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Book SynopsisCeltic Spirituality offers translations of numerous texts from the Celtic tradition from the 6th through the 13th centuries, in a cross-section of genres and forms, including saints' lives, monastic texts, poetry, devotional texts, liturgical texts, apocrypha, exegetical texts, and theological treatises.

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Book SynopsisThis is the most complete introduction to Unitarian Universalism available, covering ministry, worship, religious education, social justice and history. Extensively revised, the sixth edition prepares readers with resources and information for this crucial moment in Unitarian Universalism. It, also, gives voice to many individual Unitarian Universalists - people of all ages, coming from many backgrounds and holding many beliefs - as they share their personal and deeply heartfelt testimonies. Contributors include Rosemary Bray McNatt, Erika Hewitt, Cheryl Walker, Jessica York, Elizabeth Nguyen, Aisha Hauser and Dan McKanan. The foreword was written by lifelong Unitarian Universalist Melissa Harris-Perry - writer, professor, political commentator and editor-at-large at Elle.com.Trade Review“If you have never heard of Unitarian Universalism, these pages will teach you something about our history, our faith, our worship, our religious education, and our social justice efforts. If you are new to Unitarian Universalism, these pages will help you learn more about the larger tradition of which your local congregation is part. If you are a lifelong UU, like me, these pages will remind you of our deep roots, our fierce commitments, and our continuing efforts. There is a great deal of information in these pages, but you will not find definitive answers to all your questions. In fact, you may find this book raises more questions than it settles, but that, of course, is at the very heart of Unitarian Universalism. The journey is the joy. The companions are the comfort. The work is the faith." —from the foreword by Melissa Harris-Perry, writer, professor, and political commentatorTable of ContentsForeword by Melissa Harris-Perry Preface by Susan Frederick-Gray Unitarian Universalist Principles Sources of Our Faith Our Faith by Rosemary Bray McNatt Bringing My Whole Self by Takiyah Amin Saving Our Lives by Roberta Finkelstein A Search for Truth and Meaning by Aneesa Shaikh The Playground Atheist Gets Saved by Jake Morrill Not the Last to Need Saving by Megan Dowdell Our Worship by Erika Hewitt A Worship Associate’s Testimony by Karen Valbuena Our Ministry by Cheryl Walker A Minister’s Testimony by Nic Cable Our Religious Education by Jessica York A Religious Educator’s Testimony by Joy Berry Our Work for Social Justice by Elizabeth Nguyen Activists’ Testimony by Susan and Mac Goekler Our Justice Communities by Aisha Hauser A Lay Leader’s Testimony by Karla Baehr Our Roots by Dan McKanan Songs Spirit of Life, Carolyn McDade Come, Come, Whoever You Are by Jalalaluddin Rumi and Lynn Adair Ungar Gathered Here by Philip A. Porter Meditation on Breathing by Sarah Dan Jones Blue Boat Home by Peter Mayer Resources

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Book SynopsisA biography of Louis Jacobs, rabbi, theologian and author of the highly controversial book on Jewish thought and religion, We Have Reason to BelieveLouis Jacobs was Britain''s most gifted Jewish scholar. A Talmudic genius, outstanding teacher and accomplished author, cultured and easy-going, he was widely expected to become Britain''s next Chief Rabbi.Then controversy struck. The Chief Rabbi refused to appoint him as Principal of Jews'' College, the country''s premier rabbinic college. He further forbade him from returning as rabbi to his former synagogue. All because of a book Jacobs had written some years earlier, challenging from a rational perspective the traditional belief in the origins of the Torah.The British Jewish community was torn apart. It was a scandal unlike anything they had ever previously endured. The national media loved it. Jacobs became a cause celebre, a beacon of reason, a humble man who wouldn''t be compromised. His congregatTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction 1 An Unlikely Rabbi 2 Becoming an English Rabbi 3 A Reasonable Faith 4 High Society 5 In the Limelight 6 Jews' College 7 Friends in Need 8 A Bigger Affair 9 New London Synagogue 10 An International Reputation 11 Stability 12 A Mood, not a Movement 13 Out of the Pulpit 14 Personal Belief 15 Winding Down Notes Glossary Acknowledgements For Further Reading Index A Note on the Author

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed biographer, Donald Spoto, strips away the legends from the life of Francis of Assisi to reveal the true story of a man who has too often been obscured by pious iconography. Drawing on unprecedented access to unexplored archives, plus Francis''s own letters, Spoto places Francis within the context of the multifaceted ecclesiastical, political and social forces of mediaeval Italy, casting new light on Francis and showing how his emphasis on charity as the heart of the Gospel''s message helped him pioneer a new social movement. This nuanced portrait reveals the multifaceted character of a man who can genuinely be said to have changed the course of history.

