTRODUCTION, pg. 1*CHAPTER ONE, pg. 9*CHAPTER TWO, pg. 43*CHAPTER THREE, pg. 89*CHAPTER FOUR, pg. 137*CHAPTER FIVE, pg. 177

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Book SynopsisNo state has voted Republican more consistently or widely or for longer than Kansas. To understand red state politics, Kansas is the place. It is also the place to understand red state religion. This title tells the story of religiously motivated political activism in Kansas from territorial days to the present.Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2013 Christianity Today Awards in Christianity and Culture "Robert Wuthnow, a brilliant sociologist of religion and himself a native of Kansas, gives us a careful sociological history of the intertwining of religion and politics in this quintessential red state... In Wuthnow's nuanced and careful study, Kansans come across less as hayseeds or off-the-wall moralizers than as pragmatic conservatives, committed to traditional families and fiscal conservatism. They are skeptical of big government and dedicated to preserving simple and vital virtues. Wuthnow has penned a 'must read' book for those who would understand--and not just caricature--red state religion and how it intertwines with politics."--John A. Coleman, America "With the publication of Red State Religion, we profit greatly from a majestically comprehensive account of Kansas' history. In turn, we get a truer story, one that inspires a less ideological reading of the state, perhaps freeing Kansans themselves from any notion of how they must think--or vote."--Alexander Heffner, Philadelphia Inquirer "[Red State Religion] thoughtfully and compassionately explores the rich and complex political and religious history of the place."--Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Christian Century "Red State Religion is a model of clarity and is surely one of the best books available on the intersection of religion and politics."--Al Menendez, Voice of Reason "Elegantly written, passionately argued, and deeply researched, Red State Religion challenges our basic assumptions about the influence of the Religious Right in particular, and the role of religion in American politics more generally."--Andrew Preston, Journal of Ecclesiastical History "[Wuthnow] takes Kansas state conservatism seriously in grounding his conclusions in archival research rather than journalistic sensationalism."--Choice "Wuthnow does an excellent job tracing the development of religious institutions in the state."--James E. Sherow, Great Plains Research "Red State Religion is an ambitious, comprehensive, and rigorous study that provides a thoughtful corrective to past efforts to portray what's the matter with Kansas."--Finbarr Curtis, ReligionTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Preface ix Prologue 1 Murder at the Glenwood 10 Chapter 1:. Piety on the Plains 17 Abraham Lincoln in Kansas 18 Establishing a Civic Order 29 Public Religion 35 Serving the Community 42 Church Expansion 47 Cooperation and Competition 57 Chapter 2:. An Evolving Political Style 67 Prairie Politics 72 Populism and Religious Politics 79 Protesting against Inequality 90 A Divided Party 95 Law and Order 101 For the Children 104 Chapter 3:. Redefining the Heartland 110 Harvest of Progress 112 Consolidation and Expansion 117 Forward-looking Initiatives 124 Church and State 130 Hunkering Down 134 Fundamentalism and the Great Depression 142 Simian Peasants 152 Novel Movements 162 Chapter 4:. Quiet Conservatism 169 Grassroots Resentments 171 The Senator from Pendergast 183 Hometown Religion 187 I Like Ike 200 A Well-Qualified Catholic 208 Chapter 5:. An Era of Restructuring 215 Stirrings on the Right 217 From Desegregation to Black Power 229 Nixon at Kansas State 241 Division in the Churches 252 Chapter 6:. The Religious Right 267 Mobilization on the Right 269 Government Is the Problem 279 The War in Wichita 287 Shifting the Focus 294 Questioning Evolution 303 Chapter 7:. Continuing the Struggle 312 The Churches and Activist Networks 314 Electing George W. Bush 321 Regulating Abortion 326 The Campaign against Gay Marriage 330 Evolution Revisited 338 The Death of Dr. Tiller 347 Swatches of Purple 354 Epilogue 361 Notes 371 Selected Bibliography 445 Index 465

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Book SynopsisFor over a century, the Danish thinker Soren Kierkegaard (1813-55) has been at the center of a number of important discussions, concerning not only philosophy and theology, but also fields such as social thought, psychology, and contemporary aesthetics. This title enables us to see the thinker in dialogue with his times and with himself.Trade Review"[A]nyone interested in the serious study of Kierkegaard has reason to be grateful to the editorial board and the Soren Kierkegaard Research Center for undertaking this invaluable project."--Brian Gregor, Philosophy in Review "For all of his lyricism, many of Kierkegaard's works project themselves as an impenetrable fortress of abstractions. These magnificently translated journals are a tunnel beneath the moat of that fortress. They capture the unpackaged and unbuttoned Kierkegaard and thus provide a stimulus to anyone intent on understanding a religious author who could well be reckoned a Luther of Lutheranism."--Gordon Marino, Christian Century "These new critical editions do an excellent job of making Kierkegaard's journals and notebooks available in all their richness."--Brian Gregor, Elizabeth C. Shaw and StaffTable of ContentsIntroduction vii Journal NB6 1 Journal NB7 73 Journal NB8 147 Journal NB9 205 Journal NB10 263 Notes for Journal NB6 387 Notes for Journal NB7 421 Notes for Journal NB8 453 Notes for Journal NB9 483 Notes for Journal NB10 515 Maps 561 Calendar 569 Concordance 575

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Book SynopsisWhat is eternity? Is it anything other than a purely abstract concept, totally unrelated to our lives? A mere hope? A frightfully uncertain horizon? Or is it a certainty, shared by priest and scientist alike, and an essential element in all human relations? This title presents a history of eternity in Western culture.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2010 "It's a fascinating story... Happily, there is consolation in A Very Brief History of Eternity, hidden in plain sight... As long as God's problems with living in eternity mirror what our own would be, maybe mortality isn't so bad after all."--Andrew Stark, Wall Street Journal "Despite its heady topic, Eire's engaging style and sense of humor keep things light enough to carry readers through a history of 'how conceptions of forever, or eternity, have evolved in Western culture, and what role these conceptions have played in shaping our own self-understanding, personally and collectively.' Eire gives readers so much to think about and in such an entertaining manner that he can be excused for occasionally overreaching."--Publishers Weekly "Carlos Eire's A Very Brief History of Eternity reminds us that our puzzlement over what comes after death has a history. The ways in which we ask about our relation to death and the hereafter do not take place in a vacuum. Instead, our wondering arises within particular historical contexts, where life and death are related in particular ways."--Todd May, Forbes "A profound and unsettling inquiry."--Bryce Christensen, Booklist (starred review) "A lively trot around the literature, referring to everything from the Reformation to ghosts to Karl Marx to tattooing, in the company of a skeptical believer. A tough topic tamed by a lively mind."--Miriam Cosic, Australian "Eire intimately addresses the weighty subject of eternity in this delightful volume. His skill at engaging readers conceals the rigorous, thoughtful research and methodology that went into this volume... As it stands this thought-provoking book is sure to be a classic."--Choice "Eire is an avuncular companion. While his subject may be beyond comprehension, Eire himself is imminently accessible and genuinely concerned for the reader's edification. And his dashes of humor, witty and sharp, are a welcoming leavening to a sometimes heavy read. Yet this book is ideal for lovers of The Big Idea, people who enjoy an author's attempt at explaining something they always thought about but didn't know what questions to ask, and people who enjoy reading about the most basic things, like being and nothingness, here and eternity."--John Stoehr, New Haven Advocate "You could say that Carlos Eire goes on and on about eternity--but most of the time he does so informatively and entertainingly. And without sacrificing the intellectual rigour the subject requires."--Steven Carroll, The Age "[The book] contains many good things and is especially good on the symbiosis between understandings of eternity and the ways the dead and the living relate. It is written in a relaxed and lively style."--Paul J. Griffiths, First Things "Eire's erudite, engaging, and often witty history should interest anyone interested in Dickinson's 'Flood subject' (L319), as she called her understanding of immortality."--Barbara Kelly, EDIS Bulletin "[Eire] writes with style, wearing his erudition lightly... A Very Brief History of Eternity achieves very well what it sets out to do: to enlighten while proceeding at pace."--Reverend Dr. Andrew Davison, Church Times "A Very Brief History of Eternity ... is both erudite and entertaining. Eire's ability to explain complex ideas and to elucidate the ways in which concepts of eternity have affected the way human beings live as well as being themselves affected by human activity, have made the book popular among readers. While the topic chosen by Eire, eternity, is thought-provoking and momentous, requiring the readers' full attention, Eire saves his book from being too formidable a treatise with gentle humor and witty asides."--Shawncey Webb, Magill's Literary Annual "A history of the concept of eternity in Western thought is a brilliantly original idea, and Carlos Eire makes complex ideas easily accessible. Eire is deeply learned in history, philosophy, theology, literature, language, and popular culture... [T]his is a book that deserves a lot of attention by historians, philosophers, and theologians, and it is written so clearly that it will also interest the literate public."--Jeffrey Burton Russell, Catholic Historical Review "While his style is relaxed, he covers so much ground ... that readers will find and feel that, in its own way, the book is weighty... Eire knows that we know that one cannot think or write historically about eternity. So his book is a history of human questionings, ponderings, and sometimes foolishly or frighteningly bold dealings with the concept. What he finds and details, yes, briefly, should enrich the reflections of historians as they deal with time."--Martin E. Marty, Journal of Church HistoryTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Chapter I: Big Bang, Big Sleep, Big Problem 1 Chapter II: Eternity Conceived 28 Chapter III: Eternity Overflowing 67 Chapter IV: Eternity Reformed 100 Chapter V: From Eternity to Five-Year Plans 157 Chapter VI: Not Here, Not Now, Not Ever 220 Appendix: Common Conceptions of Eternity 229 Notes 233 Eternity: A Basic Bibliography 255 Index 259

