Religious issues and debates Books

Book SynopsisJonathan M. Golden is Director of the Center on Religion, Culture, and Conflict at Drew University, USA, where he teaches comparative religion, anthropology, and conflict resolution.Joseph J. McCallister is a teacher of English and language arts at Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest, New Jersey, USA, and is a doctoral candidate at Drew University, USA.Table of ContentsAlphabetical List of Entries Topical List of Entries Series Foreword Preface Overview Chronology A to Z Annotated Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSteve Bruce explores Scotland's transformation from the devout Presbyterian country of 1900, to the diverse society of today, with less than 10 per cent of Scots attending church. He bases his study on historical, ethnographic and statistical research, to provide both a coherent description of Scotland's current religious complexion.

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Book SynopsisThe Human Paradox shows how the nature of the human is structured by the conflicting human values and virtues that have shaped Western culture, and are visible across the world today.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Part One: The Human Paradox 1. Where to Begin? 2. Union and Non-Union 3. The Lens of the Virtues 4. The Virtues of Self-Assertion 5. The Virtues of Reverence 6. The Human Paradox 7. Paradox Breeds Paradox 8. The Paradoxes of Self-Assertion 9. The Paradoxes of Reverence 10. Four Families of Virtues Part Two: The Human Paradox in a Human World 11. Society 12. Politics 13. Organizations 14. Psychology 15. Philosophy 16. Religious Life 17. Civilization Conclusion

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Book SynopsisWhy is there suffering, sickness and death? Why is no corner of human life and society immune from egotism, fear, tyranny, betrayal and guilt? What was God thinking when he allowed evil to come into existence?Drawing on the worldview of Rudolf Steiner, the author explains that the roots of evil lie with angelic beings. Schroeder discusses evil's prehistory in heaven and shows how the polarity of two kinds of evil, with good as a balance between them, manifests itself in earthly history, and in the areas of education, work, human relationships, sexuality, religion and technology.With the increased influence of evil in today's world, Schroeder considers how prayer, meditation and angelic guidance through reincarnation give us the possibility to overcome evil in all its forms.Trade Review'This book is most certainly the immensely useful and enlightening creation of a mature and wise anthroposophist. My partner read this book before I did and remarked upon how it was both enormously challenging to read and yet also almost un-put-down-able. It is difficult to imagine a stronger recommendation than this.'-- Richard House, New View'Explains Rudolf Steiner's philosophy of evil and shows how evil can be overcome and transformed -- there is an interesting chapter on evil in fairytale.'-- Scientific & Medical Network Review

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Book SynopsisFifty new prayers from young and old and from folk around the globe - from Glasgow to Cincinnati, from Malawi to Alaska, including well-known Iona Community writers like John Harvey, Ian M. Fraser, Peter Millar, Yvonne Morland, Chris Polhill, Thom Shuman, Brian Woodcock, the Wild Goose Resource Group and many others - A pocketbook of prayers that might be used in a daily discipline, many on the concerns of the Iona Community - poverty and economic justice, welcome and hospitality, interfaith dialogue, church renewal, peacemaking - A prayer book to use in church worship, and to carry in your coat or handbag out into the world: to connect with the still small voice in the midst of the busyness and babble; to root yourself firmly in the Word. There are prayers here for the renewal of global and local community, and for recharging the battery of your mobile phone: ''Either He is the Lord of everything or He is Lord of nothing,'' wrote George MacLeod, founder of the Iona Community. Also includes a helpful ''scrapbook'' of thoughts on prayer from many sources.

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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.

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Book SynopsisNorms and obligations are central components of many religious traditions. Yet they have often been neglected as objects of reflection in the study of religion relative to belief, experience, and even the related category of ritual. More surprisingly, despite the centrality of mitzvah (commandment) in Judaism, halakhah (Jewish law) has only recently become a central topic in modern Jewish thought. This book rectifies these deficiencies while forging new connections between reflection on religion and modern Jewish thought by offering what it calls a critique of halakhic reason. Such a critique delineates the rational constraints on the justification of the commandments and the practical consequences for their jurisprudence. It also asks whether uniquely religious reasons even exist and draws conclusions for several areas of study. Critique of Halakhic Reason offers fresh assessments of twentieth century Jewish thinkers, including Joseph Soloveitchik, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, and Eliezer Berkovits, as deeply engaged in reason-giving about the commandments yet simultaneously denying the normativity of practical reason. Against them, it contends that, when reasons are understood as generated by the structure of agency and the relations among subjects, they are the source of normativity. This constructivist theory of practical reason provides a basis for conceptions of authority, norms, and obligations that are applicable even to God''s commands. Divine commandments too operate within a space of reasons, and so are constrained by rationality and morality. Whether commandments are justified and how they are implemented depends on the reasons offered for and against them by humans. Reasons and practices of reason-giving are thus central to religious thought and life. Yonatan Y. Brafman examines the reasoning operative in the justification and jurisprudence of the Jewish commandments, and develops the consequences of reasoning for the study and philosophy of religion.

