Religion and beliefs Books
Princeton University Press Bible Nation
Book SynopsisHow the billionaire owners of Hobby Lobby are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to make America a Bible nation Like many evangelical Christians, the Green family of Oklahoma City believes that America was founded as a Christian nation, based on a biblical worldview. But the Greens are far from typical evangelicals in other ways. The bilTrade Review"Selected as a Publishers Weekly 2017 Best Book in Religion""Exhaustively reported and scrupulously fair, Bible Nation doubles as a portrait of conviction: The Greens may well be the most sincere and most-frequently misguided activists in America."---Sarah Jones, The New Republic"Moss and Baden deftly highlight the cognitive dissonance at the heart of the evangelicalism, how and why the faithful cherry-pick Scriptures that buttress their own beliefs while dismissing contradictions among the texts themselves. . . . [The authors] draw on extensive research and interviews with a revolving-door cast of so-called experts and hangers-on, leaving no proverbial stone unturned in their quest to determine the value and validity of the Green collection, the Bible Museum's underlying purpose. Bible Nation peels away the bark on one of the largest branches of the American family tree, using an academic story to tell a broader one: the evangelicals’ unshakable conviction in their own fantasies and the demonization of anything, or anyone, that dares to challenge them."---Hamilton Cain, Minneapolis Star Tribune"Candida Moss and Joel Baden's new book illustrates how, with a net worth of nearly $4 billion, the family behind Hobby Lobby is stepping outside the corporate sphere and showing how faith and prosperity can powerfully influence the American public."---Charlotte Salley, The American Scholar"Biblical scholars Moss (The Myth of Persecution) and Baden (The Historical David) become dogged investigative journalists as they seek to understand how the Green family, the billionaire owners of Hobby Lobby, have aspired to influence national politics. . . . While depicting the Greens as well-intentioned, Moss and Baden make an impassioned case for fighting against the family's efforts to limit access to their questionably sourced collection and to misrepresent their work as nonsectarian when it is entrenched in a deeply American evangelical worldview. . . . This is a timely read for those interested in the relationship between money, faith, and American politics." * Publishers Weekly *"Two biblical scholars combine to dig into the actions and words of the billionaire Green family, founders of the Hobby Lobby chain of craft stores. . . . Moss and Baden portray the Green family members and their key executives as sincere evangelicals and benevolent employers. Throughout the book, however, they also show the Greens as naïve or disingenuous. To be sure, the family's proselytizing is not neutral. Rather, they are promoting a historically inaccurate saga of the U.S. as an exclusionary Christian nation meant to marry church and state. . . . Impressive . . . Well-positioned to examine the impact of religion on secular life." * Kirkus *"Moss and Baden's meticulous research will stand up to the most rigorous scrutiny, as they manage to stay dispassionate without judgement. . . . A troubling look into how a personal belief system can infiltrate seemingly public institutions through corporate means." * Library Journal *"[Moss and Baden's] concerns have merit, and by choosing to explore this particular front of the culture wars, they effectively cast light on issues that are American to the core: the belief that God blesses the faithful with financial success, the assumption that success in business verifies people as experts in realms they know little about, the notion that America is essentially and indisputably a Christian nation (and the public square ought therefore to reflect that essence), the dismissal of expert opinion when that opinion runs counter to popular belief, and the refusal of many people to examine their faith with a critical eye. In sum, Bible Nation illustrates what many nonevangelicals find so disturbing about America in the age of Trump, though it also reminds its readers that these untoward elements of American life long predated the election of our billionaire president. Surely they will outlive him as well." * Christian Century *"Candida R. Moss and Joel S. Baden--two respected academics of religious studies--go out of their way to be objective in their reporting on the Green family's growing influence on matters concerning the Bible in our country today. . . . Bible Nation: The United States of Hobby Lobby is a brave book in these dishonest times."---Charles R. Larson, Counterpunch"Highly worth reading."---Tara Isabella Burton, Vox"One could argue that it’s the civic duty of skeptics to go take a look--but with a copy of Bible Nation firmly in hand."---Sarah Posner, Washington Post
£22.50
Princeton University Press The New American Judaism
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2018 National Jewish Book Award in American Jewish Studies, Celebrate 350""An authority on American Judaism returns with a comprehensive report—descriptive, analytical, predictive—on today's Jewish religious practices." * Kirkus *"This is an essential volume for anyone interested in modern religion in general, and the future of the Jewish people in particular." * Publishers Weekly *"Thought-provoking."---Allan Arkush, Jewish Review of Books"The overarching theme of Wertheimer’s wholly enlightening and deeply fascinating book is that American Judaism is a mosaic rather than a monolith."---Jonathan Kirsch, Jewish Journal"An extraordinarily well-sourced view of American Judaism today with great reach."---C. Lynn Carr, Reading Religion"Vital, necessary, and enjoyable to read, The New American Judaism is a significant contribution to the literature about this ever-altering community."---Roberta Rosenthal Kwall, Commentary"The book’s survey of the American-Jewish religious landscape is wide-ranging and deeply informed, moving easily between helpful generalization and telling anecdote."---Tzvi Novick, Commonweal"The breadth of the work is admirable, exceedingly learned, and comprises the most complete overview of 21st century American Judaism now extant. It is certainly a fine place to introduce oneself to the major trends of American Judaism in this century."---Michael Scott Alexander, Contemporary Jewry
£22.50
Princeton University Press The Story of Hebrew
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the 2017 National Jewish Book Award in History (Gerrard and Ella Berman Memorial Award)""One of CHOICE’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2017"
£15.19
Princeton University Press Village Atheists
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of CHOICE’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2017"
£19.00
Princeton University Press Dissident Rabbi The Life of Jacob Sasportas
Book SynopsisIn 1665, as Jews abandoned reason for the ecstasy of enthusiasm for self-proclaimed Messiah Sabbetai Zevi, Jacob Sasportas watched in horror. Dweck tells the story of the Sephardic rabbi who challenged Sabbetai Zevi's improbable claims and warned his fellow Jews that their Messiah was not the answer to their prayers..Trade Review"Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in Sephardic Culture""Dweck’s new book is not merely another study of the Sabbatian affair; it canvasses seventeenth-century Sephardic diaspora, rabbinic epistemology and the crises between them, a crisis of which Sasportas’ anti-Sabbatian campaign was only an external manifestation."---Zvi Kunshtat, Studia Rosenthaliana
£37.80
Princeton University Press What Are Jews For
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Thoughtful and scholarly."---Abigail Green, Times Literary Supplement
£31.50
Princeton University Press Coming of Age in Medieval Egypt
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Jordan Schnitzer Book Award in Medieval and Early Modern Jewish History and Culture, Association for Jewish Studies""Winner of the 2017 National Jewish Book Award in Women’s Studies (Barbara Dobkin Award)""Finalist for the Dionisius A. Agius Book Prize, Society for the Medieval Mediterranean""Finalist for the 2017 National Jewish Book Award in Scholarship (Nahum Sarna Memorial Award)""Honorable Mention for the 2018 AAR Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion: Historical Studies, American Academy of Religion""One of Choice Reviews' Outstanding Academic Titles of 2018""Eve Krakowski’s masterful new book . . . presents an impressive cascade of new insights regarding the Jewish community in old Cairo—their concerns, negotiations, and accommodations with the dominant Fatimid society."---Amit Gvaryahu, Marginalia"Coming of Age in Medieval Egypt is an excellent book based on solid research and replete with brilliant insights. It marks a new, groundbreaking phase in the historical study of the Geniza society and constitutes a major contribution to the social and legal history of Islamicate cultures as well as to gender studies more generally."---Miriam Frenkel, Al-Masāq
