Religion: general Books

Book SynopsisThis wide-ranging selection combines popular choices of traditional poems read at funerals with powerful poems by contemporary writers more tuned to our present age of doubt and disbelief. There are poems here for churchgoers and believers, including classic verses of grief and consolation by John Donne, Christina Rossetti, Emily Bronte and Emily Dickinson, the anonymous Do not stand at my grave and weep, and the poems read at Princess Diana's funeral. But there are also poems for people of all faiths and religions, for agnostics and atheists, and most importantly for those who aren’t sure what they believe, whose grief over loss is the more intense for not knowing what happens to the soul after death. Grief isn’t denied but experienced and made more bearable by being put into memorable words. Searing poems of lament are followed by moving elegies celebrating the lives of those we will always love. Whether and how the spirit survives is then explored in an extraordinary gathering of poems by writers as different and diverse as the Persian mystic Rumi, Zen Buddhist composers of Japanese haiku, and American poets Mary Oliver and Jane Kenyon. Buttressed against their assertions of faith in an afterlife are modern sceptics, from Auden and Larkin to William Carlos Williams and C.K. Williams, whose wrestling with the meaning of death helps us make sense of no sense, mirroring our own anxieties and difficulties. But however various and contradictory these poems, their message chimes with Larkin’s famous words, proving 'Our almost-instinct almost true:/ What will survive of us is love.' Unlike other poetry anthologies of loss, mourning and remembrance, Do Not Go Gentle offers a selection of poems specifically for reading at funerals and memorial services. It can also be used for reading aloud to friends and family, or for reading while numbed and bewildered – all times when the right poem can help us share and bear the burden of immediate grief.

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Book SynopsisWhat is so special about spring water? How are wells holy? Why are so many known for 'the healing of eyes'? The ancient holy wells of the British Isles are amongst the most beautiful and magical places anyone can visit. Often untouched by all but the most delicate hands, and located in some of the most secret nooks and crannies of the country, their stories evoke a lost world of pagan gods, healing forces, second sight and holy visions. This beautiful book, beautifully illustrated throughout by the author, tells the story of the holy waters of the British Isles through hand-picked examples. A useful gazetteer at the back of the book catalogues further rewarding sites to visit. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

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Book SynopsisIt''s easy to get swept away with the demands of responsibilities, social obligations, and increasing distractions of this noisy world. Written by Christian life coach Helen Lee MSc., FINDING PEACE is a guided prayer journal for women featuring 52 weeks of prayer prompts and devotionals to anchor the anxious heart in God''s unwavering and unconditional love.FINDING PEACE features:52 weekly prayer prompts and devotionals: Heartfelt prayer prompts and bible devotionals to remind you of God''s guidance and love as you navigate through everyday stressorsSpiral binding and spacious beautiful design: Spiral-bound journal for ease of writing and spacious blank entries for personal prayers and private thoughts in one beautifully decorated journal to help combat ruminating and anxious thoughtsScripture verses for the anxious heart: Carefully selected biblical passages that specifically speak to worries, fears, and anxietyWeekly anxiety relief exercises: Action-oriented exercises paired with weekly devotionals to encourage and guide women through their anxiety and the challenges they may face dailyFaith-based and evidence-based techniques: Thoughtfully designed, these Christian therapy-based exercises are effective tools for anxiety relief.Certified Christian life coach: Author and life coach Helen Lee, MSc''s faith-based license and passion have helped many women to live courageously and experience spiritual growth.

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Book SynopsisIn this uplifting and practical book, written in collaboration with his biographer, Austen Ivereigh, the preeminent spiritual leader explains why we must—and how we can—make the world safer, fairer, and healthier for all people now.   In the COVID crisis, the beloved shepherd of over one billion Catholics saw the cruelty and inequity of our society exposed more vividly than ever before. He also saw, in the resilience, generosity, and creativity of so many people, the means to rescue our society, our economy, and our planet. In direct, powerful prose, Pope Francis urges us not to let the pain be in vain.    He begins Let Us Dream by exploring what this crisis can teach us about how to handle upheaval of any kind in our own lives and the world at large. With unprecedented candor, he reveals how three crises in his own life changed him dramatically for the better.

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Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328) of Damascus was one of the most prominent and controversial religious scholars of medieval Islam. He called for jihad against the Mongol invaders of Syria, appealed to the foundational sources of Islam for reform, and battled against religious innovation. Today, he inspires such diverse movements as Global Salafism, Islamic revivalism and modernism, and violent jihadism. This volume synthesizes the latest research, discusses many little-known aspects of Ibn Taymiyya’s thought, and highlights the religious utilitarianism that pervades his activism, ethics, and theology.

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Book SynopsisContains the English translations of Apollodorus' "Library" and Hyginus' "Fabulae" - the two important surviving 'handbooks' of classical mythography. This work discusses the issues of authorship, aim, and influence. It also includes an index of people and geographic locations, and an index of authors and works cited by the mythographers.Trade ReviewTo refer to this volume as just a translation is misleading, because Smith and Trzaskoma have provided much more, most notably the best short introduction to ancient mythography--and these particular authors--available in English. . . . The translations themselves are clear and accurate. [An] admirable volume. Smith and Trzaskoma are to be commended. --Kris Fletcher, Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewEvery student and scholar of Greek mythology and the mythographic tradition will want to own this book, and every library should have it on the shelf. Smith and Trzaskoma have produced an indispensable volume that is easy to use and understand. They have invested a tremendous amount of time and scholarship to make this a valuable resource for traditionalists and non-traditionalists alike. Even the general reader can benefit from their judicious essays, thoughtful translations, and concise textual notes. Teachers of mythology will welcome this handbook for its readability and applicability to general mythology books currently in use. Everything about this work will make it the standard handbook for years to come. --Paul Properzio, The Classical JournalThese two translations are excellent, finding a good balance of accuracy and readability. . . . the Apollodorus, which has a few relatively recent competitors, adopts a style that will be much more welcome to readers than other renderings currently available. The translation of the Fabulae will be especially welcome for teaching, since it is difficult to find this in a readable English version. The General Introduction strikes a balance--both informed and informal--that will appeal to instructors and students. There is certainly nowhere else one can go to find such a succinct yet thorough discussion of these major Greek mythographers. . . the discussion remains readable, focused, and pleasantly informal. The maps and genealogical charts are excellent and useful. . . these charts create something truly useful for student readers. --Daniel W. Berman, Pennsylvania State University

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Book Synopsis9780990505099.

