Religion and beliefs Books

Book SynopsisThe word "yoga" has varied connotations, from ascetics in caves to holistic exercise. Many are unfamiliar with its philosophy. Yoga was traditionally practiced in India, and misconceptions persist. The essence of yoga is explained in the Bhagavad-gita by Krishna.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2016 IPPY Gold Medal Award for Self Help How making a vow—consciously setting an intention—can be a powerful tool for achieving all sort of goals, from the author of the best-selling Mindful Eating. Making a vow is a powerful mindfulness practice—and all you have to do to tap into that power is set your intention consciously. A vow can be as "small" as the aspiration to smile at someone at least once every day, or as "big" as marriage; as personal as deciding to be mindful when picking up the phone or as universal as vowing to save all sentient beings. It can be deeply spiritual, utterly ordinary, or both. Zen teacher Jan Chozen Bays looks to traditional Buddhist teachings to show the power of vows—and then applies that teaching broadly to the many vows we make. She shows that if we work with vows consciously, they set us in the direction of achieving our goals, both temporal and spiritual.Bays presents secular and spiritual wisdom from both East and West, highlighting figures such as Martha Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Buckminster Fuller. She helps us examine the vows we have already made for ourselves and the vows we’ve unconsciously inherited. She supports us in repairing broken vows, crafting new intentions, and exploring what’s truly on our bucket lists.

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Book SynopsisIslam presents new challenges and new questions to Christians and to the West in a post-9/11 context. However, in many situations in the world, where Christians and Muslims live peacefully side-by-side as neighbours, political considerations are not uppermost. Challenging us to examine our own attitudes, Colin Chapman considers the issues involved in Christian engagement with Muslims and Islam. He explores, ultimately, how Christians can effectively bear witness to Jesus. This revised and updated edition incorporates brand new material on 'Islamic Terrorism', 'What is Islam?', 'The Qur'anic View of Christians' and 'Explaining Christian Beliefs About Jesus'. It will equip Christians to better understand Muslims and Islam in a rapidly changing world.

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Book SynopsisThis reader offers a key selection of Emmanuel Levinas's most important philosophical writings.Trade Review"... an excellent introduction to the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas." - The Jerusalem PostTable of ContentsSelections:Is Ontology Fundamental?Transcendence and HeightMeaning and SenseEnigma and PhenomenonSubstitutionTruth of Disclosure and Truth of TestimonyEssence and DisinterestednessGod and PhilosophyTranscendence and IntelligibilityPeace and Proximity

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Book SynopsisAccessible guide to John's Gospel, aimed primarily at people training to serve the church for whom English is an additional language. The contributors are theological educators who come from different countries and different religious backgrounds, and bring practical emphasis alongside contemporary scholarly reflection.

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Book SynopsisCovering a range of emerging religions from the mid-nineteenth century, this essential text engages students by addressing major theoretical and methodological issues in the study of new religions and is organized to guide students in their learning.Trade Review"Urban points to the need for respect as well as critical thinking in approaching these new religious movements, and he prods readers to be thoughtful in discussing and debating these issues... There is no better textbook available on this topic. Summing Up: Highly recommended." CHOICETable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface and Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: The Rise of New Religions in Modern America 2. The Native American Church: Ancient Tradition in a Modern Legal Context 3. Mormonism and Plural Marriage: The LDS and the FLDS 4. Spiritualism: Women, Mediums, and Messages from Other Worlds 5. The Nation of Islam and the Five Percenters: Race, Religion, and Hip-Hop 6. Rastafari: Messianism, Music, and Ganja 7. The Church of Scientology: New Religions and Tax Exemption 8. Wicca and Neopaganism: Magic, Feminism, and Environmentalism 9. The Church of Satan and the Temple of Set: Religious Parody and Satanic Panic 10. ISKCON (Hare Krishna): Eastern Religions in America and the "Brainwashing" Debate 11. Channeling and the New Age: Alternative Spirituality in Popular Culture and Media 12. Peoples Temple: Mass Murder-Suicide, the Media, and the "Cult" Label 13. The Branch Davidians: Millenarian Movements, Religious Freedom, and Privacy 14. The Raelians: UFOs and Human Cloning Appendix: Method and Theory in the Study of New Religions Index

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Book SynopsisFor centuries Daoism (Taoism) has played a central role in the development of Chinese thought and civilization. This title introduces the reader to ancient scriptures, providing a systematic introduction to early Daoism (c 2nd-6th CE). It is suitable for students of religion, and for scholars wishing to explore Daoist sacred literature.

