Religion: general Books

Book SynopsisWhat are we to make of the Latina schoolteacher who considers herself a good Catholic, rarely attends Mass, but meditates daily at her home altar (where she mixes images of the Virgin of Guadalupe with those of Frida Kahlo, and traditional votive candles with healing crystals), yet feels particularly spiritual while preparing food for religious celebrations in her neighborhood? Diverse religious practices such as these have long baffled scholars of contemporary religion, whose research started with the assumption that Individuals commit, or refuse to commit, to an entire institutionally-defined package of beliefs and practices. Social surveys typically ask respondents to self-identify by denominational or other broad religious categories. Sociologists attempt to measure religiosity according to how well individuals conform to the official religious standards, such as frequency of church attendance, scripture-reading, or prayer. In this book Meredith McGuire points the way forward towarTrade ReviewAn invaluable resource that broadens understandings of the complicated interactions of personal spirituality and social contexts. ...This important book provides an extraoridnary overview that challenges quantitative researchers to develop new approaches and stimulates qualitative researchers to addres new questions in new ways. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *Meredith McGuire's Lived Religion richly endows an expanding academic literature highlighting the relevance of religious-spiritual practices that are typically excluded from the received view of what counts as religion and spirituality. ...McGuire's thoughtful, intellectually engaging, and well-written book is a welcome addition to the analysis of the prevalence of religion and spirituality in everyday practices. ...McGuire succeeds in making visible the many hybrid sources of religious community and commitment that might otherwise remain beyond the gaze of scholarly attention. * American Journal of Sociology *McGuire's thoughtful, intellectually engaging, and well-written book is a welcome addition to the analysis of the prevalence of religion and spirituality in everyday practices. * Michele Dillon, University of New Hampshire *This is an important book in the sociology of religion, because it prods us to take seriously religious practices...rich analysis.... * Wyndy Corbin Reushling *...A creative blending of a personal and professional narrative and normative zeal to reform the field of sociology and religion... The book succeeds in its goal to infuse tired debates in the sociology of religion with a fresh perspective. It will stimulate many conversations about which lamppost we should look under to find religion in contemporary society, how it got there, and where it is going. * Contemporary Sociology *Table of Contents1. Everyday Religion as Lived ; 2. Contested Meanings and Definitional Boundaries: Historicizing the Sociology of Religion ; 3. Popular Religious Expressions Today: U.S. Latinos and Latinas ; 4. Popular Religions in Practice Today: Southern White Evangelicals ; 5. Spirituality and Materiality: Why Bodies Matter ; 6. Embodied Practices for Healing and Wholeness ; 7. Gendered Spiritualities ; 8. Rethinking Religious Identity, Commitment, and Hybridity

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Book SynopsisMcKenzie argues that to comprehend the Bible we must grasp the intentions of the biblical authors themselveswhat sort of texts they thought they were writing and how they would have been understood by their intended audience. In short, we must recognize the genres to which these texts belong. McKenzie examines several genres that are typically misunderstood, offering careful readings of specific texts to show how the confusion arises, and how knowing the genreproduces a correct reading. The book of Jonah, for example, offers many clues that it is meant as a humorous satire, not a straight-faced historical account of a man who was swallowed by a fish. Likewise, McKenzie explains that the very names "Adam" and "Eve" tell us that these are not historicalcharacters, but figures who symbolize human origins ("Adam" means man , "Eve" is related to the word for life ). Similarly, the authors of apocalyptic textsincluding the Book of Revelationwere writing allegories of events that were happeniTrade Review"Thoughtfully considered and ably written, this book is highly recommended for all libraries." --Library Journal "Steven L. McKenzie offers a fresh take on the ancient texts of the Bible and allows us to see the familiar biblical landscape in wholly new and illuminating ways. How to Read the Bible is authoritative and provocative, often witty and always insightful and illuminating, an essential tool for modern readers of the Jewish and Christian scriptures." --Jonathan Kirsch, author of God Against the Gods: The History of the War Between Monotheism and Polytheism and The Harlot by the Side of the Road: Forbidden Tales of the Bible "In order to determine what the Bible means, we must first determine the intentions of its authors, intentions expressed in the literary genres they used. In his examination of several genres used in the Bible, McKenzie demonstrates through detailed analysis how the identification of genre is as necessary for the understanding of biblical literature as it is of any literature. An important and insightful book." --Michael D. Coogan, editor of The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Third Edition, and The Oxford History of the Biblical World "Thoughtfully considered and ably written, this book is highly recommended for all libraries."