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Book SynopsisFrom its obscure beginnings in Jamaica in the early 1930s, Rastafari has grown into an international socio-religious movement. It is estimated that 700,000 to 1 million people worldwide have embraced Rastafari, and adherents of the movement can be found in most of the major population centres and many outposts of the world. Rastafari: A Very Short Introduction provides an account of this widespread but often poorly understood movement. Ennis B. Edmonds looks at the essential history of Rastafari, including its principles and practices and its internal character and configuration. He examines its global spread, and its far-reaching influence on cultural and artistic production in the Caribbean and beyond. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Movement of Jah people: the history of Rastafari in Jamica ; 2. 'Rastatology' and 'livity': the principles and practices of Rastafari ; 3. Grounding, houses, and mansions: social formation of Rastafari ; 4. Rastafari international: the making of a global movement ; 5. Kingmen, queens, and dawtas: gender issues in Rastafari ; 5. 'The Head Corner Stone': Rastafari and Caribbean culture ; Further reading

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Book SynopsisShows that myth and symbol constitute a mode of thought that not only came before that of discursive and logical reasoning, but is an essential function of human consciousness. The author analyzes powerful and ubiquitous symbols that have ruled the mythological thinking of East and West in many times and at many levels of cultural development.

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Book SynopsisAdrian Plass gently and humorously challenges the Churchman or woman in us all as we treat the church as if it should be made in our own image. Have you ever wondered how and why the body of Christ is constantly tripping over itself to derail its mission and ward off the world? Or have you ever marvelled at how those less spiritual than yourself can be in positions of leadership? Have you ever had the niggling sense that some other force was at work in that committee meeting? You are not alone. All is revealed in this annual report from Churchmanship Headquarters in Great Malvern, the training ground for all who would carry on the noble tradition of thwarting the work of the gospel among us.

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Book SynopsisWith more than a million and a half copies sold, God''s Psychiatry shows readers how ancient teachings of the Bible offer timeless wisdom for a happier and healthier life today. Readers will acquire confidence, banish fear and worry, root out hate and suspicion, bring out the best in themselves, and face life with enthusiasm and inward peace.

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Book SynopsisIt is a unique book -there has been no comparable synthesis published for a hundred years. It offers a coherent and accessible read, with introductions and summaries for each chapter.

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Book SynopsisJack Kornfield and Christina Feldman serve up a delicious banquet of wise tales from the world''s greatest spiritual traditions in the pages of this delightful collection. A feast filled with timeless moral and spiritual lessons, these lively tales and

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Book SynopsisFor a book that has consistently topped the best-seller lists since the invention of the modern printing press, the Bible remains wildly misunderstood. Inconsistencies and unexplained impossibilities are often set aside, with readers picking and choosing aphorisms and slogans at will. Such a pick-and-choose mentality is concerning, given the fact that the Bible remains influential in people's private lives and in public policy and discourse. Kristin Swenson's newbook seeks to remind readers of the oddities and complications in the Bible, suggesting that those uncomfortable spots can offer remarkable opportunity for spiritual growth.Trade ReviewKristin Swenson sets out to complexify the Bible for her readers and, in a certain sense, she is successful. We are treated to something like a catalogue of the Bible's oddities, idiosyncrasies, and contradictions, all written in a readable, accessible style * Rory J. Balfour, Durham University, Durham, UK, Journal of Reformed Theology *there is much good and well-informed discussion on particular texts or topics that would serve its intended readers well * KEITH BEECH-GRÜNEBERG, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *a remarkable piece of work ... Do read this book, generously and openmindedly. You will not regret it. * Nicholas King SJ, The Way *Writing in an engaging style and with a palpable love of Scripture... Swenson offers a helpful guide especially to both those who reject the Bible as nonsense and those who insist on literalist interpretation. * A.J. Levine, CHOICE *Kristin Swenson's latest book on the Book tackles the complex and surprising dimensions of the Bible and offers readers a way of understanding the Bible they may not have considered. * Nick Mattiske, Journey *Rather than dismiss the Bible as an outlandish or irrelevant relic of antiquity, Swenson leans into the messiness full throttle. Making ample room for discomfort, wonder, and weirdness, A Most Peculiar Book guides readers through a Bible that will feel, to many, brand new. * Church Times *Alongside the many controversial issues and complexities that the Bible poses, Swenson has herein brought everything to within a very fine appreciation of transparent proposal and the most utmost of appeal. * David Marx Book Reviews *Rigorous [and] stimulating... Both religious and secular readers will benefit from Swenson's illuminating analysis of the Bible's contradictions and oddities." * Publishers Weekly, Starred Review *Do you think you know the Bible? Wait till you read Kristin Swenson's new book. What if you don't know the Bible at all? Even better. A Most Peculiar Book is a deeply informed, completely accessible, and endlessly fascinating explanation of what scholars know about the Bible and lay people, as a rule, do not. Read this book and prepare to learn! * Bart D. Ehrman, author of Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife *One can only truly love and respect the Bible if one is willing to embrace its complexities, problems, messiness, and just plain weirdness. Whether you are looking to deepen your relationship with sacred scripture or are coming to the Bible for the first time, Kristin Swenson will help you appreciate — even love — the Bible as it is. * Peter Enns, author of The Bible Tells Me So and How the Bible Actually Works *A stimulating and challenging book, which questions all simplistic 'Bible-believing' theories about the authority of Scripture by showing how complex and contradictory it often is. Kristin Swenson tackles the problems head on while still making good her claim to love the Bible. * John Barton, author of A History of the Bible: The Story of the World's Most Influential Book *This book explores what is weird, difficult, and disconcerting both about and in the Bible, seeking to show how those qualities can enrich one's relationship, religious or not, to the text...Swenson, formerly professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University and now a full-time writer, observes that the Bible demands interaction and even argument, and therefore in this book she has shared questions that both make her love the Bible and make that love complicated. * New Testament Abstracts *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 - A Problematic Book Chapter 2 - God Chapter 3 - Angels, Demons, and a Talking Ass Chapter 4 - Good People Behaving Badly Chapter 5 - Impossibilities, Normalized Chapter 6 - Misconception, Misapprehensions Chapter 7 - And General Befuddlements Chapter 8 - Arguments Behind Closed Doors Chapter 9 - Biblical (Im)morality Chapter 10 - But in the Original... Chapter 11 - The Perennial Bestseller Chapter 12 - Ten Commandments for [Best Word Here] the Bible In Conclusion, Sola Scriputra Notes Index

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Book SynopsisMormonism is frequently described as the most successful indigenous American religion. Mormon beliefs arouse curiosity because they depart from normal Christian doctrine, leading to the question: Are Mormons Christian? This introduction will include the history of the contemporary Mormonism, and an analysis and emphasis of Mormon beliefs, beginning with Joseph Smith, the founding prophet. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Review"Written by the dean of Mormon studies, Richard Bushman...this book -- a Berlitz guide of sorts to the complex world of modern Mormonism -- is probably the most efficient way to grasp what it means to be a Mormon today."--Samuel Morris Brown, The Wall St. Journal "An elegant, even-handed introduction."--Catholic Herald "Engaging...Bushman s latest work may indeed be very short, but it simultaneously provides eloquent and sophisticated answers...deftly makes many aspects of Mormonism comprehensible." --BYU Studies

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Book SynopsisDisgraced is a sweeping religious and cultural history of Protestant sex scandals in nineteenth and twentieth century America. From national scandals to lesser known local sensations, the book investigates how the press attempted to hold religious leaders accountable for their sexual sins, how the public responded to these reports, and how Protestants navigated the ongoing publicity crisis.