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Book SynopsisRecounts the Amish witness and connects it to the heart of their spirituality. This title combines history, evaluation of American society, and an examination of what builds community into a story that details the shootings, and probes the religious beliefs that led to forgiving.Table of ContentsPreface xi Part One 1 1 The Nickel Mines Amish 3 2 The Shooting 17 3 The Aftermath 29 4 The Surprise 43 5 The Reactions 53 Part Two 65 6 The Habit of Forgiveness 67 7 The Roots of Forgiveness 85 8 The Spirituality of Forgiveness 99 9 The Practice of Forgiveness 113 Part Three 123 10 Forgiveness at Nickel Mines 125 11 What About Shunning? 141 12 Grief, Providence, and Justice 155 13 Amish Grace and the Rest of Us 173 Afterword (2010) 185 Interview with Terri Roberts 191 Appendix: The Amish of North America 201 Endnotes 215 Resources for Further Reading 229 Acknowledgments 233 The Authors 235 Index 237 Discussion and Reflection Guide 249 The Fetzer Institute 267

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Book SynopsisThe Malay-language term used for indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, “Orang Asli”, covers at least 19 culturally and linguistically distinct subgroups. This volume is a comprehensive survey of current understandings of Malaysia's Orang Aslicommunities (including contributions from scholars within the Orang Asli community), looking at language, archaeology, history, religion and issues of education, health and social change, as well as questions of land rights and control of resources.Until about 1960 most Orang Asli lived in small camps and villages in the coastal and interior forests, or in isolated rural areas, and made their living by various combinations of hunting, gathering, fishing, agriculture and trading forest products. By the end of the century,logging, economic development projects such as oil palm plantations, and resettlement programmes have displaced many Orang Asli communities and disrupted long established social and cultural practices.The chapters in the present volume show Orang Asli responses to the challenges posed by a rapidly changing world. The authors also highlight the importance of Orang Asli studies for the anthropological understanding of small-scale indigenous societies in general.Trade ReviewMalaysia’s Original People: Past, Present And Future Of The Orang Asli is a dense, far-reaching compendium of essays."- Star2.com

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Rex’s nuanced account of Luther’s theology, steeped in deep learning and wry humour, demands attention."---Susannah Monta, Times Literary Supplement"Richard Rex's new book, The Making of Martin Luther, is brilliant in exposing the hair-raising character of his theology."---Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator"Readable, free of jargon, and entertaining. . . . This is a book that teaches. Its value lies in presenting briefly and pointedly what is distinctive about Luther’s theological development rather than repeating the partisan caricatures of his thought and role produced by later generations of both his detractors and his followers."---Bradley A. Peterson, Reading Religion"A quick read packed with lots of good information, The Making of Martin Luther is a nice jumping-off point for Luther scholarship, whether you’re a believer/theologian or a secularist/agnostic/atheist." * Manhattan Book Review *"Rex’s brilliantly written biography of Luther goes from the cradle not to the grave but to the immediate aftermath of the Diet of Worms. The thread he sees as giving spiritual and intellectual unity to this period of Luther’s life is the quest for certainty. . . . Considering Rex’s own passionate Roman Catholicism, this is a remarkably sympathetic portrait of the Reformer, and it is possibly the best concise study of Luther’s early reforming career that I have read."---Carl R. Trueman, First Things"Reading this book was a rewarding experience."---Susan C. Karant-Nunn, Journal of Ecclesiastical History"[Rex] puts forward a history of Martin Luther’s progress to intransigent reformer so excellent that both admirers and critics of Luther’s achievement must agree this is the best-researched, acutely observed, deeply pondered, and objectively reported account of his shattering of the Medieval Church as an uncontested European-wide phenomenon."---Patrick Madigan, Heythrop Journal"The quincentenary of Martin Luther's 95 Theses producecl a flurry of excellent books ín 2017 and Richard Rex's The Making of Martin Luther is another such example. The Making is not in any way a traditional biography. The major accomplishment here is that Rex offers readers a fascinating, concise, and provocative overview of arguably Luther's most important years from his penning the 95 Theses (1517) to his Ore the Bondage of the Witt (1525)."---Christopher Petrakos, Anglican and Episcopal History

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Book SynopsisThis revised and expanded edition offers a step-by-step, biblically grounded, proven plan for establishing a relationship with newcomers that ultimately prompts them to become fully developing members of church congregations.