£25.20
Princeton University Press The Rebellion of the Daughters Jewish Women
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in Women’s Studies""A well-written study. . . . [and] excellent introduction to the history of attitudes of Hasidic leaders and their followers in Eastern Europe toward the education of Jewish girls, particularly in Galicia, before World War II and explains continuing trends among ultra- Orthodox women in both United States and Israel."---Harriet Pass Freidenreich, Journal of Modern History"Around 1900, reports of the disappearance of Jewish girls in Galicia emerged and became a literary trend and a topic in the collective memory among Habsburg Jews. The Rebellion of the Daughters applies objective historical research on the causes and circumstances of this phenomenon. It weaves the runaway issue with broad trends in Orthodox Judaism, the Liberal Habsburg educational system, and responses in the Second Polish Republic after World War I."---Scott Berg, Journal of Modern Jewish Studies
£31.50
Princeton University Press Religious Parenting
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A revealing picture."---Thomas E. Bergler, Christianity Today"[Religious Parenting] is a solid contribution to the literature about religious socialization and offers a fruitful way to advance theory in close dialogue with empirically grounded research" * American Journal of Sociology *
£29.75
Princeton University Press The Book of Genesis
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of Jewish Ideas Daily.com's 40 Best Jewish Books of 2012"
£14.24
Princeton University Press City of the Good
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
£25.20
Princeton University Press The Princeton Companion to Jonathan Edwards
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Comprised of essays by contributors to the current 'renaissance' of interest in Jonathan Edwards, this volume is essential for anyone studying his thought, whether for historical or constructive purposes."---William J. Danaher, Jr., Theological Studies"Concise and comprehensive. . . . This work is invaluable to a wide array of scholarship, ranging from theology to philosophy and from literature to history. . . . Overall, this volume is a 'must have' for Edwards enthusiasts, beginning scholars in Edwards, or Edwards specialists alike."---S.V. Goncharenko, Southwestern Journal of Theology
£46.75
Princeton University Press Yeshiva Days Learning on the Lower East Side
Book Synopsis
£22.50
Princeton University Press American Misfits and the Making of MiddleClass
Book Synopsis
£22.50
Princeton University Press American JewBu
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 *
£18.04
Princeton University Press A Jew in the Roman Bathhouse Cultural
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Writing entertainingly and informatively on both archaeology and the Talmud is a rare gift, and the author brings enthusiasm and erudition to his explanations of Roman engineering feats."---Sara Jo Ben Zvi, Segula"Eliav’s engaging account of cultural interaction between Jews and non-Jews in the rabbinic era will help readers to better imagine the interactions between Jews and Gentiles in the New Testament."---Zen Hess, The Christian Century
£32.30
Princeton University Press Encountering Mary From La Salette to Medjugorje
Book SynopsisIn the past two centuries hundreds of apparitions of the Virgin Mary have been reported, drawing crowds to the seers and the sites and constituting events of great religious significance for millions of people worldwide. Here Sandra Zimdars-Swartz provides a detective-like investigation of the experiences and interpretations of six major apparitionTrade ReviewWinner of the 1993 Byron Caldwell Smith Award, University of Kansas "A fascinating study of seven apparitions of the Virgin Mary reported since 1846 and of how such events, usually cryptic at first, are interpreted and accepted-or not-by ecclesiastical authority."--New York Times Book ReviewTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*CONTENTS, pg. vii*ILLUSTRATIONS, pg. xi*PREFACE, pg. xiii*INTRODUCTIO, pg. 3*CHAPTER ONE: Personal Experiences and Public Demands: La Salette, Lourdes, and Fatima, pg. 25*CHAPTER Two: Personal Crises of Health, Public Crises of Faith: San Damiano, pg. 92*CHAPTER THREE: Can the Testimonies of Thousands Be Wrong? San Sebastian de Garabandal, pg. 124*CHAPTER FOUR: From Personal to Public: La Salette, pg. 165*CHAPTER FIVE: A Secret in Three Parts: Fatima, pg. 190*CHAPTER SIX: The Drama of Secrets in Post-World War II Marian Apparitions, pg. 220*CHAPTER SEVEN: The Fundamentals of Modern Apparition Worldviews, pg. 245*APPENDIX: Suggestions for Further Reading and Study, pg. 271*NOTES, pg. 279*BIBLIOGRAPHY, pg. 319*INDEX, pg. 333
£999.99
Princeton University Press The Faith of a Physicist
Book SynopsisIs it possible to think like a scientist and yet have the faith of a Christian? Although many Westerners might say no, there are also many critically minded individuals who entertain what John Polkinghorne calls a wistful wariness toward religion--they feel unable to accept religion on rational grounds yet cannot dismiss it completely. Polkinghorne, both a particle physicist and Anglican priest, here explores just what rational grounds there could be for Christian beliefs, maintaining that the quest for motivated understanding is a concern shared by scientists and religious thinkers alike. Anyone who assumes that religion is based on unquestioning certainties, or that it need not take into account empirical knowledge, will be challenged by Polkinghorne''s bottom-up examination of Christian beliefs about events ranging from creation to the resurrection.The author organizes his inquiry around the Nicene Creed, an early statement that continues to summarize Christian beliefs. HTrade Review"The Faith of a Physicistworks on two levels. On one level it is a straight-forward work of Christian apologetics. On another level it is a meditation on the relationship between science and religion. As a work of apologetics, Polkinghorne's book is a tour de force. It is a thoughtful and thorough defense of the Christian faith... When Polkinghorne moves from apologetic argument to applying insights derived from physics to theology, his book loses none of its power and in fact becomes even more intellectually engaging."--The Boston Book ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgements x Introduction 1 I Humanity 9 'We believe' 2 Knowledge 30 'We believe' 3 Divinity 52 'One God the Father Almighty' 4 Creation 71 'Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen' 5 Jesus 88 'One Lord, Jesus Christ' 6 Crucifixion and Resurrection 106 'For our sakes he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again 'he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father' 7 Son of God 124 'The only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father' 'he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary and was made man' 8 The Spirit and the Church 146 'The Holv Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, with the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified' he has spoken through the prophets' 'We believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church' 9 Eschatology 162 'We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come' 10 Alternatives 176 Epilogue 193 Glossary 195 Bibliography 200 Index 207
£28.50
Princeton University Press Living in the Children of God
Book SynopsisAt the height of the religious ferment of the 1970s, David Van Zandt studied firsthand the most vilified of the new radical religious movements--the Children of God, or the Family of Love. First feigning membership and later gaining the permission of the Family, the author lived full-time in COG colonies in England and the Netherlands. From that exTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*CONTENTS, pg. v*ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, pg. vii*INTRODUCTION: Studying the Children of God, pg. 1*ONE. Ideology and Proselytization, pg. 18*TWO. A Short History of the Children of God, pg. 30*THREE. The Organizational Setting of Everyday Life, pg. 56*FOUR. Social Relations in Everyday Life, pg. 72*FIVE. Litnessing: Street Proselytization as an Access Strategy, pg. 83*SIX. Witnessing: Techniques for Conversion, pg. 98*SEVEN. Reading Religious Literature, pg. 117*EIGHT. Practical Religious Activity: Creating and Maintaining the Children of God Reality, pg. 133*NINE. Socialization and Role Negotiation, pg. 149*POSTSCRIPT: January 1991, pg. 166*APPENDIX A: The Life History of the Research and Ethical Considerations, pg. 173*APPENDIX B: Sample Mo Letters, pg. 197*BIBLIOGRAPHY, pg. 213*INDEX, pg. 225
£31.50
Princeton University Press Keter The Crown of God in Early Jewish Mysticism