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Book SynopsisThe true story of the first California cult scandalIn 1891, a suffragist and social reformer named Alzire Chevaillier launched a moral crusade to destroy Fountaingrove, a utopian spiritualist community in northern California. Chevaillier accused the colony''s leader, the poet and prophet Thomas Lake Harris, of perverting the teachings of the Bible to promote a new sexology that was worse than Mormonism. She insisted that Harris used magical powers of hypnosis to take sexual and financial advantage of his followers, turning them into a spiritual harem that practiced free love and other gross immoralities. Media reports emphasized the presence of Japanese immigrant men at Fountaingrove, raising racialized specters of miscegenation and moral contamination. The international scandal, full of the sorts of salacious details prized by newspaper editors at the dawn of the era of yellow journalism, would last more than a decade, establishing Harris as the prototype for a new type of public menace-the California cult leader. Unholy Sensations takes a close-up look at the Fountaingrove scandal to examine religion, gender, sexuality, and race in the Gilded Age from a fresh perspective. By chronicling the life stories of the people swept up in the scandal, Unholy Sensations reveals connections and tensions between a wide variety of nineteenth-century religious and social groups, including suffragists and spiritualists, Christian Scientists and Theosophists, journalists and politicians, and Protestant ministers and urban reformers. Together, these disparate groups helped spark California''s first cult scare, demonizing Harris as the first-but far from the last-dangerous California cult leader. By showing that the term cult has always been a marker of race, sexuality, and religion, Unholy Sensations reveals the limits of American freedom and the centrality of religion to the policing of whiteness, family, and nation.

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Book SynopsisThe Virgin Mary - a Jewish mother - is central to Christianity, a revered woman in Islam, and a person of persistent fascination for centuries. Marian worship and theology has inspired countless appearances in art, as well as religious philosophy and doctrine, while the concept of the Virgin herself has been involved in controversial discussions over the Virginal body, race, anti-Semitism, and globalism. This Very Short Introduction describes the evolution of Marian thought from early Christianity to the present day. Mary Joan Winn Leith focuses on the centuries between the rise of Christianity and the Counter-Reformation, the eras when most of the doctrinal issues, popular traditions, and associated conventions of Marian iconography developed, and covers Catholic, Orthodox, and other Christian denominations, as well as the Islamic Mary. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that includes art history, archaeology, and gender studies as well as doctrinal history, she considers some of the misunderstandings and unquestioned assumptions about the Virgin Mary that pervade past and present Christian consciousness and today''s secular world. Leith also discusses apparitions of Mary and representations of Mary in contemporary popular culture.Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThe series focuses on providing a broad and detailed scholarly yet accessible background to the Virgin Mary. This the author accomplishes, engagingly and comprehensively. * Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, Ave: Magazine of the Society of Mary *The book, like other volumes in The Very Short Introduction series, is interdisciplinary and focuses on providing a broad,and detailed scholarly, yet accessible background to the Virgin Mary. This the author accomplishes, engagingly and comprehensively. While Leith's approach here is not devotional, her respect for her subject and devotees is apparent. The book is both detailed and informative and provides technical background helpful to teaching and preaching on Mary. * Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, AVE, the Magazine of the Society of Mary *Winn Leith provides an engaging and wide-ranging survey. [...] A particular strength of the books is that Winn Leith is able to depict devotion to Mary not only as a historical curiosity, but as a living tradition. * Edward Dowler, Church Times *Table of Contents1: Meeting Mary: The Surprising Virgin 2: Mary in the New Testament, History, and Earliest Christianity 3: Mary After the Gospels 4: Mary the Goddess? 5: Eastern Mary - Byzantium and Islam 6: Empress of Heaven and Hell: Mary in the Middle Ages and Renaissance 7: Modern Mary - Reformation to the Present Glossary References Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Ritual and Religion provides a comprehensive overview by period and region of the relevant archaeological material in relation to theory, methodology, definition, and practice. Although, as the title indicates, the focus is upon archaeological investigations of ritual and religion, by necessity ideas and evidence from other disciplines are also included, among them anthropology, ethnography, religious studies, and history. The Handbook covers a global span-Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and the Americas-and reaches from the earliest prehistory (the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic) to modern times. In addition, chapters focus upon relevant themes, ranging from landscape to death, from taboo to water, from gender to rites of passage, from ritual to fasting and feasting. Written by over sixty specialists, renowned in their respective fields, the Handbook presents the very best in current scholarship, and will serve both as a comprehensive introduction to its subject and as a stimulus to further research.Trade ReviewThis [Handbook] gives many riches, and is both extremely thought provoking and timely. It will be used and enjoyed by readers at many different levels. * Alasdair Whittle, European Journal of Archaeology *The volume is exceptionally well organized. * Stephen D. Glazier, Religion *Table of ContentsTimothy Insoll: Introduction: Ritual and Religion in Archaeological Perspective I. Elements and Expression 1: Chris Scarre: Monumentality 2: Randi Haaland & Gunnar Haaland: Landscape 3: Terje Oestigard: Water 4: Anders Kaliff: Fire 5: Amy Gazin-Schwartz: Myth and Folklore 6: Terje Oestigard: Cosmogony 7: Tim Taylor: Death 8: Nicky Milner: Taboo 9: Marc Verhoeven: The Many Dimensions of Ritual 10: Chris Fowler: Personhood and the Body 11: Timothy Insoll: Sacrifice 12: Randall McGuire & Reinhard Bernbeck: Ideology 13: Michael Dietler: Feasting and Fasting 14: Sarah Milledge Nelson: Gender and Religion in Archaeology 15: Yannis Hamilakis: Archaeologies of the Senses 16: Timothy Clack: Syncretism and Religious Fusion 17: Olivier P. Gosselain: Technology 18: Paul Garwood: Rites of Passage 19: Zoe Crossland: The Archaeology of Contemporary Conflict 20: David S. Whitley: Rock Art, Religion and Ritual II. Prehistoric European Ritual and Religion 21: Paul Pettitt: Religion and Ritual in the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic 22: Paul Bahn: Religion and Ritual in the Upper Palaeolithic 23: Chantal Conneller: The Mesolithic 24: Julian Thomas: Ritual and Religion in the Neolithic 25: Joanna Bruck: Fire, Earth, Water: An Elemental Cosmography of the European Bronze Age 26: Jody Joy: The Iron Age III. Religion and Ritual in World Prehistory 27: Timothy Insoll: Sub-Saharan Africa 28: Lukas Nickel: The Prehistory of Religion in China 29: Simon Kaner: The Archaeology of Religion and Ritual in the Prehistoric Japanese Archipelago 30: Charles Higham: Ritual and Religion in Southeast Asia 31: Bruno David: Historicising Cosmologies in Australia and Papua New Guinea (Historicising Cosmologies in Australia and Papua New Guinea 32: Paul Rainbird: Pacific and New Zealand 33: Peter Roe: Walking Upside-Down and Backwards: Art and Religion in the Ancient Caribbean 34: Rosemary Joyce: Recognizing Religion in Mesoamerican Archaeology: Maya 35: Michael E. Smith: Aztecs 36: Kevin Lane: Inca 37: Jeffrey Quilter: Moche Religion 38: Kelley Hays-Gilpin: North America: Pueblos 39: James Vernon Knight: North America: Eastern Woodlands 40: Roy L. Carlson: The North American Northwest Coast Religious System: Coastal Northwest 41: Brian Robinson: Ritual and Archaeological Visibility in the Far Northeast of North America IV. Religion and Cult of the Old World 42: Colin Renfrew: Prehistoric Religions in the Aegean 43: Julia Kindt: Ancient Greece 44: Tom Rasmussen: Etruscan Ritual and Religion 45: Anna Stevens: Egypt 46: Richard Hingley: Rome: Imperial and Local Religions 47: Caroline Malone & Simon Stoddart: Maltese Prehistoric Religion 48: Michael J. Seymour: Mesopotamia 49: Marc Verhoeven: Retrieving the Supernatural: Ritual and Religion in the Prehistoric Levant 50: Daniel Potts: Iran 51: Karina Croucher: Anatolia 52: Anders Andren: Old Norse and Germanic Religion 53: Martin Welch: Pre-Christian Practices in the Anglo-Saxon World 54: Tonno Jonuks: The Archaeology of Baltic Religions V. Archaeology of World Religions 55: Aaron A. Burke: The Archaeology of Ritual and Religion in Ancient Israel and the Levant, and the Origins of Judaism 56: James F. Strange: The Archaeology of Judaism from the Persian Period to the Sixth Century AD 57: Namita Sugandhi & Kathleen Morrison: Archaeology of Hinduism 58: Robin Coningham: Buddhism 59: Sam Turner: Christianity 60: Andrew Petersen: Islam VI. Archaeology of Indigenous and New Religions 61: Neil Price: Shamanism 62: Timothy Insoll: Animism and Totemism 63: Jenny Blain: Neo-Shamanism: Pagan and 'Neo-Shamanic' Interactions with Archaeology 64: Aleks Pluskowski: Druidism and Neo-Paganism 65: Timothy Insoll: Ancestor Cults 66: Pierre de Maret: Divine Kings

