Religion and politics Books

Book SynopsisRussia''s Entangled Embrace traces the relationship between the Romanov state and the Armenian diaspora that populated Russia''s territorial fringes and navigated the tsarist empire''s metropolitan centers.By engaging the ongoing debates about imperial structures that were simultaneously symbiotic and hierarchically ordered, Stephen Badalyan Riegg helps us to understand how, for Armenians and some other subjects, imperial rule represented not hypothetical, clear-cut alternatives but simultaneous, messy realities. He examines why, and how, Russian architects of empire imagined Armenians as being politically desirable. These circumstances included the familiarity of their faith, perceived degree of social, political, or cultural integration, and their actual or potential contributions to the state''s varied priorities.Based on extensive research in the archives of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Yerevan, Russia''s Entangled Embrace reveals that the Russian goveTrade ReviewThis informative book offers a history of the place of Armenians within the tsarist empire in the long 19th century. It adds to a burgeoning scholarly literature on Russia as a multiethnic empire, drawing on careful archival research to sharpen the understanding of the ways in which the vast empire managed its remarkable diversity. * Choice *A must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Armenians or the Caucasus, of Russian domestic and nationalities policy, and of Russian foreign policy. Of interest to academic and general readers alike. * The Russian Review *Stephen Badalyan Riegg's case study of the Armenians within the Russian empire clearly demonstrates the fluidity and complexity of imperial policies and relationships. In so doing, this work provides a powerful illustration of the new imperial history's desire to understand empire as a myriad of tensions and inconsistencies, and challenges the reader to think comparatively about the relationships in a multi-ethnic empire. * The Middle Ground Journal *Armed with a rich arsenal of primary and secondary sources, Riegg methodically explains the evolution of this relationship from 1801 to 1914, which is not an easy feat. This careful study will make readers wonder how the Russo-Armenian relationship evolved from then on. * Slavic Review *Russia's Entangled Embrace will remain one of the foremost monographs on the synchro-nous development of Armenian nation-building and Russian empire-building in the South Caucasus, as well as a very good case study of the maintenance of rule in an empire's shattering multiethnic borderland on the eve of the First World War. * Comparativ *Stephen Riegg's work is a strong, pioneering contribution to the study of the Armenian community in imperial Russia. * Slavonic and East European Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Embrace of an Empire, 1801-1813 2. Armenians in the Russian Political Imagination, 1814-1829 3. Integration and Reorientation: Religious and Economic Challenges in 1830-1856 4. The Recalibration of Tsarist Policies toward Armenians inside and outside Russia 1857-1880 5. The Shining of the Sabers: Ebbing Symbiosis, Rising Strife, 1881-1895 6. Nadir and Normalization, 1896-1914 Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat explains differences in soldier participation in violence during irregular war? How do ordinary men become professional wielders of force, and when does this transformation falter or fail? Regular Soldiers, Irregular War presents a theoretical framework for understanding the various forms of behavior in which soldiers engage during counterinsurgency campaignscompliance and shirking, abuse and restraint, as well as the creation of new violent practices.Through an in-depth study of the Israeli Defense Forces'' repression of the Second Palestinian Intifada of 20002005, including in-depth interviews with and a survey of former combatants, Devorah Manekin examines how soldiers come both to unleash and to curb violence against civilians in a counterinsurgency campaign. Manekin argues that variation in soldiers'' behavior is best explained by the effectiveness of the control mechanisms put in place to ensure combatant violence reflects the strategies and preferences of mTrade ReviewThis is a well-written, notable contribution to military sociology and security studies. * Choice *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Production and Restraint of Military Violence 1. Participation in Counterinsurgency 2. Narrating Conflict and Violence: Ex-Combatant Accounts as Data 3. IDF Counterinsurgency in the Second Intifada 4. The Production of Strategic Violence 5. The Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Violence 6. The Production and Control of Opportunistic Violence 7. Beyond Israel: Counterinsurgent Violenceand Restraint in Comparative Perspective Conclusion: Violence and Restraint in Counterinsurgency

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen is a war a holy crusade? And when does theology cause Christians to condemn violence? In American Crusade, Benjamin Wetzel argues that the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World War I shared a cultural meaning for white Protestant ministers in the United States, who considered each conflict to be a modern-day crusade. American Crusade examines the holy war mentality prevalent between 1860 and 1920, juxtaposing mainline Protestant support for these wars with more hesitant religious voices: Catholics, German-speaking Lutherans, and African American Methodists. The specific theologies and social locations of these more marginal denominations made their ministries highly critical of the crusading mentality. Religious understandings of the nation, both in support of and opposed to armed conflict, played a major role in such ideological contestation. Wetzel''s book questions traditional periodizations and suggests that these three wars should Trade ReviewThis well-written, powerfully argued book demonstrates the almost incestuous link between politics, power, and religion. * Choice *American Crusade is a fascinating history about how Christian duty and patriotic citizenship became intertwined during the three major wars between 1860 and 1920. It is a multisided history that draws on counterexamples to show that while these were prevailing ideas of the time, they were also challenged and shaped by marginalized groups within the United States. * H-net *Overall, though, Wetzel's engaging book makes a convincing case that this was a distinctive era of Protestant thought, one in which the mainline sanctified the nation's military endeavors, but in the process, spurred other Christians to offer new visions of the nation. * AMERICAN CATHOLIC STUDIES *

Read more less

Book SynopsisEveryday Religiosity and the Politics of Belonging in Ukraine reveals how and why religion has become a pivotal political force in a society struggling to overcome the legacy of its entangled past with Russia and chart a new future. If Ukraine is ground zero in the tensions between Russia and the West, religion is an arena where the consequences of conflicts between Russia and Ukraine keenly play out. Vibrant forms of everyday religiosity pave the way for religion to be weaponized and securitized to advance political agendas in Ukraine and beyond. These practices, Catherine Wanner argues, enable religiosity to be increasingly present in public spaces, public institutions, and wartime politics in a pluralist society that claims to be secular. Based on ethnographic data and interviews conducted since before the Revolution of Dignity and the outbreak of armed combat in 2014, Wanner investigates the conditions that catapulted religiosity, religious insTrade ReviewWanner shines a light on the entanglement of religion and politics both during and after the revolution. * Choice *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOrder out of Chaos explains why Iraqis turned to the mosque after state collapse. In 2003, the US-led invasion of Iraq destroyed the Bathist state. Despite this the citizens of Basra established predictable routines of daily life and social order as the familiar and customary structures of state-imposed order collapsed. What enabled individuals in Basra to work together to produce order amid anarchy? The answer: the Friday mosque. A week after the regime fell, Shii imams introduced Friday congregational prayers and associated sermons for the first time in most places since the 1950s. These sermons facilitated the spread of common knowledge and coordination, both locally and nationally, and contributed to the emergence of a relatively cohesive imagined community of Iraqi Shia that came to dominate Iraq''s political order.Combining rational choice approaches, ethnographic understanding, and GIS analysis, David Siddhartha Patel reveals the interconnecTable of Contents1. Order, Authority, and Identity 2. The Sanctions-Era Roots of Postinvasion Developments 3. Collapse 4. The Emergence of Local Orders 5. The Geography of Order 6. Ayatollahs' Networks and National Authority 7. The Limits of Sunni Religious Authority 8. Beyond Basra and Beyond Sermons

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen American evangelicals flocked to Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe in the late twentieth century to fulfill their Biblical mandate for global evangelism, their experiences abroad led them to engage more deeply in foreign policy activism at home. Lauren Frances Turek tracks these trends and illuminates the complex and significant ways in which religion shaped America''s role in the lateCold War world. In To Bring the Good News to All Nations, she examines the growth and influence of Christian foreign policy lobbying groups in the United States beginning in the 1970s, assesses the effectiveness of Christian efforts to attain foreign aid for favored regimes, and considers how those same groups promoted the imposition of economic and diplomatic sanctions on those nations that stifled evangelism.Using archival materials from both religious and government sources, To Bring the Good News to All Nations links the development of evangelical foreTrade ReviewThis work is a welcome addition to the growing literature on religion and US foreign policy. * Choice *To Bring the Good News to All Nations is a thoughtful, lucidly written study of how activist networks are built and exert influence at the nexus of international and domestic politics. The book adeptly treats conservative evangelicals and their beliefs with sensitivity even while still evaluating them critically, providing a model for other scholars interested in similar topics. * Passport *Lauren Frances Turek's 2020 study, To Bring the Good News to All Nations, provides the basis for a more complete and accurate assessment of the inspirations, aims, and achievements of the movement. * First Things *Well researched, insightful, and solidly documented, To Bring Good News to All Nations is a significant scholarly achievement. * International Journal of Frontier Missiology *[T]his volume, which is richly researched and well organized, is a timely and valuable contribution to existing studies on the American Christian Right. * Idées d'Amériques *Lauren Frances Turek's new book is a welcome addition to the growing literature on evangelical Christianity and U.S. foreing relations. * The Review of Faith & International Afffairs *Lauren Turek's To Bring the Good News to All Nations is a welcome contribution to the burgeoning subfield of the religious history of U.S. foreign relations, bringing to light the poorly understood contours of white U.S. evangelical engagement with U.S. foreign policy in the 1970s and 1980s. With impressively detailed and careful archival, textual, and other media-related research, Turek breaks clichés, unlocks impasses, and fills misleading silences in conventional narratives of the rise of the Religious Right. * Church History *Turek succeeds in demonstrating how powerful evangelical networks influenced U.S. foreign policy. The book provides an important analysis of the development of evangelical human rights that is becoming even more relevant as the inheritors of this tradition have taken charge of the State Department. Turek's analysis also suggests the ways that a globally-focused Cold War politics defined white U.S. evangelicalism. * Diplomatic History *Extensively researched and well-written, To Bring the Good News to All Nations makes a convincing case for the role of American evangelicals in international affairs. [T]he book is a wide-ranging work that greatly adds to our understanding of the role of religion in the last two decades of the Cold War. * Religion, State & Society *[The book] is a deeply researched, cogently argued, and utterly compelling study of conservative Protestant 'influence' on American foreign policy. Turek's work is an important reminder to historians of religion that state power, political economy, and international exchange are never absent from religion's work in the world. * Religion *Turek is careful to show that U.S. evangelicals were not mere promoters of American interests overseas. Neither did they always speak in one voice. Turek's book invites readers to take a critical look at the present and future of evangelical human rights advocacy. * The Review of Faith and International Affairs *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Defining and Defending Rights 1. A Global Shift in Missionary Christianity 2. The Communications Revolution And Evangelical Internationalism 3. Religious Freedom and the New Evangelical Foreign Policy Lobby 4. Fighting Religious Persecution behind the Iron Curtain 5. Supporting a "Brother in Christ" in Guatemala 6. The Challenge of South African Apartheid Conclusion: Evangelical Foreign Policy Activism Ascendant

Read more less

Book SynopsisLiminal Minorities addresses the question of why some religious minorities provoke the ire of majoritarian groups and become targets of organized violence, even though they lack significant power and pose no political threat. Günes Murat Tezcür argues that these faith groups are stigmatized across generations, as they lack theological recognition and social acceptance from the dominant religious group. Religious justifications of violence have a strong mobilization power when directed against liminal minorities, which makes these groups particularly vulnerable to mass violence during periods of political change.Offering the first comparative-historical study of mass atrocities against religious minorities in Muslim societies, Tezcür focuses on two case studiesthe Islamic State''s genocidal attacks against the Yezidis in northern Iraq in the 2010s and massacres of Alevis in Turkey in the 1970s and 1990swhile also addressing discrimination and violence agai

Read more less

Book SynopsisIs religion a source of political stability and social continuity, or an agent of radical change? This question, so central to contemporary conversations about religion and extremism, has generated varied responses over the last century. Taking Jewish and Islamic education as its objects of inquiry, Mandatory Separation sheds light on the contours of this debate in Palestine during the formative period of British rule, detailing how colonial, Zionist, and Palestinian-Muslim leaders developed competing views of the form and function of religious education in an age of mass politics. Drawing from archival records, school syllabi, textbooks, newspapers, and personal narratives, Suzanne Schneider argues that the British Mandatory government supported religious education as a supposed antidote to nationalist passions at the precise moment when the administrative, pedagogic, and curricular transformation of religious schooling rendered it a vital tool for Zionist and Palestinian leaders. This study of their policies and practices illuminates the tensions, similarities, and differences among these diverse educational and political philosophies, revealing the lasting significance of these debates for thinking about religion and political identity in the modern Middle East.Trade Review"Mandatory Separation sheds welcome light on a crucial aspect of the British Mandate for Palestine, education for mass politics among both Jews and Muslims. Through this discussion, Suzanne Schneider exposes some of the essential foundations for the decades of conflict in Palestine and Israel that have followed. An important and timely work."—Rashid Khalidi, Columbia University"Brilliantly weaving together British, Zionist, and Palestinian Arab sources, Suzanne Schneider reveals the roots of national politics in the continuities, disjunctures, and struggles among the educators and reformers who saw the schools of Palestine as ground zero in their efforts to construct the ideal modern citizen. Mandatory Separation shows that the intertwining of religion and national politics in Israel/Palestine today is neither new nor eternal."—Liora R. Halperin, University of Washington"The book's novelty lies in its inclusion of education in [its] analytical framework, seeking to examine how two separate national communities operated under and interacted with the same system. Schneider reveals how, instead of promoting understanding, British colonial educational policy adopted and promoted a mandatory separation between the two communities....The book is articulate, straightforward and fun to read—a must read for scholars of the Palestine Mandate, the Zionist-Palestinian conflict, and British colonial history."—Yoni Furas, Middle East Journal"Schneider's book provides a compelling case study of how "religion" was defined and produced in a semi-colonial context in Palestine, and how those efforts connected with earlier labors concerning Judaism in Europe and Islam in the Levant. She also effectively argues that despite the determined portrayal in archival documents of religions as known, stable, and fixed categories, the reality in Palestine was that "religion," and specifically "Judaism" and "Islam," continued to escape and confound fixity. Her focus on education helps elucidate how "religious education" was produced as a particular category of knowledge, in which direct, unmediated access to scripture for the purpose of understanding its edifying moral lessons was privileged over studying the exegetical traditions."—Andrea Stanton, Reading Religion"In Mandatory Separation: Religion, Education, and Mass Politics in Palestine, Suzanne Schneider astutely identifies an underexplored set of questions regarding the nature, political aims, and internal contradictions of British Mandate education policy...Adding to an important body of literature, Mandatory Separation offers new ways of understanding questions of economy, education, and settler colonialism in the study of British Mandate Palestine."—Hanna Alshaikh, Journal of Palestine StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Politics of Denial 1. Religious Education in the Modern Age 2. Educational Modernity in Palestine 3. Education and Community under Sectarian Rule 4. New Schooling for an "Old" Order 5. The Boundaries of Religious Knowledge 6. Border Clashes Conclusion: The Invisible Cross

