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On Religion
by John CaputoJohn D. Caputo explores the very roots of religious thinking in this thought-provoking book. Compelling questions come up along the way: 'What do I love when I love my God?' and 'What can Star Wars tell us about the contemporary use of religion?' (are we always trying to find a way of saying 'God be with you'?) Why is religion for many a source of moral guidance in a postmodern, nihilistic age? Is it possible to have 'religion without religion'?Drawing on contemporary images of religion, such as Robert Duvall's film The Apostle, Caputo also provides some fascinating and imaginative insights into religious fundamentalism.
On Religion (Thinking In Action Ser.)
by John CaputoIn a thoroughly updated second edition of his popular and engaging book, John D. Caputo revisits Augustine’s ancient question "what do I love when I love my God?" and presses it into service in the post-modern world. Accessible but without compromising the big ideas, he raises the question of what religion means today in the face of widespread religious violence after 9/11, of spreading secularization, the dazzling discoveries of contemporary cosmology, and the eerie advent of the "post-human" world. All along sculpting the idea of a post-modern, post-secular "religion without religion," which turns on the "mystical element" of our lives, he wonders what the future of traditional religion will be, or whether it even has one. On Religion will fascinate anyone interested in the challenges religion faces in the contemporary world. It offers an ideal starting point from which undergraduate and postgraduate students, teachers, and lecturers can explore religion and philosophy today.
On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers
by Friedrich SchleiermacherSchleiermacher's On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers is a classic of modern Protestant religious thought that powerfully displays the tensions between the Romantic and Enlightenment accounts of religion. This edition presents the original 1799 text in English for the first time. Richard Crouter's introduction places the work in the milieu of early German Romanticism, Kant criticism, the revival of Spinoza and Plato studies, and theories of literary criticism and of the physical sciences. This fully annotated edition also contains a chronology and notes on further reading.
On Religious Liberty: Selections from the Works of Roger Williams (The William E. Massey Sr. lectures in the history of American Civilization ; #2008)
by Roger WilliamsBanished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his refusal to conform to Puritan religious and social standards, Roger Williams established a haven in Rhode Island for those persecuted in the name of the religious establishment. He conducted a lifelong debate over religious freedom with distinguished figures of the seventeenth century, including Puritan minister John Cotton, Massachusetts governor John Endicott, and the English Parliament. James Calvin Davis gathers together important selections from Williams's public and private writings on religious liberty, illustrating how this renegade Puritan radically reinterpreted Christian moral theology and the events of his day in a powerful argument for freedom of conscience and the separation of church and state. For Williams, the enforcement of religious uniformity violated the basic values of Calvinist Christianity and presumed upon God's authority to speak to the individual conscience. He argued that state coercion was rarely effective, often causing more harm to the church and strife to the social order than did religious pluralism. This is the first collection of Williams's writings in forty years reaching beyond his major work, The Bloody Tenent, to include other selections from his public and private writings. This carefully annotated book introduces Williams to a new generation of readers.
On Repentance: The Thought and Oral Discourses of Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik
by Pinchas H. PeliFor five decades prior to his death in 1993, Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik was the unchallenged leader of modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States. His understanding of both traditional Judaism and secular philosophy shaped two generations of rabbinic students at Yeshiva University, and charted a new course for American Orthodox Jews. In On Repentance, noted scholar Pinchas Peli has gathered the major points of Rabbi Soloveitchik's teachings on teshuvah (repentance), based on the annual series of lectures on the theme of teshuvah, presented on the anniversary of his father's death. For many Jews, these lectures were the major academic and intellectual event of the year. Outside of his followers however, few were able to experience the genius of Rabbi Soloveitchik. He gave his lectures in Yiddish, and generally refused to publish. Now readers can experience the brilliant thinking of this great teacher and sage.
