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On the Significance of Religion in Conflict and Conflict Resolution (Religion Matters: On the Significance of Religion in Global Issues)
by Christine Schliesser Pauline Kollontai S. Ayse Kadayifci-OrellanaIn this ground-breaking volume, the authors analyze the role of religion in conflict and conflict resolution. They do so from the perspectives of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, while bringing different disciplines into play, including peace and conflict studies, religious studies, theology, and ethics. With much of current academic, political, and public attention focusing on the conflictive dimensions of religion, this book also explores the constructive resources of religion for conflict resolution and reconciliation. Analyzing the specific contributions of religious actors in this field, their potentials and possible problems connected with them, this book sheds light on the concrete contours of the oftentimes vague “religious factor” in processes of social change. Case studies in current and former settings of violent conflict such as Israel, post-genocide Rwanda, and Pakistan provide “real-life” contexts for discussion. Combining cutting-edge research with case studies and concrete implications for academics, policy makers, and practitioners, this concise and easily accessible volume helps to build bridges between these oftentimes separated spheres of engagement.
On the Significance of Religion in Violence Against Women and Girls (Religion Matters)
by Elisabet le Roux Sandra Iman PertekIn this ground-breaking volume, the authors explore two sides of religion: the ways in which it contributes to violence against women and girls (VAWG) and the ways it counters it. Recognising the very real impact of religion on the lives of women and girls, it prioritises experiences and learnings from empirical research and of practitioners, and their activities at grassroots-level, to better understand the nature and root causes of VAWG. Drawing on research done in Christian and Muslim communities in various fragile settings with high religiosity, this book avoids simplistically assigning blame to any one religion, instead engaging with the commonalities of how religion and religious actors influence norms and behaviours that impact VAWG. If the sustainable development goal of ending all forms of VAWG is to be achieved, how should actors in the international development sector engage with religion and religious actors? This book unpacks the nature of religion and religious actors in relation to VAWG, with the aim of giving greater clarity on how to (and how not to) engage with this crucial issue. Combining cutting-edge research with case studies and pragmatic recommendations for academics, policymakers and practitioners, this concise and easily accessible volume helps instigate discussion and engagement with the incredibly important relationships between religion and VAWG. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.
On the Strange Place of Religion in Contemporary Art
by James ElkinsCan contemporary art say anything about spirituality? John Updike calls modern art "a religion assembled from the fragments of our daily life," but does that mean that contemporary art is spiritual? What might it mean to say that the art you make expresses your spiritual belief? On the Strange Place of Religion in Contemporary Art explores the curious disconnection between spirituality and current art. This book will enable you to walk into a museum and talk about the spirituality that is or is not visible in the art you see.
On the Sweet Spot
by Richard KeefeLike most moments of spiritual revelation, this one took place on a landfill in New Jersey. A young man is standing at an unprepossessing driving range, hitting balls toward a distant fence, when something unusual takes place. As he begins his swing, he has the sensation that his club is drawing itself back on its own; when it is ready, it starts downward, makes perfect contact, and the ball soars off in the right-to-left arc he'd imagined, hitting the exact fencepost he'd been aiming at from 250 yards away. He steps back and wonders if he can do it again. He feels like an observer as the swing begins itself and resolves itself after perfect contact with the waiting ball, which again smacks against the distant post. He has, for however brief a time, entered "the zone. "Everyone who plays a sport knows that fleeting, ineffable sensation of everything falling into place: The pitched baseball looks as big as a grapefruit, the basket looks as wide as a trash can, the players around you are moving in slow motion. But as Richard Keefe, the director of the sport psychology program at Duke University, looked deeper into the nature of his experience, he found profound links to the spirit, the brain, perhaps even the soul. Keefe recognized that the feeling golfers and other athletes have of "being in the zone" is basically the same as a meditative state. And as a researcher with experience in brain chemistry, he went one step further: If we can figure out what's happening in the brain at such times, he reasons, we can learn how to get into that "zone" instead of just waiting for it to happen. This is the Holy Grail of sport psychology -- teaching the mind to get out of the way so the body can do the things it's capable of doing. Keefe calls it the "effortless present," when the body is acting of its own accord while the brain has little to do but watch. All religions describe some kind of heightened awareness in their disciplines; Keefe explores whether such mystical experience is a fundamental aspect of our evolution, an integral part of what makes us human and keeps us from despair. And he brings the discussion back to the applications of such knowledge, reflecting on our ability to use these alternate planes to achieve better relationships, better lives, better moments. Keefe's true subject is extraordinary experience -- being in the zone, in the realm of effortless action. On the Sweet Spotbuilds from the physical and neurological to the mystical and philosophical, then adds a crucial layer of the practical (how we can capture or recapture these wondrous states). It is a work in the proud tradition ofThe Sweet Spot in Time, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, and How the Mind Works.