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] fascinating and masterfully interdisciplinary study. . . . With the nuance and erudition made possible by Taves's keen historical eye, firm grasp of the cognitive social sciences, and all of the primary resources now available to scholars of religion, Revelatory Events represents the best of the comparative method in twenty-first century scholarship. . . . This book is highly recommended!"---Adam Powell, Journal of Mormon History"Revelatory Events is a book that anyone studying new religious movements is going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future. . . . [Taves'] comparative work and sophisticated analysis gives us a model for how good scholarship should be done."---David Feltmate, Nova ReligioTable of ContentsIllustrations and Tables vii Preface xi Acknowledgments xv Abbreviations xvii Introduction 1 Part 1 Making Meaning 13 Case Study A Restored Church 17 1 Translation 23 2 Materialization 50 3 Beginnings 66 Case Study An Anonymous Fellowship 82 4 Stories 89 5 Fellowship 110 6 Seeking 129 Case Study A Course in Miracles 151 7 Emergence 157 8 Teaching(s) 180 9 Roles 195 Part 2 Creating Paths 223 10 Groups 225 11 Selves 240 12 Motives 270 Conclusion 290 Appendix Discussion of Methods 297 Appendix Charts 311 Bibliography 331 Author Index 347 Subject Index 351

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Book SynopsisAddresses the enduring puzzles in political philosophy and constitutional theory - why is religion singled out for preferential treatment in both law and public discourse? Why is a Sikh boy permitted to wear his ceremonial dagger to school while any other boy could be expelled for packing a knife?Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "A model of clarity and rigour and at points strikingly original, this is a book that anyone who thinks seriously about religion, ethics and politics will benefit from reading."--John Gray, New Statesman "A slim volume, deeply conversant with the literature in law and philosophy, and by turns bold, bracing and bruising, Why Tolerate Religion? should command the attention of anyone interested in the place of faith in the public arena."--Glenn C. Altschuler, Jerusalem Post "Although this is a rather bold and provocative thesis, Leiter's approach is highly nuanced and painstakingly thorough, as he patiently walks readers through each definition, consideration, and possible objection. The overall effect is a very impressively argued case."--Library Journal "Why Tolerate Religion? is a closely argued and thought-provoking examination of questions that will only become more important in our increasingly multicultural world."--Adam Kirsch, Barnes & Noble Review "Overall, Leiter's judicious and penetrating volume is an excellent example of how philosophy can be brought to bear on practical issues of the day."--Alex Miller, Morning Star "Why Tolerate Religion? is a readable book that exposes several tenuous assumptions underlying the predominant justifications for religious exemptions. At the same time, it provides a fresh and intuitive framework for analyzing conscience-based objections to facially neutral laws that should appeal to legal practitioners, jurists, and philosophers alike."--Harvard Law Review "Students and scholars likely will be citing Leiter's clear and powerful arguments for many years."--Choice "[E]legant and accessible ... straightforward and clear. Readers will find the book engaging and thought-provoking; yet Leiter's discussion is nonetheless philosophically sophisticated, incorporating nuanced considerations from legal theory, meta-ethics, and political philosophy. Most importantly, Leiter's book provides a sound basis for pursuing these crucial matters further."--Scott F Aikin, Philosophers' Magazine "Leiter's book is ... very readable and it avoids technical jargon as much as possible. It works very well as a challenge to those who are sympathetic to conceding some exemptions from generally applicable laws because of religious beliefs, because the burden of justifying such exemptions is placed squarely on those who propose them."--Desmond M. Clarke, Jurisprudence "[C]ompelling read ... makes for a fresh and lively contribution to this ongoing debate."--Journal of Applied Philosophy "Why Tolerate Religion? has a certain beauty in its brevity, austerity and aspiration to analytical rigor."--Russell Blackford, Free Inquiry "It is highly recommended to all those interested in the relationship between religion and the state. It will certainly leave its readers with much to ponder."--Jakub Urbaniak, Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae "Brian Leiter's new book aims to be accessible to scholars outside of philosophy as well as to 'educated laypeople'. In my view, he succeeds in this endeavor. His book is very readable, and avoids unnecessary technicalities. The question Leiter addresses in his book ... is of interest not only to academic philosophers, but to everyone who is curious about questions concerning the societal function and role of religion, toleration, minority rights, and conscience."--Martin Sticker, Zeitschrift fuer philosophische LiteraturTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Chapter I Toleration 5 Chapter II Religion 26 Chapter III Why Tolerate Religion? 54 Chapter IV Why Respect Religion? 68 Chapter V The Law of Religious Liberty in a Tolerant Society 92 Notes 135 Selected Bibliography 175 Index 181

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Book SynopsisMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis's eloquent and winsome defense of the Christian faith, originated as a series of BBC radio talks broadcast during the dark days of World War Two. Here is the story of the extraordinary life and afterlife of this influential and much-beloved book. George Marsden describes how Lewis gradually went from being an atheistTrade Review"A clear and deeply informed account of a religious work that seems to have no expiration date."--Kirkus "Admirers of Lewis as well as those interested in the origins of recent Christian thought will be happy to dive into this densely packed volume."--Publishers Weekly "Books on Lewis abound. Marsden's belongs on the top shelf."--Booklist "[A]n insightful historical sketch"--The Gospel Coalition "If Marsden's biography of Mere Christianity encourages his readers to read or reread it for themselves, it may in its own way be an antidote for the attention to self that so dominates our culture."--Gilbert Meilaender, Commonweal "Marsden's book is fascinating and well-written and researched. It makes one want to go back to read Mere Christianity itself."--Frank Freeman, University Bookman "George Marsden provides a splendid account of the book's evolution ... and its reception."--Jonathan Wright, Catholic Herald "Marsden's work is a terrific exemplification of the contribution to knowledge which can be made by study of the reception history of texts... Fascinating insights emerge."--Peter Anthony, Church Times "[A] fascinating exploration of one of the most influential religious books of modern times."--Ryder Miller, San Francisco Book Review "Marsden's 'biography' of Lewis's Mere Christianity is an excellent commentary on a classic of modern Christian literature on spirituality."--ChoiceTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Chapter 1 War Service 19 Chapter 2 Broadcast Talks 35 Chapter 3 Loved or Hated 58 Chapter 4 A Classic as Afterthought 84 Chapter 5 Into the Evangelical Orbit 97 Chapter 6 Many-Sided Mere Christianity 116 Chapter 7 Critiques 139 Chapter 8 The Lasting Vitality of Mere Christianity 153 Appendix Changes in Mere Christianity Compared to the Original Three Books 189 Acknowledgments 193

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Book SynopsisThis is a general-interest introduction to the Old Testament from many disciplines. There are 23 essays with 23 individual reference lists.Trade Review"This collection provides a rich introduction to the Hebrew Bible for general readers, and is an invaluable companion for students and scholars."--Publishers Weekly "A compelling analysis of the document that embraces all phases of biblical scholarship, from every conceivable point of view."--John Mulryan, Cithara "The book is attractive and an easy read. Written by a group of contemporary scholars, the book will be a great aid to any student of the Old Testament."--Ralph Lee Scott, ARBATable of ContentsIntroduction ix John Barton List of Contributors xi Part I. The Hebrew Bible in Its Historical and Social Context 1 1. The Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament 3 John Barton 2. The Historical Framework 24 Biblical and Scholarly Portrayals of the Past Francesca Stavrakopoulou 3. The Social and Cultural History of Ancient Israel 54 Katherine Southwood 4. Israel in the Context of the Ancient Near East 86 Anthony J. Frendo Part II. Major Genres of Biblical Literature 107 5. The Narrative Books of the Hebrew Bible 109 Thomas Romer 6. The Prophetic Literature 133 R. G. Kratz 7. Legal Texts 160 Assnat Bartor 8. The Wisdom Literature 183 Jennie Grillo 9. The Psalms and Poems of the Hebrew Bible 206 Susan Gillingham Part III. Major Religious Themes 237 10. Monotheism 239 Benjamin D. Sommer 11. Creation 271 God and World Hermann Spieckermann 12. The Human Condition 293 Hilary Marlow 13. God's Covenants with Humanity and Israel 312 Dominik Markl 14. Ethics 338 C. L. Crouch 15. Religious Space and Structures 356 Stephen C. Russell 16. Ritual 378 Diet, Purity, and Sacrifice Seth D. Kunin Part IV. The Study and Reception of the Hebrew Bible 403 17. Reception of the Old Testament 405 Alison Gray 18. Historical-Critical Inquiry 431 Christoph Bultmann 19. Literary Approaches 455 David Jasper 20. Theological Approaches to the Old Testament 481 R.W.L. Moberly 21. Political and Advocacy Approaches 507 Eryl W. Davies 22. Textual Criticism and Biblical Translation 532 Carmel McCarthy 23. To Map or Not to Map? 556 A Biblical Dilemma Adrian Curtis Index of Scripture 575 Index of Modern Authors 589 Index of Subjects 596

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Book SynopsisFor over a century, the author (1813-55) has been at the center of a number of important discussions, concerning not only philosophy and theology, but also, the fields such as social thought, psychology, and contemporary aesthetics, especially literary theory. This title covers his journals and notebooks that take us into his workshop.Trade Review"Elegantly laid out so that the reader can follow the author's text and marginalia, and copiously supplied with notes and commentary, these books are a pleasure to read."--Daniel Johnson, Standpoint "For all of his lyricism, many of Kierkegaard's works project themselves as an impenetrable fortress of abstractions. These magnificently translated journals are a tunnel beneath the moat of that fortress. They capture the unpackaged and unbuttoned Kierkegaard and thus provide a stimulus to anyone intent on understanding a religious author who could well be reckoned a Luther of Lutheranism."--Gordon Marino, Christian Century "These new critical editions do an excellent job of making Kierkegaard's journals and notebooks available in all their richness."--Brian Gregor, Elizabeth C. Shaw and StaffTable of ContentsIntroduction vii Journal NB11 1 Journal NB12 141 Journal NB13 271 Journal NB14 343 Notes for Journal NB11 443 Notes for Journal NB12 495 Notes for Journal NB13 579 Notes for Journal NB14 619 Maps 687 Calendar 693 Concordance 699