On Repentance And Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World
by Danya RuttenbergA crucial new lens on repentance, atonement, forgiveness, and repair from harm—from personal transgressions to our culture&’s most painful and unresolved issuesAmerican culture focuses on letting go of grudges and redemption narratives instead of the perpetrator&’s obligations or recompense for harmed parties. As survivor communities have pointed out, these emphases have too often only caused more harm. But Danya Ruttenberg knew there was a better model, rooted in the work of the medieval philosopher Maimonides. For Maimonides, upon whose work Ruttenberg elaborates, forgiveness is much less important than the repair work to which the person who caused harm is obligated. The word traditionally translated as repentance really means something more like return, and in this book, returning is a restoration, as much as is possible, to the victim, and, for the perpetrator of harm, a coming back, in humility and intentionality, to behaving as the person we might like to believe we are. Maimonides laid out five steps: naming and owning harm; starting to change/transformation; restitution and accepting consequences; apology; and making different choices. Applying this lens to both our personal relationships and some of the most significant and painful issues of our day, including systemic racism and the legacy of enslavement, sexual violence and harassment in the wake of #MeToo, and Native American land rights, On Repentance and Repair helps us envision a way forward. Rooted in traditional Jewish concepts while doggedly accessible and available to people from any, or no, religious background, On Repentance and Repair is a book for anyone who cares about creating a country and culture that is more whole than the one in which we live, and for anyone who has been hurt or who is struggling to take responsibility for their mistakes.
On Revival
by Jonathan EdwardsThis volume contains Edwards' most analytical treatises on reviva: Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God; his famous Narrative of Surprising Conversions, and a detailed account of the famous revival of religion at Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1735.
On The Road To Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's Best Friend
by Timothy P. WeberWhy do evangelicals care so much about Israel? How did this special relationship develop? What has it produced? Certain understandings of Bible prophecy have profoundly shaped the way evangelicals and other Americans view Israel and the political policies that have supported the Jewish state.Now in paperback, this major work on an ever timely theme is for anyone interested in American-Israeli relations, history, theology, and politics. "Timothy Weber's important and timely book illuminates the end-times beliefs that shape millions of Americans' view of current events. Well-researched and historically grounded . . . This disturbing work deserves the widest possible readership."--Paul S. Boyer, author, When Time Shall Be No More
On The Road to the Cross: Experience Easter With Those Who Were There
by Rob BurkhartThe Easter drama plays out on history’s stage with magnificent and larger-than-life characters. Yet some of the most important lessons of Easter come from those whose names you may not recognize: Simon the Leper, Malchus, the Centurion at the cross, Cleopas, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, Barabbas, Simon of Cyrene, and Mary Magdalene offer a unique perspective on one of the greatest events in human history. And yet their stories are often overlooked. On the Road to the Cross allows you to experience Easter through the eyes of the everyday people who witnessed the triumphal entry, saw Jesus drag his cross to Calvary, and cried through Christ’s last words. Each new perspective opens the door to a fresh consideration of Easter and its impact on their lives and ours. Leader guide also available.
On Roman Religion: Lived Religion and the Individual in Ancient Rome (Cornell Studies in Classical Philology #67)
by Jörg RüpkeWas religious practice in ancient Rome cultic and hostile to individual expression? Or was there, rather, considerable latitude for individual initiative and creativity? Jörg Rüpke, one of the world’s leading authorities on Roman religion, demonstrates in his new book that it was a lived religion with individual appropriations evident at the heart of such rituals as praying, dedicating, making vows, and reading. On Roman Religion definitively dismantles previous approaches that depicted religious practice as uniform and static. Juxtaposing very different, strategic, and even subversive forms of individuality with traditions, their normative claims, and their institutional protections, Rüpke highlights the dynamic character of Rome’s religious institutions and traditions. In Rüpke’s view, lived ancient religion is as much about variations or even outright deviance as it is about attempts and failures to establish or change rules and roles and to communicate them via priesthoods, practices related to images or classified as magic, and literary practices. Rüpke analyzes observations of religious experience by contemporary authors including Propertius, Ovid, and the author of the "Shepherd of Hermas." These authors, in very different ways, reflect on individual appropriation of religion among their contemporaries, and they offer these reflections to their readership or audiences. Rüpke also concentrates on the ways in which literary texts and inscriptions informed the practice of rituals.
