Religion: general Books

Book SynopsisMigration Miracle humanizes the immigration controversy by exploring the harsh realities of the migrants’ desperate journeys. Drawing on over 300 interviews with men, women, and children, Hagan focuses on an unexplored dimension of the migration undertaking—the role of religion and faith in surviving the journey.Trade ReviewIn her magnificent book, Migration Miracle, Jacqueline Hagan shows that religion has not been consigned to the dustbin of history, but is a vital and dynamic feature of contemporary social life. It constitutes essential reading for people interested in immigration and religion alike. -- Douglas S. Massey, Princeton UniversityJackie Hagan's beautifully written book opens up new territory in the field. She not only sheds light on a neglected dimension of migration, but also describes in intimate detail how spirituality and religious practice help migrants face the dangers and uncertainties inherent in that process. Hagan's lucid writing draws on an international sample of extensive interviews and ethnographic data. -- Robert Smith, Baruch College, CUNYMigration Miracle is a deep and nuanced engagement with religion and faith in Latin American migration odysseys. By examining the real needs of undocumented migrants, Hagan offers new insights for those who work with migrants during these incredibly difficult journeys. This groundbreaking study should inspire similar research in Africa and elsewhere, where much work still needs to be done in understanding the role of religion in the migration process. Migration Miracle paves the way for a new way of thinking about migration in the twenty-first century. -- Archbishop Michael A. Blume, SVD, Apostolic Nuncio in Benin and Togo; Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Internant People, 2000-2005It will be an essential text for scholars of religion and migration, and likely a favorite in graduate seminars. Migration Miracle should also be read by scholars interested in the theoretical explanations for migration, as it adds complexity to the traditional economic explanations of why people leave. But the audience most in need of this book is the policy makers who, in their narrow focus on the economic and political ramifications of undocumented migration, have forgotten that migrants are not mere economic units but human beings who face inhuman conditions in their attempts for survival and the survival of their families, beseeching God along the way. -- Stephanie J. Nawyn * American Journal of Sociology *Table of Contents* Introduction * Decision-Making and Leave Taking * The Dangerous Journey * Churches Crossing Borders * Miracles in the Desert * La Promesa * Conclusion * Notes * References * Acknowledgments * Index

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Book SynopsisThrough an exploration of contemporary Chinese popular religion from its cultural, social, and material perspectives, Wei-Ping Lin paints a broad picture of the dynamics of popular religion in Taiwan. Analyzing these aspects of religious practice in a unified framework, she traces their transformation as adherents move from villages to cities.Trade ReviewAn ethnographic work that weaves together description and theoretical discussion, Materializing Magic Power demonstrates the insights we achieve when we approach religious practices from the vantage of materiality. The book will give scholars who have been working on Chinese religious practices a new and promising framework in which to revisit ethnographic and archival sources. For the novice, it gives a thorough multi-sited introduction to popular religious life in all its contemporary complexities. Materializing Magic Power will appeal to those curious about religious practices, but will also engage anyone who wonders about material culture’s role in how we build lasting social relationships. -- D. J. Hatfield, Berklee College of MusicMaterializing Magic Power is a significant contribution to the anthropology of religion and to the study of religion in China. We have quite a few studies of rural religion in Taiwan (although this is particularly well done in Lin’s case), but almost nothing for any Chinese society that brings this level of ethnographic context to migrant religion. It is by far the best study of this kind that I have seen for any Chinese community, even though we have known how important migration has been. -- Robert P. Weller, Boston University

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Book SynopsisFew studies have explored the cultural process whereby religious symbolism created social cohesion and political allegiance. This book examines religious conflict in the parish communities of early modern England using an interdisciplinary approach that includes the perspectives of class, gender, and demography.Trade ReviewIn an intriguing argument, Beaver suggests that the reception of the Reformation into the Vale of Gloucester, where it lacked broad support, enabled dissenting religious groups to reject the territorial parish, in favour of the 'imagined communities' of the like-minded...His work is an important one. It translates the conflict of the seventeenth century into a local study that has a wider theoretical application...Beaver has written a perceptive and incisive study of religious and communal conflict in Stuart England, and one that is central to our understanding of seventeenth century society. -- William Gibson * Albion *Daniel Beaver has written a volume grounded in extensive manuscript sources and combining the methodologies of social and cultural history with the theories of cultural anthropology. His geographical focus is the single-parish town of Tewkesbury and its environs (an area of approximately twelve square miles) in the county of Gloucester. Chronologically and thematically, however, his range is much broader, encompassing a wide range of topics relating to parish communities and religious conflict in the tumultuous seventeenth century...Beaver's reliance on rich local manuscript sources, complemented by his anthropological approach, provides useful insights into the particular local manifestations of dramatic shifts in the policies of the nation state during that time of unprecedented religious and political change. -- Caroline Litzenberger * Journal of Ecclesiastical History *Beaver reveals impressive powers of historical imagination, as his ingenious and convincing analysis of the import of the various versions of the Thomas Hickes story evidences. -- Paul S. Seaver * Journal of Modern History *A significant historical study...This is not simply a work of local history, as it throws considerable light on wider aspects of the great conflict that convulsed Stuart England...The discussions are confident, sensible, and well grounded in the evidence...No other book that I know of covers the experience of a region (as distinct from a town) throughout the entire troubled history of seventeenth-century England in anything like this depth...It is original in the systematic way it applies anthropological concepts to English political and religious conflicts. -- David E. Underdown, Yale UniversityHe turns a local study into something that has theoretical force, as well as taking issue with other historians of Tudor-Stuart England on matters like the impact of the Civil War, 'revolution,' 'Restoration,' Laudianism and the like. -- David D. Hall, Harvard Divinity SchoolParish Communities and Religious Conflict in the Vale of Gloucester examines the belief and activities of ordinary men and women in the Vale of Gloucestershire during the last years of Elizabeth's reign and throughout most of the seventeenth century. It goes beyond most regional studies, however, in emphasizing the effect of religious change and conflict on local communities. Class and gender as well as religious convictions are seen as important factors determining social cohesion and political allegiance...this is a valuable study that should interest historians as well as students of religion in England. * History *Beaver wishes to cast his nets widely, to capture the nuance of change and opinion in society and culture as they altered across the century he examines...This is a valuable book...in its attempt to explore the fissiparous nature of belief under the Stuarts while at the same time respecting the strength of the many layers of continuity that existed in the Vale of Gloucester, one gains a renewed and subtle appreciation for the role of a market town as a linchpin. -- Susan Wabuda * Sixteenth Century Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Church History as a Cultural System Part I: Social Form, 1590-1690 Reverend Histories: Geography and Landscape Parts, Persons, and Participants in the Commonwealth: Social Relations, Institutions, and Authority Under the Hand of God: Parish Communities and Rites of Mortality Part II: Social Process, 1590-1690 Circumcisions of the Heart: Church Courts, Social Relations, and Religious Conflict, 1591-1620 A Circle of Order: The Politics of Religious Symbolism, 1631-1640 To Unchurch a Church: Civil War and Revolution, 1642-1660 Astraea Redux: Religious Conflict, Restoration, and the Parish, 1660-1689 Bloody Stratagems and Busy Heads: Persecution, Avoidance, and the Structure of Religion, 1666-1689 Conclusion. Symbol and Boundary: Relgious Belief, Ceremony, and Social Order Appendix 1. Tables Appendix 2. Accusations of Witchcraft in Tewkesbury Notes Manuscript Sources Index

