Religious issues and debates Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSome scientific studies suggest that human beings are innately selfish and that Christian virtues like self-sacrifice are a delusion. In this intriguing volume, esteemed theologian Thomas Jay Oord interprets the scientific research and responds from a theological and philosophical standpoint, providing a state-of-the-art overview of love and altruism studies. He offers a definition of love that is scientifically, theologically, and philosophically adequate. As Oord helps readers arrive at a clearer understanding of the definition, recipients, and forms of love, he mounts a case for Christian agape and ultimately for a loving God.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlthough scholars have increasingly investigated the impact of religion and religious movements on nature, studies of the interactions between Mormons and the natural environment are few. This volume applies the perspectives of environmental history to Mormonism, providing both a scholarly introduction to Mormon environmental history and a spur for historians to consider the role of nature in the Mormon past.Mormons have interacted with nature in significant ways—whether perceiving in it a place to find God, wildness needing domestication and control, uncorrupted spaces in which to build communities to usher in the Second Coming, or a world brimming with natural resources to ensure economic well-being. The essays in this volume—written by leading scholars in both environmental and Mormon history—explore how nature has influenced Mormon beliefs and how these beliefs inform Mormons’ encounters with nature. Introducing overarching environmental ideas, contributors examine specific aspects of nature and Mormon theology to glean new insights into the Mormon experience.Trade Review“This felicitous collection deepens our understanding of the changing relationship between Latter-day Saints and the environmental world that here encompasses land, water, habitat, place, and home. A milestone in Mormon studies and a benchmark for future scholarship.” — Jared Farmer, author of On Zion’s Mount: Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape“A significant contribution. These essays provide a synthesis of the growing literature in the field as well as a springboard and road map for future studies.” — Andrew H. Hedges, professor of church history and doctrine, Brigham Young UniversityTable of Contents Introduction: The Promise and Challenge of Mormon Environmental History, by Jedediah S. Rogers and Matthew C. Godfrey History, Nature, and Mormon Historiography, by Jedediah S. Rogers Part I: Theology and Ideology The “Lion of the Lord” and the Land: Brigham Young’s Environmental Ethic, by Sara Dant Lost Memory and Environmentalism: Mormons on the Wasatch Front, 1847–1930, by Thomas G. Alexander Part II: Perception and Place The Natural World and the Establishment of Zion, 1831–1833, by Matthew C. Godfrey “We Seldom Find Either Garden, Cow, or Pig”: Encountering Environments in Urban England and the American West, by Brett D. Dowdle Mapping Deseret: Vernacular Mormon Mapmaking and Spiritual Geography in the American West, by Richard Francaviglia American Zion: Mormon Culture and the Creation of a National Park, by Betsy Gaines Quammen Part III: Agrarianism and Urbanism Before the Boom: Mormons, Livestock, and Stewardship, 1847–1870, by Jeff Nichols “The People Cannot Conquer the River”: Mormons and Water in the Arid Southwest, 1865–1938, by Brian Frehner “There Are Millions of Acres in Our State”: Mormon Agrarianism and the Environmental Limits of Expansion, by Brian Q. Cannon “The Prophet Said to Plant a Garden”: Spencer W. Kimball and the Transformation of the Mormon Agrarian Tradition, by Nathan N. Waite “For the Strength of the Hills”: Casting a Concrete Zion, by Rebecca K. Andersen Epilogue: On the Moral Lessons of Mormon Environmental History, by George B. Handley Appendix: Righteous Dominion and Compassion for the Earth, by Marcus B. Nash Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Contributors Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen a four-year-old California girl died on March 9, 1984, the state charged her mother with involuntary man-slaughter because she failed to provide her daughter with medical care, choosing instead to rely on spiritual healing. During the next few years, a half dozen other children of Christian Science parents died under similar circumstances. The children’s deaths and the parents’ trials drew national attention, highlighting a deeply rooted, legal/political struggle to define religious freedom.Through close analysis of these seven cases, legal historian Alan Rogers explores the conflict between religious principles and secular laws that seek to protect children from abuse and neglect. Christian Scientists argued - often with the support of mainline religious groups - that the First Amendment’s “free exercise” clause protected religious belief and behaviour. Insisting that their spiritual care was at least as effective as medical treatment, they thus maintained that parents of seriously ill children had a constitutional right to reject medical care.Congress and state legislatures confirmed this interpretation by inserting religious exemption provisos into child abuse laws. Yet when parental prayer failed and a child died, prosecutors were able to win manslaughter convictions by arguing - as the U.S. Supreme Court had held for more than a century - that religious belief could not trump a neutral, generally applicable law. Children’s advocates then carried this message to state legislatures, eventually winning repeal of religious exemption provisions in a handful of states.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlthough Christianity is the world’s largest religion, there is confusion over what it means to be Christian within contemporary society. For individuals it is difficult to find, form, or receive a Christian identity, let alone maintain one within a secular world. Within organizations such as the church and professions there is often a disconnection between public and private identities and the reality of being Christian in our culture. For society there is the problem of disparate portrayals of Christianity, the marginalized status of Christianity with an associated lack of influence of Christians on our society, and the ongoing shaping of Christian identity by the public arena itself. Associated questions are: should Christians try to engage in, and even shape, the public arena and if so, how?This volume examines the problem of confused and misunderstood Christian identity in a post-Christian age. It suggests ways of shaping Christian identity for the benefit of individuals and for the common good. The importance of well-formed Christian identities is illustrated by research and analysis of selected professions so that the public life of Christians can be more fulfilling and effective.This book will be valuable for all those who are interested in religious identity within a secular society. People of faith and religious organizations will benefit from a penetrating analysis of what it means to be Christian today. Similarly, those whose work involves the church, counseling, education and the performing arts will find specific applications that address concerns about faith in the workplace.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlthough Christianity is the world’s largest religion, there is confusion over what it means to be Christian within contemporary society. For individuals it is difficult to find, form, or receive a Christian identity, let alone maintain one within a secular world. Within organizations such as the church and professions there is often a disconnection between public and private identities and the reality of being Christian in our culture. For society there is the problem of disparate portrayals of Christianity, the marginalized status of Christianity with an associated lack of influence of Christians on our society, and the ongoing shaping of Christian identity by the public arena itself. Associated questions are: should Christians try to engage in, and even shape, the public arena and if so, how?This volume examines the problem of confused and misunderstood Christian identity in a post-Christian age. It suggests ways of shaping Christian identity for the benefit of individuals and for the common good. The importance of well-formed Christian identities is illustrated by research and analysis of selected professions so that the public life of Christians can be more fulfilling and effective.This book will be valuable for all those who are interested in religious identity within a secular society. People of faith and religious organizations will benefit from a penetrating analysis of what it means to be Christian today. Similarly, those whose work involves the church, counseling, education and the performing arts will find specific applications that address concerns about faith in the workplace.