--Library Journal "Steven L. McKenzie offers a fresh take on the ancient texts of the Bible and allows us to see the familiar biblical landscape in wholly new and illuminating ways. How to Read the Bible is authoritative and provocative, often witty and always insightful and illuminating, an essential tool for modern readers of the Jewish and Christian scriptures." --Jonathan Kirsch, author of God Against the Gods: The History of the War Between Monotheism and Polytheism and The Harlot by the Side of the Road: Forbidden Tales of the Bible "In order to determine what the Bible means, we must first determine the intentions of its authors, intentions expressed in the literary genres they used. In his examination of several genres used in the Bible, McKenzie demonstrates through detailed analysis how the identification of genre is as necessary for the understanding of biblical literature as it is of any literature. An important and insightful book."--Michael D. Coogan, editor of The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Third Edition, and The Oxford History of the Biblical World "How to Read the Bible is a role model of its kind. Steven L. McKenzie, a rising star in our field, has 'squared the circle' and delivered a book that blends serious up-to-date scholarship with a simple, straightforward style aimed at an intelligent but non-scholarly audience. At the same time, I would add a hint to scholars: We could read the book to advantage and pick up pointers on the latest wrinkles in our field of study, along with ways and means to improve our own presentation. Approaching the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) in terms of its types or categories of literature, the author explains and illustrates from the text of the Bible. While the book is an introductory survey, he samples the literature successfully and treats in detail selected stories and representative passages from the historical, prophetic, and wisdom books of the Old Testament." --David Noel Freedman, author of The Nine Commandments: Uncovering the Hidden Pattern of Crime and "Thoughtfully considered and ably written, this book is highly recommended for all libraries."--Library Journal "Steven L. McKenzie offers a fresh take on the ancient texts of the Bible and allows us to see the familiar biblical landscape in wholly new and illuminating ways. How to Read the Bible is authoritative and provocative, often witty and always insightful and illuminating, an essential tool for modern readers of the Jewish and Christian scriptures." --Jonathan Kirsch, author of God Against the Gods: The History of the War Between Monotheism and Polytheism and The Harlot by the Side of the Road: Forbidden Tales of the Bible "In order to determine what the Bible means, we must first determine the intentions of its authors, intentions expressed in the literary genres they used. In his examination of several genres used in the Bible, McKenzie demonstrates through detailed analysis how the identification of genre is as necessary for the understanding of biblical literature as it is of any literature. An important and insightful book."--Michael D. Coogan, editor of The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Third Edition, and The Oxford History of the Biblical World "How to Read the Bible is a role model of its kind. Steven L. McKenzie, a rising star in our field, has 'squared the circle' and delivered a book that blends serious up-to-date scholarship with a simple, straightforward style aimed at an intelligent but non-scholarly audience. At the same time, I would add a hint to scholars: We could read the book to advantage and pick up pointers on the latest wrinkles in our field of study, along with ways and means to improve our own presentation. Approaching the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) in terms of its types or categories of literature, the author explains and illustrates from the text of the Bible. While the book is an introductory survey, he samples the literature successfully and treats in detail selected stories and representative passages from the historical, prophetic, and wisdom books of the Old Testament." --David Noel Freedman, author of The Nine Commandments: Uncovering the Hidden Pattern of Crime andTable of ContentsIntroduction ; JONAH AND GENRE ; Chapter One ; NOT EXACTLY AS IT HAPPENED ; Historiography in the Bible ; Chapter Two ; FORTHTELLING, NOT FORETELLING ; Biblical Prophecy ; Chapter Three ; LIFE'S REAL QUESTIONS ; Wisdom Literature in the Bible ; Chapter Four ; NOT THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT ; Apocalyptic Literature in the Bible ; Chapter Five ; ISSUES IN THE CHURCHES ; The Letters of the New Testament ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