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating and insightful biography of one of the most intriguing, thoughtful and controversial figures of the 19th century.

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Book SynopsisThe first publication of the Jamaican New Testament in printed form. Jamaican is also known as Patois, or Patwa. This Diglot publication features the King James Version alongside the Jamaican Patois translation.

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Book SynopsisAn accessible discussion about the religious progressives who are creating a movement far stronger than fundamentalism: a liberal religious renaissance based on an expansive love for life   Hope is rising. The political tide in the United States has turned, and people across the country who have been working for years for social change and justice finally feel as though they aren't struggling alone. Yet for those who ground their social activism in progressive religious belief, it is all too easy to feel spiritually divided and isolated, daunted by the apparent dominance of religious fundamentalists in the media and politics. The impact of liberal religion is richer and more far-reaching than many know—a force for good that has inspired and supported two centuries of American social progress, from the abolition of slavery and the securing of women's rights to the present-day struggles for marriage equality, ecological responsibility, and global peace. In

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Book SynopsisA broad, definitive history of the profound relationship between religion and movements for social change in AmericaThe United States has always had an active, vibrant, and influential religious Left. In every period of our history, people of faith have envisioned a society of peace and justice, and their tireless efforts have powered the social movements that have defined America’s progress: the abolition of slavery, feminism, the New Deal, civil rights, and others. In this groundbreaking, definitive work, McKanan treats the histories of religion and of the Left as a single history, showing that American radicalism is a continuous tradition rather than a collection of disparate movements. Emphasizing the power of encounter—between whites and former slaves, between the middle classes and the immigrant masses, and among activists themselves—McKanan shows that the coming together of people of different perspectives and beliefs has been transf