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Book SynopsisThe Menologion by Symeon Metaphrastes, among the most important Byzantine religious and literary works, is a culmination of a well-established tradition of Greek storytelling. This edition excerpts six Christian novels, each featuring women who defy social expectations, translated for the first time into English.Trade ReviewThis volume brings new texts to a thriving discussion on tenth- and eleventh-century Byzantine literature. -- Christian Høgel * Speculum *

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Book SynopsisThis book depicts religion in place and in movement, dwelling and crossing. Drawing on insights from the natural and social sciences, Tweed’s work is grounded in the particulars of distinctive religious practices, even as it moves toward ideas about cross-cultural patterns. It offers a responsible way to think broadly about religion.Trade ReviewThomas Tweed’s new book is impressive in its synthetic originality, its comprehensiveness and its communicative style. It brings together many strands of contemporary theory that otherwise would not end up in the same book. It is compelling for its inventive exploration of a particular model of religion… Crossing and Dwelling constructs a remarkably thoughtful synthesis that will stimulate much discussion. It thoroughly de-essentialises religion while valiantly reinstating the pragmatic and extendable value of the category. The endnotes themselves are extraordinarily rich and extensive, with wide referencing to relevant literature outside religious studies, and the text is enhanced with twenty-four illustrations. For its combined scholarship, ingenuity and wide interest, the book will deservedly find its way onto many reading lists. -- William E. Paden * Religion *An engaging, original, and insightful approach to theorizing the transnational face of twenty-first-century religion. -- Steven Engler * Religious Studies Review *Tweed’s contrast of religion in stasis and in motion helps illuminate the vexing issue of religious pluralism. -- Roger S. Gottlieb * Tikkun *Thomas Tweed has written the most important theoretical book of this decade, and maybe this generation, for geographers of religion… While Tweed’s theory is philosophically detailed, readers will be impressed with the wide array of religions and nationalities represented in the analysis… Any scholar interested in either religion or geography will find this volume a refreshing and enlightening study. Those interested in both religion and geography will soon find themselves woefully behind in their scholarship if they have not yet digested it. -- Michael Ferber * American Religious Experience website *Thomas Tweed’s provocative, thoughtful, and meaningful insights into what it means to be religious are outlined in his new book… Tweed’s work is most welcome to those of us who understand that being human has much to do with our imagining and making places… Cultural and social geographers will find Tweed’s ideas useful in their work and in the classroom whether or not the actual subject material is related to the religious realm. * Annals of the Association of American Geographers *Beginning with his reflections on the Cuban Catholic community in Miami, Tweed develops a dynamic and relational theory of religion he feels has been lacking. He sees the key ideas of religion as being place (dwelling) and travel and exile (crossing) and uses the concept of itinerary to examine both Eastern and Western religions. As Tweed sees it, religion acts like a compass, helping to situate people in the body, the home, the homeland, and the cosmos. At the same time, we are all crossing boundaries: terrestrial, corporal, and cosmic. He offers a thoughtful analysis of the nature of religion and speaks of the limitations of his theory as well as of its potential. This well-thought-out work, accessible to scholars and lay readers alike, is a worthy successor to Mircea Eliade’s Images and Symbols: Studies in Religious Symbolism, which remains the classic text on the subject. -- Augustine J. Curley * Library Journal *This is a masterpiece. It belongs on everyone’s shelf next to William James’s The Varieties of Religious Experience. Tweed’s book is at once elegant and informed, a thorough intellectual sighting of religion. -- Bruce B. Lawrence, Duke UniversityCrossing and Dwelling provides a strikingly new and compelling theory of religion. Religions, Tweed argues, are much like watches and compasses: they help people find their bearings. Throughout he offers numerous examples from a variety of traditions and contexts to illustrate the way that his theory works. Tweed’s engaging writing style should make the book accessible to a wide range of readers. -- Ann Taves, University of California, Santa BarbaraTweed boldly offers here a new and differently devised definition of religion. And he anchors that definition in widely disparate phenomena of religious life around the globe. It is refreshing to see an analysis that moves wisely beyond the insularity of past debates. This book will stir some still waters and elicit a profitable exchange of ideas. -- Daniel Pals, University of MiamiTable of ContentsList of Illustrations 1. Itineraries: Locating Theory and Theorists 2. Boundaries: Constitutive Terms, Orienting Tropes, and Exegetical Fussiness 3. Confluences: Toward a Theory of Religion 4. Dwelling: The Kinetics of Homemaking 5. Crossing: The Kinetics of Itinerancy Conclusion: An Itinerary Notes Illustration Credits Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisIn Praise of Annada, Bharatchandra Ray’s long narrative poem dedicated to the glory of Annada, translated here into English for the first time, is a major achievement and a treasure of Bengali literature. This volume describes the origins of the goddess, the building of her city and temple, and the spread of her worship.