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe religious map of India is notoriously complex; not only are there indigenous traditions in great variety, but imported faiths such as Islam and Christianity have been added to the mix. Lawrence A. Babb helps the non-specialist navigate this variety. He provides an account of the subcontinent’s principal religions, focusing on how they began, what they teach, what they have become, and how religion fits in modern India’s national life. The book assumes no previous knowledge of Indian institutions or history, and is designed to give readers a big picture, leaving the fine points to the more specialized books. The perspective of the book is historical, tracing India’s religious evolution from the Indus-Valley period (c. 2600-1900 BCE) to the present. With the Indus Valley civilization as its starting point, the author covers the development of Vedic religion, the emergence of dissenting traditions, Buddhism and Jainism, the development of Hinduism and the coming of Islam to the subcontinent. The book’s concluding chapters deal with the impact of colonialism on Indian religions, the role of religion in the independence struggle, and the riddle of religion’s place in the Republic of India’s national identity. This textbook is designed to be used in university-level courses dealing with India and South Asian studies. It will also appeal to a general readership interested in South Asia and to travellers visiting the region.Table of ContentsIntroduction. 1: The Vedic Age and Its Legacies; 2: Dissenters; 3: Hinduism; 4: Islam and After; 5: Religion and the Raj; 6: A Secular State; 7: Religion and National Identity. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first complete translation of the Bible into English was produced by the followers of John Wyclif in the last quarter of the fourteenth century; it is known in two versions, very literal and more idiomatic, and, despite being banned within 25 years of its completion, survives today, complete or partial, in around 250 copies. The organization of the enterprise almost certainly was initiated in Oxford, and reflects in many ways contemporary scholarly interests. The gospel commentaries of the present study represent a spin-off from the processes of translation: they use the literal text, and attach to it English translations of patristic and later biblical exegesis. The book considers the background to the copies that survive, the precise sources that lie behind the vernacular, and the ways in which older texts were scrutinized and modified to fit a later medieval audience; a section looks at the uses that, so far, have been traced. No part of the commentaries has so far been printed: this study concludes with some extracts from all sections of the compilation, chosen to amplify the claims of the discussion and to illustrate the commentaries' varied methods.Trade ReviewReviews 'This will be a major publication ... The editorial complexities in these voluminous Wycliffite texts would defeat most scholars, and few, perhaps none, are as well-qualified as Hudson to edit them. It is unlikely that there will be an edition of the Glossed Gospels undertaken in the near future, and it would be an immense bonus to have as many substantial extracts as possible available in an easily accessible authoritative edition. The study of late medieval English religious and intellectual culture is currently developing rapidly; this study, along with the edited extracts, promises to constitute a major primary intervention in the field.' Kantik Ghosh, Trinity College, University of Oxford'Doctors in English constitutes an important primary intervention in the study of late medieval English religious and intellectual culture.'Kantik Ghosh, Journal of Ecclesiastical History'This volume is a vital new study of an important and thus far un-edited group of texts, which will be crucial for those working on religious and intellectual culture in the late medieval period.'Medium Aevum Table of ContentsList of Plates Preface List of Abbreviations 1 Introduction 2 Description of the manuscripts 3 Biblical text, its layout and its origin 4 The commentaries, their texts, basis, sources and methods (a) Long Matthew, þe firste exposicioun (b) The commentaries dependent on Catena aurea: (i) short Matthew (ii) long Luke, short Luke (iii) short John (iv) short Mark (c) The York text and its relation to the texts in (a) and (b); its evidence for the existence of long versions of Mark and John, and for a long version of Matthew dependent on Catena aurea. 5 The 'topics' in York and the other commentaries, their makeup and sources. 6 The uses made of the commentaries in other texts. 7 Conclusions, suggestions and questions (a) The Prologues and Epilogue (b) Editing the commentaries (c) Lollard texts? (d) Translation or translations? (e) Processes of compilation (f) Related texts? (g) Origins of the commentaries, date, place, context. Texts: extracts from the commentaries: brief explanation of editorial method 1.(a) Matthew 11:12-15 from A and from Ad (b) Matthew 22:1-3 from AL and Y (c) Matthew 23:29-31 from A and from Ad 2.(a) Luke 10:1-7 from K and from B (b) Luke 12:1-3 from K and from B 3.(a) John 6:1-7 from B and from Y 4.(a) Mark 4:13-20 from Ad (b) Mark 8:1-9 from Ad and from Y (c) Mark 12:38-44 from Ad 5. (a) Matthew 4:1-8 from Y (b) passages from Abbeville in Y and in Ad 6. Topics (a) De sacramento altaris from AL and CUL Ff.6.31 (b) De confessione (extract) from K and Y (c) De officiis prelatorum (extract) from Y and B 7. Odo (a) attached to Mark 10:31 from Ad (b) attached to sermon on 9 Trinity in Y (c) in sermon for 2 Advent from Y, and attached to Mark 16:21-7 from Ad Appendixes (a) The problems of using modern editions of three Latin sources for the English commentaries. (b) The structure and coverage of Odo of Chateauroux in Oxford MS Balliol College 37. Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisStrategic Acts in the Study of Identity is a multi-authored work that tackles the problem of how to examine the historicity of identity. Six scholars of religion, all members of the Culture on the Edge group, engage in a constructive dialogue mediating and critically cross-examining issues of identity formation, suggesting ways of achieving greater theoretical clarity in the study of identity-or better, identity claims-as it takes shape over time and space. The volume is divided into three sites, or what we might call three situations, each of which is representative of a specific act, such as for example, the strategic acts of classification, appropriation, and comparison. Each site then consists of a main chapter, a response from another scholar (who presses further the point of the main chapter while inviting its author to reflect upon their initial argument) and a reply from the author of the main chapter. Additionally, the volume includes an appendix with a series of posts that originally appeared at the blog for Culture on the Edge. These theoretically challenging posts, also investigating the volume's three main areas, further exemplify and model a different way of approach in the study of identity. Although Strategic Acts in the Study of Identity is not a textbook, and while challenging for any reader, it can serve as a great pedagogical tool for professors who wish to use the book in their classes not only within religious studies but in any class that touches on issues of identity.Table of ContentsPreface-"Show Your Work" Vaia Touna Introduction-On the Strategies of Identity Formation Craig Martin, St Thomas Aquinas College Site I Acts of Classification 1. Nostalgia and the Discourse Concerning Nones Steven Ramey, University of Alabama 2. Response to Steven Ramey: The Constitutive Discourse of Description Vaia Touna 3. Reply to Vaia Touna: Situated Descriptions Steven Ramey Site II Acts of Appropriation 4. Strategizing Subjectivity: Creolization and Intentionality in Studies of Caribbean Religions K. Merinda Simmons, University of Alabama 5. Response to K. Merinda Simmons: When is it OK to Borrow Craig Martin 6. Reply to Craig Martin: "The Other Is Not": Mediating Specialness and Specificity K. Merinda Simmons Site III Acts of Comparison 7. Writing Women out of Women's Movements: The Discursive Boundaries of Feminism Leslie Dorough Smith, Avila University 8. Response to Leslie Dorough-Smith: Transgressions Russell T. McCutcheon, University of Alabama 9. Reply to Russell T. McCutcheon: Navigating the Politics of Comparison Leslie Dorough Smith Afterword 10. Strategic Acts I and II Russell T. McCutcheon Appendix Acts of Classification 1. Creation Ex Nihilo: Pew Forum and the "Nones" Steven Ramey 2. Discourse all the Way Down Craig Martin 3. And You Shall Call his Name Jesus Monica Miller, LeHigh University 4. Making Distinctions Craig Martin 5. Making Magic Work Monica Miller 6. Which Past do you Authorize? Vaia Touna 7. Just Really Old...Or, Historical? K. Merinda Simmons 8. Green Means Go? Russell T. McCutcheon 9. Maps, Interpretations, and "The Territory" Vaia Touna 10. Look How Tall You Are! Russell T. McCutcheon 11. The Harm of World Religions Steven Ramey 12. Standing in Line at Chipotle (or, the Hefty Politics of Naming) Leslie Dorrough-Smith Acts of Appropriation 13. That Ain't The Queen's English Russell T. McCutheon 14. Habla Espanol? Leslie Dorrough-Smith 15. Frames of Identity Vaia Touna 16. In Other Words... K. Merinda Simmons 17. Whose Switch is a Switch? Monica Miller 18. Double Standards Vaia Touna 19. Pizza Hut: The Best Indian Food Around Leslie Dorrough-Smith 20. Conceiving the "We" in Pluralism Craig Martin 21. Staking a Claim K. Merinda Simmons 22. Almost Black? Monica Miller 23. What Should You Be on Halloween? Steven Ramey 24. Cultural Entrepreneurs Steven Ramey Acts of Comparison 25. Kids Drink Pop, So What? Russell T. McCutcheon 26. Look Who's Talking! K. Merinda Simmons 27. Trick or Trick Monica Miller 28. Trainwreck-spotting: How We Insist on Not Working on the Railroad and Instead Tie Ourselves to the Tracks K. Merinda Simmons 29. The Luxury of Nuance Vaia Touna 30. Does My "Wife" Have a "Job"? Craig Martin 31. The Most Disgusting Picture Ever Leslie Dorrough Smith 32. Identifying Threats of Violence Steven Ramey 33. Innumerable Shades of Grey Russell T. McCutcheon 34. Competing Discourses on Life and Death Craig Martin 35. Shoots, Stabs, or Farts: Some Thoughts on Child's Play Leslie Dorrough-Smith