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Book SynopsisThere is an enormous scholarly literature on law''s treatment of religion. Most scholars now recognize that although the US Supreme Court has not offered a consistent interpretation of what ''non-establishment'' or religious freedom means, as a general matter it can be said that the First Amendment requires that government not give preference to one religion over another or, although this is more controversial, to religion over non-belief. But these rules raise questions that will be addressed in Legal Responses to Religious Practices in the United States: namely, what practices constitute a ''religious activity'' such that it cannot be supported or funded by government? And what is a religion, anyway? How should law understand matters of faith and accommodate religious practices?Table of Contents1. A history of ambivalence: how religion and US law have developed together Amanda Porterfield; 2. Commentary on religion's accommodation to American law and culture Timothy Hoff; 3. Against neutralism: faith based groups, discrimination, and state subsidy Corey Brettschneider; 4. Commentary on freedom of speech, equal citizenship, and the anti-caste principle: a commentary on regulating hate speech Bryan Fair; 5. Expanding the Bob Jones Compromise Caroline Mala Corbin; 6. Commentary on religious practice and sex discrimination: a case for toleration? Meredith Render; 7. Religious freedom and the nondiscrimination norm Richard W. Garnett; 8. Commentary on religious freedom and the nondiscrimination norm Paul Horwitz; 9. Freedom of religion or freedom of the church? Steven D. Smith; 10. Commentary on government for the time being William Brewbaker.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents detailed biographical case studies of English religious men and women, and their reading and writing during the turbulent period around the Dissolution of the monasteries, often revealing a surprising interest in reform. It features the remarkable writings of Margaret Vernon, head of four nunneries and personal friend of Thomas Cromwell.Trade Review'Mary C. Erler's elegant examination of monastic reading and writing during the Dissolution revolves around six case studies representing different facets of religious life in early Tudor England. By drawing attention to their reading and especially their writing in the midst and aftermath of the Dissolution, Erler offers a more rounded picture of the regular clergy - as active participants in the English Reformation.' Martin Heale, The American Historical ReviewTable of Contents1. Looking backward?: London's last anchorite, Simon Appulby (†1537); 2. The Greyfriars Chronicle and the fate of London's Franciscan community; 3. Cromwell's nuns: Katherine Bulkeley, Morpheta Kingsmill, Joan Fane; 4. Cromwell's abbess and friend, Margaret Vernon; 5. 'Refugee Reformation': the effects of exile; 6. Richard Whitford's last work, 1541; Appendices; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisHow do we understand the multitude of faith movements in our post-secular world? Faith and Social Movements explores this question by analyzing the theology and practice as well as the transformation of two discrepant religious movements in contemporary India. The research opens up a conversation between the sociology of religion and social movements. Using a comparative lens, two different movements - a Hindu and an Islamic reform movement - have been studied in ethnographic detail. The book is divided into two parts. The first part dwells on Svadhyaya, a Hindu reform movement, and the second part on the Tablighi Jamaat, an Islamic reform movement. Focusing on the internal dynamics of these movements and the 'unintended consequences' of piety, the author argues that it is only by raising new questions vis-Ã-vis religion, secularity and civil society that their entanglement could be uncovered. This book aims to raise some of these questions.Table of ContentsList of figures; Preface; Acknowledgments; Introduction: dissent, religion and civil society; Part I. Svadhyaya Ethics and the Spirit of Voluntarism: 1. Theologies of self-reform: what transforms the cross?; 2. Praxis of an emergent congregation: metaphysics of reform and rebirth; 3. The structure of Lokasamgraha: volunteers, networks and training; 4. Succession, routinization of charisma and judicial religion; Part II. The Tablighi Jamaat's Call for Self-reform: 5. Pedagogy of Tablighi reform: the mission and the messenger; 6. 'Unintended consequences' of piety and discourses of Islamic reform; Conclusion: religion, movements and secularity; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisAs religion has become more visible in public life, with closer relations of co-operation with government as well as a force in some political campaigns, its place in public life has become more contested. Fudged compromises of the past are giving way to a desire for clear lines and moral principles. This book brings the disciplines of law, sociology, politics and theology into conversation with one anther to shed light on the questions thrown up by ''religion in a liberal state''. It discusses practical problems in a British context, such as the accommodation of religious dress, discrimination against sexual minorities and state support for historic religions; considers legal frameworks of equality and human rights; and elucidates leading ideas of neutrality, pluralism, secularism and public reason. Fundamentally, it asks what it means to be liberal in a world in which religious diversity is becoming more present and more problematic.Trade Review'Can secularism be combined with liberalism? We would all like to say yes, but how can it be done? One comes away from this collection of insightful and closely-argued essays with a clearer sense of the dilemmas we face in this area, of how the best answers to such dilemmas change with changing social conditions, and of how inadequate some of the widely accepted philosophical solutions are. A rare and valuable intellectual experience.' Charles Taylor, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, McGill UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Religion in a liberal state Raymond Plant; 2. The European Court of Human Rights and religious neutrality Ian Leigh; 3. Religion and sexual orientation: conflict or cohesion? Maleiha Malik; 4. Liberal religion and illiberal secularism Linda Woodhead; 5. Moderate secularism in liberal societies? Derek McGhee; 6. Excluded, included or foundational? Religions in liberal democratic states Veit Bader; 7. Justificatory secularism Cécile Laborde; 8. What lacks is feeling: Hume versus Kant and Habermas John Milbank; 9. Arguing out of bounds: Christian eloquence and the end of Johannine liberalism John Perry.