Read more less

Book SynopsisLess and less Christian demographically, America is now home to an ever-larger number of people who say they identify with no religion at all. These non-Christians have increasingly been demanding their full participation in public life, bringing their arguments all the way to the Supreme Court. The law is on their side, but that doesn't mean that their attempts are not met with suspicion or outright hostility. In Our Non-Christian Nation, Jay Wexler travels the country to engage the non-Christians who have called on us to maintain our ideals of inclusivity and diversity. With his characteristic sympathy and humor, he introduces us to the Summum and their Seven Aphorisms, a Wiccan priestess who would deck her City Hall with a pagan holiday wreath, and other determined champions of free religious expression. As Wexler reminds us, anyone who cares about pluralism, equality, and fairness should support a public square filled with a variety of religious and nonreligious voices. The stakes are nothing short of long-term social peace.Trade Review"Timely, trenchant, and tremendously engaging, Our Non-Christian Nation is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the contemporary battles over religion's role in our national politics and culture." -- Phil Zuckerman * author of Living the Secular Life *"In this brilliantly erudite and hugely entertaining romp through recent religious and legal history, Jay Wexler shows why, as our country becomes more religiously diverse, non-Christians need to get their voices heard and Christians need to help repair the wall between church and state. A marvelous read." -- Michael Shermer * Skeptic magazine *"What would it mean to take seriously the idea of religious diversity in the public sphere? Jay Wexler tells the stories of Wiccans, Muslims, and other religious and non-religious groups outside the mainstream who show what existing constitutional doctrine means in practice. The picture he paints provokes us to think differently about what that doctrine should be." -- Mark Tushnet * Harvard Law School *"In this fine book, Jay Wexler urges humanists, atheists, Satanists, and members of minority religious traditions to take advantage of a fascinating new phenomenon: the opening of public space to a variety of beliefs and institutions. His compelling account of 'belief' in public life will be of interest to the deeply religious as well as those who cringe at the very thought of religion. I highly recommend it." -- Anthony B. Pinn * author of Humanism: Essays on Race, Religion and Cultural Production *"A zesty, opinionated assessment of how non-Christians should actually behave....With curiosity and openness, Wexler performs the action that he advocates: that is, making heard a 'cacophony' of voices in public life so that different viewpoints get brought to the fore." -- Dan Friedman * Los Angeles Review of Books *"A fascinating read, and a wonderfully hopeful one...For anyone who feels marginalized as a pagan, nonbeliever, or just not a Christian, it's a manifesto for effective and often hilarious resistance." -- Houston Chronicle"Wexler...has made a timely, at times funny, and compelling piece of reportage looking at a variety of religious groups, as well as a strong argument for the importance of a pluralistic society." -- The Boston Globe"[T]his book was written for the general public, which often struggles to understand the jurisprudence surrounding religious freedom. Even professors of religious studies often need help in this area....Wexler's writing makes this book ideal for getting undergraduates interested in these issues." -- Joseph Laycock * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *"[An] artfully presented, quite accessible, guide to major legal issues faced by minority faiths in America...recommended for all interested in such topics." -- James T. Richardson * Nova Religio *"Wexler's greatest strength is his ability to describe current case law in readily digestible terms, making his work an ideal resource for undergraduates interested in religion and American politics. . .[T]his work can serve as an ideal entry point into important classroom conversations regarding the place of religions, especially minorities, in American law, as well as how both public and legal discourses have shaped the role of religion in American life." -- Savannah Finver * Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsIntroduction chapter abstractThis chapter presents the main themes, issues, and arguments of the book. After an opening vignette describing the efforts of the Satanic Temple to erect a veterans monument in a small Minnesota town, the chapter introduces the First Amendment, particularly the Establishment Clause and the concept of separation of church and state as set out by the Supreme Court. It traces demographic changes in the country's religious makeup that have rendered the nation far less Christian and more secular than at previous times in its history. After a discussion of the issue of defining religion, the chapter sets forth the book's primary argument—namely, that a religiously diverse public square is preferable to one dominated by Christianity. One: Mummies, Monuments, and Monotheism: Religious Displays as Government Speech chapter abstractThis chapter discusses the constitutional doctrine of government speech under the First Amendment as it relates to the erection of religious monuments on public property. It does so, first, by describing and evaluating cases concerning the constitutionality of various Ten Commandments monuments under the Establishment Clause, and particularly the case of Van Orden v. Perry, which upheld such a monument on the grounds of the Texas Capitol. The chapter goes on to discuss the ultimately unsuccessful efforts of the small religious group known as the Summum, located in Salt Lake City, to have a Utah town erect a monument to its "Seven Aphorisms" in a park next to the community's Ten Commandments monument. The author's trip to visit the Summum and understand its mummification practices is described. Two: Pagans, Pentacles, and Pluralism: Religious Displays in the Public Forum chapter abstractThis chapter contrasts the government speech doctrine discussed in chapter 1 with the more minority-friendly First Amendment free speech doctrine known as the designated public forum. Under this doctrine, if the government designates a part of its property for private speech, including religious speech, it may not exclude speech on the basis of the viewpoint that is expressed by that speech. After explaining the doctrine, the chapter describes the successful efforts of Pagans and Wiccans, under the leadership of Wiccan priestess Selena Fox and through litigation brought by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow Pagans buried in national cemeteries to have pentacles displayed on their headstones. The chapter also describes the author's visit to Fox's Circle Sanctuary in Wisconsin to participate in a Veterans Day event. Three: Secularism, Statehouses, and School Boards: Prayers and Invocations before Government Bodies chapter abstractThis chapter investigates the historical practice of prayer-giving before legislatures and other government bodies, as well as the Supreme Court's treatment of the practice in, most recently, the case of Town of Greece v. Galloway. Under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the Court has held that legislative prayer and other religious invocations before government bodies are constitutional so long as the government has a policy of antidiscrimination—i.e., it will not discriminate on the basis of religion when inviting or allowing people to pray before meetings. The chapter investigates specifically the invocation given before the monthly town meeting of the Town of Greece (New York) by an Atheist who had previously sued the town unsuccessfully. The author's trip to witness this invocation is described. Four: The Satanic Temple: Taking It to a Whole 'Nother Level chapter abstractThis chapter takes an in-depth look at the key player in the phenomenon described in the book, namely the Satanic Temple. The chapter provides a brief history of Satanism, including a discussion of the Romantic Satanists, a literary movement in the eighteenth century that was the first to recover the symbol of Satan as a positive figure. The chapter also discusses the rise of the Church of Satan in the Bay Area in the 1960s, as well as the so-called Satanic Panic of the 1980s, in which people were wrongly accused of crimes committed in the name of Satan. The chapter then relates the history and doctrine of the Satanic Temple and describes its efforts to give legislative invocations and place monuments on public property (including its nine-foot-tall bronze monument to Baphomet). Five: Muslims, Money, and Middle Schools: Government Funding of Religion chapter abstractThis chapter investigates the issue of government funding of religion. After a brief foray into the Establishment Clause in this area, including a discussion of the important voucher school case Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, the chapter describes how some minority religious groups such as the Unification Church and the Church of Scientology have received public funding for their programs. The chapter also relates how Christian legislators in several states have objected to the inclusion of Islamic schools in their proposed voucher programs and then investigates these Islamic schools through the author's trip to the Al-Iman School in North Carolina. Six: Atheists, the Antichrist, and After-School Clubs: Religious Activities in the Public Schools chapter abstractThis chapter concerns the activities of religious groups in the public schools, one of the most controversial issues in church-state law, given the importance of these schools to the formation of future citizens. At the outset, the chapter explains the First Amendment law governing this area, including cases about teaching alternatives to evolution in the biology curriculum. Next, the chapter examines a series of cases in which the Supreme Court has held that if public schools open their facilities to after-school clubs, they may not exclude religious clubs, such as Good News Clubs, from using those facilities. After laying out the law, the chapter then examines efforts by Atheists, the Satanic Temple, and others to distribute religious literature and to start their own after-school clubs in the public schools. Conclusion: Conclusion chapter abstractThe concluding chapter begins with a brief recap of the four key descriptive points that the book has advanced and then proceeds to argue that the movement to increase minority participation in American public life is one that should be celebrated and continued. Specifically, the chapter argues that a religiously cacophonous public square is preferable to an entirely Christian one because it is more consistent with American ideals of free expression and diversity of ideas as enshrined in the First Amendment, because it may promote a more educated citizenry with regard to religion, and because this improved education may result in greater social peace. The chapter also considers potential counter-arguments and pitfalls of encouraging an increased role for religion in the public square, including the possibility that anti-liberal or parody organizations will seek to participate in public life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPracticing Sectarianism explores the imaginative and contradictory ways that people live sectarianism. The book's essays use the concept as an animating principle within a variety of sites across Lebanon and its diasporas and over a range of historical periods. With contributions from historians and anthropologists, this volume reveals the many ways sectarianism is used to exhibit, imagine, or contest power: What forms of affective pull does it have on people and communities? What epistemological work does it do as a concept? How does it function as a marker of social difference? Examining social interaction, each essay analyzes how people experience sectarianism, sometimes pushing back, sometimes evading it, sometimes deploying it strategically, to a variety of effects and consequences. The collection advances an understanding of sectarianism simultaneously constructed and experienced, a slippery and changeable concept with material effects. And even as the book's focus is Lebanon, its analysis fractures the association of sectarianism with the nation-state and suggests possibilities that can travel to other sites. Practicing Sectarianism, taken as a whole, argues that sectarianism can only be fully understood—and dismantled—if we first take it seriously as a practice.Trade Review"Bringing together a set of brilliant reflections on the landscapes of everyday sectarianism in Lebanon, Practicing Sectarianism will be an invaluable resource for anthropologists, historians, and all those interested in the making and meanings of community in the modern Middle East and beyond. A truly splendid book."—Andrew Arsan, University of Cambridge"This ambitious volume puzzles through the everyday lives of sectarianism to offer exciting, and at times counter-intuitive, findings about this complex discourse of power and identity. Bringing together top anthropologists and historians, Practicing Sectarianism draws on the best of both disciplines to reframe the question of sect and sectarianism in Lebanon and beyond."—Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, Northwestern University"Practicing Sectarianism subtly kills the concept that won't die, situating sectarianism at once in material reality and in dynamic social construction. Provocative, incisive, grounded in lived realities, the book delivers a powerful antidote to those who see Lebanon simplistically through the lens of religion. A necessary read."—Suad Joseph, University of California, Davis"A crucial criticism of the everyday practices and discrepant experiences of sectarianism by a range of brilliant scholars."—Ussama Makdisi, Rice UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Practicing Sectarianism in Lebanon —Lara Deeb, Tsolin Nalbantian, and Nadya Sbaiti 1. No Room for This Story: Education and the Limits of Sectarianism during the Mandate Era —Nadya Sbaiti 2. Negotiating Citizenship: Shi'i Families and the Ja'fari Shari'a Courts —Linda Sayed 3. The Archive Is Burning: Law, Unknowability, and the Curation of History —Maya Mikdashi 4. Donating in the Name of the Nation: Charity, Sectarianism, and the Mahjar —Reem Bailony 5. Along and beyond Sect? Olfactory Aesthetics and Rum Orthodox Identity —Roxana Maria Arãs 6. From Murder in New York to Salvation from Beirut: Armenian Intrasectarianism —Tsolin Nalbantian 7. Inequality and Identity: Social Class, Urban Space, and Sect —Joanne Randa Nucho 8. When Exposure Is Not Enough: Sectarianism as a Response to Mixed Marriage —Lara Deeb

Read more less

Book SynopsisPracticing Sectarianism explores the imaginative and contradictory ways that people live sectarianism. The book's essays use the concept as an animating principle within a variety of sites across Lebanon and its diasporas and over a range of historical periods. With contributions from historians and anthropologists, this volume reveals the many ways sectarianism is used to exhibit, imagine, or contest power: What forms of affective pull does it have on people and communities? What epistemological work does it do as a concept? How does it function as a marker of social difference? Examining social interaction, each essay analyzes how people experience sectarianism, sometimes pushing back, sometimes evading it, sometimes deploying it strategically, to a variety of effects and consequences. The collection advances an understanding of sectarianism simultaneously constructed and experienced, a slippery and changeable concept with material effects. And even as the book's focus is Lebanon, its analysis fractures the association of sectarianism with the nation-state and suggests possibilities that can travel to other sites. Practicing Sectarianism, taken as a whole, argues that sectarianism can only be fully understood—and dismantled—if we first take it seriously as a practice.Trade Review"Bringing together a set of brilliant reflections on the landscapes of everyday sectarianism in Lebanon, Practicing Sectarianism will be an invaluable resource for anthropologists, historians, and all those interested in the making and meanings of community in the modern Middle East and beyond. A truly splendid book."—Andrew Arsan, University of Cambridge"This ambitious volume puzzles through the everyday lives of sectarianism to offer exciting, and at times counter-intuitive, findings about this complex discourse of power and identity. Bringing together top anthropologists and historians, Practicing Sectarianism draws on the best of both disciplines to reframe the question of sect and sectarianism in Lebanon and beyond."—Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, Northwestern University"Practicing Sectarianism subtly kills the concept that won't die, situating sectarianism at once in material reality and in dynamic social construction. Provocative, incisive, grounded in lived realities, the book delivers a powerful antidote to those who see Lebanon simplistically through the lens of religion. A necessary read."—Suad Joseph, University of California, Davis"A crucial criticism of the everyday practices and discrepant experiences of sectarianism by a range of brilliant scholars."—Ussama Makdisi, Rice University"The volume as a whole is crucial for Middle East collections and highly beneficial for all study of contemporary sectarianism. Essential."—K. Tölölyan, CHOICETable of ContentsIntroduction: Practicing Sectarianism in Lebanon —Lara Deeb, Tsolin Nalbantian, and Nadya Sbaiti 1. No Room for This Story: Education and the Limits of Sectarianism during the Mandate Era —Nadya Sbaiti 2. Negotiating Citizenship: Shi'i Families and the Ja'fari Shari'a Courts —Linda Sayed 3. The Archive Is Burning: Law, Unknowability, and the Curation of History —Maya Mikdashi 4. Donating in the Name of the Nation: Charity, Sectarianism, and the Mahjar —Reem Bailony 5. Along and beyond Sect? Olfactory Aesthetics and Rum Orthodox Identity —Roxana Maria Arãs 6. From Murder in New York to Salvation from Beirut: Armenian Intrasectarianism —Tsolin Nalbantian 7. Inequality and Identity: Social Class, Urban Space, and Sect —Joanne Randa Nucho 8. When Exposure Is Not Enough: Sectarianism as a Response to Mixed Marriage —Lara Deeb

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the most enigmatic figures in history, Nostradamus - apothecary, astrologer and soothsayer - is a continual source of fascination. Indeed, his predictions are so much the stock-in-trade of the wildest merchants of imminent Doom that one could be forgiven for forgetting that Michel de Nostredame, 1503-1566, was a figure firmly rooted in the society of the French Renaissance. In this bold new account of the life and work of Nostradamus, Denis Crouzet shows that any attempt to interpret his Prophecies at face value is misguided. Nostradamus was not trying to predict the future. He saw himself, rather, as 'prophesying', i.e. bringing the Word of God to humankind. Like Rabelais, for whom laughter was a therapy to help one cope with the misery of the times, Nostradamus thought of himself as a physician of the soul as much as of the body. His unveiling of the menacing and horrendous events which await us in the future was a way of frightening his readers into the realisation that inner hatred was truly the greatest peril of all, to which the sole remedy was to live in the love and peace of Christ. This inspired interpretation penetrates the imaginative world of Nostradamus, a man whose life is as mysterious as his writings. It shows him in a completely new dimension, securing for him a significant place among the major thinkers of the Renaissance.Trade Review"This study by the distinguished historian of Renaissance France, Denis Crouzet, is a milestone in studies of Nostradamus for two reasons: its attention to the sixteenth century context of the prophecies, and its 'anti-interpretation', arguing that the meaning of the texts 'is always left hanging in the air'."Peter Burke, University of Cambridge "In this very subtle and thought-provoking book Denis Crouzet makes sense of Nostradamus precisely by accepting his deliberate obscurity. The extraordinary violence and disquieting imagery of his quatrains can be compared with the paintings of Bosch, portraying a world turned upside down where sin and cruelty presage divine punishment. Crouzet skillfully weaves this into a broader understanding of the spiritual and emotional imaginary of the Reformation era, when all old certainties seemed to be melting down, amidst terrifying human savagery."Robin Briggs, All Souls College, University of OxfordTable of ContentsTranslator�s Preface Introduction. Fragments of History 1. The Place Beyond Words 2. A Self-Contradictory Utterance 3. Treasures Beneath an Oak Tree 4. A Would-Be Astrophile 5. Thresholds Dependant on Subjectivity 6. An Evangelist Cogito 7. �For the Common Profit of Mankind� 8. �A Burning Mirror� 9. Divine Light 10. From the All to the One 11. The Word of Creation 12. An Episteme of Reason 13. Sacredness and Nothingness 14. The Energetics of Obscurity 15. Powers of Evil 16. Man Against Man 17. All the Sins of the World 18. The Horror that Invites Horror 19. Faith: Trial and Tribulations 20. From Alpha to Omega 21. The Philology of Angst 22. The Panic Paradox 23. The Eschataology of the Rainbow 24. The Ontological Turn 25. Liberty in Christ By Way of Conclusion: Why Nostradamus? Notes Chronology Sources and Bibliography