On Roman Time: The Codex-Calendar of 354 and the Rhythms of Urban Life in Late Antiquity
by Michele R. SalzmanMichele Renee Salzman establishes that the traditions of Roman art and literature were still very much alive in the mid-fourth century. Salzman also studies the Calendar of 354 as a reflection of the world that produced and used it.
On Sacrifice
by Moshe HalbertalThe idea and practice of sacrifice play a profound role in religion, ethics, and politics. In this brief book, philosopher Moshe Halbertal explores the meaning and implications of sacrifice, developing a theory of sacrifice as an offering and examining the relationship between sacrifice, ritual, violence, and love. On Sacrifice also looks at the place of self-sacrifice within ethical life and at the complex role of sacrifice as both a noble and destructive political ideal. In the religious domain, Halbertal argues, sacrifice is an offering, a gift given in the context of a hierarchical relationship. As such it is vulnerable to rejection, a trauma at the root of both ritual and violence. An offering is also an ambiguous gesture torn between a genuine expression of gratitude and love and an instrument of exchange, a tension that haunts the practice of sacrifice. In the moral and political domains, sacrifice is tied to the idea of self-transcendence, in which an individual sacrifices his or her self-interest for the sake of higher values and commitments. While self-sacrifice has great potential moral value, it can also be used to justify the most brutal acts. Halbertal attempts to unravel the relationship between self-sacrifice and violence, arguing that misguided self-sacrifice is far more problematic than exaggerated self-love. In his exploration of the positive and negative dimensions of self-sacrifice, Halbertal also addresses the role of past sacrifice in obligating future generations and in creating a bond for political associations, and considers the function of the modern state as a sacrificial community.
On Salafism: Concepts and Contexts (Stanford Studies in Middle Eastern and Islamic Societies and Cultures)
by Azmi BisharaOn Salafism offers a compelling new understanding of this phenomenon, both its development and contemporary manifestations. Salafism became associated with fundamentalism when the 9/11 Commission used it to explain the terror attacks and has since been connected with the violence of the so-called Islamic State. With this book, Azmi Bishara critically deconstructs claims of continuity between early Islam and modern militancy and makes a counterargument: Salafism is a wholly modern construct informed by specific sociopolitical contexts. Bishara offers a sophisticated account of various movements—such as Wahabbism and Hanbalism—frequently collapsed into simplistic understandings of Salafism. He distinguishes reformist from regressive Salafism, and examines patterns of modernization in the development of contemporary Islamic political movements and associations. In deconstructing the assumptions of linear continuity between traditional and contemporary movements, Bishara details various divergences in both doctrine and context of modern Salafisms, plural. On Salafism is a crucial read for those interested in Islamism, jihadism, and Middle East politics and history.
On Secular Governance: Lutheran Perspectives on Contemporary Legal Issues
by Ronald W. Duty Marie A. FailingerThis volume puts forth an unprecedented, distinctive Lutheran take on the intersection of law and religion in our society today. On Secular Governance gathers the collaborative reflections of legal and theological scholars on a range of subjects — women&’s issues, property law and the environment, immigration reform, human trafficking, church-state questions, and more — all addressed from uniquely Lutheran points of view.
On Secular Governance: Lutheran Perspectives on Contemporary Legal Issues
by Ronald W. Duty Marie A. FailingerThis volume puts forth an unprecedented, distinctive Lutheran take on the intersection of law and religion in our society today. On Secular Governance gathers the collaborative reflections of legal and theological scholars on a range of subjects — women’s issues, property law and the environment, immigration reform, human trafficking, church-state questions, and more — all addressed from uniquely Lutheran points of view.
On Secularization: Towards a Revised General Theory
by David Martin'Secularization' has been hotly debated since it was first subjected to critical attention in the mid-sixties by David Martin, before he sketched a 'General Theory' in 1969. 'On Secularization' presents David Martin's reassessment of the key issues: with particular regard to the special situation of religion in Western Europe, and questions in the global context including Pentecostalism in Latin America and Africa. Concluding with examinations of Pluralism, Christian Language, and Christianity and Politics, this book offers students and other readers of social theory and sociology of religion an invaluable reappraisal of Christianity and Secularization. It represents the most comprehensive sociology of contemporary Christianity, set in historical depth.
