Religion Books
SPCK Publishing A Bucket of Surprises
Book SynopsisFor years J John and Mark Stibbe have recorded the most offbeat, shrewd and hard-hitting material they have come across in the course of their study and travel. With remarkable generosity they have agreed to share this selection with the rest of us. There's a new diet that is all the rage. You can eat all you see of everything you don't like. On the sixth day, God created the platypus. And God said : "Let's see the evolutionists try and figure this one out." Advice to fathers over 40: keep an open mind and a closed refrigerator. We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. There's a new remedy on the market for baldness. It doesn't grow hair but it shrinks your head to fit what hair your head has left. Education is forcing abstract ideas into concrete heads.
£10.44
See Sharp Press The Anti-Christ
Book SynopsisThis is Nietzsche's last book and a fitting capstone to his career. It's succinct, biting, and encapsulates the criticisms of Christianity found in his other works. This edition contains an 8,000-word introduction by its translator, the famous iconoclastic writer H. L. Mencken.Trade Review"Bombastic, acerbic, and coldly analytical, The Anti-Christ exemplifies the muscularity of thought that surrounds the Nietzsche legend." --Cletus Nelson, Eye
£6.60
Clear Light Publishers In the Presence of My Enemies: Memoirs of Tibetan
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£13.59
University of California Press The Bodhidharma Anthology The Earliest Records of
Book SynopsisThe discovery of a walled-up cave in northwest China led to the retrieval of a lost early Ch'an (Zen) literature of the T'ang dynasty, one of the recovered texts was the collection "Bodhidharma Anthology". This text provides a detailed study and an annotated translation of the anthology.Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS 1. Introduction I 2. Translation of the Seven Texts of the Bodhidharma Anthology 3· Commentary on the Biography,Two Entrances, and Two Letters 4· Commentary on the Records APPENDIX A: THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE TUN-HUANG CH'AN MANUSCRIPTS APPENDIX B: TOWARD A LITERARY HISTORY OF EARLY CH'AN NOTES GLOSSARY OF CHINESE LOGOGRAPHS WORKS CITED INDEX
£21.25
Laitman Kabbalah Publishers Kabbalah for the Student: Selected Writings of
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£53.15
The Islamic Texts Society Sufi Metaphysics and Qur'anic Prophets: Ibn
Book SynopsisThe Fusus al-Hikam is acknowledged to be a summary statement of the Sufi metaphysics of the ''Greatest Master'', Ibn ''Arabi (d.1240). It is also recognised that the Fusus is a work of great complexity both in its ideas and its style; and, over the centuries, numerous commentaries have been written on it. Each of the chapters of the Fusus is dedicated to a Qur''anic prophet with whom a particular ''wisdom'' is associated.In Sufi Metaphysics and Quranic Prophets: Ibn ''Arabi''s Thought and Method in the Fusus al-Hikam, Ronald Nettler examines ten chapters from the Fusus which exemplify the ideas, method and perspective of the entire work. Concentrating on a detailed analysis of the text, the author brings out the profound connection and integration of scripture and metaphysics in the world-view of Ibn ''Arabi. Sufi Metaphysics and Qur''anic Prophets serves not only as an explication of Ibn Arabi''s thought in the Fusus, but is also a great aid in the overall understanding of Ibn ''Arabi''s thought.
£17.99
Temple Lodge Publishing Practising Destiny: Principles and Processes in
Book SynopsisMore and more people are beginning to realize that education needs to continue throughout life. As individuals and collectively, we face the choice of either staying as we are, or striving constantly to develop. Over decades of seminars and training work, Coenraad van Houten has developed three paths of learning for adults, each involving its own distinct method: Vocational Learning, Destiny Learning and Spiritual Research Learning. Although quite separate, the three paths are closely linked, with each building on the previous one. This book depicts the sevenfold path of Destiny Learning. It is a path that leads through working in groups to a practical knowledge of karma. In addition, the seven professional fields of the adult educator are developed and described as an aid to self-training.
£16.14
Wild Goose Publications Daily Readings with George MacLeod
Book SynopsisMany lives were changed by George MacLeod''s spine tingling sermons and many more by his personal example. The extra acts in this book, which can be used to inspire personal or group reflection, give a flavour of the passion and poetry of the Celtic mystic who led the rebuilding of the Iona Abbey, and whose theology was worked out not in the study but out in the street.
£11.50
Muslim Academic Trust The Concept of Bid'a in the Islamic Shari'a
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£3.84
Windhorse Publications Buddhism: Tools for Living Your Life
Book SynopsisThis work features tools which are teachings, exercises and reflections which can be applied to everyday life. The tools draw on the Buddhist tradition to guide us along a progressive path of ethics, meditation and wisdom in the context of our day-to-day living. The tools are drawn from the author's rich experience of guiding newcomers to Buddhism and meditation in how to integrate the teachings into our daily lives. There are also tools on how to bring calm into the midst of a busy active life. It is the next best thing to your own personal Buddhist teacher!
£12.34
Greenwich Exchange Ltd Aleister Crowley and the Cult of Pan
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£14.24
Authentic Lifestyle The Christening Bible (White)
Book SynopsisA beautiful picture Bible combining favourite Bible stories and prayers with details about baby's first year make this a special keepsake as well as baby's first Bible. The window in the front offers the opportunity to personalize the gift by inserting a photo.