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Book SynopsisCan secularism offer us moral, aesthetic, and spiritual satisfaction? Or does the secular view simply affirm a dog-eat-dog universe? At a time when the issues of religion, evolution, atheism, fundamentalism, Darwin, and science fill headlines and invoke controversy, The Joy of Secularism provides a balanced and thoughtful approach for understandingTrade ReviewOne of The New Yorker's Reviewer's Favorites of 2011 "[T]he book valuably works over middle ground, the space vacated by both dogmatic religionists and dogmatic atheists. It is tolerant of, and even interested in, the varieties of religious practice, and maintains an engaged and equitable tone of voice. We might call this the New Secularism... Essays ... by Adam Phillips (on helplessness) and Rebecca Stott (on Darwinian wonderment), make for a nicely prismatic collection, in which the contributors happily pursue their own interests, and are often at their most secular when they're not trying especially hard to be. The book naturally radiates outward from its editorial theme as an ideal medieval town might spread outward--from a relaxed and unpoliced center."--James Wood, New Yorker "George Levine has put together a diverse collection on what it means to be a secularist, with thoughtful essays from philosophers, historians, literary critics, and evolutionary theorists... The essays are literate and sophisticated."--Simon Blackburn, Prospect "In his upbeat Introduction, Levine's own joy in his religionless world is amply manifest. He is rapt in nature, especially birds, so expressions of aesthetic awe and wonder predominate. Secularism is not a fall, he affirms. Or rather, it is a fall, but upward (in Amy Clampitt's words) into the dazzling sun. Is life worth living in a (religiously) disenchanted world? 'You bet!' Levine answers emphatically."--Tamas Pataki, Australian Book Review "This volume ... is a valuable first contribution to an important topic, and will no doubt inspire much more work in this area."--Whitley Kaufman, Philosophy in Review "While avoiding triumphalism, these essays make a powerful case for a secularism that is both intellectually rigorous and heartfelt."--Peter D Smith, Guardian "Demonstrating that a world of secular enchantment is a place worth living in, The Joy of Secularism takes a new and liberating look at a valuable and complex subject."--World Book IndustryTable of ContentsContributors vii Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 George Levine Chapter 1: Challenges for Secularism by Philip Kitcher 24 Chapter 2: Disenchantment--Reenchantment by Charles Taylor 57 Chapter 3: Enchantment? No, Thank You! by Bruce Robbins 74 Chapter 4: Shock Therapy, Dramatization, and Practical Wisdom by William E. Connolly 95 Chapter 5: Freud's Helplessness by Adam Phillips 115 Chapter 6: A Secular Wonder by Paolo Costa 134 Chapter 7: Prehuman Foundations of Morality by Frans B. M. de Waal 155 Chapter 8: The Truth Is Sacred by David Sloan Wilson 168 Chapter 9: Darwinian Enchantment by Robert J. Richards 185 10: The Wetfooted Understory: Darwinian Immersions by Rebecca Stott 205 Notes 225 Index 253

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Book SynopsisIn The Religious Left and Church-State Relations, noted constitutional law scholar Steven Shiffrin argues that the religious left, not the secular left, is best equipped to lead the battle against the religious right on questions of church and state in America today. Explaining that the chosen rhetoric of secular liberals is poorly equipped to arguTrade ReviewOne of Tikkun Magazine's 25 Recommended Titles for 2009 "The Religious Left and Church-State Relations offers a tour-de-force account of the First Amendment's religion clauses and how they should be interpreted. This is no dry academic exercise, but rather a direct response to conservatives who view supporters of church-state separation as uncaring, even hostile, toward organized religion. The book is a refutation by one who cares deeply."--Robert K. Vischer, Commonweal "The Religious Left is a valuable and provocative book. Scholars of law, religion, and politics will want to mull over Shiffrin's cogent and artfully argued conclusions. Shiffrin has made an important contribution to the literature at the evergreen intersection of constitutional and political theory. The seasoning and deep learning of Shiffrin's mind permeate the book's pages."--Marc O. DeGirolami, Journal of Law and Religion "Shiffrin has made an excellent contribution with this book, one on which he and others may now build."--Melissa Rogers, Journal of Church and State "Shiffrin presents an interesting argument in this volume: the religious Left is better equipped than the secular Left to challenge the religious Right on questions of church and state in the U.S... A useful book for students of constitutional law and religion in the U.S."--ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface ix Introduction 1 PART I: THE PLURALISTIC FOUNDATIONS OF THE RELIGION CLAUSES 9 Chapter 1. Overview of Part I 11 Chapter 2. The Free Exercise Clause 16 The Court's Approach 16 Liberal Theory 17 Communitarian Theory 18 Free Exercise Values 20 Applying the Free Exercise Clause 23 Chapter 3. Establishment Clause Values 28 Liberty and Autonomy 29 Equality 30 Stability 31 Promoting Political Community 31 Protecting the Autonomy of Government 32 Protecting Churches 32 Promoting Religion 34 Chapter 4. Applying the Establishment Clause 41 Acceptable Deviations from Equality 42 Unacceptable Conformity with Equality: Equality in the Public School Classroom 54 Concluding Observations about Part I 58 PART II: THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE SOCIALIZATION OF CHILDREN: COMPULSORY PUBLIC EDUCATION AND VOUCHERS 61 Chapter 5. Compulsory Public Education 63 Pierce v. Society of Sisters: A Landmark Case 65 The Purposes of Public Education 68 The Limits of Compulsory Public Education 74 Constitutional? Sometimes. Good Public Policy? No. 80 Chapter 6. Vouchers 82 Are Vouchers Constitutionally Required? 82 Wise Policy for Preadolescents? 83 Should Vouchers Be Constitutionally Permitted for Religious Schools? 86 Concluding Observations about Part II 93 PART III . RELIGION AND PROGRESSIVE POLITICS 95 Chapter 7. Religion and Progressive Politics 97 Secular Liberalism 100 Religious Liberalism 106 Chapter 8. The Politics of Liberalism 110 The Relative Political Attractiveness of Secular and Religious Liberalism 110 Religion and American Party Politics 125 Grassroots Democracy, Liberal Politics, and Excessive Religious Hostility 127 Conclusion 134 Notes 137 Index 237

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Book SynopsisIs Judaism a religion, a culture, a nationality - or a mixture of all of these? This title tells the story of how Judaism came to be defined as a religion in the modern period - and why Jewish thinkers have fought as well as championed this idea.Trade ReviewHonorable Mention for the 2011 PROSE Award in Theology & Religious Studies, Association of American Publishers "As Batnitzky points out, Judaism doesn't fit any modern mold especially well. Her book adds both shrewdness and humility to the search for modern Jewish identity and the claims often made about the purity of these identities."--Edward Ruehle, Jewish Voice and Herald "Superb and thought-provoking."--Adam Kirsch, Tablet Magazine "An excellent introduction to the key philosophers and writers who influenced modern Jewish thought."--Wallace Greene, Jewish Book World "It has been decades since a broad, synthetic volume addressing the major issues and thinkers in modern Jewish thought has been published. How Judaism Became a Religion fills a lacuna in the field, and this book will no doubt serve as the authoritative secondary source on the topic for some time. Leora Batnitzky offers an eminently readable overview of a large number of complicated, even esoteric thinkers in terms that are manageable, indeed inviting, for nonspecialists and lay readers alike. (Helpfully, she also offers such readers a well-chosen list of suggested readings at the end of each chapter.) In doing so, she renders an invaluable service to the field."--Mara Benjamin, H-Net Reviews "Leora Batnitzky's How Judaism Became a Religion is a bold new interpretation of modern Jewish thought by one of the leading scholars in the field."--Micah Gottlieb, Jewish Review of Books "Batnitzky devotes her book to differentiating the array of responses to the modern notion of Judaism as a sheer religion. She presents meticulously the disparate positions of figures as varied as Moses Mendelssohn, Abraham Geigel, Hermann Cohen, Franz Rosenzweig, Martin Buber, Abraham Kook and his son, Theodor Herzl, Ahad Ha'am, Emil Fackenheim and Mordecai Kaplan. She also presents the altogether 'premodern' views of Eastern European Jews such as the Hasidim. She shows that even resolute Reform Jews such as Geiger failed to work out a clean separation between politics and religion. With the Holocaust and with the founding of Israel, any divide seemed refuted by history."--Robert A. Segal, Times Higher Education Supplement "This book is lucidly written and can be read by the scholar and general interested reader alike."--David Tesler, Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews "In [How Judaism Became a Religion], Batnitzky provides a useful introductory map of this diverse, centuries-long story. In nine brief chapters, she explains the different responses Jews have made to the challenges of modernity and where each choice leads vis-a-vis both the people of Israel and the individual Jew. The simple design of the book provides an overview of the whole complex issue that will help beginners grasp the essential details. Libraries serving Judaica and religion collections will want to purchase this volume."--Choice "The book uses the combined rubric of religion, nation, and culture as the key to understanding the past two centuries of Jewish thought. This sweeping construct illuminates scholars and their debates, revealing ironies that have heretofore gone largely unnoticed."--Lawrence Grossman, Jewish Ideas Daily "What historical analysis cannot tell us, however, is whether the truth about the Jews is found in the more or the less traditional versions of Judaism, in the more communal or the more individualistic thinking, or in the religious or in the secular understandings of Jewishness. To answer that question, one must step outside the constraints of historical description and venture into the world of constructive thought. For anyone who wishes to understand the history of the question and the answers that have already been proposed, Leora Batnitzky's stimulating book is an excellent place to start."--Jon D. Levenson, Commonweal "Leora Batnitzky's How Judaism became a Religion is an enlightening text, orderly, insightful and quite cogent... Batnitzky's main thesis is deceptively simple and is presented with enviable lucidity and transparency."--S. Parvez Manzoor, Muslim World Book Review "More than an introduction, How Judaism Became a Religion presents a compelling new perspective on the history of modern Jewish thought."--World Book Industry "The book does a good job in bringing the subject closer to beginners in this field... Future research ... will take its starting point from this book, and further engagement on the ideas expounded here will certainly sharpen our assessment of each of these thinkers."--Sebastian Musch, Journal of Religion in Europe "[H]er book is an undoubted success: in a manner both fascinating and potentially controversial, it broadens the scope of what is defined as 'thought' by including literary and political figures, rabbis, and academic scholars in the conversation."--Hanoch Ben-Pazi, Studies in Contemporary Jewry "Batnitzky deserves our thanks for undertaking this project--a comprehensive philosophical examination that is guided as well by historical and biographical thinking. A careful reading of How Judaism Became a Religion invites the reader into the world of Jewish thought in the modern world, in which the spirit of creativity and activism are manifestly evident."--Hanoch Ben-Pazi, Studies in Contemporary JewryTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Part I: Judaism as Religion 11 Chapter 1: Modern Judaism and the Invention of Jewish Religion 13 Chapter 2: Religion as History: Religious Reform and the Invention of Modern Orthodoxy 32 Chapter 3: Religion as Reason and the Separation of Religion from Politics 52 Chapter 4: Religion as Experience: The German Jewish Renaissance 73 Chapter 5: Jewish Religion after the Holocaust 91 Part II: Detaching Judaism from Religion 109 Chapter 6: The Irrelevance of Religion and the Emergence of the Jewish Individual 111 Chapter 7: The Transformation of Tradition and the Invention of Jewish Culture 130 Chapter 8: The Rejection of Jewish Religion and the Birth of Jewish Nationalism 147 Chapter 9: Jewish Religion in the United States 166 Conclusion 183 Notes 193 Index 203