Read more less

Book SynopsisStrategic Acts in the Study of Identity is a multi-authored work that tackles the problem of how to examine the historicity of identity. Six scholars of religion, all members of the Culture on the Edge group, engage in a constructive dialogue mediating and critically cross-examining issues of identity formation, suggesting ways of achieving greater theoretical clarity in the study of identity-or better, identity claims-as it takes shape over time and space. The volume is divided into three sites, or what we might call three situations, each of which is representative of a specific act, such as for example, the strategic acts of classification, appropriation, and comparison. Each site then consists of a main chapter, a response from another scholar (who presses further the point of the main chapter while inviting its author to reflect upon their initial argument) and a reply from the author of the main chapter. Additionally, the volume includes an appendix with a series of posts that originally appeared at the blog for Culture on the Edge. These theoretically challenging posts, also investigating the volume's three main areas, further exemplify and model a different way of approach in the study of identity. Although Strategic Acts in the Study of Identity is not a textbook, and while challenging for any reader, it can serve as a great pedagogical tool for professors who wish to use the book in their classes not only within religious studies but in any class that touches on issues of identity.Table of ContentsPreface-"Show Your Work" Vaia Touna Introduction-On the Strategies of Identity Formation Craig Martin, St Thomas Aquinas College Site I Acts of Classification 1. Nostalgia and the Discourse Concerning Nones Steven Ramey, University of Alabama 2. Response to Steven Ramey: The Constitutive Discourse of Description Vaia Touna 3. Reply to Vaia Touna: Situated Descriptions Steven Ramey Site II Acts of Appropriation 4. Strategizing Subjectivity: Creolization and Intentionality in Studies of Caribbean Religions K. Merinda Simmons, University of Alabama 5. Response to K. Merinda Simmons: When is it OK to Borrow Craig Martin 6. Reply to Craig Martin: "The Other Is Not": Mediating Specialness and Specificity K. Merinda Simmons Site III Acts of Comparison 7. Writing Women out of Women's Movements: The Discursive Boundaries of Feminism Leslie Dorough Smith, Avila University 8. Response to Leslie Dorough-Smith: Transgressions Russell T. McCutcheon, University of Alabama 9. Reply to Russell T. McCutcheon: Navigating the Politics of Comparison Leslie Dorough Smith Afterword 10. Strategic Acts I and II Russell T. McCutcheon Appendix Acts of Classification 1. Creation Ex Nihilo: Pew Forum and the "Nones" Steven Ramey 2. Discourse all the Way Down Craig Martin 3. And You Shall Call his Name Jesus Monica Miller, LeHigh University 4. Making Distinctions Craig Martin 5. Making Magic Work Monica Miller 6. Which Past do you Authorize? Vaia Touna 7. Just Really Old...Or, Historical? K. Merinda Simmons 8. Green Means Go? Russell T. McCutcheon 9. Maps, Interpretations, and "The Territory" Vaia Touna 10. Look How Tall You Are! Russell T. McCutcheon 11. The Harm of World Religions Steven Ramey 12. Standing in Line at Chipotle (or, the Hefty Politics of Naming) Leslie Dorrough-Smith Acts of Appropriation 13. That Ain't The Queen's English Russell T. McCutheon 14. Habla Espanol? Leslie Dorrough-Smith 15. Frames of Identity Vaia Touna 16. In Other Words... K. Merinda Simmons 17. Whose Switch is a Switch? Monica Miller 18. Double Standards Vaia Touna 19. Pizza Hut: The Best Indian Food Around Leslie Dorrough-Smith 20. Conceiving the "We" in Pluralism Craig Martin 21. Staking a Claim K. Merinda Simmons 22. Almost Black? Monica Miller 23. What Should You Be on Halloween? Steven Ramey 24. Cultural Entrepreneurs Steven Ramey Acts of Comparison 25. Kids Drink Pop, So What? Russell T. McCutcheon 26. Look Who's Talking! K. Merinda Simmons 27. Trick or Trick Monica Miller 28. Trainwreck-spotting: How We Insist on Not Working on the Railroad and Instead Tie Ourselves to the Tracks K. Merinda Simmons 29. The Luxury of Nuance Vaia Touna 30. Does My "Wife" Have a "Job"? Craig Martin 31. The Most Disgusting Picture Ever Leslie Dorrough Smith 32. Identifying Threats of Violence Steven Ramey 33. Innumerable Shades of Grey Russell T. McCutcheon 34. Competing Discourses on Life and Death Craig Martin 35. Shoots, Stabs, or Farts: Some Thoughts on Child's Play Leslie Dorrough-Smith

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fabrication of groups as different, as other, often has significant consequences, including violence and discrimination. This volume focuses on the discourses that construct Islam in the aftermath of traumatic events and thus illustrates how academic analysis of the fabrication of difference can contribute significantly to public discourse. It centers on two critical analyses by accomplished scholars who have written publicly on the constructions of Islam and Muslims as others. Mayanthi Fernando analyzes the rhetoric surrounding French laicite (often translated as secularism) in the aftermath of the attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris in 2015, highlighting the ways the majority uses the language of laicite to diminish the presence of minorities. Aaron Hughes analyzes how scholars and others construct Islam in response to acts of violence attributed to people who identify with Islam, thus illustrating how critical academic analysis can contribute to the understanding of both the contestation and ideology behind groups such as ISIS. Ten early career scholars apply and extend the questions and approaches of these central essays in short reflections that apply these issues in new ways to other contexts (e.g., India, the United States, early Christianity) and topics (e.g., social issues in politics, religion vs. non-religion, nationalism, scholars in public discourse). The volume concludes with a substantive Afterword that broadens from these specific current events to present an extended analysis of the fabrication of difference and the ways recognizing these processes should influence our scholarship and our engagement with public discourse. In addressing the ways people construct difference and the Other, this volume, therefore, provides one answer to the question of the relevance of these fields in a period of both political challenge and internal critique of the assumption of the universality of academic research.Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionSteven W. Ramey1. Myths of the French RepublicMayanthi L. Fernando, University of California, Santa CruzReflections on Myths of the French Republic2. Concerning Voices: Thinking with Fernando about Bigotry and SilenceDamon T. Berry, St Lawrence University3. The Power of Persecution and Martyrdom in Modern DiscourseTara Baldrick-Morrone, Florida State University (doctoral candidate)4. The Myths of France, Periodization, and Sovereign Power Stephanie Frank, Columbia College Chicago5. Strategies of 'Othering' in Contemporary IndiaVincent E. Burgess, Cornell University (doctoral candidate)6. Clashing Allegiances: The Practicality of Constructing National IdentityAndie Alexander, University of Colorado Boulder (MA candidate)7. ISIS: What's a Poor Religionist to Do?Aaron W. Hughes, University of RochesterReflections on ISIS: What's a Poor Religionist to Do?8. Give Me Liberty or Give Me Pizza: (Or, How the Public Transcript Fabricates Difference)Thomas J. Whitley, Independent Scholar9. Racialized Religion in America: Terrorist Bodies, Turbans, and Mistaken IdentityMartha Smith Roberts, University of California, Santa Barbara (doctoral candidate) 10. Why Do We Still Wear the Shoe That Bites?Deeksha Sivakumar, Emory University (doctoral candidate)11. Rightly Disdained by Intelligent Persons: Magic, Superstition, and the Disenchantment of the World Ian Alexander Cuthbertson, Independent Scholar 12. Secular Publics and the Study of Religion: A Few Considerations for Critical Scholars Charles McCrary, Florida State University (doctoral candidate) AfterwordWhat Difference Does It Make? Critical Theory and Public DiscourseSteven W. Ramey

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fabrication of groups as different, as other, often has significant consequences, including violence and discrimination. This volume focuses on the discourses that construct Islam in the aftermath of traumatic events and thus illustrates how academic analysis of the fabrication of difference can contribute significantly to public discourse. It centers on two critical analyses by accomplished scholars who have written publicly on the constructions of Islam and Muslims as others. Mayanthi Fernando analyzes the rhetoric surrounding French laicite (often translated as secularism) in the aftermath of the attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris in 2015, highlighting the ways the majority uses the language of laicite to diminish the presence of minorities. Aaron Hughes analyzes how scholars and others construct Islam in response to acts of violence attributed to people who identify with Islam, thus illustrating how critical academic analysis can contribute to the understanding of both the contestation and ideology behind groups such as ISIS. Ten early career scholars apply and extend the questions and approaches of these central essays in short reflections that apply these issues in new ways to other contexts (e.g., India, the United States, early Christianity) and topics (e.g., social issues in politics, religion vs. non-religion, nationalism, scholars in public discourse). The volume concludes with a substantive Afterword that broadens from these specific current events to present an extended analysis of the fabrication of difference and the ways recognizing these processes should influence our scholarship and our engagement with public discourse. In addressing the ways people construct difference and the Other, this volume, therefore, provides one answer to the question of the relevance of these fields in a period of both political challenge and internal critique of the assumption of the universality of academic research.Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionSteven W. Ramey1. Myths of the French RepublicMayanthi L. Fernando, University of California, Santa CruzReflections on Myths of the French Republic2. Concerning Voices: Thinking with Fernando about Bigotry and SilenceDamon T. Berry, St Lawrence University3. The Power of Persecution and Martyrdom in Modern DiscourseTara Baldrick-Morrone, Florida State University (doctoral candidate)4. The Myths of France, Periodization, and Sovereign Power Stephanie Frank, Columbia College Chicago5. Strategies of 'Othering' in Contemporary IndiaVincent E. Burgess, Cornell University (doctoral candidate)6. Clashing Allegiances: The Practicality of Constructing National IdentityAndie Alexander, University of Colorado Boulder (MA candidate)7. ISIS: What's a Poor Religionist to Do?Aaron W. Hughes, University of RochesterReflections on ISIS: What's a Poor Religionist to Do?8. Give Me Liberty or Give Me Pizza: (Or, How the Public Transcript Fabricates Difference)Thomas J. Whitley, Independent Scholar9. Racialized Religion in America: Terrorist Bodies, Turbans, and Mistaken IdentityMartha Smith Roberts, University of California, Santa Barbara (doctoral candidate) 10. Why Do We Still Wear the Shoe That Bites?Deeksha Sivakumar, Emory University (doctoral candidate)11. Rightly Disdained by Intelligent Persons: Magic, Superstition, and the Disenchantment of the World Ian Alexander Cuthbertson, Independent Scholar 12. Secular Publics and the Study of Religion: A Few Considerations for Critical Scholars Charles McCrary, Florida State University (doctoral candidate) AfterwordWhat Difference Does It Make? Critical Theory and Public DiscourseSteven W. Ramey

