Religion and beliefs Books

Book SynopsisIn The New American Zionism, Theodore Sasson challenges the conventional view of waning American Jewish support for Israel. Instead, he shows that we are in the midst of a shift from a mobilization approach, which first emerged with the new state and focused on supporting Israel through big, centralized organizations, to an engagement approach marked by direct and personal relations with the Jewish state. Today, growing numbers of American Jews travel to Israel, consume Israeli news and culture, and focus their philanthropy and lobbying in line with their personal political viewpoints. As a result, American Jews find Israel more personally meaningful than ever before. Yet, at the same time, their ability to impact policy has diminished as they no longer speak with a unified voice.Trade Review"The New American Zionism offers an important challenge to the widely accepted belief that the relationship between American Jews and Israel has entered a time of crisis . . . . Sasson's corrective to recent scholarship on distancing from Israel helps to explain the enduring centrality that Israel holds in American Jewish life across generational cohorts . . . . Thanks to this study, the distancing hypothesis now has an alternate interpretation of American Jewish attitudes toward Israel." -- Noam Pianko * H-Net *"Theodore Sasson's new book - The New American Zionism - is a serious book. That is to say that in a field filled with the ignorant, the manipulative, and the charlatanic, Sasson offers a fact-based and measured analysis of the uneasy relationship between American Jews and Israel. That the release of this book did not make huge waves in the world of punditry is therefore just as unsurprising as it is unfortunate: Sasson doesn't hyperventilate a catchy theory of doom, and doesn't project a new era of flourishing relations. He paints an accurate, if complicated, picture of a changing relationship - changing for good and for bad and, at times, in ways yet to be decided." -- Shmuel Rosner * Jewish Journal *"Offers bad news for Israel's critics by providing good news about American Jews' relationship with Israel. Sasson's thoughtful, subtle, compelling analysis of American Jewish public opinions provides a rich and readable look at the multidimensional and ever-evolving ties Jews have with the Jewish State." -- Gil Troy,author of Why I am A Zionist: Israel, Jewish Identity and the Challenges of Today"Theodore Sasson challenges the often facile and sensational claims of the 'distancing' of American Jews from Israel in this well written, deeply researched and original book. He persuasively argues that a new and vital pluralism distinguishes the current relationship between American Jewry and the Jewish state, contesting the fashionable prophets of despair with a view of how passionately and directly American Jews actually engage with Israel . . . . An essential study of a highly contested and emotional issue and an important contribution to the field of Diaspora-homeland studies." -- Ilan Troen,Director, Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, Brandeis University"The New American Zionism emerges out of a decade-long debate among observers of American Jews, about whether Jewish attachments to Israel are waning. Sasson has quickly established himself as a skeptic of claims of distancing, and here he makes his strongest case yet, mounting an array of evidence that triangulates multiple methods and multiple data sources. Importantly, he treats thequestion of American Jewish engagement with Israel not simply as a matter of personal identities and feelings of attachment but of institutionalized collective behavior, shifting the terrain of the debate from social psychology to sociology." * Social Forces *"The New American Zionismis neither defense, nor lament, nor celebration, nor critique Readers can decide their own politics for themselves. This, along with the crisp prose, good opening primer on the history of the relationship, and rich focus-group data that bring in real peoples voices, make the book especially accessible to newcomers to the topic and well suited for undergraduate classes" * Social Forces *"How disconnected are American Jews from the State of Israel? Many have engaged with alarm the claims by commentators like Peter Beinart, who point to a waning enthusiasm young American Jews feel toward Israel. But is this an accurate picture? In his groundbreaking studyThe New American Zionism, Theodore Sasson analyzes several key but neglected indicators of American Jewish attitudes to add greater nuance to this question. Not only does he examine the fundamental problem raised by Beinart and others, he challenges the framework by which much scholarship has engaged with this loaded topic." * American Jewish History *"Sassons well-documented report may be a partial antidote to the recent Pew Report showing decreased religious affiliation among Jews. Despite the drop in centralized funding, overall giving to Israel has increased, and engagement by Americans with Israel is alive and well." * Publishers Weekly *"[] Theodore Sassons historical narrative,The New American Zionsimoffers a provocative multivocal rendition of the current discussions of the future of Israels longstanding, if sometimes vexed, relationship with United States Jewry" * Cultural Critique *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. Mobilization 2. Advocacy and Activism 3. Fundraising and Philanthropy 4. Tourism and Immigration 5. Attitudes and Attachment 6. Direct Engagement Appendix: List of Organizations Glossary of Hebrew Terms Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines how the dynamics emerging from the pandemic affect our most vulnerable populations and shape a new religious landscapeThe COVID-19 pandemic upset virtually every facet of society and, in many cases, exposed gross inequality and dysfunction. The particular dynamics emerging from the coronavirus pandemic have been felt most intensely by America's most vulnerable populations, who are disproportionately people of color and the working poor, the people whom the Bible refers to as the least of these.This book makes the case that the pandemic was not just a medical phenomenon, or an economic or social one, but also a religious one. Religious practice has been altered in profound ways. Controversies around religious freedom have been re-ignited over debates concerning whether government can restrict church services. Christian white supremacists not only defied shelter in place orders, but found new ways to propagate racist attacks, with their White Christian idenTrade ReviewTruly exceptional. The inclusion of multi-ethnic voices and intersectional worldviews representing those most impacted by COVID-19 represents a major contribution to multiple disciplinary fields. -- Teresa L. Fry Brown, Bandy Professor of Preaching, Candler School of Theology, Emory UniversityIn this timely and urgent book, Floyd-Thomas has done an excellent job gathering an impressive group of diverse scholars. What makes the volume interesting and important is the variety of methods the book employs in thinking about race and religion in relation to the pandemic. -- J. Kameron Carter, author of Race: A Theological AccountThis book troubles readers to think more deeply about the impact of White supremacy—and the hope of Black and Brown love and defiance—as COVID-19 lingers on. * Christian Century *

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines how the dynamics emerging from the pandemic affect our most vulnerable populations and shape a new religious landscapeThe COVID-19 pandemic upset virtually every facet of society and, in many cases, exposed gross inequality and dysfunction. The particular dynamics emerging from the coronavirus pandemic have been felt most intensely by America's most vulnerable populations, who are disproportionately people of color and the working poor, the people whom the Bible refers to as the least of these.This book makes the case that the pandemic was not just a medical phenomenon, or an economic or social one, but also a religious one. Religious practice has been altered in profound ways. Controversies around religious freedom have been re-ignited over debates concerning whether government can restrict church services. Christian white supremacists not only defied shelter in place orders, but found new ways to propagate racist attacks, with their White Christian idenTrade ReviewTruly exceptional. The inclusion of multi-ethnic voices and intersectional worldviews representing those most impacted by COVID-19 represents a major contribution to multiple disciplinary fields. -- Teresa L. Fry Brown, Bandy Professor of Preaching, Candler School of Theology, Emory UniversityIn this timely and urgent book, Floyd-Thomas has done an excellent job gathering an impressive group of diverse scholars. What makes the volume interesting and important is the variety of methods the book employs in thinking about race and religion in relation to the pandemic. -- J. Kameron Carter, author of Race: A Theological AccountThis book troubles readers to think more deeply about the impact of White supremacy—and the hope of Black and Brown love and defiance—as COVID-19 lingers on. * Christian Century *

Read more less

Book SynopsisArgues that popular films perform a religious function in our culture The first edition of Film as Religion was one of the first texts to develop a framework for the analysis of the religious function of films for audiences. Like more formal religious institutions, films can provide us with ways to view the world and the values to confront it. Lyden argues that the cultural influence of films is analogous to that of religions, so that films can be understood as representing a religious worldview in their own right. Thoroughly updating his examples, Lyden examines a range of film genres and individual films, from The Godfather to The Hunger Games to Frozen, to show how film can function religiously.Trade Review"The first edition of John Lyden’s Film as Religion forced us to change the very terms of the conversation about religion and film. This second edition reminds us that this is an ongoing conversation, and that there is still much to consider. Once again, Lyden proves that he is one of the most important voices in the academic study of religion and film." * Eric Mazur, Editor, Encyclopedia of Religion and Film *"Most noteworthy is Lyden's emphasis on war films, particularly in light of the cultural mind-set of the war on terror. His critical insights on how film functions as religion continue to provoke and inspire." * Choice *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner, 2016 Best First Book Prize from the Immigration and Ethnic History SocietyFinalist, 2016 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish LiteratureWinner, 2015 Book Prize from the Southern Jewish Historical Society Finalist, 2015 Jordan Schnitzer Book Award from the Association for Jewish Studies Winner, 2014 National Jewish Book Award in American Jewish Studies from the Jewish Book CouncilThe majority of Jewish immigrants who made their way to the United States between 1820 and 1924 arrived nearly penniless; yet today their descendants stand out as exceptionally successful. How can we explain their dramatic economic ascent? Have Jews been successful because of cultural factors distinct to them as a group, or because of the particular circumstances that they encountered in America? The Rag Race argues that the Jews who flocked to the United States during the age of mass migration were aided appreciably by their association with a particular cornerTrade ReviewInThe Rag Race, Adam Mendelsohn traces the intertwined fates of the Jewish community and the garment industries in America and Britain...Like any good historical writer, he turns documents and data into relatable human stories. * Sewjewish.com *An inquiry into the wellspring of modern Jewish economic success, [The Rag Race] attends to the origins of the garment industry, poking around in the dusty, and often little-known, corners of a global exchange basedon kinship and the Jewish collective...The Rag Raceis a remarkable achievement, a testament to the vitality of the historical imagination. * Jewish Review of Books *Deeply researched and beautifully written, The Rag Race returns to a classic topicthe story of Jewish immigrants in the clothing industryto shed entirely new light on the route that led from the sweatshop to success. Moving the conventional starting point backward, from the turn of the twentieth century to the early 19th century, Mendelsohn demonstrates how early differences in Jewish settlement and the structure of the garment trade led to divergent Jewish trajectories on both the U.S. and British sides of the Anglophone world. An outstanding example of comparative history, The Rag Race offers insights that any scholar or student of immigration will appreciate. -- Roger Waldinger,Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of California, Los AngelesDrawing upon the social and economic historiography of Britain, Australia, and the United States, this book weaves together disparate historical threads into a seamless narrative with a compelling argument. Making shrewd use of historical comparison, it illuminates the interplay of inherited culture with historically contingent structures of opportunity. The result is a book studded with insight, and written with wit and style. -- Jerry Z. Muller,author of Capitalism and the JewsMendelsohn joins the scholarly debate over the roots of Jewish economic success in the U.S. This he does with great style and energy, offering vivid descriptions, telling detail, and clear arguments, all based on meticulous research. This is a superb book that is a model of comparative and transnational history. It should be read not only by historians of American or modern Jewry, but by historians of immigration, business, fashion, and urban life. * American Historical Review *With this gracefully written monograph, deeply researched on three continents, Mendelsohn joins a cohort of scholars writing Jewish economic history through a transnational lens. * Choice *Table of ContentsContents Introduction: The Rag Race 1 1 Goblin Market: London, 1843 18 2 New York City: A Rag-Fair Sort of Place 37 3 Rumpled Foot Soldiers of the Market Revolution 58 4 Clothing Moses 91 5 The Empire's New Clothes 112 6 A New Dawn in the West 134 7 Clothing the Blue and Gray 159 8 A Ready-Made Paradise 183 Conclusion 207 Acknowledgments 229 Notes 233 Index 287 About the Author 297

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn in-depth history of selected New Religions that highlights the roles of women in their founding and continual practiceWomen in New Religions offers an engaging look at women's evolving place in the birth and development of new religious movements. It focuses on four disparate new religionsMormonism, Seventh-day Adventism, The Family International, and Wiccato illuminate their implications for gender socialization, religious leadership and participation, sexuality, and family ideals.Religious worldviews and gender roles interact with one another in complicated ways. This is especially true within new religions, which frequently set roles for women in ways that help the movements to define their boundaries in relation to the wider society. As new religious movements emerge, they often position themselves in opposition to dominant society and concomitantly assert alternative roles for women. But these religions are not monolithic: rather than defining gendeTrade ReviewInWomen and New ReligionsLaura Vance offers a creative strategy for furthering this work of integration. * Nova Religio *This second volume is particularly interesting because, while much has been written on European traditional religion, these newer denominations have not had as much neutral examination. * Magistra *This work emphasizes the necessity of examining gender in the quest to understand religions. * Choice *This is an important volume in the series onWomen in Religion. It is both engaging and insightful and offers critical information about new religions and the role and influence women have had in their developments. * Catholic Book Review *This book has much to offer in terms of both history and sociological frameworks for evaluation, and for that reason it should work well in classrooms that focus on topics including gender and religion, new religious movements, and American religion, among others. * Sociology of Religion *The new Women in Religions series from NYU Press offers accessible primers on ways women have shaped and been influenced by various religious traditions. * Sojourner's Magazine *Vance has offered an excellent introduction to the histories, theories, and practices of women in Mormonism, Seventh-Day Adventism, The Family International, and Wicca. * Religious Studies Review *Argues that religion is a site for both legitimating and challenging gender roles . . .The book would work well in undergraduate courses focusing on gender and religion, or new religious movements. * Review of Religious Research *Clearly the result of intensive research, this book offers invaluable insights into the differentand shiftingattitudes towards and experiences of women in four alternative religions. I recommend it most strongly not only to scholars interested in the study of gender and of new religions, but also to the general reader curious about the extraordinary variety of ways in which half the population can be viewed and treated according to widely differing perceptions of reality. -- Eileen Barker,author of New Religious Movements: A Practical Introduction"This engaging new book shows us why and how gender plays a powerful role in the formation and growth of new religions. Integrating gender and social theory with illuminating accounts of spiritual entrepreneurs both strange and familiar, this is a thorough, well-crafted, and eminently useful addition to an important field of study. -- Margaret Bendroth,Congregational LibraryTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Why Study Women in New Religions? 1 1. Mormonism: Gendering the Heavens 19 2. Seventh-day Adventism: Women's Changing Role in an Endtime Religion 49 3. The Family International: Sexualizing Gender 77 4. Wicca: Valuing the Divine Feminine 101 Conclusion 121 Questions for Discussion 131 Notes 135 Works Cited 169 For Further Reading 183 Index 185 About the Author 189