Book SynopsisKeter is a close reading of fifty relatively brief Jewish texts, tracing the motif of divine coronation from Jewish esoteric writings of late antiquity to the Zohar, written in thirteenth-century Spain. In the course of this investigation Arthur Green draws a wide arc including Talmudic, Midrashic, liturgical, Merkavah, German Hasidic, and KabbalisTrade Review"[T]he general intelligent reader, will find here a mine of information that slowly builds into a central metaphor for Judaism's theological preoccupation with the relationship between god and man."--The Jerusalem Post MagazineTable of ContentsPrefaceAbbreviationsCh. 1Ancient Israel: Crowns Above and Below3Ch. 2Coronation and Qedushah12Ch. 3The Heavenly Coronation: Primary Texts20Ch. 4God's Crown and Israel's Prayer33Ch. 5The Name on the Crown42Ch. 6Crowns, Tefillin, and Magic Seals49Ch. 7The Angels Crowned58Ch. 8Israel Crowned at Sinai69Ch. 9Coronation and Marriage78Ch. 10Medieval Reconsiderations88Ch. 11The Hymn of Glory106Ch. 12The Way to Kabbalah121Ch. 13Sefer ha-Bahir134Ch. 14The Early Kabbalah151AppendixOriginal Texts of Principal Primary Source Citations167Bibliography191Selective Index of Texts207General Index221
£31.50
Princeton University Press Lay Buddhism in Contemporary Japan Reiyukai
Book SynopsisBasing her book on four years of field work (including interviews, a survey of 2,000 Reiyukai members, and eight months of residence with believers), she analyzes Reiyukai ancestor worship and veneration of the Lotus Sutra. She explains the enduring appeal of a religion, founded in 1919, that dedicates itself to the spread of true Buddhism" and thaTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. v*List of Illustrations, pg. vii*List of Figures, pg. ix*List of Tables, pg. xi*Note on Romanization, pg. xiii*Preface, pg. xv*Introduction, pg. 1*Chapter One. The History of Reiyukai, pg. 10*Chapter Two. Contemporary Activities and Organization, pg. 54*Chapter Three. Reiyukai and the Family, pg. 98*Chapter Four. Reiyukai Ritual, pg. 127*Chapter Five. Witnessing and Healing, pg. 155*Chapter Six. The Role of Women in Reiyukai, pg. 188*Conclusion, pg. 224*Appendix. Questionnaire Results, pg. 231*Bibliography, pg. 255*Index, pg. 265
£37.80
Princeton University Press Krishna The Butter Thief
Book SynopsisThe author traces the development of the theme of Krishna as butter thief from its earliest appearance in literature and art until the present. He focuses on the dramas (ras lilas) of Krishna's native Braj and on the Sur Sagar, a collection of verse attributed to the sixteenth-century poet Sur Das that is as familiar to Hindi speakers as Mother GooTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. vii*List of Illustrations, pg. ix*List of Tables, pg. xii*Acknowledgments, pg. xiii*Transliteration, pg. xvi*List of Abbreviations, pg. xviii*List of Poems Translated from the Sur Sagar, pg. xx*Introduction. The Butter and the Thief, pg. 1*Chapter 1. The Tradition in Literature, pg. 21*Chapter 2. The Tradition in Sculpture, pg. 52*Chapter 3. Sur's Butter Thief Poems: Two Types, pg. 99*Chapter 4. The Butter Thief in Context, pg. 135*Chapter 5. The Legacy of Sur's Butter Thief, pg. 162*Chapter 6. The Butter Thief Lila, pg. 181*Chapter 7. Variations on the Butter Theme, pg. 223*Chapter 8. The Unbounded Economy of Love, pg. 261*Chapter 9. Other Boundaries: An Outsider's View, pg. 288*Appendix A. Tables of Krsnacarita Sculptures to 1500 A.D., pg. 311*Appendix B. Index of Krsnacarita Sculptures To 1500 A.D., pg. 338*Glossary, pg. 376*Bibliography, pg. 381*Index, pg. 405
£54.00
Princeton University Press Sons of the Prophets Leaders in Protestantism
Book SynopsisBiographies of A. Alexander, C. Hodge, S. Schmucker, J. W. Nevin, S. Jackson, A. G. Simonton, S. Colwell, H. Van Dyke, F. J. Grimke, W. Lowrie, T. Kagawa, and J. Hromadka. Originally published in 1963. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguishTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*Foreword, pg. vii*Contents, pg. xvii*List of illustrations, pg. xix*I. Archibald Alexander, pg. 1*II. Charles Hodge (1797-1878), pg. 22*III. Samuel Simon Schmucker (1799-1873), pg. 39*IV. John Williamson Nevin (1803-1886), pg. 69*V. Sheldon Jackson (1834-1909), pg. 82*VI. Ashbel Green Simonton (1833-1867), pg. 100*VII. Stephen Colwell (1800-1871), pg. 123*VIII. Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933), pg. 148*IX. Francis James Grimke (1850-1937), pg. 161*X. Walter Lowrie (1868-1959), pg. 176*XI. Toyohiko Kagawa (1888-1960), pg. 192*XII. Josef Lukl Hromadka (1889- ), pg. 205*The Contributors, pg. 224
£31.50
Princeton University Press Keter The Crown of God in Early Jewish Mysticism
Book SynopsisTrade Review"[T]he general intelligent reader, will find here a mine of information that slowly builds into a central metaphor for Judaism's theological preoccupation with the relationship between god and man."--The Jerusalem Post MagazineTable of ContentsPrefaceAbbreviationsCh. 1Ancient Israel: Crowns Above and Below3Ch. 2Coronation and Qedushah12Ch. 3The Heavenly Coronation: Primary Texts20Ch. 4God's Crown and Israel's Prayer33Ch. 5The Name on the Crown42Ch. 6Crowns, Tefillin, and Magic Seals49Ch. 7The Angels Crowned58Ch. 8Israel Crowned at Sinai69Ch. 9Coronation and Marriage78Ch. 10Medieval Reconsiderations88Ch. 11The Hymn of Glory106Ch. 12The Way to Kabbalah121Ch. 13Sefer ha-Bahir134Ch. 14The Early Kabbalah151AppendixOriginal Texts of Principal Primary Source Citations167Bibliography191Selective Index of Texts207General Index221
£74.80
Princeton University Press Humanism and Scholasticism in Late Medieval
Book Synopsis
£49.50
Princeton University Press Popular Catholicism in NineteenthCentury Germany
Book Synopsis
£44.20
Princeton University Press Bwiti An Ethnography of the Religious
Book Synopsis
£262.65
Princeton University Press Humanism and Scholasticism in Late Medieval Germany
£124.10
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Feminist Theology
Book SynopsisSome feminist women search for the roots of feminism in the recent past; others write the past off. Too many assume that religious traditions have nothing to offer feminism, so even when religious belief has been central to the inspiration of some of the most powerful campaigners for the value and worth of women, the significance of that belief has been ignored. Mary Wollstonecraft argued for the ''rights'' of women''; Josephine Butler fought against the devaluation of women expressed in the Contagious Diseases Acts; Dorothy L. Sayers had a powerful sense of the way women and men grace one another''s lives in their work. They all drew on the Christian tradition of their own times, but this has rarely been given weight. These women have not been considered together, nor as theologians, as here in Ann Loades''s new book. In their life time, each of them opened up some painful issues: abortion and its significance in our shared social lives, forms of coercion, especially the sexTrade Review‘Setting three distinguished women carefully in their historical contexts, Ann Loades treats them as fellow human beings who can increase our moral understanding. Her approach is humane, serious, judicious, realistic and, above all, fair-minded, with a congenial emphasis on "full human flourishing". She is warmly but not fiercely on the side of women, and refreshingly able to appreciate the contribution of men. "Self-governance" is a keyword and demands not only listening to women, but honouring their responsible concern.’ – Helen Oppenheimer, author of The Hope of HappinessTable of ContentsPreface. Introduction. Part I Women and Self-Governance. 1 Mary Wollstonecraft. 2 Abortion. Part II Abusing Women and Abusing Children. 3 Josephine Butler. 4 The Sexual Abuse of Children. Part III A Sacramentalist's Agenda. 5 Dorothy Sayers. Conclusion. References and Further Reading. Index.
£54.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Christian Theology
Book Synopsisaeo A lively and accessible introductory textbook. aeo Clearly structured, it guides students through the basic elements of theology and demonstrates its relevance to contemporary issues. aeo The text has a practical orientation, encouraging students to think theologically and to develop theological arguments.Trade Review"The task of a book like this is demanding: to act as matchmaker between the new student and the hoary old queen of the sciences, in the hope that things will progress further than a disappointing first date. Jones's method is wisely chosen. He does not pretend to give an exhaustive description of the history of Christian theology or the forms it has taken. Instead, he sets out to equip the novice with the skills needed to survive and flourish in this enticing world...It may not be the most exciting tryst in town, but an evening with this book just might help the inexperienced theologian find some confidence for future engagements." Steven Shakespeare, Modern BelievingTable of ContentsIntroduction: What is Christian Theology?. Part 1: Mapping the Terrain:. 1. Christian Theology and Christian Faith. 2. Christian Theology: Some Important Qualities. Part II: Handling the Building Blocks:. 3. Language and Experience. 4. The Bible. 5. History and Tradition. 6. Society and Culture. Part III: Developing Necessary Skills:. 7. Doctrine: The Shape of Christian Theology. 8. Interpretation: The Task of Christian Theology. Part IV: Looking Around, Past and Present:. 9. Recurrent Themes in Christian Theology. 10. Contemporary Issues. Conclusion: The Ever-widening Ripple. Glossary. Suggestions for Further Reading. Index.