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Book SynopsisThe relationship between science and religion has long been a heated debate and is becoming an ever more popular topic. The scientific capacity to manipulate and change humans and their environment through genetic engineering, life extension, and AI is going to take a huge leap forward in the twenty-first century, provoking endless debates around humans playing God.But what do we mean by this? Asking this question is surprisingly hard work. Attempts to ''essentialise'' science, let alone religion, quickly run into trouble. Where are the boundaries? Whose definition of science is definitive? Which concept of religious is the authoritative one? Ultimately, neither science nor religion can be pinned down to one single meaning or definition. Rather, they encompass a family of definitions that relate to one another in a complex web of shifting ways. Drawing on extensive research with over a hundred leading thinkers in the UK including Martin Rees, Brian Cox, Susan Greenfield, A.C. Grayling

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Book SynopsisAs part of the Christian Bible, the New Testament is at once widely influential and (especially among the young and the educated) increasingly unknown. Those who want to know the basics can find in this introduction the sort of information that locates these ancient writings in their historical and literary context. Those who want to learn why these compositions have had such impact can find here an appreciation for the religious experiences of the first Christians that forced them to reinterpret their Jewish and Greek heritage and reshape their symbolic world. In addition to providing the broad conceptual and factual framework for the New Testament --- including the process by which distinct compositions became a sacred book --- this introduction provides as well a more detailed examination of specific compositions that have had particularly strong influence, including Paul''s letters to the Corinthians and Romans, the four Gospels, and the Book of Revelation.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Approaching the New Testament 2. The New Testament and History 3. The Resurrection Experience 4. The Process of Interpretation 5. Literary Forms 6. The Synoptic Gospels 7. Paul and His Letters 8. Two Hidden Treasures 9. Johannine Literature 10. Becoming the New Testament 11. The Pertinence of the New Testament The Canonical Arrangement of the New Testament Chronology Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisA justification of Zizioulas' controversial ontology on epistemological, patristic and theological lines.Trade ReviewDr Chiapetti has produced a comprehensive, profound and fair discussion of Patristic theology, as presented in my work, particularly with regard to its ontological significance. A most successful attempt to bring to the surface the immense significance of Patristic theology for human existence. John D. Zizioulas, Metropolitan of Pergamon Despite being the most influential living Greek theologian, John Zizioulas' publications are largely occasional. Chiapetti knows the thickets of Zizioulas' ouvre like no one else. His defence of his theology - against all comers - tests its theological roots and explores its philosophical implications for notions of personhood and freedom. Impressive! Andrew Louth, Professor Emeritus of Patristic and Byzantine Studies, Durham University In addition to providing a lucid and insightful systematic presentation of Zizioulas' theological vision, Chiapetti breaks new ground by offering a constructive defense of 'the father's eternal freedom'. A must read for those interested in Zizioulas and in contemporary trinitarian theology. Aristotle Papanikolaou, Professor of Theology, Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture, and co-founding director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University Chiapetti studies here for the first time in depth Zizioulas' Trinitarian theology, the keystone of his synthesis. Led by a rigorous historical and theological method, this study sheds new light on Zizioulas' thought. Chiapetti's work is important for the ecumenical movement, but also for contemporary reflection on man and on the authentic basis of his freedom. Carmelo Giuseppe Conticello, Professor of Byzantine Theology at the Pontifical Oriental Institute and Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueTable of ContentsForeword Preface Note on Citations Abbreviations Introduction: General Aspects of the Figure and Thought of Zizioulas Part 1: Zizioulas' Reading of the Fathers: The Notion of Person and the Doctrine of the Monarchy of the Father 1. The Emergence of the Attribution of Primary Ontological Content to the Notion of Person in Trinitarian Reflection 2. The Father, the Ontological Principle of the Triune and One Being of God Part 2: Zizioulas' Theological Development: The Father, Free Cause of Being as Personhood-Freedom 3. The Father: 'The Ultimate Reality of God's Personal Existence' 4. The Freedom that 'Springs from the Very Way the Hypostases are Constituted': From the Freedom of the Father, the Freedom of God Concluding Remarks: Zizioulas' Bold Exercise in Theological Reflection Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA timely critique of Milbank's theology of welfare and its influence on policy inside and outside the Church of England.Trade ReviewIn this wide-ranging book that does not shy away from bold policy suggestions, Joseph Forde offers a detailed exposition and critique of John Milbank, and a profound reflection on the Church's response to the reshaping of the Welfare State after the financial crash of 2008. Forde's lively and provocative book will stimulate all those who are interested in the Church's involvement with rebuilding society. Mark D. Chapman, Professor of the History of Modern Theology, University of Oxford An accessible, balanced and compelling account of recent theological and political history. Dr Forde recalls how John Milbank and Radical Orthodoxy re-connected Anglican social thought and political policy in ways not seen since the 1980s, but also outlines the challenge the Church of England now faces to think beyond the Blue Labour/Big Society paradigm to a theology of the State that can meet existential social threats such as climate emergency, growing poverty and global pandemics. Chris Baker, William Temple Professor of Religion, Belief and Public Life at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Director of Research at the William Temple Foundation John Milbank's influential political theology has played an important part in the current renewal of Anglican Social Theology. Forde expertly locates Milbank's work, scholarly and journalistic, in this Anglican tradition and assesses its contribution to debates on the 'Big Society' and the future of welfare. Anyone interested in Anglican Social Theology, Blue Labour, and the contribution of theology to public life will benefit from reading this book. Peter Scott, Samuel Ferguson Professor of Applied Theology and Director of the Lincoln Theological Institute, University of Manchester How does the Church, as well as thousands of voluntary agencies work alongside government to create a just, fair and compassionate society? This book puts this important question in a much larger historical and theological timeframe. It is a