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores the power of faith to drive resistance to anti-immigration policies in the United StatesGod's Resistance chronicles the work of faith-based activists who have mobilized to counter the effectsof mass detention and deportation. Focusing on Southern California, home to a large undocumentedpopulation, the authors examine which strategies have been most effective, as well as the obstacles that faith presents to organizing effectively. In-depth interviews with over forty activists, leaders ofcongregations, lay participants, and immigrants allow us to hear at first hand the challenges andoccasional triumphs of this work.The authors show how faith-based organizations have a distinctive set of advantages to leverage insocial movements that are often overlooked and underappreciated by secular activist organizations, but they also face particular challenges that can hinder their effectiveness. The volume offers insights into how these advantagTrade Review"The combination of deep-insider knowledge and involvement with several groups across many years allows for the telling of a different story about religion and immigration than those that focus on religious opposition to immigrant support.… Goes a long way toward developing a deeper understanding of the potential that faith-based social movements possess to create positive social change, and exactly what that change could entail." -- Richard Flory, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California"Illustrates the critical roles faith-leaders and laity play in educating and mobilizing a formidable corps of spiritual and moral advocates. This tome will go a long way in unearthing hidden stories of prophetic advocacy and public solidarity. This story and many others need to be heard. A must read!" -- Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, President and Founder, National Latino Evangelical Coalition"A visionary guide for how to fight for an immigration system that sees no stranger. Brilliant, heart-led, indispensable." -- Valarie Kaur, Founder of the Revolutionary Love Project

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores the power of faith to drive resistance to anti-immigration policies in the United StatesGod's Resistance chronicles the work of faith-based activists who have mobilized to counter the effectsof mass detention and deportation. Focusing on Southern California, home to a large undocumentedpopulation, the authors examine which strategies have been most effective, as well as the obstacles that faith presents to organizing effectively. In-depth interviews with over forty activists, leaders ofcongregations, lay participants, and immigrants allow us to hear at first hand the challenges andoccasional triumphs of this work. The authors show how faith-based organizations have a distinctive set of advantages to leverage insocial movements that are often overlooked and underappreciated by secular activist organizations, but they also face particular challenges that can hinder their effectiveness. The volume offers insights into how these advantages can be maximized, and how the obstaclesTrade ReviewThe combination of deep-insider knowledge and involvement with several groups across many years allows for the telling of a different story about religion and immigration than those that focus on religious opposition to immigrant support.… Goes a long way toward developing a deeper understanding of the potential that faith-based social movements possess to create positive social change, and exactly what that change could entail. -- Richard Flory, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern CaliforniaIllustrates the critical roles faith-leaders and laity play in educating and mobilizing a formidable corps of spiritual and moral advocates. This tome will go a long way in unearthing hidden stories of prophetic advocacy and public solidarity. This story and many others need to be heard. A must read! -- Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, President and Founder, National Latino Evangelical CoalitionA visionary guide for how to fight for an immigration system that sees no stranger. Brilliant, heart-led, indispensable. -- Valarie Kaur, Founder of the Revolutionary Love Project

Read more less

Book SynopsisUntil very recently, the idea of ancient Jewish sciences would have been considered unacceptable. Since the 1990s, Early Modern and Medieval Science in Jewish sources has been actively studied, but the consensus was that no real scientific themes could be found in earlier Judaism. This work points them out in detail and posits a new field of research: the scientific activity evident in the Dead Sea Scrolls and early Jewish pseudepigrapha. The publication of new texts and new analyses of older ones reveals crucial elements that are best illuminated by the history of science, and may have interesting consequences for it. The contributors evaluate these texts in relation to astronomy, astrology, and physiognomy, marking the first comprehensive attempt to accountfor scientific themes in Second Temple Judaism. They investigate the meaning and purpose of scientific explorations in an apocalyptic setting. An appreciation of these topics paves the way to a renewed understanding of theTrade ReviewIt will open doors to new areas of importance for the study of ancient Judaism and its culture as well as for the study of ancient sciences. -- Professor Francesca Rochberg, UC BerkeleyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments 1. IntroductionJonathan Ben-Dov and Seth L. Sanders2. Enoch and the Beginnings of Jewish Interest in Natural SciencePhilip Alexander 3. Enoch's ScienceJames VanderKam 4. "I Was Shown Another Calculation" (.????? ???? ?????i): The Language of Knowledge in Aramaic Enoch and Priestly HebrewSeth L. Sanders 5. Philological and Epistemological Remarks on Enoch's Science: Response to Papers by Seth L. Sanders and James VanderKamLoren Stuckenbruck 6. Ideals of Science: The Infrastructure of Scientific Activity in Apocalyptic Literature and in the YahadJonathan Ben-Dov 7. Networks of Scholars: The Transmission of Astronomical and Astrological Learning between Babylonians, Greeks and JewsMladen Popovic8. "Ancient Jewish Sciences" and the Historiography of Judaism Annette Yoshiko Reed A Bibliography for Ancient Jewish Sciences Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores ways faith communities offer protection and services for Latina/o communitiesThe New Sanctuary Movement is a network of faith-based organizations committed to offering safe haven to those in danger, often in churches, often outside the law, and often at risk to themselves. The practice of sanctuary, with its capacity to provide safety, shelter, and protection to society's most vulnerable, gained significant prominence after the 2016 presidential election and the ushering in of particularly harsh anti-immigration policies. Since 2017, Ohio has had some of the highest numbers of public sanctuary cases in the nation. Sanctuary People explores these sanctuary practices in Ohio and locates them in broader local and national efforts to provide refuge and care in the face of the challenges facing Latina/o communities in a moment of increased surveillance, migrant detention, displacement, and economic and social marginalization. Perez argues for a conceptualization of sanctuary that

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores ways faith communities offer protection and services for Latina/o communitiesThe New Sanctuary Movement is a network of faith-based organizations committed to offering safe haven to those in danger, often in churches, often outside the law, and often at risk to themselves. The practice of sanctuary, with its capacity to provide safety, shelter, and protection to society's most vulnerable, gained significant prominence after the 2016 presidential election and the ushering in of particularly harsh anti-immigration policies. Since 2017, Ohio has had some of the highest numbers of public sanctuary cases in the nation. Sanctuary People explores these sanctuary practices in Ohio and locates them in broader local and national efforts to provide refuge and care in the face of the challenges facing Latina/o communities in a moment of increased surveillance, migrant detention, displacement, and economic and social marginalization. Pérez argues for a conceptualization of sanctuary that

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA very useful introductory book to women's roles in Christian history. It provides a solid overview of feminist scholarship from the beginnings of Christianity to the present. It will play a key role in courses on this history. -- Rosemary Radford Ruether,Claremont School of Theology and Graduate UniversityA major contribution to the literature on women in Christianity. Moore effectively synthesizes the last thirty years of scholarship. . . . Using the template of saints, seers and scholars, she has managed to bewonder of wondersboth comprehensive and brief. Both readable and informative, this book will inform undergraduates in courses on the history of Christianity and in women's and gender studies classes. And some might want to buy it for a religious leader who should be better informed on the issues! -- Nadia Lahutsky,Texas Christian UniversityThe book would be an excellent source in an introduction to Christianity or a class on women in religion. * Religious Studies Review *An excellent conversation starter and would be a wonderful addition to any course syllabus looking to inspire classroom dialogue. * Reading Religion *Women in Christian Traditionsdirects a feminist lens at what would be, in less skilled hands, an unmanageable corpus of topics and source materials, and achieves a work that surveys the breadth and depth of its topic in a way that is informative, fresh, and engaging. * Sociology of Religion *Women in Christian Traditionsis a work that will be indispensible in course on gender and religion. Indeed, this work is essential reading for anyone interested in gender or religion. Its scope provides historians, scholars of religions, sociologists, and feminist theorists, as well as clergyand those interested in gender and religion outside of academia or religiona resource that is at once brief and thorough, concise and comprehensive. * Sociology of Religion *The scope is impressive, and this overview would serve as a valuable text in an introductory womens studies course. * Anglican and Episcopal History *Moore accomplishes a seemingly incredible feat: she tells the story of women in Christianity through 2,000 years of history...Noteworthy for itsbreadth and depth, Moores projectwill encourage smart conversations about women and Christianity. * Choice *What a pleasant surprise to find a book on women and Christianity that is not a rant against the evil inherent in this misogynistic religion. Rebecca Moore presents a balanced narrative of womens well-earned place in the history of Christianity, and a significant place it is indeed. Written with students in mind, it probably will succeed in making the reading list of many college courses. This is a good thing; it may be the best choice now available. * Catholic Historical Review *Moores volume is a thoroughly enjoyable book thateffectively outlines the continuous and significant role that women have played in the historical development of the Christian tradition. She provides an accessible sweep of Christian history with special attention to the way that women have affected its development by incorporating engaging narratives focused on the lives of influential women. * Catholic Book Review *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Why Study Women in Christian Traditions? 1 1. In the Beginning ... Eve 19 2. The Women Disciples in the Kingdom of God 27 3. Women and the Conversion of an Empire 47 4. Saints, Seers, and Scholars in the Middle Ages 67 5. Women Reformed, Women Resistant 87 6. Spirit-Filled Women in the Nineteenth Century 107 7. Churchwomen on the Margins and in the Mainstream 129 Conclusion: The Church of Martha and Mary 153 Questions for Discussion 157 Notes 159 Works Cited 181 For Further Reading 195 Subject Index 197 Index to the Bible and New Testament Apocrypha 207 About the Author 209

Read more less

Book SynopsisTells the diverse story of four congregations in New York City as they navigated the social and political changes of the late eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. In the fifty years after the Constitution was signed in 1787, New York City grew from a port town of 30,000 to a metropolis of over half a million residents. This rapid development transformed a once tightknit community and its religious experience. Including four churches belonging in various forms to the Church of England, that in some form still thrive today. Rapid urban and social change connected these believers in unity in the late colonial era. As the city grew larger, more impersonal, and socially divided, churches reformed around race and class-based neighborhoods. In Four Steeples over the City Streets, Kyle T. Bulthuis examines the intertwining of these four famous institutionsTrinity Episcopal, John Street Methodist, Mother Zion African Methodist, and St. Philip's (African) Episcopalto unTrade ReviewKyle T. Bulthuiss carefully researched volume investigates the impact of urban expansion on four New York City churches between the late colonial period and the American Civil War. [] This book is essential reading for those interested in urban churches in antebellum America. * The Journal of American History *An impressive work [that] casts new and important insights onto our understandings of religion, race, and the history of New York. It brings together issues religious history, race class and the city. It will be a great boon to scholars and students in a variety of academic disciplines. -- Robert Bruce Mullin,Society for the Promotion of Religion & Learning Professor of History, General Theological SeminaryFor too long, historians have treated early American religion as a rural phenomenon, shaped by the pressures of the frontier more than the hustle and bustle of urban seaports. Kyle BulthuissFour Steeples over the City Streets challenges these assumptions, recovering the rich stories of some of Manhattans oldest congregations over the tumultuous period between the American Revolution and the Civil War. . . . Bulthuis has done for New Yorks African American religious communities what Gary Nash and Richard Newman have done for Philadelphias: He has recovered forgotten founders, wrenching moments of crisis, and inspiring stories of perseverance in the face of persistent societal racism. . . . A distinctly New York story, reflective of the opportunities and challenges facing that city as it emerged as the nations commercial center by the eve of the Civil War. -- Kyle Roberts,Loyola University ChicagoKyle Bulthuis's finely tuned, exhaustively researched history deepens our understanding of early American urban interracial worship. Focusing on four significant New York City congregations, Bulthuisshows us how black and white Christians contested theology, slavery, gender, and class. This book will fascinate anyone caring about cities, American religion, and major social issues. -- Graham Russell Gao Hodges,Langdon Professor of History, Colgate University[] Bulthuis provides an excellent case study that effectively uses multiple analytic approaches.Four Steeplesjoins a growing number of important studies that together show how race relations in churches varied by time and place in early America. * William and Mary Quarterly *This is a fascinating study and one worth reading for a glimpse into the evolving religious world of the United States in the decades leading up to the Civil War. * Lutheran Quarterly *The author has written a fine study with the comparisons, both similarities and contrasts, of how these four congregations, with similar ecclesiological heritages, interacted with society. That is a considerable undertaking and in this case, executed with skill. * Methodist History *Many of Bulthuis findings are based on his painstaking efforts to determine the social composition of these congregations across many decades. Using communicant, member, and class lists from the churches along with city directories and other sources of occupational and gender information, he effectively portrays the make-up of these bodies and persuasively employs this material to explain much of their history. * American Historical Review *Four Steeples models how social history can enrich our understanding ofreligion.[T]he book deserves to be read by every church historian and all historians ofthe early republic. * Anglican and Episcopal History *Historian Bulthuis thoroughly merges US religious history with the history of New York City from the Colonial era through the early republic. He combines social history and institutional church histories and argues that scholars have often relegated religion to a secondary role in relation to gender, race, and class. . . . A timely reminder of the contingent nature of history and the strategic role that religion played in the New York City urban landscape. * Choice *What Bulthuis offers is a careful and sophisticated analysis of four interconnected, but very different Anglican parishes. He convincingly describes an Anglican community in New York City that clung persistently to the notion of Anglican unity, but a union that was limited in practice. * H-Net Reviews *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: The Pursuit of Religious, Racial, and Social Unity in an Early Republic Metropolis 1 1 The Foundations of Religious Establishment: The Colonial Era 13 2 Religious Establishment Challenged, Destroyed, and Re-formed: The Revolutionary Era 30 3 Creating Merchant Churches: The 1790s 48 4 Stepping Up and Out: White Women in the Church, 1800-1820 75 5 Gendering Race in the Church: Black Male Benevolence, 1800-1820 97 6 Preacher Power: Congregational Political Strugglesas Social Conflicts, 1810-1830 120 7 Neighborly Refinement and Withdrawal: 1820-1840 146 8 Reaping the Whirlwind: Immigration and Riot, 1830-1850 170 Conclusion. Elusive Unity: City Churches in a Romantic Age, after 1840 196 Notes 207 Bibliography 243 Index 263 About the Author 271