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Book SynopsisAn anthology that provides the comprehensive overview for understanding the relationship between religion and violence - historically, culturally, and in the contemporary world. It includes original source materials justifying violence from various religious perspectives: Hindu, Chinese, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist.Trade Review"This book is recommended for any person studying the nature of violence in religion and the impact the notion of sacrifice has on expressions of faith."--Wessel, Bentley, Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae "This collective volume focused quite well on the two main aspects of religious violence, warfare and sacrifice. It is very well structured and informative for both for scholars and the general public. It introduces the reader in the field of religion and violence by leading him to select sources, past and present, and this is quite important because it makes him think about his own close relationship with religion and violence. There is also a useful select bibliography on the issue situated at the end the volume that readers can use as a starting point for further exploring the issue."--Alexandros Sakellariou, Journal of Religion and ViolenceTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction: Why Is Religion Violent and Violence Religious? 1 Part I: Religious Justifications for Violence Introduction to Part I 7 Chapter 1. Kautilya 13 "Forms of Treacherous Fights," the Arthashastra 13 Chapter 2. Sun Tzu 17 "Laying Plans," The Art of War 17 Chapter 3. The Bhagavad Gita 20 The Bhagavad Gita in the Mahabharata 20 Chapter 4. Soho Takuan 25 "Annals of the Sword Taia," The Unfettered Mind 25 Chapter 5. The Hebrew Bible 29 Deuteronomy 20 31 Exodus 23 32 Chapter 6. The Qur'an 35 Surah 2 ("The Cow") 36 Chapter 7. Thomas Aquinas 41 "Whether It Is Always Sinful to Wage War?" Summa Theologica 41 Chapter 8. Reinhold Niebuhr 45 "Why the Christian Church Is Not Pacifist" 45 Chapter 9. Michael Bray 55 "A Time for Revolution?" A Time to Kill 56 Chapter 10. Abd al-Salam Faraj 62 The Neglected Duty 63 Chapter 11. Meir Kahane 69 "War and Peace," The Jewish Idea 69 Chapter 12. Shoko Asahara 75 Declaring Myself the Christ 76 Disaster Comes to the Land of the Rising Sun 77 Chapter 13. 9/11 Conspirator 82 "Last Instructions of 9/11" 83 Part II: Understanding the Religious Role in Violence Introduction to Part II 93 Chapter 14. Emile Durkheim 100 Elementary Forms of the Religious Life 101 Chapter 15. Henri Hubert and Marcel Mauss 108 "Conclusion," Sacrifice: Its Nature and Function 109 Chapter 16. Sigmund Freud 115 Totem and Taboo 116 Chapter 17. Rene Girard 127 "Sacrifice," Violence and the Sacred 128 Chapter 18. Walter Burkert 141 Homo Necans 141 Chapter 19. Maurice Bloch 152 Prey into Hunter 152 Chapter 20. Georges Bataille 167 Theory of Religion 167 Chapter 21. Karl Marx 174 Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right 174 Chapter 22. Nancy Jay 178 "Sacrifice and Descent," Throughout Your Generations Forever 178 Chapter 23. Elaine Scarry 190 The Body in Pain 191 Chapter 24. Jean Baudrillard 201 The Spirit of Terrorism 201 Chapter 25. Ashis Nandy 210 "The Discreet Charm of Indian Terrorism," The Savage Freud and Other Essays 210 Closing Comments: The Connection between War and Sacrifice 217 Selected Bibliography 223 Permissions 229 About the Editors 231 Index 233