Read more less

Book SynopsisConstructing "Data" in Religious Studies provides a critical introduction to the ways in which the category "data" is understood, produced, and deployed in the discipline of religious studies. The volume is organized into four different sections, entitled "Subjects," "Objects," "Scholars," and "Institutions," with an epilogue by Russell McCutcheon and Aaron Hughes. The volume's aim is to reflect, first, on the problems, strategies, and political structures through which scholars identify (and therefore create) data, and second, on the institutions, extensions, and applications of that data. The first three sections are spearheaded by a key essay and followed by four responses, all of which consider how the politics of the academy determine the very nature of the things we purport to study. The fourth section considers what these concepts look like as they are applied and further institutionalized in college and university structures, and itself includes four essays on "teaching," "departments," "research," and "labor." Finally, the epilogue closes the volume with a consideration on the politics of scholarly collegiality, transforming the data-makers (scholars) into data themselves.Table of ContentsIntroduction: , “If I Had A Nickel For Every Time…”: Thinking Critically About “Data” Leslie Dorrough Smith Part I: Subjects 1. Partitioning “Religion” and its Prehistories: Reflections on Categories, Narratives, and the Practice of Religious Studies Annette Yoshiko Reed, New York University Responses: 2. A More Subtle Violence: The Footnoting of “the Aboriginal Principle of Witnessing” by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Adam Stewart, Crandall University 3. Categorization and Its Discontents M Adryael Tong, Fordham University (PhD candidate) 4. Categorizing Contrariety: Narrative and Taxonomy in the Construction of Sikhism John Soboslai, Montclair State University 5. Interrogating Categories with Ethnography: On the `Five Pillars’ of Islam Jennifer A. Selby, Memorial University of Newfoundland Part II: Objects 6. Objects and Objections: Methodological Reflections on the Data for Religious Studies Matthew C. Baldwin, Mars Hill University Responses: 7. The Red Hot Iron: Religion, Nonreligion, and the Material Petra Klug, University of Bremen 8. Surprised By History: A Response to Baldwin Holly White, Independent Scholar 9. Governance and Public Policy as Critical Objects of Investigation in the Study of Religion Peggy Schmeiser, University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina 10. Negative Dialektik and the Question Concerning the Relation Between Objects and Concepts: A Response to Matthew Baldwin Lucas Wright, University of California, Santa Barbara (PhD candidate) Part III: Scholars 11. “[T]he thing itself always steals away”: Scholars and the Constitution of Their Objects of Study Craig Martin, St Thomas Aquinas College Responses: 12. Scholars and the Framing of Objects Vaia Touna, University of Alabama 13. Serial Killers and Scholars of Religion Martha Smith Roberts, Denison University 14. Caffeinated & Half-Baked Realities: Religion as the Opium of the Scholar Jason WM Ellsworth, Dalhousie University (PhD candidate) 15. On the Seminal Adventure of the Trace: A Response to Craig Martin Joel Harrison, Northwestern University (PhD candidate) Part IV: Institutions 16. Labor: Finding the Devil in Indiana Jones: Mythologies of Work and the State of Academic Labor James Dennis LoRusso, Princeton University 17. Teaching: Teaching in the Ideological State of Religious Studies: Notes Towards a Pedagogical Future Richard Newton, University of Alabama 18. Departments: Competencies and Curricula: The Role of Academic Departments in Shaping the Study of Religion Rebekka King, Middle Tennessee State University 19. Research: Religious Studies Research In an Era of Neoliberalization Gregory D. Alles, McDaniel College Epilogue The Gatekeeping Rhetoric of Collegiality in the Study of Religion Aaron W. Hughes, University of Rochester, and Russell McCutcheon, University of Alabama