£49.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Christian Theology
Book Synopsisaeo A lively and accessible introductory textbook. aeo Clearly structured, it guides students through the basic elements of theology and demonstrates its relevance to contemporary issues. aeo The text has a practical orientation, encouraging students to think theologically and to develop theological arguments.Trade Review"The task of a book like this is demanding: to act as matchmaker between the new student and the hoary old queen of the sciences, in the hope that things will progress further than a disappointing first date. Jones's method is wisely chosen. He does not pretend to give an exhaustive description of the history of Christian theology or the forms it has taken. Instead, he sets out to equip the novice with the skills needed to survive and flourish in this enticing world...It may not be the most exciting tryst in town, but an evening with this book just might help the inexperienced theologian find some confidence for future engagements." Steven Shakespeare, Modern BelievingTable of ContentsIntroduction: What is Christian Theology?. Part 1: Mapping the Terrain:. 1. Christian Theology and Christian Faith. 2. Christian Theology: Some Important Qualities. Part II: Handling the Building Blocks:. 3. Language and Experience. 4. The Bible. 5. History and Tradition. 6. Society and Culture. Part III: Developing Necessary Skills:. 7. Doctrine: The Shape of Christian Theology. 8. Interpretation: The Task of Christian Theology. Part IV: Looking Around, Past and Present:. 9. Recurrent Themes in Christian Theology. 10. Contemporary Issues. Conclusion: The Ever-widening Ripple. Glossary. Suggestions for Further Reading. Index.
£15.19
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Politics and Religion
Book Synopsis* Explores the way in which religion combines with ethnic and national conflict to stimulate political militancy in many parts of the world. * Draws on material from all over the world and from all religious traditions to explore the complex links between religion and politics.Trade Review"Bruce is consistently rigorous and disciplined, literate and humane, as he brings the sociology of religion into the center of public issues and debate. A major contribution by a mature sociologist, this book should be required reading for all those concerned with the prospects for freedom and rationality in a frightened and frightening world." Richard K. Fenn, Princeton Theological Seminary "There are two things to be said about this book apart from the characteristic acumen, learning and clarity Steve Bruce brings to the major issues of religion and politics. First, that those who so often publicly air their views about the dire consequences of religion should here learn the kind of social scientific work they need to undertake to render mere opinion serious. Second, that it will be worth watching the reactions of all those involved in the intellectual scandal of political correctness to so trenchant, courageous and even-handed a treatment of "sensitive" topics." David D. Martin, London School of Economics "In many respects, this book contains all the hallmarks of Steve Bruce's writing: it is bold, provocative, clear and fluent...he [the author] has provided food for thought, and a welcome introduction to the place of religion in the modern world" Grace Davies, Church Times "I commend this book as a very good and judicious introduction and review of a contested and fraught subject: the inter-relationship between faith and politics." Theology "It contains a great deal of useful history and analysis, clearly presented, and it focuses on an insufficiently studied area of social science." Malcom Brown, Cambridge Theological Federation "Bruce draws on a dazzling array of cases across the globe and across time to explore the nature of the relationship between religion and politics...this is an excellent book. Its range is extraordinary, its arguments clearly laid out, and its writing clear and lucid." Clyde Wilcox, Political Science Quarterly "Steve Bruce's Religion and Politics takes a different approach to the question of religion's resurgence in the aftermath of the Cold War. A sociologist by training, he takes the reader through the role of religion in politics in an encyclopedic manner, using a comparative case study approach. ...It is here that reader begins to understand the enormous depth of his investigation-a quality that is maintained in each chapter. ...Religion and Politics [is] a welcome addition to a growing and much needed new body of scholarship in international relations. James F. Rinehart, Troy State UniversityTable of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. 1 RELIGION. Introduction. Some Illustrations. Caution About Method. The Mix-and-Match Wardrobe. The Limits to Comparison. Defining Politics and Religion. Religion Standing Apart. Outline. 2 EMPIRE. Introduction. The Ottoman Empire. The Balkan Secessions. The Failure of Reform. The British Raj. Common Humanity. Religious Identities in India. Creating a Nation from a Religion. Conclusion. 3 NATION. Introduction. Religion and National Identity. Nationalists Mobilizing Strong Religious Identities. Poland and Ireland. Nationalists Mobilizing Weak Religious Identities. Yugoslavia. Russia and the Ukraine. Nationalists Rejecting Strong Religious Identities. Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Iran. India. Nationalists Rejecting Fragmented Religious Identities. Sub-Saharan Africa. Imposing Toleration. Why religion?. Pious Dissent from Religio-ethnic Linkage. Global Fundamentalism. The Limits to Fundamentalism. Conclusion. 4 PARTY. Introduction. Closed Catholic Politics. Catholicism and the Right. Open Catholic Politics. Religious Dissent and Class Formation. Religion and West European Politics Post-1945. Religion and Party. Socio-moral Values. Conclusion. 5 PROTEST. Introduction. Taming Industry. Promoting Equality. Resisting State Terror. The Value of Religion for Political Protest. The Moral High Ground. Exemption. Drama. Honest brokers. Networks. The New Christian Right. The rise of the NCR. Evaluating the NCR. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Zealotry. Structural Advantages. Structural Constraints. Concluding Thoughts on Individualism. 6 CONTROL. Introduction. Enforcing Obedience to God. Ensuring Loyalty. The Road to Freedom. An Aside on Necessity. Communist Repression. The post-Soviet settlement. China. Islamic Repression. Pakistan. Tensions. Policing Religious Innovation. Brainwashing. Millennial Disaster Movements. State Responses. New Religions and Children. Conclusion. 7 EXPLANATION. Introduction. Regimes. Parties and Social Movements. Models of Explanation. The Pygmalion Method. Orientalism. The Causal Nexus. The Variables. The Nature of the Divine. The Reach of Religion. The Politics of Orthopraxis. Religions of the Powerful and the Impotent. The Burns Doctrine: Secularization and Liberty. Prosperity. Individualism and egalitarianism. Diversity. Conclusion. Notes. Index.
£999.99
John Wiley and Sons Ltd After Terror
Book SynopsisAfter Terror presents sustained reflections by some of the world''s most celebrated thinkers on the most pressing question of our time: how can we find ways to defuse the ticking bombs of terrorism and excessive interventions against it? It offers an antidote to the fatalistic global holy war perspective that afflicts much contemporary thought, focusing instead on the principles, issues, and acts needed to shift course from alienation and conflict to a path of sanity and goodwill among cultures and civilizations. The central aim of the book is to advance contemporary thinking on the causes and implications of 9/11 and thus provide the essential elements of a blueprint for humanity. It features 28 original essays by some of the world''s leading public figures, scholars, and religious leaders, including Benjamin Barber, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jean Bethke Elshtain, Amitai Etzioni, Bernard Lewis, Martin Marty, Queen Noor, Joseph Nye, Judea Pearl, Jonathan Sacks, Ravi Shankar, Bishop DesmoTrade Review“If you are looking for reading that is thought-provoking, incisive, and challenging, After Terror is the perfect book to read.” Friday Times “It is good to have a work which includes within its covers the reflections of [the] President of the World Bank, an international activist who founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her extraordinary activities in clearing anti-personnel mines from battle zones, and one of the most respected of contemporary musicians. This ensures that there is something for everyone in this compilation!” Muslim World Book ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgments x Contributor Biographies in Brief xii Part I