must-read for all interested in such concerns for the welfare of all our fellow citizens. Adrian Alker, Progressive Christianity Network, 5th July 2022 This book, the outcome of doctoral research by Joe Forde, is a substantial contribution to the study of the Church of England's attitude to welfare provision over the last hundred years. John Schofield, Centre for Radical Christianity Online, July 2022 The book draws on a remarkably wide range of sources and contains many wise reflections on a subject dear to my heart - the role of the Church in relation to poverty, inequality and welfare...I recommend Joe's book as shedding much fascinating light on the role of Church and state in our society today. David Price, Mark's Messenger - The Parish Magazine of St Mark's Church, July 2022 The book is a thorough going examination of the Church of England's approach to welfare, historically and, more specifically, since 2010... It is good and worth reading. But don't take my word for it. Ian K. Duffield, in Urban Theology Union newsletter, Autumn 2022 Forde has produced an extremely helpful and readable book which offers an excellent provocation for a return to a Temple-like advocacy of welfare statism. Forde's argument will help those from different strands of Anglican social thought to interrogate and clarify their position Revd Dr Matt Bullimore, in Modern Believing, Volume 64, Number 3Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Part 1: Locating John Milbank's Thinking on Welfare and the Church within the Anglican Socialist Tradition 1. Three Anglican Socialist Strands: Welfare Statist, Christendom, Revolutionist 2. Anglican Socialism and the Rise and Fall of the British Welfare State Consensus Part 2: John Milbank's Blue Socialist Thinking and His Perspective on the British Welfare State 3. John Milbank Writing in the Christendom Strand 4. John Milbank's Thinking on Welfare and the Church of England's Role in its Provision since 1945 Part 3: John Milbank, the 'Big Society' Project and the Church of England 5. The 'Big Society' Project and the Church of England: An Analysis of the Influences that Shaped GS1804 6. John Milbank and the Church of England's Future Approach to Welfare Conclusion Epilogue Appendix 1: GS1804: 'The Big Society' and the Church of England Appendix 2: List of Questions Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe doctrinal and structural revolution currently underway in the Roman Catholic Church is alarming for several reasons, not least because of the arbitrary nature of its imposition and the absence of resistance it has encountered. The reluctance of many to challenge the authority of the pope, tied to the increasing personal veneration by the faithful of each successive incumbent of the Holy See, is arguably a symptom of unresolved unclarity surrounding the nature of authority in the Church dating back to the First Vatican Council.In Infallibility, Integrity and Obedience, John Rist unflinchingly exposes the developments that have bred this crisis of understanding - and the resulting rejection of tradition in the papal agenda - over the past hundred and fifty years. Reserving particular attention for the Roman Catholic dilemmas, political and theological, of the 1930s, the mid-twentieth-century debates on reproductive technology, and the advent of ''celebrity autocracy'', he shows how aTrade Review{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Verdana;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\hyphpar0\sl288\slmult1\qj\cf1\f0\fs20 'In this invigorating study of the modern papacy, Professor John Rist identifies the conjoining of four elements, which have caused serious damage to the Church: the creeping authority of the Pope stemming from uncertainty surrounding Vatican I; the servility and silence of the bishops in response; a revolutionary aspect on the part of the Jesuit order; and the unthinking obedience of a poorly instructed laity. Rist argues persuasively that the authentic truth of Vatican I, that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to the successors of St Peter to safeguard the Deposit of Faith, must be restored before things become beyond repair on the human level. Chief among his proposals is that the nineteenth century misuse of the term \lquote infallibility\rquote should be strictly curtailed to its primary meaning, that the Church and the pope must always cling to basic Catholic dogma, and a hierarchy of truths must be recognized.' - John Beaumont, author of The House with a Hundred Gates.\par \pard\sa240\cf0 'One need not necessarily agree with all of Dr. Rist\rquote s account of recent Church history or his proposed solutions to the current crisis in the Church, but one must recognize that he has clearly exposed the root of an important cause of this crisis. He unquestionably documents a dangerous growth of an exaggeration of papal authority and irrational obedience to the papal will. Although these exaggerations can appear welcome when exercised by faithful popes with good intentions, he shows how they can be repurposed to deconstruct the Church and her doctrine. This may be one of the most important books written to wake Catholics up to this danger.' - Brian M. McCall, Orpha and Maurice Merrill Chair in Law, University of Oklahoma\par \pard\hyphpar0\sl288\slmult1\qj\cf1\par \pard\cf0\par } I'm old enough to remember, quite vividly as a child, Pope Pius XII. I pray for him, along with every pope of my lifetime, every day. That includes Pope Francis-wholeheartedly. And yet, while a book like John Rist's is diminished by its flaws, it's not entirely unfair about our current moment. One can't help but wonder if somewhere a young Erasmus has the draft of a new Exclusus in his drawer. The original was withering. We should hope that the Church in our day will have a kinder legacy. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is the archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia In Public Discourse, October 9, 2023. Rist opens his book with a very through discussion of the debate leading up to the formal proclamation of papal infallibility Vatican I. He explains the ardent desire of Pope Pius IX for unambiguous support of his primacy-which he inelegantly expressed by saying: "I am the Church! I am the tradition!" Rist also explores the argument advanced by opponents of the initiative, such as Ignaz von Dollinger, whose implacable hostility toward the claim of papal infallibility eventually led to his excommunication. Phill Lawler in Catholic Culture, 01/2024.Table of ContentsPreface 1. Toward the Syllabus of Errors 2. From The Syllabus of Errors to Pastor Aeternus (1870) 3. Leo XIII: Top- Down Pastor 4. Saint Pius X and the Modernist Dragon 5. The 1930s: Fascists, Nazis, 'New Theologians', Condoms 6. The End of an Era? Pius XII as Past and Future 7. Who Changed What at Vatican II? 8. The Pope, the 'Pill' and the ' Woman Problem' 9. Celebrity Autocracy: John Paul II 10. Joseph Ratzinger: Poacher Turned Gamekeeper? 11. Perón Meets Ignatius: The Choice Against Tradition 12. Modest Conclusions, Less Modest Suggestions Very Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA new translation and commentary on the biblical book of Ezra by the renowned author of two award-winning biblical commentariesTrade Review“The culmination of a lifetime of research on the book of Ezra by a most distinguished scholar.”—Hugh Williamson, University of Oxford