£11.08
NUS Press Malaysia's Original People: Past, Present And
Book SynopsisThe Malay-language term used for indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, “Orang Asli”, covers at least 19 culturally and linguistically distinct subgroups. This volume is a comprehensive survey of current understandings of Malaysia's Orang Aslicommunities (including contributions from scholars within the Orang Asli community), looking at language, archaeology, history, religion and issues of education, health and social change, as well as questions of land rights and control of resources.Until about 1960 most Orang Asli lived in small camps and villages in the coastal and interior forests, or in isolated rural areas, and made their living by various combinations of hunting, gathering, fishing, agriculture and trading forest products. By the end of the century,logging, economic development projects such as oil palm plantations, and resettlement programmes have displaced many Orang Asli communities and disrupted long established social and cultural practices.The chapters in the present volume show Orang Asli responses to the challenges posed by a rapidly changing world. The authors also highlight the importance of Orang Asli studies for the anthropological understanding of small-scale indigenous societies in general.Trade ReviewMalaysia’s Original People: Past, Present And Future Of The Orang Asli is a dense, far-reaching compendium of essays."- Star2.com
£26.06
Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales) Between Man and Man
Book SynopsisScholar, theologian and philosopher, Martin Buber is one of the twentieth century''s most influential thinkers. He believed that the deepest reality of human life lies in the relationship between one being and another. Between Man and Man is the classic work where he puts this belief into practice, applying it to the concrete problems of contemporary society. Here he tackles subjects as varied as religious ethics, social philosophy, marriage, education, psychology and art. Including some of his most famous writings, such as the masterful What is Man?, this enlightening work challenges each reader to reassess their encounter with the world that surrounds them.Trade Review'Martin Buber, mystic, Zionist leader, Bible translator, is also one of the outstanding religious philosophers of our time.' - Time and Tide'The address to the individual is inescapable. Spirit is not something that is, but something that happens. To learn this we must enter into life's spiritual experiences, not merely look into them. Spirit is nourished by unity of life, and unity with the world.' - Times Literary Supplement'Stimulating and moving.' - Times Educational SupplementTable of ContentsDialogue (Zwiesprache, 1929) 1 Section One: Description Section Two: Limitation Three: Confirmation Conversation with the opponent 2 The Question to the Single One (Die Frage an den Einzelnen, 1936) The question 3 Education (Rede über das Erzieherische, 1926) An address to the Third International Educational Conference, Heidelberg, August 1925, whose subject was "The Development of the Creative Powers in the Child" 4 The Education of Character (Über Charaktererziehung, 1939) An address to the National Conference of Palestinian Teachers, Tel-Aviv, 1939 5 What is Man? (Was ist der Mensch? 1938) Section One: The Progress of the Question I. Kant’s questions II. From Aristotle to Kant III. Hegel and Marx IV. Feuerbach and Nietzsche Section Two: Modern Attempts I. The crisis and its expression II. The doctrine of Heidegger III. The doctrine of Scheler IV. Prospect, Translator’s Notes Afterword: The History of the Dialogical
£12.99
Pan Macmillan Letters to a Young Muslim
Book Synopsis'A powerful celebration of common humanity and compassion . . . deserves to be read widely by people of all faiths and none' - Sunday TimesIn a series of personal and insightful letters to his sons, Omar Saif Ghobash offers a vital manifesto that tackles the dilemmas facing not only young Muslims but everyone navigating the complexities of today’s world.Full of wisdom and thoughtful reflections on faith, culture and society. This is a courageous and essential book that celebrates individuality whilst recognising it is our shared humanity that brings us together.Written with the experience of a diplomat and the personal responsibility of a father; Ghobash’s letters offer understanding and balance in a world that rarely offers any. An intimate and hopeful glimpse into a sphere many are unfamiliar with; it provides an understanding of the everyday struggles Muslims face around the globe.Trade ReviewA powerful celebration of common humanity and compassion . . . deserves to be read widely by people of all faiths and none. * Sunday Times *Full of brave questions and wisdom -- Ed Husain, author of The IslamistAn act of bravery -- Niall FergusonCreates hope * New York Times *A gentle, cautious work, which addresses thorny questions with a parent's compassion and a diplomat's delicate tread. * Harper's *Ghobash encourages a search for nuance in a world consumed with a polarizing, partisan us-versus-them mentality. * Slate *Thoughtful reflections by a Muslim diplomat about questions of faith, culture, and modernity. -- Fawaz A. Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political ScienceA timely and incisive book about the hopes and aspirations of Muslims beyond the headlines that have shaped Western attitudes towards Islam . . . A must read for Muslims and non-Muslims -- Vali Nasr, Dean and Professor of International Politics at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International StudiesBeautifully written letters . . . A must read for anyone who wants to take the pulse of a crucial region of our world. Refreshing and effortless reading, filled with hope. -- Ebrahim Moosa, is professor of Islamic Studies and co-director of the Contending Modernities program in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre DameA rare treat in that it is intensely human whilst, at the same time, being an important work of philosophy, religion and life. -- Henry Sweetbaum, Chairman of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence
£9.49
Thomas Nelson Publishers Trade Your Cares for Calm
Book SynopsisIn a swirling, chaotic world, even believers sometimes lose sight of the peace God plans for His children. Trade Your Cares for Calm by bestselling author Max Lucado invites you to live in God’s perfect peace, offering practical ways to set aside anxiety and focus on God, on Scripture, and on the calm only He can bring to your soul.
£12.34
Baker Publishing Group Introducing Theological Method
Book SynopsisSound theological method is a necessary prerequisite for good theological work. This accessible introduction surveys contemporary theological methodology by presenting leading thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries as models. The book presents the strengths and weaknesses in each of the major options. Rather than favoring one specific position, it helps students of theology think critically so they can understand and develop their own theological method.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction: The Context of Modern Theology1. The Work of Theology2. Neo-orthodox and Ressourcement Theologies3. Theologies of Correlation4. Postliberal Theologies5. Evangelical Theologies6. Political Theologies7. Feminist Theologies8. Theologies of Religious Pluralism and Comparative TheologyConclusion: Where Do We Go from Here?Suggested Reading List for StudentsIndex
£17.09
Yale University Press The Stakes of History
Book SynopsisA leading scholar of Jewish history's bracing and challenging case for the role of the historian todayTrade Review"David Myers, author of several ground-breaking works on Jewish history and historiography, provides us with yet another rich and thoughtful account of Jewish historiography."—Michael Brenner, American University and University of Munich -- Michael Brenner“Denying the starkest of oppositions between the construction of memory and the claims of scholarship in an inspired dialogue with his honored teacher, David N. Myers renews the public role of history in his rich new lectures. The results are indispensable.”—Samuel Moyn, Yale University -- Samuel Moyn"Eloquent and erudite, this review of Jewish historiography crosses boundaries of discipline and identity. With empathy and ethics, Myers lends new meaning to ancient and contemporary histories in a morally trying era. A truly human book."—Galit Hasan-Rokem, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem -- Galit Hasan-Rokem
£40.38
Orbis Books (USA) Spiritual Direction: A Beginner's Guide
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£15.99
Harvard University Press Metaphrastes S Christian Novels from the
Book SynopsisThe Menologion by Symeon Metaphrastes, among the most important Byzantine religious and literary works, is a culmination of a well-established tradition of Greek storytelling. This edition excerpts six Christian novels, each featuring women who defy social expectations, translated for the first time into English.Trade ReviewThis volume brings new texts to a thriving discussion on tenth- and eleventh-century Byzantine literature. -- Christian Høgel * Speculum *
£25.46
Harvard University, Asia Center War and Faith
Book SynopsisIn the sengoku era in Japan, warlords and religious institutions vied for supremacy, with powerhouses such as the Honganji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism fanning violent uprisings of ikko ikki, bands of commoners fighting for various causes. Tsang delves into the complex and often contradictory relationship between these groups.