Read more less

Book Synopsis Teresa Forcades, Spanish Benedictine nun, theologian, physician and political activist, is one of Europe’s leading radical thinkers. Marrying her Catholic faith with a passion for social justice, she came to prominence for her eloquent condemnation of the abuses of some of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies. She has gone on to found a leading Catalonian anti-capitalist independence movement and is one of the leading voices in the world today against the injustices of capitalism and the patriarchy of modern society and of her own church. In Faith and Freedom, her first book written in English, she skilfully weaves together her personal experiences with a reflection on morality, religion and politics to give a trenchant account of how the Christian faith can be a dynamic force for radical change. Placing herself in a powerful tradition of Catholic social doctrine and Liberation Theology, she applies her perspective to the issues most precious to her: freedom and love, social justice and political engagement, public health, feminism, faith and forgiveness. Structured around the five canonical hours that give its peculiar rhythm to the monastic day, this book is a thoughtful and bold polemic against the exploitation and injustice of the status quo. Its call for liberty, love and justice will resonate with anyone disaffected with a savage and destructive political and economic system that marginalises and murders the poor and undermines the very fabric of social life.Trade Review“Teresa Forcades offers a lucid and inspiring reflection on the mutually enriching relationship between contemplation and action, the spiritual and the political, faith and feminism. Structuring her book around the liturgy of the hours, she shows how the Christian life can be lived in a way that is deeply rooted in prayer and tradition, but also radically engaged with the contemporary world.”Tina Beattie, University of Roehampton “Sister Teresa's meditations, gracefully woven out of the daily Benedictine cycle of prayer, confront some of the most profound personal challenges of contemporary life. Let noone say that the religious life is a-political: Sister Teresa combines fearless intellectual analysis, radical resistance to injustice, and an unwavering commitment to the mystery and power of Christian forgiveness.” Sarah Coakley, University of Cambridge “Eye-opening and invigorating, Faith and Freedom demonstrates the power of faith combined with inquiry.”Foreword Reviews"Forcades' book, her first in English, may be brief at just over a hundred pages, but with nearly every sentence containing a bit of wisdom, it requires a contemplative reading. If a reader gives the book the time it deserves, however, they will be richly rewarded."Bob Shine, Vice President of the Women's Ordination ConferenceTable of ContentsIntroductionChapter 1MATINS: LOVE AND FREEDOMthe biblical genesis and the Enuma Elish / creation vs. emanation / tzimtzum and perichorese / Augustine’s notion of freedomChapter 2LAUDS: SOCIAL JUSTICEliberation theology / the case of Guatemala / a critique of capitalism / my political experienceChapter 3SEXT: PUBLIC HEALTHpublic health systems / privatization and the WHO / the undue influence of pharmaceutical companies / medicalizationChapter 4RECREATION: FEMINISMmy experience of femininity and of feminism / the mother as object of desire / sexism in today’s society / feminist theologyChapter 5VESPERS: FAITHfaith and reason / the gospel of Judas / Gertrude of Helfta / María Jesús of ÁgredaChapter 6COMPLINE: FORGIVENESSthe testimony of a monastic sister / Lacan’s subject vs. the Christian person / Jesus’ parables / forgiveness and freedom

Read more less

Book SynopsisAdonis� influence on Arabic literature has been likened to that of T. S. Eliot in the English-speaking world. Yet alongside this spearheading of a modernist literary revolution, the secular Syrian-born poet is also renowned for his persistent and staunch attacks on despotism across the Arab world. In these conversations with the psychoanalyst Houria Abdelouahed, Adonis brings into sharp relief the latest wave of violence and war to engulf Arabic countries, tracing the cause of ongoing tensions back to the beginnings of Islam itself. Since the death of the prophet Muhammad, Islam has been used as a political and economic weapon, exploiting and reinforcing tribal divisions to aid the pursuit of power. Adonis argues that recent events in the Middle East – from the failures of the Arab Spring to the rise of ISIS and the bloody war in his native Syria – attest to the destructive effects of an Islamic worldview that prohibits any notion of plurality and breeds violence. If there is to be any hope of peace or progress in the Arab world, it is therefore imperative that these mentalities are overcome. In their place, Adonis urges a new spirit of enquiry, embodied in the freedoms to interrogate the past and to question cultural norms. Adonis� penetrating analysis comes at a critical time, offering an alternative path to the cycle of violence that plagues the Arab world today. Trade Review�Today�s most daring and provocative Arab poet.� Edward Said �The Arab world's greatest living poet.� New York Times �Faith is like love, Adonis tells us; it falls within personal experience. Violence and Islam explores a multiplicity of modern interpretations that give rise to forms of faith and forms of barbarity. Adonis, in his powerful secular voice, here again proves why he is one of the most important literary figures of our times.' V.S. NaipaulTable of ContentsForeword A Spring without Swallows The Necessity of Rereading: History and Identity Rethinking the Fundamentals What does the foundational text say? Women and the windings of the Text Beyond Economic and Geopolitical Interests: The Drives The West: Passionately, Madly Art, Myth, Religion Poetry between Language and Precept Beyond Al-Kit b How to Conclude? A Last Word Against essentialism The notion of progress in the Islamic conception of man and the world Glossary Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisGod is dead, but his presence lives on in politics. This is the problem of political theology: the way that theological ideas find their way into secular political institutions, particularly the sovereign state. In this intellectual tour-de-force, leading political theorist Saul Newman shows how political theology arose alongside secularism, and relates to the problem of legitimising power and authority in modernity. It is not about the power of religion so much as about the religion of power. Examining the current crisis of the liberal order, he argues that recent phenomena such as the rise of populism, the renewed demand for strong national sovereignty and the return of religious fundamentalism may be understood through this paradigm. He illustrates his argument through an exploration of themes such as sovereignty, democracy, economics, technology, ecological catastrophe, messianism and the future of radical politics, engaging with thinkers ranging from Schmitt and Hobbes to Stirner, Foucault, and Agamben. This book will be a crucial text for all students, scholars and general readers interested in the meaning and significance of political theology for political theory.Trade Review"In Saul Newman's book, the concepts of political theology and secularization illuminate each other, opening an original perspective on contemporary reality. Rather than opposites, they form a single problematic figure revolving around the enigma of sovereignty. From Marx to Schmitt, from Loewith to Blumenberg, from Habermas to Derrida - the entirety of contemporary philosophy is originally reinterpreted through the political-theological paradigm."—Roberto Esposito "This is an innovative look at a subject we all thought that we understood already (but we didn’t). Newman makes a bold and original pitch to show how we turn our back on the theological at our peril."—James Martel, San Francisco State UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements vii Introduction 1 1 The Politico-Theological Problem 21 2 Max Stirner and the Ghosts of the Secular Modern 44 3 God Is Unconscious: Psychoanalysis and Political Theology 62 4 Auctoritas non veritas: On the Sovereign 83 5 Pastoral Power and Political Spirituality: Foucault and Political Theology 110 6 Economic Theology 131 7 Conclusion: The Politics of the Profane 154 Notes 176 References 182 Index 192

Read more less

Book SynopsisGod is dead, but his presence lives on in politics. This is the problem of political theology: the way that theological ideas find their way into secular political institutions, particularly the sovereign state. In this intellectual tour-de-force, leading political theorist Saul Newman shows how political theology arose alongside secularism, and relates to the problem of legitimising power and authority in modernity. It is not about the power of religion so much as about the religion of power. Examining the current crisis of the liberal order, he argues that recent phenomena such as the rise of populism, the renewed demand for strong national sovereignty and the return of religious fundamentalism may be understood through this paradigm. He illustrates his argument through an exploration of themes such as sovereignty, democracy, economics, technology, ecological catastrophe, messianism and the future of radical politics, engaging with thinkers ranging from Schmitt and Hobbes to Stirner, Foucault, and Agamben. This book will be a crucial text for all students, scholars and general readers interested in the meaning and significance of political theology for political theory.Trade Review"In Saul Newman's book, the concepts of political theology and secularization illuminate each other, opening an original perspective on contemporary reality. Rather than opposites, they form a single problematic figure revolving around the enigma of sovereignty. From Marx to Schmitt, from Loewith to Blumenberg, from Habermas to Derrida - the entirety of contemporary philosophy is originally reinterpreted through the political-theological paradigm."—Roberto Esposito "This is an innovative look at a subject we all thought that we understood already (but we didn’t). Newman makes a bold and original pitch to show how we turn our back on the theological at our peril."—James Martel, San Francisco State UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements vii Introduction 1 1 The Politico-Theological Problem 21 2 Max Stirner and the Ghosts of the Secular Modern 44 3 God Is Unconscious: Psychoanalysis and Political Theology 62 4 Auctoritas non veritas: On the Sovereign 83 5 Pastoral Power and Political Spirituality: Foucault and Political Theology 110 6 Economic Theology 131 7 Conclusion: The Politics of the Profane 154 Notes 176 References 182 Index 192

Read more less

Book SynopsisChristianity is often assumed to be pro-capitalist and socially conservative – in short, necessarily aligned with the political Right. But can this be straightforwardly true of a religion founded by a figure who drew his early followers from among the poor and downtrodden and spoke against the accumulation of earthly riches? In this book, Anthony A.J. Williams shows that this assumption is far from correct by giving an introductory overview of a tradition of socialist and radical Christianity that can be traced back to the communal ownership described in the Acts of the Apostles. Focusing on modern Christian Left movements, from Christian Socialism and the social gospel to liberation theology and red-letter Christianity, Williams examines the major challenges faced by the Christian Left today, both from within Christianity itself and from the secular Left. Does the Bible and Christian theology really support collectivism and universal equality? Can Christian radicalism remain viable in an age of identity politics? This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the relationship between religion and politics.Trade Review‘This is a wonderfully comprehensive introduction to the very diverse landscape of Christian political radicalism over the last hundred and fifty years. Its global scope is especially valuable, as is its clear analysis of the tensions between much of the contemporary political Left, with its strong involvement in identity politics, and the traditions of Christian socialism, which is more preoccupied with solidarity. A candid, well-researched and timely study.’Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury ‘A fine, readable, well-resourced and wide-ranging introduction to the spectrum of radical and socialist Christian thought.’Revd Canon Dr Jeremy Morris, former Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge“A valuable resource […] readable, passionate, and accessible.” Church TimesTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Spirit of Brotherhood: Foundations of British Christian Socialism 2 Identity Crisis: Christian Socialism in Post-War Britain 3 A Hostile Environment: Religious Socialism in Europe 4 What Would Jesus Do? Social Gospel and Socialism in the United States 5 Moral Minority: The Christian Left in the Age of the Christian Right 6 Preferential Option for the Poor: Liberation Theology in Latin America 7 Liberty to the Captives: Liberation Theology Across the World 8 Where Next for the Christian Left?Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the most intriguing, and disturbing, aspects of history is that most people in early modern Europe believed in the reality and dangers of witchcraft. Most historians have described the witchcraft phenomenon as one of tremendous violence. In France, dozens of books, pamphets and tracts, depicting witchcraft as the most horrible of crimes, were published and widely distributed. Yet, in his new book, The Crime of Crimes: Demonology and Politics in France, 1560-1620, Jonathan Pearl shows that France carried out relatively few executions for witchcraft. Through careful research he shows that a zealous Catholic faction identified the Protestant rebels as traitors and heretics in league with the devil and clamoured for the political and legal establishment to exterminate these enemies of humanity. But the courts were dominated by moderate Catholics whose political views were in sharp contrast to those of the zealots and, as a result, the demonologists failed to ignite a major witch-craze in France. Very few studies have taken such a careful and penetrating look at demonology in France. The Crime of Crimes: Demonology and Politics in France, 1560-1620 sheds new light on an important period in the history of witchcraft and will be welcomed by scholars and laypersons alike.Trade Review``Pearl brings to bear on the subject basic sources as well as a meticulous examination of existing relevant literature. His presentation is lucid, and his disagreement with other critics is not only expressed with restraint but also rests on irrefutable evidence. This study is a very important contribution to the history of demonology in France.'' -- Leonard Adams -- Canadian Book Review Annual, 200501``The author of The Crime of Crimes provides his readers with a substantial and well-organized historical analysis by which is cast a refreshingly original point of view on the works of the demonologists and, more generally, on France's judicial elites in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.... What emerges from this convincing and well-researched study is the image of a divided political, cultural, and judicial elite.... The Crime of Crimes will be of great interest to all scholars specializing in demonology, witchcraft, and judicial history. Jonathan L. Pearl's limpid style and skillful argumentation also make it accessible to all those who are interested in early modern history and culture.'' -- Hervé Campangne, University of Maryland -- Sixteenth Century Journal, XXXI/I, 2000, 200501Table of ContentsTable of Contents for The Crime of Crimes: Demonology and Politics in France, 1560â1620 by Jonathan L. Pearl Chronology Introduction One: Early Modern Demonologists and Modern Historians Two: Witchcraft, Politics and Law Three: Politics and Demonic Possession Four: The Jesuits, Maldonat and the Development of French Demonology Five: Politics, Morality and Demonology Six: Three Adversaries of Political Demonology Seven: Pierre de Lancre Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book tells a story, a story about America’s spiritual capital. Spiritual capital is the fund of beliefs, examples, and commitments that are transmitted from generation to generation through a religious tradition, and which attach people to the transcendent source of fulfillment and happiness. America has created the greatest civilization the world has ever know, and it has done this because of its spiritual capital, the values and beliefs by which individual Americans have interpreted and transformed the world. The Judeo-Christian heritage has historically served as the spiritual capital of America. It is not only the spiritual quest of modernity, but that quest has evolved into globalization, and America, because of its spiritual capital, has been able to provide leadership for that quest. The larger thesis is that America is by virtue of its specific spiritual capital heritage not only the beneficiary of its advantages but also the leading exemplar of the spiritual quest of modernity. It is because is engaged in a spiritual quest that it can exercise world leadership as opposed to domination and oppression. The authors examine the extent to which economic development, growth, and entrepreneurship depend on spiritual capital. They argue that there is a symbiotic relation between America’s spiritual capital and our political institutions and freedoms. The argument here is that the substantive spiritual vision supports the political and economic procedural norms of a free society. Like any form of capital, spiritual capital may lie dormant or be wasted, it may be used productively, it may be augmented, and it may be diminished or eroded. In the final chapter, we point out how the heritage is under assault from a variety of sources and what happens when scientific, technological, economic, and political institutions are detached from their spiritual roots. The result is a natural progression from governmental bureaucratic centralization to secularism to reductive materialism and ultimately to a social-collectivist conception of human welfare. Within the story there is an argument, namely, that these achievements will not be sustained without that heritage, and for all of the above reasons the heritage needs to be reaffirmed. The authors argue that the future of modernity, globalization, and America depend on the extent to which there is a reaffirmation of America’s spiritual capital.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHere are seven readable biographical sketches of important people who influenced the times in which they lived by bringing their faith to bear on social issues. In writing about them the author incorporates biography, theology, and politics into a coherent whole portrait of the subjects. Present day journals like First Things, National Review, and Christianity Today began as an extension of the personalities of the people profiled in this book, whose interests guided faithful believers in the midst of changing and turbulent times. The Politics of Morality combines a scholarly penchant for fact with historical evidence to show how these men connected the principles of government with the ideals of Christianity. Here is the story of Russell Kirk’s original vision, and William F. Buckley’s ornery conservative conscience. Francis Schaeffer’s zealous evangelicalism meets Richard J. Neuhaus’s keen insight and Chuck Colson’s passion for justice. Carl F.H. Henry’s novel vision for a Christian magazine is compared to Michael Novak’s refutation of socialism. This book is a help because it analyzes the lives of people who remain influential in bringing Christian principles to bear on issues in the public square. Anyone interested in current issues has something to learn from the life and work of these individuals.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlain Besançon’s studies, over decades, on Russia, France, Islam, and art have convinced him that “that nothing is comprehensible if one neglects the religious choices that determine a historical destiny.” His aim is to comprehend the most powerful nation on the earth, and he was convinced that Protestantism was the key to America. The question of Protestantism and its origins implicated, in turn, the origins of the Reformation and thus the problem of the moral and political meaning of Christianity itself. And Besançon traces theological dynamic that was to stamp the Reformation, behind Luther’s break with Rome, to the late medieval nominalists’ failure to maintain the fragile communion that Thomas Aquinas had articulated between love and intellect. This then is the ambition of this elegant and magisterial essay: to explore the question of the spirit of America as bound up with the most fundamental and most problematic promise of Christianity: the union of heart and mind. This exploration leads the reader, after a deft analysis of Nominalism, through a luminous tour of the sources of modern Christianity that includes the revival of speculative mysticism in authors such as Meister Eckhart and Tauler, the devotion moderna, the main figures and movements of the Reformation proper, a brilliant digest of Anglicanism, and a survey of Puritanism in England and America. This uniquely synoptic exploration concludes with the emergence of a democratic religion of humanity, a faith whose future is as uncertain as its grasp of the modern spirit’s Christian sources that Alain Besançon has so judiciously laid bare.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGallup Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport examines religion in America today, reviews just how powerfully intertwined religion is with every aspect of American society, and explores what appears to be religion’s vibrant future in the U.S. — all based on more than a million interviews conducted by Gallup since 2008. Popular books such as The God Delusion have dismissed religion as a delusional artifact of evolution and ancient superstitions. But should millions of Americans’ statements of belief and their behaviour be dismissed that quickly? The pattern of religious influence in American society suggests mass consequence rather than mass delusion. In God Is Alive and Well, Frank Newport provides a new evidence-based analysis of Americans’ religious beliefs and practices — and makes bold predictions about religion’s future in the U.S. Most Americans are at least marginally religious, significantly more so than in most developed nations around the world. The majority of Americans believe in God and say that religion is important in their daily lives, with many routinely participating in religious rituals. However, levels of religious consciousness are not distributed equally. Systematic patterns of differences in religion occur with surprising regularity. An American’s religiosity is very much bound up with social position and geographic space. There is an important interplay between religion and life status factors — age, gender, marital status, having children — and with achieved status distinctions — class, education, income. Unlike citizens of any other country in the world, Americans group themselves into hundreds of distinct micro religious groups and denominations. These groups are constantly evolving, splitting like amoeba to form new groups. The most common pattern today is the development of the “no name” religious group, consisting of Americans who worship only under the banner of their own nondenominational predilections. These religious groupings are sociologically related to social status, geography, politics, and social and political attitudes. The foundation for God Is Alive and Well, is the perspective of science — analysing what people think, do, and believe about religion. Frank Newport writes in a conversational tone making the book accessible for all, with readers benefiting from his background as a well-known social scientist and authority on American life, and his unique personal history as the son of a Southern Baptist theologian.