Introduction 1 1 Toward a More Civil Twenty-first CenturyAkbar Ahmed and Brian Forst 3 Part II The Nature and Sources of the Problem 13 2 The Simple Power of Weakness, the Complex Vulnerability of PowerZbigniew Brzezinski 15 3 Dialogue and the Echo Boom of Terror: Religious Women's Voices after 9/11Diana L. Eck 21 4 Closing Chapters of EnmityRajmohan Gandhi 29 5 Benjamin Franklin's Gift of ToleranceWalter Isaacson 36 6 God's Word and World PoliticsArchbishop Desmond Tutu 39 Part III Pathways to Dialogue and Understanding 45 7 The Role of the Media in Promoting ToleranceShashi Tharoor 47 8 Civilization, Human Rights, and Collective ResponsibilitySergio Vieira de Mello 55 9 Endless Enemies or Human SecurityJody Williams 66 10 Dialogue among Civilizations and CulturesPresident Seyed Mohammed Khatami 72 11 Transnational Moral DialoguesAmitai Etzioni 79 12 In Other People's ShoesDame Marilyn Strathern 85 13 A Universal Language, without Boundary or PrejudiceSir Ravi Shankar 90 14 Dialogue among CivilizationsKofi Annan 94 15 The Productive Airing of GrievancesLord George Carey 98 16 All of Man's TroublesEdward O. Wilson 106 17 Turning Enemies into FriendsChief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks 112 18 Security through DialogueQueen Noor of Jordan 119 19 The Power of Dialogue: Redefining "Us"Tamara Sonn 131 20 On Clash, Morality, Renaissance, and DialogueJudea Pearl 138 21 The Just War Tradition and Cultural DialogueJean Bethke Elshtain 145 22 Celebrating Differences on our Melting Pot PlanetPrince El Hassan bin Talal 149 Part IV From Concern to Action 155 23 Clash or Dialogue of Cultures?Bernard Lewis 157 24 The Fellowship of DialogueJames D. Wolfensohn 159 25 Hard Power and Soft PowerJoseph S. Nye Jr 166 26 Global Governance in an Interdependent WorldBenjamin R. Barber 171 27 Getting to Peace: Awakening the Third SideWilliam L. Ury 179 28 Risking HospitalityMartin Marty 186 Index 191
£38.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd After Terror
Book SynopsisAfter Terror presents sustained reflections by some of the world''s most celebrated thinkers on the most pressing question of our time: how can we find ways to defuse the ticking bombs of terrorism and excessive interventions against it? It offers an antidote to the fatalistic global holy war perspective that afflicts much contemporary thought, focusing instead on the principles, issues, and acts needed to shift course from alienation and conflict to a path of sanity and goodwill among cultures and civilizations. The central aim of the book is to advance contemporary thinking on the causes and implications of 9/11 and thus provide the essential elements of a blueprint for humanity. It features 28 original essays by some of the world''s leading public figures, scholars, and religious leaders, including Benjamin Barber, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jean Bethke Elshtain, Amitai Etzioni, Bernard Lewis, Martin Marty, Queen Noor, Joseph Nye, Judea Pearl, Jonathan Sacks, Ravi Shankar, Bishop DesmoTrade Review“If you are looking for reading that is thought-provoking, incisive, and challenging, After Terror is the perfect book to read.” Friday Times “It is good to have a work which includes within its covers the reflections of [the] President of the World Bank, an international activist who founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her extraordinary activities in clearing anti-personnel mines from battle zones, and one of the most respected of contemporary musicians. This ensures that there is something for everyone in this compilation!” Muslim World Book ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgments x Contributor Biographies in Brief xii Part I Introduction 1 1 Toward a More Civil Twenty-first CenturyAkbar Ahmed and Brian Forst 3 Part II The Nature and Sources of the Problem 13 2 The Simple Power of Weakness, the Complex Vulnerability of PowerZbigniew Brzezinski 15 3 Dialogue and the Echo Boom of Terror: Religious Women's Voices after 9/11Diana L. Eck 21 4 Closing Chapters of EnmityRajmohan Gandhi 29 5 Benjamin Franklin's Gift of ToleranceWalter Isaacson 36 6 God's Word and World PoliticsArchbishop Desmond Tutu 39 Part III Pathways to Dialogue and Understanding 45 7 The Role of the Media in Promoting ToleranceShashi Tharoor 47 8 Civilization, Human Rights, and Collective ResponsibilitySergio Vieira de Mello 55 9 Endless Enemies or Human SecurityJody Williams 66 10 Dialogue among Civilizations and CulturesPresident Seyed Mohammed Khatami 72 11 Transnational Moral DialoguesAmitai Etzioni 79 12 In Other People's ShoesDame Marilyn Strathern 85 13 A Universal Language, without Boundary or PrejudiceSir Ravi Shankar 90 14 Dialogue among CivilizationsKofi Annan 94 15 The Productive Airing of GrievancesLord George Carey 98 16 All of Man's TroublesEdward O. Wilson 106 17 Turning Enemies into FriendsChief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks 112 18 Security through DialogueQueen Noor of Jordan 119 19 The Power of Dialogue: Redefining "Us"Tamara Sonn 131 20 On Clash, Morality, Renaissance, and DialogueJudea Pearl 138 21 The Just War Tradition and Cultural DialogueJean Bethke Elshtain 145 22 Celebrating Differences on our Melting Pot PlanetPrince El Hassan bin Talal 149 Part IV From Concern to Action 155 23 Clash or Dialogue of Cultures?Bernard Lewis 157 24 The Fellowship of DialogueJames D. Wolfensohn 159 25 Hard Power and Soft PowerJoseph S. Nye Jr 166 26 Global Governance in an Interdependent WorldBenjamin R. Barber 171 27 Getting to Peace: Awakening the Third SideWilliam L. Ury 179 28 Risking HospitalityMartin Marty 186 Index 191
£14.99
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Reading the Bible as Literature
Book SynopsisReading the Bible as Literature provides the ideal entry-point to the process of reading, understanding, and assessing what many recognize to be the important and powerful literature of the Bible. Such reading holds potential for helping students understand literature generally and the Bible in itself. The book introduces the tools of literary analysis, including: language and style, the formal structures of genre (narrative, drama, and poetry), character study, and thematic analysis. The overall organizational structure of the book proceeds incrementally from basic literary elements to higher units of form. Each chapter includes an outline, preliminary considerations that provide background and insight into scholarly debates, and an explanation of the literary qualities of the primary text through specific examples, exercises, and directions for further study. The book emphasizes the act of reading itself, focusing upon the whole text as it exists in iTrade Review"The extremely well structured discussion, the tone and method of delivery and the thought put into every explication of the numerous Biblical episodes reveal the conscientiousness with which this book was threaded together. As such, this text is not only significant for the uninitiated student of literature but also for the academic who may wish to use it as resource book when teaching this classical text."Southeast Asian Review of English "Dr Crain's book offers undergraduates an invaluable means of studying the biblical texts, systematically demonstrating how applying a host of different literary techniques can help illuminate the biblical writers' message. By analyzing the use of such rhetorical devices as image, metaphor, archetype, narration, and character portrayal, Dr Crain equips students to interpret the Bible responsibly and effectively."Stephen Harris, California State University, Sacramento "Reading the Bible as Literature has three overarching virtues in addition to its myriad individual insights into both literature and the Bible: it is a comprehensive introduction to the literary forms of the Bible; it is wonderfully systematic in its approach to the material; it is copious in its coverage of published scholarship on the Bible as literature."Leland Ryken, Wheaton College "Reading the Bible as Literature is a solid and sure introduction to the field. Crain hits all the bases here. She manages, through her conversational approach and well-designed additions, to create a resource which will serve as a strong introduction to an important field."David G. Miller, Mississippi College "As a teacher of the Bible, I often find students reading not the text itself, but instead recalling what they have heard about it. I am pleased to see Dr Crain opening up the biblical text to students once again."John Strong, Missouri State University Table of ContentsPreface. 1. Reading the Bible as Literature. 2. Style, Tone, and Rhetorical Strategy. 3. Image, Metaphor, Symbol and Archetype. 4. Major Genres. 5. Sub-Genres. 6. Character. 7. Themes and Motifs: A Way of Unifying. Conclusion. Glossary. Index.