£28.86
Llewellyn Publications,U.S. Three Books of Occult Philosophy
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£51.00
SPCK Publishing Prayers of the Reformers
Book SynopsisA unique collection of prayers from the Reformation period, modernized for the present day reader.Trade Review“The prayers in this book were offered by Reformers who all endeavoured to think, write, work, and pray in ways that `Let God be God.’ Open this book to any prayer, and while praying, think about what letting `God be God’ achieves in our lives. So, `Let us pray.’” -- Martin E. Marty, National Book Award winner and author of October 31, 1517: Martin Luther and the Day that Changed the World
£8.54
Authentic Media God Conversations: Stories of How God Speaks and
Book SynopsisHow do I know it's God? is one of the most commonly asked questions of new and mature Christians alike, and the aim of God Conversations is to both equip and inspire the reader and show them that hearing the voice of the Spirit is accessible to everyone who chooses to follow Jesus. Most Christians know that God speaks, yet struggle with how to recognise his voice in their everyday lives. What does God's voice sound like? How do we know if what we're hearing is from God? Stories of God talking to his people abound throughout the Bible, but we usually only get the highlights. We read; "And God said to Joseph; 'Go to Egypt'", and then; "Mary and Joseph left for Egypt." We don't get a blow-by-blow description of how God spoke. We don't receive a detailed explanation of how they knew it was God, and we don't get to see what was going on inside their heads as they acted on what they'd heard. In God Conversations, international speaker and pastor Tania Harris shares insights from her own journey about hearing God's voice. You'll get to eavesdrop on some contemporary conversations with God in the light of his communication with the ancient characters of the Bible. Part memoir, part teaching, this unique and creative collection of stories will help you to recognise God's voice when he speaks and how to respond when you do. Tania has woven theology, biblical stories and her personal journey together to show us how God speaks. MELINDA DWIGHT, ALPHA AUSTRALIA Read it and buckle up! BJORN SCHAFER, ICF SWITZERLAND You'll find yourself saying, 'I can do this too.' JOHN STEELE, NEW LIFE CHURCHES, NEW ZEALAND
£10.44
£12.95
Vajra Books Encountering Newar Buddhism: An Introduction
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£20.89
Adams Media Corporation Find Your Goddess: How to Manifest the Power and
Book SynopsisLearn about the ancient goddesses and how they can empower you, guide you, and help you achieve your own life goals.From Greek and Roman to Nordic mythology, the goddesses often take center stage. Each goddess possesses her own strengths and traits that every woman can draw on for daily inspiration and guidance in their own life’s journey. In Find Your Goddess, you’ll learn the mythical origins of these powerful female figures and how their stories relate to modern times. From Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and fertility, to Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of mercy and compassion, you’ll discover the history of each unique goddess and how they can manifest their virtues into your own life. Whether you’re looking for guidance in relationships, your career, personal development, or physical and emotional wellness, Find Your Goddess can help you identify and draw strength from the ancient wisdom of famous goddesses. Call on the power of divine femininity and let your own goddess shine!Trade Review"2018 is your year. (You got this!) But any time you need a little inspiration or reminder, pick up Find Your Goddess. You’ll learn about goddesses like Aphrodite and Kuan Yin, and be inspired to channel their virtues to help you live your best life." —HelloGiggles"Very well presented and quite thorough. I especially enjoyed the format, looking at each Goddess, her lore and abilities and the how, why, and what in connecting to her in an everyday capacity. I would recommend this great find to anyone wanting to bring more of the Goddess energies into their life." —Mystic Living Today“One of my favorite books of this type.” —Pagan Pages
£13.49
Granta Books Stranger in a Strange Land: Searching for Gershom
Book SynopsisGershom Scholem, the great humanist thinker and founder of modern Kabbalah, is all but forgotten today. But here, in a biography as daring and inquisitive as its subject, George Prochnik goes in search of Scholem, restoring the reputation of a vital intellectual and finding in his work a vision with the power to reinvigorate contemporary religious and political thought. Tracing Scholem's life from his upbringing in Berlin, where he experienced a close and transformative friendship with Walter Benjamin, Prochnik reveals how Scholem's frustration with the bourgeois ideology of Germany during WWI led him to discover mystic Judaism, Kabbalah, and, finally, Zionism. But having emigrated to what was to become Israel, Scholem again found himself a 'stranger in a strange land', ill at ease with a prevailing conservative form of Zionism. Prochnik follows Scholem to the modern Holy Land - only to find that he too is disillusioned by the state politics he encounters. But through his profound study of Scholem and his own experience of Jerusalem, Prochnik not only questions the ideological and religious constructs of Jerusalem, but finds an ethical way forward, showing how a new form of pluralism might energize Jewish thought.
£11.69
Ebury Publishing Craft: How to Be a Modern Witch
Book SynopsisInfuse a drop of magick into your everyday life.Writer, fashion alchemist and modern witch, Gabriela Herstik, unlocks the ancient art of witchcraft so that you can find a brand of magick that works for you. From working with crystals, tarot and astrology, to understanding sex magick, solstices and full moons; learn how to harness energy, unleash your inner psychic and connect with the natural world. Full of spells and rituals for self-care, new opportunities and keeping away toxic energy, Craft is the essential lifestyle guide for the modern woman who wants to take control and reconnect with herself. After all, empowered women run the world (and they’re probably witches).
£11.69
Faber & Faber Swing Low
Book SynopsisOne morning Mel Toews put on his coat and hat and walked out of town, prepared to die. A loving husband and father, faithful member of the Mennonite church, and immensely popular schoolteacher, he was a pillar of his close-knit community. Yet after a lifetime of struggle, he could no longer face the darkness of manic depression. With razor-sharp precision,Swing Low tells his story in his own voice, taking us deep inside the experience of despair. But it is also a funny, winsome evocation of country life: growing up on farm, courting a wife, becoming a teacher, and rearing a happy, strong family in the midst of private torment. A humane, inspiring story of a remarkable man, father, and teacher.
£10.44
Faber & Faber Apostle Travels Among the Tombs of the Twelve
Book SynopsisPeter, Matthew, Thomas, John: who were these men and their fellow Apostles? What was their relationship to Jesus? Tom Bissell gives us rich answers to these ancient and surprisingly enigmatic questions in an unusual, erudite and fascinating book. By visiting holy sites around the world, and examining how the Apostles' identities took shape over the course of two millennia, he explores the story of Christianity and its growth from an obscure Jewish sect to the global faith we know today.
£11.69
Windhorse Publications Milarepa and the Art of Discipleship II: 19
Book SynopsisThis is the continuing story of Milarepa and his disciple Rechungpa, first encountered in volume 18 of the Complete Works. As portrayed in The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, Rechungpa is a promising disciple, but he has a lot to learn, being sometimes proud, distracted, anxious, desirous of comfort and praise, over-attached to book learning, stubborn, sulky and liable to go to extremes. In other words, he is very human, and surely recognizable to anyone who has embarked on the spiritual path. He all too often takes his teacher's advice the wrong way, or simply ignores it, and it takes all of Milarepa's skill, compassion and patience to keep their relationship intact and help his unruly disciple to stay on the path to Enlightenment. In the story that begins this volume, matters come to a head when Milarepa burns the books that Rechungpa went all the way to India to acquire, but by the end of the volume, Rechungpa is able to set out on his own mission to teach the Dharma. Much happens in between. Sangharakshita's commentary, based on seminars given in the late 1970s and early 1980s, draws from the stories of Milarepa and his wayward disciple much valuable advice for any would-be spiritual practitioner.
£28.45
Haus Publishing Mumbai To Mecca: A Pilgrimage to the Holy Sites
Book SynopsisIlija Trojanow's journey from Mumbai to Mecca is told in the tradition of the rihla, one of the oldest genres of classical Arabic literature and describes the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy sites of Islam. 'From the very first moment they realise that the Hajj - the pilgrimage to Mecca - is among the duties of each and every Muslim, the faithful long to go.' Trojanov, with the help of his friends, donned the ihram, the traditional garb of the pilgrim. He joined hundreds of thousands of Muslims who each year go on the Hajj, the greatest demonstration of the Muslim faith. In three short weeks he experienced a tradition dating back over one thousand years This is his account, personal yet enlightening, for the interested non-Muslims who remain barred from the holy sites of Islam.