Read more less

Book SynopsisSincethe 1950s, millions of American Christians have traveled to the Holy Land tovisit places in Israel and the Palestinian territories associated with Jesus's lifeand death. Why do these pilgrims choose to journeyhalfway around the world? How dothey react to what they encounter, and how dothey understand the trip upon return? This book places theanswers to these questions into the context of broad historical trends, analyzing howthe growth of mass-market evangelical and Catholic pilgrimagerelates to changes in American Christiantheology and culture over the last sixty years,including shifts in Jewish-Christian relations, the growth of small group spirituality, and the development of a Christianleisure industry.Drawing on five yearsof research with pilgrims before, during and after their trips, Walking Where Jesus Walked offers a lived religion approach thatexplores the trip's hybrid nature forTrade ReviewThis book shows us how Holy Land pilgrimage is embedded in the everyday lives of pilgrims, before and after their trip. But it also does much more. We learn how the Holy Land occupies a powerful place in the American religious imagination, and examine what it means to be Protestant or Catholic in an age of contested modernity. -- Simon Coleman,University of TorontoWith this fine book, readers are treated to a fascinating intellectual journey, following American Catholics and Protestants on pilgrimage, in quest of the place where Jesus walked. Kaell's ethnography reveals who they are, why they go, and what they find. Her answers illuminate the rich intercultural, commercial, and sensory encounters that organize the modern pilgrim's experience. Bolstered by a solid sense of history, clear prose, and an eye for the telling detail, Kaell's account richly contributes to the interdisciplinary study of American religion. -- David Morgan,Duke UniversityOffers an intimate and searching account of the experience of contemporary American Protestant and Catholic pilgrims to the Holy Land. Kaell made the journeys with them, beginning in their homes as they made the decision to go, and her attentiveness to what the pilgrimsin particular the older women who comprise the majority of such tour groupstold her en route about their lives, their fears and their hopes, gives the book an extraordinary depth of analysis and understanding. Because pilgrims travels are always as much internal as they are geographical, Walking Where Jesus Walked opens out to examine important questions concerning how women in the United States confront issues of aging, loss, sickness, and shifting family roles and responsibilities. Written with exceptional narrative grace and critical insight, this book is a model of ethnographic research in the study of religion. -- Robert A. Orsi,Grace Craddock Nagle Chair in Catholic Studies, Northwestern UniversityAfascinating and sensitive look at Catholic and Evangelical Protestant travelers to the biblical origin of their faith. * Marginalia Review of Books *Hillary KaellsWalking Where Jesus Walkedsheds a fascinating light on the individual experiences of Christian pilgrims from the United States as they travel to the Holy Land of Israel and the Palestinian territories and return home. * American Ethnologist *Clearly its strengths lie not in generalization or the sociological big picture, but in the personal accounts, richly presented, empathetically caught, and traced over several years with a number of individuals, which form its substance. The result is a revealing, sometimes moving portrait of confronting the & other and making sense of the events of life in relation to that. * Catholic Historical Review *Kaell assembles a thoughtful, well-written, and well-argued study of Christian pilgrimage in the modern US. * Choice *Table of ContentsList of Figures Acknowledgments and Methodology Introduction 1 Knowing the Holy Land: Sunday School Lessons and the Six O'Clock News 2 Soul Searching: Why Grandparents Go Abroad 3 Feeling the Gospel: Evangelicals, Place, and Presence 4 The Middle Generation: Catholics, Scripture, and Tradition 5 God and Mammon, God and Caesar: Commerce and Politics in the Holy Land 6 The Long Voyage Home: Transformation and Rituals of Return Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner, 2016 Best First Book Prize from the Immigration and Ethnic History SocietyFinalist, 2016 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish LiteratureWinner, 2015 Book Prize from the Southern Jewish Historical Society Finalist, 2015 Jordan Schnitzer Book Award from the Association for Jewish Studies Winner, 2014 National Jewish Book Award in American Jewish Studies from the Jewish Book CouncilThe majority of Jewish immigrants who made their way to the United States between 1820 and 1924 arrived nearly penniless; yet today their descendants stand out as exceptionally successful. How can we explain their dramatic economic ascent? Have Jews been successful because of cultural factors distinct to them as a group, or because of the particular circumstances that they encountered in America? The Rag Race argues that the Jews who flocked to the United States during the age of mass migration were aided appreciably by their association with a particular cornerTrade ReviewInThe Rag Race, Adam Mendelsohn traces the intertwined fates of the Jewish community and the garment industries in America and Britain...Like any good historical writer, he turns documents and data into relatable human stories. * Sewjewish.com *An inquiry into the wellspring of modern Jewish economic success, [The Rag Race] attends to the origins of the garment industry, poking around in the dusty, and often little-known, corners of a global exchange basedon kinship and the Jewish collective...The Rag Raceis a remarkable achievement, a testament to the vitality of the historical imagination. * Jewish Review of Books *Deeply researched and beautifully written, The Rag Race returns to a classic topicthe story of Jewish immigrants in the clothing industryto shed entirely new light on the route that led from the sweatshop to success. Moving the conventional starting point backward, from the turn of the twentieth century to the early 19th century, Mendelsohn demonstrates how early differences in Jewish settlement and the structure of the garment trade led to divergent Jewish trajectories on both the U.S. and British sides of the Anglophone world. An outstanding example of comparative history, The Rag Race offers insights that any scholar or student of immigration will appreciate. -- Roger Waldinger,Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of California, Los AngelesDrawing upon the social and economic historiography of Britain, Australia, and the United States, this book weaves together disparate historical threads into a seamless narrative with a compelling argument. Making shrewd use of historical comparison, it illuminates the interplay of inherited culture with historically contingent structures of opportunity. The result is a book studded with insight, and written with wit and style. -- Jerry Z. Muller,author of Capitalism and the JewsMendelsohn joins the scholarly debate over the roots of Jewish economic success in the U.S. This he does with great style and energy, offering vivid descriptions, telling detail, and clear arguments, all based on meticulous research. This is a superb book that is a model of comparative and transnational history. It should be read not only by historians of American or modern Jewry, but by historians of immigration, business, fashion, and urban life. * American Historical Review *With this gracefully written monograph, deeply researched on three continents, Mendelsohn joins a cohort of scholars writing Jewish economic history through a transnational lens. * Choice *Table of ContentsContents Introduction: The Rag Race 1 1 Goblin Market: London, 1843 18 2 New York City: A Rag-Fair Sort of Place 37 3 Rumpled Foot Soldiers of the Market Revolution 58 4 Clothing Moses 91 5 The Empire's New Clothes 112 6 A New Dawn in the West 134 7 Clothing the Blue and Gray 159 8 A Ready-Made Paradise 183 Conclusion 207 Acknowledgments 229 Notes 233 Index 287 About the Author 297

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn in-depth history of selected New Religions that highlights the roles of women in their founding and continual practiceWomen in New Religions offers an engaging look at women's evolving place in the birth and development of new religious movements. It focuses on four disparate new religionsMormonism, Seventh-day Adventism, The Family International, and Wiccato illuminate their implications for gender socialization, religious leadership and participation, sexuality, and family ideals.Religious worldviews and gender roles interact with one another in complicated ways. This is especially true within new religions, which frequently set roles for women in ways that help the movements to define their boundaries in relation to the wider society. As new religious movements emerge, they often position themselves in opposition to dominant society and concomitantly assert alternative roles for women. But these religions are not monolithic: rather than defining gendeTrade ReviewInWomen and New ReligionsLaura Vance offers a creative strategy for furthering this work of integration. * Nova Religio *This second volume is particularly interesting because, while much has been written on European traditional religion, these newer denominations have not had as much neutral examination. * Magistra *This work emphasizes the necessity of examining gender in the quest to understand religions. * Choice *This is an important volume in the series onWomen in Religion. It is both engaging and insightful and offers critical information about new religions and the role and influence women have had in their developments. * Catholic Book Review *This book has much to offer in terms of both history and sociological frameworks for evaluation, and for that reason it should work well in classrooms that focus on topics including gender and religion, new religious movements, and American religion, among others. * Sociology of Religion *The new Women in Religions series from NYU Press offers accessible primers on ways women have shaped and been influenced by various religious traditions. * Sojourner's Magazine *Vance has offered an excellent introduction to the histories, theories, and practices of women in Mormonism, Seventh-Day Adventism, The Family International, and Wicca. * Religious Studies Review *Argues that religion is a site for both legitimating and challenging gender roles . . .The book would work well in undergraduate courses focusing on gender and religion, or new religious movements. * Review of Religious Research *Clearly the result of intensive research, this book offers invaluable insights into the differentand shiftingattitudes towards and experiences of women in four alternative religions. I recommend it most strongly not only to scholars interested in the study of gender and of new religions, but also to the general reader curious about the extraordinary variety of ways in which half the population can be viewed and treated according to widely differing perceptions of reality. -- Eileen Barker,author of New Religious Movements: A Practical Introduction"This engaging new book shows us why and how gender plays a powerful role in the formation and growth of new religions. Integrating gender and social theory with illuminating accounts of spiritual entrepreneurs both strange and familiar, this is a thorough, well-crafted, and eminently useful addition to an important field of study. -- Margaret Bendroth,Congregational LibraryTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Why Study Women in New Religions? 1 1. Mormonism: Gendering the Heavens 19 2. Seventh-day Adventism: Women's Changing Role in an Endtime Religion 49 3. The Family International: Sexualizing Gender 77 4. Wicca: Valuing the Divine Feminine 101 Conclusion 121 Questions for Discussion 131 Notes 135 Works Cited 169 For Further Reading 183 Index 185 About the Author 189

Read more less

Book SynopsisJewish and Islamic histories have long been interrelated. Both traditions emerged from ancient cultures born in the Middle East and both are rooted in texts and traditions that have often excluded women. This volume focuses attention on the theoretical innovations that gender scholarship has brought to the study of Muslim and Jewish experiences.Trade ReviewThe book could be helpful for graduate students hoping to think theoretically about gender in religion and history. With its succinct and compelling introductions for each part as well as an afterword by Scott and a glossary, the book is also made highly useable for undergraduates or novices. * Religious Studies Review *This volume is a solid beginning to a serious scholarly treatment of the topics surrounding gender in Judaism and Islam, It fills an important gap in the scholarship and promises to open the field to further critical studies. It addresses similarities and differences in womens issues and experiences within Jewish and Islamic national, religious, and ethnic identities. * Reading Religion *While this collection of essays is most useful for those with some background on the topics, it will also appeal to scholars hoping to expand their knowledge on many different aspects of Judaism and Islam. The essays do a great job of bridging ideas of the past with those of the present, making this volume valuable for scholars of history and current cultural trends as well as for researchers in anthropology, sociology womens health, media studies, Middle East studies, legal studies, literary studies, and more. * Feminist Collections *Firoozeh Kashani-Sabet and Beth S. Wenger are to be congratulated for assembling a compelling collection that illuminates a wide range of issues around gender in Judaism and Islam drawn from discussions of Muslim and Jewish law to analyses of contemporary feminism to crimes of passion and 'honor killings' in the modern Arab world. Written by eminent scholars in accessible prose, these powerful pieces carry us beyond stereotypes and politics toward mutual understanding and shared knowledge. -- Deborah Dash Moore,Frederick G.L. Huetwell Professor of History, University of MichiganA long overdue volume exploring commonalities and differences among Jewish and Muslim women along with gendered aspects of their religious and cultural experiences. Path breaking in its range and scope, with outstanding chapters by leading historians in the field, this work puts Islamic and Jewish Studies into a rich dialogue. By emphasizing shared histories and intersecting paths, it delivers on its promises, opening new vistas for understanding complexities in the lives of Muslims and Jews, past and present. -- Beth Baron,Director, Middle East and Middle Eastern American Center, CUNYTable of ContentsContents Part I. Comparative Perspectives 13 1 Jewish and Muslim Feminist Theologies in Dialogue: Discourses of Difference 17 Susannah Heschel 2 Jewish and Islamic Legal Traditions: Diffusions of Law 46 Amira Sonbol Part II. Limits of Biology: Bodily Purity and Religiosity 69 3 Scholarly versus Women's Authority in the Islamic Law of Menstrual Purity 73 Marion Katz 4 Gender Duality and Its Subversions in Rabbinic Law 106 Charlotte Elisheva Fonrobert 5 Gender and Reproductive Technologies in Shia Iran 126 Soraya Tremayne Part III. Crimes of Passion: Formative Texts and Traditions 151 6 Not a Man: Joseph and the Character of Masculinity in Judaism and Islam 155 Lori Lefkovitz 7 Dishonorable Passions: Law and Virtue in Muslim Communities 181 Catherine Warrick 8 Legislating the Family: Gender, Jewish Law, and Rabbinical Courts in Mandate Palestine 203 Lisa Fishbayn Joffe Part IV. Cultural Depictions of Jewish and Muslim Women 237 9 A Literary Perspective: Domestic Violence, the "Woman Question," and the "Arab Question" in Early Zionism 241 Andrea Siegel