Read more less

Book SynopsisToward Benevolent Neutrality (5th edition, 1996), a longstanding favorite for professors of church-and-state relationships in the U.S., has been revised and updated by one original author, Robert B. Flowers, and two new ones, Melissa Rogers and Steven K. Green. Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court contains a new introduction clearly explaining specific ways the Court delineates the idea of religious freedom on a case-by-case basis. As clearly written as its predecessor, and as appropriate for the classroom, this new book contains explanations of more recent cases, decided by a contemporary Supreme Court. It is clear, relevant, and an essential text for the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewAn authoritative handbook, striking in its probing analysis of the enduring teachings of the First Amendment. -John Witte, Jr., Jonas Robitscher Professor of Law, Emory Law School, Director, Center for the Study of Law and ReligionThis volume is hefty and comprehensive but also straightforward, accessible, and well organized.... Perceptive study questions point the reader toward both open questions and animating premises.... recommended. -- First ThingsTable of Contents Part 1 Introduction 1 The Impact of the U.S. Supreme Court on American Religious Freedom 1 Understanding the Supreme Court 2 Understanding the Protection of ""Rights"" and ""Liberties"" 2 The Historical Background to the First Amendment Religion Clauses 3 Themes and Trends in First Amendment Interpretation 3 Originalism and Its Critics 4 ""Nonpreferentialism"" and Government Financial Aid for Religion 5 Incorporation of the Establishment Clause 6 The ""Distinctiveness"" of Religion 7 ""No-Aid Separation"" v. ""Evenhanded Neutrality"" 8 Use of Speech Principles in Religion Clause Jurisprudence 9 Accommodation of Religion 10 ""Play In the Joints"" 11 ""Complementary Values, Conflicting Pressures"" 4 What Is Religion? 5 The Concept of Standing 12 Flast v. Cohen 13 Valley Forge College v. Americans United for Separation of Church and State 14 Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation 15 Elk Grove Unified School District v. Michael A. Newdow Part 2 The Free Exercise Clause 6 Basic Concepts and Development of Free Exercise Doctrine 16 The ""Belief-Action"" Dichotomy (Reynolds v. United States; Davisv. Beason) 17 Religious Liberty as Due Process Liberty (Pierce v. Society of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary) 18 Conscientious Objector Cases (United States v. Schwimmer; Girouard v. United States; Hamilton v. Regents of the University of California) 19 Embracing Free Exercise as a Right (Cantwell v. State of Connecticut; West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette; Prince v. Massachusetts) 20 Early Free Exercise on Government Property (Davis v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Murdock v. Pennsylvania; Heffron v. International Society for Krishna Consciousness; International Society for Krishna Consciousness v. Lee) 7 Rise and Fall of Free Exercise Exemptions: From Sherbert to Smith 21 The Rise of Judically Mandated Free Exercise Exemptions (Sherbert v. Verner; Wisconsin v. Yoder) 22 Refining the Sherbert Test (United States v. Lee; Thomas v. Review Board; Hobbie v. Unemployment Appeals Commission of Florida; Frazee v. Illinois Employment Security Department) 23 Free Exercise in Transition (Bowen v. Roy; Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association; Goldman v. Weinberger; O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz; Hernandez v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue; Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization) 8 Rise and Fall of Free Exercise Exemptions: Smith and Beyond 24 The Fall of Judicially Mandated Free Exercise Exemptions (Employment Division v. Smith) 25 The Free Exercise Clause Beyond Smith (Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah) 26 Congress Stands in the Gap: RFRA and RLUIPA (City of Boerne v. Archbishop Flores; Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao Do Vegetal; Cutter v. Wilkinson) 9 Churches and the Civil Justice System 27 Church Autonomy/Schisms (Watson v. Jones; Gonzalez v. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila; Kedroff v. St. Nicholas Cathedral; Presbyterian Church in the United States v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Memorial Presbyterian Church) 28 Religious Torts (United States v. Ballard; Nally v. Grace Community Church; Molko v. Holy Spirit Association; Moses v. Diocese of Colorado) 10 Religious Organizations as Employers 29 Government Oversight of Employment Practices (National Labor Relations Board v. The Catholic Bishop of Chicago; Tony and Susan Alamo Foundation v. Secretary of Labor) 30 Employment Actions by Religious Organizations (Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Pacific Press Publishing Association; Gellington v. Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc.; Bollard v. California Diocese of the Society of Jesus) Part 3 The Establishment Clause I 11 Government Funding of Religious Schools: The Rise and Application of the ""No-Aid"" Principle 31 The Emergence of Nonsectarian Public Education and the No-Funding Principle; Developing Principles (Everson v. Board of Education of Ewing Township) 32 The High Point of ""No-Aid"" (Lemon v. Kurtzman; Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Nyquist; Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Regan; School District of Grand Rapids v. Ball) 12 Government Funding of Religious Schools: The Rise of Even-handed Neutrality and Private Choice 33 Mueller v. Allen; Zobrest v. Catalina Foothills School District; Agostini v. Felton; Mitchell v. Helms 34 Zelman v. Simmons-Harris; Locke v. Davey 13 Government Aid to Higher Education 35 Tilton v. Richardson; Hunt v. McNair 36 Roemer v. Board of Public Works of Maryland 14 Religious Organizations and Government-Funded Social Services 37 Bradfield v. Roberts; Bowen v. Kendrick 38 ""Charitable Choice"" and the ""Faith-Based Initiative"" (Charitable Choice; The Bush Administration's Faith-Based Initiative [Executive Order 13279]; Freedom from Religion Foundation v. McCallum) 15 Government Funds and Religious Institutions: A Look toward the Future Part 4 The Establishment Clause II 16 Religious Expression and Public Schools: Background, Released-Time Programs and the 1960's School-Prayer Decisions 39 Historical Background: The Common School Movement 40 ""Released-Time"" Programs (McCollum v. Board of Education; Zorach v. Clauson) 41 State-sponsored Prayer and Bible Reading: The 1960s Cases (Engel v. Vitale; School District of Abington Township v. Schempp) 17 Religious Expression in Public Schools: Moments of Silence and Post-1960s School-Prayer Cases 42 Wallace v. Jaffree 43 Lee v. Weisman 44 Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe 18 Religious Expression in Public Schools: Religion and the Curriculum and Presidential Guidelines on Religion and Public Schools 45 Religion and the Public School Curriculum (Religious Objections to Curriculum: Evolution and Religion [Epperson v. Arkansas; Edwards v. Aguillard] 46 ""Opt outs"" [Mozert v. Hawkins County Board of Education] 47 School-sponsored Religious Displays 48 Teaching About Religion in an Academic, Rather than a Devotional, Manner) 49 Presidential Guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools (""Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools"") 19 Equal Access 50 Widmar v. Vincent 51 Board of Education v. Mergens 52 Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District 53 Good News Club v. Milford Central School 54 Other Religious Expression/Access Issues (Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia) 20 Religious Symbols on Government Property 55 Lynch v. Donnelly 56 County of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union 57 Capitol Square Review v. Pinette 58 McCreary County v. American Civil Liberties Union 59 Van Orden v. Perry 21 Government Acknowledgements of Religion, Government Chaplains, Religion and Politics, and Religion in the Governmental Workplace 60 Governmental Acknowledgements of Religion and Government Chaplains (Marsh v. Chambers; Katcoff v. Marsh; Delores Rudd v. The Honorable Robert D. Ray) 61 Religion and Politics (McDaniel v. Paty; Branch Ministries v. Rossotti) 62 Religion in the Federal Workplace (""Guidelines on Religious Exercise and Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace"") 22 Religious Preferences/Delegations 63 Government Preferences of Religion (Torcaso v. Watkins; Larson v. Valente) 64 Government Delegations of Authority to Religion (Larkin v. Grendel's Den; Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet) 23 Legislative Accommodation of Religious Exercise 65 Walz v. Tax Commission of the City of New York 66 Trans World Airlines v. Hardison 67 Estate of Thornton v. Caldor 68 Corporation of Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. Amos 69 Texas Monthly v. Bullock 70 Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet 71 Cutter v. Wilkinson Appendices A Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments Selected Bibliography Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe political dogma of toleration is little more than a tool of the modern state in its drive for power and wealth. In The Long Truce, A. J. Conyers shows that by banishing questions of ultimate meaning from public life, the modern version of toleration has debased our politics and undermined social cohesion. He argues provocatively for a return to the authentic toleration found in pre-Reformation Christianity.Trade ReviewThe Long Truce is a book to read and reread. -Donald Livingston, Professor of Philosophy, Emory UniversityConyers's book launches an engaging assault on one of the great sacred cows of modern political science and religious studies, the doctrine of toleration....this is a provocative work that ought to be read widely by undergraduates as well as graduate students in ethics and political science, not only for the genealogy of toleration that it offers but also for its constructive proposal. -- Religious Studies ReviewTable of Contents Preface 1. The Cunning of History 2. The Ecumenical Impulse 3. A Feeling of Uncertainty 4. Thomas Hobbes and the Fears of Modernity 5. Pierre Bayle and the Modern Sanctity of the Individual 6. John Locke and the Politics of Toleration 7. The Triumph of Toleration 8. The Shadow Leviathan 9. Nihilism and the Catholic Vision 10. High Tolerance Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisFinding Order in Diversity: Religious Toleration in the Habsburg Empire, 1792–1848 covers the tumultuous period in the Habsburg Empire from Joseph II's failed reforms through the Revolutions of 1848, documenting the ongoing struggle between religious activism and civil peace. In the name of stability, the Habsburg Empire sidelined Catholic activists and promoted religious toleration during this era in which Austria was an international symbol of conservatism and other states engaged in strident confessional politics. Austria's well-known fear of disorder and revolution in this notoriously conservative regime extended to Catholics, and the state utilized the censors and police to institutionalize religious toleration, which it viewed as essential to law and order, and to tame religious passions, which officials feared could mobilize public opinion in unpredictable directions.The state's growing use of police power had wide-reaching consequences for refugees, women, and empire-building. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Habsburg Empire would become known as a multinational and multicultural state, but this toleration was the product of the infamously conservative and rigid regime that ruled Austria in the decades after the French Revolution and until the Revolutions of 1848. While the Habsburgs typically are associated with Catholicism, 1780 to 1848 marked the only era in which the Habsburgs tried to disassociate themselves politically from Catholicism. Though civil peace and religious toleration eventually became the norm, this book documents the decades of heavy-handed state efforts to get there.Table of Contents Acknowledgments Graph INTRODUCTION: The Stubborn Problem of Confessionalism CHAPTER 1: Hopeless Romantics: Catholic Activists and the Josephist State, 1792–1820 CHAPTER 2: Lost in an Ultramontanist Storm: Austria and the Catholic Revival in the West, 1820–1848 CHAPTER 3: Free at Last: Protestants in the Habsburg Empire CHAPTER 4: Serving Two Masters: Habsburg Orthodoxy on the Confessional Faultlines Between East and West CHAPTER 5: A Road Paved with Good Intentions: Judaism and Toleration in the Habsburg Empire CHAPTER 6: Making the Habsburg Empire Catholic Again: 1848 and the Emergence of Popular Catholicism in the Habsburg Empire Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvangelicals are warmongering nationalists—right? Many assume that evangelicals have always shared the ideology and approach of the Moral Majority. But the truth is much more complex. Historically, evangelical rank and file have not held to one position about war; instead, they are strewn across the spectrum from love of peace to glorying in war. Timothy Padgett presents evangelicals in their own words. And in so doing he complicates our common perceptions of evangelical attitudes towards war and peace. Evangelical leaders regularly wrote about the temporal and eternal implications of war from World War II to the Vietnam War. Padgett allows us to see firsthand how these evangelicals actually spoke about war and love of country. Instead of blind ideologues we meet concerned people of conviction struggling to reconcile the demands of a world in turmoil with the rule of the Prince of peace.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGod's word illumines the darkness of society. Dutch politician and historian Groen van Prinsterer's Unbelief and Revolution is a foundational work addressing the inherent tension between the church and secular society. Writing at the onset of modernity in Western culture, Groen saw with amazing clarity the dire implications of abandoning God's created order for human life in society. Groen's work served as an inspiration for many contemporary theologians, and he had a profound impact on Abraham Kuyper's famous public theology. In Challenging the Spirit of Modernity, Harry Van Dyke places this seminal work into historical context, revealing how this vital contribution still speaks into the fractured relationship between religion and society. A deeper understanding of the roots of modern secularism and Groen's strong, faithful response to it gives us a better grasp of the same conflict today.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this elegantly written study, Alfante explores the work of select nineteenth-century writers, intellectuals, journalists, politicians, and clergy who responded to cultural and spiritual shifts caused by the movement toward secularization in Spain. Focusing on the social experience, this book probes the tensions between traditionalism and liberalism that influenced public opinion of the clergy, sacred buildings, and religious orders. The writings of Cecilia Böhl de Faber (Fernán Caballero), Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Benito Pérez Galdós, and José María de Pereda addressed conflicts between modernizing forces and the Catholic Church about the place of religion and its signifiers in Spanish society. Foregrounding expropriation (government confiscation of civil and ecclesiastical property) and exclaustration (the expulsion of religious communities), and drawing on archival research, the history of disentailment, cultural theory, memory studies, and sociology, Alfante demonstrates how Spain’s liberalizing movement profoundly influenced class mobility and faith among the populace.Trade Review“Making Modern Spain is a groundbreaking scholarly achievement and required reading for anybody interested in the intersections of literature, culture, and religion in Spain in the long nineteenth century.” -- José Colmeiro * coeditor of Rethinking Iberian Studies from the Periphery *“Alfante’s work shows us that the spirit, apart from inspiring literary masterpieces, can also be written on stone. A stimulating and insightful addition to our knowledge of religion and its critics in modern Spain.” -- Gregorio Alonso * author of La nación en capilla: Ciudadanía católica y cuestión religiosa en España, 1793-1874 *“Making Modern Spain is an illuminating exploration of the ramifications of disentailment through a cultural lens and on an affective level. Azariah Alfante reveals the conflicted feelings about secularization in authors of various political bents, exposing a more nuanced connection between religion, cultural identity, and politics than that found in previous studies.” -- Jennifer Smith * author of Women, Mysticism, and Hysteria in Fin-de-Siècle Spain *“Taking a deep dive into nineteenth-century Spain’s anxieties about the sacred and the secular, Making Modern Spain rediscovers Spanish romanticism and realism through the lens of disentailment and its human cost. Azariah Alfante demonstrates conclusively that repurposing ecclesial buildings does not only displace those in religious life.” -- Denise DuPont * author of Whole Faith: The Catholic Ideal of Emilia Pardo Bazán *“Making Modern Spain is a thoroughly researched piece of scholarship, which represents an original contribution to the study of the intersections among literature, politics, and religion in nineteenth-century Spain. Engaging with theoretical debates on religion and cultural memory, Alfante cogently elucidates the social, cultural, and individual human ramifications of disentailment and exclaustration in nineteenth-century