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Trade Review'We strongly recommend this book to those interested in the religiosity of American teenagers. Social scientists, religious leaders, youth leaders, and parents will find this an enlightening read.' * Brigham Young University Studies *'This book is, quite simply, the best book ever on the best study ever on the topic of adolescents and religion. It is exemplary social science, combining the best of qualitative and quantitative methods, not only empirically strong but theoretically rich.' * Journal of Adolescent Research *'Let this book challenge you as parents and church leaders to evaluate what you are teaching the rising generation. More importantly, let it challenge you to examine your beliefs and practices and the teaching of the church.' * Equip for Ministry *"For scholars as well as parents, teachers, relatives, mentors, and other persons interested in the well-being of teens, this is and will likely be the definitive book on teens and religion for years to come." * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Two Baptist Girls ; 2. Mapping the Big Picture ; 3. Spiritual Seekers, the Disengaged, and Religiously Devoted Teens ; 4. God, Religion, Whatever-On Moralistic Therapeutic Deism ; 5. Teenage Religion in Social Context ; 6. On Catholic Teens ; 7. Adolescent Religion and Life Outcomes ; 8. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbooks series is a major new initiative in academic publishing. Each volume offers an authoritative and up-to-date survey of original research in a particular subject area. Specially commissioned essays from leading figures in the discipline give critical examinations of the progress and direction of debates. Biblical studies is a highly technical and diverse field. Study of the Bible demands expertise in fields ranging from Archaeology, Egyptology, Assyriology, and Linguistics through textual, historical, and sociological studies to Literary Theory, Feminism, Philosophy, and Theology, to name only some. This authoritative and compelling guide to the discipline will, therefore, be an invaluable reference work for all students and academics who want to explore more fully essential topics in Biblical studies.Trade ReviewThe present exhaustive volume offers an up-to-date comprehensive survey of Biblical studies at the beginning of the twenty-first century. * Christoph Stenschke, Dharma Deepika *This substantial collection of essays provides a good survey to current Biblical Studies... The arrangement of the articles as well as the focus of the volume raises a number of interesting issues for evangelical readers. * Christoph Stenschke, European Journal of Theology *...this volume succeeds not only its breadth, but also in the high quality of its essays, making this handbook the likely standard for many years to come in the area of biblical studies...Rogerson and Lieu have provided an excellent resource for biblical scholars that constitutes the most up-to-date and comprehensive handbook of its kind. * Michael J. Kruger The Expository Times *Table of ContentsI. ON THE DISCIPLINE ; II. LANGUAGES, TRANSLATION, AND TEXTUAL TRANSMISSION OF THE BIBLE ; III. HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL STUDY OF THE BIBLE ; IV. THE COMPOSITION OF THE BIBLE ; V. METHODS IN BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP ; VI. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE ; VII. THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE

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Book SynopsisOnly the most naïve or tendentious among us would deny the extent and intensity of suffering in the world. Can one hold, consistently with the common view of suffering in the world, that there is an omniscient, omnipotent, perfectly good God? This book argues that one can.Wandering in Darkness first presents the moral psychology and value theory within which one typical traditional theodicy, namely, that of Thomas Aquinas, is embedded. It explicates Aquinas''s account of the good for human beings, including the nature of love and union among persons. Eleonore Stump also makes use of developments in neurobiology and developmental psychology to illuminate the nature of such union. Stump then turns to an examination of narratives. In a methodological section focused on epistemological issues, the book uses recent research involving autism spectrum disorder to argue that some philosophical problems are best considered in the context of narratives. Using the methodology argued for, the book gives detailed, innovative exegeses of the stories of Job, Samson, Abraham and Isaac, and Mary of Bethany. In the context of these stories and against the backdrop of Aquinas''s other views, Stump presents Aquinas''s own theodicy, and shows that Aquinas''s theodicy gives a powerful