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In Search of Israel: The History of an Idea
by Michael BrennerA major new history of the century-long debate over what a Jewish state should beMany Zionists who advocated the creation of a Jewish state envisioned a nation like any other. Yet for Israel's founders, the state that emerged against all odds in 1948 was anything but ordinary. Born from the ashes of genocide and a long history of suffering, Israel was conceived to be unique, a model society and the heart of a prosperous new Middle East. It is this paradox, says historian Michael Brenner--the Jewish people's wish for a homeland both normal and exceptional—that shapes Israel's ongoing struggle to define itself and secure a place among nations. In Search of Israel is a major new history of this struggle from the late nineteenth century to our time.When Theodor Herzl convened the First Zionist Congress in 1897, no single solution to the problem of "normalizing" the Jewish people emerged. Herzl proposed a secular-liberal "New Society" that would be home to Jews and non-Jews alike. East European Zionists advocated the renewal of the Hebrew language and the creation of a distinct Jewish culture. Socialists imagined a society of workers' collectives and farm settlements. The Orthodox dreamt of a society based on the laws of Jewish scripture. The stage was set for a clash of Zionist dreams and Israeli realities that continues today.Seventy years after its founding, Israel has achieved much, but for a state widely viewed as either a paragon or a pariah, Brenner argues, the goal of becoming a state like any other remains elusive. If the Jews were the archetypal "other" in history, ironically, Israel—which so much wanted to avoid the stamp of otherness—has become the Jew among the nations.
In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians
by John DougillFrom the time the first Christian missionary arrived in Japan in 1549 to when a nationwide ban was issued in 1614, over 300,000 Japanese were converted to Christianity. A vicious campaign of persecution forced the faithful to go underground. For seven generations, Hidden Christians-or Kirishitan-preserved a faith that was strictly forbidden on pain of death. Illiterate peasants handed down the Catholicism that had been taught to their ancestors despite having no Bible or contact with the outside world.Just as remarkably, descendants of the Hidden Christians continue to this day to practice their own religion, refusing to rejoin the Catholic Church. Why? And what is it about Christianity that is so antagonistic to Japanese culture? In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians is an attempt to answer these questions. A journey in both space and time, In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians recounts a clash of civilizations-of East and West-that resonates to this day, and offers insights about the tenacity of belief and unchanging aspects of Japanese culture.
In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians
by John DougillFrom the time the first Christian missionary arrived in Japan in 1549 to when a nationwide ban was issued in 1614, over 300,000 Japanese were converted to Christianity. A vicious campaign of persecution forced the faithful to go underground. For seven generations, Hidden Christians-or Kirishitan-preserved a faith that was strictly forbidden on pain of death. Illiterate peasants handed down the Catholicism that had been taught to their ancestors despite having no Bible or contact with the outside world.Just as remarkably, descendants of the Hidden Christians continue to this day to practice their own religion, refusing to rejoin the Catholic Church. Why? And what is it about Christianity that is so antagonistic to Japanese culture? In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians is an attempt to answer these questions. A journey in both space and time, In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians recounts a clash of civilizations-of East and West-that resonates to this day, and offers insights about the tenacity of belief and unchanging aspects of Japanese culture.
In Search of Jewish Community: Jewish Identities In Germany And Austria, 1918-1933
by Michael Brenner Derek J. Penslar"... an excellent collection... well written and cogently argued." --David N. MyersThe history of Jews in interwar Germany and Austria is often viewed either as the culmination of tremendous success in the economic and cultural realms and of individual assimilation and acculturation, or as the beginning of the road that led to Auschwitz. By contrast, this volume demonstrates a reemerging sense of community within the German-speaking Jewish population of these two countries in the two decades after World War I.
In Search of Justice in Thailand’s Deep South: Malay Muslim and Thai Buddhist Women’s Narratives (Studies in Religion and Culture)
by Soraya JamjureeSince 2004, the violent conflict between Thai Buddhists and Malay Muslims has caused more than 7,500 deaths and 13,000 injuries in the southern border provinces of Thailand. This will be the first collection published in English to give voice to those who have rebounded from these profound personal tragedies to demand justice and peace.The ethnic and religious separatist insurgency in the southern provinces of Thailand is complex. Ninety to ninety-five percent of Thai citizens are Buddhists. In the southernmost provinces, however, Muslims are in the majority—yet they are governed by the Buddhist Thai capital in the north. In 2006 and 2014, the Thai government went through separate coups, resulting in differing policies to address this problem in the south, including a National Culture Act to promote "Thai-ness" throughout the country. In the south, this has resulted in a repressive and corrupt police force and military raids on Muslim villages, provoking the burning of schools and other symbols of Thai government, bombings, and even the killing of teachers and monks.The narratives collected here, primarily from women, testify that although the violence has been generated from both sides of the Buddhist/Muslim divide, the actions undertaken by armed forces of the Thai Buddhist state—including repressive violence and torture—have served as a catalyst for increased Muslim insurgency. These contributions reveal the fundamental problem of how a minority people can fully belong within a state that has insisted on religious, cultural, and linguistic homogenization.