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Book SynopsisThis is the definitive account of the career of Anwar al-Awlaki, the most influential Western exponent of violent jihad. Drawing on extensive research among al-Awlaki’s followers, including interviews with convicted terrorists, Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens explains how the radical preacher established his network and why his message resonated.Trade ReviewMake no mistake, this is a very important book. The meticulously researched description of al-Awlaki’s ideology, his charisma, and his influence on a whole generation of Salafi jihadists should make this required reading for policymakers, practitioners, and academics alike. Anyone who is seriously interested in trying to understand what the future of global jihad might look like should pay very careful attention to the past, and I have seen no more coherent description nor compelling analysis than this. But beyond that, the very readability of this book should bring it to a wider audience. The narrative is incredibly powerful. -- Peter Clarke, former Head of Counter Terrorism at New Scotland Yard and UK National Co-ordinator of Terrorist Investigations, 2002–2008With forensic research and deep scholarship, Meleagrou-Hitchens traces the spiritual and political evolution of al-Qaeda’s most prominent recruiter of Westerners, the American preacher Anwar al-Awlaki. A major contribution to the study of religious violence. -- Scott Shane, author of Objective Troy and veteran New York Times national security reporterAnwar al-Awlaki was one of the foremost prophets of modern global terrorism…Incitement documents Awlaki’s journey through the ideological and political dynamics that have defined contemporary Islamism…The author reveals a figure shaped by both fundamental beliefs and shifting applications of them. -- Mardean Isaac * Times Literary Supplement *Jihadism is here; it’s not leaving anytime soon, and we need to understand it so we can better fight it…An outstanding book on the subject and has much to teach us on the nature of homegrown jihadism. -- David Patrikarakos * The Spectator *A fascinating analysis of the career of this most dangerously charismatic of fanatics…Meleagrou-Hitchens has provided an essential analysis of the career of one of jihad’s most successful devotees and enlightened us as to the broader nature of Islamic holy war…If you want to understand the nature of Islamic terrorism and its evolution, look no further…If we want to combat the ideology that leads to such violence, we must understand it. Incitement will be central to that understanding. -- Daniel James Sharp * Areo *A rigorous analysis of American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki’s influence on the global jihadist movement…[Meleagrou-Hitchens’s] lucid and deeply informed presentation reveals just how difficult it is to stamp out extremist ideologies once they’ve taken root. This sobering account makes a meaningful contribution to the study of terrorism. * Publishers Weekly *A fascinating insight into al-Awlaki’s personal ideological evolution and how he became so effective in communicating the Salafi-Jihadist message…You can’t help but see just why al-Awlaki was and remains so effective as a communicator and recruiter…Meleagrou-Hitchens is an excellent guide. -- Joshua Huminski * Diplomatic Courier *Illustrates the long tail of one ideological figure…Incitement shows how Awlaki…initiated a new departure in mass violence. -- Damien McElroy * The National *Incitement presents the most comprehensive and incisive analysis available of the American-born al-Qaeda ideologue and recruiter Anwar al-Awlaki. Meleagrou-Hitchens masterfully assesses al-Awlaki’s emergence as the ‘face of Western jihad’ during the War on Terror’s first decade and provides new insights regarding his messaging and recruitment methods, his impact, and his legacy. -- Bruce Hoffman, Georgetown University, author of Inside TerrorismA deep, insightful journey into one of the most extraordinary terrorist legacies ever witnessed. Incitement connects the dots between Western jihadism’s ‘Pied Piper’ and his far-flung devotees. Meleagrou-Hitchens’s brilliant analysis gives us an essential account that should be read by researchers and national security professionals alike. -- John Horgan, Distinguished University Professor, Psychology, Georgia State UniversityAnwar al-Awlaki continues to motivate, inspire, and activate young jihadists long after his death. Incitement illuminates the how and why of that process in a way that both academics and practitioners will find incredibly valuable. -- Nicholas J. Rasmussen, former Director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, 2014–2017Incitement is an authoritative and deeply researched account of the impact of the most important jihadist ideologue in the English-speaking world, the US citizen Anwar al-Awlaki. -- Peter Bergen, author of United States of Jihad: Who Are America’s Terrorists and How Do We Stop Them?Meleagrou-Hitchens…has spent the better part of a decade poring over Awlaki’s ideological production, interviewing his former acquaintances, and sifting through the historical record…The result is not only the definitive work on Awlaki, but an impressive text that marries the readability of a trade press biography and the analytical rigor of an academic monograph. -- Thomas Hegghammer * War on the Rocks *An excellent book about one of the most significant—and often misunderstood—terrorist propagandists of the modern day…While terrorism is often thought of and studied as a collective phenomenon, this book shows the significant and enduring role the individual can have. It is a lesson that deserves to be well heeded. -- Stephen Nemeth * American Religion *

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Book SynopsisHow did Hindu reformers make the religion modern? Brian Hatcher argues that this is the wrong question to ask. Exploring two nineteenth-century Hindu movements, the Brahmo Samaj and the Swaminarayan Sampraday, he challenges the notion of religious reform.Trade ReviewRequired reading not only for scholars of Hindu studies and South Asian religions but also for any student or scholar engaged in reflection on the concepts of reform, publics, modernity, and coloniality. The book is also highly recommended for anyone invested in interrogating the persistent colonial legacy of the concepts and categories used in the study of religion…Hatcher shows us a different way of thinking not only about colonial India, but also about what it means to read and understand texts in their respective contexts. -- Bennett Comerford * Reading Religion *In opening up new ways to understand the history of pre-modern and modern India, Hatcher gives scholars in history, religious studies, and theology new material to rethink Hindu-Christian relationships…Delightful reading. -- Edward T. Ulrich * Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies *This ambitious book challenges some of our basic assumptions about the beginnings of modern Hinduism and our understandings of its present. Brian Hatcher bravely spans the Indian subcontinent, from Arabian Sea to Bay of Bengal, to compare two foundational religious movements of the early nineteenth century. Working outside the usual framework of ‘reform,’ Hatcher explores the fundamental problems and possibilities of religion in early colonial modernity. -- Richard H. Davis, author of The Bhagavad Gita: A BiographyBrian Hatcher makes us radically rethink the master tropes of the study of religion. The alternatives he proposes and his delineation of the ‘Empire of Reform’ are of immense value to any project that has not already escaped the strictures imposed by the discourses of coloniality, modernity, and globalization. -- Leela Prasad, author of Poetics of Conduct: Oral Narrative and Moral Being in a South Indian TownIn Hinduism Before Reform, Hatcher engages with two important early colonial religious movements in India to argue that what we think of as ‘Hinduism’ is intricately involved in an ‘empire of reform’ bequeathed to us by the British Raj, the Enlightenment, Protestant missionaries, and Indian reformers. The result is at once radically plural, culturally provocative, and intellectually persuasive. Readers are in very good and very sure hands on every page of this sophisticated mind-bender. -- Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of The Flip: Epiphanies of Mind and the Future of KnowledgeIn this major contribution to the discourse on religion and reform, Brian Hatcher spotlights two contemporaneous religious innovators in early colonial India: Rammohun Roy and Swaminarayan. The result is a splendid, nuanced reassessment of what we now call ‘modern Hinduism.’ -- Paul B. Courtright, author of Gaṇeśa: Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings

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Book SynopsisShows that religion and politics are mixed together in complex and vitally important ways not just in the East, but in the West as well. This volume examines the qualities of religious discourse and practice that can be used for nationalist purposes, paying attention to how religion can help to give meaning to sacrifice in national struggle.Trade Review"Nation and Religion urges us to rethink the received historical interpretation that associates the onset of western modernity with the separation of the private world of religion from the public domain of politics."—Gyan Prakash, Princeton University"Van der Veer and Lehmann have collected eminent scholars to focus on the manifold connections between religion and nationalism. . . . There are keen scholarly insights here that will appeal to a wide readership."—Prasenjit Duara, University of ChicagoTable of ContentsAcknowledgments1Introduction32The Moral State: Religion, Nation, and Empire in Victorian Britain and British India153Protestantism and British National Identity, 1815-1945444Race in Britain and India715History, the Nation, and Religion: The Transformations of the Dutch Religious Past966On Religious and Linguistic Nationalisms: The Second Partition of Bengal1127Nationalism, Modernity, and Muslim Identity in India before 19471298Memory, Mourning, and National Morality: Yasukuni Shrine and the Reunion of State and Religion in Postwar Japan1449Papists and Beggars: National Festivals and Nation Building in the Netherlands during the Nineteenth Century16110Religion, Nation-State, Secularism17811The Goodness of Nations197Bibliography205List of Contributors223Index225