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Book SynopsisFor over a century, the Danish thinker Soren Kierkegaard (1813-55) has been at the center of a number of discussions, concerning not only philosophy and theology, but also, more recently, fields such as social thought, psychology, and contemporary aesthetics, especially literary theory. This book includes six of Kierkegaard's "NB" journals.Trade Review"For all of his lyricism, many of Kierkegaard's works project themselves as an impenetrable fortress of abstractions. These magnificently translated journals are a tunnel beneath the moat of that fortress. They capture the unpackaged and unbuttoned Kierkegaard and thus provide a stimulus to anyone intent on understanding a religious author who could well be reckoned a Luther of Lutheranism."--Gordon Marino, Christian Century "These new critical editions do an excellent job of making Kierkegaard's journals and notebooks available in all their richness."--Brian Gregor, Elizabeth C. Shaw and StaffTable of ContentsIntroduction vii Journal NB 15 ... 1 Journal NB 1 ... 95 Journal NB 17 ... 165 Journal NB 18 ... 255 Journal NB 19 ... 333 Journal NB 20 ... 395 Notes for Journal NB 15 ... 495 Notes for Journal NB 16 ... 571 Notes for Journal NB 17 ... 613 Notes for Journal NB 18 ... 653 Notes for Journal NB 19 ... 701 Notes for Journal NB 20 ... 741 Maps 789 Calendar 797 Concordance 801

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Book SynopsisNo state has voted Republican more consistently or widely or for longer than Kansas. To understand red state politics, Kansas is the place. It is also the place to understand red state religion. This title tells the story of religiously motivated political activism in Kansas from territorial days to the present.Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2013 Christianity Today Awards in Christianity and Culture "Robert Wuthnow, a brilliant sociologist of religion and himself a native of Kansas, gives us a careful sociological history of the intertwining of religion and politics in this quintessential red state... In Wuthnow's nuanced and careful study, Kansans come across less as hayseeds or off-the-wall moralizers than as pragmatic conservatives, committed to traditional families and fiscal conservatism. They are skeptical of big government and dedicated to preserving simple and vital virtues. Wuthnow has penned a 'must read' book for those who would understand--and not just caricature--red state religion and how it intertwines with politics."--John A. Coleman, America "With the publication of Red State Religion, we profit greatly from a majestically comprehensive account of Kansas' history. In turn, we get a truer story, one that inspires a less ideological reading of the state, perhaps freeing Kansans themselves from any notion of how they must think--or vote."--Alexander Heffner, Philadelphia Inquirer "[Red State Religion] thoughtfully and compassionately explores the rich and complex political and religious history of the place."--Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Christian Century "Red State Religion is a model of clarity and is surely one of the best books available on the intersection of religion and politics."--Al Menendez, Voice of Reason "Elegantly written, passionately argued, and deeply researched, Red State Religion challenges our basic assumptions about the influence of the Religious Right in particular, and the role of religion in American politics more generally."--Andrew Preston, Journal of Ecclesiastical History "[Wuthnow] takes Kansas state conservatism seriously in grounding his conclusions in archival research rather than journalistic sensationalism."--Choice "Wuthnow does an excellent job tracing the development of religious institutions in the state."--James E. Sherow, Great Plains Research "Red State Religion is an ambitious, comprehensive, and rigorous study that provides a thoughtful corrective to past efforts to portray what's the matter with Kansas."--Finbarr Curtis, ReligionTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Preface ix Prologue 1 Murder at the Glenwood 10 Chapter 1:. Piety on the Plains 17 Abraham Lincoln in Kansas 18 Establishing a Civic Order 29 Public Religion 35 Serving the Community 42 Church Expansion 47 Cooperation and Competition 57 Chapter 2:. An Evolving Political Style 67 Prairie Politics 72 Populism and Religious Politics 79 Protesting against Inequality 90 A Divided Party 95 Law and Order 101 For the Children 104 Chapter 3:. Redefining the Heartland 110 Harvest of Progress 112 Consolidation and Expansion 117 Forward-looking Initiatives 124 Church and State 130 Hunkering Down 134 Fundamentalism and the Great Depression 142 Simian Peasants 152 Novel Movements 162 Chapter 4:. Quiet Conservatism 169 Grassroots Resentments 171 The Senator from Pendergast 183 Hometown Religion 187 I Like Ike 200 A Well-Qualified Catholic 208 Chapter 5:. An Era of Restructuring 215 Stirrings on the Right 217 From Desegregation to Black Power 229 Nixon at Kansas State 241 Division in the Churches 252 Chapter 6:. The Religious Right 267 Mobilization on the Right 269 Government Is the Problem 279 The War in Wichita 287 Shifting the Focus 294 Questioning Evolution 303 Chapter 7:. Continuing the Struggle 312 The Churches and Activist Networks 314 Electing George W. Bush 321 Regulating Abortion 326 The Campaign against Gay Marriage 330 Evolution Revisited 338 The Death of Dr. Tiller 347 Swatches of Purple 354 Epilogue 361 Notes 371 Selected Bibliography 445 Index 465

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Jordan Schnitzer Book Award for Jews and the Arts: Music, Performance, and Visual, of the Association for Jewish Studies""Finalist for the Award for Excellence in the Historical Study of Religion, American Academy of Religion""This thought-provoking book takes a new approach to the graffiti found in holy sites, tombs and sometimes civic structures."---Juan P. Lewis, Journal of Religion & Society"This thought-provoking book takes a new approach to the graffiti found in holy sites, tombs and sometimes civic structures, regarding them as words that do things rather than simply record a visit."---David Frankfurter, Journal of Roman Studies