In Search of King Solomon's Mines: A Modern Adventurer's Quest for Gold and History in the Land of the Queen of Sheba
by Tahir ShahKing Solomon, the Bible's wisest king, possessed extraordinary wealth. The grand temple he built in Jerusalem was covered in gold from the porch to the inner sanctum, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Long before H. Rider Haggard's classic adventure novel King Solomon's Mines unleashed gold fever more than a century ago, many had sought to find the source of the great king's wealth. In this new adventure-"a hybrid of Indiana Jones and Herodotus" (Sunday Times, London)-Tahir Shah tries his hand at the quest. Intrigued by a map he finds in a shop not far from the site of the temple, Shah assembles a multitude of clues to the location of Solomon's mines. Some come from ancient texts, including the Septuagint, the earliest form of the Bible, and some from geological, geographical, and folkloric sources. All point across the Red Sea to Ethiopia, the land of the Queen of Sheba, Solomon's lover, who bore Solomon's son Menelik and founded Ethiopia's imperial line. Shah's trail takes him on a wild ride-by taxi, bus, camel, donkey, and Jeep-that is sure to delight all travelers.
In Search of Mary: The Woman and the Symbol
by Sally CunneenMary--relic of the religious past or beacon of the future? Mary is more alive today than she was in the early Christian church, surfacing in art and worship in almost every culture on earth. Her appeal bridges the gap between the devotional and the secular, the uneducated and the sophisticated. But who is Mary and what exactly does she symbolize? How did a humble Jewish girl become the most honored woman in human history? Why is there so little about Mary in the Bible and so much about her in the art and history of Christianity, East and West? And why, in an age dominated by science and technology, does devotion to Mary persist? In Search of Mary is Sally Cunneen's provocative response to these questions. As Cunneen eloquently points out, in order to see Mary whole, it is important to look at all the different visions and versions of her, revisiting history through the eyes of a present day searcher. Including the latest findings by historians, anthropologists, and psychologists, as well as art historians and religious scholars, In Search of Mary reveals what we know about the life of Mary, follows the history and development of her image over the last two thousand years, and explores the different ways that Mary has transformed the lives of people today.As we struggle for greater unity in a divided world, In Search of Mary shows us a woman who can touch all people, regardless of their backgrounds. She is a profound reminder of the presence of the holy in ordinary life.
In Search of Moral Knowledge: Overcoming the Fact-Value Dichotomy
by R. Scott SmithFor most of the church's history, people have seen Christian ethics as normative and universally applicable. Recently, however, this view has been lost, thanks to naturalism and relativism. R. Scott Smith argues that Christians need to overcome Kant's fact-value dichotomy and recover the possibility of genuine moral and theological knowledge.
In Search of New Age Spiritualities (Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies)
by Adam PossamaiThe search for an adequate understanding of the New Age phenomenon is fraught with difficulties when examined within the perspectives of sociology of religion which have shed light on religion in modernity. New Agers cannot be located easily in the secularisation narrative; they move through fluid networks rather than settled collectivities; they assemble personal syncretisms of belief, myth and practice rather than subscribe to codified doctrines and prescribed rituals. New Age is quickly found to be a label that is unacceptable to many of those designated as New Agers. This book advances our understanding of the so-called New Age phenomenon by analysing accounts of insiders' religious experience and orientations. This approach is brought to bear not only on the study of written documents relating to New Age and its putative antecedents, but on the analysis of in-depth interviews with thirty-five spiritual actors.