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Book SynopsisHow the billionaire owners of Hobby Lobby are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to make America a Bible nation Like many evangelical Christians, the Green family of Oklahoma City believes that America was founded as a Christian nation, based on a biblical worldview. But the Greens are far from typical evangelicals in other ways. The bilTrade Review"Selected as a Publishers Weekly 2017 Best Book in Religion""Exhaustively reported and scrupulously fair, Bible Nation doubles as a portrait of conviction: The Greens may well be the most sincere and most-frequently misguided activists in America."---Sarah Jones, The New Republic"Moss and Baden deftly highlight the cognitive dissonance at the heart of the evangelicalism, how and why the faithful cherry-pick Scriptures that buttress their own beliefs while dismissing contradictions among the texts themselves. . . . [The authors] draw on extensive research and interviews with a revolving-door cast of so-called experts and hangers-on, leaving no proverbial stone unturned in their quest to determine the value and validity of the Green collection, the Bible Museum's underlying purpose. Bible Nation peels away the bark on one of the largest branches of the American family tree, using an academic story to tell a broader one: the evangelicals’ unshakable conviction in their own fantasies and the demonization of anything, or anyone, that dares to challenge them."---Hamilton Cain, Minneapolis Star Tribune"Candida Moss and Joel Baden's new book illustrates how, with a net worth of nearly $4 billion, the family behind Hobby Lobby is stepping outside the corporate sphere and showing how faith and prosperity can powerfully influence the American public."---Charlotte Salley, The American Scholar"Biblical scholars Moss (The Myth of Persecution) and Baden (The Historical David) become dogged investigative journalists as they seek to understand how the Green family, the billionaire owners of Hobby Lobby, have aspired to influence national politics. . . . While depicting the Greens as well-intentioned, Moss and Baden make an impassioned case for fighting against the family's efforts to limit access to their questionably sourced collection and to misrepresent their work as nonsectarian when it is entrenched in a deeply American evangelical worldview. . . . This is a timely read for those interested in the relationship between money, faith, and American politics." * Publishers Weekly *"Two biblical scholars combine to dig into the actions and words of the billionaire Green family, founders of the Hobby Lobby chain of craft stores. . . . Moss and Baden portray the Green family members and their key executives as sincere evangelicals and benevolent employers. Throughout the book, however, they also show the Greens as naïve or disingenuous. To be sure, the family's proselytizing is not neutral. Rather, they are promoting a historically inaccurate saga of the U.S. as an exclusionary Christian nation meant to marry church and state. . . . Impressive . . . Well-positioned to examine the impact of religion on secular life." * Kirkus *"Moss and Baden's meticulous research will stand up to the most rigorous scrutiny, as they manage to stay dispassionate without judgement. . . . A troubling look into how a personal belief system can infiltrate seemingly public institutions through corporate means." * Library Journal *"[Moss and Baden's] concerns have merit, and by choosing to explore this particular front of the culture wars, they effectively cast light on issues that are American to the core: the belief that God blesses the faithful with financial success, the assumption that success in business verifies people as experts in realms they know little about, the notion that America is essentially and indisputably a Christian nation (and the public square ought therefore to reflect that essence), the dismissal of expert opinion when that opinion runs counter to popular belief, and the refusal of many people to examine their faith with a critical eye. In sum, Bible Nation illustrates what many nonevangelicals find so disturbing about America in the age of Trump, though it also reminds its readers that these untoward elements of American life long predated the election of our billionaire president. Surely they will outlive him as well." * Christian Century *"Candida R. Moss and Joel S. Baden--two respected academics of religious studies--go out of their way to be objective in their reporting on the Green family's growing influence on matters concerning the Bible in our country today. . . . Bible Nation: The United States of Hobby Lobby is a brave book in these dishonest times."---Charles R. Larson, Counterpunch"Highly worth reading."---Tara Isabella Burton, Vox"One could argue that it’s the civic duty of skeptics to go take a look--but with a copy of Bible Nation firmly in hand."---Sarah Posner, Washington Post

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Book SynopsisMost Americans say they believe in God, and more than a third say they attend religious services every week. Yet studies show that people do not really go to church as often as they claim, and it is not always clear what they mean when they tell pollsters they believe in God or pray. American Religion presents the best and most up-to-date informatiTrade ReviewWinner of the 2012 Christianity and Culture Book Award, Christianity Today "Chaves has provided new scholars, nonspecialists in the sociology of religion, and the general public with an accessible and accurate text that gathers a wide range of information into one place, and does so in barely more than 100 pages. Chaves's American Religion will serve as an important introduction to the topic and a reference for scholars, religious leaders, and the general public for years to come."--Paul J. Olson, Sociology of Religion "In this brief book sociologist Chaves traces changes occurring in religion in the U.S. between 1972 and 2008... Chaves demonstrates that the overall picture of religion in the U.S. is one of continuity and stability rather than dramatic change. Nevertheless subtle changes are occurring, and this book does an excellent job of sifting through the data."--Choice "American Religion, for such a thin book, packs a punch, providing helpful insights and myth-busting perspectives on almost every page. This really is a book that every pastor should take the time to read. It will be a quick but powerful dose of the state of American religion."--Andrew Root, Word & World "Chaves' study offers a rich, textured, and well-researched account of American religiosity. The book will serve to advance undergraduate and graduate learning concerning the complex and oftentimes complicated nexus between U.S. religion and politics. It will also interest scholars, policymakers, and the general public who care about how religion currently features in American public life and what future directions it may take."--Catherine E. Wilson, Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies "Unsettling though it may be, American Religion is essential reading for pastors and lay leaders alike who want to understand the larger social context in which the mainline church both struggles and endures."--Rebekah Peeples Massengill, Interpretation "Chaves's book raises more questions than it answers. Maybe that should be expected from a descriptive piece: the variety of data selected and presented naturally begs interpretation. For this reason, I think that Chaves's volume would also make a useful foil with graduate students in social science."--Penny Long Marler, Social Forces

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Book SynopsisExamines "the lives and thought of seven major prophetic figures in twentieth-century America whose social activism was motivated by a deeply felt compassion for those suffering injustice"--Amazon.com.Trade Review"One of CHOICE’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2017""Raboteau asks--and leaves for the reader to answer—whether last century's prophets for social justice can provide models for future action. This scholarly yet accessible primer to the role of faith in the lives of American activists challenges contemporary notions of the role in religion in politics, and argues that empathy is a critical first step in addressing the suffering of others." * Publishers Weekly *"The subjects [of American Prophets] knew one another and participated, often shoulder-to-shoulder, in events like the great southern civil rights marches and the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations of the 1960s. As important, they wrote, spoke, and guided the movements. Let the study of them together start with these concise yet weighty appraisals."---Ray Olson, Booklist"Raboteau offers inspiring and challenging examples of embodied faith in the modern world." * Library Journal *"Compelling and provocative. . . . A momentous scholarly achievement as well as a moving testimony to the human spirit, American Prophets represents a major contribution to the history of religion in American politics. This book is essential reading for anyone who is concerned about social justice, or who wants to know what prophetic thought and action can mean in today's world."---Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, JewishMediaReview"Raboteau's admiration for these figures leaps off the pages and invites a hushed reverence. . . .American Prophetsinvites the reader closer to the kind of faith that insists on justice. At its best the book not only extends an invitation to see how figures of faith mobilized their communities, but reminds us that the prophetic spirit is still calling us to action."---Susan Haarman, Commonweal"Written in lucid prose, Raboteau's seven luminous biographical sketches . . . tell a radical story." * Choice *"A powerful book about what faith in action truly means. Its underpinning of first-rate scholarship combined with eloquent analysis will compel many different audiences."---Nancy L. Roberts, Catholic News Service"The book is recommended for students of American politics, religion and social movements. It could hardly have appeared at a better time."---Jeremy Rutledge, Post and Courier"Raboteau brings his vast expertise to bear in these seven pithy profiles, moving back and forth between particular case studies and broader themes in American religion with an ease and authority that often eludes the junior scholar. . . . Compelling."---Heath W. Carter, Sociology of Religion