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Book SynopsisIn recent years, law and religion scholarship has increasingly emphasized the need to study the interaction of legal and religious ideas and institutions, norms and practices. The overall question that this scholarship explores may be stated as follows: how do legal and religious ideas and institutions, methods and mechanisms, beliefs and believers influence each other, for better and for worse, in the past, present and future? This volume engages this area of scholarship by examining how law regulates religion, and how religion responds to such regulations. It examines underlying norms influencing state regulation of religion, and challenges emerging from such regulation. Importantly, this volume will go beyond the conventional enquiries that draw upon the Anglo-European approaches and experiences, and emphasize instead Asian perspectives in order to expand and build upon existing understandings about the complex relationship between law and religion.Trade Review'The strength of Regulating Religion in Asia lies in its detailed case studies, which show the diversity of different states' relationships with the religions in their jurisdictions. By taking a broad definition of regulation, the book goes beyond the broad constitutional idea of freedom of religion into the complex practicalities of regulating religion. In doing so, the different chapters also highlight the wide variety of political ideologies and the methods of regulating religion, which are practiced by the different states.' Helen Pausacker, Journal of Law and ReligionTable of Contentslntroduction: regulating religion in Asia: Part I. Theorizing Regulation: 1. Regulatory markers Arif A. Jamal; 2. Conceptualizing the regulation of religion Jaclyn L. Neo; 3. The role of authority and sanctity in state-religion conflicts Shai Wozner and Gilad Abiri; 4. Jurisdictional vs. official control: regulating the Buddhist Saṅgha South and Southeast Asia Ben Schontal; 5. Defining and regulating religion in early independent Indonesia Kevin Fogg; Part II. Regulating Religion: State Practice and Legal Norms: 6. Principled pluralism, relational constitutionalism and regulating religion within Singapore's secular democratic model Thio Li-ann; 7. Legal regulation of religion in Vietnam Bui Ngoc Son; 8. Regulating Buddhism in Myanmar: the case of deviant Buddhist sects Nyi Nyi Kyaw; 9. The bureaucratization of religious education in the Islamic Republic of Iran Mirjam Künkler; 10. Managing religious competition in China: case study of regulating social and charitable service provisions by religious organizations Jianlin Chen and Loveday J. Liu; Part III. Challenges to State Regulation: 11. Regulating religion through administrative law: religious conversion in Malaysia beyond fundamental rights Matthew Nelson and Dian Shah; 12. Legal pluralism, patronage secularism and the challenge of prophetic Christianity in Singapore Daniel Goh; 13. Equality in secularism: contemporary debates on social stratification and the Indian constitution Mohsin Alam; 14. Regulating the state and the Hawza: legal pluralism and the ironies of Shi'i law Haider Hamoudi.

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Book SynopsisGenerations of festering culture wars, compounded by actual wars in predominantly Muslim countries, the terrorism of Isis, and the ongoing migrant crisis have all combined to make religious discrimination the most pressing challenge now facing many governments. For the leading common law nations, with their shared Christian cultural heritage balanced by a growing secularism, the threat presented by this toxic mix has the potential to destabilise civil society. This book suggests that the instances of religious discrimination, as currently legally defined, are constrained by that cultural context, exacerbated by a policy of multiculturalism, and in practice, conflated with racial, ethnic or other forms of discrimination. Kerry O''Halloran argues that many culture war issues - such as those that surround the pro-choice/pro-life debate and the rights of the LGBT community - can be viewed as rooted in the same Christian morality that underpins the law relating to religious discrimination.Trade Review'Issues of religious discrimination - whether real or imaginary - have become ever more important in a world that is increasingly polarised between secularism and religious fundamentalism. This book is an important contribution to the debate on the 'culture wars' as viewed through the lens of some of the major multi-cultural common law jurisdictions.' Frank Cranmer, Cardiff University'Religious Discrimination and Cultural Context tackles some of the most perplexing social issues that are facing liberal democracies today as Christianity wanes and the ISIS challenge to social cohesion grows. The laws of England and Wales, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and their cultural context are examined in relation to the main areas of religious discrimination. The book tracks how infractions are processed through regulatory or judicial systems and considers the significance of any jurisdictional similarities or differences in the way issues are resolved. This poses questions such as: will governments be moved from a position of State neutrality to assert a positive policing role, regulating for the public benefit, in respect of religious matters? It is a thought-provoking contribution for our times.' Myles McGregor-Lowndes, Queensland University of Technology, Australia'This book is an intriguing and challenging assessment of the ability of the law to address the problem of religious discrimination in an increasingly multicultural society. In particular, O'Halloran explores the manner in which religion and culture are frequently intertwined in ways that often result in religious discrimination becoming a means of expressing cultural animus. The so-called 'culture wars' provide the backdrop for a study of the ways in which the moral arguments advanced by its various participants often merely serve as proxies for religious or cultural discrimination. The book contains an exhaustive survey of legal prohibitions against religious discrimination across the common law world that will prove invaluable to researchers in religion, human rights and comparative law. More importantly, O'Halloran shows that the common law has not yet developed the tools to address claims of discrimination where culture and religion are intertwined. This book is an important contribution to a debate that is sure to intensify as our society becomes ever more globalised in the years to come.' Matthew Harrington, Université de Montréal, CanadaTable of ContentsPart I. Background: Introduction to Part I; 1. Identity, alienation and the law: the twentieth-century legacy; 2. Religion, culture and religious discrimination; Part II. Balancing Public and Private Interests: Introduction to Part II; 3. Religion: the public and the private; 4. The international framework and themes of religious discrimination; Part III. Contemporary Religious Discrimination in Common Law Jurisdictions: The Judicial Rulings: Introduction to Part III; 5. England; 6. Ireland; 7. The US; 8. Canada; 9. Australia; 10. New Zealand; Part IV. Religion and Discrimination: An Overview: Introduction to Part III; 11. Themes of jurisdictional commonality and difference; 12. Contexting religion, culture and discrimination; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisTo allow or restrict hate speech is a hotly debated issue in many societies. While the right to freedom of speech is fundamental to liberal democracies, most countries have accepted that hate speech causes significant harm and ought to be regulated. Richard Moon examines the application of hate speech laws when religion is either the source or target of such speech. Moon describes the various legal restrictions on hate speech, religious insult, and blasphemy in Canada, Europe and elsewhere, and uses cases from different jurisdictions to illustrate the particular challenges raised by religious hate speech. The issues addressed are highly topical: speech that attacks religious communities, specifically anti-Muslim rhetoric, and hateful speech that is based on religious doctrine or scripture, such as anti-gay speech. The book draws on a rich understanding of freedom of expression, the harms of hate speech, and the role of religion in public life.Trade Review'There may be no greater challenge to freedom theory today than the triangulation of hate, speech, and religion. Professor Moon is Canada's foremost authority on religious and expressive freedom, and his newest book, Putting Faith in Hate, is at the forefront of timely and critical scholarship on the intersection of these values.' Jamie Cameron, Osgoode Hall Law School, Ontario'Moon is an outstanding scholar. His work displays a powerful analytic mind, thorough analysis, a dominant command of the literature, and a wise pragmatic approach to the subjects he discusses. Moon's book will be of considerable interest to scholars across a range of disciplines. It certainly will be a must read for anyone who wants to understand the issues involved in hate speech regulation. And it provides an illuminating survey of the case law that would be accessible and of interest to journalists and other lay readers.' Steve Shiffrin, Charles Frank Reavis, Sr Professor of Law Emeritus at Cornell Law School'An insightful and accessible examination of the role of religion in the application of hate speech laws, by a leading scholar in the field.' Nadine Strossen, New York Law SchoolTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Freedom of expression and the regulation of hate speech; 3. When religious groups are the target of hate speech: Islamophobia and the Muslim tide; 4. The ridicule and insult of the sacred; 5. When religion is the source of hate speech; 6. Conclusion: free speech, religious speech, hate speech.