Spanish literature.” -- Akiko Tsuchiya * coeditor of Empire's End: Transnational Connections in the Hispanic World *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Note on Orthography Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Modern Matter: Disentailment and the Religious Question Chapter 2: At the Heart of the Nation: Domestic Wellbeing and Spiritual Patrimony in Cecilia Böhl de Faber’s La gaviota (1849), La familia de Alvareda (1856), Callar en vida y perdonar en muerte (1856), and Lágrimas (1862) Chapter 3: The Hallowed, the Haunting: Remembering and Restoring the Sacred Precinct in Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer’s Historia de los templos de España (1857), Cartas desde mi celda (1864), and Leyendas (1858-1864) Chapter 4: A New Vital Force: Reconstructing Spain’s Spiritual Body in Benito Pérez Galdós’s Doña Perfecta (1876), Gloria (1877), Mendizábal (1898), and Montes de Oca (1900) Chapter 5: The Abyss and the Mount: Questions of Faith, Family, and Tradition in José María de Pereda’s El Tío Cayetano (1858-1859), Blasones y talegas (1869), De tal palo, tal astilla (1880), and Sotileza (1884) Final Reflections Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this elegantly written study, Alfante explores the work of select nineteenth-century writers, intellectuals, journalists, politicians, and clergy who responded to cultural and spiritual shifts caused by the movement toward secularization in Spain. Focusing on the social experience, this book probes the tensions between traditionalism and liberalism that influenced public opinion of the clergy, sacred buildings, and religious orders. The writings of Cecilia Böhl de Faber (Fernán Caballero), Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Benito Pérez Galdós, and José María de Pereda addressed conflicts between modernizing forces and the Catholic Church about the place of religion and its signifiers in Spanish society. Foregrounding expropriation (government confiscation of civil and ecclesiastical property) and exclaustration (the expulsion of religious communities), and drawing on archival research, the history of disentailment, cultural theory, memory studies, and sociology, Alfante demonstrates how Spain’s liberalizing movement profoundly influenced class mobility and faith among the populace.Trade Review“Making Modern Spain is a groundbreaking scholarly achievement and required reading for anybody interested in the intersections of literature, culture, and religion in Spain in the long nineteenth century.” -- José Colmeiro * coeditor of Rethinking Iberian Studies from the Periphery *“Alfante’s work shows us that the spirit, apart from inspiring literary masterpieces, can also be written on stone. A stimulating and insightful addition to our knowledge of religion and its critics in modern Spain.” -- Gregorio Alonso * author of La nación en capilla: Ciudadanía católica y cuestión religiosa en España, 1793-1874 *“Making Modern Spain is an illuminating exploration of the ramifications of disentailment through a cultural lens and on an affective level. Azariah Alfante reveals the conflicted feelings about secularization in authors of various political bents, exposing a more nuanced connection between religion, cultural identity, and politics than that found in previous studies.” -- Jennifer Smith * author of Women, Mysticism, and Hysteria in Fin-de-Siècle Spain *“Taking a deep dive into nineteenth-century Spain’s anxieties about the sacred and the secular, Making Modern Spain rediscovers Spanish romanticism and realism through the lens of disentailment and its human cost. Azariah Alfante demonstrates conclusively that repurposing ecclesial buildings does not only displace those in religious life.” -- Denise DuPont * author of Whole Faith: The Catholic Ideal of Emilia Pardo Bazán *“Making Modern Spain is a thoroughly researched piece of scholarship, which represents an original contribution to the study of the intersections among literature, politics, and religion in nineteenth-century Spain. Engaging with theoretical debates on religion and cultural memory, Alfante cogently elucidates the social, cultural, and individual human ramifications of disentailment and exclaustration in nineteenth-century Spanish literature.” -- Akiko Tsuchiya * coeditor of Empire's End: Transnational Connections in the Hispanic World *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Note on Orthography Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Modern Matter: Disentailment and the Religious Question Chapter 2: At the Heart of the Nation: Domestic Wellbeing and Spiritual Patrimony in Cecilia Böhl de Faber’s La gaviota (1849), La familia de Alvareda (1856), Callar en vida y perdonar en muerte (1856), and Lágrimas (1862) Chapter 3: The Hallowed, the Haunting: Remembering and Restoring the Sacred Precinct in Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer’s Historia de los templos de España (1857), Cartas desde mi celda (1864), and Leyendas (1858-1864) Chapter 4: A New Vital Force: Reconstructing Spain’s Spiritual Body in Benito Pérez Galdós’s Doña Perfecta (1876), Gloria (1877), Mendizábal (1898), and Montes de Oca (1900) Chapter 5: The Abyss and the Mount: Questions of Faith, Family, and Tradition in José María de Pereda’s El Tío Cayetano (1858-1859), Blasones y talegas (1869), De tal palo, tal astilla (1880), and Sotileza (1884) Final Reflections Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile there is a long-standing history of reflection among Catholics about the proper orientation of Catholicism towards American society, today the American Catholic community confronts a fundamentally new situation. Catholics face the dual threat of an ever more centralized and increasingly omnicompetent state and a new cultural ethos fundamentally incompatible with--and hostile to--Catholicism.Today, American Catholics no longer live as a religious minority in a Protestant society whose commitment to limited government and religious freedom affords Catholics considerable space to live out their faith commitments, and whose Christian character assures the existence of substantial moral commonality. Now, Catholics are a religious minority in a post-Christian society animated by an anthropology and public morality incompatible with Catholic truth and committed to the exclusion of the faith from public life.This new situation demands a rethinking on the part of American Catholics of their place in America and their relationship with American society. These essays seek to assist with this challenging task by casting light on this new situation and exploring its implications for the Church in America.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf you suspect the Biblical writers were onto something, but aren't convinced by the sentimental religion-of-love talk you hear so much nowadays, then maybe you will find hope reading this book. Did you know that the Creation Myths in the Bible were copied from earlier Mesopotamian myths? Or that the Moses story was based on a bloke called Sargon? Or that the story of Job is all to do with politics? Or that the two loaves, five fishes and the number 153 have symbolic meanings? These are just a few of the issues addressed in this controversial book which is not for people who like their God as Indefinable Mystery.Trade ReviewKathy Galloway - Andrew Parker s readings of familiar biblical texts as presenting a marginal, political, ideological Hebrew worldview, profoundly in opposition to the status quo (then and now both) is contentious, illuminating and genuinely challenging. He stimulates in his readers; dialogue and questioning, sometimes agreement and often fury, but always passionate engagement. This in itself makes this book worth reading. But it is, equally, a valuable discipline in struggling to SEE from a very different perspective than the one we usually allow ourselves when reading the Bible.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith eighty percent of the world's population professing religious faith, religious belief is a common human characteristic. This fascinating and highly unique Handbook brings together state-of-the-art research on incorporating religion into development studies literature and research.The expert contributors illustrate that as religious identity is integral to a community's culture, exclusion of religious consideration will limit successful development interventions; it is therefore necessary to conflate religion and development to enhance efforts to improve the lives of the poor. Issues addressed include: key tenets, beliefs and histories of religions; religious response to development concerns (gender, environment, education, microfinance, humanitarian assistance); and the role of faith based organizations and missionaries in the wider development context. Practical case studies of countries across Africa, Eastern Europe and the Pacific (including Australia) underpin the research, providing evidence that the intersection between religion and development is neither new nor static. By way of conclusion, suggestions are prescribed for extensive further research in order to advance understanding of this nascent field.This path-breaking Handbook will prove a thought-provoking and stimulating reference tool for academics, researchers and students in international development, international relations, comparative religion and theology.Contributors: N.A. Alolo, J. Anderson, M. Bano, L. Bi, S. Bradbury, G. Buchanan, M. Clarke, J.A. Connell, B. De Cordier, S. Deneulin, I. Fanany, R. Fanany, X. Fang, S.T. Flanigan, F. Helmiere, G. Hoffstaedter, R. Ireland, M. Jennings, H. Marquette, J. Miller, C. Moe-Lobeda, Y. Narayanan, I. Nolte, L. Rae, J. Rees, P. Riddell, A.W. Sanford, M. Sharpe, C. Starkey, J. Sweet, D.S. Tatla, D. Tittensor, E. Tomalin, A. Ware, V.-A. Ware, J. Wills, A. YuminaTable of ContentsContents: 1. Understanding the Nexus between Religion and Development Matthew Clarke PART I: RELIGIOUS FAITH AND DEVELOPMENT 2. Islam as Aid and Development Peter Riddell 3. Buddhism and Development Emma Tomalin and Caroline Starkey 4. Christianity and International Development Séverine Deneulin 5. Judaism – A Cry for Justice Matthew Clarke 6. Hinduism and Development A. Whitney Sanford 7. Sikhism and Development: A Perfect Match? Darshan S. Tatla 8. Daoism and Development James Miller 9. Confucianism Xiangshu Fang and Lijun Bi 10. Indigenous Religions and Development: African Traditional Religion Namawu Alhassan Alolo and James Astley Connell 11. Name It and Claim It: Prosperity Gospel and the Global Pentecostal Reformation Matthew Sharpe PART II: DEVELOPMENT ISSUES/THEMES AND RELIGION 13. Gender, Religion and Development Emma Tomalin 14. Moral Power at the Religion–Development–Environment Nexus Cynthia Moe-Lobeda with Frederica Helmiere 15. Corruption, Religion and Moral Development Heather Marquette 16. Islamic Education: Historical Evolution and Attempts at Reform Masooda Bano 17. Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding in Development Shawn Teresa Flanigan 18. Religion in the Policy Domains of International Financial Institutions John Rees 19. A Sustainable Islamic Microfinance Model in Poverty Alleviation Aimatul Yumina 20. Religion and Post-Disaster Development Ismet Fanany and Rebecca Fanany 21. Religious Symbolism and the Politics of Urban Space Development Yamini Narayanan 22. Cultural Heritage and Development in South East Asia Jonathan Sweet and Jo Wills PART III: FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND MISSION 23. ‘Do Not Turn Away a Poor Man’: Faith-based Organizations and Development Michael Jennings 24. ‘Pan-Islamism’ as a Form of ‘Alter-globalism’? Hizb Ut-Tahrir and the Islamic Khilafah State Bruno De Cordier 25. Religion and Development: Prospects and Pitfalls of Faith-based Organizations Gerhard Hoffstaedter and David Tittensor 26. Mission, Missionaries and Development Steve Bradbury 27. Why Western-based, Pentecostal Mission Organizations Undertake Community Development in South East Asia Vicki-Ann Ware, Anthony Ware, Matthew Clarke and Grant Buchanan PART IV: CASE STUDIES 28. Religion, Development and Politics in Nigeria Insa Nolte 29. Religion and Development in Brazil, 1950–2010 Rowan Ireland 30. FBOs in Tanzania Michael Jennings 31. Partnership through Translation: A Donor’s Engagement with Religion Jane Anderson 32. The (In)visible Hand of Muhajirat. A Field Observation on Labour Migration, Social Change and Religion in the Vakhsh Valley, Tajikistan Bruno De Cordier 33. Where Shadows Fall Patchwork: Religion, Violence and Human Security in Afghanistan James Astley Connell 34. Australian Development FBOs and NGOs Lindsay Rae and Matthew Clarke Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe interdisciplinary field of economics and religion has come a long way since 2003 when Edward Elgar published the pioneering volume Economics and Religion. The influence of religious ideas on the birth of economics as a discipline and its rise to cultural dominance is now widely recognized. The largely Protestant discussion has been enriched by Roman Catholic contributions stimulated by recent Papal Encyclicals. The economics of religion has now matured into a respectable subfield of economics and articles on religion regularly appear in top economics journals. This original and insightful research review places the most recent contributions in context and will be an invaluable resource for scholars and academics alike. Table of ContentsContents: Introduction Paul Oslington, Paul S. Williams and Mary Hirschfeld PART I HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIPS 1. Dotan Leshem (2014), ‘The Ancient Art of Economics’, European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, 21 (2), 201–29 2. Constant J. Mews and Ibrahim Abraham (2007), ‘Usury and Just Compensation: Religious and Financial Ethics in Historical Perspective’, Journal of Business Ethics, 72 (1), April, 1–15 3. M. Douglas Meeks (2011), ‘The Peril of Usury in the Christian Tradition’, Interpretation, 65 (2), April, 128–40 4. Peter Harrison (2011), ‘Adam Smith and the History of the Invisible Hand’, Journal of the History of Ideas, 72 (1), January, 29–49 5. Paul Oslington (2012), ‘God and the Market: Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand’, Journal of Business Ethics, 108 (4), July, 429–38 6. Matthew B. Arbo (2014), ‘Theodicy and Commerce’, Studies in Christian Ethics, 27 (2), May, 131–43 7. Paul Oslington (2013), ‘God and Economic Suffering’, CRUX, 49 (3), Fall, 12–19 8. Bradley W. Bateman (2008), ‘2007 Presidential Address: Reflections on the Secularization of American Economics,’ Journal of the History of Economic Thought, 30 (1), March, 1–20 9. Thomas C. Leonard (2011), ‘Religion and Evolution in Progressive Era Political Economy: Adversaries or Allies?’, History of Political Economy, 43 (3), Fall, 429–69 10. Anthony M. C. Waterman (2008), ‘Is “Political Economy” Really a Christian Heresy?’, Faith and Economics, 51, Spring, 31–55 PART II RELIGIOUS ECONOMICS AND ITS CRITICS 11. António Almodovar and Pedro Teixeira (2010), ‘Is There a Catholic Economic Thought? Some Answers from the Past’, in Daniela Fernanda Parisi and Stefano Solari (eds), Humanism and Religion in the History of Economic Thought: Selected Papers from the 10th Aispe Conference, Part II, Milan, Italy: FrancoAngeli s.r.l., 125–47 12. Mary Hirschfeld (2014), ‘On the Relationship Between Finite and Infinite Goods, Or: How to Avoid Flattening’, Econ Journal Watch, 11 (2), May, 179–85 13. William McGurn (2002), ‘Pulpit Economics’, First Things, 122, April, 21–5 14. Paul Oslington (2010–2011), ‘Popes and Markets’, Policy, 26 (4), Summer, 31–34A 15. Daniel P. Payne and Christopher Marsh (2009), ‘Sergei Bulgakov’s “Sophic” Economy: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective on Christian Economics’, Faith and Economics, 53, Spring, 35–51 16. Michael Schluter (2010), ‘Beyond Capitalism: Towards a Relational Economy’, Cambridge Papers, 19 (1), March, 1–4 17. Kathryn Tanner (2004), ‘Economies of Grace’, in William Schweiker and Charles Mathewes (eds), Having: Property and Possession in Religious and Social Life, Part 3, Grand Rapids, MI, USA and Cambridge, UK: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 353–82 18. Miroslav Volf (2010), ‘Hunger for Infinity: Christian Faith and the Dynamics of Economic Progress’, in Captive to the Word of God: Engaging the Scriptures for Contemporary Theological Reflection, Part III, Chapter 6, Grand Rapids, MI, USA and Cambridge, UK: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 151–78 19. A. M. C. Waterman (1991), ‘The Intellectual Context of Rerum Novarum’, Review of Social Economy, Special Issue: Centennial of “Rerum Novarum” and Semicentennial of the Association, 49 (4), Winter, 465–82 20. A. M. C. Waterman (1999), ‘Market Social Order and Christian Organicism in Centesimus Annus’, Journal of Markets and Morality, 2 (2), Fall, 220–33 21. Anthony Waterman (2003), ‘Should We Listen to the Churches When They Speak on Economic Issues?’, Agenda: A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, 10 (3), April, 277–88 22. A. M. C. Waterman (2013), ‘The Relation between Economics and Theology in Caritas in Veritate’, Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics, 6 (2), Autumn, 24–42 23. Rowan Williams (2010), ‘Theology and Economics: Two Different Worlds?’, Anglican Theological Review, 92 (4), Fall, 607–15 24. Amos Yong (2010), ‘Pentecostal Health and Wealth: A Theology of Economics’, in In the Days of Caesar: Pentecostalism and Political Theology: The Cadbury Lectures 2009, Part II, Chapter 7, Grand Rapids, MI, USA and Cambridge, UK: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 257–315 25. Andrew M. Yuengert (2014), ‘It’s Not Bad to Have Limits, as Long as You Know Them: What the Aristotelian Tradition Can Offer Economics’, Faith and Economics, 64, Fall, 37–54 PART III RELIGION, CAPITALISM AND DEVLOPMENT 26. Peter S. Heslam (2008), ‘The Role of Business in the Fight against Poverty’, in Ian R. Harper and Samuel Gregg (eds), Christian Theology and Market Economics, Part III, Chapter 10, Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing, 164–80 27. Rachel M. McCleary (2007), ‘Salvation, Damnation, and Economic Incentives’, Journal of Contemporary Religion, 22 (1), January, 49–74 28. Deirdre N. McCloskey (2013), ‘Work in the World: An Economist's Sermon’, Faith and Economics, 61, Spring, 66–71 29. Bryant L. Myers (2000), ‘The Church and Transformational Development’, Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies, 17 (2), April, 64–7 30. Nathan Nunn (2010), ‘Religious Conversion in Colonial Africa’, American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings, 100 (2), May, 147–52 31. J. David Richardson (2014), ‘Social Entrepreneurship For the Sake of the Kingdom: Why Microeconomics Matters’, Inaugural John Mason Lecture, Gordon College, October 13, 2014, Wenham, MA, USA, 1–11 32. Paul S. Williams (2012), ‘Capitalism, Religion and the Economics of the Biblical Jubilee’, Paper Presented at the Globalisation for the Common Good Initiative 10th Annual International Conference, September 2-5, 2012, Oxford, UK, 1–8 33. Robert D. Woodberry (2012), ‘The Missionary Roots of Liberal Democracy’, American Political Science Review, 106 (2), May, 244–74 PART IV ECONOMICS OF RELIGION 34. Ram A. Cnaan, Tuomi Forrest, Joseph Carlsmith and Kelsey Karsh (2013), ‘If You Do Not Count It, It Does Not Count: A Pilot Study of Valuing Urban Congregations’, Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion, 10 (1), 3–36 35. Robert B. Ekelund, Jr., Robert F. Hébert and Robert D. Tollison (2002), ‘An Economic Analysis of the Protestant Reformation’, Journal of Political Economy, 110 (3), June, 646–71 36. Jonathan Gruber and Daniel M. Hungerman (2008), ‘The Church versus the Mall: What Happens when Religion Faces Increased Secular Competition?’