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of a 2017 Charles Goodwin Award of Merit, Society for Classical Studies""The core of this beautifully researched and lucidly argued book is a study of the most important and influential philosophical analyses of divination from the ancient world."---Brad Inwood, Times Literary Supplement"An absorbing work of intellectual history, demonstrating a confident command of the philological and philosophical issues, and lucidly exploring Greek philosophical engagement with the epistemological and theological puzzles presented by divination. The book offers a fresh approach to the topic of divination by juxtaposing it with ancient and modern theories of cognition, and by moving past the debate over the (ir)rationality of the practice. . . . I hope that this excellent study will stimulate further research into such questions."---Jennifer Larson, Bryn Mawr Classical Review"[Struck] opens up an amazing clear view of the diverse epistemologies and ontologies of the Classical era. . . . Struck offers an account of Classical divination which is more than detailed enough to satisfy fellow Classicists while also offering insights to those outside the discipline."---Bob Trubshaw, Time & Mind"There is much in Struck’s carefully argued and well researched volume to attract the attention of anyone seriously interested in ancient philosophy, and particularly in the figures of Plato, Aristotle, Posidonius, and Iamblicus. . . . The book truly is a historical and philosophical treasure trove, and it deserves wide attention."---Massimo Pigliucci, Journal of Cognitive Historiography"A fascinating book and an important contribution to the history of intuition in the ancient world, since Struck takes a significantly different set of texts and assumptions than previous studies of divination/intuition."---Larry Swain, Mythlore

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“An essential, unsettling and often shocking account. . . . [A] remarkable fusion of biblical studies and investigative journalism. . . . Moss and Baden uncover many alarming details about the Greens' acquisitions and the scholars they have paid to study them.”—Sarah Posner, Washington Post“Exhaustively reported and scrupulously fair, Bible Nation doubles as a portrait of conviction: The Greens may well be the most sincere and most-frequently misguided activists in America.”—Sarah Jones, New Republic“Bible Nation is a geek’s delight, seasoned with the historical skulduggery and theological debate found in a Dan Brown novel or an Indiana Jones film.”—Hamilton Cain, Minneapolis Star Tribune“A timely read for those interested in the relationship between money, faith, and American politics.”—Publishers Weekly“A troubling look into how a personal belief system can infiltrate seemingly public institutions through corporate means.”—Library Journal

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*Contents, Volume IV Parts 3, 4, and 5, pg. v*I. Background, pg. 545*II. Religion and The Law, pg. 582*III. Religion and Economics, pg. 600*IV. Religion and Politics, pg. 614*V. Religion and Education, pg. 654*VI. Religion and Social Reform, pg. 677*I. General References, pg. 753*II. Architecture, pg. 756*III. Liturgical Arts, pg. 791*IV. Music, pg. 808*I. Bibliography, pg. 847*II. Religion and Literature: General, pg. 850*III. The Bible in Literature, pg. 859*IV. Puritanism and Literature, pg. 862*V. Some Denominational Aspects, pg. 869*VI. Fiction, pg. 880*VII. Religion and Poetry, pg. 909*VIII. Religion And Drama, pg. 931*IX. Negro Religious Literature, pg. 938*X. The Sermon, pg. 943*XI. The Religious Press, pg. 952*American Theology, pg. 957*I. General Works, pg. 958*II. Classical Protestantism in America, pg. 963*III. Theology and Modern Science, pg. 1043*IV. Religion and Philosophy, pg. 1109*V. Religion and Psychology, pg. 1151*Index, pg. 1171

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Book SynopsisI am the product of priests, Lacan once said of himself. Educated by the Marist Brothers (or Little Brothers of Mary), he was a pious child and acquired considerable, personal knowledge of the torments and cunning of Christian spirituality. He was wonderfully able to speak to Catholics and to bring them around to psychoanalysis.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsNote by Jacques-Alain MillerDiscourse to CatholicsLecture AnnouncementI. Regarding Morality, Freud Has What It TakesII. Can Psychoanalysis Constitute the Kind of Ethics Necessitated by our Times?The Triumph of ReligionI. Governing, Educating, and AnalyzingII. The Anxiety of ScientistsIII. The Triumph of ReligionIV. Closing in on the SymptomV. The Word Brings JouissanceVI. Getting Used to the RealVII. Not PhilosophizingTranslator’s NotesBibliographical Information

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Book Synopsis"I am the product of priests", Lacan once said of himself. Educated by the Marist Brothers (or Little Brothers of Mary), he was a pious child and acquired considerable, personal knowledge of the torments and cunning of Christian spirituality. He was wonderfully able to speak to Catholics and to bring them around to psychoanalysis.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsNote by Jacques-Alain MillerDiscourse to CatholicsLecture AnnouncementI. Regarding Morality, Freud Has What It TakesII. Can Psychoanalysis Constitute the Kind of Ethics Necessitated by our Times?The Triumph of ReligionI. Governing, Educating, and AnalyzingII. The Anxiety of ScientistsIII. The Triumph of ReligionIV. Closing in on the SymptomV. The Word Brings JouissanceVI. Getting Used to the RealVII. Not PhilosophizingTranslator’s NotesBibliographical Information

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Book SynopsisIn recent years, there has been an astonishing revival of religious practices in China. Looking beyond numerical counts of religious practitioners, temples, and churches, anthropologist Adam Yuet Chau's vivid study explores how religion is embedded in contemporary Chinese lives and society, from personal devotion to community-wide festivals. Covering Buddhism, Daoism, and folk religion, as well as Christianity and Islam, this ethnographically rich book provides insights into the contemporary relevance of religious traditions in Chinese societies. By considering the ways in which Chinese people do' religion, Chau reveals how religious practice plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining a wide range of relationships: between people, spirits, and places; ritual service providers and their customers; the state and religious groups. He argues that relationality is the key anchor of religious lifeworlds, and this insight demands an entirely new way of approaching religion everywhere. This lively account will appeal to those studying or curious about Chinese or East Asian religions, and serves as a perfect gateway to understanding religious practices in China today.Trade Review"A wonderfully lucid and readable introduction to Chinese religious practices. Chau invites the reader to look at how Chinese people 'do' religion and presents an astonishingly wide spectrum of religious activities. A real treat!"—Peter van der Veer, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity "In this highly readable survey of popular religiosity in contemporary China, Chau clears the path to understanding religion not through the frequently superimposed categories of scripture and faiths, but through the effervescent and solemn ways in which Chinese 'do' religion."—Prasenjit Duara, Duke University "[A] rich recourse for both teaching and research on Chinese religion in years to come."—H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Reviews Online "Chau provides a fresh lens for understanding religious dynamics in China that […] focuses on the important social function of religion, regardless of confessional differences, in shaping and reshaping Chinese society. An excellent piece of serious academic work that opens new doors for the study of Chinese religion. It should not be missed by serious students of the field."—Pacific Affairs "[A]n immense success: Chau has an undeniable talent for ethnography and because of this is able to weave various narratives pertaining to lived religious experience in China that are certain to make the reader wish to delve deeper."—Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsMap Chronology Acknowledgements Notes on Orthography and Pronunciation Introduction: Relationality at the Heart of Religion in China 1. Understanding Religious Diversity: Five Modalities of Doing Religion 2. Interacting with Gods, Ghosts and Ancestors 3. Festivals and Pilgrimages 4. Ritual Service Providers and Their Clients 5. Communities and Networks 6. State--Religion Relations Conclusions Notes Suggested Further Readings References Index