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Book SynopsisThe mouth, responsible for both physical and spiritual functions - eating, drinking, breathing, praying and confessing - was of immediate importance to medieval thinking about the nature of the human being. Where scholars have traditionally focused on the mouth''s grotesque excesses, Katie L. Walter argues for the recuperation of its material ''everyday'' aspect. Walter''s original study draws on two rich archives: one comprising Middle English theology (Langland, Julian of Norwich, Lydgate, Chaucer) and pastoral writings; the other broadly medical and surgical, including learned encyclopaedias and vernacular translations and treatises. Challenging several critical orthodoxies about the centrality of sight, the hierarchy of the senses and the separation of religious from medical discourses, the book reveals the centrality of the mouth, taste and touch to human modes of knowing and to Christian identity.Trade Review'A genuinely interdisciplinary achievement, Middle English Mouths will be of great value equally to literary scholars interested especially in Langland's Piers Plowman, scholars of medieval medicine and science (including multisenoriality), Christianity and soteriology, speech and song, vernacular theology and intellectual history.' Sarah Star, Medium ÆvumTable of Contents1. Natural knowledge; 2. The reading lesson; 3. Tasting, eating and knowing; 4. The epistemology of kissing; 5. Surgical habits.

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Book SynopsisFor centuries, theologians and philosophers, among others, have examined the nature of religious experience. Students and scholars unfamiliar with the vast literature face a daunting task in grasping the main issues surrounding the topic of religious experience. The Cambridge Companion to Religious Experience offers an original introduction to its topic. Going beyond an introduction, it is a state-of-the-art overview of the topic, with critical analyses of and creative insights into its subject. Religious experience is discussed from various interdisciplinary perspectives, from religious perspectives inside and outside traditional monotheistic religions, and from various topical perspectives. Written by leading scholars in clear and accessible prose, this book is an ideal resource for undergraduate and graduate students, teachers, and scholars across many disciplines.Table of ContentsPart I. Characterizing Religious Experience: Interdisciplinary Approaches: 1. Psychology of religion approaches to the study of religious experience Ann Tayes; 2. Philosophy of religion approaches to the study of religious experience Phillip H. Wiebe; 3. Theology, religious diversity, and religious experience Gwen Griffith-Dickson; Part II. Religious Experience in Traditional Monotheism: 4. Illumined by meaning: religious experience in classical Judaism Howard Wettstein; 5. Religious experience in early Christianity James D. G. Dunn; 6. Religious experience in traditional Islam William Chittick; Part III. Religious Experience Outside Traditional Monotheism: 7. Religious experience in ancient Confucianism and Daoism Xinzhong Yao; 8. Religious experience in Buddhism David Burton; 9. Ramanuja's eleventh century Hindu theology of religious experience: an informative, performative, transformative discourse Francis X. Clooney; Part IV. Prominent Themes and Challenges: 10. Exploring the nature of mystical experience Steven T. Katz; 11. Miraculous and extraordinary events as religious experience Fiona Bowie; 12. Evil, Suffering, and Religious Experience Michael L. Peterson; 13. Naturalism and religious experience William B. Drees; 14. Meaning and social value in religious experience Mark Owen Webb.

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Book SynopsisFrom the Andes to the Himalayas, mountains have an extraordinary power to evoke a sense of the sacred. In the overwhelming wonder and awe that these dramatic features of the landscape awaken, people experience something of deeper significance that imbues their lives with meaning and vitality. Drawing on his extensive research and personal experience as a scholar and climber, Edwin Bernbaum''s Sacred Mountains of the World takes the reader on a fascinating journey exploring the role of mountains in the mythologies, religions, history, literature, and art of cultures around the world. Bernbaum delves into the spiritual dimensions of mountaineering and the implications of sacred mountains for environmental and cultural preservation. This beautifully written, evocative book shows how the contemplation of sacred mountains can transform everyday life, even in cities far from the peaks themselves. Thoroughly revised and updated, this new edition considers additional sacred mountains, as well Trade Review'Bernbaum has created a comprehensive and magisterial overview of the heritage of sacred mountains, in a well written work illustrated with many of his own photographs. He combines historical and cultural knowledge of holy peaks with his first-hand observations and experiences at most of these sites. This book will serve the next generation of readers; it is not likely that in the near