In Search of Radical Theology: Expositions, Explorations, Exhortations (Perspectives In Continental Philosophy Ser.)
by John D. CaputoThese sparkling essays from a seasoned scholar are &“a great breath of fresh air in our claustrophobic and catastrophic time&” (Cornel West). Capturing a career&’s worth of thought and erudition, this rich volume treats readers to creative thought, careful argumentation, and sophisticated analysis transmitted through the lucid, accessible prose that has earned the author a wide readership of academics and non-academics alike. In tackling &“radical theology,&” John D. Caputo has in mind the deeper stream that courses its way through various historical and confessional theologies, upon which these theologies draw even while it disturbs them from within. They are well served by this disturbance because it keeps them on their toes. When we read about professional theologians&’ losing their jobs in confessional institutions, the chances are that, by earnestly digging into what is going on in their tradition, they have hit upon radical theological rock. Unlike modernist dismissals of religion, radical theology does not debunk but re-invents the theological tradition. Radical theology, Caputo says, is a double deconstruction—of supernatural theology on the one hand and of transcendental reason on the other, and therefore of the settled distinctions between the religious and the secular. Caputo also addresses the challenge for radical theology to earn a spot in the curriculum, given that the &“radical&” makes it suspect among the confessional seminaries while the &“theology&” renders it suspect among university seminars. Journeying from the academy to contemporary American culture, In Search of Radical Theology includes a captivating presentation of radical political theology for the time of Trump. This utterly unique volume not only brings readers on an enlightening tour of Caputo&’s thought but also invites us to accompany the author as he travels into intriguing new territories.
In Search of Shalom: The Success Every Man Desires
by Roy HanschkeIn an increasingly confusing and crass culture, how can modern males re-discover what makes them matter? With a new view of their own spirituality . . . Everywhere you look, the role of men in society is being attacked, belittled and dismissed as old-fashioned, unnecessary, and most disturbing of all, toxic. With this constant onslaught of negativity, many men are looking at their commonplace lives wondering “is this is all there is?” They dream of making a significant spiritual impact on their families, their neighborhoods, places of business and churches. And it doesn’t have to be just a dream. With In Search of Shalom, that dream can be reality. For Shalom is so much more than what many may think of as “peace”. It stands for the fullness of life that God planned for every person. The man who finds shalom not only experiences it for himself, but also brings it to his world. Using the Pilgrim Psalms as a guide, Christian radio personality Roy Hanschke skillfully uncovers the instructions that can leads a man on a journey of change for himself and his world. Come join the men who are finding their joy in life the way God planned it—men in search of shalom.
In Search of Solitude
by Thomas C. OdenIn Search of Solitude is a collection of meditations that record moments of a spiritual pilgrimage. The purpose of these meditations is to put the soul in touch with the eternal in an ordinary time frame. Tom Oden relies on the ancient classic pattern of daily meditative 'hours' to order the life of prayer. An 'hour' here refers not to sixty minutes but to the phases of the daily cycle, related to darkness and light. Spending even a minute in prayer and meditation, seven times a day, sanctifies the entire daily cycle. In Search of Solitude presents selections from Tom Oden's lifetime of personal meditations, arranged according to the daily 'hours' for seven weeks. A series of prose interludes explain the understanding of the flow of time in which the acts of praise occur. Organized during the ten years following his wife's death, the meditations point to particular events and glimpses of reality. Readers can meditate on them to grasp meaning and applications for their own lives. Those who mourn the lost richness of an ordered prayer life will find In Search of Solitude a contemporary means of re-grounding their spirituality, simply by accessing this celebrated ancient structure, made available in electronic format at their fingertips.
In Search of Solutions: The Problem of Religion and Conflict (Religion and Violence)
by Clinton BennettReligion has played a role in conflict throughout history, with religious scriptures often being used to justify violence. In Search of Solutions evaluates the role of religion in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Israel-Palestine. The book argues that religion has a tendency towards conflict and that peace is best guaranteed when human individuals commune directly with the divine without the mediation of organized religions. Different approaches to the reading of scriptures are introduced, drawing on post-modern theory. In Search of Solutions will be invaluable for the student seeking a clear overview of both the theory and the practice of religion in conflict resolution.
In Search of Soul: Hip-Hop, Literature, and Religion
by Alejandro NavaIn Search of Soul explores the meaning of “soul” in sacred and profane incarnations, from its biblical origins to its central place in the rich traditions of black and Latin history. Surveying the work of writers, artists, poets, musicians, philosophers and theologians, Alejandro Nava shows how their understandings of the “soul” revolve around narratives of justice, liberation, and spiritual redemption. He contends that biblical traditions and hip-hop emerged out of experiences of dispossession and oppression. Whether born in the ghettos of America or of the Roman Empire, hip-hop and Christianity have endured by giving voice to the persecuted. This book offers a view of soul in living color, as a breathing, suffering, dreaming thing.