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Book SynopsisFor centuries, the fruit of the Spirit has rightfully served as a wellspring of reflection on the virtues that epitomize the Christian life and character-building. However, the notion of the fruit of the Spirit is not limited solely to forming the biblical foundation of ethical living.Psychologist and theologian Zoltán Dörnyei argues that if we understand the nine attributes collectively as a concise portrayal of the ideal Christian self, this approach places the notion of the fruit of the Spirit at the intersection of several important theological themes, such as being conformed to the divine image, the gradual advancement of the kingdom of God, and new creation. In The Psychology of the Fruit of the Spirit, Dörnyei offers a scholarly exposition of the relevant theological content associated with the fruit of the Spirit. Complementing his theological reflections with findings from the field of psychology, he brings expertise in both psychology and t

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Book SynopsisWhen she was a little girl, Jasvinder Sanghera''s father told her about the village he came from, Kang Sabhu in rural Punjab. One day, he promised to take her there so she could meet her half-sister, Bachanu, who had stayed behind. But at the age of sixteen - as she so vividly related in her bestseller Shame - Jasvinder ran away from home to escape a forced marriage. Her parents disowned her. ''Shame travels...'' her father told her. Although her mother took all her other daughters to meet the extended family in the Punjab, Jasvinder was never allowed to go. With her own daughter about to marry, Jasvinder decides to challenge thirty years of rejection by going to India herself. She wants to explore her roots and to see for herself the place her parents called home until the day they died. What Jasvinder finds in India and what she learns changes the way she sees the world, and has important lessons for all of us. SHAME TRAVELS is not only a grippingTrade ReviewAcclaim for SHAME: 'She tells her story with the pace and vivid turn of phrase of a true writer . . . SHAME is an inspiring book, not least because of its honesty.' * Sunday Times *'A vivid, honest and deeply moving narrative of despair, courage and hope.' * Lord Lester speaking in Parliamentary debate *'Unbeaten and eloquent' * Evening Standard *'Heart-wrenching' * Daily Mail *One of the most powerful things I have read. * David Cameron *

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Book SynopsisIn 1944, C. G. Jung experienced a series of visions which he later described as the most tremendous things I have ever experienced. Central to these visions was the mystic marriage as it appears in the Kabbalistic tradition, and Jung's experience of himself as Rabbi Simon ben Jochai, the presumed author of the sacred Kabbalistic text, the Zohar. Kabbalistic Visions explores Jung's 1944 Kabbalistic visions, the impact of Jewish mysticism on Jungian psychology, Jung's archetypal interpretation of Kabbalistic symbolism, and his claim late in life that a Hasidic rabbi, the Maggid of Mezhirech, anticipated his entire psychology. This book places Jung's encounter with the Kabbalah in the context of the earlier visions and meditations of his Red Book, his abiding interests in Gnosticism and alchemy, and what many regard to be his Anti-Semitism and flirtation with National Socialism. Kabbalistic Visions is the first full-length study of Jung and Jewish mysticism in any Trade Review"Sanford Drob’s book is a scholarly and provocative analysis of Jung’s "lingering shadows," the extent to which Jung’s dark and unresolved personal complexes about Judaism affected his psychology. Drob’s analysis of Jung’s late-life Kabbalistic visions finds Jung to be in the midst of a reparative and transformative process that surprisingly links him to a long line of Jewish mystical thinkers. In this important, far-reaching, and well-researched work, Drob re-visions our understanding of Jung and his psychology, including an analysis of the intimate interplay of the archetypal images shared by alchemy and the Kabbalah. I am certain that its publication will ignite continuing dialogue and debate."- Stanton Marlan, PhD, Jungian Analyst"At last! An in-depth, thoughtful, book bridging the worlds of Kabbalah and Depth Pyschology. Sanford Drob has provided us with a clearly defined understanding of the archetypal patterns linking Kabbalah and the psychology of C.G. Jung (and Freud) - from the world of Alchemy to the amplification of Symbols. Dr. Drob shows he is equally at ease in both worlds- not an easy task- and has provided us with an indispensable new source for appreciating the connection between the world of the Kabbalah and that of Analytical Psychology." - Aryeh Maidenbaum, PhD, Director, NY Center for Jungian StudiesTable of ContentsPreface Introduction CHAPTER 1: Kabbalah and Depth Psychology CHAPTER 2: Kabbalah and Alchemy CHAPTER 3: The Wedding and Eros Symbolism CHAPTER 4: The Coincidence of Opposites in the Kabbalah and Jungian Psychology CHAPTER 5: The "Shadow" and the "Other Side" CHAPTER 6: Adam Kadmon and the Sefirot CHAPTER 7: Fragmentation and Restoration CHAPTER 8: The Raising of the Sparks CHAPTER 9: Kabbalah and the Development of the Psyche CHAPTER 10: Carl Jung, Anti-Semitism, and National Socialism CHAPTER 11: Jung’s Kabbalistic Visions CHAPTER 12: Philosophical and Theological Issues AppendixNotes Index