future anyone will duplicate his feat of linking scholarly knowledge with field work on a global scale.' H. Bryon Earhart, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Religion, Western Michigan University, Author of Mount Fuji: Icon of Japan'Sacred Mountains of the World combines the grandeur and adventures of mountains worldwide with the spiritual resonance that each brings to the people who are native to them. The book is one of adventure and love, of curiosity and respect. The first edition changed me forever; the second is even better.' John Reynolds, National Parks Service (retired)'Reading this book is like making a pilgrimage to sacred mountains of the world with the people who love and revere them. It provides insights from extensive research and personal experiences of the author into the spiritual, cultural, and aesthetic values of mountains, and fresh ideas for conservation.' Steven R. Beissinger, Faculty Co-Director, Institute for Parks, People, and Biodiversity, University of California, Berkeley'Ed Bernbaum's second edition of Sacred Mountains of the World offers a newly polished lens through which we see mountains, not as something to be conquered, leveled, or converted, but instead as where we may find peace, tranquility, and a connection to deeper meaning for our time on this small and fragile planet.' Jonathan B. Jarvis, 18th Director of the US National Park Service'This astounding book ties literature, art, philosophy, religion, history, and science together in a compelling whole – elevating our understanding and deepening our sensitivity for the world in which we are privileged to live, as long as we can preserve it from our own predation.' Rev. Scotty McLennan, M. Div., J. D., former Dean for Religious Life, Stanford University'Edwin Bernbaum, unlike most of us earthlings, has experienced spirituality at many of nature's most sublime heights. Now, with his inspired prose and photographs, he gives us a chance to share these transcendent moments. He also shows how the world's cultures, however disparate, tend to converge at mountain tops.' Peter Dale Scott, Poet and Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley'This new edition of Sacred Mountains of the World is a substantially expanded, supremely successful recasting of the fine 1998 original. Bernbaum's thoroughly researched global survey of the role of mountains in religious thought and practice, cultural imagination, and mountaineering experience is enhanced by his own exceptional photographs and personal references to his own lifelong engagement with mountains.' William A. Graham, Murray A. Albertson Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Emeritus and University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus, Harvard University'Bernbaum has created a comprehensive and magisterial overview of the heritage of sacred mountains, in a well written work illustrated with many of his own photographs. He combines historical and cultural knowledge of holy peaks with his firsthand observations and experiences at most of these sites. This book will serve the next generation of readers; it is not likely that in the near future anyone will duplicate his feat of linking scholarly knowledge with field work on a global scale.' H. Bryon Earhart, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Religion, Western Michigan University, Author of Mount Fuji: Icon of Japan'Sacred Mountains of the World combines the grandeur and adventures of mountains worldwide with the spiritual resonance that each brings to the people who are native to them. The book is one of adventure and love; of curiosity and respect. The first edition changed me forever; the second is even better.' John Reynolds, Former Director Pacific West Region, US National Park Service'Pilgrimage to sacred mountains is both an ancient impulse and a vital ongoing imperative. Ed Bernbaum understands this as no other, and with this beautiful new edition of his classic book, he gives us all an extended roadmap to hidden lands where heaven and earth converge on a regular basis to reveal glimpses of the divine. If religion concerns death and eternity, the sacred, Bernbaum reminds us, is all about life, the glory of what exists in this moment on this blue jewel of a planet.' Wade Davis, Professor of Anthropology and Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk, University of British Columbia, Author of Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of EverestTable of ContentsPart I. Sacred Mountains around the World: 1. The Himalayas: Abode of the sacred; 2. China: Mountains of the middle kingdom; 3. Central Asia: The distant ranges; 4. Japan: Mountains of the rising sun; 5. South and southeast Asia: Cosmic centers; 6. The Middle East: Heights of revelation; 7. Europe: Paradigms of perfection; 8. Africa: Facing the heights; 9. North America: The high and the beautiful; 10. Latin America: Mountains of vanished empires; 11. Oceania: Islands of the sky; Part II. The Power and Mystery of Mountains: 12. The symbolism of sacred mountains; 13. Mountains and the sacred in literature and art; 14. The spiritual dimensions of mountaineering; 15. Sacred mountains, the environment, and everyday life.