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Book SynopsisExamines the limitations and dilemmas of government responses to religious diversity and how secular states deal (and should deal) with such pluralism.Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction: Globalization, Secular States, and Religious Diversity / Bruce J. Berman, Rajeev Bhargava, and André LalibertéPart 1: Historical and Theoretical Approaches1 Religious Pluralism as a Self-Evident Problem in the Context of Globalization / Peter Beyer2 Secular Modernity, Religion, and the Politics of Knowledge / Bruce J. Berman3 Can Secularism Be Rehabilitated? / Rajeev BhargavaPart 2: Secularisms in the West4 Between Secularism and Postsecularism: A Canadian Interregnum / Paul Bramadat and David Seljak5 Tolerance and Accommodation as Vestiges of the Empire / Lori G. Beaman6 In God We Trust? Secular States, Diversity, and the “Clash” within North America / Yasmeen Abu-Laban and Claude Couture7 Ideologies, Institutions, and Laws: Religious Freedom in Secular States / Ahmet T. KuruPart 3: Secularisms beyond the West8 State Intervention in the Reform of a “Religion of Rules”: An Analysis of the Views of B.R. Ambedkar / Rinku Lamba9 Something Got Lost in Translation: From “Secularism” to “Separation between Politics and Religion” in Taiwan / André Laliberté10 The Changing State Monopoly on Religion and Secular Views in Thailand / Manuel Litalien11 State-Society Structures and the Frustration of Movements for Secular Reforms in Lebanon: Civil Marriage and Youth Activism / Elinor Bray-CollinsConclusion: Secularism, Religious Diversity, and Democratic Politic / Anna DrakeContributors; Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn excellent resource on alternative cultures, religious movements, and the forces of denominationalism and secularization, to say nothing of its value as a history and ethnography of Mennonite society. Sociological AnalysisTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsList of TablesPrefacePart I. An OverviewChapter 1. The Origins of the Mennonite MovementChapter 2. The Dispersion and Expansion of Mennonite SocietyChapter 3. The Differentiation of the Mennonite Family of BelieversPart II. The Mennonite EthosChapter 4. The Belief System of Anabaptist-MennonitesChapter 5. The Religious Base of the Mennonite CommunityChapter 6. Mennonite Social OrganizationChapter 7. The Mennonite PersonalityChapter 8. Mennonite Intellect and AestheticsChapter 9. The Mennonite CommunityPart III. Mennonite Institutional LifeChapter 10. The Family in Mennonite LifeChapter 11. Mennonites and Educational ActivitiesChapter 12. Mennonites and EconomicsChapter 13. Mennonites and the Political ProcessChapter 14. Mennonites in Missions and ServicePart IV. Stresses and ChangesChapter 15. Schism among MennonitesChapter 16. External Threats to Mennonite IdentityChapter 17. Internal Threats to Mennonite IdentityChapter 18. The Utopian Basis of Mennonite IdentityAppendix A. The Mennonites: A Typological AnalysisAppendix B. A Bibliographic Survey of Mennonite SourcesNotesBibliographyName IndexSubject Index

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Book SynopsisIt may be time, Hart argues, for academics to stop trying to secure a religion-friendly university.Trade Review[An] excellent and insightful study... His book significantly increases our understanding of a neglected aspect of American religious history. -- Gardiner H. Shattuck, Jr. Anglican Theological Review Hart contributes a first-rate piece of intellectual and institutional history to this discussion... For those who wish to think seriously about the relationship between religion and religious studies and to understand how we have arrived at our current situation, this book is indispensable. -- David D. Hall Teaching Theology and Religion Hart should be commended for pulling together the history of this issue and for the careful reflection he offers about the current status of the discipline. -- Kathy J. Pulley Journal of American History The book he has given us offers richness of information, astute analysis, and provocative interpretation. -- Philip Gleason First Things This book is provocative, to say the least. It constitutes another voice in the discussion over the place of religion in secondary and higher education. -- Barry Hankins Journal of Church and State This eloquently written study makes a significant contribution to the history of American higher education. -- P.C. Kemeny Journal of Presbyterian History Hart jumps right into the recent fray over the secularization of the academy, paying special attention to developments in religious studies. -- Douglas A. Sweeney Books and Culture 2003

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Book SynopsisMasmoudi, Laith Kubba, Ladan Boroumand, Roya Boroumand.Trade ReviewA rich feast of the topic. -- Majid Tehranian Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 2007Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroductionPart I: A Conceptual FrameworkChapter 1. Religion, Democracy, and the "Twin Tolerations"Part II: Eastern ReligionsChapter 2. The Ironies of ConfucianismChapter 3. Confucianism and DemocracyChapter 4. Hinduism and Self-RuleChapter 5. Buddhism, Asian Values, and DemocracyChapter 6. Burma's Quest for DemocracyPart III: Judaism and Christianity Chapter 7. Judaism and Political LifeChapter 8. The Catholic WaveChapter 9. The Pioneering ProtestantsChapter 10. The Ambivalent OrthodoxChapter 11. Christianity: The Global PicturePart IV: IslamChapter 12. Muslims and DemocracyChapter 13. A Historical OverviewChapter 14. Two Visions of ReformationChapter 15. The Challenge of SecularizationChapter 16. The Sources of Enlightened Muslim ThoughtChapter 17. The Elusive ReformationChapter 18. The Silent MajorityChapter 19. Faith and Modernity Chapter 20. Terror, Islam, and DemocracyEpilogue: Does Democracy Need ReligionIndex

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Book SynopsisThe 1950s and 60s were times of extraordinary social and political change across North America that re-drew the boundaries between traditional and progressive, conservative and liberal. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the history of Catholic nuns. During these two decades, nuns boldly experimented with their role in the church, removing their habits, rejecting the cloister, and fighting for social justice. The media quickly took to their cause and dubbed them 'the new nuns,' modern exemplars of liberated but sexually contained womanhood.With Visual Habits, Rebecca Sullivan brings this unexamined history of nuns to the fore, revisiting the intersection of three distinct movements - the Second Vatican Council, the second wave of feminism, and the sexual revolution - to explore the pivotal role nuns played in revamping cultural expectations of femininity and feminism.From The Nun's Story to The Flying Nun to The Singing Nun, nuns were a major preTrade ReviewVisual Habitsprovides a persuasive argument of how postwar worries concerning women were calmed by fantasizing about spunky women wearing veils. At the same time, it reminds us of the importance of imagining alternatives to the heterosexual family romance that is far from being the natural order of things. -- Colleen McDannell Bookforum - Oct/Nov 2005 Vol. 12 Issue 3 Visual Habits is a must-read in a culture that has forgotten the influence of professed religious in both women's history and pop culture...women religious, vocations directors and those with an interest in the films and folk music of the post-war era will enjoy grappling with this thought-provoking work. -- Dorothy Cummings The Catholic Register

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Book Synopsis"This work makes a much-needed contribution to teaching and learning about the various forms of religious belief and action in our world." - Kevin J. Christiano, University of Notre DameTable of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Figures Part One: World Views, Social Boundaries, Religious Experiences, and Institutions 1. The Definitional and Theoretical Bases for the Social Scientific Study of Religion 2. Religious Experience 3. Religious Experience and Social Institutions Part Two: The Dilemmas in the Institutionalization of Religion 4. The Dilemma of Interpretation: Religion as a World View: The Study of Mythologies 5. The Dilemma of Mixed Motivation: The Study of Sacred Leadership 6. The Dilemmas of Interpretation and Mixed Motivation: The Study of Women as Leaders 7. The Symbolic Dilemma: The Study of Ritual 8. The Dilemma of Administrative Order: The Rise of Sacred Organizations 9. The Dilemma of Delimitation: The Study of Ethos 10. The Relationship Between Religion and Politics, Part One: Casearopapism and Hierocracy 11. The Relationship Between Religion and Politics, Part Two: Alternative Links Part Three: Linking Religion to Other Institutions 12. Religions and the Economy 13. The Encounter With Culture: Secularization and Postmodernism Conclusion Glossary References "

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that instead of the Oedipus complex explaining the myth, the Oedipus myth explains the complex. The author argues that the Oedipus myth is an historical anomaly, a myth of failed royal investiture or of avoided masculine initiation.Table of ContentsContents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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Book Synopsis Bleached Faith argues that the gravest threat to real faith in modern America comes from those who would water down religion in order to win the dubious honor of forcing it into public buildings and classrooms.Trade Review"Brilliantly written, passionately argued, and sincerely unbiased, the book is a clarion call to restrain the billboarding of religion." -- Library Journal"Accessible to any reader, but with insights for experts as well, Bleached Faith is a richly informed and frankly personal meditation about the importance of spiritual conviction in society. Steven Goldberg—long an important voice in questions of the relationships among religion, science, and the law—carefully surveys how courts have tried to mediate conflicts between the Constitution and those who want more religion in the public square. Anyone who wants to understand the fault line between church and state will be enriched by this book." -- Dennis J. Hutchinson * University of Chicago Law School, author of The Man Who Once Was Whizzer White *"Steven Goldberg has written a book for anyone concerned about American religion and its ill-conceived push into the public square. Bleached Faith is a powerful, cautionary tale." -- Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Executive Director, Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, and Professor of Law * Santa Clara University *"Bleached Faith is a useful primer to some of the recent church/state debates." -- Jerome E. Copulsky * Politics and Religion *"Though the broad argument [this book] advances is not new, some of the evidence presented is based on very current issues, such as the discussion of Intelligent Design. The Court's jurisprudence in this area remains highly contested, and I think this book provides a useful counterweight to those who oppose the separation principle." -- Caren Dubnoff * College of the Holy Cross *"With a journalist's clarity and a lawyer's precision, Steven Goldberg shows what we've lost in the legal battles over religion's place in the public sphere—a serious commitment to what makes religion important." -- Mark Tushnet * Harvard Law School, author of A Court Divided: The Rehnquist Court and the Future of Constitutional Law *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments x Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Erasing the Ten Commandments 000 Chapter 3 How Intelligent Design Demeans Religion 000 Chapter 4 The Ultimate Demise of Christmas and Chanukah 000 Chapter 5 Neither France nor Iran: Religious Freedom in America 000 Chapter 6 Conclusion 000 Notes 000 Bibliographic Note 000 Index 000