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book seeks to elucidate the concept of justice, not so much as it is expressed in law courts (retributive and procedural justice) or in state budgets (distributive justice), but as primary justice - what it means and how it can be grounded in the inalienable rights that each human being possesses qua human being. It draws inspiration from two recent works of philosopher Nicolas Wolterstorff, but also from the groundbreaking Islamic initiative of 2007, the Common Word Letter addressed by 138 eminent Muslim scholars and clerics to the pope and all Christian leaders. This document affirmed that the two highest commandments in both Judaism and Christianity are also at the heart of the Islamic tradition - love of God and love of neighbor. In a style that lends itself to the classroom and beyond, the book's six chapters all begin with a case study of justice, so as to emphasize that justice must also be embodied in righteous social, political and economic practices. Along the way, leading contemporary scholars and activists from both traditions urge the reader - Muslim, Christian, or whatever - to look afresh at an age-old conundrum: how do justice and love interact so as to create a world in which everyone finds his or her rightful place?Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Racial justice in the United States Chapter 2: Justice as Rights Chapter 3: Justice as Shar'ia's Central Purpose Chapter 4: A Traditionalist View of Justice: Yusuf al-Qaradawi Chapter 5: Justice and Love: Prince Ghazi and the Common Word Chapter 6: Justice and Love: Christian Perspectives Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book seeks to elucidate the concept of justice, not so much as it is expressed in law courts (retributive and procedural justice) or in state budgets (distributive justice), but as primary justice - what it means and how it can be grounded in the inalienable rights that each human being possesses qua human being. It draws inspiration from two recent works of philosopher Nicolas Wolterstorff, but also from the groundbreaking Islamic initiative of 2007, the Common Word Letter addressed by 138 eminent Muslim scholars and clerics to the pope and all Christian leaders. This document affirmed that the two highest commandments in both Judaism and Christianity are also at the heart of the Islamic tradition - love of God and love of neighbor. In a style that lends itself to the classroom and beyond, the book's six chapters all begin with a case study of justice, so as to emphasize that justice must also be embodied in righteous social, political and economic practices. Along the way, leading contemporary scholars and activists from both traditions urge the reader - Muslim, Christian, or whatever - to look afresh at an age-old conundrum: how do justice and love interact so as to create a world in which everyone finds his or her rightful place?Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Racial justice in the United States Chapter 2: Justice as Rights Chapter 3: Justice as Shar'ia's Central Purpose Chapter 4: A Traditionalist View of Justice: Yusuf al-Qaradawi Chapter 5: Justice and Love: Prince Ghazi and the Common Word Chapter 6: Justice and Love: Christian Perspectives Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt a time when the values of Catholic Ireland are so often viewed in a negative, even hostile, light, Mary Kenny?s approach is a balanced and measured recollection of the Ireland of our times - and of times past, since the foundation of the Irish state a hundred years ago. She focuses on the people and personalities involved in our social history, seeing Ireland from 1922 to 2022 through their stories, and the events in which they were involved. Yes, there have been stark failings in Irish society, involving the position and power of the Catholic church, and these must be honestly described. Yet our values, our heritage, our own family members also included many kind, intelligent and patriotic people doing their best, who built up the Irish state from a fragile beginning. Mary interweaves some of her own life-experiences, and the people she knew into this complex portrait of Irish life providing a stimulating, informative and enjoyable read.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis ground-breaking book contains contributions from 12 different religious traditions: Hinduism, African Traditional Religion, Judaism, Jainism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Shintoism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Unitarianism and Bahá'í. Interfaith worship and prayer can be complex, but this book demonstrates that in a world of many cultures and religions, there is an urgent need for religions to come together with trust and communication, especially when there is a crisis. Full of insights and examples of practice, the book demonstrates how religions can be a powerful means of unity and compassion. The book opposes the 'clash of civilisations' model as a way of interpreting the world and promotes peace, hope, and the possibility of cooperation. Religious believers can be sincere and committed to their own faith, while recognising the need to stand firmly together with members of other religious traditions.Trade ReviewThis book will be an invaluable resource for teachers and also religious leaders as they seek to show common ground shared by religions, whilst not undermining the central claims of the different traditions. It is also provides an excellent way of beginning to understand alternative perspectives other than one's own. -- Dr Peter Vardy was Vice-Principal of Heythrop College, University of London and is a well-known philosopher of religionThose of any theological position will find this an excellent resource in thinking about and planning for worship or prayer involving people of different faiths. The contributors cover an unusually wide range of material, and the practical suggestions they offer are sensible, balanced and achievable. -- Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of LichfieldSome theologians find good reasons to say why it is difficult to pray together. This book condenses some striking arguments why it is indispensable to do it anyway. A unique collection of interfaith perspectives to meet in love and face the divine. -- Rabbi Walter Homolka PhD PhD DHL, Professor of Modern Jewish Thought and Interreligious Dialogue School of Jewish Theology at the University of Potsdam GermanyA fascinating guide to the variety of approaches to worship, both within and between different faith traditions, as well as the possibilities and limitations of interfaith worship. What is clear is that the human need for inspiration and assurance from The Divine is universal. -- Princess Badiya el Hassan, Princess of JordanThis is a timely book which will serve as a handbook for those exploring the possibilities of interfaith worship. As the book's subtitle has it we must pray together, in other words coming together to pray in today's world is no longer an optional extra but a practical imperative. In the book representatives of twelve major world faith traditions give detailed, scholarly and personal explanations of how interfaith worship is understood and practised within their faith groups. Interfaith Worship and Prayer is an invaluable guide to those hoping to deepen their spiritual connection with people of other religions. It does not suggest that interfaith encounter is always easy, the writers and the reflective sections contributed by the editors highlight many of the difficulties encountered as we pray together. But taken altogether it is a clear sighted and open exploration of how followers of different religions can learn to worship together that deserves to find wide useacross all faith communities. -- Rev Dr David Steers, Editor, Faith and FreedomAll who envision a peaceful future for the humanity with rich spiritual life must explore ways to build harmony among diverse faith communities that now encounter one another in all parts of our globalized world. Sadly, the encounters often turn into occasions for tensions. This timely collection of essays by scholars and followers from diverse faith traditions of the world invites readers to reflect creatively on the urgent need of our times to turn encounters into dialogs. With a focus on the most active manifestation of faith - worship - and with organizational principle of respect, the book opens windows to the worlds of many religious communities with whom the reader will feel inspired to pray, standing in their own place but being a part of a symphony. Pragmatic and accessible, the book offers an invaluable resource for teachers, students, and indeed all world citizens to cultivate understanding of perspectives other than their own. A highly recommended collection! -- Neelima Shukla-Bhatt, Associate Professor of South Asia Studies, Wellesley College, Wellesley MATable of ContentsForeword - TBC; 1. Introduction - Dan Cohn-Sherbok, University of Wales;2. The argument for interfaith prayer and worship - Christopher Lewis, Oxford University;3. Hinduism PART I: - Divine Unity and Human Solidarity. A Hindu Perspective on Praying Together - Anantanand Rambachan, St. Olaf College, Minnesota; PART II: The Devil in his skirt - Shaunaka Rishi Das, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies;4. African Traditional Religion PART I: - Nokuzola Mndende, University of Free State (UFS) and Icamagu Heritage Institute for African Traditional Religion, South Africa; PART II: Joint worship ceremonies of Africanists and Christians in the Kingdom of Swaziland - Hebron L Ndlovu, University of Swaziland; 5. Judaism PART I: Aaron Rosen, King's College London, UK; PART II: Alan Brill, Seton Hall University, USA;6. Jainism PART I: Praying Together in an Atmosphere of Interfaith Harmony - Vinod Kapashi, Mahavir Foundation, London, UK; PART II: Interfaith Involvement of Jains - Natubhai Shah, Jain Network, UK;7. Buddhism PART I: Buddhism and Prayer - Bogodo Seelawimala, London Buddhist Vihara and the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain; PART II: Issues for Buddhists in Interfaith Settings - Vishvapani Blomfield, Wales, UK;8. Zoroastrianism PART I: Moving forward through Prayer and Worship together - Jehangir Sarosh, Religions for Peace; PART II: Behram Deboo, Zoroastrian Society of Washington State, USA and Maneck Bhujwala, Zoroastrian Associations in Southern and Northern California, USA;9. Shintoism PART I: Yoshinobu Miyake, International Shinto Studies Association (ISSA), Japan; PART II: Yasuhiro Tanaka, Kamo-wake-ikazuchi-jinja Shrine, Japan;10. Christianity PART I: Hugh Ellis, Council of Christian-Muslim Relations and Wycombe Refugee Partnership, UK; PART II: Interfaith prayer - Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, Claremont School of Theology USA; PART III: Marcus Braybrooke World Congress of Faiths; 11. Islam PART I: Praying with others - Ibrahim Mogra, University of Leicester and De Montfort University, UK; PART II: Monawar Hussain, Eton College, Windsor, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The Oxford Foundation, UK; PART III: Inclusivist Islam - Usama Hasan, Quilliam, London, UK12. Sikhism PART I: Sikh Response towards Interfaith Worship and Prayer - Pashaura Singh, University of California, Riverside; PART II: Collective Effervescence - Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, Colby College, USA; PART III: Sikhism Exploration: a personal glimpse into interfaith learning - Lucy Soucek, USA13. Unitarianism PART I: Feargus O'Connor, St Albans Unitarians and Golders Green Unitarians, London.; PART II: Unitarian Universalist Interfaith Worship and Prayer - Jay Atkinson, Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California14. Baha'I PART I: The Perspective of one Baha'I - Wendi Momen, University of Derby, UK; PART II: 'Consort with all Religions with amity and concord' - George Ballentyne, Leicester City Council, UK15. Concluding Reflection - Alan Race, Executive Chair of the World Congress of Faiths, UKBiographical Notes on ContributorsIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn modern multi-faith societies, religious diversity not only affects religious organisations and communities, but indeed every aspect of life. From celebrating cultural events, to considering how the police should interact with members of the public from different faith communities, this book highlights the ways in which all members of society can engage constructively with diversity.This ground-breaking book draws on the work at the St Philip's Centre in Leicester and presents a collection of case studies to show how people from a variety of religious backgrounds and ethical convictions have learnt to coexist peacefully. Without shying away from the conflicts and challenges that have occurred, the book focuses on the lessons learnt and offers real examples of how to promote positive interfaith relationships.This is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to understand the issues of religion and belief that may arise at local and national levels, and develop appropriate attitudes and actions for peaceful resolution.Trade ReviewModern Britain is diverse and this is an exemplar of imaginative interfaith work from Leicester. Now with much experience of changing contexts, the authors maturely celebrate what is possible whilst addressing the hard challenges. Here we see some next steps to try out as we attempt living well together. -- The Very Revd David Monteith, Dean of LeicesterEven before moving to Leicester, I had heard much talk of the 'Leicester model' of social cohesion. As this book makes clear, there is much that is unique about Leicester, but also much that this wonderful city can teach us about one of the defining questions of our time: how we can learn to live well together. -- The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, Bishop of LeicesterI urge all to read this book and learn from Tom Wilson's and Riaz Ravat's exciting work in Leicester. This excellent book will develop your understanding of living and integrating in a multicultural society that the UK so clearly is today. -- Colonel Stuart Williams, 7th Infantry Brigade, The Desert RatsUndoubtedly a well-researched, highly readable book. It highlights the importance of living well and working together for the shared common good through mutual understanding of the traditions, teachings and practices of diverse communities. The book presents the St Philip's Centre's positive approach to community cohesion and inter-faith issues. -- Councillor Manjula Sood, Chair, Leicester Council of FaithsLearning to Live Well Together gives real world examples of how individuals and communities can build safer, stronger and happier lives by engaging in dialogue, interaction and in the development of social connections that ensure more resilient communities. Today, the global challenges have grown and ensuring that people and communities can weather some of the winds that buffet us, is key. This book highlights these practical and real world examples and therefore can also inspire many to be the 'forces for good' that this country continuously needs. -- Fiyaz Mughal, Founder and Director, Faith Matters, Founder – Tell MAMAAn Unexpected Treasure... Perhaps no community in the world has generated the kind of transforming interfaith dialogue with measurable results that Leicester is experiencing. During and after the Brexit vote, hate crimes doubled in Leicester; but they multiplied five-fold in the rest of the country. This well-documented and indexed 178-page narrative sheds light on how and why Leicester did so much better. The book is a clear candidate for best interfaith book of 2017...This is a pioneering book that sets our assumptions topsy-turvy, makes us rethink the whole process of dialogue with 'the other,' and offers directions for a peaceful world in spite of all the conflict we face today. It is an invaluable resource for interfaith activists. With this kind of approach, the possibilities of an authentic, effective interfaith movement become brighter. Co-authors Tom Wilson, director of St. Philip's Centre, and Riaz Ravat, deputy director, have done their homework and leave us with tools to empower any interfaith activist. -- The Interfaith ObserverLearning to live well together is vitally important in over-coming prejudice, in healing society's divisions and reducing the dangers of extremism... The [St Philip's] Centre is, as I know from some personal knowledge of its activities, doing excellent work. Leaders of local interfaith groups, many of which are doing similar important work, will be helped by reading it [Learning to Live Well Together]. -- The Alister Hardy Trust, De NumineTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. The Leicester Context. 2. The St Philip's Centre. 3. Encounter. 4. Understand. 5. Trust. 6. Co-operate. 7. Inter-faith in the Twenty-first Century. 8. Where Next? References.

