Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewFraming his inquiry as a quest for understanding sacrificial motivation across traditions, this ambitious book combines theoretical explanations with historical surveys, finally concluding with moral judgments about the proper role of sacrifice in the contemporary world. -- Journal of the American Academy of Religion
A gripping book that simultaneously serves as an introduction to sacrifice, a proposal for a theory of sacrifice, a nuanced moral critique of sacrifice, and a vibrant study of ideas and practices of sacrifice in the Abrahamic traditions. All these dimensions form one cogent and compelling argument about the meaning and nature of sacrifice. Anyone who has ever wondered why humans sacrifice and why sacrifice is at the heart of so many religions will benefit from reading this book. -- Pamela Eisenbaum,Professor at Iliff School of Theology and author of Paul Was Not a Christian
David Weddle offers fresh insights into the myriad expressions of sacrifice found in the Abrahamic traditions. He grapples with a central dilemma in the study of religion: why do believers so readily embrace and engage in practices that involve some form of self-denial and renunciation? Deftly and cogently, the author illustrates the crucial interdependence between continual acts of sacrifice and formative religious beliefs. This elegantly written work makes a key contribution to theories of religion and human nature, and sheds new light on the practices and meanings of sacrifice in the Abrahamic faiths. -- Tazim Kassam,Syracuse University