On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice
by Adam KirschA prominent public intellectual tackles one of the most crucial political ideas of our moment. Since Hamas’s attack on Israel last October 7, the term “settler colonialism” has become central to public debate in the United States. A concept new to most Americans, but already established and influential in academic circles, settler colonialism is shaping the way many people think about the history of the United States, Israel and Palestine, and a host of political issues. This short book is the first to examine settler colonialism critically for a general readership. By critiquing the most important writers, texts, and ideas in the field, Adam Kirsch shows how the concept emerged in the context of North American and Australian history and how it is being applied to Israel. He examines the sources of its appeal, which, he argues, are spiritual as much as political; how it works to delegitimize nations; and why it has the potential to turn indignation at past injustices into a source of new injustices today. A compact and accessible introduction, rich with historical detail, the book will speak to readers interested in the Middle East, American history, and today’s most urgent cultural-political debates.
On The Seventh Day
by John AshtonFor all their intellectual gifts, those with PhD's are hungry for the same thing the rest of the population seeks; peace and spiritual fulfillment. Some hide behind a cool, clinical exterior, yet grapple with internal insecurities, fears, and disappointments. The scientific mind is eager to find truth; indeed, the very pursuit energizes scientists from a plethora of disciplines and backgrounds. This book was compiled for them. It contains not only "scientific" inquiries into the miraculous, but personal and poignant travels on the road to serenity. Over 40 PhD's in this book explore the linkage between science and faith, and what that means not only to individuals, but to the entire planet, as well. For example, meet: The skeptic who realized that this solution to a problem was not only wrong, but destructive. Read how a miraculous solution to a vexing problem brought him to faith. A psychiatrist who saw her career and personal life transformed by the intersection of faith and knowledge. Scientists who gaze at the heavens, and peer at microscopic creatures to better understand the world in which we live. If you are a friend who wants to introduce your scientist friend to God, then you've found the perfect gift with On the Seventh Day. If you are a skeptic, have a read. You'll be amazed that you've taken this path in your search for truth. In this book, you too can find rest from this hard business called life.
On Social Justice: St. Basil the Great
by Gregory P. Yova C. Paul SchroederSt Basil's homilies on the subject of wealth and poverty, although delivered in the fourth century, remain utterly fresh and contemporary. Whether you possess great wealth or have modest means, at the heart of St Basil's message stands the maxim: Simplify your life, so you have something to share with others. While some patristic texts relate to obscure and highly philosophical questions, St Basil's teachings on social issues are immediately understood and applicable. At a time when vast income disparity and overuse of limited environmental resources are becoming matters of increasing concern, St Basil's message is more relevant now than ever before.
On Søren Kierkegaard: Dialogue, Polemics, Lost Intimacy, and Time (Transcending Boundaries in Philosophy and Theology)
by Edward F. MooneyTracing a path through Kierkegaard's writings, this book brings the reader into close contact with the texts and purposes of this remarkable 19th century Danish writer and thinker. Kierkegaard writes in a number of voices and registers: as a sharp observer and critic of Danish culture, or as a moral psychologist, and as a writer concerned to evoke the religious way of life of Socrates, Abraham, or a Christian exemplar. In developing these themes, Mooney sketches Kierkegaard's Socratic vocation, gives a close reading of several central texts, and traces 'The Ethical Sublime' as a recurrent theme. He unfolds an affirmative relationship between philosophy and theology and the potentialities for a religiousness that defies dogmatic creeds, secular chauvinisms, and restrictive philosophies.
On Stony Ground: Russländer Mennonites and the Rebuilding of Community in Grunthal (Transnational Mennonite Studies #2)
by James UrryOn Stony Ground presents a historical ethnographic account of a generation of Mennonites from the Soviet Union who, following Russia’s revolution and civil war, immigrated to Manitoba during the 1920s. James Urry examines how they came to terms with a new land and with their new neighbours, including other Mennonites, Ukrainians, French Canadians, and Indigenous Peoples. The book discusses the impact of the Great Depression and how the immigrants struggled with their identity in Canada as Hitler and Stalin rose to power in Germany and the USSR. It reveals the immigrants’ desire to maintain their faith, language, and culture while encouraging their children to take advantage of an education conducted mainly in English. On Stony Ground explores how prosperity following the Second World War helped the immigrants to build a community in conjunction with others, including Mennonites and non-Mennonites, and to accept their new home in Canada.