explanation for God''s allowing suffering. She concludes by arguing that this explanation constitutes a consistent and cogent defense for the problem of suffering.Trade ReviewEleanore Stump has written a magnificent book. ... It gives us a deeply insightful account of the nature of love, as desire for the good of the beloved and for union with the beloved * Richard Swinburne, Expository Times {Main} *This is an excellent book. Baehr proposes an interesting and original account of the proper goals of a virtue theory for epistemology and makes substantive progress toward developing a theory of his own. The quality of argument is very high and Baehr's writing is elegant and clear. * Andrew D. Cling, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Eleonore Stumps major new book on the problem of suffering is perhaps the most important contribution to the field in decades. . . . reading this book is a thought- provoking spiritual journey which raises all kinds of fresh yet down-to-earth and urgent questions. Ultimately, it may have the potential to transform how we think about and do theology for, once joint attention takes precedence over correct belief and virtuous conduct, then our lives become more complex yet richer. * Philip Goodchild, Religion *a true breakthrough... which is in a manner her magnum opus... A truly magnificent achievement, the book is rich with compelling narratives from inside and outside the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. * Trent Dougherty, Analysis *Noted Aquinas scholar Stump weaves together theology, philosophy, and biblical studies in a comprehensive exploration of suffering and redemption... . her rigorous, careful argumentation and outstanding use of Scripture in the service of analytic philosophy make this an important book for studies of theology and philosophy of religion. It is a necessary addition to collections in theology and philosophy. Highly recommended. * Choice *Wandering in Darkness is Eleonore Stump's magisterial treatment of the problem of evil... It is bold, meticulously argued, and highly nuanced. In terms of scope and power, Stump's book clearly ranks among the best book length treatments of the problem of evil... Stump has produced a book that deserves the careful attention of any philosophically able reader interested in the problem of suffering in light of the belief in an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, essentially good God. * Charles Taliaferro & Paul Reasoner, European Journal for the Philosophy of Religion *Eleonore Stump's major new book on the problem of suffering is perhaps the most important contribution to the field in decades... reading this book is a thought-provoking spiritual journey which raises all kinds of fresh yet down-to-earth and urgent questions. Ultimately, it may have the potential to transform how we think about and do theology * Philip Goodchild, Theology *Stump's book is original, insightful, and brilliant. This magnum opus is the product of measured thought and mature experience. In it, Stump mounts a strong, lucid defense of a traditional Christian (specifically Thomistic) understanding of the problem of suffering (limited in her investigation to the suffering of fully functional adult persons). To do this, she uses both analytic philosophy and narratives... The philosophy is excellent... those who share the Thomistic worldview will also find Stump's reflections to be deeply moving reminders of the excellence and wonder of God's love. * Glen Harden, Religious Studies Review *immensely ambitious... her interpretation of the four biblical narratives is... stunningly successful, repeatedly finding new levels of meaning. * Stephen Mulhall, Times Literary Supplement *a must-read for philosophers of religion and a very beneficial read for other philosophers and for other scholars of religion. It is without question a highly nuanced and philosophically deep book. I have benefited both personally and philosophically from reflecting on what Stump says in the book about love, and Stump's insights on Franciscan knowledge of persons have led me to a deeper appreciation of the prospects for a religiously rich form of "skeptical faith," one that allows, paradoxically, for knowing God even if one lacks the knowledge or even the belief that God exists. More generally, the potential for applying some of the central ideas in the book to other problems in philosophy is enormous. * Paul Draper, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *It takes a lifetime, as well as a remarkable life, to write a book like Wandering in Darkness. Eleonore Stump asks: Is it possible in the face of suffering to believe in a God who is omnipotent and perfectly morally good? She relentlessly explores this inquiry not only by helping us to see that the question itself must be questioned, but by applying to the query her extraordinary erudition, a gift for philosophical and analytical clarity, and what must be hard-won and profound theological judgements. * Stanley Hauerwas, Christian Century *Eleonore Stump's Wandering in Darkness poses a learned, astutely crafted argument for the compatability of human suffering and God's existence, and in doing so it provides a number of innovations that will be of real interest to analytic philosophers of religion in particular and more generally to anyone curious about the so-called 'problem of evil' * Daniel Colucciello Barber, Journal of Religious Studies *Table of ContentsPART I: THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT; PART II: THE WORLD AT LARGE: LOVE AND LONELINESS; PART III: THE WORLD OF THE STORIES: SUFFERING IN PARTICULAR; PART IV: OTHER-WORLDLY THEODICY: WHAT WE CARE ABOUT IN A DEFENSE