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Book SynopsisThis book aims to introduce a distinctively evangelical voice to the discipline of practical theology. Evangelicals have sometimes seen practical theology as primarily a liberal' project. This collection, however, actively engages with practical theology from an evangelical perspective, both through discussion of the substantive issues and by providing examples of practical theology done by evangelicals in the classroom, the church, and beyond. This volume brings together established and emerging voices to debate the growing role which practical theology is playing in evangelical and Pentecostal circles. Chapters begin by addressing methodological concerns, before moving into areas of practice. Additionally, there are four short papers from students who make use of practical theology to re?ect upon their own practice. Issues of authority and normativity are tackled head on in a way that will inform the debate both within and beyond evangelicalism. This book will, therefore, be of keTable of ContentsIntroductionHelen Morris and Helen CameronPart I – Engaging with the Discipline1 Practical Theology and Evangelicalism: Methodological Considerations Andy Thomas2 Practical Theology in the Mode of Prophetic Imagination Chloe Lynch3 The Role of Teleology in Practical Theology Alistair McKitterick4 A wonderful plan for my life? Pete Ward’s ‘The Gospel and Change’ in Dialogue withCharles Taylor Helen MorrisPart II – Engaging with Education5 From the Boy in the Temple to the Man on the Road: The Maturing Role of PracticalTheology in the Life of the Church Helen Cameron6 Evangelicals Learning Practical Theology: Autobiographical Reflections Andrew Rogers7 Developing Reflective Practitioners: Evangelical Ordinands’ Engagement withTheological Reflection Elizabeth HoarePart III – Engaging with Practice8 Educating for the Common Good: Engaging Truth in a World of Ideas Olwyn Mark9 Salvation’s Song Matt SpencerPart IV – Engagement by Students10 Developing Critical Thinking within the Context of Small Group Bible StudiesIsaac McNish11 Theodrama: A Contemporary Application Sam Norman12 Creating Space: A Reflection on Chaplaincy work in a Local Day-HospiceFiona Moore13 An Elim Community Pneumatologically Engaged in Corporate Theological Reflection -Sheryl ArthurPart V – Theology that Impacts Church and World14 Evangelical Practical Theology: The Past, the Present and the Possible FutureMark J CartledgeConclusion - Prospects for an Evangelical Practical Theology Helen Morris and Helen Cameron

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Book SynopsisLooking at the everyday interaction of religion and media in our cultural lives, Hooverâs book is a fascinating assessment of the state of modern religion. Thoroughly revised throughout this second edition now looks at the digital age, âœnew mediaâ and significant role of social media on religion today. While the sheer volume and variety of information travelling through global media changes modes of religious thought and commitment, the human desire for spirituality also invigorates popular culture itself, recreating commodities â film blockbusters, world sport, politics and popular music â as contexts for religious meanings.Drawing on research into household media consumption, Hoover charts the way in which media and religion have continued to intermingle and collide in the cultural experience of media audiences. This second edition of Religion in the Media Age is essential reading for everyone interested in how today mass media relates to contemporary religious and

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Book SynopsisTrauma and the Supernatural in Psychotherapy explores how traumatic experience interacts with unconscious phantasy based in folklore, the supernatural, and the occult. Drawing upon psychoanalysis, anthropology, the arts, and esoteric philosophy, Alex Monk presents examples from folklore and literature to enrich his case illustrations which offer therapists important clinical perspectives on ways of working with clients who feel cursed and repeatedly manifest self-sabotaging states. The book examines the challenges that can arise when working with this client population and illustrates how to work through them while navigating potent transferences and projective identifications. Monk illustrates the way in which clients with developmental trauma may experience the supernatural and its psychic representatives as persecutory and/or a source of empowerment and healing. Trauma and the Supernatural in Psychotherapy also considers the historically conflicted relationTrade Review"Alex Monk has written a monograph of great urgency and importance, both for the subtlety of its argumentation and its sensitivity to neglected aspects of psychic life. Modernity can no longer pretend that magical consciousness is an artifact of the past, and Monk’s work triumphs in recommending the integration, rather than the denial, of the weirdness that will not go away." —J. F. Martel, author of Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice and co-host of the Weird Studies Podcast "The curse is a powerful image evoking the inexorable workings of an unseen force that works against us, thwarts our efforts, and condemns us to suffering and struggle. It’s a fascinating lens through which to explore clinical work with those individuals who seem perpetually dogged by the dark forces in their own unconscious. This volume artfully ties the age-old, archetypal language of the curse to psychoanalytic thought, providing a unique perspective that brings additional insights to familiar clinical issues." —Lisa Marchiano, Jungian analyst and author of Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself"Alex Monk’s comparative approach is a much welcome development in psychoanalysis. His psychoanalytic perspective on the 'evil eye' phenomenon illustrates the importance of locating clinical work within cross-cultural contexts that also attend to multiple social factors such as economics and class. Monk’s clinical presentations are especially compelling as he reflects upon the impact his patients have on him." —Marsha Aileen Hewitt, University of Toronto, author of Freud on Religion and Legacies of the Occult: Psychoanalysis, Religion, and Unconscious Communication "Alex Monk has written a monograph of great urgency and importance, both for the subtlety of its argumentation and its sensitivity to neglected aspects of psychic life. Modernity can no longer pretend that magical consciousness is an artifact of the past, and Monk’s work triumphs in recommending the integration, rather than the denial, of the weirdness that will not go away." —J. F. Martel, author of Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice and co-host of the Weird Studies Podcast "The curse is a powerful image evoking the inexorable workings of an unseen force that works against us, thwarts our efforts, and condemns us to suffering and struggle. It’s a fascinating lens through which to explore clinical work with those individuals who seem perpetually dogged by the dark forces in their own unconscious. This volume artfully ties the age-old, archetypal language of the curse to psychoanalytic thought, providing a unique perspective that brings additional insights to familiar clinical issues." —Lisa Marchiano, Jungian analyst and author of Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself"Alex Monk’s comparative approach is a much welcome development in psychoanalysis. His psychoanalytic perspective on the 'evil eye' phenomenon illustrates the importance of locating clinical work within cross-cultural contexts that also attend to multiple social factors such as economics and class. Monk’s clinical presentations are especially compelling as he reflects upon the impact his patients have on him." —Marsha Aileen Hewitt, University of Toronto, author of Freud on Religion and Legacies of the Occult: Psychoanalysis, Religion, and Unconscious Communication Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Magic and the Supernatural: The Historical Context for the Curse Position2 Mythopoetic Hysteria: The Fin de Siècle 3 The Curse Position (1): Unconscious Phantasy4 The Curse Position (2): The Uncanny 5 The Ancestral Curse6 Imposters of Love: Introjection and Identification7 Redemption & Conditionality: Fairbairn and Relational Trauma8 The Devil’s Culpa: Shame, Guilt, & Evil9 The Evil Eye & Limited Good10 An Alien Seed: Fear and Desire in Psychotherapy