£9.00
SPCK Publishing Songs of the Spirit
Book SynopsisFresh and insightful reflections on favourite psalms, designed for daily meditiation from Ash Wednesday to EasterTrade Review‘As John Calvin said, the Psalms are a "mirror of the soul", and Megan Daffern helps us to look into this mirror in a way that transforms us and leads us into a deeper relationship with God.’ * Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Grundy Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College, Virginia *‘A fresh and insightful guide for any Christian who seeks to engage with these practical and prayerful reflections on ancient psalmody.’ * Susan Gillingham, Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford *‘Written by someone who enthuses about Hebrew, but who knows how to write short sentences comprised of ordinary words, and who knows how to relate the Bible to everyday life.’ * John Goldingay, Professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary, California *
£10.44
Princeton University Press Princeton Readings in Religion and Violence
Book SynopsisAn anthology that provides the comprehensive overview for understanding the relationship between religion and violence - historically, culturally, and in the contemporary world. It includes original source materials justifying violence from various religious perspectives: Hindu, Chinese, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist.Trade Review"This book is recommended for any person studying the nature of violence in religion and the impact the notion of sacrifice has on expressions of faith."--Wessel, Bentley, Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae "This collective volume focused quite well on the two main aspects of religious violence, warfare and sacrifice. It is very well structured and informative for both for scholars and the general public. It introduces the reader in the field of religion and violence by leading him to select sources, past and present, and this is quite important because it makes him think about his own close relationship with religion and violence. There is also a useful select bibliography on the issue situated at the end the volume that readers can use as a starting point for further exploring the issue."--Alexandros Sakellariou, Journal of Religion and ViolenceTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction: Why Is Religion Violent and Violence Religious? 1 Part I: Religious Justifications for Violence Introduction to Part I 7 Chapter 1. Kautilya 13 "Forms of Treacherous Fights," the Arthashastra 13 Chapter 2. Sun Tzu 17 "Laying Plans," The Art of War 17 Chapter 3. The Bhagavad Gita 20 The Bhagavad Gita in the Mahabharata 20 Chapter 4. Soho Takuan 25 "Annals of the Sword Taia," The Unfettered Mind 25 Chapter 5. The Hebrew Bible 29 Deuteronomy 20 31 Exodus 23 32 Chapter 6. The Qur'an 35 Surah 2 ("The Cow") 36 Chapter 7. Thomas Aquinas 41 "Whether It Is Always Sinful to Wage War?" Summa Theologica 41 Chapter 8. Reinhold Niebuhr 45 "Why the Christian Church Is Not Pacifist" 45 Chapter 9. Michael Bray 55 "A Time for Revolution?" A Time to Kill 56 Chapter 10. Abd al-Salam Faraj 62 The Neglected Duty 63 Chapter 11. Meir Kahane 69 "War and Peace," The Jewish Idea 69 Chapter 12. Shoko Asahara 75 Declaring Myself the Christ 76 Disaster Comes to the Land of the Rising Sun 77 Chapter 13. 9/11 Conspirator 82 "Last Instructions of 9/11" 83 Part II: Understanding the Religious Role in Violence Introduction to Part II 93 Chapter 14. Emile Durkheim 100 Elementary Forms of the Religious Life 101 Chapter 15. Henri Hubert and Marcel Mauss 108 "Conclusion," Sacrifice: Its Nature and Function 109 Chapter 16. Sigmund Freud 115 Totem and Taboo 116 Chapter 17. Rene Girard 127 "Sacrifice," Violence and the Sacred 128 Chapter 18. Walter Burkert 141 Homo Necans 141 Chapter 19. Maurice Bloch 152 Prey into Hunter 152 Chapter 20. Georges Bataille 167 Theory of Religion 167 Chapter 21. Karl Marx 174 Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right 174 Chapter 22. Nancy Jay 178 "Sacrifice and Descent," Throughout Your Generations Forever 178 Chapter 23. Elaine Scarry 190 The Body in Pain 191 Chapter 24. Jean Baudrillard 201 The Spirit of Terrorism 201 Chapter 25. Ashis Nandy 210 "The Discreet Charm of Indian Terrorism," The Savage Freud and Other Essays 210 Closing Comments: The Connection between War and Sacrifice 217 Selected Bibliography 223 Permissions 229 About the Editors 231 Index 233
£25.20
Columbia University Press Pope Francis Among the Wolves The Inside Story of
Book SynopsisMarco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI's resignation and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and the Catholic laity.Trade ReviewA profound analysis of the Argentinean pope given by one of the most important experts on the Vatican in the world. -- Santiago Zabala, ICREA/Pompeu Fabra University Politi's coverage of Pope Francis, his internal opposition and vision for a changing church, belongs in every newsroom for the adroit treatment of how ferocious Vatican politics can be. This book will attract general readers, nuns, bishops, professors, students, cardinals, diplomats, politicians, and even their hatchetmen seeking insight on a pope who has captured the world's imagination -- Jason Berry, author of Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church Politi is one of the world's most accomplished Vatican observers, and in many ways Francis is the pope he has been waiting his whole life to cover. This is Politi at his tea-leaf-reading best, which is very, very good. -- John L. Allen Jr., associate editor of the Boston Globe and Crux Marco Politi is a writer for our times, with his insight, access, and wisdom about an intriguing pontiff. Few people can dig up the nuggets and jewels about such important papal matters, and what Politi knows and serves up to his readers cannot be missed. Pope Francis Among the Wolves is surely another of Politi's 'must-reads.' -- Christiane Amanpour CNN, Chief international Correspondent Journalist and Vatican insider Politi draws upon a vast wealth of sources... This book is well translated and accessible to a wide audience of Francis's admirers and opponents, both inside and outside of the Catholic Church. Library Journal Politi certainly delivers on the subtitle's promise of a look inside the byzantine halls of the institutional Catholic Church. Publishers Weekly All Francis-watchers will want to-should-read Politi. Booklist [Pope Francis Among the Wolves] sheds light on the pope's revolution within church institutions. -- Elizabeth Webb AmericaTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Translator's Note 1. The Smell of the Sheep 2. Francis's Fear 3. The Coup d'Etat of Benedict XVI 4. The Secrets of an Anti-Italian Conclave 5. The End of the Imperial Church 6. The Face of a Parish Priest 7. Walking with Unbelievers 8. The Hidden Women Priests 9. Death in Front of the Vatican 10. The Self-Critique of a Pope 11. The Program of the Revolution 12. St. Peter Had No Bank Account 13. The Enemies of Francis 14. The War of the Cardinals 15. The Italian Knot 16. A Resignable Papacy Notes Index
£15.29
Harvard University Press Reviving the Eternal City