£49.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Historical Muhammad
Book SynopsisIn his quest for the historical Muhammad, Zeitlins chief aim is to catch a few reliable glimpses of the birth of Islam and the role played by its extraordinary founder. The result is a rich and highly illuminating portrait of Muhammad that places him within the historical context of his time.Trade Review“Zeitlin’s approach is novel and intriguing.” Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute "This book will be of value to serious students of Islamic history as well as educated readers generally. Both groups will be well able to navigate the historical and historiographical landscapes of the rise of Islam – with the foundational qualities that enabled it to develop into a world religion. The pursuit of certainty in discerning and understanding Muhammad’s historical biography and the rise of his religious movement is ongoing, and Irving Zeitlin has provided a clear, balanced, and plausible account using traditional sources and modern scholarly theories and interpretations." Frederick M. Denny, University of Colorado at Boulder "It is very important for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to understand the importance of the Prophet Muhammad because he is so central to Islam. The Historical Muhammad contributes significantly to the discussion of the life of the Prophet, a subject highly relevant to our time." Akbar S. Admed, American University, Washington DCTable of ContentsPreface Introduction and Overview of the Life of Muhammad Donner’s Reply to the Skeptics Enter Muhammad: An Overview The Battle of the Trench Chapter One Ibn Khaldun’s Social and Economic Theory Bedouins and Sedentary Peoples Asabiyah Chapter Two Pre-Islamic Arabia The Hijaz on the Eve of the Rise of Islam Pre-Islamic Religion Chapter Three The Role of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael Who was the Sacrificial Son? The Islamic Theory that Abraham, Ishmael and Hagar Traveled to the Valley of Mecca Abraham, Ishmael and the Kaaba William Muir on the Abrahamic Question Muir on the Founding of Mecca and the Abrahamic Legend Chapter Four Recent and Current Scholarship The Religion of Mecca The Kaaba and Its Devotees Hanifiya and the Religion of Abraham G.E. von Grunebaum, “The Nature of Arab Unity Before Islam” M.J.Kister, “Al-Hira: Some Notes on Its Relations with Arabia” Joseph Henninger, “Pre-Islamic Bedouin Religion” Moshe Gil, “Jews of Yathrib” Fazlur Rahman, “Pre-Foundations of the Muslim Community in Mecca” Uri Rubin, “Hanifiyya and Ka ‘ba: An Inquiry into the Arabian Background of Din Ibrahim” More on Pre-Islamic Religion in the Arabian Peninsula Hamilton A.R. Gibb, “Pre-Islamic Monotheism in Arabia” W. Montgomery Watt, “Belief in a ‘High God’ in Pre-Islamic Mecca” Uri Rubin, “The Kaaba: Aspects of Its Ritual Functions and Position in Pre-Islamic and Early Islamic Times” Chapter Five Possible Influences on Muhammad’s Inspiration Jewish Historians on the Jews of Arabia Baron on Pre-Islamic, Arab-Jewish Relations in Arabia Chapter Six The Jews of Arabia: A Recent Re-Examination Chapter Seven Richard Bell’s Origin of Islam in its Christian Environment Chapter Eight W. Montgomery Watt’s Muhammad at Mecca The Daughters of Allah or the So-called Satanic Verses More on the “Daughters of Allah” Affair A Sociological Argument W. Montgomery Watt’s Muhammad at Medina Chapter Nine Muhammad at Medina: William Muir’s Analysis Muhammad and the Jewish Tribes of Medina The Battle of Badr Current Research on the Massacre of the B. Qurayza The Conquest of Khaybar Chapter Ten Muhammad and the Jews Muhammad and the Jews: G.D. Newby’s Re-Examination of the Evidence Chapter Eleven Concluding Sociological Reflections Abu Bakr and the Ridda Notes Bibliography Index
£49.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Fundamentalism
Book SynopsisThe new edition of Steve Bruce's Fundamentalism grapples with the combination of social strains and religious ideas that have produced an explosion of fundamentalist activity in the wake of 9/11.Trade Review“Admirably concise, the book presents a comprehensive treatment of the subject ... It’s a highly engaging and accessible introduction.” Times Higher Education "Steve Bruce writes always with great lucidity from a clearly stated point of view. His essay on fundamentalism is no exception. It is well informed and easily accessible and it deserves to be taken seriously even by people who disagree with his view." Martin Riesebrodt, University of Chicago "The term fundamentalism is generally used carelessly, and often used rhetorically to suggest (for example) that American (or Ulster) conservative Protestants are on a par with Islamist radicals. In this important and definitive book Steve Bruce provides a trenchant sociological analysis of what fundamentalism is, and outlines its kinds, causes and consequences. He also sets his analysis of fundamentalism in the context of an extremely succinct account of secularisation. In particular he shows that fundamentalism of whatever kind has no chance of succeeding. This is a very useful book for the commentariat as well the interested educated reader." David Martin, London School of Economics and Political Science "Trenchant, informative and wide-ranging, Steve Bruce’s book demolishes popular myths, forcing us to confront the complex social realities of traditionally-minded religious communities threatened by the incursions of secular modernity. Fundamentalism is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of religion in the contemporary world." Alan Aldridge, University of NottinghamTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction to the Second Edition. 1 The Nature of the Beast. 2 Modernity: the Great Satan. 3 Islamic Fundamentalism. 4 Fundamentalism in the USA. 5 Fundamentalisms: Causes and Consequences. Bibliography.
£45.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Religion and Immigration
Book SynopsisThis concise book provides readers with a comprehensive overview and critical assessment of the key issues and varied strands of research relating to immigration and religion that have been produced during the past two decades.Trade Review"Mostly centred on the US, Religion and Immigration offers sobering and clear analysis grounded in solid research on an often impassioned, and ill-informed, debate."Survival"This book is an excellent, readable guide to the changing contours of religion, migration, and the relationship between the two. Kivisto's account is thorough, thoughtful, and thought-provoking – a great synthesis of past thinking and a smart roadmap for important directions forward."Peggy Levitt, Wellesley College and Harvard University"Grounded in the author's mastery of the history and sociology of immigration, Religion and Immigration is an up-to-date, jargon-free and level-headed overview of key changes in today’s society. Highly recommended for advanced undergraduates and scholars, as well as the citizen who wishes to stay well informed."R. Stephen Warner, University of Illinois at ChicagoTable of ContentsContentsChapter 1: Introduction: Religion on the MoveChapter 2: Immigrant Identity Work and ReligionChapter 3: Reframing Religious Organizations and PracticesChapter 4: Immigrants and Transnational Religious NetworksChapter 5: Church-State Relations and the Public SphereChapter 6: EpilogueReferences
£45.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Religion in the Contemporary World
Book SynopsisIn the new edition of this widely praised text, Alan Aldridge examines the complex realities of religious belief, practice and institutions. Religion is a powerful and controversial force in the contemporary world, even in supposedly secular societies. Almost all societies seek to cultivate religions and faith communities as sources of social stability and engines of social progress. They also try to combat real and imagined abuses and excess, regulating cults that brainwash vulnerable people, containing fundamentalism that threatens democracy and the progress of science, and identifying terrorists who threaten atrocities in the name of religion. The third edition has been carefully revised to make sure it is fully up to date with recent developments and debates. Major themes in the revised edition include the recently erupted culture war' between progressive secularists and conservative believers, the diverse manifestations of fundamentalism' and their impact on the wider soTrade Review‘The new edition of Religion in the Contemporary World is a timely guide to the social significance of religion. It is comprehensive, clear and convincing. Alan Aldridge is to be congratulated for writing such a well informed and readable account of both the routine and the eye-catching aspects of religion in various regions of the world. From “cults” to civil religion, from secularization to state control, and from diversity to identity, the analysis of arguments and examples is challenging and shrewd. This is the sociology of religion at its best.’ James A. Beckford, University of Warwick ‘Aldridge provides an insightful and thoughtfully engaged discussion of the many varieties of religion in contemporary society. His smooth narrative and timely examples make religion come alive on the page and illuminate why it continues to be such a significant social force.’ Michele Dillon, University of New Hampshire "This is a well-written and concise book and a thoughtful insight about the meaning and purpose of religion and religious belief for a contemporaneous and social society. This would be an important read for students and scholars interested in the sociological narrative and should certainly be a primary source of reference for those interested in why religion continues to hold its persuasive force." Benjamin Bury, BirminghamTable of ContentsPreface to the Third Edition viii Acknowledgements x 1 Defining Religion: Social Confl icts and Sociological Debates 1 Scientology: authentic religion or imposture? 3 Baha'i: world faith or apostasy? 7 Religion and the state 8 Advantages of being recognized as a religion 13 Disadvantages of status as a religion 17 Defining people as religious 20 Max Weber: on not defining religion 22 Émile Durkheim: defining religion sociologically 24 Contemporary sociological definitions of religion 26 A Wittgensteinian approach 30 Further reading 34 2 Secularization: The Social Insignifi cance of Religion? 35 Karl Marx and the projection theory of religion 35 Émile Durkheim and the social functions of religion 38 Max Weber and the disenchantment of the world 41 Defining secularization 49 Secularization from within 50 Decline of community 52 Marginalization of charisma 54 Cultural amnesia 56 Pluralization, relativism and consumer choice 57 Reason, rationality and science 59 A consensus on dystopia? 64 Further reading 64 3 Secularization Challenged: A New Paradigm? 