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Book SynopsisThis book reflects on Western humanity's efforts to escape from history and its terrors--from the existential condition and natural disasters to the endless succession of wars and other man-made catastrophes. Drawing on historical episodes ranging from antiquity to the recent past, and combining them with literary examples and personal reflections,Trade Review"The tone of this book is more ruminative than pedagogic. Ruiz sprinkles his text with personal anecdotes and observations but never advocates one approach over the other. This is not, he stresses, a self-help manual. Although religious in his youth, Ruiz is now a genially tolerant, dark-humored atheist... The comfort--even delight--of this book is that it doesn't scold or trivialize people's often pathetic attempts to escape their own mortality. It simply wishes them to be aware of possibilities. 'In truth, I am as clueless about the world in my advanced years as I was early in life,' Ruiz confesses. He is a seeker, too."--Edward Morris, ForeWord Reviews "This is an attempt by the erudite Ruiz (history, Spanish & Portuguese, UCLA; Spain's Centuries of Crisis: 1300-1474) to use his knowledge and experience to make sense of our messy lives and our desires to bury a future we cannot control... In separate chapters, he discusses three forms of escape from history: religion, materialism, and estheticism. But the book isn't meant to be history as much as an intensely personal meditation on how we deal with our worries about the world, stuffing inside ourselves our fear of impending extinction. Ruiz uses his own experiences to illustrate points, even including a piece of fiction he wrote when young. More personal than Annaliste history, with which it's best compared ... serious readers will find it worthwhile for its author's attempt to embrace elusive questions about our personal lives."--Library Journal "You can't judge a book by its cover, as the old saw goes, but every so often the cover art may stun you into long contemplation. Or horror, in the case of Teofilo R. Ruiz's The Terror of History: On the Uncertainties of Life in Western Civilization (Princeton University Press), which greets the prospective reader by way of Goya's 'Saturn Devouring His Son.' Drawing on the great Dutch medievalist Johan Huizinga's work, Ruiz organizes his musings around three grand strategies for finding happiness, or at least mitigating total dread: 'through belief (in a whole variety of orthodox and heterodox forms), [through] the life of the senses, and/or through culture and the pursuit of the beautiful.' Under each of these headings, he arrays quotations from and reflections on a kaleidoscopic array of ancient and modern authors and phenomena: Sophocles, Proust, utopian communes, witch-burning crazes, The Decameron, an insurrection in Brazil in the 1890s, the Marquis de Sade, and The Epic of Gilgamesh, to give a representative sampling. Plus there are memoiristic bits. He mentions teaching 'a class on world history from the Big Bang to around 400 C.E.' The book seems more ambitious still... [A] short book displaying enormous erudition."--Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed "Ruiz is, first and foremost, a man of letters. His references to literature, film and art, from homer to Goya to Tolkien, will be refreshing to those who crave something more than archival material and footnotes from their history books... There is much to admire about this book. It is the product of a lifetime of hard work and serious thought about life's fundamental questions. Above all, Ruiz does not shy away from the consequences of atheism, a position he has held for four decades since losing the Catholic faith."--America Magazine "The Terror of History is an absorbing book that will not let the reader skip pages. It challenges the intellect while launching arguments in the mind over content."--R. Balashankar, Organiser "The Terror of History is an enjoyable book, though disturbing at the same time. As said, it is not an academic book; it covers largely personal reflections and considerations. I would recommend it to any curious reader keen to investigate some of the most dark and challenging moments in the history of humankind and see if and how we coped with them."--Luca Guariento, Kelvingrove Review "Combining astonishing historical breadth with a personal and accessible narrative style, The Terror of History is a moving testimony to the incredibly diverse ways humans have sought to cope with their frightening history."--World Book IndustryTable of ContentsPreface ix Chapter I: The Terror of History 1 Chapter II: Religion and the World to Come 35 Chapter III: The World of Matter and the Senses 83 Chapter IV: The Lure of Beauty and Knowledge 129 Conclusion 167 Index 173

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Book SynopsisHeavenly Merchandize offers a critical reexamination of religion's role in the creation of a market economy in early America. Focusing on the economic culture of New England, it views commerce through the eyes of four generations of Boston merchants, drawing upon their personal letters, diaries, business records, and sermon notes to reveal how mercTrade ReviewWinner of the 2011 Philip Schaff Prize, American Society of Church History Shortlisted for the 2011 American Academy of Religion Award for Excellence in the Historical Study of Religion One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2010 "Valeri's reading of theological sources is so satisfying because he is a subtle, careful reader; he resists the temptation to smooth away contradictions, or to oversimplify; indeed, he seems allergic to polemic it is thus not surprising when, at the end of the book--just when the author might be expected to tip his hand about what all this market accommodation means--Valeri is maddeningly even-handed."--Lauren F. Winner, Books & Culture "I found this book to be an outstanding contribution to our understanding of the working out of the Protestant ethic in colonial New England. Therefore, it is a major contribution to our understanding of American economic morality."--Donald E. Frey, EH.Net "Students of early New England will find this indispensable; it should also appeal to anyone interested in the relationship between religion and the larger culture."--Choice "[T]he effectiveness with which Valeri utilizes the small-scale cultural world of Puritan Massachusetts in the colonial era in order to examine developments that have wider ramifications, indicates that, as with Perry Miller and so many others, that time and place is still a fruitful laboratory for thick analysis of religiocultural change."--Dewey D. Wallace, Jr., Interpretation "Valeri's well-written case studies bring many rewards to the reader. They forcefully demonstrate that no one can understand the changing culture of early America without paying attention to religion."--R. Laurence Moore, Journal of Church History "The book is noteworthy as much for its method as for its conclusions. Valeri's inferences rise convincingly from his methodology, analysis, and rhetoric... [H]andled artfully in an elegant narrative."--Barry Levy, American Historical Review "This book will certainly change the way both Puritan theology and economics are viewed and is highly recommended."--Suzanne Geissler, Anglican and Episcopal History "An important study... [T]his stellar work breaks important new ground on the complex drama of economics and religion in early modern America."--Robert E. Brown, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Preface xi INTRODUCTION: Heavenly Merchandize 1 CHAPTER ONE: Robert Keayne's Gift 11 Keayne, the Merchant Taylors' Company, and Civic Humanism 14 Keayne and the Godly Community in England 26 CHAPTER TWO: Robert Keayne's Trials 37 Boston's First Merchants 39 Puritan Discipline in England 50 Discipline and Trade in Early Boston 57 CHAPTER THREE: John Hull's Accounts 74 Hull and the Expansion of New England's Market 76 Hull's Piety and Changes in Church Discipline 83 Jeremiads, Providence, and New England's Civic Order 96 CHAPTER FOUR: Samuel Sewall's Windows 111 Sewall's and Fitch's Problems with Money 114 The Politics of Empire 122 Political Economy, Monetary Policy, and the Justification of Usury 134 Merchants' Callings and the Campaign for Moral Reform 157 Religious Conviction in the Affairs of Sewall and Fitch 168 CHAPTER FIVE: Hugh Hall's Scheme 178 Hall and Boston's Provincial Merchants 181 Rational Protestantism and the Meaning of Commerce 200 Gentility, the Empire, and Piety in the Affairs of Hall 220 EPILOGUE: Religious Revival 234 Samuel Philips Savage, Isaac Smith, and Robert Treat Paine 235 Social Virtue and the Market 240 Conclusion 248 Notes 251 Index 321

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Book SynopsisThis provocative book addresses one of the most enduring puzzles in political philosophy and constitutional theory--why is religion singled out for preferential treatment in both law and public discourse? Why are religious obligations that conflict with the law accorded special toleration while other obligations of conscience are not? In Why ToleraTrade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "Thought-provoking... Leiter brings an interdisciplinary perspective and insightful analysis to his perplexing subject."--Los Angeles Review of Books "A model of clarity and rigour and at points strikingly original, this is a book that anyone who thinks seriously about religion, ethics and politics will benefit from reading."--John Gray, New Statesman "A slim volume, deeply conversant with the literature in law and philosophy, and by turns bold, bracing and bruising, Why Tolerate Religion? should command the attention of anyone interested in the place of faith in the public arena."--Glenn C. Altschuler, Jerusalem Post "Although this is a rather bold and provocative thesis, Leiter's approach is highly nuanced and painstakingly thorough, as he patiently walks readers through each definition, consideration, and possible objection. The overall effect is a very impressively argued case."--Library Journal "Why Tolerate Religion? is a closely argued and thought-provoking examination of questions that will only become more important in our increasingly multicultural world."--Adam Kirsch, Barnes & Noble Review "Overall, Leiter's judicious and penetrating volume is an excellent example of how philosophy can be brought to bear on practical issues of the day."--Alex Miller, Morning Star "Why Tolerate Religion? is a readable book that exposes several tenuous assumptions underlying the predominant justifications for religious exemptions. At the same time, it provides a fresh and intuitive framework for analyzing conscience-based objections to facially neutral laws that should appeal to legal practitioners, jurists, and philosophers alike."--Harvard Law Review "Students and scholars likely will be citing Leiter's clear and powerful arguments for many years."--Choice "[E]legant and accessible ... straightforward and clear. Readers will find the book engaging and thought-provoking; yet Leiter's discussion is nonetheless philosophically sophisticated, incorporating nuanced considerations from legal theory, meta-ethics, and political philosophy. Most importantly, Leiter's book provides a sound basis for pursuing these crucial matters further."--Scott F Aikin, Philosophers' Magazine "Leiter's book is ... very readable and it avoids technical jargon as much as possible. It works very well as a challenge to those who are sympathetic to conceding some exemptions from generally applicable laws because of religious beliefs, because the burden of justifying such exemptions is placed squarely on those who propose them."--Desmond M. Clarke, Jurisprudence "[C]ompelling read ... makes for a fresh and lively contribution to this ongoing debate."--Journal of Applied Philosophy "Why Tolerate Religion? has a certain beauty in its brevity, austerity and aspiration to analytical rigor."--Russell Blackford, Free Inquiry "It is highly recommended to all those interested in the relationship between religion and the state. It will certainly leave its readers with much to ponder."--Jakub Urbaniak, Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae "Brian Leiter's new book aims to be accessible to scholars outside of philosophy as well as to 'educated laypeople'. In my view, he succeeds in this endeavor. His book is very readable, and avoids unnecessary technicalities. The question Leiter addresses in his book ... is of interest not only to academic philosophers, but to everyone who is curious about questions concerning the societal function and role of religion, toleration, minority rights, and conscience."--Martin Sticker, Zeitschrift fuer philosophische Literatur "[A]n enjoyable read, accessible to the generally educated public but alive to a number of sophisticated philosophical ideas and distinctions, its prose crisp and straightforward, its attitude no-nonsense, its conclusion provocative, and its arguments clear, concise, and analytically rigorous."--Samuel Rickles, Philosophical Review "Leiter's book ... is highly recommended to all those interested in the relationship between religion and the state. It will certainly leave its readers with much to ponder."--Jakub Urbaniak, SOPHIA "Why Tolerate Religion is a very good book that should be of interest to a wide range of readers. Leiter addresses a clear and undeniably important question in a philosophically rigorous yet accessible way. The book will generate debate inside and outside academia, and I, for one, am looking forward to Leiter's future work on the issues he has helpfully and forcefully raised."--David Svolba, Science, Religion & CultureTable of ContentsPreface to the Paperback Edition ix Preface and Acknowledgments xvii Introduction 1 Chapter I Toleration 5 Chapter II Religion 26 Chapter III Why Tolerate Religion? 54 Chapter IV Why Respect Religion? 68 Chapter V The Law of Religious Liberty in a Tolerant Society 92 Notes 135 Selected Bibliography 175 Index 181