Read more less

Book SynopsisYoung people are doing faith differently. They are redefining community, ministry and ritual for a new era. In the face of planetary crisis, the next generation no longer see faith as a private matter, instead they are integrating it with activism and the need for systemic change. Influenced by the wealth of different teachings and traditions available around them, their identities are increasingly multifaceted and emphatically global. This collection of stories and interviews with young adults and their allies explores this new landscape, reflecting both the energy and inspiration of the next generation and the tremendous challenges they face. It points towards an exciting evolution in the way we are relating to the sacred.With stories from:Adam Bucko, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Kara Moses, Abbas Zahedi, Camille Barton, Bruna Kadletz, Dekila Chungyalpa, Matt Youde, Amrita Bhohi, Sun Kaur, and many others.With supporting stories from senior leaders including:His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Rabbi Laura Janner Klausner, Bhai Sahib Dr Mohinder Singh, and more.Table of ContentsTbc.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this interfaith book Lucinda Mosher investigates different understandings of destiny, loss, death, and remembrance in America's many religions. Using stories and interviews with a variety of religious adherents and health professionals, the book wrestles with questions such as: how can our religion guide us in making decisions about certain kinds of medical treatment options? What religion-related issues would it be helpful for a healthcare provider to know? How do different religious traditions help manage our grief?In a globalized society religious traditions sit alongside each other as never before, and the need for religious literacy and multifaith chaplaincy is increasingly recognized. By looking at multireligious America, this book provides an essential exploration of different attitudes to death, helping members of all faith communities to become more literate with each other's religious traditions.Trade ReviewDr. Mosher provides insights into how the big questions of life and death are answered within the rich tapestry of American religious life. This book is a must-read for anyone working in the caring professions, whether physicians, nurses, counselors, chaplains, or therapists. America is becoming a more diverse place and this book is a valuable guide to navigating it. -- Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, TXThis book changed me as much as anything I have read in recent years. If you want to know more about the full humanity your new neighbors-and are willing to think more deeply about your own eventual demise as well-then you cannot have better companions than the ones Lucinda Mosher introduces you to in this book. -- Barbara Brown Taylor, author of Learning to Walk in the DarkIn the context of religious pluralism and the needs of healthcare professionals to increase their interfaith literacy, Mosher's book is a gift. Its thematic approach speaks to the heart of person-centered care, and is enriched by a mosaic of voices within and across faith perspectives which leads practitioners not into an acquisition of knowledge but a deep relational respect and wonder, that builds cultural competency from the inside out -- The Rev. Dr. Storm Swain, Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Theology, United Lutheran SeminaryTable of ContentsPreface. 1. What We Are. 2. When We're Ailing. 3. Postponing Death, Extending Life. 4. Transition. 5. Recovery. Quick Information Guide to Religions. Suggestions for Further Reading. Glossary.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat is the nature of the Qur’an? It might seem a straightforward question, but there is no consensus among modern communities of the Qur’an, both Muslim and non-Muslim, about the answer. And why should there be? On numerous occasions throughout history, believers from different schools and denominations, and at different times and places, have agreed to disagree. The Qur’anic interpreters, jurists and theologians of medieval Baghdad, Cairo and Cordoba coexisted peacefully in spite of their diverging beliefs. Seeking to revive this ‘ethics of disagreement’ of Classical Islam, this volume explores the different relationships societies around the world have with the Qur’an and how our understanding of the text can be shaped by studying the interpretations of others. From LGBT groups to urban African American communities, this book aims to represent the true diversity of communities of the Qur’an in the twenty-first century, and the dialogue and debate that can flow among them.Trade Review‘Contains a very valuable range of perspectives… Students/readers will walk away with an appreciation of the messiness of communal lines and connections, practices of reading, meaning-making, and interpretation, and in some communities, even the embodied and practiced dimensions of a sacred text.’ * Review of Qur’anic Research *‘This lovely collection describes ten different interpretive communities, both Muslim and non-Muslim, of the Qur’an. It helps us to better understand the text that is central to the world’s Muslims, while illuminating their own diversity.’ -- Amir Hussain, Professor of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount UniversityTable of ContentsForeword Reza Aslan Introduction Emran El-Badawi and Paula Sanders PART I: COMMUNITIES OF CULTURE AND EXPERIENCE 1 African-American Communities of the Qur’an Aminah Beverly Al-Deen 2 Nizari Ismaili Engagements with the Qur’an: the Khojas of South Asia Ali Asani 3 The Reception of the Qur’an in Popular Sufism in Indonesia: tadabbur among the Ma‘iyah Community Lien Iffah Naf’atu Fina and Ahmad Rafiq PART II: BETWEEN GENDER AND COMMUNITY 4 Musawah: Gender Equity through Qur’anic Discourse Amina Wadud 5 The Reception of the Qur’an in the LGBTQ Muslim Community Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle PART III: THE SILENT, SPEAKING AND LIVING WORD 6 The Speaking Qur’an and the Praise of the Imam: the Memory and Practice of the Qur’an in the Twelver Shia Tradition Sajjad Rizvi 7 The Qur’an and the Baha’i Faith Todd Lawson PART IV: COMMUNITIES OF TEXT AND TRADITION 8 How the Qur’an Shapes the Sunni Community Ingrid Mattson 9 The Qur’an and the Ahmadiyya Community: an Overview Mujeeb Ur Rahman 10 Why the Qur’anists are the Solution: a Declaration Ahmed Subhy Mansour Afterword Reuven Firestone Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTravellers today face many challenges from risk and safety issues. Focusing in particular on risk and safety issues faced by visitors to holy sites, this book looks at the unique challenges raised, where annual religious festivals are commemorated with mass gatherings lasting for days and large crowds require detailed disaster management plans. Beginning with a general section on risk management, covering areas such as disaster management, terrorism, crime and security, the book then delves deeper into specific issues and challenges. It reviews important topics such as understanding the behaviour of crowds, how to perform a risk assessment for a sacred space, and travelling in what some would regard as an increasingly hostile world. Examining critically all risk and safety challenges in this area of management, the book: - Includes a full section of global case studies, as well as discussion questions for each chapter, encouraging readers to translate theory into good practice. - Offers critical thinking on risk, vulnerability and long-term development for mass gatherings. - Covers the importance of disaster management practices and offers practical advice for ensuring attendees' safety. Mitigating risk at mass gathering events and festivals is an area that still needs further research, but this book brings together current thought and provides a valuable reference for those studying religion, tourism and events, as well as event organizers, emergency and hospital services, and local authorities.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Asia-Pacific region is considered the world's religious core, with the greatest number of pilgrims and travellers to religious events for both international and domestic tourism. It is estimated that there are approximately 600 million national and international religious and spiritual voyages in the world, of which over half take place in Asia. This book focuses on tourism and sacred sites in Asia. Contemporary case studies of religious and pilgrimage activities provide key learning points and present practical examples from this 'hub' of pilgrimage destinations. They explore ancient, sacred and emerging tourist destinations and new forms of pilgrimage, faith systems and quasi-religious activities. It will be of interest to researchers within religious, cultural, heritage and Asian tourism. Key features include: - An Asian perspective on a growing area of tourism. - Case studies from across the continent. - Full-colour images of pilgrimage sites and key destinations bring the topic to life.Table of Contents1: Religious Tourism and Sacred Sites in Asia 2: The Rise of Heritage and Religious Tourism to Sacred Sites in Oman 3: Entrepreneurship for Religious Tourism in Mumbai, India 4: Spiritual Tourism in Sufism in South Asia 5: Religious Tourism in Azerbaijan: Current Challenges 6: The Sacred in Caves and Mountains: Animist and Christian Interfaces in the Philippines 7: Religious Tourism in the Ideological Framework of Chinese Tourism Education 8: Religious Tourism: The Beginning of a New Era with Special Reference to India 9: Pilgrimage and Historical Tourism on West Java: Learning about History 10: To Own the Sacred, to Control the People: Maha¯bodhi Temple Complex, Bodhgaya¯, India 11: Branding the Buddha’s Birthplace: Exploring Nepal’s Potential to Become a Destination of Global Buddhist Tourism 12: Religious Migrations in Contemporary Central Asia 13: Religious Festival in Tourism: A Comparative Perspective of the Aobao Festival 14: To Brand Gandhara, the Ancient Buddhist Centre: Pakistan’s Potential to Develop Buddhist Tourism 15: Nankana Sahib as ‘A Symbol of Religious Coexistence’ 16: The Destination Marketing Development of Religious Tourism in Uzbekistan: A Case Study 17: Religion and Religious Tourism: A Case Study of Kerala

Read more less

Book SynopsisGod, Pope Francis affirms, is present in nature, and he wants us to share that perspective, because he believes that it can generate in us a sense of wonder, awe, reverence and love for nature in all its aspects. This sense will make us strong enough to dedicate ourselves to the demanding task of caring for what he calls ‘our common home.’ When my home is under threat I will fight tooth and nail to protect it and those living in it, because I love it. Such commitment is needed today if our small and fragile planet is to be brought back to health. Brian Grogan brings the background of Ignatian spirituality and a lived appreciation of God’s creation to his book of meditations on Pope Francis’ Encyclical, Laudato Si. Rather than an exhaustive explanation of the encyclical, this book serves as a daily invitation to notice in ordinary creation the invitation of God to love and care for all God’s creation. Read slowly each morning, it could give a focus for living the day in recognising God in all things, and the call of God to be a co-creator of his beautiful world each day.