66 A secularization theorist recants 66 A new paradigm 67 Voluntarism according to Talcott Parsons 69 The demand for religion: a rational choice? 73 The supply of religion: the benefi ts of competition? 75 Strict churches and free-riders 80 The Mormons: a new world faith? 83 Jehovah's Witnesses: overcoming the failure of prophecy 88 The new paradigm and the rise of the megachurches 91 The Pentecostals 93 Further reading 95 4 Dangerous Religions? Sects, Cults and Brainwashing 97 Classifying Christian movements 97 New religious movements 101 Dynamics of change 107 The rise of 'brainwashing' 115 Identifying potentially destructive movements 119 The fall of 'brainwashing' 126 Further reading 129 5 Dangerous Religions? Fundamentalism 131 Bible believers 132 Fundamentalism and monotheism 134 Features of fundamentalism 138 Islamophobia 142 Further reading 147 6 Civil Religion and Political Ritual 148 Ritual and social integration: the legacy of Durkheim 148 'In God We Trust': civil religion in the United States 149 The European Union: symbols of an unfi nished project 154 Symbolic division in society: the peace process in Northern Ireland 155 Political religion in an atheist society: the Soviet Union 157 Political religion and charismatic leadership: Nazi Germany 161 Character and society 163 Further reading 164 7 Gender and Sexuality 165 The subordination of women 165 Reclaiming the symbols of subordination 171 Gender-blind religions? 174 Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) identities 177 Further reading 179 8 The Spiritual Revolution 181 Georg Simmel: an alternative classical view 181 Believing without belonging 183 From religion to spirituality? 186 A new age? 191 Pagans 193 Religion online and online religion 195 Individualism and the crisis of religious authority 197 Religion in consumer society 203 Lived religion and sociological analysis 205 Further reading 206 9 The Challenge of Diversity 208 The debate about multiculturalism 208 French culture and the veiling of women 210 A clash of civilizations? 212 The challenge of diversity 214 Grassroots responses to diversity 220 Afterword: a culture war? 224 Further reading 226 References 227 Index 247
£49.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Rejoicing
Book SynopsisBruno Latour's long term project is to compare the felicity and infelicity conditions of the different values dearest to the heart of those who have never been modern'. According to him, this is the only way to develop an anthropology of the Moderns. After his work on science, on technology and, more recently, on law, this book explores the truth conditions of religious speech acts. Even though there is no question that religion is one of the values that has been intensely cherished in the course of history, it's also clear that it has become immensely difficult to tune in to its highly specific mode of enunciation. Every effort to speak in the right key sounds awkward, reactionary, pious or simply empty. Hence the necessity of devising a way of writing that brings to the fore this elusive form of speech to render it audible again. In this highly original book, the author offers a completely different tack on the endless science and religion' conflict by protecting them bTrade Review"In a book both informative and transformative, Latour may well have succeeded in his aim to ‘reboot the teeniest hint of a beginning of a religious sentiment’" Southern Semiotic Review "Rejoicing is a kind of meditation: Latour has composed, in Yeats’ phrase, a dialogue of self and soul.” Chicago Tribune "In this honest , profound yet accessible book, a distinguished French scholar and public intellectual carries on an agonized dialog with himself as he faces the obstacles to religious faith today - and then points toward a resolution. As I read, I felt he had climbed into my soul." John O’Malley, Georgetown University "Rejoicing constitutes a creative, thought-provoking and impressive blend of, and reflection upon, learning and traditions." Rebecca Catto, Coventry University
£45.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Jews
Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive account of how the Jews became a diaspora people. The term ''diaspora'' was first applied exclusively to the early history of the Jews as they began settling in scattered colonies outside of Israel-Judea during the time of the Babylonian exile; it has come to express the characteristic uniqueness of the Jewish historical experience. Zeitlin retraces the history of the Jewish diaspora from the ancient world to the present, beginning with expulsion from their ancestral homeland and concluding with the Holocaust and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In mapping this process, Zeitlin argues that the Jews'' religious self-understanding was crucial in enabling them to cope with the serious and recurring challenges they have had to face throughout their history. He analyses the varied reactions the Jews encountered from their so-called ''host peoples'', paying special attention to the attitudes of famous thinkers such as Luther, Hegel, Nietzsche, WaTrade Review"Zeitlin successfully sums up extensive and detailed historical data while keeping them within a framework of the ideas he seeks to get across."Insight Turkey"Of Jewish histories there is no shortage. But this remarkable book offers history from the critical perspective of sociology - itself critically examined in the light of history. In short, an intellectual feast."Norman Miller, Trinity College, Hartford "This comprehensive study provides a profound discourse on the meanings and boundaries of 'Diaspora' as a central dimension of Jewish history. The author launches his historical tour of diverse Jewish religious, social, geographical, political and cultural communities with a probing "genealogy" of the very concept of Diaspora, including contemporary theories."Frederick M. Denny, University of Colorado at Boulder "A prominent sociologist employs the concepts of his discipline to write diaspora Jewish history, as the story of national-religious Jewish peoplehood. Zeitlin shows that separate accounts of Jews living in different nations often miss the real connections in Jewish history."Jacques Kornberg, University of TorontoTable of ContentsPreface Chapter One "Diaspora" on the Genealogy of a Concept The Relation of Theory to History and the Role of the Ideal Type Global Diasporas by Robin Cohen Ethnic Immigration in the Early Eras of American History Diasporas by Stéphane Dufux Static Thinking About Dispersion Powers of Diaspora by Jonathan Boyarin and Daniel Boyarin The Socratic Inversion of Values The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness by Paul Gilroy Children of Israel or Children of the Pharaohs Black Culture and Ineffable Terror Routes: Travel and Translation in the Late Twentieth Century by James Clifford Chapter Two Varieties of Jewish Religious Experience Resting, however, on Unifying Jewish Religious Principles Moshe Rosman's Rethinking European Jewish History Cultures of the Jews Syncretism in Jewish History Polytheism and Monotheism The Nature of Polytheism Chapter Three Max Weber's Ancient Judaism The Hebrew Prophets: The Setting The Prophetic Ethic Chapter Four The Babylonian Empire The Revolt and the Destruction of the First Temple The Emigration to Egypt Chapter Five The Babylonian Exile and the Persian Supremacy (586-332BCE) The Diaspora in Babylon and Persia Chapter Six Alexander the Great and the new Hegemony of the West Chapter Seven The World Diaspora The Beginnings of the European Diaspora: Greece and Rome Chapter Eight The Diaspora in the 1st Century CE Judaism's Proselytism Chapter Nine The Jews in the Roman Near East Chapter Ten The Jews Move to Poland The Chmelnitzky Uprising of 1648-1649 Chapter Eleven Sabbatai Zevi Chapter Twelve Gershom Scholem's Error Dubnow on the Sabbatian Movement Chapter Thirteen The Rise of Hasidism and the Baal-Shem-Tob Enter the Man, Israel, Who Became the Baal-Shem-Tob (abbreviated the Besht) The Fundamental Principles of the Besht's Teachings The Growth of Tzaddikism Hasidism, Rabbinism and the Forerunners of the Enlightenment Chapter Fourteen The Jews of Spain The Inquisition The Jews, the Spanish and the "Conversos Problem" The Aftermath of the Pogroms Jewish Mysticism: The Kabbalah in Spanish-Jewish Life Chapter Fifteen The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain The Conquest of Granada Chapter Sixteen The Enlightenment and the Jews The English Deists Varieties of Enlightenment Views on Religion Voltaire Rousseau Rousseau on Judaism and the Jews Chapter Seventeen The Germanies The Emerging German National Mind Luther Luther's Attitude toward the Jews Hegel Hegel on Jews and Judaism Chapter Eighteen The Left Hegelians and the "So-Called" Jewish Question Bruno Bauer on the "Jewish Question" Marx Marx's Use of the Terms "Jew" and "Judaism" Weber vs. Sombart on the Spirit of Capitalism Chapter Nineteen From Religion to Race Afro-American Ð Jewish Parallels Arthur de Gobineau Chapter Twenty From Gobineau and H. Stewart Chamberlain to Wagner Nietzsche, the Jews, and Judaism Nietzsche's Legacy Chapter Twenty One The Rise of Nazism The Versailles Treaty The Origins of the Nazi Party After the Putsch Chapter Twenty Two The Early Nazi Regime and the Jews as Perceived by Non-Jewish Contemporaries Chapter Twenty Three The First World War, the Collapse of the Old Regimes and the Rise of Totalitarianism More on Nazi Ideology, Internal Factions and Foreign-Policy Aims The Turning Point: The Attack on Poland Chapter Twenty Four Max Weber on Bureaucracy and its Relevance for an Analysis of the Shoah (Holocaust) Bureaucracy German Ideology and Bureaucracy Weber's Serious Error Chapter Twenty Five Charisma, Bureaucracy and the "Final Solution" Raul Hilberg's, The Destruction of the European Jews The Administration of the Destructive Process The Reich-Protektorat Area The Creation of a Centralized authority in Ghettoized Jewish Communities The Polish Jews under the Nazis The Jewish Councils (Judenräte) Nazi Food Controls Mobile Killing Operations The Role of the Other Ethnic Groups Definition of "Jew" Again, and Himmler Ian Kershaw's Recent Re-Examination of the Issues Chapter Twenty Six Leon Poliakov's Complementary Analysis of the Shoah Hitler's Euthanasia Program Auschwitz The "Death's Head" Formations (SS Totenkopf) Back to the Question of a Distinctive German National Character Significant Political Differences Between Eastern and Western Europe The Role of the Christian Churches Postscript Chapter Twenty Seven The Battle of the Warsaw Ghetto A Reflection on Jewish Resistance Chapter Twenty Eight Zionism, Israel and the Palestinians Theodore Herzl The Historical Jewish Presence in the Arab World The Peace Conference of 1919 "The Unseen Question" Arab Rebellion Works Cited
£49.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Secular State Under Siege