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Book SynopsisIn terms of public opinion, new religious movements are considered controversial for a variety of reasons. Their social organization often runs counter to popular expectations by experimenting with communal living, alternative leadership roles, unusual economic dispositions, and new political and ethical values. As a result the general public views new religions with a mixture of curiosity, amusement, and anxiety, sustained by lavish media emphasis on oddness and tragedy rather than familiarity and lived experience. This updated and revised second edition of Controversial New Religions offers a scholarly, dispassionate look at those groups that have generated the most attention, including some very well-known classical groups like The Family, Unification Church, Scientology, and Jim Jones''s People''s Temple; some relative newcomers such as the Kabbalah Centre, the Order of the Solar Temple, Branch Davidians, Heaven''s Gate, and the Falun Gong; and some interesting cases like contemporTrade Reviewbalanced and intriguing * Jonathan Benthall, The Times Literary Supplement *Very often sequels are disappointing, but the second edition of Controversial New Religions offers another round of solid and fascinating scholarship on religions on the brink of-and sometimes beyond-the mainstream. Introducing a number of younger scholars, this volume, furthermore, shows how research into new and emergent religions has become a well-established and increasingly important field in the academic study of religion. Editors Lewis and Petersen should be commended for their ongoing contributions to this development. * Mikael Rothstein, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer of Comparative Religion, University of Southern Denmark; Visiting Professor, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania *Table of ContentsContributors ; Introduction ; Part I: Western Religious Traditions ; 1. A Family for the 21st Century ; James Chancellor ; 2. The Unification Church ; Sarah Lewis ; 3. The Controversies About Peoples Temple and Jonestown ; Rebecca Moore ; 4. The Branch Davidians ; Gene Gallagher ; 5. Charismatic Controversies in the Jesus People, Calvary Chapel, and Vineyard Movements ; Jane Skjoldli ; 6. Kabbalah Centre: Marketing and Meaning ; Jody Myers ; 7. Controversial Afro-American Muslim Organizations ; Goran Larsson ; Part II: Asian and Asian-Inspired Traditions ; 8. The Earth School: The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness ; James R. Lewis ; 9. Contested Genealogies and Cross-cultural Dynamics in the Hare Krishna Movement ; Malcolm Haddon ; 10. Transcendental Meditation, the Art of Living Foundation and Public Relations: ; From Psychedelic Romanticism to Science and Schism ; Inga Tollefsen ; 11. Controversy, Cultural Influence, and the Osho/Rajneesh Movement ; Marion S. Goldman ; 12. Aum Shinrikyo and the Aum Incident: A Critical Introduction ; Martin Repp ; 13. Falun Gong: A Narrative of Pending Apocalypse, Shape-shifting Aliens and Relentless Persecution ; Helen Farley ; Part III: Western Esoteric and New Age Groups ; 14. Scientology: The Making of a Religion ; Kjersti Hellesoy ; 15. The Church Universal and Triumphant: Controversy, Change, and Continuance ; Jocelyn DeHass ; 16. The Order of the Solar Temple ; Henrik Bogdan ; 17. New Age Spiritualities ; Siv Ellen Kraft ; 18. Contemporary Paganism ; Manon Hedenborg White ; 19. Popularity of-and Controversy in-Contemporary Shamanism ; Anne Kalvig ; Part IV: Other Groups and Movements ; 20. "Come on up, and I will show thee": Heaven's Gate as a Post-modern Group ; George D. Chryssides ; 21. "Those Who Came from the Sky": Ancient Astronauts and Creationism in the Raelian Religion ; Erik Ostling ; 22. Wolf Age Pagans ; Mattias Gardell ; 23. Carnal, Chthonian, Complicated: The Matter of Modern Satanism ; Jesper Aagaard Petersen ; Index