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines trends and patterns relating to religion in the lives of immigrants. This book moves beyond specific studies of particular faiths in particular immigrant destinations to present the religious lives of immigrants in the United States, Canada, and Europe on a broad scale.Trade Review"With Immigrant Faith, Phillip Connor establishes himself as a leading scholar of immigrant religion, bringing together a vast amount of data, expertly analyzing it, and providing a succinct summary of the important patterns. I am especially impressed with the book's scope and clarity." -- Robert Wuthnow,Princeton University"Presents a unique portrait of the connections between religion and immigration in the Western world. Immigrant Faith is the first study of immigrant religion based on quantitative analyses, and it is also the first to examine religion and immigration across varied national contexts and diverse religious traditions. Connor examine how religion influences the transition to the destination country, and how migration affects religiosity. This is a must-read book for anyone trying to understand the importance of religion for immigrants in the U.S., Canada, and Europe." -- Darren Sherkat,Southern Illinois University"The book is an illuminating contribution to scholars embarking on studies of immigrant integration because it makes a strong case for why we should consider the role of religion when studying migration." * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *"Synthesizing the scholarship on migrant studies, Philip Connors timely and accessible book enables a deeper understanding of the intersections among religion, immigration, and the environment." * Catholic Library World *"A convincing attempt to identify general trends in the ways in which migration and religion influence each other." * Religion and Society *"The book gives students and scholars of religion and immigration an excellent bird's-eye view of the ways that the religions of immigrants have influenced their lives and communities in North America and Europe." * Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Introducing Immigrant Faith 1 1 Moving Faith 15 2 Changing Faith 43 3 Integrating Faith 68 4 Transferring Faith 93 Conclusion: Weaving Immigrant Faith Together 115 Methodological Appendix 129 Notes 145 Bibliography 155 Index 163 About the Author 165

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn exploring the diverse functions of signs outside of the realm of the written word, this book introduces unfamiliar sources and motifs from the formative age of Judaism, including magical and divination texts and new interpretations of legends and midrashim from classical rabbinic literature.Trade Review"Recommended [for] libraries in general, especially those supporting Jewish studies, [as well as] upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty, [and] general readers." * CHOICE *"In this remarkably concise, yet massively researched, volume, Michael Swartz lays the historical and hermeneutical foundations for a massive revision of the idea of late antique Judaism as an essentially text- and logocentric intellectual tradition. His elegantly written argument will challenge scholars--and, one hopes, their students--for years to come!" -- Martin S. Jaffee,University of Washington"With gestures to the music of John Cage and the meaning of fashion, Michael Swartz explores the manifold ways that ancient Jews believed God could speak through worldly things: animals and dreams, zodiac and temple, priestly vestments and the flowing of blood. Using such diverse sources as ancient synagogue mosaics and liturgical poetry, Swartz shows with economy and insight that formative Judaism looked well beyond the Torah to find divine intention." -- David Frankfurter,Boston UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: Outside the Text 2. Myths of Creation 3. The Semiotics of the Priestly Vestments 4. Divination and Its Discontents 5. Bubbling Blood and Rolling Bones 6. Conclusions: The Signifying Creator Notes Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn antidote to the culture of fear that dominates modern lifeFrom moral panics about immigration and gun control to anxiety about terrorism and natural disasters, Americans live in a culture of fear. While fear is typically discussed in emotional or poetic termsas the opposite of courage, or as an obstacle to be overcomeit nevertheless has very real consequences in everyday life. Persistent fear negatively effects individuals' decision-making abilities and causes anxiety, depression, and poor physical health. Further, fear harms communities and society by corroding social trust and civic engagement. Yet politicians often effectively leverage fears to garner votes and companies routinely market unnecessary products that promise protection from imagined or exaggerated harms. Drawing on five years of data from the Chapman Survey of American Fearswhich canvasses a random, national sample of adults about a broad range of fearsFear Itself offers new insights into what people are afraid of Trade ReviewA careful, well-reasoned, and convincing study of fear in contemporary American society. -- Steve Pfaff, University of WashingtonThose of us who study fear have long been grateful for the Chapman University Survey of American Fears. In this important book, the scholars behind that survey examine their data and provide invaluable insights into what Americans fear and the effects of those fears. -- Barry Glassner, author of The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong ThingsFear Itself is full of interesting correlations...[it] ends with advice about steps that might help dial down unnecessary dread. * Inside Higher Ed *Because their survey covers the period before and after the 2016 election, the authors illustrate the ‘Trump effect’ on partisan fears, demonstrating that liberals and conservatives are both fearful, though of different things. * Choice *Fear Itself addresses a highly salient topic that will be of interest to academic and trade audiences alike. The authors have done a commendable job of conveying statistical analyses in a manner that is easily understandable by the lay reader. * Contemporary Sociology *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn antidote to the culture of fear that dominates modern lifeFrom moral panics about immigration and gun control to anxiety about terrorism and natural disasters, Americans live in a culture of fear. While fear is typically discussed in emotional or poetic termsas the opposite of courage, or as an obstacle to be overcomeit nevertheless has very real consequences in everyday life. Persistent fear negatively effects individuals' decision-making abilities and causes anxiety, depression, and poor physical health. Further, fear harms communities and society by corroding social trust and civic engagement. Yet politicians often effectively leverage fears to garner votes and companies routinely market unnecessary products that promise protection from imagined or exaggerated harms. Drawing on five years of data from the Chapman Survey of American Fearswhich canvasses a random, national sample of adults about a broad range of fearsFear Itself offers new insights into what people are afraid of Trade Review"A careful, well-reasoned, and convincing study of fear in contemporary American society." -- Steve Pfaff, University of Washington"Those of us who study fear have long been grateful for the Chapman University Survey of American Fears. In this important book, the scholars behind that survey examine their data and provide invaluable insights into what Americans fear and the effects of those fears." -- Barry Glassner, author of The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things"Fear Itself is full of interesting correlations...[it] ends with advice about steps that might help dial down unnecessary dread." * Inside Higher Ed *"Because their survey covers the period before and after the 2016 election, the authors illustrate the ‘Trump effect’ on partisan fears, demonstrating that liberals and conservatives are both fearful, though of different things." * Choice *"Fear Itself addresses a highly salient topic that will be of interest to academic and trade audiences alike. The authors have done a commendable job of conveying statistical analyses in a manner that is easily understandable by the lay reader." * Contemporary Sociology *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA venture into the art and science of measuring religion in everyday life In an era of rapid technological advances, the measures and methods used to generate data about religion have undergone remarkably little change. Faithful Measures pushes the study of religion into the 21st century by evaluating new and existing measures of religion and introducing new methods for tapping into religious behaviors and beliefs. This book offers a global and innovative approach, with chapters on the intersection of religion and new technology, such as smart phone apps, Google Ngrams, crowdsourcing data, and Amazon buying networks. It also shows how old methods can be improved by using new technology to create online surveys with experimental designs and by developing new ways of mining data from existing information. Chapter contributors thoroughly explain how to employ these new techniques, and offer fresh insights into understanding the complex topic of religion in modern life. Beyond its quantitaTrade ReviewThis volume stands by itself as a unique social scientists guide to researching religion. An additional virtue of this volume is it provides many examples of how creativity can be deployed new methods for studying religion. Perhaps the most valuable thing readers may take from this volume is inspiration for the new and creative methods they might develop in their own areas of inquiry. * Sociology of Religion *The editors have brought together a useful collection of original chapters addressing various methodological matters that prompt its readers to think more carefully and innovatively about the measures we use to study religion and the means by which we do so. -- Review of Religious ResearchWhile seeming simple at first glance, measuring religion well in social science is exceedingly difficult, especially when comparing different societies and religious traditions. Serious efforts to improve and diversify measures of religion have, with few exceptions, been woefully lacking. Faithful Measures offers a decisive intervention in that situation, which both contributes and points the way to further advances. It is well worth the read for all scholars in the field. -- Christian Smith,Wm. R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology, University of Notre DameFew scholars have done more than Finke and Bader to teach us how to measure religion. In Faithful Measures they and their collaborators show readers the best surveys on religion have to offer as well as the newest innovations for understanding religion. Their book should be read by anyone concerned about how religion is changing across the globe and how we might better measure those changes. -- Elaine Howard Ecklund,Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, Rice UniversityWith contributions from established and emerging scholars and practitioners across the social sciences as well as data and computer scientists, Faithful Measures aims to bring the study of religion into step with the technological advances of the twenty-first century. * Religious Studies Review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the 2014 Jordan Schnitzer Book Award presented by the Association for Jewish StudiesJews have played an integral role in the history of obscenity in America. For most of the 20th century, Jewish entrepreneurs and editors led the charge against obscenity laws. Jewish lawyers battled literary censorship even when their non-Jewish counterparts refused to do so, and they won court decisions in favor of texts including Ulysses, A Howl, Lady Chatterley's Lover, and Tropic of Cancer. Jewish literary critics have provided some of the most influential courtroom testimony on behalf of freedom of expression.The anti-Semitic stereotype of the lascivious Jew has made many historians hesitant to draw a direct link between Jewishness and obscenity. In Unclean Lips, Josh Lambert addresses the Jewishness of participants in obscenity controversies in the U.S. directly, exploring the transformative roles played by a host of neglecteTrade ReviewJosh Lambert'sUnclean Lipsis brilliant not only for its erudition and wit but also for the freshness and originality of its insights into the critical role that Jews have played in the history of American obscenity. Lambert takes the anti-Semitic canard that Jews are a people of unclean lips with a perverse obsession with obscenity and explores both the harm done to Jews charged with obscenity and the ways Jews in different eras have exploited their relationship with obscenity to gain cultural capital and to advance themselves individually and as a marginalized group. * The Journal of American History *[] Lambert has written a lively account of a little-known history that deserves a wide audience. * The Historian *This is a well-written, at times playful, book and is accessible for readers who are familiar with some but not all of the discussed texts. Lambert evidently enjoyed reading, thinking, and writing about his source materials...Thoroughly researched and thoughtful volume. * The American Jewish Archives Journal *[H]e presents what is engaging material, demonstrating how 'taboo words and explicit representations of sex were meaningful to American Jews during the 20th-century . . . in contingent and historically specific ways.' * Publishers Weekly *Lambert is to be congratulated on skillfully steering between the two rocks and producing a detailed and balanced picture that considers both legal and literary questions . . . . This book is an interesting and well-informed study of a fascinating subject. * Journal of Contemporary Religion *In his study, Lambert, a professor of English, provides new angles on the connection of Jews and obscenity, as well as that connection's surprising relationships to eternal questions about Jewish difference: does it exist? what is it? and wherefore? -- Rachel Gordan * Religion Dispatches *Josh Lambert breaks new ground in his complex, original, and important work on Jews and obscenity. His story weaves together Jewish publishers, writers, birth control crusaders, Orthodox advocates for modesty, and comedians as well as non Jews writing about Jews. He recenters debates about obscenity on Jewishness, as well as centering them within American Jewish culture. Unclean Lips is a timely and fascinating study of American culture itself. -- Riv-Ellen Prell,author of Fighting to Become Americans: Jews Gender and the Anxiety of AssimilationJosh Lambert undermines many cliches about Jews, obscenity, and even 'sexual anti-Semitism' in this engrossing book. He brilliantly navigates us through many episodes of sexual representation, some familiar, some quite unexpected, along with the social and legal conflicts that surrounded them. Lucidly written and arduously researched, this is an exceptional work of cultural history. -- Morris Dickstein,author of Dancing in the Dark: A Cultural History of the Great DepressionThe strength in his argument is not only in finding social meaning in smut but also in moving beyond the ready cliches of Jewish marginalization to an astute recognition of Jewish power. Lambert discovers in obscene speech, beyond its associations with subversion and marginality, the ability to arouse attention, confer status, and create capital. -- Naomi Seidman * The Chronicle of Higher Education *Who would have thought that some American Jews at the dawn of this century supported 'smutty' literature as a way of entering exclusive cultural circles, rather than getting thrown out? This is just one of the many surprising, strange and fascinating pieces of literary history found in Josh Lambert's detailed chronicle of Jews and obscenity in America, Unclean Lips. -- Sarah Seltzer * Lilith *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1 Sexual Anti-Semitism and Pornotopia: Theodore Dreiser, Ludwig Lewisohn, and The Harrad Experiment 2 The Prestige of Dirty Words and Pictures: Horace Liveright, Henry Roth, and the Graphic Novel 3 Otherfuckers and Motherfuckers: Reproduction and Allegory in Philip Roth and Adele Wiseman 4 Seductive Modesty: Censorship versus Yiddish and Orthodox Tsnies Conclusion: Dirty Jews and the Christian Right: Larry David and FCC v. FoxNotes Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisA venture into the art and science of measuring religion in everyday life In an era of rapid technological advances, the measures and methods used to generate data about religion have undergone remarkably little change. Faithful Measures pushes the study of religion into the 21st century by evaluating new and existing measures of religion and introducing new methods for tapping into religious behaviors and beliefs. This book offers a global and innovative approach, with chapters on the intersection of religion and new technology, such as smart phone apps, Google Ngrams, crowdsourcing data, and Amazon buying networks. It also shows how old methods can be improved by using new technology to create online surveys with experimental designs and by developing new ways of mining data from existing information. Chapter contributors thoroughly explain how to employ these new techniques, and offer fresh insights into understanding the complex topic of religion in modern life. Beyond its quantitaTrade ReviewThis volume stands by itself as a unique social scientists guide to researching religion. An additional virtue of this volume is it provides many examples of how creativity can be deployed new methods for studying religion. Perhaps the most valuable thing readers may take from this volume is inspiration for the new and creative methods they might develop in their own areas of inquiry. * Sociology of Religion *The editors have brought together a useful collection of original chapters addressing various methodological matters that prompt its readers to think more carefully and innovatively about the measures we use to study religion and the means by which we do so. -- Review of Religious ResearchWhile seeming simple at first glance, measuring religion well in social science is exceedingly difficult, especially when comparing different societies and religious traditions. Serious efforts to improve and diversify measures of religion have, with few exceptions, been woefully lacking. Faithful Measures offers a decisive intervention in that situation, which both contributes and points the way to further advances. It is well worth the read for all scholars in the field. -- Christian Smith,Wm. R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology, University of Notre DameFew scholars have done more than Finke and Bader to teach us how to measure religion. In Faithful Measures they and their collaborators show readers the best surveys on religion have to offer as well as the newest innovations for understanding religion. Their book should be read by anyone concerned about how religion is changing across the globe and how we might better measure those changes. -- Elaine Howard Ecklund,Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, Rice UniversityWith contributions from established and emerging scholars and practitioners across the social sciences as well as data and computer scientists, Faithful Measures aims to bring the study of religion into step with the technological advances of the twenty-first century. * Religious Studies Review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines trends and patterns relating to religion in the lives of immigrants. This book moves beyond specific studies of particular faiths in particular immigrant destinations to present the religious lives of immigrants in the United States, Canada, and Europe on a broad scale.Trade Review"With Immigrant Faith, Phillip Connor establishes himself as a leading scholar of immigrant religion, bringing together a vast amount of data, expertly analyzing it, and providing a succinct summary of the important patterns. I am especially impressed with the book's scope and clarity." -- Robert Wuthnow,Princeton University"Presents a unique portrait of the connections between religion and immigration in the Western world. Immigrant Faith is the first study of immigrant religion based on quantitative analyses, and it is also the first to examine religion and immigration across varied national contexts and diverse religious traditions. Connor examine how religion influences the transition to the destination country, and how migration affects religiosity. This is a must-read book for anyone trying to understand the importance of religion for immigrants in the U.S., Canada, and Europe." -- Darren Sherkat,Southern Illinois University"The book is an illuminating contribution to scholars embarking on studies of immigrant integration because it makes a strong case for why we should consider the role of religion when studying migration." * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *"Synthesizing the scholarship on migrant studies, Philip Connors timely and accessible book enables a deeper understanding of the intersections among religion, immigration, and the environment." * Catholic Library World *"A convincing attempt to identify general trends in the ways in which migration and religion influence each other." * Religion and Society *"The book gives students and scholars of religion and immigration an excellent bird's-eye view of the ways that the religions of immigrants have influenced their lives and communities in North America and Europe." * Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Introducing Immigrant Faith 1 1 Moving Faith 15 2 Changing Faith 43 3 Integrating Faith 68 4 Transferring Faith 93 Conclusion: Weaving Immigrant Faith Together 115 Methodological Appendix 129 Notes 145 Bibliography 155 Index 163 About the Author 165