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 123 (2), May, 831–62 37. Jay C. Hartzell, Christopher A. Parsons and David L. Yermack (2010), ‘Is a Higher Calling Enough? Incentive Compensation in the Church’, Journal of Labor Economics, 28 (3), July, 509–39 38. Daniel M. Hungerman (2005), ‘Are Church and State Substitutes? Evidence from the 1996 Welfare Reform’, Journal of Public Economics, 89 (11–12), December, 2245–67 39. Laurence R. Iannaccone (2012), ‘Extremism and the Economics of Religion’, Economic Record, Special Issue: Selected Papers from the 40th Australian Conference of Economists, 88 (S1), June, 110–15 40. Derek Neal (2005), ‘Comments on the Economics of Religion’, Faith and Economics, Symposium: The Economics of Religion, 46, Fall, 10–13 41. Jörg Stolz (2009), ‘Explaining Religiosity: Towards a Unified Theoretical Model’, British Journal of Sociology, 60 (2), June, 345–76 42. Christian Smith, Michael O. Emerson and Patricia Snell (2008), ‘Who Gives?’, Christian Century, 125 (20), October, 26–9 PART V ECONOMICS AND BIBLICAL STUDIES 43. John H. Elliott (2008), ‘From Social Description to Social-Scientific Criticism. The History of a Society of Biblical Literature Section 1973–2005’, Biblical Theology Bulletin: Journal of Bible and Culture, 38 (1), February, 26–36 44. Morris Silver (2004), ‘Modern Ancients’, in Robert Rollinger and Christoph Ulf (eds), Commerce and Monetary Systems in the Ancient World: Means of Transmission and Cultural Interaction: Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Symposium of the Assyrian and Babylonian Intellectual Heritage Project (Melammu) Held in Innsbruck, Austria, October 3rd–8th 2002, Stuttgart, Germany: Franz Steiner Verlag, 65–87 45. Johannes Renger (1994), ‘On Economic Structures in Ancient Mesopotamia: Part One’, Orientalia, 63 (3), 157–208 46. Edd S. Noell (2007), ‘A “Marketless World”? An Examination of Wealth and Exchange in the Gospels and First-Century Palestine’, Journal of Markets and Morality, 10 (1), Spring, 85–114 47. Philip F. Esler (2014), ‘An Outline of Social Identity Theory’, in J. Brian Tucker and Coleman A. Baker (eds), T&T Clark Handbook to Social Identity in the New Testament, Part I, Chapter 2, London, UK and New York, NY, USA: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 13–39 48. Zeba Crook (2009), ‘Honor, Shame, and Social Status Revisited’, Journal of Biblical Literature, 128 (3), Fall, 591–611 49. Deborah Storie and Mark Brett (2009), ‘The Church in the Economy of God’, Zadok Perspectives, 102, Autumn, 5–10 50. Peter Temin (2001), ‘A Market Economy in the Early Roman Empire’, Journal of Roman Studies, 91, November, 169–81 51. Walter Scheidel and Steven J. Friesen (2009), ‘The Size of the Economy and the Distribution of Income in the Roman Empire’, Journal of Roman Studies, 99, November, 61–91 Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe complex and changing relations between religion and migration are central to many urgent questions about diversity, inequality and pluralism. This wide-ranging research review explores these questions in different periods of history, in different regions of the world and in different traditions of faith. The emphasis is on how religions inspire, manage and benefit from migration as well as on how the experience of migration affects religious beliefs, identities and practices. The review discusses articles which examine the interface between religion and migration at levels of analysis ranging from the local to the global, and from the individual to the faith community.Table of ContentsContents: Acknowledgements Introduction James Beckford PART I OVERVIEWS OF MIGRATION AND RELIGION 1. Phillip Connor (2009), ‘International Migration and Religious Participation: The Mediating Impact of Individual and Contextual Effects’, Sociological Forum, 24 (4), December, 779–803 2. Peggy Levitt (2003), ‘“You Know, Abraham Was Really the First Immigrant": Religion and Transnational Migration’, International Migration Review, 37 (3), Fall, 847–73 PART II HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES 3. Virginia DeJohn Anderson (1985), ‘Migrants and Motives: Religion and the Settlement of New England, 1630-1640’, New England Quarterly, 58 (3), September, 339–83 4. Nicole Immig (2009), ‘The “New” Muslim Minorities in Greece: Between Emigration and Political Participation, 1881-1886’, Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 29 (4), December, 511–22 5. Barbara Dietz (2003), ‘Jewish Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Germany: History, Politics and Social Integration’, East European Jewish Affairs 33 (2), Winter, 7–19 6. Fred. E. Woods and Nicholas J. Evans (2002), ‘Latter-day Saint Scandinavian Migration through Hull, England, 1852–1894’, BYU Studies, 41 (4), 75–102 PART III TRANSNATIONAL AND GLOBAL DIMENSIONS 7. Gamze Avci (2005), ‘Religion, Transnationalism and Turks in Europe’, Turkish Studies, 6 (2), June, 201–13 8. John R. Bowen (2004), ‘Beyond Migration: Islam as a Transnational Public Space’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 30 (5), September, 879–94 9. Luann Good Gingrich and Kerry Preibisch (2010), ‘Migration as Preservation and Loss: The Paradox of Transnational Living for Low German Mennonite Women’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 36 (9), November, 1499–518 10. Paul Christopher Johnson (2002), ‘Migrating Bodies, Circulating Signs: Brazilian Candomblé, the Garifuna of the Caribbean, and the Category of Indigenous Religions’, History of Religions, 41 (4), May, 301–27 PART IV GENDER RELATIONS 11. Celia McMichael (2002), ‘"Everywhere is Allah's Place": Islam and the Everyday Life of Somali Women in Melbourne, Australia’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 15 (2), 171–88 12. Alicia Re Cruz (1998), ‘Migrant Women Crossing Borders: The Role of Gender and Religion in Internal and External Mexican Migration’, Journal of Borderlands Studies, 13 (2), Fall, 83–97 13. Catharina P. Williams (2008), ‘Female Transnational Migration, Religion and Subjectivity: The Case of Indonesian Domestic Workers’, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 49 (3), December, 344–53 14. Jeanne Rey (2013), ‘Mermaids and Spirit Spouses: Rituals as Technologies of Gender in Transnational African Pentecostal Spaces’, Religion and Gender, 3 (1), 60–75 PART V CONTEXTS OF RECEPTION 15. Phillip Connor (2010), ‘Contexts of Immigrant Receptivity and Immigrant Religious Outcomes: The Case of Muslims in Western Europe’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 33 (3), March, 376–403 16. Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh and Yousif M. Qasmiyeh (2010), ‘Muslim Asylum-Seekers and Refugees: Negotiating Identity, Politics and Religion in the UK’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 23 (3), 294–314 17. Nancy Foner and Richard Alba (2008), ‘Immigrant Religion in the U.S. and Western Europe: Bridge or Barrier to Inclusion?’, International Migration Review, 42 (2), Summer, 360–92 18. Margarita A. Mooney (2013), ‘Religion as A Context of Reception: The Case of Haitian Immigrants in Miami, Montreal and Paris’, International Migration, 51 (3), June, 99–112 19. Dianna J. Shandy (2002), ‘Nuer Christians in America’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 15 (2), 213–21 PART VI RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION AND PRACTICE 20. Ilana Redstone Akresh (2011), ‘Immigrants’ Religious Participation in the United States’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 34 (4), April, 643–61 21. Carolyn Chen (2006), ‘From Filial Piety to Religious Piety: Evangelical Christianity Reconstructing Taiwanese Immigrant Families in the United States’, International Migration Review, 40 (3), Fall, 573–602 22. Valerie A. Lewis and Ridhi Kashyap (2013), ‘Piety in a Secular Society: Migration, Religiosity, and Islam in Britain’, International Migration, 51 (3), June, 57–66 23. Mieke Maliepaard and Marcel Lubbers (2013), ‘Parental Religious Transmission after Migration: The Case of Dutch Muslims’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 39 (3), 425–42 24. Pyong Gap Min and Dae Young Kim (2005), ‘Intergenerational Transmission of Religion and Culture: Korean Protestants in the U.S.’, Sociology of Religion, 66 (3), Autumn, 263–82 25. Clara Saraiva (2008), ‘Transnational Migrants and Transnational Spirits: An African Religion in Lisbon’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 34 (2), March, 253–69 26. Marwa Shoeb, Harvey M. Weinstein and Jodi Halpern (2007), ‘Living in Religious Time and Space: Iraqi Refugees in Dearborn, Michigan’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 20 (3), 441–60 27. Miki Talebi and Michel Desjardins (2012), ‘The Immigration Experience of Iranian Baha'is in Saskatchewan: The Reconstruction of Their Existence, Faith, and Religious Experience’, Journal of Religion and Health, 51 (2), June, 293–309 28. Susana Trovão (2012), ‘Religion and Civic Participation among the Children of Immigrants: Insights from the Postcolonial Portuguese Context’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 38 (5), May, 851–68 29. Manuel A. Vásquez (2009), ‘The Global Portability of Pneumatic Christianity: Comparing African and Latin American Pentecostalisms’, African Studies, 68 (2), August, 273–86 30. Frank Usarski (2008), ‘“The Last Missionary to Leave the Temple Should Turn Off the Light”. Sociological Remarks on the Decline of Japanese “Immigrant” Buddhism in Brazil’, Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 35 (1), 39–59 Index Volume II Introduction An introduction by the editor appears in Volume I PART I INTEGRATION STRATEGIES 1. Sebnem Koser Akcapar (2006), ‘Conversion as a Migration Strategy in a Transit Country: Iranian Shiites becoming Christians in Turkey’, International Migration Review, 40 (4), Winter, 817–53 2. Susana Molins Lliteras (2009), ‘A Path to Integration: Senegalese Tijanis in Cape Town’, African Studies, 68 (2), August, 215–33 3. Marc Sommers (2001), ‘Young, Male and Pentecostal: Urban Refugees in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 14 (4), 347–70 4. Manuel A. Vásquez and Kim Knott (2014), ‘Three Dimensions of Religious Place Making in Diaspora’, Global Networks, 14 (3), July, 326–47 PART II RELIGIOUS AS RESOURCE 5. James R. Cochrane (2006), ‘Religion in the Health of Migrant Communities: Asset or Deficit?’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 32 (4), May, 715–36 6. Douglas S. Massey and Monica Espinosa Higgins (2011), ‘The Effect of Immigration on Religious Belief and Practice: A Theologizing or Alienating Experience?’, Social Science Research, 40 (5), September, 1371–89 7. Damaris Seleina Parsitau (2011), ‘The Role of Faith and Faith-Based Organizations among Internally Displaced Persons in Kenya’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 24 (3), 493–512 8. Peter van der Veer (2002), ‘Transnational Religion: Hindu and Muslim Movements’, Global Networks, 2 (2), 95–109 PART III POLICIES AND SERVICES 9. Paul Bramadat (2014), ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Refugee Settlement and Religion in British Columbia’, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 82 (4), December, 907–37 10. Jessica Eby, Erika Iverson, Jenifer Smyers and Erol Kekic (2011), ‘The Faith Community’s Role in Refugee Resettlement in the United States’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 24 (3), 586–605 11. Elźbieta M. Goździak (2002), ‘Spiritual Emergency Room: The Role of Spirituality and Religion in the Resettlement of Kosovar Albanians’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 15 (2), 136–52 12. Alexander Horstmann (2011), ‘Ethical Dilemmas and Identifications of Faith-Based Humanitarian Organizations in the Karen Refugee Crisis’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 24 (3), 514–32 13. Nkwachukwu Orji (2011), ‘Faith-Based Aid to People Affected by Conflict in Jos, Nigeria: An Analysis of the Role of Christian and Muslim Organizations’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 24 (3), 474–92 14. Matthias Koenig (2005), ‘Incorporating Muslim Migrants in Western Nation States: A Comparison of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany’, Journal of International Migration and Integration, 6 (2), Spring, 219–34 15. Michal Kravel-Tovi (2012), ‘“National Mission”: Biopolitics, Non-Jewish Immigration and Jewish Conversion Policy in Contemporary Israel’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35 (4), April, 737–56 16. Jeremy Northcote, Peter Hancock and Suzy Casimiro (2006), ‘Breaking the Isolation Cycle: The Experience of Muslim Refugee Women in Australia’, Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 15 (2), 177–99 PART IV ECONOMICS AND WORK 17. Phillip Connor and Matthias Koenig (2013), ‘Bridges and Barriers: Religion and Immigrant Occupational Attainment across Integration Contexts’, International Migration Review, 47 (1), Spring, 3–38 18. Rebecca Raijman, Silvina Schammah-Gesser and Adriana Kemp (2003), ‘International Migration, Domestic Work, and Care Work: Undocumented Latina Migrants in Israel’, Gender & Society, 17 (5), October, 727–49 19. Samadia Sadouni (2009), ‘“God is not Unemployed”: Journeys of Somali Refugees in Johannesburg’, African Studies, 68 (2), August, 235–49 20. Claudia Smith Kelly and Blen Solomon (2009), ‘The Influence of Religion on Remittances Sent to Relatives and Friends Back Home’, Journal of Business and Economics Research, 7 (1), January, 91–101 PART V RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS AND PROFESSIONALS 21. Michael Baffoe (2013), ‘Spiritual Well-Being and Fulfilment, or Exploitation by a Few Smart Ones? The Proliferation of Christian Churches in West African Immigrant Communities in Canada’, Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 4 (1), January, 305–16 22. Denis Kim (2011), ‘Catalysers in the Promotion of Migrants’ Rights: Church-Based NGOs in South Korea’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 37 (10), December, 1649–67 23. Margarita Mooney (2006), ‘The Catholic Bishops Conferences of the United States and France: Engaging Immigration as a Public Issue’, American Behavioral Scientist, 49 (11), July, 1455–70 24. Julia Mourāo Permoser, Sieglinde Rosenberger and Kristina Stoeckl (2010), ‘Religious Organisations as Political Actors in the Context of Migration: Islam and Orthodoxy in Austria’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 36 (9), November, 1463–81 25. Albert Kraler (2007), ‘The Political Accommodation of Immigrant Religious Practices: The Case of Special Admission Rules for Ministers of Religion’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 33 (6), August, 945–63 26. Mäité Maskens (2012), ‘Mobility among Pentecostal Pastors and Migratory “Miracles”’, Canadian Journal of African Studies, 46 (3), December, 397–409 PART VI SPACE AND CULTURE 27. John Eade (2012), ‘Religion, Home-Making and Migration Across A Globalising City: Responding to Mobility in London’, Culture and Religion, 13 (4), December, 469–83 28. David Garbin (2012), ‘Marching for God in the Global City: Public Space, Religion and Diasporic Identities in a Transnational African Church’, Culture and Religion, 13 (4), December, 425–47 29. Amber Gemmeke (2011), ‘Enchantment, Migration and Media: Marabouts in Senegal and in the Netherlands’, European Journal of Cultural Studies, 14 (6), December, 685–704 30. Marcel Maussen (2007), ‘Islamic Presence and Mosque Establishment in France: Colonialism, Arrangements for Guest Workers and Citizenship’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 33 (6), August, 981–1002 PART VII THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATIONS 31. Jacqueline Hagan (2006), ‘Making Theological Sense of the Migration Journey from Latin America: Catholic, Protestant, and Interfaith Perspectives’, American Behavioral Scientist, 49 (11), July, 1554–73 32. Caroline Jeannerat (2009), ‘Of Lizards, Misfortune and Deliverance: Pentecostal Soteriology in the Life of a Migrant’, African Studies, 68 (2), August, 251–71 33. Gemma Tulud Cruz (2006), ‘Faith on the Edge: Religion and Women in the Context of Migration’, Feminist Theology, 15 (1), 9–25 PART VIII CONTROVERSIES 34. Florence Bergeaud-Blackler (2007), ‘New Challenges for Islamic Ritual Slaughter: A European Perspective’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 33 (6), August, 965–80 35. Annick Germain and Julie Elizabeth Gagnon (2003), ‘Minority Places of Worship and Zoning Dilemmas in Montréal’, Planning Theory and Practice, 4 (3), September, 295–318 36. Chantal Saint-Blancat and Ottavia Schmidt di Friedberg (2005), ‘Why are Mosques a Problem? Local Politics and Fear of Islam in Northern Italy’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 31 (6), November, 1083–104 Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA timely and immensely scholarly work to explain how present doctrines of secularism could be infused, enriched by the notion of objective constitutionalism. The author's wide-ranging comparative research and his understanding of religious systems, as well as constitutions, judicial precedent and international law instruments, are most impressive. This is a work that deserves serious worldwide study and attention by academics, students, religious leaders and governments.'