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Book SynopsisContemporary philosophers frequently assume that Kant never seriously engaged with Spinoza or Spinozism-certainly not before the break of Der Pantheismusstreit, or within the Critique of Pure Reason. Offering an alternative reading of key pre-critical texts and to some of the Critique''s most central chapters, Omri Boehm challenges this common assumption. He argues that Kant not only is committed to Spinozism in early essays such as The One Possible Basis and New Elucidation, but also takes up Spinozist metaphysics as Transcendental Realism''s most consistent form in the Critique of Pure Reason. The success -- or failure -- of Kant''s critical projects must be evaluated in this light. Boehm here examines The Antinomies alongside Spinoza''s Substance Monism and his theory of freedom. Similarly, he analyzes the refutation of the Ontological Argument in parallel with Spinoza''s Causa-sui. More generally, Boehm places the Critique of Pure Reason''s separation of Thought from Being and Is fTrade ReviewOmri Boehm offers a lucid and incisive defence, supported by careful scholarship, of the compelling idea that preoccupation with Spinozaappreciation of the force of Spinoza's reasoning along with a concern to avoid his drastic conclusionsis at the heart of Kants philosophical enterprise. I have learned a great deal from Boehm's fascinating study, and its excellence will be clearly visible to anyone who has pursued the question of what the Critique of Pure Reason is aiming to achieve. * Sebastian Gardner, Critique *An avalanche of important work has been done recently on Spinoza as well as on Kant, but no one has considered their philosophical relationship in extensive detail in the way that Omri Boehm does here. In addition to offering challenging original treatments of the concept of God and the Pantheism Controversy, a unique contribution of this volume is its systematic analysis of the relation of Spinoza's arguments to Kant's complex First and Third Antinomies. These chapters alone make the book required reading now for anyone concerned with the central themes of modern philosophy. * Karl Ameriks, McMahon-Hank Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame *Table of ContentsPreface ; Introduction ; 1. The One Possible Basis: The Ideal of Pure Reason and Kant's Regulative Spinozism ; 2. The First Antinomy and Spinoza ; 3. The Third Antinomy and Spinoza ; 4. The Causa Sui and the Ontological Argument, or The Principle of Sufficient Reason and The Is-Ought Distinction ; 5. Radical Enlightenment, the Pantheismusstreit, and a Change of Tone in the Critique of Pure Reason ; Bibliography ; Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThe doctrine of purgatory - the state after death in which Christians undergo punishment by God for unforgiven sins - raises many questions. What is purgatory like? Who experiences it? Does purgatory purify souls, or punish them, or both? How painful is it? Heaven''s Purge explores the first posing of these questions in Christianity''s early history, from the first century to the eighth: an era in which the notion that sinful Christians might improve their lot after death was contentious, or even heretical.Isabel Moreira discusses a wide range of influences at play in purgatory''s early formation, including ideas about punishment and correction in the Roman world, slavery, the value of medical purges at the shrines of saints, and the authority of visions of the afterlife for informing Christians of the hereafter. She also challenges the deeply ingrained supposition that belief in purgatory was a symptom of barbarized Christianity, and assesses the extent to which Irish and Germanic vieTrade ReviewA book that is thoughtful, learned, and refreshingly independent-minded. She Moreira avoids the conventional explanations that have been advance by scholars since the Reformation... remarkable. * The New York Review of Books *Table of ContentsIntroduction. Purgatory in Late Antiquity ; Chapter One. Purgatory in Early Christian and Patristic Thought ; Chapter Two. Of Sons and Slaves: Violence and Correction in the Afterlife ; Chapter Three. O Purgatorium Caeleste!: Purging Body and Soul at St. Martin's Shrine ; Chapter Four. Purgation in the Sixth and Seventh Centuries ; Chapter Five. Purgatory, Penitentials, and the Irish Question ; Chapter Six. Purgatory in Bede and Boniface ; Chapter Seven. Missionary Eschatology and the Politics of Certainty ; Chapter Eight. Barbarians, Law Codes, and Purgatory ; Conclusion

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Book SynopsisPremodern and early modern yoga comprise techniques with a wide range of aims, from turning inward in quest of the true self, to turning outward for divine union, to channeling bodily energy in pursuit of sexual pleasure. Early modern yoga also encompassed countercultural beliefs and practices. In contrast, today, modern yoga aims at the enhancement of the mind-body complex but does so according to contemporary dominant metaphysical, health, and fitness paradigms. Consequently, yoga is now a part of popular culture. In Selling Yoga, Andrea R. Jain explores the popularization of yoga in the context of late-twentieth-century consumer culture. She departs from conventional approaches by undermining essentialist definitions of yoga as well as assumptions that yoga underwent a linear trajectory of increasing popularization. While some studies trivialize popularized yoga systems by reducing them to the mere commodification or corruption of what is perceived as an otherwise fixed, authentic sTrade ReviewAndrea Jains Selling Yoga represents