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Book SynopsisMarco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI's resignation and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and the Catholic laity.Trade ReviewA profound analysis of the Argentinean pope given by one of the most important experts on the Vatican in the world. -- Santiago Zabala, ICREA/Pompeu Fabra University Politi's coverage of Pope Francis, his internal opposition and vision for a changing church, belongs in every newsroom for the adroit treatment of how ferocious Vatican politics can be. This book will attract general readers, nuns, bishops, professors, students, cardinals, diplomats, politicians, and even their hatchetmen seeking insight on a pope who has captured the world's imagination -- Jason Berry, author of Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church Politi is one of the world's most accomplished Vatican observers, and in many ways Francis is the pope he has been waiting his whole life to cover. This is Politi at his tea-leaf-reading best, which is very, very good. -- John L. Allen Jr., associate editor of the Boston Globe and Crux Marco Politi is a writer for our times, with his insight, access, and wisdom about an intriguing pontiff. Few people can dig up the nuggets and jewels about such important papal matters, and what Politi knows and serves up to his readers cannot be missed. Pope Francis Among the Wolves is surely another of Politi's 'must-reads.' -- Christiane Amanpour CNN, Chief international Correspondent Journalist and Vatican insider Politi draws upon a vast wealth of sources... This book is well translated and accessible to a wide audience of Francis's admirers and opponents, both inside and outside of the Catholic Church. Library Journal Politi certainly delivers on the subtitle's promise of a look inside the byzantine halls of the institutional Catholic Church. Publishers Weekly All Francis-watchers will want to-should-read Politi. Booklist [Pope Francis Among the Wolves] sheds light on the pope's revolution within church institutions. -- Elizabeth Webb AmericaTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Translator's Note 1. The Smell of the Sheep 2. Francis's Fear 3. The Coup d'Etat of Benedict XVI 4. The Secrets of an Anti-Italian Conclave 5. The End of the Imperial Church 6. The Face of a Parish Priest 7. Walking with Unbelievers 8. The Hidden Women Priests 9. Death in Front of the Vatican 10. The Self-Critique of a Pope 11. The Program of the Revolution 12. St. Peter Had No Bank Account 13. The Enemies of Francis 14. The War of the Cardinals 15. The Italian Knot 16. A Resignable Papacy Notes Index

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Book SynopsisJacques Maritain''s An Introduction to Philosophy was first published in 1931. Since then, this book has stood the test of time as a clear guide to what philosophy is and how to philosophize. Inspired by the Thomistic Revival called for by Leo XIII, Maritain relies heavily on Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas to shape a philosophy that, far from sectarian theology in disguise, is driven by reason and engages the modern world. Re-released as part of the Sheed & Ward Classic series, An Introduction to Philosophy is sure to enliven the minds of students and general readers for years to come. From the new introduction by Ralph McInerny: You are about to read a magnificent introduction not only to a kind of philosophy but to philosophizing itself. Jacques Maritain was a relatively young man when he wrote this book, but his effort is one that attracts any philosopher more and more as he grows older. However odd and unusual what he says becomes, the philosopher yearns to show how even the most abstruse claims can be put into relation with what the reader already knows. That, in its essence, is what teaching is. In this book, the reader will find a wise and certain guide into philosophizing as such. And, in the end, he will find that what he reads is really only a refinement and development of what he and everybody else already knew.Table of Contents1 Introduction 2 Preface 3 Author's Introduction Part 4 The Nature of Philosophy Chapter 5 Philosophic Thought Before Philosophy in the Strict Sense Chapter 6 Pre-Socratic Philosophers Chapter 7 Sophists and Socrates Chapter 8 Plato and Aristotle Chapter 9 Definition of Philosophy Chapter 10 Philosophy and the Special Sciences Chapter 11 Philosophy and Theology Chapter 12 Philosophy and Common Sense Part 13 The Classification of Philosophy Chapter 14 Main Divisions of Philosophy Chapter 15 Logic Chapter 16 Philosophy of Mathematics and the Philosophy of Nature Chapter 17 Criticism (Epistemology) Chapter 18 Ontology: Essence Chapter 19 Ontology: Substance and Accident Chapter 20 Ontology: Act and Potentiality Chapter 21 Theodicy Chapter 22 The Philosopy of Art; Ethics

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Book SynopsisBased on the parallels between St. Ignatius and Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anony-mous. These 52 meditations consist of sections from St. IgnatiusO Spiritual Exercises, followed by an exploration of both what it means and how it relates to 12-Step philosophy. At the end of each meditation is a short encapsulation, which Father Harbaugh whimsically calls a OSecond Prelude, to go.O Re-freshing and down to earth, this book will set you briskly along a new path and greater independence.

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Book SynopsisA textbook covering the history of hermeneutical principles, the proper conception of the Bible, grammatical interpretation, and historical and theological interpretation.