On the Toltec Path: A Practical Guide to the Teachings of don Juan Matus, Carlos Castaneda, and Other Toltec Seers
by Ken Eagle FeatherAn exploration of the teachings made popular by Carlos Castaneda • Offers accessible instructions for Toltec spiritual and mystical practices • Represents the conclusion of an 18-year learning task assigned by don Juan Matus• Includes a new preface for this 10th anniversary editionOn the Toltec Path is an overview of the theory, discipline, and practice of the Toltec Way, a philosophy and heightened way of perceiving the world taught by the Indian seer don Juan Matus. As a philosophy, it is a method of inquiry using the Toltec three Rs: re-examination, re-interpretation, and re-formulation. As a way of perceiving the world, it offers sophisticated processes of managing perception through dreaming, visions, and learning to see the world as both ordinary and non-ordinary reality. By contrasting and balancing these two realities we are able to stand apart from both and pick and choose the best each has to offer. Learning how to become a true seer enables us to realize the purpose and meaning of our life. The works of Carlos Castaneda have long been among the best-known introductions for those who wish to study the Toltec Way. However, many who want to learn the practical and technical aspects of this path have found it difficult to discern the details of the techniques buried in Castaneda’s narrative. In this book Ken Eagle Feather provides a complete and accessible explanation of all the technical aspects of the Toltec spiritual and mystical practices. He offers a thorough exploration of Castaneda’s works and a verification of don Juan Matus’s teachings through his own 30 years of personal experiences and observations of the Toltec Way. On the Toltec Path serves as a practical guide to the Toltec Way and offers a valuable complement to the narrative works of Castaneda and other Toltec authors.
On the Trail of the Truth (The Journals of Corrie Belle Hollister #3)
by Michael PhillipsWhile Corrie's young life has been marked by enormous tragedy and challenges, things are beginning to look up. Her father marries a widow who already is a close friend and confidante to Corrie, and with a new mother for her brothers and sisters, Corrie is free to pursue her dreams of writing. Convincing a doubtful newspaperman that she can ferret out the kinds of stories his subscribers want to read, Corrie finds herself on her own in the rough and tumble towns of the California gold fields. In her quest for the next human-interest feature, she uncovers a conspiracy that means danger not only to herself. but to her family. The truth beckons to her, but is it worth the risk?
On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs
by James V. SchallTeaching, Writing, Playing, Believing, Lecturing, Philosophizing, Singing, DancingEchoing philosophers such as Josef Pieper, Schall explains how the modern world has inverted the rational order of human affairs, devaluing the activities of leisure and placing an exaggerated emphasis on utilitarian concerns. Though he does not deny the importance of those necessary and prosaic activities that take up the bulk of our daily lives, Schall puts these pursuits in perspective by asking, what do we do when everything we have to do is done?Defending the importance of simply wasting time, losing ourselves in play, and Chesterton's claim that "a thing worth doing is worth doing badly," Schall contends that the joy that accompanies leisure, festivity, and conviviality gives us a glimpse of the eternal. Such activities also enable us to get beyond ourselves--indeed call us beyond ourselves--and are therefore essential if we are to rightly order our worldly concerns. For as Schall reminds us, neither man nor his projects are the highest things in the universe, and it is only by understanding this fact that man can attain to his true dignity.Citing Aristotle, Samuel Johnson, Charlie Brown, and New Yorker cartoons with equal sobriety, Schall unfolds a defense of both Being and being, of the radical contingency and therefore goodness of existence itself. On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs is an instructive volume whose countercultural message is of vital importance.