- Marinus Wiechers, Former Principal, University of South Africa'Constitutional arrangements relating to the relationship between religion and the law have over the years reflected a rich variety, ranging from the separation of religion and the law to the identity of religion and the law. Constitutionalism and Religion records the rich varieties of constitutional arrangements of religion in many countries of the world and in respect of a great variety of pragmatic features of our day-to-day lives, such as education, labour relations and the display of religious symbols.'- Johan D. van der Vyver, Emory University School of Law, US'Francois Venter's study of Constitutionalism and Religion is a major contribution to the understanding of church-state relations in the modern age. This global comparative exploration of how governments need to engage with twenty-first century religious pluralism is refracted through the prism of the author's informed critique of the challenges faced in post-apartheid South Africa. This book is a handy road map when travelling through potentially hostile territory.'- Mark Hill QC, University of Pretoria, South AfricaThis topical book examines how the goals of constitutionalism - good and fair government - are addressed at a time when the multi-religious composition of countries' populations has never before been so pronounced. How should governments, courts and officials deal with this diversity? The widely accepted principle of treating others as you wish them to treat you and the universal recognition of human dignity speak against preferential treatment of any religion. Faced with severe challenges, this leads many authorities to seek refuge in secular neutrality. Set against the backdrop of globalized constitutionalism in a post-secular era, Francois Venter proposes engaged objectivity as an alternative to unachievable neutrality.Bringing together the history of church and state, the emergence of contemporary constitutionalism, constitutional comparison and the realities of globalization, this book offers a fresh perspective on the direction in which solutions to difficulties brought about by religious pluralism might be sought. Its wide-ranging comparative analyses and perspectives based on materials published in various languages provide a clear exposition of the range of religious issues with which the contemporary state is increasingly being confronted.Providing a compact but thorough historical and theoretical exposition, this book is an invaluable resource for students, constitutional scholars, judges and legal practitioners.Trade Review‘A timely and immensely scholarly work to explain how present doctrines of secularism could be infused, enriched by the notion of objective constitutionalism. The author’s wide-ranging comparative research and his understanding of religious systems, as well as constitutions, judicial precedent and international law instruments, are most impressive. This is a work that deserves serious worldwide study and attention by academics, students, religious leaders and governments.’ -- Marinus Wiechers, Former Principal, University of South Africa‘Constitutional arrangements relating to the relationship between religion and the law have over the years reflected a rich variety, ranging from the separation of religion and the law to the identity of religion and the law. Constitutionalism and Religion records the rich varieties of constitutional arrangements of religion in many countries of the world and in respect of a great variety of pragmatic features of our day-to-day lives, such as education, labour relations and the display of religious symbols.’ -- Johan D. van der Vyver, Emory University School of Law, US‘Francois Venter’s study of Constitutionalism and Religion is a major contribution to the understanding of church-state relations in the modern age. This global comparative exploration of how governments need to engage with twenty-first century religious pluralism is refracted through the prism of the author’s informed critique of the challenges faced in post-apartheid South Africa. This book is a handy road map when travelling through potentially hostile territory.’ -- Mark Hill QC, University of Pretoria, South AfricaTable of ContentsContents: PART I RELIGION, THE STATE AND CONSTITUTIONALISM 1. The Roots of a Relationship: Religion, The State and its Power 2. Globalization, Constitutional Law and Religion 3. Constitutionalism PART II RELIGION IN LAW 4. Religion in Constitutions 5. Religion in International Law 6. Travails of the Judges in Religious Cases PART III OBLIGATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL STATE IN RELIGIOUS MATTERS 7. The Weaknesses of Contemporary Statehood in the Face of Religious Pluralism 8. The Demands of Constitutionalism Regarding Religion 9. A Post-secular Approach to Religious Pluralism Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisReligion and Comparative Development is the first analytical endeavor on religion and government that incorporates microeconomic modeling of democracy and dictatorship as well as empirical linkages between religious norms and the bureaucratic provision of public goods within the framework of survey data analysis and public goods experiments. Moreover, it explores the rising significance of religion in Middle East and post-Soviet politics, as well as in current migration, security and party developments in the United States and Europe alike through these lenses. This book underscores the significance of religion as a crucial factor for political development and economic transformation, suggesting that all world religions can offer pathways to peace and development through different institutional channels. With a multiplicity of methods (statistical modeling, game theory, lab-in-the-field experiments, comparative historical analysis), the author observes how religion impacts political economy and international politics, and not always negatively. This demystification of religion goes beyond the classical discussion on the role of religion in the public sphere and sets the grounds for explaining why some economies are more likely to be democracies and others dictatorships. Researchers, graduate and undergraduate students of economics and social sciences, and faculty members who are interested in cutting-edge research on economics and culture will want this book in their collection. It insights will also be useful for policy-makers, administrators, historians, and civic organizations.Trade Review'Values and norms shape individual behaviour and collective results. And religion or its renunciation is arguably the single most important vehicle of values and norms. Therefore, the influence of religion on political development and economic performance is an important - and complex - topic in social science at least since Max Weber. Theocharis Grigoriadis' point of departure is that the big world religions differ in their valuation of collectivist vs. individualist features of institutions and that these differences matter for the incentives and possibilities of political leaders for modernization. The book brings together concepts and methods from history, political science, and economics and is therefore truly interdisciplinary. Drawing on a remarkable wealth of historical and institutional knowledge, game theoretic models, results from surveys conducted in Russia and Israel, and social lab-experiments in two Siberian cities, respectively, Grigoriadis pin down the role of religion for individual attitudes and decisions. In his foreword, he goes as far as claiming ''that all world religions can offer pathways to peace and development through different institutional channels''. Although my reading of this highly recommendable book did not fully corroborate this optimistic view, the findings certainly shed new and valuable light on the role of religion.' --Jurgen Jerger, University of Regensburg and Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies'The political economy of religion is a sorely neglected topic, especially in connection to understanding comparative economic development. Grigoriadis employs a rich and interdisciplinary variety of empirical and analytical tools to document the myriad ways that religious beliefs and institutions can influence government administrative structures, public good and modernization policies, and subsequent development paths. The focus on Eastern Orthodoxy, in particular, is a welcome addition to scholarship on long-run economic development in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.' --Steven Nafziger, Williams College, US'How have the values and institutions of the great world religions influenced public policy and its economic outcomes in different countries? In this book Theocharis Grigoriadis offers original concepts and new data for economists and economic historians. Focusing on Europe and the Middle East, the book locates religious cultures on the spectrum from collectivism to individualism, isolates their influences on the type of government, on the degree to which governments are committed to provide for society, and on central versus local provision. The findings break new ground in our ongoing search for the cultural and institutional roots of economic development around the world.' --Mark Harrison, University of Warwick, UKTable of ContentsContents: 1. Dimensionality of Religion 2. Religious Origins of Political Regimes 3. Religious Identity, Local Governance and Public Goods 4. The Political Economy of Russian Orthodoxy 5. Back to the Prussian Origins: Kulturkampf and Comparative Modernization References Conclusions Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisOffering an interdisciplinary, international and philosophical perspective, this comprehensive Research Handbook explores both perennial and recent legal issues that concern the modern state and its interaction with religious communities and individuals.Providing in-depth, original analysis the book includes studies of a wide array of nation states, such as India and Turkey, which each have their own complex issues centred on law, religion and the interactions between the two. Longstanding issues of religious liberty are explored such as the right of conscientious objection, religious confession privilege and the wearing of religious apparel. The contested meanings of the secular state and religious neutrality are revisited from different perspectives and the reality of the international human rights protections for religious freedom are analysed.Timely and astute, this discerning Research Handbook will be a valuable resource for both academics and researchers interested in the many topics surrounding law and religion. Lawyers and practitioners will also appreciate the clarity with which the rights of religious liberty, and the challenges in making these compatible with state law, are presented.Contributors include: R. Ahdar, F. Ahmed, R. Albert, R. Barker, B.L. Berger, J.E. Buckingham, J. Burnside, P. Dane, J. Harrison, M.A. Helfand, M. Hill, M. Kiviorg, A. Koppelman, I. Leigh, J. Neo, Y. Rosnai, R. Sandberg, S.D. Smith, P.M. Taylor, H.-M. ten Napel, K. Thompson, F. VenterTrade Review'Over the course of the last generation, the study of 'law and religion' has exploded in breadth, subtlety and significance. This Research Handbook provides its readers with a rich, varied, and sometimes provocative introduction to the field. Expert chapters not only shed new light on familiar topics, they also identify further avenues for fruitful scholarship. One is left with the sense that the most significant work still lies ahead - and also the intellectual tools to face that challenge.' --Julian Rivers, University of Bristol Law School, UKThe authors who have contributed so ably to this excellent volume are to be congratulated on scholarship of the highest quality, which treats a wide and rich range of issues at the centre of the field of law and religion today. Their contribution here will be of enormous value to all those who teach, study, and practise in this rapidly developing and important sphere of life.' --Norman Doe, Cardiff University, UKTable of ContentsContents: Foreword John Witte, Jr Part I Law and Religion 1. Navigating Law and Religion: Familiar Waterways, Rivers Less Travelled and Uncharted Seas Rex Ahdar 2. The Sociological Dimension of Law and Religion Russell Sandberg Part II Jurisprudential Themes 3. Equality, Religion, and Nihilism Steve D Smith 4. Jeremy Bentham and the Problem of the Authority of Biblical Law Jonathan Burnside 5. Dworkin’s Religion and the End of Religious Liberty Joel Harrison 6. What Kind of Human Right is Religious Liberty? Andrew Koppelman Part III Religion-State Relations 7. Establishment and Encounter Perry Dane 8. Religion, Secularism and Limitations on Constitutional Amendment Richard Albert and Yaniv Roznai 9. Regulation of Religious Communities in a Multicultural Polity Jaclyn L Neo 10. Liberal Constitutionalism and the Unsettling of the Secular Benjamin L Berger 11. The Boundaries of Faith-Based Organizations in Europe Hans-Martien ten Napel 12. Enforcing Religious Law Farrah Ahmed Part IV Adjudicating Religion 13. When Judges are Theologians: Adjudicating Religious Questions Michael A. Helfand 14. The Justiciability and Adjudication of Religious Disputes Francois Venter Part V International Perspectives 15. Controversial Doctrine: The Relevance of Religious Content in the Supervisory Role of International Human Rights Bodies Paul M Taylor 16. Dangers of the Changing Narrative of Human Rights: Why Democracy and Security Need Religious Freedom Merilin Kiviorg Part VI Freedom of Religion Issues 17. Freedom of Religion and the Rise of Secularism: Struggles in the British Workplace Mark Hill QC 18. The Legal Recognition of Freedom of Conscience as Conscientious Objection: Familiar Problems and New Lessons Ian Leigh 19. Of Burqas (and Niqabs) in Courtrooms: The Neglected Women’s Voice Renae Barker 20. Trinity Western University’s Law School: Reconciling Rights Janet Epp Buckingham 21. The Persistence of Religious Confession Privilege A Keith Thompson Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisElgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.This Advanced Introduction sets out the difficulty of defining religion itself and the subsequent impact this has on creating laws which regulate and protect it. Taking a global comparative approach, Frank S. Ravitch guides the reader in how this unique interaction plays out in differing legal systems including in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Providing further context by contrasting specific case studies, the book provides a rounded and coherent exploration of the complexities of law in relation to religion.Key Features:Addresses the many issues surrounding religious exceptions to general lawsConsiders the extent of separation between government and religion, and the role of courts in deciding religious questionsLooks at the ways in which law may govern discrimination by government or by private entities, based on religion or religious concernsExplores the multifaceted interactions between religion and law in many areas, including human rights; public schooling; health and property; tax exemptions; and clergy abuseThis foundational book offers a platform for researchers and students in the fields of law, political science, ethics, and religious studies. It also provides valuable insight for lawyers, judges and legislators with a focus on law and religion..Trade Review‘Advanced Introduction to Law and Religion is a major achievement in the US and comparative law and religion scholarship. Professor Ravitch crisply and insightfully synthesizes the history, major concepts, and current trends of the complicated world of church-state law in a single readable volume. Examining representative doctrinal areas, he places these in a truly global context by providing comparative analyses of alternate church-state models in Canada and the countries of the European Union as well as in Japan and other Asian countries too often neglected by Western scholars. The result is the perfect book for academics, graduate students, and others looking for sophisticated analysis beyond the introductory.’ -- Frederick Mark Gedicks, Brigham Young University Law School