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Book SynopsisJews, Christians, and Muslims supposedly share a common religious heritage in the patriarch Abraham, and the idea that he should serve only as a source of unity among the three traditions has become widespread in both scholarly and popular circles. But in Inheriting Abraham, Jon Levenson reveals how the increasingly conventional notion of the threeTrade ReviewBest Nonfiction Jewish Book of 2012, Jewish Ideas Daily.com One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "[T]he figure of Abraham has more often been a battleground than a meeting place. This is the brilliantly elaborated theme of Levenson's book, which retells the Abraham story while examining the use made of Abraham in later Jewish, Christian, and (to a lesser extent) Muslim thought."--Adam Kirsch, New York Review of Books "Levenson, a well-known biblical studies scholar and professor of Jewish studies at Harvard, makes a contrarian argument against those who would oversimplify the differences between the three religions that claim Abraham as a seminal figure... Educated general readers interested in biblical studies may be awed by how closely Levenson reads the text."--Publishers Weekly "Levenson's book will be acutely sobering for those who favor easy accommodation between traditions... And no one has been more effective than Levenson in calling Christian interpreters to a more honest self-awareness."--Christian Century "[A] learned, lucid and luminous examination of the distinctive character of Abraham."--Glenn C. Altschuler, Jerusalem Post "Written very well, argued delightfully, with deep insights, ... Inheriting Abraham makes a superb contribution to our understanding and perception, opinion and insight, of the figure of Prophet Abraham."--Tauseef Ahmad Parray, Islam and Muslim Societies "Levenson's literary skill and encyclopedic grasp of the exegetical traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam makes this volume a valuable exercise in comparison. But the book also makes a strong and controversial argument about what that comparison actually reveals about the role of Abraham in the relationship between the three 'Abrahamic' religions... [Levenson's] study encourages us to look unflinchingly at the limits of difference and commonality within and across religious traditions."--Martin S. Jaffee, Jewish Review of Books "The best Jewish book in each category this past year? Inheriting Abraham is the most impressive work of Jewish scholarship published during 2012. For more than three decades, Jon Levenson has been quietly developing a biblical theology that would revolutionize Jewish understanding and worship, if only more Jews were to learn of it. Inheriting Abraham is his most accessible book yet--a model of how exacting scholarship can be written for the well-educated layman."--D.G. Myers, Jewish Ideas Daily "[E]xcellent... Inheriting Abraham is informed throughout by Levenson's characteristically great learning... [G]raceful and clear."--Hillel Fradkin, Commentary "Jon Levenson's superb book demonstrates that despite some simplistic and ill-conceived attempts to harmonize the three Abrahamic faiths, and some lingering supersessionist antagonisms, we live in a period remarkable for serious and thoughtful dialogue among these cousin religions. It is a dialogue grounded in responsible awareness of the complexity, beauty, and defining commitments of each one. Working from this awareness is our best hope of developing the vital mutual respect and harmony our divided world requires."--Donald Senior, Commonweal "This well-conceived, elegantly written book traces how the figure of Abraham known from Genesis came to be understood in unique ways by the later Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions. While many speak of Abraham as a figure shared by these three traditions, Levenson shows how each tradition's image of Abraham reflects its own distinct theological assumptions... Rather than grounding interreligious dialogue in various conceptual false cognates in hopes of finding the lowest common denominator, Levenson has led the way in showing how true interreligious understanding can be achieved only if one grasps the nuanced theological grammar of each religious tradition."--Choice "[E]asily accessible to a wide readership... [Levenson's] book is a masterful corrective to the ever more popular, pat and misleading myths that have emerged under the 'Abrahamic' banner."--Allan Nadler, Moment Magazine "[E]rudite and readable... His book will indubitably be valuable for undergraduate courses in scriptural exegesis, interreligious dialogue, and comparative religion."--Mara Benjamin, Religious Studies Review "Simply put, Jon D. Levenson is one of those rare scholars whose every word repays careful reading. Inheriting Abraham is no exception."--Matthew Thiessen, Anabaptist Witness "While Levenson displays expertise in all three religions, his particular strength lies in his treatment of the numerous, varied and even contradictory Jewish traditions on Abraham and in showing the contrasts between Jewish, Christian and Islamic views of Abraham, thereby questioning the validity of the existence of an authentic, unified supra-Abraham."--Rivkah Fishman-Duker, Jewish Political Studies Review "Levenson is a seasoned scholar of this material and his learning, here lightly presented, shines through."--H.G.M. Williamson, Journal of Jewish StudiesTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi A Note on Transliteration from Hebrew xiii Abbreviations xv Introduction * Who Was (and Is) Abraham? 1 Chapter One * Call and Commission 18 Chapter Two * Frustrations and Fulfillments 36 Chapter Three * The Test 66 Chapter Four * The Rediscovery of God 113 Chapter Five * Torah or Gospel? 139 Chapter Six * One Abraham or Three? 173 Notes 215 Index of Primary Sources 235 Index of Modern Authors 243

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[City of the Good] proffers much information, insight, and wisdom." * Choice *"There is much to like about [City of the Good]. It is written for a broad audience and takes on big questions, something more social scientists should attempt. The personal anecdotes create a certain intimacy and lightheartedness, while the historical disquisitions convey real urgency and seriousness. Bell did not spend all this time reading about the world’s religious traditions just for fun. He was searching for answers to questions that matter to him, and to all of us."---Philip S. Gorski, Contemporary Sociology

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2017 Award for Excellence in Religion Historical Studies, American Academy of Religion""After a brief review of the institution of the caliphate, this exceptional monograph explores how Muslims viewed the caliphate after the Mongol destruction of the Abbasid caliphate. . . . The role of the caliph in the Ottoman Empire has also been underappreciated. Hassan explores this role but focuses her attention on how the dismissal of the caliphate in 1924 with the rise of Ataturk and Kemalism affected Muslims not only in Turkey but also in other parts of the Muslim world. She concludes her book with an examination of current movements that seek to restore the caliphate, such as ISIS and Hizb al-Tahrir." * Choice *"This book is an excellent study that represents a significant contribution to our understanding about the caliphate, and Hassan’s use of memory in the study of religion provides a methodological model of inquiry for scholars to follow."---Susan Gunasti, Critical Research on Religion"Hassan is a gifted writer and does a wonderful job of evoking the melancholy and sadness attendant to loss. . . . In all these and other ways, Hassan’s book is a commendable effort to rescue the caliphate from the crass and often obtuse analysis on offer in the contemporary West and to identify it properly as one of the more significant and consequential cultural symbols in the history of human civilization."---Khurram Hussain, Journal of the American Academy of Religion"Hassan’s specialized work is highly rewarding"---Simon Wolfgang Fuchs, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African StudiesTable of ContentsList of Illustrations and Maps ix Acknowledgments xi Note on Transliteration and Dates xv Introduction 1 Early History of the Caliphate 5 The Abbasid Caliphate 6 The Ottoman Caliphate 9 Diachronic Reflections on Symbolic Loss, Destruction, and Renegotiation 13 1 Visions of a Lost Caliphal Capital: Baghdad, 1258 CE 20 Mapping an Islamic Cultural Discourse 22 al-Subki's Living History: An Enduring Sense of Loss 27 Channeling Muslim Memory through History 30 Loss of the Abbasids 33 Bodily Desecration 37 Literary Dimensions of Religious Rites 44 An Altered Landscape 46 Eschatological Endings 57 The Consolation of Prophetic Transmissions 64 2 Recapturing Lost Glory and Legitimacy 66 Remembering and Recreating a Glorious Past 67 Going Beyond Baghdad 69 Commemorating the Caliphate 71 Contesting Caliphs 75 Embracing Communal Continuity 83 Enduring Salience 88 3 Conceptualizing the Caliphate, 632-1517 CE 98 Classical Articulation of the Islamic Caliphate as a Legal Necessity and Communal Obligation 99 al-Juwayni's Seminal Fifth/Eleventh-Century Resolution 103 Post-656/1258 Theorists of the Caliphate 108 Ghalabah, the Sultanate, and the Caliphate in Ibn Jama'ah's Tahrir al-Ahkam (1241-1333) 108 Ibn Taymiyyah's Views on the Caliphate (1262-1328) 111 Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi's Polemical Treatise on the Grand Imamate (1274-1348) 115 Taj al-Din al-Subki and the Restoration of Blessings (1327-70) 118 The Inter-School Polemics of Najm al-Din al-Tarsusi (1310-57) 120 Ibn Khaldun's Political Entanglements and Ideals (1332-1406) 123 The Mamluk Chancery Contributions of al-Qalqashandi (1355-1418) 126 al-Shirazi's Metaphysical Exaltation of the Abbasid Caliph in Cairo (1386-1457) 131 Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's Devotional Love of the Prophet's Family (1445-1505) 136 4 Manifold Meanings of Loss: Ottoman Defeat, Early 1920s 142 Notions from Afar 145 The Turkish Republic 155 The Levant 171 5 In International Pursuit of a Caliphate 184 An Internationalist Era 186 Promoting an International Conference 188 Imagining the Global Community and Its Leadership 192 A Spiritual Body 194 A Caliphal Council 199 A Traditional Caliph 202 A Global Electorate 204 Dampening Hopes 205 Unexpected Continuities 212 6 Debating a Modern Caliphate 218 Ismail Sukru (1876-1950) 218 Mehmed Seyyid Celebizade (1873-1925) 220 'Ali 'Abd al-Raziq (1888-1966) 225 Muhammad al-Khidr husayn (1876-1958) 233 Mustafa Sabri (1869-1954) 236 Said Nursi (1876-1960) 244 Epilogue The Swirl of Religious Hopes and Aspirations 253 Notes 261 Bibliography 341 Index 373