On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs: Teaching, Writing, Playing, Believing, Lecturing, Philosophizing, Singing, Dancing
by James V. SchallIn this wise and witty book, acclaimed author James Schall illuminates a fundamental truth that will shock ceaselessly busy and ambitious Americans: human affairs are unserious. Following Plato, Schall shows why singing, dancing, playing, contemplating, and other "useless" human activities are not merely forms of escape but also indications of the freedom in and for which men and women were created. The joy that accompanies leisure, festivity, and conviviality, he demonstrates, gives us a glimpse of the eternal. On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs offers a vital message that is truly countercultural.
On the Verge: A Journey Into the Apostolic Future of the Church (Exponential Series)
by Dave Ferguson Alan HirschThe church is on the verge of some tremendous changes. Contemporary church growth, despite its many blessings to believers, has failed to stem the decline of Christianity in the West. These times require a different kind of church—a church where every person is living a mission-sent life. The Bible uses the word apostles for Jesus’ followers—that is, people sent on Jesus’ behalf. In every existing form of the contemporary church—from the mega to the multi to the incarnational—some churches have taken the idea of apostolic mission seriously. Successful church leaders are discovering how to shift their existing resources and church structures into more adaptable forms to reach their communities. In this book, Alan Hirsch and David Ferguson share inspiring stories about leaders who have diagnosed their churches’ failure to embrace a biblical model of mission and have moved toward a fuller expression of the gospel. On the Verge will help pastors and church leaders discover how these forerunners and their insights are launching a new apostolic movement—and how any church can get involved.
On the Victory Trail (Keystone Stables)
by Marsha HublerSkye Nicholson once was a rebellious juvenile delinquent who lived in numerous foster homes and had a hard time loving anyone, especially herself. But that was before finding a love of horses and a family in the Chambers at Keystone Stable. Now a friend from her past life, Sooze Bodmer, has come to Keystone Stables as well, and Skye is challenged to help a friend who reminds her a lot of herself. Skye teaches Sooze the ins and outs of horse care, riding, and showing, and she helps her train Pepsi, a champion quarter horse, for the halter class at the upcoming horse show.
On the Waters of the World: The Story of the Meloon Family
by Robert G. FloodIn the closing months of World War II, a Florida-based boat-building firm built hundreds of assault boats under an "impossible" deadline and helped General Dwight Eisenhower defeat Hitler's armies along the Rhine. The feat drew the praise of the U.S. Government and the attention of National Geographic. Today that same firm, Correct Craft of Orlando, Florida, builds the Ski Nautique, considered by many the world's foremost water ski towboat. Behind the genius of Correct Craft, America's oldest family-owned boat building firm, lies the inspiring story of the Meloon family and their commitment to honor God in their business decisions. They kept that commitment, even in times of hardship, and it led them to risk bankruptcy rather than compromise the firm's Christian-based business ethic. Roaming from Cypress Gardens to Sea World, from professional water ski tournaments to nations abroad, these pages tell the story of one family's remarkable impact "on the waters of the world."
On the Way to Bethlehem Leader Guide: An Advent Study
by Rob FuquayThe journey to Christmas begins in Rome.The leader guide includes four small group sessions complete with prayers, summaries, and discussion questions to inspire active group engagement. It will support group leaders of all experience levels in creating strong learning communities.On the Way to Bethlehem follows the long journey to Christmas. The story begins in Rome with a decree issued from the seat of worldly power for a census, setting into motion events leading to the birth of the Savior of the world in a town that represents the very opposite of worldly power, Bethlehem.Author Rob Fuquay provides insight into the geographical and historical significance of Rome, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem, along with the important characters through whom the Christmas drama unfolds. You will be drawn into those places in a way that helps you experience the spiritual truths each location holds. The reflection we give in these places prepares the heart and soul to experience wonder, awe, mystery, and joy.Chapters include:Rome – A Place of LongingJerusalem – A Place of WaitingNazareth – A Place of SimplicityBethlehem – A Place of HumilityComponents available to use this book in a small group study include the book and video available on DVD.