On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature
by C. S. LewisA repackaged edition of the revered author’s collection of essays on writing fiction.C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—was a professor of literature at Oxford University, where he was known for his insightful and often witty presentations on the nature of stories. This collection assembles nine essays that encapsulate his ideas about fiction, including "On Stories," "The Death of Words," and "On Three Ways of Writing for Children," as well as eleven pieces that were unpublished during his lifetime.
On Suicide Bombing (The Wellek Library Lectures)
by Talal AsadLike many people in America and around the world, Talal Asad experienced the events of September 11, 2001, largely through the media and the emotional response of others. For many non-Muslims, "the suicide bomber" quickly became the icon of "an Islamic culture of death"-a conceptual leap that struck Asad as problematic. Is there a "religiously-motivated terrorism?" If so, how does it differ from other cruelties? What makes its motivation "religious"? Where does it stand in relation to other forms of collective violence?Drawing on his extensive scholarship in the study of secular and religious traditions as well as his understanding of social, political, and anthropological theory and research, Asad questions Western assumptions regarding death and killing. He scrutinizes the idea of a "clash of civilizations," the claim that "Islamic jihadism" is the essence of modern terror, and the arguments put forward by liberals to justify war in our time. He critically engages with a range of explanations of suicide terrorism, exploring many writers' preoccupation with the motives of perpetrators. In conclusion, Asad examines our emotional response to suicide (including suicide terrorism) and the horror it invokes.On Suicide Bombing is an original and provocative analysis critiquing the work of intellectuals from both the left and the right. Though fighting evil is an old concept, it has found new and disturbing expressions in our contemporary "war on terror." For Asad, it is critical that we remain aware of the forces shaping the discourse surrounding this mode of violence, and by questioning our assumptions about morally good and morally evil ways of killing, he illuminates the fragile contradictions that are a part of our modern subjectivity.
On Suicide Bombing (The Wellek Library Lectures)
by Talal AsadLike many people in America and around the world, Talal Asad experienced the events of September 11, 2001, largely through the media and the emotional response of others. For many non-Muslims, "the suicide bomber" quickly became the icon of "an Islamic culture of death"-a conceptual leap that struck Asad as problematic. Is there a "religiously-motivated terrorism?" If so, how does it differ from other cruelties? What makes its motivation "religious"? Where does it stand in relation to other forms of collective violence? Drawing on his extensive scholarship in the study of secular and religious traditions as well as his understanding of social, political, and anthropological theory and research, Asad questions Western assumptions regarding death and killing. He scrutinizes the idea of a "clash of civilizations," the claim that "Islamic jihadism" is the essence of modern terror, and the arguments put forward by liberals to justify war in our time. He critically engages with a range of explanations of suicide terrorism, exploring many writers' preoccupation with the motives of perpetrators. In conclusion, Asad examines our emotional response to suicide (including suicide terrorism) and the horror it invokes. On Suicide Bombing is an original and provocative analysis critiquing the work of intellectuals from both the left and the right. Though fighting evil is an old concept, it has found new and disturbing expressions in our contemporary "war on terror. " For Asad, it is critical that we remain aware of the forces shaping the discourse surrounding this mode of violence, and by questioning our assumptions about morally good and morally evil ways of killing, he illuminates the fragile contradictions that are a part of our modern subjectivity.
On the Anniversary of Your Loss
by R. W. Alley Linus MundyNo matter how long, no matter how short, a life lived is never lost to those who remember. And the anniversary of a loss is, of course, a very special time to remember, and thereby further the healing. It is a time to take stock of the lessons learned, the hardships endured, the small victories won. This book offers 38 illustrated bits of wisdom, each bit offering the reader loving, healing ways to observe and "mark" this special anniversary. This gift book, based on the extremely popular CareNote of the same name, will be a welcome treasury of comfort and consolation.