a major new advance in the critical discussion of the history of yoga and its modern constructions in an increasingly globalizing world. The reader is treated to any number of surprises here, from the unexpected importance of a censored and suppressed countercultural reception of yoga and tantra in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to a stunning embrace of both in the second half of the twentieth century within a new consumerist pop culture. In the process, Jain manages to avoid all of the usual moralisms, political and religious essentialisms, and naive orientalisms, opting instead for an approach that is robustly historical, theoretically sophisticated, and deeply, deeply humane. * Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion *Table of ContentsNote on Transliteration ; Preface ; Acknowledgments ; Chapter One: Premodern Yoga Systems ; Chapter Two: From Counterculture to Counterculture ; Chapter Three: Continuity with Consumer Culture ; Chapter Four: Branding Yoga ; Chapter Five: Postural Yoga as a Body of Religious Practice ; Chapter Six: Yogaphobia and Hindu Origins ; Conclusion ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Indo-Europeans, speakers of the prehistoric parent language from which most European and some Asiatic languages are descended, most probably lived on the Eurasian steppes some five or six thousand years ago. Martin West investigates their traditional mythologies, religions, and poetries, and points to elements of common heritage. In The East Face of Helicon (1997), West showed the extent to which Homeric and other early Greek poetry was influenced by Near Eastern traditions, mainly non-Indo-European. His new book presents a foil to that work by identifying elements of more ancient, Indo-European heritage in the Greek material. Topics covered include the status of poets and poetry in Indo-European societies; metre, style, and diction; gods and other supernatural beings, from Father Sky and Mother Earth to the Sun-god and his beautiful daughter, the Thunder-god and other elemental deities, and earthly orders such as Nymphs and Elves; the forms of hymns, prayers, and incantations; conTrade Review...the ideal guide in a complex field of learning. * International Review of Biblical Studies *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Poet and Poesy ; 2. Phrase and Figure ; 3. Gods and Goddesses ; 4. Sky and Earth ; 5. Sun and Daughter ; 6. Storm and Stream ; 7. Nymphs and Gnomes ; 8. Hymns and Spells ; 9. Cosmos and Canon ; 10. Mortality and Fame ; 11. King and Hero ; 12. Arms and the Man ; Elegy on an Indo-European Hero

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Book SynopsisThe decline in power, popularity and prestige of religion across the modern world is not a short-term or localized trend nor is it an accident. It is a consequence of subtle but powerful features of modernization. Renowned sociologist, Steve Bruce, elaborates the secularization paradigm and defends it against a wide variety of recent attempts at rebuttal and refutation. Using the best available statistical and qualitative evidence Bruce considers the implications for the secularization paradigm of the extent to which new religious movements or New Age spiritualities are replacing religion; changes in the nature and power of folk religion and superstition; rational choice alternatives to the secularization paradigm; the popularity and political influence of religion in the USA; religious change in the developing world; reactions to Islam in Europe; and the effects of recent controversies over the public place of religion. Bruce presents a robust defence of the secularization paradigm, cTrade ReviewBruce conceives of a delightful analogy for secularisation. He imagines a wave on a retreating tide every time the wave rises to meet the shore, it moves a little further out to sea. He argues that although religion experiences ebbs and flows, it is ultimately retreating as its transmission from one generation to the next weakens. It is the use of such powerful analogies, as well as the author having a masterful overview of the subject, that makes this an impressively clear and comprehensive book. It offers students an accessible guide to the study of secularisation and, as academic books go, it is a page-turner. * Journal of Contemporary Religion *hard-hitting but clear and sometimes witty... a useful critique... It is a book which will help some people to face the facts about the decline of religion in the West more honestly. * Graham Gould, Journal of Theological Studies *a passionate, compelling and responsive book that acts as a useful collation of all recent studies on belief and religiosity seen through a critical eye. * Eliza Filby, Journal of Ecclesiastical History *Table of Contents1. Describing Secularization ; 2. Explaining Secularization ; 3. Clarifying Secularization ; 4. Religion Outside the Churches ; 5. Contemporary Spirituality ; 6. Superstition ; 7. The Supply-side Alternative ; 8. Unexceptional America ; 9. Secularization Elsewhere ; 10. Will Conflict Reverse Secularization?