On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Study
by Rob FuquayThe journey to Christmas begins in Rome.On the Way to Bethlehem follows the long journey to Christmas. The story begins in Rome with a decree issued from the seat of worldly power for a census, setting into motion events leading to the birth of the Savior of the world in a town that represents the very opposite of worldly power, Bethlehem. Author Rob Fuquay provides insight into the geographical and historical significance of Rome, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem, along with the important characters through whom the Christmas drama unfolds. You will be drawn into those places in a way that helps you experience the spiritual truths each location holds. The reflection we give in these places prepares the heart and soul to experience wonder, awe, mystery, and joy. Chapters include: Rome – A Place of Longing Jerusalem – A Place of Waiting Nazareth – A Place of Simplicity Bethlehem – A Place of Humility Components available to use this book in a small group study include a leader guide and video available on DVD.
On the Wings of Shekhinah
by Leah NovickOne effect of rising interest in the Kabbalah is a renewed focus on the Shekhinah, Judaism's divine feminine principle. Written with warmth and clarity, On the Wings of Shekhinah interweaves historical views of this concept with thoughtful quotes and guided meditations. Rabbi Leah Novick offers healing strategies for both Jews and non-Jews disaffected by rigid gender roles. Awareness of the Shekhinah's energy within and around us helps bring hope to a planet afflicted by war, violence, and environmental abuse - this book shows how to find and use that energy.
On the Wings of Shekhinah
by Rabbi Leah NovickOne effect of rising interest in the Kabbalah is a renewed focus on the Shekhinah, Judaism's divine feminine principle. Written with warmth and clarity, On the Wings of Shekhinah interweaves historical views of this concept with thoughtful quotes and guided meditations. Rabbi Leah Novick offers healing strategies for both Jews and non-Jews disaffected by rigid gender roles. Awareness of the Shekhinah's energy within and around us helps bring hope to a planet afflicted by war, violence, and environmental abuse -- this book shows how to find and use that energy.
On the Word of a Jew: Religion, Reliability, and the Dynamics of Trust
by Edited by Nina Caputo and Mitchell B. HartFourteen essays examining the dynamics of trust and mistrust in Jewish history from biblical times to today. What, if anything, does religion have to do with how reliable we perceive one another to be? When and how did religious difference matter in the past when it came to trusting the word of another? In today&’s world, we take for granted that being Jewish should not matter when it comes to acting or engaging in the public realm, but this was not always the case. The essays in this volume look at how and when Jews were recognized as reliable and trustworthy in the areas of jurisprudence, medicine, politics, academia, culture, business, and finance. As they explore issues of trust and mistrust, the authors reveal how caricatures of Jews move through religious, political, and legal systems. While the volume is framed as an exploration of Jewish and Christian relations, it grapples with perceptions of Jews and Jewishness from the biblical period to today, from the Middle East to North America, and in Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions. Taken together these essays reflect on the mechanics of trust, and sometimes mistrust, in everyday interactions involving Jews.&“Highly readable and compelling, this volume marks a broadly significant contribution to Jewish studies through the underexplored dynamic of trust.&” —Rebekah Klein-Pejšová, author of Mapping Jewish Loyalties in Interwar Slovakia&“An exemplary compendium on how to engage with a major concept—trust—while providing load of gripping new information, new theorization of otherwise well-covered material, and meticulous attention to textual and sociological sources.&” —Gil Anidjar, author of Blood: A Critique of Christianity
On the nature and existence of God
by Richard M. GaleFirst published in 1991, Richard M. Gale's classic book is a response to and critique of new, contemporary arguments for the existence of God from analytical philosophers. Considering concepts including time, free will, personhood, actuality and the objectivity of experience, Gale evaluates the new versions of cosmological, ontological, pragmatic and religious experience arguments that emerged in the late-twentieth century. Presented in a fresh twenty-first-century series livery, and including a specially commissioned preface written by Paul K. Moser, illuminating its enduring importance and relevance to philosophical enquiry, this influential work has been revived for a new generation of readers.