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Book SynopsisSet in late sixteenth-century Spain, this book tells the gripping story of Lucrecia de León, a young woman of modest background who gained a dangerously popular reputation as a prophetic dreamer predicting apocalyptic ruin for her country. When Lucrecia was still a teenager, several Catholic priests took great interest in her prolific dreams and began to record them in detail. But the growing public attention to the dreams eventually became too much for the Spanish king. Stung that Lucrecia had accurately foreseen the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Philip II ordered the Inquisition to arrest her on charges of heresy and sedition. During Lucrecia''s imprisonment, trial, and torture, the carefully collected records of her dreams were preserved and analyzed by the court. The authenticity of these dreams, and their potentially explosive significance, became the focal point of the Church''s investigation.Returning to these records of a dreamer from another era, Lucrecia Trade Review"An excellent scholarly work, Lucrecia the Dreamer reads like a novel of political and religious intrigue, for the scenes are stranger than fiction—even though they are a matter of historical record. Anyone interested in dreams should read this book."—Patrick McNamara, Boston University and Northcentral University"Structured like a police procedural and delightful to read, Lucrecia the Dreamer employs concepts from psychology, anthropology, and history to situate Lucrecia de León in a broader human story about the power of dreaming. Given the difficulties of crossing disciplinary boundaries while maintaining the integrity of each discipline's rules of analysis, Kelly Bulkeley's achievement is most impressive."—Leslie Tuttle, Louisiana State University"While Lucrecia's personal story becomes the framework on which the fault-lines of Spanish society are displayed, Bulkeley sees a bigger picture....4/5 stars"—Bob Rickard, Fortean Times"Bulkeley's book presents an intriguing micro-history that illuminates life in late sixteenth-century Madrid and suggests the potential value of incorporating cognitive and digital approaches to scholarship on early modern events and texts. Bulkeley portrays Lucrecia as a living, breathing person, and he attempts to reconstruct her lived experiences, both waking and sleeping. His multifaceted analyses may indicate new paths for studying other visionaries and mystics of Golden-Age Spain."—Teresa Hancock-Parmer, Bulletin of Spanish StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction Historical Prologue 1. Early Life 2. A Record of Dreams 3. The Three Companions 4. Esta Negra Soñadora 5. New Powers 6. The Trial 7. What She Was Not 8. Patterns in the Dreams 9. Cognitive Science 10. Relational Psychology 11. Politics and Society 12. History of Religions 13. What She Most Likely Was Historical Epilogue Conclusion

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Book SynopsisFocuses on what is enduring and perennial rather than on what is accommodated to the agenda of the moment. William Franke's book offers re-actualized readings of representative texts from the Bible, Homer, and Virgil to Augustine and Dante. The selections are linked together in such a way as to propose a general interpretation of knowledge.

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Book SynopsisBeyond the Persecuting Society constructs a history of toleration from the Middle Ages through the seventeenth century.Trade Review"Beyond the Persecuting Society confronts the myth that there was no general conception or practice of religious toleration before the Enlightenment. . . . It is the great strength of this collection that the diversity and richness of the often tentative allowance for confessional pluralism can be documented at times when unity of faith was seen as no less necessary than unity of obedience." * Albion *

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Book SynopsisGravestones, cemeteries, and memorial markers offer fixed points in time to examine Americans’ changing attitudes toward death and dying. In tracing the evolution of commemorative practices from the seventeenth century to the present, Sherene Baugher and Richard Veit offer insights into the US’s transformation from a preindustrial and agricultural to an industrial, capitalist country.

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Book SynopsisThis text is about intellectual life, its spirit, conditions and methods.Trade ReviewFr. Sertillanges's teachings are as timeless as any truths which describe the genuine nature of things. . . . This book is highly recommended not only for intellectuals, but also for students and those discerning their vocation in life."—New Oxford Review"[This] is above all a practical book. It discusses with a wealth of illustration and insight such subjects as the organization of the intellectual worker's time, materials, and his life; the integration of knowledge and the relation of one's specialty to general knowledge; the choice and use of reading; the discipline of memory; the taking of notes, their classification and use; and the preparation and organization of the final production."—The Sign

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA historical and ethnographic study of Haitian religion in immigrant communities, based on fieldwork in both Miami and Haiti.Trade ReviewCrossing the Water and Keeping the Faith is a compelling sociological analysis of Haitian religion in Florida and offers important interventions into the sociology of religion and migration studies more broadly. * European Association of Social Anthropologists *Crossing the Water and Keeping the Faithsuccessfully locates Catholic, Protestant, and Vodouist religious identities in Haitian Miami and illustrates the diversity of religious places in the diaspora. Rey and Stepicks extensive fieldwork yields vivid anecdotes of faithful persons, sensitive considerations of immigrant struggle and resilience and, to date, the most comprehensive theory of Haitian American religious lives. * Southern Spaces *[A]n informative book that should be read by everyone interested in Haitian immigrant religion. Rey and Stepick have successfully managed to describe and untangle the intricacies of the religious practices of a major immigrant group in the United States. Moreover, they have skillfully removedthe superstitious and evil dimension that is often attached to Haitian religions * Sociology of Religion *Crossing the Waterdemonstrates many strengths and is a valuable contribution to a nuanced and sensitive understanding of the Haitian religion experience on both sides of the water. Its rich ethnographic, historical, and demographic information, along with an apt engagement with and critique of the rational choice and microeconomic theories of religion result in a book that is at once useful to a wide swath of scholars as well as quite and enjoyable read. * Review of Religious Research *Crossing the Water and Keeping the Faithstreatment of Haitian religion will be of value to scholars and students interested in Diaspora religions and sociology/anthropology of religion. * Religious Studies Review *Conjoining historical method with rich ethnographical material, Rey and Stepick offer a holistic view of Haitian religion in Miami. Crossing the Water and Keeping the Faiths treatment of Haitian religion will be of value to scholars and students interested in Diaspora religions and sociology/anthropology of religion. * Religion Studies Review *The authors are not anthropologists but rather professors of religion and of sociology, respectively, and their text does not quite read like anthropology, but I think we can concur that their portraits of three different yet linked Haitian religions, in Haiti and translocally, unified by a religious collusio are valuable to anthropology and suggest paths of research and analysis for the future. -- Jack David Eller * Anthropology Review Database *A monumental scholarly achievement by two excellent scholars of the three main religions in Haiti and its diaspora: Catholicism, Protestantism, and Vodou. Because of its breadthcovering all three religions of Haitiand the length of time it coversdecadesno one will be able to teach or write about Haitian and/or Caribbean religion without citing this work. -- Margarita A. Mooney,University of North Carolina at Chapel HillThis outstanding book is the first comprehensive overview of the rise and existing triangular relations between the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Vodou communities among Haitians in Miami, Florida. The authors let their subjects speak and reveal the importance these religious traditions play in Haitians transnational experiences. This volume should be of interest to a general readership and is especially of vital importance to anthropologists, sociologists, theologians and historians of American religion. -- Leslie Desmangles,Trinity CollegeTable of ContentsContentsForeword ixArchbishop Thomas WenskiAcknowledgments xiiiIntroduction: Haitian Religion in Miami 11 The Haitian Catholic Church in Miami: When the Saints Go Sailing In 332 Immigrant Faith and Class Distinctions: Haitian Catholics beyond Little Haiti 593 Feting Haiti's Patron Saint in Little Haiti: The Feast of OurLady of Perpetual Help 834 Vodou in the Magic City: Serving the Spirits across the Sea 1135 Storefront and Transnational Protestantism in Little Haiti: Harvesting the Gospel in the Haitian Church of the Open Door 151Conclusion: Beasts, Gods, and TransnationalTransubstantiation 189Appendices 203Notes 227Bibliography 237Index 253About the Authors 266