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive history of women in Japanese religious traditionsScholars have widely acknowledged the persistent ambivalence with which the Japanese religious traditions treat women. Much existing scholarship depicts Japan's religious traditions as mere means of oppression. But this view raises a question: How have ambivalent and even misogynistic religious discourses on gender still come to inspire devotion and emulation among women?In Women in Japanese Religions, Barbara R. Ambros examines the roles that women have played in the religions of Japan. An important corrective to more common male-centered narratives of Japanese religious history, this text presents a synthetic long view of Japanese religions from a distinct angle that has typically been discounted in standard survey accounts of Japanese religions.Drawing on a diverse collection of writings by and about women, Ambros argues that ambivalent religious discourses in Japan have not simply suTrade ReviewThis concise volume provides a nuanced account of Japanese womens religious activities from ancient times to the present. Attentive to social context, historical change, and Japans religious diversity, Barbara Ambros explores the complex ways in which religious ideas and practices have both constrained women and also offered them opportunities to advance their own goals and interests. This book challenges entrenched stereotypes and makes significant strides in redressing the androcentric biases of earlier scholarship. It will benefit both students and specialists and encourage rethinking of Japanese religions from a gendered perspective. -- Jacqueline Stone,Princeton UniversityFills several lacunae in the landscape of Japanese religiosity in one volume. Careful research informs Ambross thoughtful interpretations of the contributions and significance of women throughout Japanese history. Scholars and students of Japan, whether of religion, history, anthropology, sociology, or gender studies, will find that this volume enables them to make more informed analyses in their respective fields. Ambros's fluid writing style makes this information-rich volume highly accessible and satisfying to read. -- Paula Arai,author of Bringing Zen Home: The Healing Heart Of Japanese Women's RitualsThere is no doubtWomen in Japanese Religionsby Barbara R. Ambros is a welcome resource for students at the introductory level who want to understand Japanese religion and women. Questions for discussion are included at the end of the book, which will be of use to instructors as well. * Reading Religions *This book is a valuable resource for students of Japanese studies, religious and gender studies, and history. * Religious Studies Review *[] [S]heassert[s] in the final sentence of her conclusion that the study of a subject as complex as religion and gender required a perspective of the long duree and must emphasize & change and diversity in a specific, culturally bounded context, which is a project that anthropologists can endorse and perform. * Anthropology Review Database *Ambros challenges entrenched stereotypes while providing evidence of fertility cults in prehistoric Japan and ends her discussion with an examination of the influence of feminism during the post-1990 era. The goal of the book is to provide a comprehensive perspective that entails the overarching scope of centuries; in this Ambros succeeds. * Choice *Ambros gives careful, nuanced treatment to her subject with an array of historical instances and trends that defy simple conclusions. * Japan Review *Bring[s] a new understanding of the many ways in which Japanese women have articulated and made use of their lived religious experiences throughout their history . . .a valuable addition to the fields of Japanese history, religious studies, and womens studies. * Japanese Journal of Religions Studies *Ambros book is extremely interesting and informative. Her writing style is easy to read and never gets in the way of her argument. * Nova Religio *The books contents are well balanced, covering a variety of important primary sources with well-known, historicized, and recent acclaimed scholarship in the study of Japanese religions and womens history. In doing so, the book offers not only a thought-provoking and nuanced narrative but also draws attention to the striking historical facts and long-term trends that no doubt will invite further consideration and fruitful discussions in class. Succinctly written and well edited, this book will suit both upper undergraduate and graduate courses in Japanese and East Asian studies, as well as courses in world history and religious studies. * Journal of Religion in Japan *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Why Study Women in Japanese Religions? 1 1. The Prehistorical Japanese Archipelago: Fertility Cults and Shaman Queens 5 2. Ancient Japanese Mythology: Female Divinities and Immortals 22 3. The Introduction of Buddhism: Nuns, Lay Patrons, and Popular Devotion 40 4. The Heian Period: Women in Buddhism and Court Ritual 56 5. The Medieval Period: Buddhist Reform Movements and the Demonization of Femininity 76 6. The Edo Period: Confucianism, Nativism, and Popular Religion 97 7. Imperial Japan: Good Wives and Wise Mothers 115 8. The Postwar Period: Nostalgia, Religion, and the Reinvention of Femininity 134 9. The Lost Decades: Gender and Religion in Flux 154 Conclusion 172 Questions for Discussion 177 Notes 181 Works Cited 205 For Further Reading 221 Index 227 About the Author 237

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the 2016 Religious Communication Association Book of the Year AwardIn God Mocks, Terry Lindvall ventures into the muddy and dangerous realm of religious satire, chronicling its evolution from the biblical wit and humor of the Hebrew prophets through the Roman Era and the Middle Ages all the way up to the present. He takes the reader on a journey through the work of Chaucer and his Canterbury Tales, Cervantes, Jonathan Swift, and Mark Twain, and ending with the mediated entertainment of modern wags like Stephen Colbert. Lindvall finds that there is a method to the madness of these mockers: true satire, he argues, is at its heart moral outrage expressed in laughter. But there are remarkable differences in how these religious satirists express their outrage.The changing costumes of religious satirists fit their times. The earthy coarse language of Martin Luther and Sir Thomas More during the carnival spirit of the late medieval period was refined with the enlightened wit of AlexTrade ReviewLindvalls prose is elegant, and he is a fine guide on this rollicking, significant tour de force that belongs in all academic literature. * Catholic Library World *God Mocksleads readers through the comic savagery that believers have perfected over the centuries...Lindvall's book unfurls a delightfully variegated tapestry. * Christianity Today *Readers of Lindvall will certainly understand satire better, while homilists who borrow from his wealth of examples will prompt at least a few hearty laughs from the pews. * Emmanuel *This is an excellent overview and introduction to numerous authors of religious satire...will appeal to readers of literary criticism and church history buffs seeking a unique perspective. * Library Journal *Lindvall provides a comedic...analysis of the role of satire in religious life across the ages. Lindvall makes the case that satire has been part of religious observances from the outset. * Publishers Weekly *God Mocksshould be required reading for all ministers and religious bloggers that regularly speak or write with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. * Patheos *From Balaam's ass to Erasmus to Kierkegaard to The Onion, Lindvall finds redemption in satire's impulse to make us better human beings. * The Christian Century *God Mocksis a catalogue of hundreds of years of religious satire, parody, caricature, commentary, and mockery and most importantly, the differencebetween each and why some are more effective than others all intended to comment on the influence and practices of various religion orders and organizations over the centuries. * San Francisco Book Review *Terry Lindvall, a stand-up comedian cleverly disguised as an academic, makes the difficult art of humor look easy withGod Mocks. * Virginia-Pilot *Lindvall showcases his breadth as a historian and flair as a writer. He presents an abundance of content with a witty turn of phrase, which many will drink in with delight … it seems implicit that the book was written for educated readers—those who have some knowledge of history and comedic writing. It would certainly be suitable for an upper-level undergraduate or graduate level classroom. -- Religious Studies ReviewThis is a godsend for those interested in the role of humor in Christianity. It is remarkably comprehensive and detailed without being pedantic. Lindvalls writing sparkles with the same wit he is chronicling, making this book a delight to read. -- John Morreall,author of Comedy, Tragedy, and ReligionI read Lindvalls book with great appreciation and learned a lot. It contained so much more than I expected, a virtual history of religious mockery, which no one has attempted before. It is a significant contribution to religious and cultural studies. Beside that, it is a just plain good read. -- Harvey Cox,Hollis Research Professor of Divinity, Harvard University

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom 1925 to 1941, African American clergymen teamed up with leading record labels such as Columbia, Paramount, Victor-RCA to record and sell their sermons on wax. These phonograph preachers significantly shaped the development of black religion during the interwar period. This book offers a religious history of the phonograph industry.Trade ReviewAfter reading this book, I now understand again, but really for the first time, what it was that entranced me when first listening more than twenty years ago to the Rev. Gates, a moment that altered the course of my scholarly career since. Thank you, Professor Martin, for that. * Church History *Although histories of American religion have focused on the relationship of radio to the growth of preaching in America, especially among white clergy, there has been no study of the impact of the phonograph on the development of black preaching in the mid-20th century. Martin draws deeply on record company archives to explore how the phonograph sermons of black Protestant preachers between 1925 and 1941 significantly shaped African-American religion and culture.... Martin's vital study contributes significantly not only to the history of religion, but also to the lively, ongoing discussion of 'race records' by African-American musicians in early 20th-century America. * Publishers Weekly *Religion Publishing Update Fall 2014: In Profile: "In the early half of the 20th century, many black preachers discovered a new toolthe phonograph. Sermons recorded on vinyl (or, at first, wax) enabled them to reach beyond their local churches and market their sermons to other eager listeners. The records often outstripped the sales of those by popular blues singers like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey, and while many preachers went to places like Chicago to get record deals, record company executives began traveling from church to church in the rural South in search of the next celebrity preacher. In Preaching on Wax, Lerone A. Martin illuminates this little-known chapter in American cultural history. * Publishers Weekly *Martin has crafted a tight, well-conceived narrative that demonstrates persuasively how religious, commercial, and technological forces came together in the making of modern African American Christianity. Most important, perhaps, its crisp, accessible prose makes it a pleasure to read. * Journal of American History *Eloquently recalls the at once triumphant and controversial history of Americas first recordings of black sermonic voicesan innovation that has transformed American religion, music, and the arts more broadly. Important and timely, Preaching on Wax insists that we reframe our understanding of the spiritual impulses, racial politics, and commercial influences that mediate a rich strand of African American religion. Indeed, this is a must read! -- Marla Frederick,Harvard UniversityOne of the most richly textured accounts of the emergence of black consumer culture to appear in many years. Martin has made a significant contribution to our understanding of how the rise of 'new sacred commodities' during the first years of the 20th century profoundly shaped modern African American religion. Assiduously researched and full of startling insight, Preaching on Wax challenges us to rethink the sources of African American religious authority during the Great Migration. -- Wallace D. Best,Princeton UniversityMartinsPreaching on Waxis a beautifully written, well-researched book...Martins book also compels the student and scholar of African-American Christianity to re-think the relationship between black religion, popular culture, and commercial success. * The Marginalia Review of Books *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Note on the Text xi 1 Introduction 1 2 Regulation, Not Rebellion: From "Rough Music" to Democratic Disorder 21 3 "Secret Plodders": Anti-Federalism, Anonymity, and the Struggle for Democratic Dissent 55 4 Institutionalizing Counterpublicity: The Democratic Societies of the 1790s 83 5 James Madison: Public Opinion and Dissentient Democracy 115 6 "Salutary Collisions" and Multiple Discourses: A Farmer, a Lawyer, and Two Unknown Democrats 147 7 The "Saucy Sons of Enquiry": Thomas Cooper and Democratic Dissent 177 8 Conclusion 197 Notes 207 Bibliography 243 Index 257 About the Author 262