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Book SynopsisFrom the Andes to the Himalayas, mountains have an extraordinary power to evoke a sense of the sacred. In the overwhelming wonder and awe that these dramatic features of the landscape awaken, people experience something of deeper significance that imbues their lives with meaning and vitality. Drawing on his extensive research and personal experience as a scholar and climber, Edwin Bernbaum''s Sacred Mountains of the World takes the reader on a fascinating journey exploring the role of mountains in the mythologies, religions, history, literature, and art of cultures around the world. Bernbaum delves into the spiritual dimensions of mountaineering and the implications of sacred mountains for environmental and cultural preservation. This beautifully written, evocative book shows how the contemplation of sacred mountains can transform everyday life, even in cities far from the peaks themselves. Thoroughly revised and updated, this new edition considers additional sacred mountains, as well Trade Review'Bernbaum has created a comprehensive and magisterial overview of the heritage of sacred mountains, in a well written work illustrated with many of his own photographs. He combines historical and cultural knowledge of holy peaks with his first-hand observations and experiences at most of these sites. This book will serve the next generation of readers; it is not likely that in the near future anyone will duplicate his feat of linking scholarly knowledge with field work on a global scale.' H. Bryon Earhart, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Religion, Western Michigan University, Author of Mount Fuji: Icon of Japan'Sacred Mountains of the World combines the grandeur and adventures of mountains worldwide with the spiritual resonance that each brings to the people who are native to them. The book is one of adventure and love, of curiosity and respect. The first edition changed me forever; the second is even better.' John Reynolds, National Parks Service (retired)'Reading this book is like making a pilgrimage to sacred mountains of the world with the people who love and revere them. It provides insights from extensive research and personal experiences of the author into the spiritual, cultural, and aesthetic values of mountains, and fresh ideas for conservation.' Steven R. Beissinger, Faculty Co-Director, Institute for Parks, People, and Biodiversity, University of California, Berkeley'Ed Bernbaum's second edition of Sacred Mountains of the World offers a newly polished lens through which we see mountains, not as something to be conquered, leveled, or converted, but instead as where we may find peace, tranquility, and a connection to deeper meaning for our time on this small and fragile planet.' Jonathan B. Jarvis, 18th Director of the US National Park Service'This astounding book ties literature, art, philosophy, religion, history, and science together in a compelling whole – elevating our understanding and deepening our sensitivity for the world in which we are privileged to live, as long as we can preserve it from our own predation.' Rev. Scotty McLennan, M. Div., J. D., former Dean for Religious Life, Stanford University'Edwin Bernbaum, unlike most of us earthlings, has experienced spirituality at many of nature's most sublime heights. Now, with his inspired prose and photographs, he gives us a chance to share these transcendent moments. He also shows how the world's cultures, however disparate, tend to converge at mountain tops.' Peter Dale Scott, Poet and Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley'This new edition of Sacred Mountains of the World is a substantially expanded, supremely successful recasting of the fine 1998 original. Bernbaum's thoroughly researched global survey of the role of mountains in religious thought and practice, cultural imagination, and mountaineering experience is enhanced by his own exceptional photographs and personal references to his own lifelong engagement with mountains.' William A. Graham, Murray A. Albertson Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Emeritus and University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus, Harvard University'Bernbaum has created a comprehensive and magisterial overview of the heritage of sacred mountains, in a well written work illustrated with many of his own photographs. He combines historical and cultural knowledge of holy peaks with his firsthand observations and experiences at most of these sites. This book will serve the next generation of readers; it is not likely that in the near future anyone will duplicate his feat of linking scholarly knowledge with field work on a global scale.' H. Bryon Earhart, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Religion, Western Michigan University, Author of Mount Fuji: Icon of Japan'Sacred Mountains of the World combines the grandeur and adventures of mountains worldwide with the spiritual resonance that each brings to the people who are native to them. The book is one of adventure and love; of curiosity and respect. The first edition changed me forever; the second is even better.' John Reynolds, Former Director Pacific West Region, US National Park Service'Pilgrimage to sacred mountains is both an ancient impulse and a vital ongoing imperative. Ed Bernbaum understands this as no other, and with this beautiful new edition of his classic book, he gives us all an extended roadmap to hidden lands where heaven and earth converge on a regular basis to reveal glimpses of the divine. If religion concerns death and eternity, the sacred, Bernbaum reminds us, is all about life, the glory of what exists in this moment on this blue jewel of a planet.' Wade Davis, Professor of Anthropology and Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk, University of British Columbia, Author of Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of EverestTable of ContentsPart I. Sacred Mountains around the World: 1. The Himalayas: Abode of the sacred; 2. China: Mountains of the middle kingdom; 3. Central Asia: The distant ranges; 4. Japan: Mountains of the rising sun; 5. South and southeast Asia: Cosmic centers; 6. The Middle East: Heights of revelation; 7. Europe: Paradigms of perfection; 8. Africa: Facing the heights; 9. North America: The high and the beautiful; 10. Latin America: Mountains of vanished empires; 11. Oceania: Islands of the sky; Part II. The Power and Mystery of Mountains: 12. The symbolism of sacred mountains; 13. Mountains and the sacred in literature and art; 14. The spiritual dimensions of mountaineering; 15. Sacred mountains, the environment, and everyday life.