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Book SynopsisThe author of The Happiness Hypothesis presents a groundbreaking investigation into the origins of morality at the core of religion and politics, offering scholarly insight into the motivations behind cultural clashes that are polarizing America. 50,000 first printing.

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Book SynopsisDiscusses contemporary arguments over social Catholicism and the believer's role in society by illuminating a similar dispute between French Catholics among the Modernist Crisis (1909-1914).

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Book SynopsisJohn Ruskin had an extraordinary ability to bring together aesthetics, religion, ecology, and social issues in a unitary, overarching vision, all expressed in a prose style worthy of comparison with any in the English language. This volume offers an analytic account of Ruskin’s principal writings on art, viewed through the lens of Ruskin’s religious claims.Trade Review“Impressive and ambitious . . . brings together in one volume a set of comments on most of Ruskin’s art writings.” —William McKeown, The University of Memphis

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Book SynopsisOffers a systematic account of the Seraphic Doctor's doctrine of grace across his speculative-academic, mystical, hagiographical, and pastoral texts. The book does so by arguing that an account of this kind can only be provided by also attending to his theology of hierarchy.

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Book SynopsisAIDS, Sexuality, and the Black Church: Making the Wounded Whole is a revealing account of AIDS activism within Black churches in New York City. AIDS has taken a devastating toll on the Black community. Blacks make up approximately 13% of the total United States population, but almost half of all those infected with HIV in the U.S. are Black. Previous research has claimed that these high rates are due, in large part, to the lack of an immediate response by Black Church leaders and officials when AIDS first began to strike Blacks in the early 1980s. The Black Church can play a major role in providing AIDS education to its parishioners and community. However, feeling uncomfortable with addressing sexuality and homosexuality, many Black churches have simply avoided addressing AIDS believing that such conversations were inappropriate for church. As a result, The Balm in Gilead was formed in 1992 to encourage AIDS awareness among Black religious institutions. The Balm in Gilead is nowTrade Review«This fine book, a thoughtful study of the response of the Black Church to the AIDS epidemic, is of value for students of the sociology of religion, of race, and of health. But perhaps it is most valuable as an exploration in the construction of a social problem, and as an offer of hope for the enlightened, caring development of solutions.» (Barbara Katz Rothman, Professor of Sociology, City University of New York, Past President, Society for the Study of Social Problems) «This is an important book about AIDS in Black communities that details the significant role that Black churches and community-based organizations have played in responding to this crisis, especially in Black communities. Harris’s discussion of The Balm in Gilead is especially instructive for all those interested in how one community-based organization helped to gener-ate a movement in response to HIV and AIDS in Black communities. In the pages of this text we learn how some members of ‘the Black Church’ were mobilized to use their power to confront the epidemic of HIV and AIDS. This book is a necessary and important read for all those concerned with the fight against AIDS, especially as it continues to take hold in Black communities.» (Cathy J. Cohen, David and Mary Winton Green Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago; Author of ‘Boundaries of Blackness: AIDS and the Breakdown of Black Politics’)

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Book SynopsisEven as the subject of spirituality in the workplace is gaining momentum, surveys show the number of workers satisfied with their jobs is decreasing. The Workplace and Spirituality aims to correct this drop in morale by helping business leaders restore meaning and purpose to the workplace. Each of the twenty contributors in this anthology is a business leader, teacher, speaker, or writer on the topic of workplace spirituality, representing the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, and South America. Together, they offer a comprehensive and clear understanding of what it takes, and what it means, to be a "spiritual workplace." Written for business leaders, students of business management, policy-makers, and rising leaders. Includes notes, references, and index. Sample chapters include: . "The S-Word Revisited: New Horizons in Workplace Spirituality" . "Love and Truth: The Golden Rules of Leadership" . "Creating Edgewalker Organizations: Nurturing the Spiritual Leaders of Tomorrow" Dr. Joan Marques, Dr. Satinder Dhiman and Dr. Richard King are co-founders of the Business Renaissance Institute in Pasadena and co-authors of Spirituality in the Workplace.

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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.

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Book SynopsisThere is perhaps no aspect of traditional Thomistic thought so contested in modern Catholic theology as the notion of predestination as presented by the classical Thomist school. What is that doctrine, and why is it so controversial? Has it been rightly understood in the context of modern debates? At the same time, the Church’s traditional affirmation of a mystery of predestination is largely ignored in modern Catholic theology more generally. Why is this the case? Can a theology that emphasizes the Augustinian notion of the primacy of salvation by grace alone also forego a theology of predestination?Thomism and Predestination: Principles and Disputations considers these topics from various angles: the principles of the classical Thomistic treatment of predestination, their contested interpretation among modern theologians, examples of the doctrine as illustrated by the spiritual writings of the saints, and the challenges to Catholic theology that the Thomistic tradition continues to pose. This volume initiates readers— especially future theologians and Catholic intellectuals—to a central theme of theology that is speculatively challenging and deeply interconnected to many other elements of the faith.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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