Read more less

Book Synopsis Having taken over the leadership of the French school of sociology after the death of his uncle, Emile Durkheim, in 1917, Mauss, celebrated author of The Gift, re-launched the flagship journal, the Année sociologique. Here are two of Mauss's most significant statements on the social sciences. The first, written with Fauconnet, outlines the methodological orientations of the school. The second examines the internal organization of sociology as a division of intellectual labor. The essays are of interest to anthropologists as well as sociologists for Mauss, like Durkheim, did not distinguish in detail the two disciplines.Table of Contents Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction Mike Gane Sociology (with Paul Fauconnet) Sociology: Its Divisions and Their Relative Weightings Chapter 1. The Sequence or Order of the Parts of Sociology Chapter 2. On the Proportions of the Parts of Sociology Chapter 3. Concrete Divisions of Sociology Chapter 4. The Place of Applied Sociology or Politics Additional Bibliographical Note Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first complete translation of the Bible into English was produced by the followers of John Wyclif in the last quarter of the fourteenth century; it is known in two versions, very literal and more idiomatic, and, despite being banned within 25 years of its completion, survives today, complete or partial, in around 250 copies. The organization of the enterprise almost certainly was initiated in Oxford, and reflects in many ways contemporary scholarly interests. The gospel commentaries of the present study represent a spin-off from the processes of translation: they use the literal text, and attach to it English translations of patristic and later biblical exegesis. The book considers the background to the copies that survive, the precise sources that lie behind the vernacular, and the ways in which older texts were scrutinized and modified to fit a later medieval audience; a section looks at the uses that, so far, have been traced. No part of the commentaries has so far been printed: this study concludes with some extracts from all sections of the compilation, chosen to amplify the claims of the discussion and to illustrate the commentaries' varied methods.Trade ReviewReviews 'This will be a major publication ... The editorial complexities in these voluminous Wycliffite texts would defeat most scholars, and few, perhaps none, are as well-qualified as Hudson to edit them. It is unlikely that there will be an edition of the Glossed Gospels undertaken in the near future, and it would be an immense bonus to have as many substantial extracts as possible available in an easily accessible authoritative edition. The study of late medieval English religious and intellectual culture is currently developing rapidly; this study, along with the edited extracts, promises to constitute a major primary intervention in the field.' Kantik Ghosh, Trinity College, University of Oxford'Doctors in English constitutes an important primary intervention in the study of late medieval English religious and intellectual culture.'Kantik Ghosh, Journal of Ecclesiastical History'This volume is a vital new study of an important and thus far un-edited group of texts, which will be crucial for those working on religious and intellectual culture in the late medieval period.'Medium Aevum Table of ContentsList of Plates Preface List of Abbreviations 1 Introduction 2 Description of the manuscripts 3 Biblical text, its layout and its origin 4 The commentaries, their texts, basis, sources and methods (a) Long Matthew, þe firste exposicioun (b) The commentaries dependent on Catena aurea: (i) short Matthew (ii) long Luke, short Luke (iii) short John (iv) short Mark (c) The York text and its relation to the texts in (a) and (b); its evidence for the existence of long versions of Mark and John, and for a long version of Matthew dependent on Catena aurea. 5 The 'topics' in York and the other commentaries, their makeup and sources. 6 The uses made of the commentaries in other texts. 7 Conclusions, suggestions and questions (a) The Prologues and Epilogue (b) Editing the commentaries (c) Lollard texts? (d) Translation or translations? (e) Processes of compilation (f) Related texts? (g) Origins of the commentaries, date, place, context. Texts: extracts from the commentaries: brief explanation of editorial method 1.(a) Matthew 11:12-15 from A and from Ad (b) Matthew 22:1-3 from AL and Y (c) Matthew 23:29-31 from A and from Ad 2.(a) Luke 10:1-7 from K and from B (b) Luke 12:1-3 from K and from B 3.(a) John 6:1-7 from B and from Y 4.(a) Mark 4:13-20 from Ad (b) Mark 8:1-9 from Ad and from Y (c) Mark 12:38-44 from Ad 5. (a) Matthew 4:1-8 from Y (b) passages from Abbeville in Y and in Ad 6. Topics (a) De sacramento altaris from AL and CUL Ff.6.31 (b) De confessione (extract) from K and Y (c) De officiis prelatorum (extract) from Y and B 7. Odo (a) attached to Mark 10:31 from Ad (b) attached to sermon on 9 Trinity in Y (c) in sermon for 2 Advent from Y, and attached to Mark 16:21-7 from Ad Appendixes (a) The problems of using modern editions of three Latin sources for the English commentaries. (b) The structure and coverage of Odo of Chateauroux in Oxford MS Balliol College 37. Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn late modernity theology has to perform an aesthetic turn, if it wants to break out of its current isolation. Theologians cannot limit themselves to biblical texts and Christian tradition as a frame of reference but also have to search for traces of God's presence in cultures and religions. God/Terror addresses the quest for God in the context of oppression, violence and terror from an aesthetic perspective. It looks at how artists and writers approach the relationship between God and Terror. Statements such as that from composer Karl Heinz Stockhausen: "9/11 was the greatest work of art ever" or from South African writer Adam Small: "Only literature can perform the miracle of reconciliation" - are occasions to reflect again about the relationship between ethics and aesthetics, theology and the arts. As in a medieval diptych, the theme is mirroring god talk in memory of 9/11 and in the context of political conflicts in Germany, South Korea and South Africa. First published in German as Gott - Terror: ein Diptychon by Kohlhammer.Table of ContentsPrologue I. Terror, War and Violence: God Talk in Memory of September 11th, 2001 1. The Power of Images 2. Apocalypse Now – Does 9/11 Mark an Epochal Boundary? 3. Conflicting Images of God II. Guilt, Reconciliation and Grace: God Talk in the Context of Political Conflicts in Germany, South Korea and South Africa 4. The Powerlessness of Images 5. Beyond Apocalypse – Dealing with Guilt in Societal Transformation Processes 6. In Conflict with God Epilogue

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn late modernity theology has to perform an aesthetic turn, if it wants to break out of its current isolation. Theologians cannot limit themselves to biblical texts and Christian tradition as a frame of reference but also have to search for traces of God's presence in cultures and religions. God/Terror addresses the quest for God in the context of oppression, violence and terror from an aesthetic perspective. It looks at how artists and writers approach the relationship between God and Terror. Statements such as that from composer Karl Heinz Stockhausen: "9/11 was the greatest work of art ever" or from South African writer Adam Small: "Only literature can perform the miracle of reconciliation" - are occasions to reflect again about the relationship between ethics and aesthetics, theology and the arts. As in a medieval diptych, the theme is mirroring god talk in memory of 9/11 and in the context of political conflicts in Germany, South Korea and South Africa. First published in German as Gott - Terror: ein Diptychon by Kohlhammer.Table of ContentsPrologue I. Terror, War and Violence: God Talk in Memory of September 11th, 2001 1. The Power of Images 2. Apocalypse Now – Does 9/11 Mark an Epochal Boundary? 3. Conflicting Images of God II. Guilt, Reconciliation and Grace: God Talk in the Context of Political Conflicts in Germany, South Korea and South Africa 4. The Powerlessness of Images 5. Beyond Apocalypse – Dealing with Guilt in Societal Transformation Processes 6. In Conflict with God Epilogue

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe values of liberalism, pluralism, and democratic governance are under sustained attack from right-wing Christian fundamentalists, white ethnonationalists, and economic populists. At the same time, liberal democracies are failing at cultivating and transmitting the values, wisdom, and virtues that are the perquisites for individual and collective flourishing. Liberal democracies seem increasingly unable to negotiate diverse visions of the good life rooted in regional, ethnic, racial, religious, generational, and socioeconomic differences. Aspiring autocrats and social media organizations exploit these divisions to enhance their power or profit, resulting in increased tribalization and affective polarization. Solving these problems requires a renewed understanding of human flourishing and the wisdom and virtues that make it possible. The House We Live In explores the commonalities underlying three classical approaches to virtue ethics--Aristotelean, Buddhist, and Confucian--to develop a flourishing-based ethics capable of addressing the problems of liberal democracies. The book examines the moral and intellectual virtues that promote flourishing, the diversity of ways in which we may flourish, and the factors all flourishing lives share. It shows how a flourishing-based ethics can serve as a corrective to the historical Western over-emphasis on individualism at the expense of community. Finally, it addresses problems in domestic and foreign policy and the difficulties in talking to each other across the political divide from a flourishing-based perspective. The book is a reaffirmation of pluralism, the liberal democratic tradition, and the necessity of a pragmatic approach to living together despite seemingly incommensurable differences.Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1. The House We Live In Chapter 2. On Virtue Chapter 3. On Wisdom Chapter 4. On Flourishing Chapter 5. Only Connect Conclusions

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe values of liberalism, pluralism, and democratic governance are under sustained attack from right-wing Christian fundamentalists, white ethnonationalists, and economic populists. At the same time, liberal democracies are failing at cultivating and transmitting the values, wisdom, and virtues that are the perquisites for individual and collective flourishing. Liberal democracies seem increasingly unable to negotiate diverse visions of the good life rooted in regional, ethnic, racial, religious, generational, and socioeconomic differences. Aspiring autocrats and social media organizations exploit these divisions to enhance their power or profit, resulting in increased tribalization and affective polarization. Solving these problems requires a renewed understanding of human flourishing and the wisdom and virtues that make it possible. The House We Live In explores the commonalities underlying three classical approaches to virtue ethics--Aristotelean, Buddhist, and Confucian--to develop a flourishing-based ethics capable of addressing the problems of liberal democracies. The book examines the moral and intellectual virtues that promote flourishing, the diversity of ways in which we may flourish, and the factors all flourishing lives share. It shows how a flourishing-based ethics can serve as a corrective to the historical Western over-emphasis on individualism at the expense of community. Finally, it addresses problems in domestic and foreign policy and the difficulties in talking to each other across the political divide from a flourishing-based perspective. The book is a reaffirmation of pluralism, the liberal democratic tradition, and the necessity of a pragmatic approach to living together despite seemingly incommensurable differences.Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1. The House We Live In Chapter 2. On Virtue Chapter 3. On Wisdom Chapter 4. On Flourishing Chapter 5. Only Connect Conclusions