Book SynopsisIn the first half of the fifteenth century, Rome and the papal court were caught between conflicting realities--between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, conciliarism and papalism, an image of a restored republic and a dream of a papal capital. Elizabeth McCahill explores the transformation of Rome's ancient legacy into a potent cultural myth.Trade ReviewIn this masterful, original, and fluidly-written study of the intellectual and cultural milieu of the early Roman Renaissance, Elizabeth McCahill provides a rich and nuanced context for some of the most important humanist and artistic projects of the age. Readers of this book cannot help but come away with a richer and deeper appreciation of this foundational but surprisingly neglected era in early modern history. -- Brian Curran, Pennsylvania State UniversityMeticulous and riveting, Reviving the Eternal City offers a multifaceted history of the Roman Curia under Martin V and Eugenius IV. Through incisive readings of sources as diverse as a vintner's diary, the letters of established (and struggling) humanists, papal bulls and Filarete's bronze doors, McCahill proves that Rome's renewal began long before the first 'Renaissance' pope donned the tiara. -- Sarah Ross, Boston CollegeUsing unknown and little-studied sources, Elizabeth McCahill argues that Rome in the first half of the fifteenth century represented a site of intense study, contemporary cultural fascination, and, above all, interpretation. She offers readers access to worlds often hidden, from backstairs intrigue at the papal court to the desks of solitary scholars. This book is a fine example of socially-informed intellectual history, written with exemplary clarity and incisive intelligence. -- Christopher Celenza, Johns Hopkins University
£43.16
Harvard University Press The Invention of God
Book SynopsisWho invented God? When, why, and where? Thomas Römer seeks to answer these enigmatic questions about the deity of the great monotheisms—Yhwh, God, or Allah—by tracing Israelite beliefs and their context from the Bronze Age to the end of the Old Testament period in the third century BCE, in a masterpiece of detective work and exposition.Trade ReviewRömer, a distinguished scholar rather than an ideologue, seeks to determine exactly what is historical and exactly what is not in the depiction of God. This is a brilliant book. -- Robert A. Segal * Times Higher Education *Römer presents a scholarly and provocative account of how a minor tribal deity likely grew to become—or revealed himself to be—Lord of Creation. -- David O’Reilly * Philadelphia Inquirer *Römer is interested in the emergence of a deity whose nature is now so familiar that its startling originality no longer startles. -- Brian Bethune * Maclean’s *It reads very well, is well translated and has a bit of the excitement of discovery for engaged readers. -- John C. Endres and Jean-François Racine * America *Römer deftly weaves together evidence from the Bible with extra-biblical archeological finds that mention Israel and Yhwh to outline the development of monotheism… Not until Jerusalem’s destruction in 587 BCE did Yhwh become the universal, monotheistic god untied to place or particular monarch, the god who was later adopted by Christians and Muslims. Römer writes with clarity and accuracy and tells a compelling story. This book is a masterful work, tying together an enormous amount of information in a concise format. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *There is nothing quite like this book in English. The Invention of God traces the history of the God of Israel from the late Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period, charting the rise of Yhwh as the sole God. The period covered is vast, the thesis is provocative and stimulating, and the scholarship is cutting-edge. -- Timothy Lim, University of EdinburghRömer is a sure-footed guide to what is often a difficult discussion. A learned and elegant book. -- Nathan MacDonald, University of CambridgeRömer is the first to have brought all the relevant material together in such an accessible form, setting out both literary and archaeological evidence clearly and readably. -- John Barton * Church Times *[An] excellent book…A masterly work of historical detection that looks at the evolution of Jewish faith from the Bronze Age to the Hellenic period. This is a superb work of scholarship. -- Paul Richardson * The Church of England Newspaper *
£30.56
Harvard University Press Trent
Book SynopsisTrent, the Catholic Church’s attempt to put its house in order after the Reformation, has long been praised and blamed for things it never did. This one-volume history, the first in modern times, explores the volatile issues that pushed several Holy Roman emperors, kings and queens of France, five popes, and all of Europe to the brink of disaster.Trade ReviewJohn O’Malley is the doyen of historians of the Catholic reformation… His new history of Trent sets out to bring the cold light of historical scrutiny to bear on the legends that surround the council itself and its achievements. There is, astonishingly, no modern study of the Council of Trent in English…[so] O’Malley’s lively one-volume survey is to be welcomed on that score alone. But his scrupulously researched and balanced book is also an intervention in fraught and sometimes acrimonious controversies within the modern Roman Catholic Church… His concern is to deconstruct the myth of Trent and ‘Tridentinism’ as a timeless encapsulation of the unchanging continuities of a Catholicism immune to history. Trent, in his view, was no monolith but a straggling historical event, stretched out over two decades and often at the mercy of the European politics that had delayed its convening until all realistic hope of a reconciliation with Protestantism had passed. -- Eamon Duffy * New York Review of Books *The decrees of Trent would define the Catholic Church for the next four and a half centuries. Understanding what happened at the Council has never been easy, so John O’Malley is to be congratulated for providing this detailed and elegant account of one of the era’s most important and puzzling events… The astonishing thing is that it has taken so long for a scholar to write an excellent short account of this most crucial of events. -- Jonathan Wright * Times Literary Supplement *Trent: What Happened at the Council is written with the clarity and learning one expects of a Jesuit scholar. Its introduction and epilogue are especially cogent expositions of the basic accomplishments of Trent… The bulk of the book, however, comes across as both fascinating and somewhat disillusioning, as we observe the constant tug of earthly powers in the formulation of spiritual doctrine. There are no angelic doctors, as Thomas Aquinas was called, among the council’s deeply savvy leaders. The dark ascendancy of party politics must, I suspect, be counted one further consequence of Original Sin. -- Michael Dirda * Washington Post *John O’Malley has done it again. In 2008, he published his splendid What Happened at Vatican II, the best one-volume history of the Second Vatican Council, at least in English. In producing the best one-volume history of the Council of Trent (1545–63), he has rendered equal service to the history of Catholicism… O’Malley’s new history of Trent will be just as influential as his history of Vatican II… Readers of What Happened at Vatican II will enjoy this new conciliar history… In exposing the myths about and elucidating the realities of Trent, O’Malley reconstructs a dramatic event in the history of Catholicism… Anyone interested in the development of the Church’s modern history can now readily engage O’Malley as a guide to what happened not only at Vatican II but also at the Council of Trent. -- Hilmar Pabel * The Tablet *[O’Malley] has written what is, amazingly, the first one-volume, scholarly narrative history of the council in English… This is a history that is engaged and committed as well as being critical—sometimes searingly so… It is important to remember what actually happened at the council. And that is why this little book, this readable masterpiece of compression, is going to be so indispensable. -- Alec Ryrie * Times Higher Education *The very considerable achievement of John O’Malley, an immensely learned American Jesuit and academic, is twofold: he strips away these accumulated layers of myth to provide a balanced and convincing account of the Council in its proper historical context; and, more impressively still, he manages to conjure a compelling narrative out of potentially dry-as-dust procedural deliberations and abstruse doctrinal formulations. What emerges most strongly from this account is the sheer unlikeliness of the Council ever having been convened in 1545, and the yet more unlikely circumstance of its successful conclusion 18 years