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Book SynopsisBeginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s,significant numbers of Haitian immigrants began to arrive and settle in Miami.Overcoming some of the most foreboding obstacles ever to face immigrants inAmerica, they, their children, and now their grandchildren, as well as morerecently arriving immigrants from Haiti, have diversified socioeconomically.Together, they have made South Florida home to the largest population ofnative-born Haitians and diasporic Haitians outside of the Caribbean and one ofthe most significant Caribbean immigrant communities in the world. Religion hasplayed a central role in making all of this happen. Crossing the Water and Keeping the Faith is a historical andethnographic study of Haitian religion in immigrant communities, based onfieldwork in both Miami and Haiti, as well as extensive archival research.Where many studies of Haitian religion limit themselves to one faith, Rey andTrade ReviewCrossing the Water and Keeping the Faith is a compelling sociological analysis of Haitian religion in Florida and offers important interventions into the sociology of religion and migration studies more broadly. * European Association of Social Anthropologists *Crossing the Water and Keeping the Faithsuccessfully locates Catholic, Protestant, and Vodouist religious identities in Haitian Miami and illustrates the diversity of religious places in the diaspora. Rey and Stepicks extensive fieldwork yields vivid anecdotes of faithful persons, sensitive considerations of immigrant struggle and resilience and, to date, the most comprehensive theory of Haitian American religious lives. * Southern Spaces *[A]n informative book that should be read by everyone interested in Haitian immigrant religion. Rey and Stepick have successfully managed to describe and untangle the intricacies of the religious practices of a major immigrant group in the United States. Moreover, they have skillfully removedthe superstitious and evil dimension that is often attached to Haitian religions * Sociology of Religion *Crossing the Waterdemonstrates many strengths and is a valuable contribution to a nuanced and sensitive understanding of the Haitian religion experience on both sides of the water. Its rich ethnographic, historical, and demographic information, along with an apt engagement with and critique of the rational choice and microeconomic theories of religion result in a book that is at once useful to a wide swath of scholars as well as quite and enjoyable read. * Review of Religious Research *Crossing the Water and Keeping the Faithstreatment of Haitian religion will be of value to scholars and students interested in Diaspora religions and sociology/anthropology of religion. * Religious Studies Review *Conjoining historical method with rich ethnographical material, Rey and Stepick offer a holistic view of Haitian religion in Miami. Crossing the Water and Keeping the Faiths treatment of Haitian religion will be of value to scholars and students interested in Diaspora religions and sociology/anthropology of religion. * Religion Studies Review *The authors are not anthropologists but rather professors of religion and of sociology, respectively, and their text does not quite read like anthropology, but I think we can concur that their portraits of three different yet linked Haitian religions, in Haiti and translocally, unified by a religious collusio are valuable to anthropology and suggest paths of research and analysis for the future. -- Jack David Eller * Anthropology Review Database *A monumental scholarly achievement by two excellent scholars of the three main religions in Haiti and its diaspora: Catholicism, Protestantism, and Vodou. Because of its breadthcovering all three religions of Haitiand the length of time it coversdecadesno one will be able to teach or write about Haitian and/or Caribbean religion without citing this work. -- Margarita A. Mooney,University of North Carolina at Chapel HillThis outstanding book is the first comprehensive overview of the rise and existing triangular relations between the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Vodou communities among Haitians in Miami, Florida. The authors let their subjects speak and reveal the importance these religious traditions play in Haitians transnational experiences. This volume should be of interest to a general readership and is especially of vital importance to anthropologists, sociologists, theologians and historians of American religion. -- Leslie Desmangles,Trinity CollegeTable of ContentsContentsForeword ixArchbishop Thomas WenskiAcknowledgments xiiiIntroduction: Haitian Religion in Miami 11 The Haitian Catholic Church in Miami: When the Saints Go Sailing In 332 Immigrant Faith and Class Distinctions: Haitian Catholics beyond Little Haiti 593 Feting Haiti's Patron Saint in Little Haiti: The Feast of OurLady of Perpetual Help 834 Vodou in the Magic City: Serving the Spirits across the Sea 1135 Storefront and Transnational Protestantism in Little Haiti: Harvesting the Gospel in the Haitian Church of the Open Door 151Conclusion: Beasts, Gods, and TransnationalTransubstantiation 189Appendices 203Notes 227Bibliography 237Index 253About the Authors 266

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Book SynopsisWhen over 900 followers of the Peoples Temple religious group committed suicide in 1978, they left a legacy of suspicion and fear. Hearing the Voices of Jonestown restores the individual voices that have been erased so that we can better understand what was created - and destroyed - at Jonestown, and why.

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Book SynopsisThis exceptionally well-written book is good reading, not only for specialists but also for beginning students interested in women, Korean culture, and shamanism.Trade Review“Kendall maintains a closeness with and respect for her subject that keeps away the chill of academic distance and yet avoids sentimentality.” ―Korean Quarterly, Spring 2001

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Book SynopsisKoreans are highly religious, yet no single religious community enjoys dominance. This book explores the Korean spirituality and emphasizes the attitudes and aspirations of the Korean people rather than ideology. It studies the role of different religions in Korea.

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Book SynopsisKoreans are highly religious, yet no single religious community enjoys dominance. This book explores the different religions in Korea, emphasizing the attitudes and aspirations of the Korean people rather than ideology. It also studies the role of different religions in shaping Korea.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisExamining the emergence of modernity within the philosophical and political debates of the 16th century, this book analyzes the ""great confusion"". It features such thinkers as Calvin, Althusius, Hooker, Bracciolini, Savonarola, Copernicus, Tycho de Brahe, Giordano Bruno and Jean Bodin.