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Book SynopsisPeter C. Hodgson explores Hegel''s bold vision of history as the progress of the consciousness of freedom. Following an introductory chapter on the textual sources, the key categories, and the modes of writing history that Hegel distinguishes, Hodgson presents a new interpretation of Hegel''s conception of freedom. Freedom is not simply a human production, but takes shape through the interweaving of the divine idea and human passions, and such freedom defines the purpose of historical events in the midst of apparent chaos. Freedom is also a process that unfolds through stages of historical/cultural development and is oriented to an end that occurs within history (the ''kingdom of freedom''). The purpose and the process of history are tragic, however, because history is also a ''slaughterhouse'' that shatters even the finest human creations and requires a constant rebuilding. Hegel''s God is not a supreme being or ''large entity'' but the ''true infinite'' that encompasses the finite. History manifests the rule of God (''providence''), and it functions as the justification of God (''theodicy''). But the God who rules in and is justified by history is a crucified God who takes the suffering, anguish, and evil of the world into and upon godself, accomplishing reconciliation in the midst of ongoing estrangement and inescapable death. Shapes of Freedom addresses these themes in the context of present-day questions about what they mean and whether they still have validity.Trade ReviewHodgson makes an impressive case for the theological reading of Hegel, and beyond that, offers us an invaluable guide to the philosophy of history and its source material. * Mark Tunick, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Hodgson is a scrupulous and fairminded scholar * Robert Pippin, Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsPreface ; Citations ; 1. Hegel's Philosophy of World History ; 2. History and the Progress of the Consciousness of Freedom ; 3. The State and the Actualization of Freedom ; 4. The Course of World History: Shapes of Freedom ; 5. God in History: The Kingdom of Freedom ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSamuel Fleischacker offers a defense of 'revealed religion' - religions that regard a certain text or teaching as wholly authoritative over one's life. By reconciling it with secular cognitive and moral practices that allow people to work together regardless of religious difference, he shows how these two worldviews can be brought together.Trade Reviewan intricate and sophisticated argument for rationally justifying one's taking a religious text as divine revelation. The argument is rich in creative thinking and in its breadth . . . an object of careful discussion serving for progress in philosophy of religion. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Although a background in philosophy would be helpful, interested readers will find this book fascinating and written with sufficient clarity for the non-specialist. * David Tesler, Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews *Table of ContentsAbbreviations ; Acknowledgements ; 1. The Way of the World (I): Truth ; 2. The Way of the World (II): Ethics ; 3. Beyond the Way of the World: Worth ; 4. Divine Teaching ; 5. Divine Teaching and the Way of the World ; Epilogue ; Appendix I: Proofs of God ; Appendix II: Maimonides on the Evidence for Revelation ; Appendix III: Kant on Art and Natural Beauty

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Book SynopsisIntroduction; J.Goodare & J.Miller Scottish Witchcraft in its European Context; J.Goodare Some Findings from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft; L.Martin & J.Miller Witch Persecution and Popular Belief in Lowland Scotland: the Devil's Decade; E.J.Cowan Witch Hunting and Witch Belief in the Gàidhealtachd; L.Henderson Scottish Witchcraft Panics Re-examined; L.Martin Men in Black: Appearances of the Devil in Early Modern Scottish Witchcraft Discourse; J.Miller Demonic Possession in Early Modern Scotland; B.P.Levack A Comparative Perspective on Scottish Cunning-Folk and Charmers; O.Davies The Mechanical World-View and the Decline of Witch-Beliefs in Scotland; M.Wasser 'Charms against Witchcraft': Magic and Mischief in Museum Collections; H.Cheape Further ReadingTrade Review'This is an excellent collection of academic essays on various aspects of early modern Scottish witchcraft...Highly recommended as a serious research book for anyone who is interested in historical witch beliefs and practices in Scotland.' - The Cauldron Shortlisted for the 2008 Katharine Briggs Folklore AwardTable of ContentsIntroduction; J.Goodare & J.Miller Scottish Witchcraft in its European Context; J.Goodare Some Findings from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft; L.Martin & J.Miller Witch Persecution and Popular Belief in Lowland Scotland: the Devil's Decade; E.J.Cowan Witch Hunting and Witch Belief in the Gàidhealtachd; L.Henderson Scottish Witchcraft Panics Re-examined; L.Martin Men in Black: Appearances of the Devil in Early Modern Scottish Witchcraft Discourse; J.Miller Demonic Possession in Early Modern Scotland; B.P.Levack A Comparative Perspective on Scottish Cunning-Folk and Charmers; O.Davies The Mechanical World-View and the Decline of Witch-Beliefs in Scotland; M.Wasser 'Charms against Witchcraft': Magic and Mischief in Museum Collections; H.Cheape Further Reading

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