later… O’Malley’s beautifully crafted short account gives readers as much as most of them will need to know about the course and conduct of the Council, while somehow managing to fit in sensitive evaluations of key achievements (the decree on justification and the reform of marriage law) and lively pen portraits of unlikely heroes, such as the can-do papal legate Giovanni Morone, and Charles de Guise, Cardinal of Lorraine, the debonair aristocrat who was also a serious-minded reformer. The abiding impression is of a more rounded, nuanced and less monolithic Catholicism than the brisk syllable ‘Trent’ usually manages to convey. -- Peter Marshall * Literary Review *[A] superb new history of the Council of Trent… Thanks to John O’Malley, a veteran Jesuit historian of the Counter-Reformation, we now have a beautifully clear and honest reappraisal of the tangled story of Trent, in all its complexity, paradox, achievement and lost opportunity. It is the first time that English-speaking readers have had this privilege, for all other accounts of Trent have been either too short, or too long for non-specialists… The great impression left by this excellent book is that Trent settled much less than people think. -- Diarmaid MacCulloch * London Review of Books *Every historian of early modern Christianity that I know would agree: in 1993 John O’Malley, S.J., put us all in his debt with the publication of The First Jesuits. This year he moves us deeper into the red with his new book Trent: What Happened at the Council… It is quite simply the most engaging book on the council that I have read. -- Denis R. Janz * America *O’Malley gives a shrewdly judged amount of the quotidian details of [the bishops’] debates, the background machinations and theological context, yet never overburdens us with arcane details or allows his account to resemble corporate minutes. Nor does he resile from the inevitable conclusion: the timorous participants, overawed by theological pedantry and fear of papal sanctions, squibbed almost every moral or reform challenge that confronted them during the 18 years of the council’s intermittent activities. The cost to Christendom was enormous… [An] engrossing history. -- John Carmody * The Australian *Provides a concise yet no less scholarly overview of the ups and downs of this frequently name-checked Council… Trent: What Happened at the Council is written with comfortable, accessible authority and really is a vital and intriguing overview of a Council that still casts such an influence some 450 years later. -- David Gibson * The Catholic Times *O’Malley’s lively narrative shows how so much was accomplished despite the chaos and difficulties: Trent, even when it didn’t enact legislation itself, set Catholicism on the road to reforming its late medieval abuses. -- Brian Bethune * Maclean’s *This comprehensive account of the 16th-century Council of Trent is the first book of its kind to appear in English, weaving together a detailed narrative of the politics and deliberations of the council with a careful analysis of the decrees that reshaped early modern Catholicism in often subtle and unintended ways… The result is an engaging, accessible treatment of this watershed episode in church history that thoroughly contextualizes both its successes and its failures. -- J. W. McCormack * Choice *Jesuit historian O’Malley goes beyond the myths to study what actually happened at the Council of Trent (1545–63), at which the Catholic Church codified its teachings. In clear, crisp prose, he clears up misconceptions about the Church at the time (e.g., that Catholics did not read the Bible and priests did not give sermons), shows that many ideas widely considered ‘Tridentine’ actually arose after Trent, and corrects misconceptions: that the council mandated the Mass be in Latin, and that it established a ‘Tridentine’ liturgy. Using the Acts of the council as his source, O’Malley gives an almost day-by-day account, putting the council’s debates in political and religious context of the issues of the day, especially the counter-Reformation and the battle between Pope and princes… Making use of telling details about the very human men who made up the council, O’Malley deftly weaves the story of reformers and traditionalists, to offer an enlightening view of this most influential Church council that will appeal to those interested in church history or in the history of modern Europe. -- Augustine J. Curley * Library Journal *Despite my diligent efforts, the Council of Trent has always been something of mystery to me. Thanks to John O’Malley, I now know the principal characters and the doctrinal and political issues about which they were so passionately concerned. And O’Malley’s narrative skills make us see the scene, the weather, even the problems of stabling and feeding the hordes of horses necessary to bring the carriages of the participants to a smallish town. A major contribution to the history of the Church. -- Jill Ker Conway, President Emerita, Smith CollegeAt last, a contemporary history of the Council that made the modern church. And what a history: learned, lucid, and rich in historical insight. -- Anthony Grafton, Princeton UniversityIn Trent: What Happened at the Council, distinguished author John O’Malley disentangles for us the complicated history of one of the most important ecumenical councils ever held, extracting for us the essential issues from the often animated discussions and the technically formulated decrees on doctrine and reform. Written in a lively literary style without recondite terminology, this compendious account of the Council of Trent will be useful not only to students of church history, theology, and canon law, but also to anyone interested in the religious and cultural developments of the early modern Western world. -- Robert Trisco, Catholic University of America
£21.56
Harvard University Press The Life of Saint Symeon the New Theologian
Book SynopsisThe Byzantine mystic, writer, and monastic leader Symeon the New Theologian is considered a saint by the Orthodox Church. The Life was written more than 30 years after Symeon’s death by his disciple and apologist Niketas Stethatos. This translation, based on an authoritative Greek edition, makes it accessible to English readers for the first time.
£25.46
Harvard University Press Humanist Educational Treatises
Book SynopsisHere are four of the most important theoretical statements that emerged from the nascent humanist movement during the Italian Renaissance: Vergerio, “The Character and Studies Befitting a Free-Born Youth; Bruni, “The Study of Literature”; Piccolomini (Pope Pius II), “The Education of Boys”; and Guarino, “A Program of Teaching and Learning.”Trade ReviewThe Loeb Classical Library...has been of incalculable benefit to generations of scholars...It seems certain that the I Tatti Renaissance Library will serve a similar purpose for Renaissance Latin texts, and that, in addition to its obvious academic value, it will facilitate a broadening base of participation in Renaissance Studies...These books are to be lauded not only for their principles of inclusivity and accessibility, and for their rigorous scholarship, but also for their look and feel. Everything about them is attractive: the blue of their dust jackets and cloth covers, the restrained and elegant design, the clarity of the typesetting, the quality of the paper, and not least the sensible price. This is a new set of texts well worth collecting. -- Kate Lowe * Times Literary Supplement *An aristocratic devotion to our culture continues to manifest itself even today in the most prestigious centers of study and thought. One has merely to look at the very recent (begun in 2001), rigorous and elegant humanistic series of Harvard University, with the original Latin text, English translation, introduction and notes. -- Vittore Branca * Il Sole 24 Ore *A splendid collection of Humanist Educational Treatises, edited and translated with great precision by Craig Kallendorf, lets us watch some of the most influential humanist teachers at work. -- Anthony T. Grafton * New York Review of Books *