On this Holy Island: A Modern Pilgrimage Across Britain
by Oliver SmithA lyrical and insightful narrative that presents a new approach to the idea of pilgrimage, traversing paths both ancient and modern.Retracing sacred travel made across time, from murmurs of ritual journeys in the depths of Ice Age to new pilgrimages of the 21st century, On This Holy Island is an an epic adventure across sacred British landscapes. We follow Oliver Smith as he climbs into remote sea caves, sleeps inside Neolithic tombs, scales forgotten holy mountains and once even marrons himself at sea. Following holy roads to churches, cathedrals and standing stones, this evocative and enlightening travelogue explores places prehistoric, pagan and Christian, Smith also reveals how football stadiums and music festivals have become contemporary places of pilgrimage. Though the routes walked are often ancient, the pilgrims he meets are always modern. But underpinning the remarkable book is a timeless truth: that making journeys has always been a way of making meaning. So often, Smith finds, "the unravelling of a path goes in tandem with the unravelling of the soul."
On to Richmond 1861-1862 (The Bregdan Chronicles #2)
by Ginny DyeVolume 2 of the Bregdan Chronicles continues the sweeping historical saga that now encompasses the first year of the American Civil War. Burdened with the responsibility of running an entire plantation, Carrie Cromwell fights to understand her own internal war; tied to the South by family tradition but pulled North by her emotions and beliefs. Will Carrie's actions push her further from her father and the Confederate soldier she loves? Will her attempts to aid Rose and Moses end in tragedy for all? And when her life is placed in grave danger because of her beliefs, will she have the courage to do what she has to do?
Once
by Morris GleitzmanOnce I escaped from an orphanage to find my Mum and Dad. Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house. Once I made a Nazi with toothache laugh. My name is Felix. This is my story.
Once & Future
by Cory McCarthy A. R. CapettaA new King Arthur has risen and she's got a universe to save Coming to terms with your identity is always difficult. But for Ari, the 42nd reincarnation of King Arthur, it just got a whole lot more complicated. Gender-bending royalty, caustic wit and a galaxy-wide fight for peace and equality all collide in this epic adventure. With an awkward adolescent Merlin and a rusty spaceship, this is the Arthurian legend as you have never before seen it.
Once I Was a Princess: A Mother's Worst Nightmare
by Jacqueline PascarlCan you imagine what it would be like to be swept off your feet by a royal prince to live a charmed life in the marble palaces of an oil-rich nation - and then to watch your fairy-tale romance turn into a nightmare of Islamic superstition, isolation, betrayal and abuse? What would you do if you managed to escape your life of torment - and then your children were kidnapped by their own father? This is what happened to Jacqueline Pascarl.In Once I Was a Princess, Jacqueline recounts her part in this controversial, headline-grabbing international drama with heart-rending honesty.