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this book, Gary Dorrien turns to interpret his own life as a participant in the religious, intellectual, and social justice currents of his generation. Dorrien tells his personal story with the same stylish prose and attention to personalities that mark his many acclaimed works in social ethics, theology, and intellectual history.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe desire to erase the religions of Indigenous Peoples is an ideological fixture of the colonial project that marked the first century of Canada’s nationhood. While the ban on certain Indigenous religious practices was lifted after the Second World War, it was not until 1982 that Canada recognized Aboriginal rights, constitutionally protecting the diverse cultures of Indigenous Peoples. As former prime minister Stephen Harper stated in Canada’s apology for Indian residential schools, the desire to destroy Indigenous cultures, including religions, has no place in Canada today. And yet Indigenous religions continue to remain under threat. Framed through a postcolonial lens, What Has No Place, Remains analyses state actions, responses, and decisions on matters of Indigenous religious freedom. The book is particularly concerned with legal cases, such as Ktunaxa Nation v. British Columbia (2017), but also draws on political negotiations, such as those Trade Review"Nicholas Shrubsole’s What Has No Place, Remains is an important contribution to the discussion of Indigenous religious freedom in Canada. Shrubsole provides a thorough and compelling analysis of how the Canadian Constitution’s multiple apparent promises to Indigenous Peoples have often gone unfulfilled." -- Howard Kislowicz, University of Calgary * Journal of Church and State *Table of ContentsPreface A Comment on Terminology Abbreviations Introduction 1. The Depth of Religious Freedom 2. Secularization, Dispossession, and Forced Deprivatization 3. Religions Plus? Competing Frameworks of Indigenous Religious Freedom 4. Dealing with Diversity Poorly and the Gustafsen Lake Standoff 5. The Duty to Consult and Accommodate 6. The Potential and Limits of International Mechanisms of Redress Conclusion: Challenges for Reconciliation Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Red Dynamite, Carl R. Weinberg argues that creationism''s tenacious hold on American public life depended on culture-war politics inextricably embedded in religion. Many Christian conservatives were convinced that evolutionary thought promoted immoral and even bestial social, sexual, and political behavior. The fruits of subscribing to Darwinism were, in their minds, a dangerous rearrangement of God-given standards and the unsettling of traditional hierarchies of power. Despite claiming to focus exclusively on science and religion, creationists were practicing politics. Their anticommunist campaign, often infused with conspiracy theory, gained power from the fact that the Marxist founders, the early Bolshevik leaders, and their American allies were staunch evolutionists. Using the Scopes Monkey Trial as a starting point, Red Dynamite traces the politically explosive union of Darwinism and communism over the next century. Across thosTrade ReviewSplendid chronicle. * Evolution: Education and Outreach *[A]n important step in itself and something to which scholars of American religion and conservative politics should pay special attention. * Church History Review *Red Dynamite is an engaging and richly sourced narrative. It is especially relevant for historians of education studying science pedagogy, curricular backlash, textbook wars, and Christian homeschooling. * American Educational History Journal *Red Dynamite offers stunning new depth to a relatively familiar tale; this cogent work demonstrates just how interactive even seemingly very narrow ideological, spiritual, and religious beliefs can be with larger social, political, and cultural trends in American history. * The Journal of American History *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Belaboring Scopes 1. Lighting the Darwin Fuse 2. The Lamb-Dragon and The Devil's Poison 3. Blood Relationship, Bolshevism, and Whoopie Parties 4. The Wolf Pack and the Upas Tree 5. Beast Ancestry, Dangerous Triplets, and Damnable Heresies 6. Flood, Fruit, and Satan 7. Trees, Knees, and Nurseries 8. The Nightcrawler, the Wedge, and the Bloodiest Religion Epilogue: The Baby Christian and the Dark Place

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe most enduring challenge to traditional monotheism is the problem of evil, which attempts to reconcile three incompatible propositions: God is all-good, God is all-powerful, and evil happens. The Prince of This World traces the story of one of the most influential attempts to square this circle: the offloading of responsibility for evil onto one of God's rebellious creatures. In this striking reexamination, the devil's story is bitterly ironic, full of tragic reversals. He emerges as a theological symbol who helps oppressed communities cope with the trauma of unjust persecution, torture, and death at the hands of political authorities and eventually becomes a vehicle to justify oppression at the hands of Christian rulers. And he evolves alongside the biblical God, who at first presents himself as the liberator of the oppressed but ends up a cruel ruler who delights in the infliction of suffering on his friends and enemies alike. In other words, this is the story of how God becomes the devil—a devil who remains with us in our ostensibly secular age.Trade Review"A substantial contribution to recent studies of the figure of the devil in Christian theology. Adam Kotsko goes beyond the biography of an icon to a provocative investigation of the devil's many lives and effects in cultural and political ideologies. Not only that, his book is a great read." -- Laurel C. Schneider * Vanderbilt University *"This diabolically gripping genealogy offers a stunning parable of western politics religious and secular. It tracks as has never been done before the dramatic shifts of the relation between God and the Devil–conflict, rivalry, game of mirrors, fusion. With the ironic wisdom of a postmodern Beatrice, Kotsko guides us through the sequence of hells that leads to our own." -- Catherine Keller * Drew University *"The devil's visitations have been multivalent in the course of history and we should not be shocked by the reach of his wily creativity. The devil is, as ever, the prince of this world, and he will have his seat at the table. The central idea of his truly excellent study—that the devil exists and persists in a living gallery of secularized forms—is a highly engaging exercise in political theology and deserves a wide readership." -- Michael P. Murphy * Reading Religion *In The Prince of This World, Adam Kotsko traces the rise and fall of the devil from his inception in the Hebrew Bible to his contemporary figuration in secular modernity—an origin story which ends up offering a timely reading of our contemporary moment. The writing is clear and not burdened by much of the jargon that can work to obfuscate the findings of the genealogical method. This clarity makes The Prince of This World an enjoyable as well as important contribution to the fields of political theology, secularism, and philosophy. Seamlessly interlacing critical theory with careful readings of medieval, patristic, and Hebrew biblical traditions, Kotsko also offers a text that should provoke interesting discussion for undergraduate and graduate students of the Bible. Finally, the book will be of value to non-academic readers interested in the relevance of Statan for the problems of criminalizing and demonizing marginalized groups today." -- Amaryah Shaye Armstrong * Anglican Theological Review *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsIntroduction: Why the Devil? chapter abstractThe Introduction begins with the tortured discussions of moral accountability in the context of police shootings of unarmed black victims, arguing that there are similarly convoluted dynamics at work in medieval theological reflections on the devil. It traces this problematic back to the problem of evil, using the Book of Job as its primary point of reference while noting that the text is an outlier in the Hebrew biblical tradition. Where Job is focused on problems of individual suffering, most of the Hebrew Bible is more concerned with the problems of justice and political legitimacy that arise from Israel's unique relationship to God. 1The Hebrew Biblical Tradition chapter abstractThis chapter begins with God's rivalry with Pharaoh, who serves as the earliest model for the theological figure who will become the devil. It traces three major theological paradigms that attempt to vindicate the claim that Israel's God is the God of all the world in the face of the Jewish community's various political experiences under self-rule, in conditions of diaspora under tolerable rulers, and in situations of systematic persecution. The latter gives rise to the apocalyptic paradigm, which is where the figure of a cosmic rival to God first emerges as a theological symbol for an oppressive ruler—a figure that ultimately develops into the devil. Along the way, it connects the problem of evil with the concept of sovereignty, which has been so central to contemporary debates on political theology. 2The New Testament and Early Christianity chapter abstractAfter reviewing the three paradigms, this chapter investigates the ways that Christianity takes up and transforms the apocalyptic paradigm in light of two key experiences: the crucifixion of God's chosen messiah and the rejection of that messiah by the Jewish mainstream. It traces the Christian tradition's growing tendency to de-emphasize the association between the devil and earthly rulers and to instead put forward a special connection, first between the devil and the Jews and subsequently between the devil and a wider range of religious opponents (heretics and pagans). This shift prepares the ground for mainstream Christianity's acceptance of imperial patronage under Constantine, intensifying the identification of the devil with marginalized groups. This reversal highlights the ambiguities of revolution, which is central to modern ideas of political legitimacy even as it always threatens to replace one oppressor with another. 3Monasticism and Medieval Christianity chapter abstractThis chapter starts with an exploration of the so-called ransom theory of redemption, according to which Christ must become incarnate and die as a way of setting us free from our bondage to the devil. It uses a late articulation of this narrative as a way of tracing the growing influence of monastic spirituality on Christian theology in the post-Constantine era. The ransom theory had viewed humanity as freely—if misguidedly—assenting to the devil's rule in a way that anticipates the modern concept of the social contract, a notion that is also relevant for the formation of new voluntary social groupings in the context of the monastic movement. It proceeds to argue that in monasticism, the devil becomes identified with the body and its demands, so the monks' ascetic disciplines are viewed as a way of conquering the devil. 4The Fall of the Devil chapter abstractWithin monotheism, the existence of the devil creates as many conceptual problems as he solves. He initially seems to relieve God of responsibility for evil, yet a consistent monotheism demands that the devil, too, must have been created by God. This chapter maps out the ways that these tensions come to a head in the vexed theological problem of the fall of the devil. What could have motivated the devil, who must have been created in an initially good state, to rebel against God? Here freedom emerges as the key concept to bridge this conceptual gap, allowing God to take responsibility for creating the devil while still blaming the devil for his own evil choices. Explicit connections are made with modern social contract theory and with Descartes's "evil demon." 5The Earthly City chapter abstractThis chapter looks at the devil's activities within the present world, particularly his relationship with marginal and oppressed groups, as well as the increasingly repressed and reviled demands of the body itself, to tempt and harass the faithful. It looks at theologians' attempts to account for the existence of such groups and their place in God's providential plan. Areas of focus include the problem of original sin, the notion of the katechon, and the demonization of Jews and witches. Ultimately, it argues that their justification of God's indirect use of evil for good anticipates the modern concept of the economy, which transmutes our selfish choices into social benefits, as well as foreshadows modern strategies of domination centered on racialization. 6Life in Hell chapter abstractThis chapter concludes the devil's life story with a tour of his ultimate destination: hell. It explores the meaning and justification of eternal damnation as well as its somewhat disturbing role as a spectacle for the blessed. In light of these connections, it attempts to recontextualize Dante's Inferno, particularly the common claim that the work is somehow proto-modern. It suggests that hell may be a part of the genealogy of the modern prison, with all the disciplinary forms it entails. It concludes by arguing that hell reveals the truth of the medieval theological system: the medieval God thrives on suffering, but there also remains something that is fundamentally beyond his control. Conclusion: The Legacy of the Devil chapter abstractThe Conclusion briefly treats the devil's overt legacy in early modernity, most notably in the tendency to read the devil as the hero of Milton's Paradise Lost and the centrality of Goethe's Faust to the development of modern thought. Yet it argues that the more decisive influence of the devil in modernity is not the literal figure itself but the conceptual problems that the devil brings together—freedom, punishment, and legitimacy. Viewed in this light, many of the most treasured values of modernity appear deeply questionable and even destructive, so the book closes with a call to rethink those values and find new ways of living with our devils.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCreation and the giving of orders are closely entwined in Western culture, where God commands the world into existence and later issues the injunctions known as the Ten Commandments. The arche, or origin, is always also a command, and a beginning is always the first principle that governs and decrees. This is as true for theology, where God not only creates the world but governs and continues to govern through continuous creation, as it is for the philosophical and political tradition according to which beginning and creation, command and will, together form a strategic apparatus without which our society would fall apart. The five essays collected here aim to deactivate this apparatus through a patient archaeological inquiry into the concepts of work, creation, and command. Giorgio Agamben explores every nuance of the arche in search of an an-archic exit strategy. By the book's final chapter, anarchy appears as the secret center of power, brought to light so as to make possible a philosophical thought that might overthrow both the principle and its command.Trade Review"Adam Kotsko's lucid translation has continued his service to the field in making Agamben's texts accessible to a wider readership."—Devin Singh, Reading Religion

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy did Christianity produce the special organizational form church in the first place? Is it possible to be a Christian without the church? To what extent is Christian faith in community with other believers an alternative to the mere self-optimization of individuals?In this accessible and questioning new work, Hans Joas traverses theological, church-historical, sociological, and ethical territory in search of a viable conception of the church adequate to contemporary globalized societies. Across eleven essays that draw on work by Ernst Troeltsch, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, H. Richard Niebuhr, Leszek Kolakowski and others, Joas reflects on key debatesfrom the failure of so-called secularization theory to explain religiosity in modern society, to the role of Christianity and the church in relation to rampant nationalism and refugee crises, and to the question of whether or not human dignity ever was, or still is, the highest value in the West. Addressing the sociology of the