£25.46
Herder & Herder Incienso Quemado
Book Synopsis
£19.70
Edaf Antillas Evangelio Secreto de la Virgen Maria, El
Book Synopsis
£18.04
Princeton University Press The Ancient Near East
Book SynopsisWith more than 130 reading selections and 300 photographs of ancient art, architecture, and artifacts, this title provides an introduction to some of the most significant and widely studied texts of the ancient Near East, including the "Epic of Gilgamesh", "the Creation Epic (Enuma elish)", "the Code of Hammurabi", and "the Baal Cycle".Trade Review"Pritchard enlisted some of the best scholars of his day to translate myths from Mesopotamia, novellas from Egypt, and calendars from Palestine. They provide an amazing backdrop to reread, and in some cases reinterpret, the Bible. Furthermore, the translations themselves are works of art... These translations have staying power. Not only do they convey the cultural environment of the biblical world but they do so with elegance and timeliness. The translators achieved an admirable balance of fidelity to the original compositions and imaginative creativity."--Books & Culture "While there are other collections of texts published more recently with some more current translations, there is no extant, modestly priced volume that includes both texts and pictures tor the many cultures this one includes... [T]his volume can serve well in personal, public, school, and small college libraries with its modest price and collected materials. It provides a wealth of material useful for understanding the ancient Near East."--Susan Tower Hollis, American Reference Books Annual "I recommend the new edition to all academic libraries in light of the quantity of primary source material... [I]t would make an excellent classroom resource."--Tyler Mayfield, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xi Foreword ? Daniel E. Fleming xxiii Preface to the 1975 Edition xxvii Preface to the 1958 Edition xxix Chapter I: Egyptian Myths and Tales by John A. Wilson The Memphite Theology of Creation 1 Deliverance of Mankind from Destruction 3 The Story of Si-nuhe 5 The Story of Two Brothers 11 The Journey of Wen-Amon to Phoenicia 14 The Tradition of Seven Lean Years in Egypt 21 Chapter II: Myths and Epics from Mesopotamia A Sumerian Myth by S. N. Kramer The Deluge 25 Akkadian Myths and Epics The Creation Epic (Enuma elish) E. A. Speiser 28 Additions to Tablet V by A. K. Grayson 36 The Epic of Gilgamesh by E. A. Speiser 39 A Cosmological Incantation: The Worm and the Toothache by E. A. Speiser 72 Adapa by E. A. Speiser 73 Descent of Ishtar to the Nether World by E. A. Speiser 77 The Legend of Sargon by E. A. Speiser 82 Nergal and Ereshkigal by A. K. Grayson 83 Pritchard. The Myth of Zu (Anzu) by A. K. Grayson 92 A Babylonian Theogony by A. K. Grayson 99 Chapter III: Hittite Myths by Albrecht Goetze The Telepinus Myth 101 El, Ashertu, and the Storm-god (Elkunirsha and Ashertu) 105 Chapter IV: Ugaritic Myths and Epics by H. L. Ginsberg Poems about Baal and Anath (The Baal Cycle) 107 The Tale of Aqhat 134 Chapter V: Legal Texts Collections of Laws from Mesopotamia The Laws of Eshnunna by Albrecht Goetze 150 The Code of Hammurabi by by Theophile J. Meek 155 The Laws of Ur-Nammu by by J. J. Finkelstein 179 Sumerian Laws by J. J. Finkelstein 182 The Edict of Ammisaduqa by J. J. Finkelstein 183 Documents from the Practice of Law Mesopotamian Legal Documents by Theophile J. Meek, J. J. Finkelstein 187 Aramaic Papyri from Elephantine by H. L. Ginsberg 200 Chapter VI: Treaties Hittite Treaty by Albrecht Goetze Treaty of Suppiluliumas of Aziras of Amurru 205 Akkadian Treaties from Syria and Assyria by Erica Reiner Treaty between Niqmepa of Alalakh and Ir-dim of Tunip 208 Treaty between Idrimi and Pilliya 210 Treaty between Ashurnirari V of Assyria and Mati'ilu of Arpad 210 Treaty of Esarhaddon with Baal of Tyre 212 The Vassal-Treaties of Esarhaddon 213 Chapter VII: Egyptian Historical Texts by John A. Wilson The Expulsion of the Hyksos 226 The Asiatic Campaign of Thut-mose III 228 A Campaign of Seti I in Northern Palestine 234 The Report of a Frontier Official 235 A Syrian Interregnum 236 The War against the Peoples of the Sea 237 The Megiddo Ivories 239 The Campaign of Sheshonk I 239 Asiatics in Egyptian Household Service 240 The War against the Hyksos 242 Chapter VIII: Assyrian and Babylonian Historical Texts A. Leo Oppenheim The Dedication of the Shamash Temple by Yahdun-Lim 246 The Story of Idrimi, King of Alalakh 248 Ashurnasirpal II (883-859): Expedition to the Lebanon 250 The Banquet of Ashurnasirpal II 250 Shalmaneser III (858-824): The Fight against the Aramean Coalition 255 Adad-nirari III (810-783): Expedition to Palestine 258 The Assyrian King List 259 Tiglath-pileser III (744-727): Campaigns against Syria and Palestine 264 Sargon II (721-705): The Fall of Samaria 266 Sennacherib (704-681): The Siege of Jerusalem 269 Esarhaddon (680-669): The Syro-Palestinian Campaign 271 Receipt of Tribute from Palestine 272 The Fall of Nineveh 272 The Fall of Jerusalem 273 The Conquest of Jerusalem 273 Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562) 274 The Mother of Nabonidus 275 Nabonidus and His God 278 The Fall of Babylon 281 Cyrus (557-529) 282 The Uruk King List from Kandalanu to Seleucus II 284 A Seleucid King List 285 Chapter IX: Palestinian Inscriptions by W. F. Albright The Gezer Calendar 287 The Moabite Stone 287 The Ostraca of Samaria 289 The Siloam Inscription 290 A Letter from the Time of Josiah (Mesad Hashavyahu Ostracon) 290 Three Ostraca from Arad 291 The Lachish Ostraca 292 Chapter X: Canaanite and Aramaic Inscriptions Franz Rosenthal Building Inscriptions Yehimilk of Byblos 294 Azitawadda of Adan 294 Kilamuwa of Y'dy-Sam'al 296 Barrakab of Y'dy-Sam'al 297 Cultic Inscriptions Ben-Hadad of Damascus 298 Kilamuwa of Y'dy-Sam'al 298 Zakir of Hamat and Lu'ath 298 Yehawmilk of Byblos 299 The Marseilles Tariff 300 The Carthage Tariff 302 Other Inscriptions The King of Kedar 303 Punic Ex-voto Inscriptions 303 The Amulet from Arslan Tash 304 The Uruk Incantation 305 The Treaty between KTK and Arpad 305 Ahiram of Byblos 310 Agbar, Priest of the Moon-god in Nerab 310 Tabnit of Sidon 310 Eshmun'azar of Sidon 311 Chapter XI: South-Arabian Inscriptions by A. Jamme Sabaean Inscriptions 313 Minaean Inscriptions 315 Qatabanian Inscriptions 318 Hadrami Inscriptions 320 Chapter XII: Egyptian Execration Texts by John A. Wilson The Execration of Asiatic Princes 322 Chapter XIII: Egyptian Hymns by John A. Wilson The Hymn to the Aton 324 Hymn of Victory of Mer-ne-Ptah ("The Israel Stela") 328 Chapter XIV: Mesopotamian Hymns Sumerian Hymns by S. N. Kramer Hymn to Ninurta as God of Vegetation 330 Hymn to Ninurta as God of Wrath 331 Hymnal Prayer of Enheduanna: The Adoration of Inanna of Ur 332 The King of the Road: A Self-Laudatory Shulgi Hymn 337 An Akkadian Hymn by Ferris J. Stephens Hymn to Ishtar 341 Chapter XV: Didactic and Wisdom Literature Egyptian Instructions by John A. Wilson The Instruction of the Vizier Ptah-hotep 343 The Instruction of Amen-em-Opet 346 Sumerian Didactic and Wisdom Literature Man and His God: A Sumerian Variation of the "Job" Motif by S. N. Kramer 352 Proverbs from Mesopotamia by Robert H. Pfeiffer 357 Akkadian Didactic and Wisdom Literature Observations on Life: A Pessimistic Dialogue between Master and Servant by Robert H. Pfeiffer 358 An Akkadian Fable by Robert D. Biggs 360 Counsels of Wisdom by Robert D. Biggs 362 Ludlul Bel Nemeqi, "I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom" by Robert D. Biggs 365 The Babylonian Theodicy by Robert D. Biggs 374 Aramaic Proverbs and Precepts The Words of Ahiqar by H. L. Ginsberg 379 Chapter XVI: Oracles and Prophecies The Egyptian Prophecy of Nefer-rohu by John A. Wilson 384 Akkadian Oracles and Prophecies Divine Revelations in Letters from Mari and Ashur by William L. Moran 388 Oracles concerning Esarhaddon by Robert D. Biggs 398 A Letter to Ashurbanipal by Robert D. Biggs 399 An