Read more less

Book SynopsisElgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.This Advanced Introduction sets out the difficulty of defining religion itself and the subsequent impact this has on creating laws which regulate and protect it. Taking a global comparative approach, Frank S. Ravitch guides the reader in how this unique interaction plays out in differing legal systems including in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Providing further context by contrasting specific case studies, the book provides a rounded and coherent exploration of the complexities of law in relation to religion.Key Features:Addresses the many issues surrounding religious exceptions to general lawsConsiders the extent of separation between government and religion, and the role of courts in deciding religious questionsLooks at the ways in which law may govern discrimination by government or by private entities, based on religion or religious concernsExplores the multifaceted interactions between religion and law in many areas, including human rights; public schooling; health and property; tax exemptions; and clergy abuseThis foundational book offers a platform for researchers and students in the fields of law, political science, ethics, and religious studies. It also provides valuable insight for lawyers, judges and legislators with a focus on law and religion..Trade Review‘Advanced Introduction to Law and Religion is a major achievement in the US and comparative law and religion scholarship. Professor Ravitch crisply and insightfully synthesizes the history, major concepts, and current trends of the complicated world of church-state law in a single readable volume. Examining representative doctrinal areas, he places these in a truly global context by providing comparative analyses of alternate church-state models in Canada and the countries of the European Union as well as in Japan and other Asian countries too often neglected by Western scholars. The result is the perfect book for academics, graduate students, and others looking for sophisticated analysis beyond the introductory.’ -- Frederick Mark Gedicks, Brigham Young University Law School

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn in-depth and multifaceted investigation of how Polish Jews, Polish Zionism, and Polish culture influenced Israel’s cultural and political development, as well as of how the Zionist project influenced Jewish life in Poland. From its inception as a political movement, Zionism had as its main goal the creation of a ‘New Jew’ who could contribute to building a Jewish state, preferably in the historic homeland of the Jewish people, where Jews would free themselves from the negative characteristics which, in the view of the ideologues of Zionism, had developed in the diaspora. Yet, inevitably, those who settled in Palestine brought with them considerable cultural baggage. A substantial proportion of them came from the Polish lands, and their presence significantly affected the political and cultural life of the Yishuv, and later the State of Israel. In this volume, scholars from Israel, Poland and elsewhere in Europe, and North America explore different aspects of this influence, as well as the continuing relationship between Israel and Poland, up to the present day.Table of ContentsIntroduction Israel Bartal, François Guesnet, Antony Polonsky, and Scott Ury I. Before Zionism Hasidic Communities in the Land of Israel in the Nineteenth Century Uriel Gellman Polish Distinctiveness in Jerusalem, Congress Poland, and Western Prussia in the Nineteenth Century Yochai Ben-Ghedalia II. From the Beginnings of Zionism to the Second World War Between Attraction and Repulsion, Disaster and Hope: Jews, Poland, and the Land of Israel before 1948 Łukasz Tomasz Sroka Zionism in Poland, Poland in Zionism Anna Landau-Czajka The Fourth Aliyah and the Fulfilment of Zionism in the Land of Israel Meir Chazan Nalewki Street in Tel Aviv? The Political Heritage of East European Jewry in the Yishuv and the State of Israel Gershon Bacon Between Tłomackie 13, Warsaw, and Kaplan 2, Tel Aviv: The Role of the East European Jewish Press in Shaping Israeli Journalism Ela Bauer Jewish Politics Without Borders: How Ben-Gurion Won the Elections to the Zionist Congress of 1933 Rona Yona A Bridge between West and East: Polish Economic Policy and the Yishuv Katarzyna Dziekan Palestine for the Third Time: Ksawery Pruszyński and the Emergence of Israel Wiesław Powaga III. From the War to the Israeli Declaration of Independence Imagined Motherland: Zionism in Poland after the Holocaust Natalia Aleksiun Between Hostility and Intimacy: Christian and Jewish Polish Citizens in the USSR, Iran, and Palestine Mikhal Dekel Mordecai Tsanin: Yiddish Orphanhood in Israel and Afterlife in Poland Monika Adamczyk-Garbowska IV. From Israeli Independence to the End of Communism Art and Society between Poland and Israel: The Life and Work of Henryk Hechtkopf Hanna Lerner Yom-Tov Levinsky, Jewish Ritual, and Exile in Israeli Culture Adi Sherzer Israel Expunged: Communist Censorship of the Polish Catholic Press, 1945–1989 Bożena Szaynok Homeland, State, and Language: The Integration of Polish Jews into Israel Elżbieta Kossewska The Polish Exodus of 1968: Antisemitism, Dropouts, and Re-emigrants in Nowiny i Kurier Miri Freilich V. From the End of Communism to Today Home as a Place of No Return: Journeys to Poland in the Writings of Child Survivors and the Second and Third Generations Efraim Sicher Israelis? Poles? Blurring the Boundaries of Identity in Contemporary Israeli Literature Shoshana Ronen Other Family Stories: The Third Post-Holocaust Generation’s Journey to Poland Jagoda Budzik Neuland, or the Displacement of an Ideal: Israel in the Work of Eshkol Nevo Alina Molisak Israel and Poland Confront Holocaust Memory Yifat Gutman and Elazar Barkan Index**

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fundamental cause of many of the global challenges we are currently facing is our disconnection from ourselves, our fellow humans, other beings, and our planet. We have consistently failed to recognize the inner consciousness that dictates our relationships and decisions, an awareness that could be the first step toward humanity’s quest to set civilization on a more sustainable trajectory. Rooted in both secular spirituality and scientific evidence, Applied Spirituality and Sustainable Development Policy articulates a new model of sustainable development that is not just based on narrow definitions of GDP and economic growth, but that includes and even forefronts social and environmental development and inner transformation of human beings. Drawing on fields from physics to public policy, 18 pioneering authors discuss: A distillation of the spiritual gems at the core of the world’s major religions, including Indic and Buddhist philosophy Root-cause analyses of major sustainable development policy challenges like climate change Connections between spirituality and law, and how our legal frameworks can reflect these values The need for leaders to understand their spiritual nature in order to be authentic and transformative in their leadership styles Recognizing a global need for healing, this book rejuvenates how we think about development and nurture our innate spirituality, and challenges us to shift our collective mindset from one of having to one of being.Trade ReviewThe book Applied Spirituality and Sustainable Development Policy is breathtaking in its scope and awe-inspiring for the depth of insight brought to bear on the current world crises. The editors have brought together contributions from a powerful team of academics, researchers and thinkers in the areas of spirituality, policy and sustainable development to create a truly outstanding text, sure to become a future classic. I will be using this text with my students! -- Lee Newitt, Founder MA Spirituality, Ecology & Mental Health at Buckinghamshire New University, UKPhysicists define energy as the capacity of matter to do work, and have demonstrated that this capacity is in all things everywhere and can be neither created nor destroyed. Have we not just described the God of ancient man, and the essence of modern spirituality? Let us then leave mysticism behind. If energy created this planet, its systems, and the vast cosmos surrounding it, would it not have the capacity to solve what appear to be unsolvable human problems? Energy does not deny us its aid. Rather, we deny energy its existence and pretend to be separated from our own being. The laws of physics hold otherwise. This remarkable book on applied spirituality is nothing less than a manual for the application of the energy in all things everywhere to solve human problems. Of course, energy has no problems. If we apply the lessons of this book, we will soon realize that neither do we. -- James Kimmel, Jr., JD, Yale School of Medicine, author of Suing for Peace, The Trial of Fallen Angels, and The Science of RevengeRather than outlining another neat, pre-determined framework, destined by definition to oversimplify the complexities of the real world, [this book] proposes a radically new approach -- one that neither rejects reason and rationalism, nor subjectivity and diversity; one that rather expands and enriches both. The Constitution of UNESCO reads 'Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed'. Similarly, this book posits that to achieve sustainable and equitable development in our world, we must cultivate the conditions for its flourishing within ourselves. It reminds us that we already hold the keys to this, both in the form of centuries’ old spiritual wisdom passed down to us through the ages (spiritual, not religious), and in our own innate spirituality. Rather than engaging in exhausting ideological battles, it recommends opening the mind to applied spirituality, free of religious, political and ideological dogma. In this way, the buttresses of peace and wellbeing for all sentient beings can be constructed. This approach will undoubtably elicit skepticism from various quarters, particularly from the rationalist orthodoxy camp. But reason and rationalism represent only one essential human faculty. Surely the complexities of our world with its multiple, intersecting, systemic challenges merit the full benefit of all our faculties and capabilities – our intuitive and ethical faculties, the faculties of the heart and our ability for love, empathy, and compassion, to name a few? Why would we willingly withhold the full scope of our faculties and abilities in the quest for a more sustainable future? This book calls for an integral, systems approach to our complex, interconnected global challenges, one that not only brings all our faculties to bear holistically, but that also stems from profound wisdom and applied spirituality. Methodological issues will certainly be open to debate, but the approach itself is deeply compelling. -- Renata Lok, Former Senior UN Official and Former Coordinator of the UN System in IndiaApplied Spirituality and Sustainable Development Policy makes a much-needed contribution to our understanding of how spirituality, as distinct from religion, can inform and improve every aspect of our life. My own practice of Sahaja Yoga meditation over the last 35 years has revealed to me that inner transformation, which comes about as one seeks spiritual depth, enables us to make intuitively informed choices that enhance the quality of our family, professional and social interactions. The editors and contributors deserve our highest compliments and deepest gratitude for their courageous effort to explain that spirituality does not isolate us from society or nature. On the contrary, spirituality empowers us in the subtlest of ways, to live in consonance with nature and in harmony with mankind. -- Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chair (2017-22), NITI Aayog, Government of IndiaThis is a very stupendous work! Public policy and spirituality seem unconnected, but public policy is surely based on the quality of the key players and needs their internal transformation. Religion was created precisely to provide this support. Unfortunately institutionalised religion has created the opposite effect: of excluding others, rather than feeling the one-ness. It has led to destruction, wars and violence. If the theory of change proposed in this work has to materialise, it needs a lot of hard work of reformation, both within and without. But the time has come for it. -- R. Subrahmanyam, Former Secretary, Higher Education and Social Justice, Government of IndiaTable of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction and Overview; Naresh Singh and Divya Bhatnagar Chapter 2. Policy and Practice informed by the Ancient Science of Spirituality; Mihir Shah Chapter 3. Politics of Being: Harnessing Spirituality and Science for a New Development Paradigm; Thomas Legrand Chapter 4. Buddhist and Taoist Systems Thinking: Perennial Wisdom Applications and Implications to Sustainable Transformation; Josep M. Coll Chapter 5. New Paradigm Politics and Governance for a Planetary Civilization; Anneloes Smitsman Chapter 6. Spiritual Leadership For Sustainable Development Policy; Naresh Singh Chapter 7. Law and Applied Spirituality; K. Parameswaran Chapter 8. A Holistic View to Approach Sustainable Development: Spiritual Roots and Evidence from Quantum Physics; Divya Bhatnagar and Sudip Patra Chapter 9. Spirituality, Wisdom, and Quantum Theory: Wisdom Has a Measurement Problem Too; David Rooney Chapter 10. Public Policy for Sustainable Development: A Gandhian Paradigm; Pooja Sharma Chapter 11. An Exploration of the Nonmaterial Dimension as the Sine Qua Non of “Sustainable Development”; Vern Neufeld Redekop Chapter 12. Applied Spirituality and Mediation: Overcoming Challenges of Sustainability using Inter-relational Settlement Model; K. Parameswaran Chapter 13. Compassionate Policies to Relieve Systemic Suffering: Visions, Obstacles, Strategies, Actions; Robertson Work

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnalyses Muslim-Muslim divisions within northern Nigeria, which are as important for understanding the violence in the region as those between Muslim and Christian (for which, see the companion volume, Creed and Grievance),with consequences for long-term peacemaking. Nigerian society has long been perceived as divided along religious lines, between Muslims and Christians, but alongside this there is an equally important polarization within the Muslim population in beliefs, rituals and sectarian allegiance. This book highlights the crucial issue of intra-Muslim pluralism and conflict in Nigeria. Conflicting interpretations of texts and contexts have led to fragmentation within northern Nigerian Islam, and differentIslamic sects have often resorted to violence against each other in pursuit of 'the right path'. The doctrinal justification of violence was first perfected against other Muslim groups, before being extended to non-Muslims: conflict between Muslim groups therefore preceded the violence between Muslims and Christians. It will be impossible to manage the relationship between the latter, without addressing the schisms within the Muslim community itself. Nigeria: Premium Times Books Abdul Raufu Mustapha is Associate Professor in African Politics, University of Oxford. His publications include (co-edited with Lindsey Whitfield) Turning Points in African Democracy (James Currey, 2009). Forthcoming: Creed & Grievance: Muslims, Christians & Society in Northern Nigeria edited by Abdul Raufu Mustapha and David Ehrhardt.Trade ReviewThis volume will surely come to be regarded as a reference book for dealing with those Sufi, Islamist, Salafist, and terrorist movements developing in multi-ethnic and multireligious societies in Africa and elsewhere. Mustapha's multidimensional and multifaceted approach offers a credible and intelligible analysis of the relevant historical, political, socio-economic, and socio-cultural issues which led to the current situation in Northern Nigeria. * AFRICA SPECTRUM *Mustapha's volume is an important corrective in the discourse about Boko Haram specifically and Islamic violence - indeed, all religious violence - generally, and it should be read by anyone who claims the authority to pronounce on any of these matters. * ANTHROPOLOGY REVIEW DATABASE *Table of ContentsForeword - M. Sani Umar Introduction: Interpreting Islam: Sufis, Salafists, Shi'ites & Islamists in Northern Nigeria - Abdul Raufu Mustapha From Dissent to Dissidence: The Genesis & Development of Reformist Islamic Groups in Northern Nigeria - Murray Last Contemporary Islamic Sects & Groups in Northern Nigeria - Mukhtar U. Bunza and Abdul Raufu Mustapha Experiencing Inequality at Close Range: Almajiri Students & Qur'anic schools in Kano - Hannah Hoechner 'Marginal Muslims': Ethnic Identity & the Umma

Read more less