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Book SynopsisPeter Berger is the most influential contemporary sociologist of religion. This collection of essays is the first in-depth study of his contribution to the field.Trade Review'For those who rejoice in the building of bridges between academic enquiry and Christian faith it offers a good deal of encouragement and food for thought.' - John Wolffe'I found this an exhilarating book to read, not least because of the wealth of biographical material which helps to locate Berger for those who know him only through his writing ... It is the first in-depth study of Berger's contribution to the study of religion...' - Duncan MacLaren, King's College, London, Journal of Beliefs and Values'This volume ... makes an important contribution to the field in general and will be appreciated not only by fans of Berger's work, but by all students involved in the academic/scientific study of religion(s).' - Donald Wiebe, Reviews in Religion and Theology'The book clearly provides an authoritative discussion of the significance of Berger's work for the contemporary study of religion ... the collection will be a very useful addition to the reading lists of any courses exploring the sociology of Western religion.' - Gordon Lynch, Journal of Contemporary ReligionTable of ContentsIntroduction Constructivism or Confucianism?, Linda Woodhead; Part 1 Berger on religion and theology; Chapter 1 Berger: an appreciation, DavidMartin; Chapter 2 Berger and his collaborator(s), ThomasLuckmann; Chapter 3 Berger: theology and sociology, Gary Dorrien; Part 2 Religion, spirituality and the discontents of modernity; Chapter 4 Homeless minds today?, Paul Heelas, Linda Woodhead; Chapter 5 A New Age theodicy for a new age, Colin Campbell; Part 3 Secularization and Sacralization; Chapter 6 The curious case of the unnecessary recantation: Berger and secularization, Steve Bruce; Chapter 7 The persistence of institutional religion in modern Europe, Grace Davie; Chapter 8 The twofold limit of the notion of secularization, Danièle Hervieu-Léger; Part 4 Signals of transcendence; Chapter 9 Berger’s vision in retrospect, Richard K. Fenn; Chapter 10 Berger and New Testament Studies, David G. Horrell; Chapter 11 Berger’s anthropological theology; Chapter 12 Postscript, PeterBerger;

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Book SynopsisIndecent Theology brings liberation theology up to date by introducing the radical critical approaches of gender, postcolonial, and queer theory. Grounded in actual examples from Latin America, Marcella Althaus-Reid's highly provocative, but immaculately researched book reworks three distinct areas of theology - sexual, political and systematic. It exposes the connections between theology, sexuality and politics, whilst initiating a dramatic sexual rereading of systematic theology.Groundbreaking, intriguing and scholarly, Indecent Theology broadens the debate on sexuality and theology as never before.Trade Review'This is imaginative theology at its best - theoretically challenging, politically inspired and physically embodied ... it beautifully disturbs and sets a new agenda for a 'Queer' theology ... to embrace the world of unknown and unexplored theological desires.' - Jeremy Carrette, University of Stirling, Literature and TheologyTable of ContentsIntroduction; Chapter 1 Indecent proposals for women who would like to do theology without using underwear; Chapter 2 The indecent Virgin; Chapter 3 Talking obscenities to theology; Chapter 4 The theology of sexual stories; Chapter 5 Grandes medidas económicas;

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Book SynopsisThis study is the first to assemble the evidence for the existence of sorcerors and sorceresses in the ancient world. Compelling and revealing in the breadth of evidence employed this will be an essential resource.Trade Review'Magic and Magicians in the Greco-Roman World is the fruit of prodigious reading and profound scholarship, yet never bogs down to its own accumulation of facts.' - Los Angeles Times'An outstanding book that combines impressive scholarship with clarity and accessibility, and belongs at once in the collection of specialists and on undergraduate reading lists, perhaps even as a prescribed textbook.' - Classical Review'This is a detailed and well-presented account of the development of the concept of magic in the Greek world and a thorough discussion of the activities of those who claimed to be ... magicians.' - JACT Review'A reliable and comprehensive review of all the well-known sources.' - Book Reviews'Magic and Magicians in the Greco-Roman World is the fruit of prodigious reading and profound scholarship, yet never bogs down to its own accumulation of facts.' - Los Angeles Times'An outstanding book that combines impressive scholarship with clarity and accessibility, and belongs at once in the collection of specialists and on undergraduate reading lists, perhaps even as a prescribed textbook.' - Classical ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 The formation and nature of the Greek concept of magic 2 Sorcerers in the fifth and fourth centuries BC 3 Sorceresses in the Athens of the fifth and fourth centuries BC 4 Sorcerers in the Greek world of the Hellenistic period (300–1BC) 5 Magic as a distinctive category in Roman thought 6 Constraints on magicians in the Late Roman Republic and under the Empire 7 Sorcerers and sorceresses in Rome in the Middle and Late Republic and under the Early Empire 8 Witches and magicians in the provinces of the Roman Empire until the time of Constantine 9 Constraints on magicians under a Christian Empire 10 Sorcerers and sorceresses from Constantine to the end of the seventh century AD

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Book SynopsisThere are those who go to gay bars and salsa clubs with rosaries in their pockets, and who make camp chapels of their living rooms. Others enter churches with love letters hidden in their bags, because their need for God and their need for love refuse to fit into different compartments. But what goodness and righteousness can prevail if you are in love with someone whom you are ecclesiastically not supposed to love? Where is God in a salsa bar?The Queer God introduces a new theology from the margins of sexual deviance and economic exclusion. Its chapters on Bisexual Theology, Sadean holiness, gay worship in Brazil and Queer sainthood mark the search for a different face of God - the Queer God who challenges the oppressive powers of heterosexual orthodoxy, whiteness and global capitalism. Inspired by the transgressive spaces of Latin American spirituality, where the experiences of slum children merge with Queer interpretations of grace and holiness, The Queer God seeks to liberate God from the closet of traditional Christian thought, and to embrace God's part in the lives of gays, lesbians and the poor.Only a theology that dares to be radical can show us the presence of God in our times. The Queer God creates a concept of holiness that overcomes sexual and colonial prejudices and shows how Queer Theology is ultimately the search for God's own deliverance. Using Liberation Theology and Queer Theory, it exposes the sexual roots that underlie all theology, and takes the search for God to new depths of social and sexual exclusion.Trade Review'This is a provocative book ... there is a tremendous energy, a delight, an exuberance.' - Dr. Kevin Ward, Church Times'Althaus-Reid's reinterpretation of the eros of the Trinity is particularly compelling ... This is an important book.' - The Expository Times'This is an important book. It is also a witty, poetic and disreputable text with bodily imaginings and 'pluralfidelity' that many will find disturbing ... but I recommend it for preachers, theologians and teachers who dare to take a walk on the wild side.' - The Expository TimesTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Queering theology 1. Kneeling, deviant theologians 2. Queering hermeneutics 3. Queering God in relationships: Trinitarians and God the orgy 4. Libertine disclosures 5. Permutations 6. The economy of God's exchange rate mechanism Part II: Queer promiscuities 7. Popular anti-theologies of love 8. Demonology: Embodying rebellious spirits 9. Queer holiness: Postcolonial revelations

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