Once In Awhile
by Kendra G. JohnsonThe Merry Band of Misfits have returned home after a harrowing adventure in the desert of Egypt. But their lives have been forever changed. Danny MacKenzie (Danny Mac) is recovering from a gunshot wound by taking a bullet meant for Angelo, his former enemy. Angelo is now his closest ally and marveling as to why Danny Mac would do that. Danny Mac points him to the man from Galilee. Danny Mac’s greatest focus is getting Kenann to trust him and agree to be his wife. His patience is stretched to the limit when she is again attacked by their enemy. Kenann feared she was having a mental breakdown. She was hearing voices and losing time. But when the enemy finally showed their hand, the Merry Band of Misfits springs back into action.Granny James calms her granddaughter’s fears at giving her whole heart to Danny Mac. Mrs. Gage, the incredible International Woman of Mystery, pulls off an impromptu wedding extraordinaire. Andy, CIA operative, and Judy, Kenann’s best friend, finally declare their love and orchestrate a diversion to allow Danny Mac and Kenann to honeymoon away from the threat of their enemies. Unfortunately, their ranks are infiltrated and Danny Mac and Kenann are forced to defend themselves at their remote cabin. Danny Mac soon finds his new bride stays cool under pressure and is skilled in combat. His kind of woman.Carter, the CIA section chief, returns and enlists the crew (officially this time) to assist government forces in going after the secret society who have set their sights on Danny Mac and Kenann. Every man, woman (and boy) comes back on deck. The Band picks up a few new members along the way as their quest takes them to Istanbul and the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania to strike the death blow to this insidious enemy.After being pulled off the street in Istanbul, Kenann must once again assume the guise of Inanna, the ancient goddess of Sumeria. But is it a guise? Sometimes she cannot tell. She moves from captive to mistress of the Transylvanian castle in a delicate balance to keep Danny Mac alive. Things go terribly wrong requiring Kenann to once again become a killer.Don’t miss this Merry Band of Misfits’ next adventure as you are drawn into passionate love stories and the dark madness of pure evil. You will see faith challenged and the Lord doing what he does best. Settle back, get comfortable and enjoy the ride.
Once Out of Nature: Augustine on Time and the Body
by Andrea NightingaleOnce Out of Nature offers an original interpretation of Augustine’s theory of time and embodiment. Andrea Nightingale draws on philosophy, sociology, literary theory, and social history to analyze Augustine’s conception of temporality, eternity, and the human and transhuman condition. In Nightingale’s view, the notion of embodiment illuminates a set of problems much larger than the body itself: it captures the human experience of being an embodied soul dwelling on earth. In Augustine’s writings, humans live both in and out of nature—exiled from Eden and punished by mortality, they are “resident aliens” on earth. While the human body is subject to earthly time, the human mind is governed by what Nightingale calls psychic time. For the human psyche always stretches away from the present moment—where the physical body persists—into memories and expectations. As Nightingale explains, while the body is present in the here and now, the psyche cannot experience self-presence. Thus, for Augustine, the human being dwells in two distinct time zones, in earthly time and in psychic time. The human self, then, is a moving target. Adam, Eve, and the resurrected saints, by contrast, live outside of time and nature: these transhumans dwell in an everlasting present. Nightingale connects Augustine’s views to contemporary debates about transhumans and suggests that Augustine’s thought reflects our own ambivalent relationship with our bodies and the earth. Once Out of Nature offers a compelling invitation to ponder the boundaries of the human.
Once Out of Nature: Augustine on Time and the Body
by Andrea NightingaleOnce Out of Nature offers an original interpretation of Augustine’s theory of time and embodiment. Andrea Nightingale draws on philosophy, sociology, literary theory, and social history to analyze Augustine’s conception of temporality, eternity, and the human and transhuman condition. In Nightingale’s view, the notion of embodiment illuminates a set of problems much larger than the body itself: it captures the human experience of being an embodied soul dwelling on earth. In Augustine’s writings, humans live both in and out of nature—exiled from Eden and punished by mortality, they are “resident aliens” on earth. While the human body is subject to earthly time, the human mind is governed by what Nightingale calls psychic time. For the human psyche always stretches away from the present moment—where the physical body persists—into memories and expectations. As Nightingale explains, while the body is present in the here and now, the psyche cannot experience self-presence. Thus, for Augustine, the human being dwells in two distinct time zones, in earthly time and in psychic time. The human self, then, is a moving target. Adam, Eve, and the resurrected saints, by contrast, live outside of time and nature: these transhumans dwell in an everlasting present. Nightingale connects Augustine’s views to contemporary debates about transhumans and suggests that Augustine’s thought reflects our own ambivalent relationship with our bodies and the earth. Once Out of Nature offers a compelling invitation to ponder the boundaries of the human.