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This well-written and lively text will be of interest to both scholars and more general readers with an interest in American irreligion."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A felicitous, informative story from a highly knowledgeable author."--Kirkus "Schmidt offers an entertaining yet educational read for those interested in America's secular history and the struggles many faced to become vocal freethinkers without persecution."--Library Journal "Noteworthy."--Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution "An engaging examination of unbelief in the 19th and early 20th centuries at the grassroots."--Glenn C. Altschuler, Tulsa World "Village Atheists engagingly explores a persecuted American minority."--John Garratt, PopMatters "His deep reading in letters from small-town citizens to the editors of infidel journals--a major source of the anecdotes in Village Atheists--prove that irreligion existed in all areas of the country, including what would become the Bible Belt."--Allison Miller, Perspectives on History "Schmidt's rich, deep exploration of atheist thinkers in 19th-century America contextualizes questions pressing on American Christianity today."--Choice "The extensive research and clear writing in Village Atheists provides significant enlightenment about our history."--Mark Kolsen, American Atheist "For anyone interested in the birth, growth, and development of grassroots secularism in the United States--and the leading lights of American atheism long before Sam Harris or Madalyn Murray O'Hair--this book is an absolute must."--Phil Zuckerman, Los Angeles Review of BooksTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Preface xiii Introduction: The Making of the Village Atheist 1 Chapter 1 The SECULAR PILGRIM or, The Here without the Hereafter 25 Chapter 2 The CARTOONIST or, The Visible Incivility of Secularism 73 Chapter 3 The BLASPHEMER or, The Riddle of Irreligious Freedom 171 Chapter 4 The OBSCENE ATHEIST or, The Sexual Politics of Infidelity 210 Epilogue: The Nonbeliever Is Entitled to Go His Own Way 249 Notes 285 Index 329

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in American Jewish Studies""Finalist for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, Jewish Book Council""Finalist for the Jordan Schnitzer Award in Social Science, Anthropology, and Folklore, Association for Jewish Studies""[An] absorbing account of how Haredi Jews in contemporary New York use social and other digital media to negotiate religious doubt. . . . It is the personal stories in particular that make Hidden Heretics so compelling."---Giulia Miller, Times Literary Supplement"Engaging. . . . Fader effectively shows how modern apostasy meets hard-line orthodoxy." * Library Journal *"Providing us with a detailed examination of how disbelief occurs on a spectrum, Fader pushes us to understand how staying or leaving a religion does too."---Katie Christine Gaddini, Marginalia"Hidden Heretics provides a view of contemporary ultra-Orthodox life from a series of unexpected angles and tucked-away corners."---Naomi Seidman, Public Books"Fader has written a groundbreaking work that delves into the parts of the Orthodox world that many do not even know exist."---Ben Rothke, Times of Israel"Substantial and riveting."---David Zvi Kalman, The Forward"Ayala Fader . . . unpacks one of the most daunting public secrets confronting Haredi communities: the suspicion, or realistic understanding, that there are members of the community who are experiencing life-changing doubt." * American Anthropologist *"[Hidden Heretics] explores, with great insight and sensitivity, the complex existence of double lifers and the conditions under which they live. [Fader’s] engaging style makes this fascinating work appeal both to scholars of contemporary Orthodox Judaism and those who study the relationship between technology and society, as well as to the general reader." * American Jewish History *"Hidden Heretics does indeed reflect the best of anthropology: an incisive, sensitive book that draws novel ethnographic fieldwork together with scholarship on language and semiotic ideologies, secrecy, doubt, media, authority, and ethics." * Journal of Linguistic Anthropology *"Masterfully written"---Oren Golar, Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"McGreevy's deeply researched work sheds significant light on the European Jesuits' role in shaping modern America."--Publishers Weekly "This book is a sensational eye-opener, even for me, a Jesuit for the past forty-six years. While I knew the oft-quoted rough denunciations of the Jesuits by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, I had no idea of how deep and pervasive American anti-Jesuit sentiments were--nor why they were so extreme, nor how they were overcome--until I read McGreevy's splendid work... Groundbreaking... [An] extraordinarily rewarding work."--James F. Keenan, Commonweal "In a study stunning in the breadth and depth of its international contextualization, John T. McGreevy, through a focus on five emblematic developments in the late 19th century, has deftly captured this remarkable growth of the Jesuit institutional presence in the United States and its intellectual evolution from a countercultural body under siege to one 'at home' with American culture and institutions, while recapturing the global vision of its 19th-century founders."--Robert Emmett Curran, America "McGreevy explains the twists and turns of [Jesuit] history and dissolves the apparent paradoxes."--Patrick Allitt, Weekly Standard "There really ought to be better books about the American Jesuit experience, especially ones that move beyond educational case studies or the predictable crowd of well-travelled missionaries. In this panoramic and limpidly written study McGreevy sets a fine example."--Jonathan Wright, Catholic Herald "In six engaging chapters, Catholic historian McGreevy (history, Univ. of Notre Dame; Parish Boundaries) focuses on specific individuals or institutions in various parts of the United States and the Philippines as a way to examine the influence of American Jesuits on the wider world in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and their interaction with American culture, especially church-state relations... This work will draw in anyone interested in American religious history."--Library Journal "[A] fascinating new book... Readers of American Jesuits and the World will meet a remarkably captivating cast of characters who, despite their obscurity today, enjoyed wide spheres of influence and forged a shared legacy with powerful contemporary resonance. They will also get a taste for why the Jesuits are so intriguing and why they will continue to be so important for the life of the church in the 21st century."--James P. McCartin, Catholic New World "This is an elegantly written and narrated study of an aspect of Jesuit history that scholars of American religion, of the North American foreign mission enterprise, and of Catholic institutional and social history will need to read."--Mark S. Massa, Reading Religion "McGreevy explores the global revival of the Jesuit order following its restoration in 1814. Portraying the Jesuits as a highly organized global missional organization, the author examines the unprecedented growth of the order after its restoration and describes how the Jesuits became a global force for modern Catholicism... Based on an impressive array of archival research, this book provides a glimpse into the personal struggles Jesuits faced in the US. McGreevy delves deep into the unique individual stories that comprise the Jesuit global experience, making this well-researched book a surprisingly personal narrative."--Choice "John McGreevy has joined the global history parade with a book on a topic that is long overdue: American Jesuits and the World: How an Embattled Religious Order Made Modern Catholicism Global. This is a very enjoyable book to read as McGreevy paints five historical sketches of nineteenth century Jesuits, about whom too little is known and whose lives were fascinating, conflicted and important."--Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter "Written in an engaging style, McGreevy's book is the product of meticulous scholarship (sixty-six pages of endnotes), and includes helpful illustrations and maps indicating the migration of Jesuits to and from the United States."--Anthony Kuzniewski, Catholic Historical Review "Professor McGreevy has not so much written about American Jesuits venturing out from their continent, but rather produced a series of quite fascinating vignettes of nineteenth-century European Jesuits... Readers ... will discover much about what it was like to be a nineteenth-century American Catholic parishioner, about religious prejudice in the States, and about anti-Jesuit feeling."--Michael Walsh, The TabletTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Introduction 1 1 Nineteenth-Century Jesuits and Their Critics 8 2 Ellsworth, Maine: Education and Religious Liberty 26 3 Westphalia, Missouri: Nation 63 4 Grand Couteau, Louisiana: Miracle 104 5 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Americans 142 6 Manila, Philippines: Empire 179 Conclusion 210 Abbreviations Used in the Notes 225 Notes 229 Acknowledgments 297 Index 301