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Book SynopsisThe Worship Sourcebook is a collection of more than 2,500 prayers, litanies, and spoken texts for every element of traditional worship services held throughout the seasons of the church year. This indispensable resource for worship planners and pastors includes texts that can be read aloud as well as outlines that can be adapted for your situation. Teaching notes offer guidance for planning each element of the service. Thought-provoking perspectives on the meaning and purpose of worship help stimulate discussion and reflection. This second edition includes new and revised liturgies, additional prayers for challenging situations facing today''s church, and new appendices.

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Book SynopsisOriginally published within the ESV Study Bible, these articles feature first-rate contributors delivering concise studies on topics such as the origin and meaning of Scripture, apologetics, and world religions.

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Book Synopsis“Next to Genesis, no book in the Hebrew Bible has had a stronger influence on Western literature than the Song of Songs.”-The New York Review of BooksOne of the greatest love poems ever written, The Song of Songs celebrates the sexual awakening of a young woman and her lover and the intoxicating experience of falling in love. Composed more than two thousand years ago, this book of the Old Testament is not only an essential religious and literary text, but also a source of inspiration to modern-day poets and lovers. Enhanced by an Afterword by the esteemed scholar Robert Alter and a new Foreword from the noted translator Stephen Mitchell, this definitive volume showcases Chana Bloch and Ariel Bloch’s sensuous translation which has “a lyrical purity that is delightful” (W. S. Merwin).

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Book SynopsisThe Classic Guide for Educators of Any Denomination What mission calls us to teach? How do societal issues-socialoppression, poverty, politics-affect what we teach, how we teachit, and how people learn? Who are our students? What and when arethey ready to learn? Once we understand these foundations, how canwe facilitate an educational experience that has the power to shapeand transform people and communities in life-giving ways offaith? In this classic text, Thomas Groome asks and answers these centralquestions, providing a comprehensive integration of the history,theory, and practice of modern religious education for a newgeneration of educators. His self-reflective approach-sharedpraxis-will inspire school teachers, students of religiouseducation, pastors, parents, and religious educators in localchurches who want to understand themselves, their mission, andtheir surroundings-to inform, form, and transform their students''lives. Anyone tugged by the callingTrade Review"Anyone tugged by the calling at the heart of education orreligious life can only cheer for the republication of this classicbook." --Robert Kegan, Harvard Graduate School of Education "Christian Religious Education is one of the most important books-if not the most important-on Christian education published duringthe last fifty years." --Don Browning, University of Chicago,coauthor, From Culture Wars to Common Ground: Religion and theAmerican Family Debate "Whether returning Christian Religious Education or reading it forthe first time, readers will discover freshness leaping from thepage; you will soon know why this formative book of the past is abeacon for the future-informative, inspiring, and wise!" --MaryElizabeth Moore, professor of theology and Christian education,Claremont School of Theology "Tom Groome combines the great masters of the past with the mostcreative innovators of the present to provide us with a modern dayclassic." --Virgilio P. Elizondo, founder, Mexican AmericanCultural CenterTable of ContentsTHE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. Education in Time. A Coming to Terms. THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. Education for the Kingdom of God. For Christian Faith. For Human Freedom. THE CONTEXT OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. On Becoming Christian Together. AN APPROACH TO CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: SHARED PRAXIS. In Search of a "Way of Knowing" for Christian ReligiousEducation. Some Philosophical Roots for a Praxis Way of Knowing. Shared Christian Praxis. Shared Praxis in Praxis. READINESS FOR CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION BY SHARED PRAXIS. Shared Praxis from a Piagetian Perspective. THE COPARTNERS IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. Our Students, Our Selves. Postscript: Until Break of Day. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisDallas Seminary Professors Make Basic Theology Accessible for AllTheology doesn''t have to be complicated. In this book, trusted Dallas Seminary professors present a concise systematic theology that distills the essential spiritual truths in a way that makes sense to readers--students, lay people, and pastors. Here are introductions, overviews, and reviews of key tenets of orthodox protestant evangelical doctrines. The book also includes an annotated list of key applicable Bible texts, a quick-paced story of doctrine throughout church history, heresies or distortions to be aware of, and more.Exploring Christian Theology is useful for discipleship, catechism, membership training, preview or review of doctrine, or quick personal reference. It can also be used by ministry training programs, Bible colleges, or seminaries as an introductory primer to orient students in preparation for a more in-depth study of theology.