Oracular Dream concerning Ashurbanipal by Robert D. Biggs 400 Prophecies by Robert D. Biggs 400 Chapter XVII: Love Poetry Egyptian Love Songs by John A. Wilson 403 Sumerian Love Poetry by S. N. Kramer Dumuzi and Inanna: Love in the Gipar 404 Dumuzi and Inanna: The Ecstasy of Love 406 Inanna and the King: Blessing on the Wedding Night 408 "The Honey-man": Love-song to a King 410 "Set Me Free, My Sister": The Sated Lover 411 Chapter XVIII: Other Literary Texts An Egyptian Poem In Praise of the City Ramses by John A. Wilson 413 Sumerian Literature by S. N. Kramer The Curse of Agade: The Ekur Avenged 414 Ua-aua: A Sumerian Lullaby 423 Chapter XIX: Letters Akkadian Letters The Mari Letters by W. F. Albright 427 The Amarna Letters by W. F. Albright 429 The Substitute King by William L. Moran 443 A Happy Reign by William L. Moran 444 A Royal Decree of Equity by William L. Moran 444 A Letter to a God by William L. Moran 445 Punishment by Fire by William L. Moran 445 Treaties and Coalitions by William L. Moran 445 "The God of My Father" by William L. Moran 446 A Loan between Gentlemen by William L. Moran 447 A Boy to His Mother by William L. Moran 447 Aramaic Letters by H. L. Ginsberg Letters of the Jews in Elephantine 448 Assignment to a New Lessor of Land Abandoned in the Egyptian Rebellion of 410 B.C. 452 Illustration Credits 455 Index to Biblical References 457 Index 461
£42.50
Princeton University Press The Bhagavad Gita
Book SynopsisThe Bhagavad Gita, perhaps the most famous of all Indian scriptures, is universally regarded as one of the world's spiritual and literary masterpieces. Richard Davis tells the story of this venerable and enduring book, from its origins in ancient India to its reception today as a spiritual classic that has been translated into more than seventy-fivTrade ReviewSelected for WGBH News "Here are the books we read this year that we think you'll love" 2014 "In his masterful new biography of the Gita--part of an excellent Princeton series dedicated to the lives of great religious books--Richard Davis, a professor of religion at Bard College, shows us, in subtle and stunning detail, how the text of the Gita has been embedded in one political setting after another, changing its meaning again and again over the centuries."--Wendy Doniger, New York Review of Books "In the 21st century, The Gita continues to thrive. India's present Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, gives it out as a gift on his trips abroad. Discourses on The Gita by spiritual leaders are a part of the cultural life of every major Indian city. Some Indians disagree with its vision of ethics or consider it a relic of the past; but even they, too, must engage with it closely in order to refute it. Mr. Davis's book is an ideal introduction to the text, showing how the meanings of a book reside not just in its words but its life in history."--Chandrahas Choudhury, Wall Street Journal "Like all the great religious books featured in this superb series from Princeton University Press, the Gita has transcended the circumstances of its birth. Rival schools of Hindu theology have risen from various turns of Krishna's phrases, while Westerners have seen echoes of their own traditions. In modern India, Gandhi thought the Gita reflected the eternal battle between light and dark in every human heart, and in the drive for Indian independence, even secular nationalists championed it as a patriotic text. The Gita and the moral issues it raises are still alive."--Brian Bethune, Macleans "In The Bhagavad Gita: A Biography, the latest in the series Lives of Great Religious Books, Davis crisply summarizes this oft-quoted Hindu scripture, in which Krishna reveals his true identity as the 'imperishable Lord of All Beings.'"--Donna Seaman, Booklist "The Gita is one of the oldest and most fascinating texts ever written, and I love how its 'biography' comes to life in this new book. It's a living, breathing text that has constantly been in motion since its origin... I should mention this book is part of a new series (Lives of Great Religious Books) published by Princeton University Press. Next on my reading list are the biographies of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and Augustine's Confessions."--April Peavey, WGBH "Davis deftly traces the many reincarnations of this 700-verse poem over the past two millennia, both in India and in the West."--Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald "[The Bhagavad Gita: A Biography] appears in the worthy 'Lives of Great Religious Books' series, which takes a novel approach to 'great books.' Davis's execution of this approach is superb ... Davis neatly organizes a great deal of material and he presents it in utterly accessible prose. This is an easy read - and a great one too."--Choice "Davis ... provides a comprehensive, detailed and lucid account of the ways that the Gita has lived over the centuries."--Cover Drive "A comprehensive, detailed and lucid account of the ways that the Gita has lived over the centuries."--Sudhirendar Sharma, Speaking Tree "This is a fascinating work; so much is packed in its 243 pages. Being thoroughly researched and documented this serves as a primer on Gita. And also a template for those who would like to study the impact of religious texts on the life and history of human race."--Paulson Pulikottil, Academia "So much in 243 small pages! Like the Sacred Books of the East in the nineteenth century, the Princeton series offers a fresh canon of global stature; thanks to Davis's superb retelling of the history of this powerful, influential, living classic, the Gita has its honoured place on that shelf."--Francis X. Clooney, Religions of South Asia "A highly enjoyable volume that will be of interest to a large educated audience, to religious specialists, and to historians of modern and colonial India, among others... This volume will undoubtedly and quickly become a classic introduction to the Bhagavad-G?t?, or even more generally to classes on Hinduism."--Pierre-Julien Harter, Journal of ReligionTable of ContentsList of illustrations vii Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Chapter 1 The Bhagavad Gita in the Time of Its Composition 10 Chapter 2 Krishna and His Gita in Medieval India 43 Chapter 3 Passages from India 72 Chapter 4 Krishna, the Gita, and the Indian Nation 115 Chapter 5 Modern Gitas: Translations 154 Chapter 6 The Gita in Our Time: Performances 178 Epilogue The Bhagavad Gita in Great Time 204 Notes 211 Glossary of Sanskrit terms 227 Select English translations of the Bhagavad Gita 229 Further readings 233 Index 237
£18.00
Edaf Antillas Necronomicon, El
Book Synopsis
£18.10
Crossway Books The Psalter Reclaimed
Book SynopsisThe Psalms are an invaluable resource for passionate worship and profound spiritual formation. In this collection of eight lectures, Wenham draws on his academic experience to craft a highly readable exploration of the wonders of the Psalter.
£15.41
The History Press Ltd The Gods of the Celts
Book SynopsisThe presence of gods was felt in every corner of the Celtic world, and influenced all areas of life in Celtic society. This fascinating book delves into these corners to examine all aspects of the gods, ritual customs, cult objects and sacred places of the ancient Celtic peoples. Miranda Green introduces the Celts and the evidence that they left behind, placing them in their geographical and chronological context, and continues on to look at Celtic cults of the sun and sky, animals and animism, mother goddesses, water gods and healers, as well as examining the influence of religion on war, death and fertility. Embracing the whole of the Celtic world from Ireland to Australia, and covering from 500 BC to AD 400, this is a rewarding overview of the evidence for Celtic religions, beliefs and practices which uses modern scholarship to bring a mysterious and captivating part of European history to life.Trade ReviewAn excellent detailed survey by one of our leading authorities on Celtic religion . . . an important contribution.
£11.69