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat happens when one of Germany’s most important writers, himself a Muslim, immerses himself in the world of Christian art? In this book, Navid Kermani is awestruck by a religion full of sacrifice and lamentation, love and wonder, the irrational and the unfathomable, the deeply human and the divine – a Christianity that today’s Christians rarely speak of so earnestly, boldly and enthusiastically. With the open-minded curiosity of a non-believer – or rather a believer in another faith – Kermani engages with Christian art in its great richness and diversity. The result is an enchanting reflection which reinvests in Christianity both its spectacular beauty and its terror. Kermani struggles with the cross, falls in love at the sight of Mary, experiences the Orthodox Mass and appreciates the greatness of St Francis. He teaches us to see the questions of our present-day lives in the pictures of old masters such as Botticelli, Caravaggio and Rembrandt – not with lectures on art history or theology, but with an intelligent eye for the essential details and the underlying relations to seemingly remote worlds, to literature and to mystical Islam. Kermani’s poetic school of seeing draws us in as we are carried along by his unique perspective on Christianity, rekindling our interest in great art at the same time. We are captivated by his unique and brilliant Islamic reading of the West.Trade Review"A work of genius" Ian Sansom, The Guardian"This truly is one of the best books I've read in years: funny, outrageous, touching, intimate, glorious."Nicola Barker, The Guardian Best Books of 2017"Navid Kermani has written one of the funniest, most perceptive, outrageous and engaging books about art, life and faith that I have ever read… It’s wonderful. It’s cathartic. It's transformative."The Spectator"An astonishing, deeply sympathetic, constantly surprising meditation on Christianity from one of the greatest Muslim writers and thinkers in the Western world. Kermani writes perceptively about individual works of art and particular places, about the New Testament, and about the rich traditions of Christian theology and practice. Still more important, he articulates a vision of Islamic–Christian friendship that is, in our vexed world, a human gift of rare importance." Stephen Greenblatt, Cogan University Professor of the Humanities, Harvard University"In this beautifully written book, Navid Kermani performs something which, if not unprecedented, is still highly unusual, as he considers Christianity from the distance of a different faith. He does not claim any superiority here, quite the opposite. Unencumbered by the need to accept or reject, he explores the Christian faith with an alert interest and consuming curiosity. Through his keen gaze, coupled with a profound knowledge of theology and art history, Kermani captivates readers with the marvels of artworks that they might otherwise never really notice. The anglophone world needs and deserves this gem of a book."Daniel Boyarin, University of California, Berkeley "In this book Navid Kermani draws on his unique perspectives as a Muslim intellectual to offer thoughtful reflections on the complex divine ideas underlying Christian art and the deep parallels that can be drawn between it and other traditions, including mystical Islam. As an outside observer of Christianity, Kermani reminds us that the great faith traditions have more in common than they have difference and how, at the end of the day, we all pay tribute to the same divine spirit. May more Muslim and Christian thinkers alike be inspired by his deep reflectiveness and willingness to engage across faith traditions."Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University, Washington, DC "When I lived in Deir Mar Musa, Paolo Dall’Oglio would sometimes press a “very important” book on me to read. I am sure that Wonder Beyond Belief is one of these books. It encourages debate and impresses the reader with the need for communication and respect for other people’s beliefs."Emma Loosley, University of Exeter "Superbly written with occasional suprises, this book is hard to put down"Premier Christianity ‘Kermani holds in fine balance his reverence and irreverence, his sense of the holy, his outrage at the outrageous… His “wonder” at art in the Christian – mainly Catholic – tradition is expansive, responsive, humane and imaginative. Sometimes it is also very funny. His curiosity as both a scholar and an art lover is prodigious and infectious… His very openness means that looking at Christianity and its art through his eyes can be moving, entertaining, illuminating, uncomfortable and very rewarding.’Art and Christianity“Many Christians, and especially many Catholics, will learn a great deal not just about the Islamic point of view, but about what they think of as their own true faith... This is a book which ought not to be missed by anyone concerned with issues in the modern world.”Irish Catholic

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn important part of philosophy is concerned with religious questions. What is the meaning of life, and how might religious faith or doubt impact such meaning? What is the evidence for the existence of God? Is evidence essential for religious faith? What is the relationship between science and religion? What is the relationship between religions? How can or should one assess virtues and vices, right and wrong, from a religious versus a secular point of view? In this beginner’s guide, Charles Taliaferro addresses these and other important questions involved in philosophy of religion. He challenges the negative, often complacent attitudes towards religion as being dangerous or merely superstitious, arguing instead for a healthy pluralism and respect between persons of faith and secular inquirers. What is Philosophy of Religion? takes a practical, question-based approach to the subject, inviting the reader to engage with this exciting area of philosophy in a down-to-earth way.Trade Review"Professor Taliaferro has produced a lively, profound, and lucid introduction to the philosophy of religion. It is a delight to read!"Fiona Ellis, Heythrop College, University of London "Any student considering whether to embark on the philosophy of religion will find a wealth of stimulus and guidance in this enthusiastic and engagingly written invitation to the subject."John Cottingham, University of Reading "A very engaging, well structured and well written introduction to the main topics of the discipline."Adriano Fabris, Reading ReligionTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. Philosophy of Religion and Science 2. Philosophy of Religion and the Meaning of Life 3. Divine Attributes 4. Faith and Evidence 5. Problems of Evil and Good 6. Love and the Limits of the World 7. Getting involved in Philosophy of Religion today References

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn his Critique of Cynical Reason, Peter Sloterdijk pursued an enlightenment of the Enlightenment in both its beginnings and the present. After God is dedicated to the theological enlightenment of theology. It ranges from the period when gods reigned, through the rule of the world-creator god to reveries about the godlike power of artificial intelligence. The path of this self-enlightening theology, which is carried out here by a non-theologian, must begin well before Nietzsche’s declaration of the death of God, and it must move beyond this dictum to explore the present and the future. Since the early 20th century we have seen how the metaphysical twilight of the gods, which has preoccupied philosophers and theologians, has been accompanied by an earthly twilight of the souls. The emergence of psychoanalysis, and more recently the development of the neuro-cognitive sciences, have secularized the old Indo-European concept of the soul and transferred many accomplishments of the human mind to computerized machines. What remains of the eternal light of the soul after the artificial lights have been turned on? Have the inventors of AI thrust themselves into the position vacated by the death of god? Perhaps the distinction between God and idols will soon re-emerge here for the citizens of modernity, only this time in a technological and political register. For them, theological enlightenment – which is completely different from an instinctive rejection of religion – will be a fateful task. This new work by one of the most original thinkers today will appeal to students and scholars across the humanities and social sciences, as well as anyone interested in religion, philosophy and critical theory today.Table of ContentsChapter One: Twilight of the Gods: “Every world of gods is followed by a twilight of the gods.” Chapter Two: Is The World Affirmable? On the Transformation of the Basic Mood in the Religiosity of Modernity, with Regard Primarily to Martin Luther 1. The Eccentric Accentuation 2. And They Saw That It Was Not Good 3. The Derivation of the Reformation from the Spirit of Tempered Despair 4. Protestant Entropy Chapter Three: The True Heresy: Gnosticism; On the World-Religion of Worldlessness 1. Where Nag Hammadi Is Located 2. How the Real World Finally Became an Error 3. A Short History of Authentic Time 4. Gnosticism as Negative Psychology 5. Demiurgical Humanism – On the Gnosticism of Modern Art Chapter Four: Closer to Me Than I Am Myself: A Theological Preparation for the Theory of the Shared Inside Chapter Five: God’s Bastard: The Caesura of Jesus Chapter Six: Improving the Human Being: Philosophical Notes on the Problem of Anthropological Difference Chapter Seven: Epochs of Ensoulment: Suggestions for a Philosophy of the History of Neurosis Chapter Eight: Latency: On Concealment 1. Emergence of the Crypta 2. Maximally Invasive Operation 3. Boxing-in as Latency-Production 4. Wadding up and Unfolding 5. Intuitive Integral Calculus Chapter Nine: The Mystical Imperative: Remarks on Changing Shape of Religion in the Modern Age 1. Martin Buber’s Ecstatic Confessions as an Epochal Symptom 2. Religion in the Age of the Experiment 3. World Arena and Unmarked Space Chapter Ten: Absolute and Categorical Imperative Chapter Eleven: News about the Will to Believe: A Note on Desecularization Chapter Twelve: Chances in the Monstrous: A Note on the Metamorphosis of the Religious Domain in the Modern World, with Reference to a Few Motifs in William James Editorial Note

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn his Critique of Cynical Reason, Peter Sloterdijk pursued an enlightenment of the Enlightenment in both its beginnings and the present. After God is dedicated to the theological enlightenment of theology. It ranges from the period when gods reigned, through the rule of the world-creator god to reveries about the godlike power of artificial intelligence. The path of this self-enlightening theology, which is carried out here by a non-theologian, must begin well before Nietzsche’s declaration of the death of God, and it must move beyond this dictum to explore the present and the future. Since the early 20th century we have seen how the metaphysical twilight of the gods, which has preoccupied philosophers and theologians, has been accompanied by an earthly twilight of the souls. The emergence of psychoanalysis, and more recently the development of the neuro-cognitive sciences, have secularized the old Indo-European concept of the soul and transferred many accomplishments of the human mind to computerized machines. What remains of the eternal light of the soul after the artificial lights have been turned on? Have the inventors of AI thrust themselves into the position vacated by the death of god? Perhaps the distinction between God and idols will soon re-emerge here for the citizens of modernity, only this time in a technological and political register. For them, theological enlightenment – which is completely different from an instinctive rejection of religion – will be a fateful task. This new work by one of the most original thinkers today will appeal to students and scholars across the humanities and social sciences, as well as anyone interested in religion, philosophy and critical theory today.Table of ContentsChapter One: Twilight of the Gods: “Every world of gods is followed by a twilight of the gods.” Chapter Two: Is The World Affirmable? On the Transformation of the Basic Mood in the Religiosity of Modernity, with Regard Primarily to Martin Luther 1. The Eccentric Accentuation 2. And They Saw That It Was Not Good 3. The Derivation of the Reformation from the Spirit of Tempered Despair 4. Protestant Entropy Chapter Three: The True Heresy: Gnosticism; On the World-Religion of Worldlessness 1. Where Nag Hammadi Is Located 2. How the Real World Finally Became an Error 3. A Short History of Authentic Time 4. Gnosticism as Negative Psychology 5. Demiurgical Humanism – On the Gnosticism of Modern Art Chapter Four: Closer to Me Than I Am Myself: A Theological Preparation for the Theory of the Shared Inside Chapter Five: God’s Bastard: The Caesura of Jesus Chapter Six: Improving the Human Being: Philosophical Notes on the Problem of Anthropological Difference Chapter Seven: Epochs of Ensoulment: Suggestions for a Philosophy of the History of Neurosis Chapter Eight: Latency: On Concealment 1. Emergence of the Crypta 2. Maximally Invasive Operation 3. Boxing-in as Latency-Production 4. Wadding up and Unfolding 5. Intuitive Integral Calculus Chapter Nine: The Mystical Imperative: Remarks on Changing Shape of Religion in the Modern Age 1. Martin Buber’s Ecstatic Confessions as an Epochal Symptom 2. Religion in the Age of the Experiment 3. World Arena and Unmarked Space Chapter Ten: Absolute and Categorical Imperative Chapter Eleven: News about the Will to Believe: A Note on Desecularization Chapter Twelve: Chances in the Monstrous: A Note on the Metamorphosis of the Religious Domain in the Modern World, with Reference to a Few Motifs in William James Editorial Note

Read more less

Book SynopsisHeralded as the greatest living Arab poet, Syrian-born Adonis is also a staunch critic of violence and despotism in the Islamic world. In this book, he explores the nature of political power in Islam by focusing on the figure of the prophet Mohammed as both a political and a mythical leader. In conversation with Houria Abdelouahed, Adonis examines the Qur’anic intervention in establishing the prophet’s power, especially when the text is read based on faith and not reason. The authors discuss the historical developments before and after the prophet’s death, which established the power of the Caliph or the leader as absolute. The second part of the book examines the consequences of these developments in the Arab and Islamic world today, where this ‘tyrannical’ understanding of power continues to hold sway. The authors conclude with a call for secularism in the Arab world and a passionate plea for the separation of religion from the political, legal and social spheres.Trade Review“Nobody can hold a mirror up to the Arabs, Arab culture, and the Arab malaise with Adonis’s conscientious erudition and affection. An irreverent fearless iconoclast from his early years, Adonis the nonagenarian remains an unflinching visionary and reformer, and a passionate advocate for the Arabs. Prophecy and Power is in line with this Adonisian tradition of franc-parler. Powerful, deeply searching, premonitory, and devastatingly veridical, this latest of Adonis’s gems is a must-read for anyone concerned for the Arabs, their predicament, their twilight.”Franck Salameh, Boston College“Adonis is indefatigable in his deconstruction of religious orthodoxy. These uninhibited conversations with Houria Abdelouahed, expertly translated by Julie Rose, dramatize the disquietudes between faith and reason, all the while championing the spiritual vitality of Sufism.”Nouri Gana, University of California, Los Angeles