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewMichael Cook, Winner of the 2014 Holberg Prize "Ancient Religions, Modern Politics ... addresses a vital present-day issue on which many have offered opinions, all unsupported by the historical scholarship that he has been able to apply ... impregnable scholarship ... towering work."--Jonathan Benthall, Times Literary Supplement "[Cook] presents a panoramic and nuanced overview of political Islam with regard to identity, social values and culture over time."--Sundeep Khanna, Mint "In many ways, this work is a culmination of a life dedicated to scholarly research and writing. Ancient Religions, Modern Politics has depth that is uncommon, is presented in a readable format that makes it accessible to non-experts and is recognised for its academic rigor by specialists... Cook presents a text that is accessible for the undergraduate level while at the same time challenging and a useful resource for the graduate level."--Taylor & Francis Online "A scholarly tour de force by one of the world's pre-eminent historians of Islam."--William McCants, WallStreetJournal.com "Certainly, rich in its use of sources and convincing in its arguments, this book should be widely read and would be very influential."--Maurice Borrmans, Islamochristiana "This is an impressive work that asks difficult questions and is not afraid to answer them. Cook's sources are extensive and delve deeply into each religious tradition... He skillfully weaves together thinkers from the earliest form of the faith to contemporary schools of though. Readers will be ... challenged to think critically about the important questions he raises."--Theodore A. Nitz, Fides et Historia "Enlightening."--Islamic Quarterly "Profoundly erudite, written with exceptional clarity, and laced with mordant wit."--Ellis Goldberg, Journal of Church and State "This impressive book offers a new approach to answering an old question: why did Islam develop a political profile which paved the way to a 'pull of Islamism,' even turning into militant sectarian conflicts? ... Cook's highly stimulating and knowledgeable reading of Muslims' use of tradition and his answer to the old question will certainly prompt a new discussion about the genealogy of political Islam."--Reinhard Schulze, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African StudiesTable of ContentsPreface xi Part One: Identity Introduction to Part One 1 1 Islam and Identity 3 1. Introduction 3 2. Pre-modern ethnic identity: Turks and Trojans 3 3. Pre-modern ethnic identity: the Islamic factor 8 4. Eighteenth-century Identity politics 18 5. Pre-modern Muslim identity: formation and decay 20 6. The residue of Muslim identity on the eve of modern times 23 7. Modern ethnic and Muslim identity: expectations 32 8. Modern ethnic and Muslim identity: realizations 35 9. Muslim identity and geopolitics 47 10. Conclusion 51 2 Hinduism and identity 53 1. Introduction 53 2. The weakness of pre-modern ethnic and Hindu identity 54 3. Aspects of Hindu coherence 61 4. Modern ethnic and Hindu identity 71 5. Rallying Hindus against Muslims 91 6. What are the Hindu nationalists? 103 7. Conclusion 120 3 Catholicism and identity in Latin America 123 1. Introduction 123 2. The Virgin of Guadalupe 123 3. High expectations 126 4. Low realizations 134 5. Explaining the gap 140 6. Conclusion 154 Conclusion to Part One 156 Part Two: Values Introduction to Part Two 159 4 Society 165 1. Introduction 165 2. Islam 167 3. Hinduism 191 4. Latin American Catholicism 199 5. Religious elites 211 6. Conclusion 213 5 Warfare 215 1. Introduction 215 2. Islam 218 3. Hinduism 234 4. Latin American Catholicism 241 5. Conclusion 246 6 Divine jealousy 249 1. Introduction 249 2. Islam 251 3. Hinduism 282 4. Latin American Catholicism 297 5. Conclusion 307 7 Polity 309 1. Introduction 309 2. Islam 309 3. Hinduism 336 4. Latin American Catholicism 344 5. Conclusion 357 Conclusion to Part Two 361 Part Three: Fundamentalism Introduction to Part Three 371 8 Islam and fundamentalism 377 1. Introduction 377 2. Form 377 3. Substance: identity 386 4. Substance: values 389 5. Fundamentalism, conservatism, and modernism 393 6. Conclusion 397 9 Hinduism and fundamentalism 399 1. Introduction 399 2. Form 400 3. Substance: identity 409 4. Substance: values 411 5. Fundamentalism, conservatism, and modernism 414 6. Conclusion 429 10 Latin American Catholicism and fundamentalism 431 1. Introduction 431 2. Form 431 3. Substance 434 4. Fundamentalism, conservatism, and modernism 438 5. Conclusion 439 Conclusion to Part Three 440 Afterword 443 1. Looking back 443 2. Looking ahead 456 Appendix: "Hindu fundamentalism" and the Fundamentalism Project 463 Bibliography 469 Index 517

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Book SynopsisTaking readers from the 19th century to today, the author shows how Buddhism in the U.S. has given rise to new contemplative forms within American Judaism and shaped the way Americans understand and practice Buddhism.Trade Review"Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in American Jewish Studies""[A] fascinating book."---Simon Rocker, Jewish Chronicle"The book leaves the reader with something that Jews and Buddhists alike may find familiar: more questions than answers, but a feeling that getting further from a solution has somehow made you wiser."---Matthew Abrahams, Tricycle"American JewBu offers a unique perspective on the current, lively debate on religious mixing. The book is fluently written and highly illuminating. It offers an accessible entry to important questions in the study of lived religious practice." * Sociology of Religion *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review[A] multicourse intellectual feast... Weitzman's facility with making complex points accessible to the lay reader, and his ease with synthesizing a wide range of research and prior analyses, make this an invaluable resource for both novice and scholar. His rigorous critiques will resonate even for those readers with little or no prior interest in the book's central questions."--Publishers Weekly "An accomplishment for the academy."--KirkusTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Introduction 1 1 Genealogical Bewilderment: Lost Ancestors and Elusive Lineages 25 2 Roots and Rootlessness: Paleolinguistics and the Prehistory of the Jews 63 3 Histories Natural and Unnatural: The Documentary Hypothesis and Other Developmental Theories 101 4 A Thrice-Told Tel: The Archaeology of Ethnogenesis 139 5 Thought Fossils: Psychoanalytic Approaches 174 6 Hellenism and Hybridity: Did the Jews Learn How to be Jewish from the Greeks? 207 7 Disruptive Innovation: The Jewish People as a Modern Invention 245 8 Source Codes: The Genetic Search for Founders 274 Conclusion 317 Acknowledgments 329 Bibliographical Commentary 333 Index 383

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of Choice Reviews' Outstanding Academic Titles of 2018""Hasidism . . . is a tremendous work of research."---Shalom Auslander, Times Literary Supplement"Hasidism: A New History . . . is a monumental scholarly achievement and a great contribution to the understanding of one of the most important movements in Jewish life in the modern period."---Moshe Halbertal, New York Review of Books"For this remarkably well-researched and expansive history of Hasidism, a team of scholars has collaborated to produce an intelligent and eminently readable exploration of a branch of Judaism that has made an extraordinary mark on Jewish life. . . . This effort is rich with detail and insight, and captures the vibrancy and innovation of a thriving, multifaceted movement. It belongs on the bookshelf of any serious student of Jewish history." * Publishers Weekly *"The book is notable for smashing various well-worn myths about Hasidism, and presenting new insights that place the movement at the center of European Jewish history, a major shaper of that history rather than a marginal aberration."---Sue Fishkoff, Jweekly"These eight modern sages managed to produce a fascinating book that embodies their collective wisdom and style in a seamless and highly illuminating work of authorship. This, too, strikes me as something of a miracle."---Jonathan Kirsch, Jewish Journal"Enormously informative, monumental volume."---George Prochnik, Los Angeles Review of Books"Likely to be the definitive work on Judaism’s equivalent of charismatic Protestantism."---Marvin Olasky, World

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"American Misfits is filled with colorful anecdotes, lively characters, and sharp social analysis. One of America's leading sociologists, Robert Wuthnow shows that respectability is rarely about respecting others but rather about identifying others to malign for their deficiencies and offenses."—Leigh Eric Schmidt, Washington University in St. Louis"This is an outstanding book—impressively researched, boldly argued with interdisciplinary breadth, and innovative in the way it depicts the middle-class American dream as perpetually fleeting and tenuous, marked off by day-to-day practices of the rank-and-file and prone to negotiation among those who seek to patrol the boundaries of belonging. It is also a riveting read, driven by rich description and detailed investigation of countless colorful characters who have tested those boundaries and found themselves held up as test cases of what America should and shouldn't look like, and who should and shouldn't be counted as respectable citizens."—Darren Dochuk, University of Notre DameTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 1 A Relational Approach: The Social Construction of Respect and Respectability 19 2 Worked as a Huckster: Moral Connotations of Placeless Labor 39 3 An Incurable Lunatic: Pension Politics in the Struggle for Respectability 70 4 Not a Fanatic: Zeal in the Cause of Zion 101 5 Dying Young: Immigrant Congregations as Moral Communities 135 6 Excessive Profits: Wealth, Morality, and the Common People 187 7 Naughty Children: Moral Instruction by Negative Example 227 8 Othering: Cultural Diversity and Symbolic Boundaries 258 Notes 267 Selected Bibliography 307 Index 327

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Philip Schaff Prize, American Society of Church History""One of Choice Reviews' Outstanding Academic Titles of 2018""Outstanding. . . . The thesis is interesting [and] the evidence effective. . . . Agree or disagree with Frankfurter's central claims, Christianizing Egypt may become a methodological must-read for anyone working in pre-modern Christianity."---Zachary B. Smith, Reading Religion"Christianizing Egypt is a thoughtful and exceptionally valuable study, with implications that go far beyond either Egypt or Late Antiquity. . . . An excellent book."---Philip Jenkins, Journal of Church and State"A carefully nuanced and illuminating anaylsis of the mixture of religious traditions in late ancient Egypt, as traditional religions were slowly giving way to the spread of Christianity. . . . Deeply thought provoking." * Choice *"Christianizing Egypt builds on David Frankfurter’s career working on the religious history of Roman and late antique Egypt and his deep knowledge of the Egyptian sources, material and literary alike, from hagiographical texts and sermons (in both Coptic and Greek) to terracotta figurines and amulets. The contribution this book makes to describing, analysing and interpreting religious change and process is very valuable indeed. There is much in this book for those interested in questions of religious change far beyond the confines of late antique Egypt."---Lucy Grig, Times Literary Supplement"A sophisticated and thought-provoking study of Christianization in Egypt that offers as much to the scholar of religion as it does the historian of ancient Christianity."---Michael Beshay, Bryn Mawr Classical Review"Frankfurter has constructed a model of Christianization that allows him to read these activities as representative of religious processes writ large while still retaining the nuance and specificity of a particular time, place, and religious sensibility. He argues persuasively."---Dana Robinson, Church History and Religious Culture"The work nicely demonstrates the extraordinary range of objects, including texts, uniquely preserved in Egypt, and draws together the evidence for study in a compelling and highly readable exposition. F.’s systematic reappraisal of what it was to be Christian and his deep and critical reading of material sources are especially laudable."---Elisabeth R. O’Connell, Journal of Roman Studies"A deeply stimulating, thought-provoking book which should be on the radar of every researcher of religion in late ancient Egypt."---Dylan M. Burns, Vigiliae Christianae"Christianizing Egypt is a great, uncommon, and thought-provoking book."---Anne Marie Yasin, Journal of Early Christian Studies"A rich and compelling examination of processes of religious change. . . . Frankfurter’s book presents a forceful argument for a revision of our approaches to the mechanisms of Christianization, destabilizing what we mean when we speak of a Christianized community or landscape."---Francoise Dunand, History of Religions"Frankfurter’s learning is wide and deep . . . and his writing is consistently lucid. . . . A rewarding contribution to our understanding of religious change in the late ancient Mediterranean world."---James Rives, ARYS

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