Book SynopsisThroughout human history, religion and politics have entertained the most intimate of connections as systems of authority regulating individuals and society. While the two have come apart through the process of secularization, secularism is challenged today by the return of public religion.Trade Review"In this impressive work, dealing with a theme of persistent (indeed, on some counts, increasing) public significance, the author follows up a sustained historical and conceptual discussion of the relations between political and religious power with a penetrating analysis of some of their major contemporary problematics. Throughout, the scholarly intensity of Joppke�s argument is matched by his capacity for clear, literate exposition, rendering the book a very valuable contribution to the literature on its topic." Gianfranco Poggi, University of Virginia "The Secular State Under Siege takes on large and controversial questions with Joppke�s characteristic verve and lucidity. Even those who disagree with parts of the argument will find the book engaging and illuminating." Rogers Brubaker, University of California, Los Angeles "Highly recommended." Choice "The Secular State Under Siege is a timely book that unpacks the relationship between religion and politics �from a historical and institutional perspective with a dual focus on Western Europe and Northern America, Christianity and Islam.� It makes an important contribution to the growing literature on the role of public religion in society and politics. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in the idea of secularism and the relationship between religion and state in Europe and the USA.NJMR "Joppke succeeds in presenting a densely packed, yet highly readable, scholarly introduction to two of the most important topics concerning religion and politics in the West today. This is no small accomplishment and he exhibits a remarkable facility with scholarly material in multiple fields as well as larger contexts on either side of the Atlantic." Reading ReligionTable of ContentsIntroduction: Religion as Structure and as Actor Chapter 1: Religion in Social and Political Theory Chapter 2: Secularization and the Long Christian Exit Chapter 3: Challenge to the Secular State (I): The Christian Right in America Chapter 4: Challenge to the Secular State (II): Islam in Europe Conclusion: Islam and Christianity in the Secular State Endnotes Bibliography
£49.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Secular State Under Siege Religion and
Book SynopsisThroughout human history, religion and politics have entertained the most intimate of connections as systems of authority regulating individuals and society. While the two have come apart through the process of secularization, secularism is challenged today by the return of public religion.Trade Review"In this impressive work, dealing with a theme of persistent (indeed, on some counts, increasing) public significance, the author follows up a sustained historical and conceptual discussion of the relations between political and religious power with a penetrating analysis of some of their major contemporary problematics. Throughout, the scholarly intensity of Joppke�s argument is matched by his capacity for clear, literate exposition, rendering the book a very valuable contribution to the literature on its topic." Gianfranco Poggi, University of Virginia "The Secular State Under Siege takes on large and controversial questions with Joppke�s characteristic verve and lucidity. Even those who disagree with parts of the argument will find the book engaging and illuminating." Rogers Brubaker, University of California, Los Angeles "Highly recommended." Choice "The Secular State Under Siege is a timely book that unpacks the relationship between religion and politics �from a historical and institutional perspective with a dual focus on Western Europe and Northern America, Christianity and Islam.� It makes an important contribution to the growing literature on the role of public religion in society and politics. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in the idea of secularism and the relationship between religion and state in Europe and the USA.NJMR "Joppke succeeds in presenting a densely packed, yet highly readable, scholarly introduction to two of the most important topics concerning religion and politics in the West today. This is no small accomplishment and he exhibits a remarkable facility with scholarly material in multiple fields as well as larger contexts on either side of the Atlantic." Reading ReligionTable of ContentsIntroduction: Religion as Structure and as Actor Chapter 1: Religion in Social and Political Theory Chapter 2: Secularization and the Long Christian Exit Chapter 3: Challenge to the Secular State (I): The Christian Right in America Chapter 4: Challenge to the Secular State (II): Islam in Europe Conclusion: Islam and Christianity in the Secular State Endnotes Bibliography
£17.09
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Religion in China Ties that Bind China Today
Book SynopsisIn recent years, there has been an astonishing revival of religious practices in China. Looking beyond numerical counts of religious practitioners, temples, and churches, anthropologist Adam Yuet Chau's vivid study explores how religion is embedded in contemporary Chinese lives and society, from personal devotion to community-wide festivals. Covering Buddhism, Daoism, and folk religion, as well as Christianity and Islam, this ethnographically rich book provides insights into the contemporary relevance of religious traditions in Chinese societies. By considering the ways in which Chinese people do' religion, Chau reveals how religious practice plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining a wide range of relationships: between people, spirits, and places; ritual service providers and their customers; the state and religious groups. He argues that relationality is the key anchor of religious lifeworlds, and this insight demands an entirely new way of approaching religion everywhere. This lively account will appeal to those studying or curious about Chinese or East Asian religions, and serves as a perfect gateway to understanding religious practices in China today.Trade Review"A wonderfully lucid and readable introduction to Chinese religious practices. Chau invites the reader to look at how Chinese people 'do' religion and presents an astonishingly wide spectrum of religious activities. A real treat!"—Peter van der Veer, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity "In this highly readable survey of popular religiosity in contemporary China, Chau clears the path to understanding religion not through the frequently superimposed categories of scripture and faiths, but through the effervescent and solemn ways in which Chinese 'do' religion."—Prasenjit Duara, Duke University "[A] rich recourse for both teaching and research on Chinese religion in years to come."—H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Reviews Online "Chau provides a fresh lens for understanding religious dynamics in China that […] focuses on the important social function of religion, regardless of confessional differences, in shaping and reshaping Chinese society. An excellent piece of serious academic work that opens new doors for the study of Chinese religion. It should not be missed by serious students of the field."—Pacific Affairs "[A]n immense success: Chau has an undeniable talent for ethnography and because of this is able to weave various narratives pertaining to lived religious experience in China that are certain to make the reader wish to delve deeper."—Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsMap Chronology Acknowledgements Notes on Orthography and Pronunciation Introduction: Relationality at the Heart of Religion in China 1. Understanding Religious Diversity: Five Modalities of Doing Religion 2. Interacting with Gods, Ghosts and Ancestors 3. Festivals and Pilgrimages 4. Ritual Service Providers and Their Clients 5. Communities and Networks 6. State--Religion Relations Conclusions Notes Suggested Further Readings References Index
£45.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd On the World and Ourselves
Book SynopsisUnde malum from where does evil come? That is the question that has plagued humankind ever since Eve, seduced by the serpent, tempted Adam to taste the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.Table of ContentsPrefaceI Reveries of Solitary Walkers II Tangled IdentitiesIII Hic et Nunc
£49.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd On the World and Ourselves
Book SynopsisUnde malum from where does evil come? That is the question that has plagued humankind ever since Eve, seduced by the serpent, tempted Adam to taste the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.Table of ContentsPrefaceI Reveries of Solitary Walkers II Tangled IdentitiesIII Hic et Nunc
£15.19
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Of God and Man
Book SynopsisIn this engaging dialogue, Zygmunt Bauman, sociologist and philosopher, and Stanislaw Obirek, theologian and cultural historian, explore the place of spirituality and religion in the world today and in the everyday lives of individuals.Trade Review"Engaging and thoroughly thought-provoking, stimulating and brimming with a theological analysis that is ultimately enticing to say the least, Of God and Man, is many things – predominantly that of a search for clarity and some kind of behavioural understanding."David Marx Book ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface vii I Preliminary Measures 1 II What about This Religion? On the Threat of Fundamentalism – Not Only the Religious Kind 14 III The Literati in Aid of Blundering Thought 34 IV Sources of Hope 46 V Fusion of Horizons 67 VI The Disinherited; or, Creating Tradition Anew 81 VII God or Gods? The Gentle Face of Polytheism 107 Without Conclusions 115 Notes 117 Index 122
£45.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Of God and Man
Book SynopsisIn this engaging dialogue, Zygmunt Bauman, sociologist and philosopher, and Stanislaw Obirek, theologian and cultural historian, explore the place of spirituality and religion in the world today and in the everyday lives of individuals.Trade Review"Engaging and thoroughly thought-provoking, stimulating and brimming with a theological analysis that is ultimately enticing to say the least, Of God and Man, is many things – predominantly that of a search for clarity and some kind of behavioural understanding."David Marx Book ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface vii I Preliminary Measures 1 II What about This Religion? On the Threat of Fundamentalism – Not Only the Religious Kind 14 III The Literati in Aid of Blundering Thought 34 IV Sources of Hope 46 V Fusion of Horizons 67 VI The Disinherited; or, Creating Tradition Anew 81 VII God or Gods? The Gentle Face of Polytheism 107 Without Conclusions 115 Notes 117 Index 122
£14.99