Read more less

Book SynopsisChristianity is bound up with the very idea of the West: we cannot evade it even if we would like to. While many people no longer believe in Christianity, we cannot deny that it has left a deep imprint on Western thought. But how might we develop a philosophy of Christianity that is not a Christian philosophy? How can we take a view that is external to the traditions of apologetics and criticism? For there is a question that concerns us all here: are the coherences of Christianity still useful for thought, and especially for thought about existence? To address this question, François Jullien considers Christianity as constituting a set of resources. Resources are available to all and can be used by those who discover and exploit them; they belong to no one. Christianity offers us resources inasmuch as we can draw some benefit from it, inasmuch as it can be the source of an effect, without our having to believe it or determine its truth in advance. Jullien reads the Gospels, and especially the Gospel of John, as he would read any other text, seeking to account for the text's coherence (rather than its ‘meaning’), seeking to account for its pertinence (rather than its ‘truth’), but without any need to adhere – the exploitation of resources demands no conversion. And in reading the Gospel of John in this way, we discover the fertile veins of a theory of existence. This fresh and erudite reflection on Christianity will be of great value to anyone interested in religion and its relevance today.Trade Review“Christianity is written deep into our cultural and collective imaginations. What an excellent and important contribution, then, to consider the resources of the Christian faith beyond the buttressed walls of churches.”Graham Ward, University of OxfordTable of ContentsI. Refusal to avoid (the question of Christianity)II. Resources III. An event is possible IV. What is it to be alive? V. The logic of de-coincidenceVI. Reconfiguration of truth VII. Ex-istence: to dwell in the Other by abiding outside of the world

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe idea of a connection between poetry and religion is as old as civilization. Homer consulted the Olympian gods on the fate of the fighters on the plain before Troy, and the poet made the heavenly ones speak. It was through poetry that the gods were brought within reach of human hearing. In the centuries after Homer, the Athenian stage became the setting where gods made their poetic interventions, resolving human impasses and contributing to the emotional synchronization of the public life of the city. Sloterdijk argues that, as with the culture of the Ancient Greeks, all religions inscribe a kind of “theopoetry” at the heart of their cultural life and thought, even as they strenuously obscure these poetic origins through the cultivation and enforcement of orthodox norms. Sloterdijk also shows how, in conditions of religious pluralism, religions poetically reshape themselves to accommodate the demands of the religious marketplace. This highly original study of the poetic devices that inform accounts of the otherworldly offers a new interpretation of religious practice and its theological elaboration through history, as well as a fresh perspective on our contemporary age in which collective life, interwoven with imaginative fabrications, is fraying under critical stress.Trade Review"Religion is poetry, poetry is religion, and both are concerned with the 'overarching' that is at once cosmic and political. The avatars of this triple connectivity, and what happens to it when the overarching becomes paradoxically contested, are brilliantly explored in this new book. Agree with Peter Sloterdijk or not, he will assist you to think further about what is truly fundamental to our human existence and its future."—John Milbank, University of NottinghamTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface I Deus ex machina, Deus ex cathedra 1 The gods in the theater 2 Plato's contestation 3 Of the true religion 4 Representing God, being God: an Egyptian solution 5 On the best of all possible heaven dwellers 6 Poetries of power 7 Dwelling in plausibilities 8 The theopoetical difference 9 Revelation whence? 10 The death of the gods 11 'Religion is unbelief': Karl Barth's intervention 12 In the garden of infallibility: Denzinger’s world II Under the high heavens 13 Fictive belonging together 14 Twilight of the gods and sociophany 15 Glory: poems of praise 16 Poetry of patience 17 Poetry of exaggeration: religious virtuosos and their excesses 18 Kerygma, propaganda, supply-side offense, or, When fiction is not to be trifled with 19 On the prose and poetry of the search 20 Religious freedom In lieu of an afterword Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe virtue of obedience is seen as outdated today, if not downright toxic – and yet, are we any freer than our forebears? In this provocative work, Jacob Phillips argues not. Many feel unable to speak freely, their opinions policed by the implicit or explicit threat of coercion. Impending ecological disaster is the ultimate threat to our freedoms and wellbeing, and living in a disenchanted cosmos leaves people enslaved to nihilistic whim. Phillips shows that the antiquated notion of obedience to the moral law contains forgotten dimensions, which can be a source of freedom from these contemporary fetters. These dimensions of obedience – such as loyalty, discipline and order – protect people from falling prey to the subtle forms of coercion, control and domination of twenty-first-century life. Fusing literary insight with philosophical discussion and cultural critique, Phillips demonstrates that in obedience lies the path to true freedom.Trade Review‘This book is not a thunderous polemic, still less a dry work of abstract argumentation. Phillips, writing in effective and elegant prose, draws on literature, modern history and personal experience to craft richly human insights into thinking and living well […] stimulating and insightful.’The Critic‘A thoughtful, fascinating read.’Tim Stanley, author of Whatever Happened to Tradition? 'Obedience is Freedom ​musically weaves together high and low culture, ancient and modern, the sacred and profane, in a richly resonant texture of ideas. This is a book that will surprise and delight both the very well-read and the very online.'Mary Harrington, Contributing Editor, UnHerd ‘We live in the wreckage created by the individual liberationist transformations of the twentieth-century Left and Right. More an exploration than a polemic, Phillips uses literary criticism, storytelling and the history of ideas to envision another path based on solidarity, loyalty and obligations, without which we are liberated from all duties, only to find ourselves alone in a harsh and unjust world.’Angela Nagle, author of Kill All Normie“Jacob Phillips has written a book which needed to be written and which needs to be read […] this work cements his reputation as a fine essayist in the best of English traditions.”European Conservative“Utterly unique.” Seamus Flaherty, Merion West"Phillips calls on an eclectic range of philosophers, poets, and novelists as tutelary spirits; and he extracts unexpected lessons from disparate, real-world events."The Irish Examiner"brilliant and unusual”Spiked“Paragraph after paragraph, a seductive threnody unfolds, structured by an almost syllogistic order.” Henry Hopwood-Phillips, The Critic“erudite…crowded with well-expressed insights”Chronicles MagazineTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Allegiance 2 Loyalty 3 Deference 4 Honour 5 Obligation 6 Respect 7 Responsibility 8 Discipline 9 Duty 10 Authority Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisNavid Kermani is not only one of Germany’s most distinguished writers and public intellectuals, he is also an outstanding public speaker who mesmerizes audiences with his well-crafted sentences and turns of phrase. Whether he is speaking about the plight of refugees or delivering a eulogy at his father’s graveside, Kermani finds words that surprise his listeners, enlighten them, provoke them, disturb them or move them to tears. As a German of Iranian descent whose parents settled in Germany, Kermani is particularly sensitive to the issues raised by migration and the perceived tensions between Islam and the West. His speeches are a powerful demonstration of how much we stand to gain by adhering to the values of openness, tolerance and mutual respect for the beliefs and practices of those from other cultures who live among us.Trade Review"Navid Kermani is a brilliant scholar and public intellectual, a perfect diasporic figure in that he is both fully German and deeply engaged with the Iranian Muslim culture that he inhabits with full critical commitment. These are speeches that will change the way that people see the world, especially the world of Iran."Daniel Boyarin, author of The No-State Solution: A Jewish Manifesto"Navid Kermani’s essays and speeches have established themselves as some of the most brilliant and wide-ranging statements of any German public intellectual. Whether reflecting on politics and the state or mourning his late father, Kermani knows how to be both a public figure and a moving private individual. To read him is to be in touch with both the nerve-ends of modern Europe and its manifold links to the Orient."Jeremy Adler, King’s College London"Navid Kermani has established himself as one of Germany’s foremost public intellectuals… He has the preacher’s skill of connecting the personal and the general, and of using each occasion as an opportunity to say what he feels needs to be said at that moment without its seeming forced or arbitrary."Times Literary SupplementTable of ContentsEditorial Note Preface On the Presentation of the Special Award of the Erich Maria Remarque Peace Prize to the Iranian Writers’ Association On the Death of the Unborn Sofía On the 65th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the German Constitution On Receiving the Joseph Breitbach Prize At the Public Commemoration of the Victims of the Paris Attacks On Receiving the Peace Prize of the German Publishers’ Association Eulogy for Rupert Neudeck Eulogy for Jaki Liebezeit On the Twentieth Anniversary of the Founding of the Department of Jewish History and Culture On Receiving the State Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia Eulogy for Djavad Kermani Eulogy for Karl Schlamminger On the Seventieth Birthday of FC Cologne In Memory of Egon Ammann Dinner Speech at the Investment Conference of Flossbach von Storch AG Keynote Address to the Congress of the International Association for Analytical Psychology Statement before the Opening Reading of the Harbour Front Literature Festival On Receiving the Hölderlin Prize of the City of Bad Homburg vor der Höhe On a Concert by the WDR Symphony Orchestra in the Broadcast Series ‘Music in Dialogue’ Epilogue: On My Bookseller, Ömer Özerturgut Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow are Christians capable of believing? Is it faith or delusion? Or is there something wrong with me? I do not believe in spirits, gods, miracles, resurrection or eternal life. But I will seek to cast off my prejudices and give God a chance. At least for a year. Danish writer Svend Brinkmann spent a year with God, exploring faith and religion through the eyes of a sceptic. Each month, from January to December, he grappled with questions that had nagged at him since he was a child: Why does God let the innocent suffer? Does science disprove the existence of God? Does faith make you a better person? Can you doubt and still believe? It became a year of deep reflection and surprising revelations that challenged the bounds of his scientific worldview and led him to a new appreciation of faith and its place within a secular, mostly fulfilled life.Trade Review“If you don’t quite believe your unbelief, if “God”, despite everything, is still an intriguing word, and if you think religion might have a more humane resonance than some of its loudest adherents do, then this is an important book for you.”The Revd Dr Mark Oakley, Dean, St John’s College, University of Cambridge “With candour, openness and eloquence, Svend Brinkmann shares with us the year he spent reflecting on religion and religious experience. As an agnostic wrestling with questions of faith and doubt, he offers up a personal journey that will resonate with everyone who asks what a good and meaningful life might consist in.”Todd May, Clemson University “For a whole year Svend Brinkmann, a secular humanist, goes in search of God. The search is serious, the questions genuine, and the openness propels us into some surprising discoveries about what it means to be religious.”Graham Ward, University of Oxford “My Year with God is interesting, insightful, and enjoyable. In our age of tribal division, I appreciate that professor Brinkmann approaches the big questions of life with charity. Both seekers and believers will be challenged by this book.”Sean McDowell, Biola University and author or co-author of twenty books including Evidence that Demands a Verdict“A capacious survey of a complex subject by a sharp, inquiring mind.”Irish Examiner“A stimulating discussion by an agnostic on life’s most crucial question: whether God exists or not … Brinkmann ought to be congratulated for this endeavour and for undertaking the writing of this book with proper intellectual rigour and honesty. He does so in a refreshing way—not least because he engages with religion on its own terms.”The European ConservativeTable of ContentsPrefaceJanuary: Why a book about God?February: What is religion?March: Is there a link between ethics and faith?April: Does faith work?May: Can science replace religion?June: Does the soul exist?July: What can we learn from the Bible?August: Could there be multiple gods?September: How does faith affect grief?October: Can humans become God?November: What about doubt?December: What have I learnt?Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn these times of rising tensions between Christians and Muslims across the world, the need for harmony and peace has never been more urgent. As one of the world's leading advocates of interfaith dialogue, Craig Considine introduces readers to the provocative idea of the Synthesis of Civilizations, a theory that pushes beyond dialogue to show where and how Western and Islamic civilizations have been and continue to be in a deeper union with one another. With an open mind and a deep appreciation of the Abrahamic tradition, Considine takes readers on a fascinating journey across history and the current state of ChristianMuslim relations in seven battleground regions of the world. Alongside the undeniable tensions between Christians and Muslims, the book presents and applies an interfaith community-building tool DEUCE focused on dialogue, education, understanding, commitment, and engagement. With unprecedented civilizational scope and sweeping sociological insight, Considine does full justice to the religious and social bonds between Christianity and Islam. While daily headlines highlight the shared fear, persecution, and violence experienced by Christians and Muslims worldwide,Beyond Dialogueis intended to inspire interfaith bridge builders who are passionate about defending and promoting civility, humanity, and pluralism on the world stage.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Role of Religion in Ancient Civilizations: Select Readings addresses the importance of religion in ancient civilizations and encourages readers to evaluate these civilizations both historically and critically. The selected readings help readers understand civilizations as whole systems with not only social and political characteristics, but also religious ones.Topics include the establishment of patriarchal civilizations, Mesopotamian and Egyptian religion, and the early civilizations of Northwest India. Students also learn about the religions of ancient China and Japan, traditional African religions and belief systems, religion and burial in Roman Britain, and the great temples of Meso-American religions. The final selections are devoted to early Christianity, the Byzantine Empire, and Islam.Original introductions place the readings in context. Taken as a whole, these carefully curated articles demonstrate both the uniqueness of each religion and the traditions and practices that, over time, became interconnected and sometimes even fused to form new religions. The Role of Religion in Ancient Civilizations is well-suited to survey courses in world and ancient religions, as well as classes on religious history and the history of the ancient world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExperiences of the Sacred: Introductory Readings in Religion provides students with a curated compilation of articles written on the different religious traditions. The articles provide students with valuable insight into the particular worldviews and beliefs of each religion.The text provides an overview of seven religious traditions, which are organized into three major categories: Dharmic traditions (Hinduism and Buddhism); Chinese traditions (Confucianism and Daoism); and Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The readings on the religions are introduced by material on the cultures in which they were created, providing students with rich historical and cultural context, followed by overviews, essays, and descriptions of each tradition. Suggestions for further reading and reflection questions throughout the text encourage additional exploration and consideration of the material.Providing students with a critical knowledge base of major religious traditions, Experiences of the Sacred is an ideal textbook for foundational courses in world religion.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less