In Search Of The Source: A First Encounter With God's Word
by Hyatt Moore Neil T. Anderson Larry R. LibbySome of us have grown up knowing that God created the world, that He loves us and gave His life in exchange for ours. But could we explain creation, love, and ransom to a people who didn't seem to have those words in their language? How can God's Word be translated to speak clearly, correctly, and graphically? <P> This exciting story tells how God helped Neil and Carol Anderson find the right words of the Folopa people of Papua New Guinea. As you read it, you will gain a deeper appreciation for the power of God's Word: Up to his chest in the black current of an underground river, Neil Anderson was just hitting his stride. In the eerie light of flickering torches, the wild hunting party was bringing down giant fruit bats with blow darts and killing them with their bare hands. The cave was full of yelling, splashing men, screaming bats, and deadly darts. That's when Anderson calmly suggested wading across the underground lake... and the party of former cannibals fell deathly silent. Within the depths of that subterranean lake in the heart of Papua New Guinea, Anderson would encounter a profound discovery... one of many discoveries that would change the Folopa people forever.
In Search of Stanislavsky’s Creative State on the Stage: With a Practice as Research Case Study
by Gabriela CurpanThis book rediscovers a spiritual way of preparing the actor towards experiencing that ineffable artistic creativity defined by Konstantin Stanislavski as the creative state. Filtered through the lens of his unaddressed Christian Orthodox background, as well as his yogic or Hindu interest, the practical work followed the odyssey of the artist, from being oneself towards becoming the character, being structured in three major horizontal stages and developed on another three vertical, interconnected levels. Throughout the book, Gabriela Curpan aims to question both the cartesian approach to acting and the realist-psychological line, generally viewed as the only features of Stanislavski’s work. This book will be of great interest to theatre and performance academics as well as practitioners in the fields of acting and directing.
In Search of the Christian Buddha: How an Asian Sage Became a Medieval Saint
by Donald S. Lopez Jr. Peggy MccrackenThe fascinating account of how the story of the Buddha was transformed into the legend of a Christian saint. The story of Saint Josaphat, a prince who gave up his wealth and kingdom to follow Jesus, was one of the most popular Christian tales of the Middle Ages, translated into a dozen languages, and cited by Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice. Yet Josaphat is only remembered today because of the similarities of his life to that of the Buddha. In Search of the Christian Buddha is set against the backdrop of the trade along the Silk Road, the Christian settlement of Palestine, the spread of Islam, and the Crusades. It traces the path of the Buddha's tale from India and shows how it evolved, adopting details from each culture during its sojourn. These early instances of globalization allowed not only goods but also knowledge to flow between different cultures and around much of the world. Eminent scholars Donald S. Lopez Jr. and Peggy McCracken reveal how religions born thousands of miles apart shared ideas throughout the centuries. They uncover surprising convergences and divergences between these faiths on subjects including the meaning of death, the problem of desire, and their view of women. Demonstrating the incredible power of this tale, they ask not how stories circulate among religions but how religions circulate among stories.
In Search of the Common Good: Christian Fidelity in a Fractured World
by Jake MeadorCommon life in our society is in decline. Our communities are disintegrating, as the loss of meaningful work and the breakdown of the family leave us anxious and alone—indeed, half of all Americans report daily feelings of loneliness. Our public discourse is polarized and hateful. Ethnic minorities face systemic injustices and the ever-present fear of violence and deportation. Economic inequalities are widening. In this book, Jake Meador diagnoses our society's decline as the failure of a particular story we've told about ourselves: the story of modern liberalism. He shows us how that story has led to our collective loss of meaning, wonder, and good work, and then recovers each of these by grounding them in a different story—a story rooted in the deep tradition of the Christian faith. Our story doesn't have to end in loneliness and despair. There are reasons for hope—reasons grounded in a different, better story. In Search of the Common Good reclaims a vision of common life for our fractured times: a vision that doesn't depend on the destinies of our economies or our political institutions, but on our citizenship in a heavenly city. Only through that vision—and that citizenship—can we truly work together for the common good.
In Search of the Divine: Living Histories of Sufism in India
by Rana SafviSufism, called the mystical dimension of Islam, is known for its inclusive nature, as well as its ethics of love and compassion, its devotional music, art and architecture. In India's syncretic culture, Sufism developed a distinct character, and harmoniously embraced the Bhakti traditions of North India.Rana Safvi's In Search of the Divine delves into the fascinating roots of Sufism, with its emphasis on ihsan, iman and akhlaq, and the impact it continues to have on people from all communities. Safvi relies not only on textual sources but also on her own visits to dargahs across the country, and the conversations she has with devotees and pirs alike. The book evokes in vivid detail the sacred atmosphere she encounters - the reverent crowds, the strains of qawwali and the fragrance of incense, as well as highlights the undeniable yet often forgotten contributions of women in Sufism. The resulting text is at once modern and a tribute to the rich and textured past.Weaving together fact and popular legend, ancient histories and living tradition, this unique treatise examines core Sufi beliefs and uncovers why they might offer hope for the future.