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Book SynopsisIn 1999, a seemingly incongruous collection of protestors converged in Seattle to shut down the meetings of the World Trade Organization. Union leaders, environmentalists dressed as endangered turtles, mainstream Christian clergy, violence-advocating anarchists, gay and lesbian activists, and many other diverse groups came together to protest what they saw as the unfair power of a nondemocratic elite. But how did such strange bedfellows come together? And can their unity continue? In 1972another period of social upheavalsociologist Colin Campbell posited a cultic milieu: An underground region where true seekers test hidden, forgotten, and forbidden knowledge. Ideas and allegiances within the milieu change as individuals move between loosely organized groups, but the larger milieu persists in opposition to the dominant culture. Jeffrey Kaplan and Helene Loow find Campbell''s theory especially useful in coming to grips with the varied oppositional groups of today. While the issues differTrade ReviewWhat do deep ecologists, neo-nazis, goths, black nationalists, and urban shamans have in common? They are all part of a 'cultic milieu,' an underground culture that embraces everyone, right or left, good or bad, who thrives on standing in opposition to the social mainstream. The articles in this book explore how and why, as they analyze movements that have rarely been brought together before. It's a fantastic collection, bound to blow the world of cultic studies wide open. -- Robert Ellwood, (University of Southern California)This is an important and timely book that focus attention on an increasingly significant phenomenon, that of cultural opposition and dissent. It is gratifying to find cultic milieu theory being revived in this context and being put to such good use to shed light on the confusing and diverse world of radical environmentalism, communitarianism, racism, mysticism and magic. Kaplan and Loow are to be congratulated on producing a collection that constitutes the first serious attempt to chart this complex phenomenon and in so doing giving us invaluable insights into the contemporary world of cultural deviance and resistance. -- Colin Campbell, (York University)This book is a provocative and useful contribution to understanding pluralism. -- W. L. Pitts Jr., Baylor University * CHOICE, June 2003 *An original and valuable contribution to the sociology of 'stigmatized knowledge' . . . parts of the book will be invaluable reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate students on courses in social movements, sociology of religion, and popular culture. -- James A. Beckford, University of Warwick * American Journal of Sociology *[An] elegantly readable book. . . . I can say unequivocally . . . that it has much to offer scholars in a variety of disciplines. -- Susan Schept * Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review *Enter the wilder shores of countercultural, utopian territories where, in the words of the editor, 'proscribed and/or forbidden knowledge is the coin of the realm;' where activities range from the extreme left to the extreme right, from white to black, from the radically communal to the radically individualistic, with oppositional environmentalism and the search for purity as recurrent themes. Important currents, often capable of posing threats to the mainstream, are explored in depth in The Cultic Milieu: a book which will certainly engage, and probably concern, the reader. -- Paul Heelas, (Lancaster University)Table of Contents1 Introduction 2 The Cult, the Cultic Milieu and Secularization 3 Diggers, Wolfs, Ents, Elves and Expanding Universes: Global Bricolage and the Question of Violence within the Subcultures of Radical Environmentalism 4 The Historical Communal Roots of Ultraconservative Groups: Earlier American Communes That Have Shaped Today's Far Right 5 Neo-Shamanism, Psychic Phenomena, and Media Trickery: Cultic Differences in Hungary 6 The Gothic Milieu 7 Black and White Unite in Fight? On the Interaction Between Black and White Radical Racialists 8 The Idea of Purity: The Swedish Racist Counterculture, Animal Rights, and Environmental Protection 9 The Postwar Paths of Occult National Socialism: From Rockwell and Mandole to Manson 10 Thriving in a Cultic Milieu: The World Union of National Socialists, 1962-1992 11 The Modern Anti-Cult Movement in Historical Perspective 12 "Who Watches the Watchman?" Another Side to the Watchdog Groups