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Book SynopsisInternationally recognised scholar David Ellenson shares twenty-three of his most representative essays, drawing on three decades of scholarship and demonstrating the consistency of the intellectual-religious interests that have animated him throughout his lifetime. These essays center on a description and examination of the complex push and pull between Jewish tradition and Western culture.Trade Review"This volume is an excellent addition to academic Judaica collections."—Barbara M. Bibel, Jewish Book Council"Scholars and students of Jewish religious thought, ethics, and modern Jewish history will welcome this erudite collection by one of today's great Jewish leaders."—Jewish Media Review"This is an excellent collection of articles that any reader interested in the work of David Ellenson and the focus of his scholarship will surely appreciate."—David Tesler, Association of Jewish Libraries"A welcome addition to public and college library Judaic Studies shelves."—Midwest Book Review“For over three decades David Ellenson has shaped the life of world Jewry through the power of his scholarship, depth of vision, and kindness of soul. His uniqueness is that in his writings he searches not to hide or homogenize complexity but rather to study it, celebrate it, and enable it to challenge our preconceptions. This book is critical for all who want to know not only the foundations and struggles of modern Jewish life but, more important, the future direction it can take.”—Donniel Hartman, president of the Shalom Hartman Institute “From the gifted pen of Rabbi David Ellenson come lucid essays covering Zionism, religious pluralism, feminism, and equal rights that illuminate not only a lifetime of scholarship and activism but also the complex bonds that link Jews in the United States with their forebears in Europe and contemporaries in Israel. Each essay sparkles like a gem, with compelling grace and power.”—Deborah Dash Moore, Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, University of Michigan Table of Contents Acknowledgments Part 1. Shaping Jewish Life in an Open Society 1. A Response by Modern Orthodoxy to Jewish Religious Pluralism: The Case of Esriel Hildesheimer 2. German Orthodox Rabbinical Writings on the Jewish Textual Education of Women: The Views of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer 3. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch to Liepman Phillip Prins of Amsterdam: An 1873 Responsum on Education 4. An Ideology for the Liberal Jewish Day School: A Philosophical-Sociological Investigation 5. Denominationalism: History and Hopes 6. The Integrity of Reform within Kelal Yisra-el Part 2. Searching for a Balanced Theology 7. A Theology of Fear: The Search for a Liberal Jewish Paradigm 8. Eugene B. Borowitz: A Tribute on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday 9. Laws and Judgments as a “Bridge to a Better World”: Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1–24:18) 10. Heschel and the Roots of Kavanah: Responsibility and Kavanah in Postwar America 11. Rabbi Hayim David Halevi on Christians and Christianity: An Analysis of Selected Legal Writings of an Israeli Authority 12. Interreligious Learning and the Formation of Jewish Religious Identity Part 3. Visions for Israel 13. A Zionist Reading of Abraham Geiger and His Biblical Scholarship 14. National Sovereignty, Jewish Identity, and the “Sake of Heaven”: The Impact of Residence in Israel on Halakhic Rulings on Conversion 15. The Talmudic Principle, “If One Comes Forth to Slay You, Forestall by Slaying Him,” in Israeli Public Policy: A Responsum by Rabbi Hayim David Halevi 16. The Rock from Which They Were Cleft: A Review-Essay of Haim Amsalem’s Zera Yisrael and Mekor Yisrael 17. Moshe Zemer’s Halakhah Shefuyah: An Israeli Vision of Reform and Halakhah 18. Reform Zionism Today: A Consideration of First Principles Part 4. Rabbis and the Rabbinate: Lezakot et Harabim 19. Wissenschaft des Judentums, Historical Consciousness, and Jewish Faith: The Diverse Paths of Frankel, Auerbach, and Halevy 20. “Creative Misreadings” in Representative Post-Emancipation Halakhic Writings on Conversion and Intermarriage 21. A Portrait of the Poseq as Modern Religious Leader: An Analysis of Selected Writings of Rabbi Hayim David Halevi 22. Rabbi Eliezer Berkovits on Conversion: An Inclusive Orthodox Approach 23. Transformation of the Rabbinate: Future Directions and Prospects Source Acknowledgments Bibliography of the Published Writings of David Ellenson

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Book SynopsisThe first book to give an account of the major pilgrimage traditions of all the great religions of the world.Pilgrimage, the journey to a distant sacred goal, is found in all the great religions of the world. It is a journey both outwards to hallowed places and inwards to spiritual improvement; it can express penance for past evils, or the search for future good; the pilgrim may pursue spiritual ecstasy in the sacred sites of a particular faith, or seek a miracle through the medium of god or saint. Throughout the world, pilgrims move invisibly in huge numbers among the tourists of today, indistinguishable from them except in purpose. In England each year 000 pilgrims make the journey to Canterbury cathedral and the shrine of Thomas Becket; the great festival at Prayaga on the Ganges attracts over fifteen million men and women. This is the first book to offer a survey of the great pilgrimage traditions. It outlines the history of different customs and brings together some of the common themes, revealing in the process surprising similarities in practice among pilgrims of widely differing beliefs and times. RICHARD BARBER's interests range widely over the middle ages. He is the author of The Knight and Chivalry and the Penguin Guide to Medieval Europe;he has also written biographies of the Henry II and the Black Prince, and a history, The Pastons: A Family in the Wars of the Roses, as well as two classic Arthurian books, Arthurian Legends and King Arthur: Hero and Legend.Cover illustration: The scallop shell symbol of pilgrims to the shrine of St James at Santiago de Compostela. This scallop shell, still showing simple colouring, was found inthe grave of a young man buried in Keynsham Abbey in the 12th century; the holes in the beak, for attaching the shell to the pilgrim's scrip, are clearly visible.Table of ContentsJerusalem - pilgrimage as devotion; Mecca; Rome and the shrines of Europe - pilgrimage and miracles; Benares and the shrines of India - pilgrimage as ritual; Buddhist pilgrimage - pilgrimage as quest; common ground.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisOffers an introduction to the basic beliefs, practices, and major deities of Greek and Roman religions A volume in the Blackwell Ancient Religions, Greek and Roman Religions offers an authoritative overview of the region's ancient religious practices. The authora noted expert in the fieldexplores the presence of divinity in all aspects of ancient life and highlights the origins of myth, religious authority, institutions, beliefs, rituals, sacred texts, and ethics. Comprehensive in scope, the text focuses on myriad aspects that constitute Greco-Roman culture such as economic class, honor and shame, and slavery as well as the religious role of each member of the family. The integration of ethnic and community identity with divine elements are highlighted in descriptions of religious festivals. Greek and Roman Religions presents the evolution of ideas concerning death and the afterlife and the relation of death to concepts of ultimate justice. The author also offers insight into the elTable of ContentsPreface ix I Living with the Divine 1 II The Ancient Civilizations of the Mediterranean Basin 23 III Myths, Gods, and Heroes: Greece 47 IV Myths, Gods, and Heroes: Rome 71 V Temples and Priests 95 VI Worship of the Gods: Community Religious Festivals 113 VII Religion and Society 141 VIII Communicating with the Divine 161 IX The Mysteries 185 X Death and the Afterlife: Funeral Rites and Funeral Games 205 XI Religion and Philosophy 229 XII Religion and the State 253 XIII The Legacy of Greco‐Roman Religions in Western Culture 277 Glossary 303 Index 315

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Book SynopsisOffers an introduction to the basic beliefs, practices, and major deities of Greek and Roman religions A volume in the Blackwell Ancient Religions, Greek and Roman Religions offers an authoritative overview of the region's ancient religious practices. The authora noted expert in the fieldexplores the presence of divinity in all aspects of ancient life and highlights the origins of myth, religious authority, institutions, beliefs, rituals, sacred texts, and ethics. Comprehensive in scope, the text focuses on myriad aspects that constitute Greco-Roman culture such as economic class, honor and shame, and slavery as well as the religious role of each member of the family. The integration of ethnic and community identity with divine elements are highlighted in descriptions of religious festivals. Greek and Roman Religions presents the evolution of ideas concerning death and the afterlife and the relation of death to concepts of ultimate justice. The author also offers insight into the elTable of ContentsPreface ix I Living with the Divine 1 II The Ancient Civilizations of the Mediterranean Basin 23 III Myths, Gods, and Heroes: Greece 47 IV Myths, Gods, and Heroes: Rome 71 V Temples and Priests 95 VI Worship of the Gods: Community Religious Festivals 113 VII Religion and Society 141 VIII Communicating with the Divine 161 IX The Mysteries 185 X Death and the Afterlife: Funeral Rites and Funeral Games 205 XI Religion and Philosophy 229 XII Religion and the State 253 XIII The Legacy of Greco‐Roman Religions in Western Culture 277 Glossary 303 Index 315

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Book SynopsisThe nature of ethics has been the subject of much controversy and argument in recent decades. Theological Ethics and Global Dynamics tackles these various debates, offering a wide-ranging, comprehensive, and provocative statement of the nature of theological ethics in global times. Offers an accessible, lively, and provocative statement of the nature of moral philosophy and theological ethics in contemporary times. Tackles various perspectives on debates about distinctly Christian ethics. Argues that we need to reframe the arena in which moral questions are asked. Engages a range of positions, exploring distinctively modern issues such as moral and cultural relativism, globalization, problems of consumption and violence, and religious pluralism. Addresses the complexity of certain ethical decisions, which are difficult and far from clear-cut, and yet presents aTrade Review"It is a very good book that will greatly benefit everyone who needs to think deeply about the world in which we live." (Political Theology, June 2009)Table of ContentsDedication. Acknowledgments. Introduction. Part I: Creation And World-Making. 1. Global Dynamics And The Integrity Of Life. 2. Pluralism In Creation. 3. Reconsidering Greed. Part II: Time And Responsibility. 4. Timing Moral Cosmologies. 5. Love In The End Times. 6. From Toleration To Political Forgiveness. Part III: Imagination And Conscience. 7. Sacred Texts And The Social Imaginary. 8. Comparing Religions, Comparing Lives. 9. On Moral Madness. Postscript. 10. Presenting Theological Humanism. Selected Bibliography. Index of Names. Index of Scripture. Index of Subjects

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