In Search of the Early Christians: Selected Essays
by Wayne A. Meeks Allen R. Hilton H. Gregory SnyderA central figure in the reconception of early Christian history over the last three decades, Wayne A. Meeks offers here a selection of his most influential writings on the New Testament and early Christianity. His essays illustrate recent changes in our thinking about the early Christian movement and pose provocative questions regarding the history of this period. Meeks explores a fascinating range of topics, from the figure of the androgyne in antiquity to the timeless matter of God's reliability, from Paul's ethical rhetoric to New Testament pictures of Christianity's separation from Jewish communities. Meeks' introduction offers a retrospective on New Testament studies of the past thirty years and explains the intersection of these studies with a variety of exploratory and revisionist movements in the humanities, embracing social theory, history, anthropology, and literature. In an epilogue the author reflects on future directions for New Testament scholarship.
In Search of the Folk Daoists of North China
by Stephen JonesThe living practice of Daoist ritual is still only a small part of Daoist studies. Most of this work focuses on the southeast, with the vast area of north China often assumed to be a tabula rasa for local lay liturgical traditions. This book, based on fieldwork, challenges this assumption. With case studies on parts of Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces, Stephen Jones describes ritual sequences within funerals and temple fairs, offering details on occupational hereditary lay Daoists, temple-dwelling priests, and even amateur ritual groups. Stressing performance, Jones observes the changing ritual scene in this poor countryside, both since the 1980s and through all the tribulations of twentieth-century warfare and political campaigns. The whole vocabulary of north Chinese Daoists differs significantly from that of the southeast, which has so far dominated our image. Largely unstudied by scholars of religion, folk Daoist ritual in north China has been a constant theme of music scholars within China. Stephen Jones places lay Daoists within the wider context of folk religious practices - including those of lay Buddhists, sectarians, and spirit mediums. This book opens up a new field for scholars of religion, ritual, music, and modern Chinese society.
In Search of the Hebrew People: Bible and Nation in the German Enlightenment (German Jewish Cultures)
by Ofri IlanyAs German scholars, poets, and theologians searched for the origins of the ancient Israelites, Ofri Ilany believes they created a model for nationalism that drew legitimacy from the biblical idea of the Chosen People. In this broad exploration of eighteenth-century Hebraism, Ilany tells the story of the surprising role that this model played in discussions of ethnicity, literature, culture, and nationhood among the German-speaking intellectual elite. He reveals the novel portrait they sketched of ancient Israel and how they tried to imitate the Hebrews while forging their own national consciousness. This sophisticated and lucid argument sheds new light on the myths, concepts, and political tools that formed the basis of modern German culture.
In Search of the Hebrew People: Bible and Nation in the German Enlightenment (German Jewish Cultures Ser.)
by Ofri IlanyA book that “could serve as an effective introduction to German history, biblical studies and modern nationalism, among other fields” (German History).As German scholars, poets, and theologians searched for the origins of the ancient Israelites, Ofri Ilany believes, they created a model for nationalism that drew legitimacy from the biblical idea of the Chosen People. In this broad exploration of eighteenth-century Hebraism, Ilany tells the story of the surprising role that this model played in discussions of ethnicity, literature, culture, and nationhood among the German-speaking intellectual elite.He reveals the novel portrait they sketched of ancient Israel and how they tried to imitate the Hebrews while forging their own national consciousness. This sophisticated and lucid argument sheds new light on the myths, concepts, and political tools that formed the basis of modern German culture.
In Search of the King: Turning Your Desire for Meaning into the Discovery of God
by Mark Batterson Thann BennettNot since C.S. Lewis has a writer so accurately and empathetically described our human condition—our deep longing for meaning and purpose. Lewis himself called it “the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” With fresh insight and authenticity, Thann Bennett invites you to join him on the journey of discovering the one true King. Thann weaves biblical application with personal illustration in a compelling call to action. Bound to be a timeless classic, you will come away knowing your true purpose—intimacy with and service to the King that will echo beyond your years. “In Search of the King is informative and inspirational. It is a must read.” —Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), New York Times best-selling author “Thann Bennett’s book, In Search of the King, provides wise souls with an excellent road map. I highly recommend this book.” —Scott Sauls, Senior Pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of Jesus Outside the Lines and Befriend “Thann Bennett’s very personal and engaging style will captivate your heart and imagination and send you on a relentless journey to learn the character of Jesus, walk in His ways, and join His mission.” —Heather Zempel, Discipleship Pastor at National Community Church, and author of Community Is Messy, and Amazed and Confused