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Book SynopsisDrawing upon the author s three decades of work incomparative theology, this is a pertinent and comprehensiveintroduction to the field, which offers a clear guide to thereader, enabling them to engage in comparative study.Trade Review“This marvelous book should stand as an invitation to many. I very much hope that it is taken up.” (Harvard Theological Review, 1 April 2012) “In this context, Comparative Theology is a timely publication.” (Teaching Theology, 2012) "There is much to admire in this short but insightful book - not least the background that Clooney sketches: the genealogy of the term ‘comparative theology' and the summary of various contemporary comparativists, from Raimon Pannikkar, Robert Neville and Keith Ward to a whole school of younger scholars which is beginning to emerge, especially in the United States." (The Way,1 April 2011) "It's a fascinating book, all the same. I warmly recommend it ." (Theology, 1 March 2011) "Comparative Theology will be of interest to people looking for a method for interfaith dialogue that affirms the value of one's theological commitments and could serve well as a textbook for courses exploring interfaith theological discourse." (Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 1 January 2011) "But as this volume suggests, our interreligious milieu provides a new impetus not just for learning about our neighbors' faiths but learning from them. Francis X. Clooney, S.J., is a most trustworthy guide." (The National Catholic Weekly, September 2010) "Clooney's book thus provides an extremely needful, as well as accessible, contribution to the furthering of this developing discipline, and as such it is a very valuable piece of scholarship." (American Theological Inquiry, July 2010)Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments xi Part I Starting Points 1 1 Religious Diversity and Comparative Theology 3 Diversity around Us 4 Diversity within Us 6 Comparative Theology as a Response to Twenty-first-Century Religious Diversity 8 Distinguishing Comparative Theology from Related Disciplines 9 Comparative Theology and the Academic Study of Religions 12 Comparative Theology and Interreligious Dialogue 13 Comparative Theology and the Theology of Religions 14 Comparative Theology Autobiographically Grounded 16 On the Limits of This Book 19 Looking Ahead 22 2 In Generations Past: Some Ancestors to Today’s Comparative Theology 24 Comparative Theology and the Long History of Christian Interreligious Reflection 24 Western Jesuit Scholars in India 27 Comparative Theology as a Discipline (1699–) 30 A Moderate Criticism of Missionary Scholarship and the Older Comparative Theology 35 At the End of the Era 37 3 Comparative Theology Today 41 David Tracy 42 Keith Ward 43 Robert C. Neville 45 A Note on Raimon Panikkar 47 James Fredericks 49 New Directions 50 From Theory (Back) to Practice 52 Part II Doing Theology Comparatively 55 4 From Theory to Practice 57 The Practice of (Comparative) Religious Reading 57 Intelligent Reading 59 Commentary as a Religious Practice 60 Interreligious Commentary 63 Leaving Room for Other Readers and Their Readings 66 Necessarily Elite Choices 67 5 Getting Particular: A Christian Studies Hinduism 69 The Importance of Focus 69 (Self)Identifying This Particular Comparative Theologian 70 Making a Map, Marking the Field: Hinduism in Brief 70 Getting Particular: Mimamsa, Vedanta, and Srivaisnavism 74 Appreciating Similarities 75 Theistic Hinduism as a Useful and Comfortable Focus 77 Theology as a Hindu Discipline 78 Comparative Theology in Hinduism and Other Traditions 80 My Comparative Theology, Indebted to Hindu Theologies 83 6 “Learning to See”: Comparative Practice and the Widening of Theological Vision 87 Plenary Address at the Catholic Theology Society of America, 2003 88 Near a Goddess 88 Devi’s Beauty, Devi’s Pleasure 90 Rediscovering Mary 93 Mary and Her Son Jesus, through Muslim Eyes 96 Sojourner Truth’s Liberating God 99 All in Christ, but Still All 103 Vocation 105 After “Learning to See” 106 Part III The Fruits of Comparison 109 7 Theology After Comparison 111 Comparative Theology and the Larger Work of Theology 111 The Multiple Responsibilities of the Comparative Theologian 113 Some Theological Presuppositions Implicit in Comparative Theology 114 Comparative Theological Learning, in Particular 117 The Imago Dei and Our Destiny in Bliss 118 What “Narayana” Might Mean for the Christian 121 Encountering Goddesses 123 Comparative Theology and the Intensification of Devotion 125 Theology on a Smaller Scale 127 8 “God for Us” 128 “God for Us”: An Essay 128 A Verse, a Clue 129 What Hindus Thought about the Verse 130 Living the Verse 132 The Verse and Its Wider Context 133 An Aside on How to See God and on How God Wills to Be Seen 135 Noticing One’s First Citizenship: Reflection on Ignatian Insight and My Home Citizenship 139 What Ignatius Had to Say 140 Some Contemporary Views of the Intensification and Emptying of the Imagination in the Spiritual Exercises 143 Multiple Religious Belonging, Human but Also Divine 146 “God for Us” as Comparative Theology 151 9 Comparative Writer, Comparative Reader 154 The Comparative Theologian Transformed 155 The Comparative Theologian as Marginal Person 157 The Comparative Theologian’s New Community 160 Tasks and Opportunities for the Reader 162 Beyond This Book 164 Notes 166 Select Bibliography 172 Index 177

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