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Book SynopsisDemonstrates how the four noble truths are used thorughout the Pali canon as a symbol of Buddha''s enlightenment and as a doctrine within a larger network of Buddha''s teachings. Their unique nature rests in their function as a proposition and as a symbol in the Theravada canon.Trade Review'The book's contribution to our knowledge about the four truths may lie in the author's bringig together some new propositions of recent researches which claim to revise views about certain topics such as the language of the canon, the dating of the Buddha's life, the construction of his biographies, the shaping of the Tipitaka and its formulations, or the disparity between the doctrine ant the practice in Buddhist countries. useful to read as a stimulant' - Karel Werner, Journal of Royal Asiatic SocietyTable of ContentsIntroduction: A Historical Context for the Four Noble Truths; Chapter 1 Cultivating Religious Experiences: Doctrine and Di??hi; Chapter 2 Stories and a Symbol of the Buddha's Enlightenment; Chapter 3 Analyzing the Four Noble Truths; Chapter 4 Abhidhamma Analysis of the Four Noble Truths; Chapter 5 The Four Noble Truths and the Path; Chapter 6 Studies of the Four Noble Truths in Europe and the United States; Chapter 7 Symbols, Propositions, and Religious Experiences;

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Book SynopsisAn unforgettable history of the beloved little town at the heart of the world's longest conflict, chronicling times of peace and war over the course of 11,000 years

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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