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines the historical, political, religious, and social dynamics of Muslim minority status in Uganda, and important themes of pre- and post-colonial political community, religion and national identity. Between 2012 and 2016 several Muslim clerics were murdered in Uganda: there is still no consensus as to who was responsible. In this book Joseph Kasule seeks to explain this by examining the colonial and postcolonial history of the Muslim minority and questions of Muslim identity within a non-Muslim state. Challenging prevalent scholarship that has homogenized Muslims' political identity, Kasule demonstrates that Muslim responses to power have been varied and multiple. Beginning with the pre-colonial political community in Buganda, and Muteesa I's attempted Islamization of the country using Islam as a centralizing ideology, the author discusses how the political status of Islam and Muslims in Uganda has been defined under successive regimes. Muteesa I's Islamization faltered when Christianity entered Buganda in the latter half of the 19th century, resulting in division between Muslim and Christian sections. The colonial period created a new type of political project that defined the Muslim question as one of representation, and Kasule discusses how this laid the foundation for a politics of Muslim containment within a predominantly Christian power. He examines contrasting urban-based Muslim organizations and rural expressions of Islam; tension between representative claims of Muslim leaderships within the demand for Muslim autonomy; and the rise of new reform groups. As these splits turned violent, 'new' Muslim 'publics' emerged around opposing centres of Muslim power which sought different resolutions to their minority situation. East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi): Makerere Institute of Social ResearchTrade ReviewKasule's work will stand the test of time and become a reference for the future of African studies in general and more particularly the Islamic identity of Uganda. The author must be applauded for his scholarly contribution to this field of study. -- Abdul Hai * Islamic Literary Society *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Islam in Pre-Colonial Buganda 3. Muslim Communities in the Colonial Era 4. Milton Obote Founds his Muslim Alliance 5. Idi Amin Attempts to Islamize the State 6. Islamic Reform and Intra-Muslim Violence 7. NRM Statecraft and Muslim Subjects 8. Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisDirt, Mess and Danger celebrates the One who came to earth to live a fully human life, who as a baby suckled at his mother's breast, and as a man suffered an all-too-human death on the cross at Calvary.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe country is bankrupt, the gap between rich and poor is widening, the church has retreated from the inner cities, and even in the more affluent suburbs, many young people see the church as irrelevant - out of touch.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third in the series of books of modern parables after A Blessing to Follow and Welcoming Each Wonder.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this book of biblical reflections botanist Ghillean Prance draws richly from his experiences exploring the Amazon and many other regions - from the White Mountains of Turkey to the Hawaiian Archipelago.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is a landmark book that will renew our understanding of what the gospel - literally 'the good news about Jesus' - is for today's cultures. It begins with a key challenge - do we believe God speaks in the cultural context, or only in the Christian tradition? Part One - Listening to God in the cultural context explores the radically changing culture in which the church exists today, the rise of new spiritualities, the secularisation of society and religion's increasingly dubious public image. Part Two - Listening to God in the Christian tradition looks at key periods in Christian history as responses to cultural changes, from the ancient pagan world to modernist faith. What can we learn from the lessons of the past? Part Three moves from theory to practice and tells great stories where innovative evangelism is taking place - from supermarkets to festivals to the internet.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA well-informed presentation of the case against assisted suicide, with reference to politics, society and medicine. This book addresses the the foundational imperative that cherishes life under all circumstances. This is about the choice of the kind of world we want to live in - a Christian heritage which is likely to be squandered. George Pitcher reaffirms the view that death is part of life: there is a long tradition of the acceptance of suffering. By contrast, the modern alternative - right to die becomes duty to die - looks utilitarian, the culling of the weak. There are worrying implications for the provision of care. We are being asked to consider the economics of suicide. Despite recent advances in palliative care there is a sad lack of investment, made worse by this callous approach. In Oregon and Holland, where euthanasia is licensed, there has been a marked fall in palliative care. George Pitcher concludes with a strong celebration of life, in which death plays its part. He argues that this approach empowers medical staff and leads to the regeneration of pastoral care.Trade Review“This is perhaps the most important book on the subject of `assisted dying’ that we have yet seen. It combines unmistakeable realism and compassion with acute moral argument and an unsparing analysis of the very disturbing record of various attempts in other countries to control the effects of legislating for physician-assisted death. An absolutely essential read for all concerned with what is probably the sharpest moral and legal question of our time.” – The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury -- Rowan Williams * Via author *George Pitcher’s book is such a timely and helpful contribution to the debate. He charts accurately the rise of the individualistic culture that lies at the root of calls for `assisted dying’ and he exposes eloquently the reality rather than the spin of what has been happening in the American State of Oregon, so beloved of British would-be reformers, as well as Holland. He then proceeds to give a much-needed exposition of how euthanasia law has developed and how it works in Britain today, concluding with the revised prosecution policy that has recently appeared from the Crown Prosecution Service – a policy whose robustness must have come as a serious disappointment to the euthanasia lobby. Mr Pitcher then turns to the medical scene, rebutting the facile argument that, if we can put down our pets when they are ill, we should do the same for our fellow humans. He exposes the intriguing paradox that campaigning for euthanasia and assisted suicide has increased almost in parallel with modern medicine’s ability to relieve suffering and questions why `assisted dying’, if it ever it were to be legalised, has to be part of health care. It is an excellent book and I hope it will be widely read by everyone who has an interest in this subject. Professor the Baroness Finlay of Llandaff FRCP, FRCGP. -- Baroness Finlay * Via author *Robust and polemical … a journalist working at his best. -- Robin Gill * The Church Times *Eloquently dismisses the need for legislation enacting assisted suicide. -- Carl Farnworth * Church of Scotland Magazine *He examines thoroughly the legal arguments and examines with full documentation the situation in other countries, notably Holland and Switzerland. -- Richard Carter * The Reader *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA substantial collection of original meditations by Elfed ap Nefydd Roberts comprising over 150 meditations prepared by him over a period of thirty years.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book provides an overview of the range of seminarian thinking in Iran on the controversial topic of the hijab. During the modern period, Iran has suffered a great deal of conflict and confusion caused by the impact of Western views on the hijab in the 19th century, Riza Shah Pahlavi's 1936 decree banning Islamic head coverings, and the imposition of the veil in the wake of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Hijab addresses the differences of opinion among seminarians on the hijab in the Islamic Republic of Iran, focusing on three representative thinkers: Murtaza Mutahhari who held veiling to be compulsory, Ahmad Qabil who argued for the desirability of the hijab, and Muhsin Kadivar who considers it neither necessary nor desirable. In the first chapter, the views of these three scholars are contextualized within the framework known as 'new religious thinking' among the seminarians. Comprehending the hermeneutics of this new religious thinking is key to appreciating how and why the younger generation of scholars have offered divergent judgements about the hijab. Following the first chapter, the book is divided into three parallel sections, each devoted to one of the three seminarians. These present a chronological approach, and each scholar's position on the hijab is assessed with reference to historical specificity and their own general jurisprudential perspective. Extensive examples of the writings of the three scholars on the hijab are also provided.Trade Review‘This excellent study is an examination of the evolving theological and juristic positions on hijab among seminarians in Iran. The author Lloyd Ridgeon provides the reader with valuable insights into the complexity of the juristic debates. Focusing on the work of three aptly-chosen scholars, he makes their juristic arguments available in English for the first time, as well as referencing the extensive literature on the topic in English and Persian. The writing is clear, the story unfolds systematically and cogently, and the book is a pleasure to read.’ Ziba Mir-Hosseini, SOAS University of London; ‘This study fills an important gap by discussing the views of three different Islamic scholars from Iran on the hijab. A particular strength of the book is that it covers scholars from both the pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary periods. The contributions of the scholars are contextualized by providing accessible introductions to the political, social and cultural developments in Iran before and after the Islamic Revolution with a focus on gender issues and the question of the hijab. As such, the study illustrates quite well how Islamic jurisprudence is always situated in and responds to a particular context.’Oliver Scharbrodt, University of Birmingham.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this book, scholars from Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions explore violence in religious scriptures. In 12 chapters, they grapple with the problem of how to deal with the phenomenon of violence when it appears within the scriptures and traditions of particular religious faiths. The writers identitify the violent language, imagery, story and ideology which reside deep withn these texts. Some chapters offer detailed exegetical examination of key passages, while other chapters offer theological explorations of the issue.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this challenging and provocative book, Tom Frame, one of Australia’s best-known writers on religion and society, examines diminishing theological belief and declining denominational affiliation. He argues that Australia has never been a very religious nation but that few Australians have deliberately rejected belief – most simply can’t see why they need to be bothered with religion at all. He contends that vehement campaigning against theistic belief is the product of growing disdain for religious fundamentalism and a vigorous commitment to personal autonomy. Losing My Religion contends that God is certainly not dead but that Australia’s religious landscape will continue to change as the battle for hearts, minds and spirits continues. Published on the sesquicentennial of the first release of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859), this book will provoke debate about what matters to Australians.Winner Australian Christian Book of the Year 2010

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less