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Religious Studies: The Key Concepts is an accessible, A-Z resource, defining and explaining key terms and ideas central to the study of religion. Exploring broad and recurring themes which are applicable in both eastern and western religions, cross-cultural examples are provided for each term to give a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Subjects covered include:

• Afterlife
• Comparative religion
• Festivals
• Ethics
• Gender
• Monotheism
• World religions
• Modernity
• Pilgrimage
• Sacred
• Theism
• Secularization

With cross referencing and further reading provided throughout, this book provides an inclusive map of the discipline, and is an essential reference for all students, academics and researchers.

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A study of the process of conversion among the Germanic peoples from the third to the 11th centuries. The aim of the book is to examine previous scholarship on conversion and to develop a model of conversion appropriate to the Germanic peoples and to produce a study of six Germanic conversions. ... Read more

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Emile Durkheim's work on religion occupies a central place in religious studies classrooms today. At the undergraduate level, Durkheim is widely taught in large Introduction to Religion courses and in upper division seminars in "theory and method." His work is also taught in graduate Religious Studies departments of all stripes, from those grounded in the social sciences to those rooted in phenomenology and history of religions. This diverse classroom use within religious studies is reproduced in neighboring disciplines, where Durkheim's work on religion is regularly introduced in courses in sociology, anthropology, history, and philosophy, as well as in such interdisciplinary programs as Jewish studies and women's studies. This volume is designed as a resource for teachers and students of Durkheim on religion, providing practical advice about productive ways to approach central texts and difficult pedagogical issues. It represents diverse points of views and a range of disciplines. The essays in Part One address large issues arising from the whole of Durkheim's work on religion, such as what material to assign in what sorts of courses, and on how to present the material to students of varying background and motivation. Part Two turns to context, with essays assessing the available English translations of the Elementary Forms of Religious Life, and exploring how to teach the historical, critical, and biographical framework of Durkheim's work on religion. Part Three takes up questions of how to incorporate Durkheim's work in courses concerned with ethics, gender studies, and social theory. ... Read more

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The "Tale of Two Brothers" tells the nearly universal story of a handsome and chaste young shepherd who rejects seduction by a powerful older woman and, after many adventures, becomes king. Using comparative analysis, the author makes a major contribution to our understanding of a story that has puzzled folklorists for almost 140 years. At the same time, she constructs a model for examining ancient narratives, neither denying their cultural context nor allowing it to impede understanding. To provide this ancient context, Susan Tower Hollis utilizes a variety of works, including literary, mythological and wisdom texts, cultic materials, historical and political works, and Egyptian paintings, reliefs and sculptures. ... Read more

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September 11 and the subsequent War on Terror continues to cast a long shadow over the world. Religion, Terror and Violence brings together a group of distinguished scholars from a range of backgrounds and disciplines to explore the claim that acts of violence – most spectacularly the attack of September 11, 2001 and the international reaction to it – were intimately linked to cultural and social authorizing processes that could be called 'religious.'

This book provides a nuanced but incisive insight into the reaction of the discipline of religious studies to the post 9/11 world.

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For Thomas Aquinas (1224-74), the Book of Job is the authoritative teaching concerning divine providence.In his Literal Exposition on Job, Aquinas offers a line-by-line commentary on the scriptural text. He analyzes the text not only by way of cross-references within the Book of Job and to other parts of Scripture, but also by appeal to the writings of Aristotle, the Church Fathers, and other Christian Aristotelians. Anthony Damico's translation is more literal than literary, preferring to render the Latin words wherever possible by their obvious English derivatives. Martin Yaffe provides an extensive interpretive essay, bibliography, and indexes of citations. ... Read more

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This book will explore and define biblical and contemporary images of prayer. All the sessions exploring prayer will be based upon God’s relationship with humans as the ground of all prayer and the essential human need to reach toward God that leads to prayer.  Readers will explore definitions of prayer, a variety of scriptures that show Jesus’ teachings and practices related to prayer, methods of prayer, aids to prayer, the varieties of individual and communal  words, needs, and emotions that form the content of prayer, ways people interpret answered or unanswered prayer,  and the unity between prayer and human action. The book will invite readers to reflect upon  questions like: Why do we pray?  What is God’s role in prayer? the human role? How is God’s grace involved in prayer?  What is prayer? What did Jesus teach about prayer?  How do we pray? What do we pray? What is an attitude of prayer? How does God answer prayer? What difference does prayer make in our lives? Have I been praying all along? What happens in the quiet times of my week? in the busy times?
 Is prayer possible in both quiet and busy times? Why do I feel like I don’t have
 time to pray? Do I need to make time for prayer? How?  The book will affirm
persons and groups who struggle with  an understanding of prayer or with
a style of prayer. It will provide opportunities for  transforming encounters with
God. ... Read more

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Unlike other humanistic disciplines, the academic study of religion must contend with a phenomenon that touches every dimension of human experience. For scholars so engaged, the study of religion often becomes a cross-cultural as well as a necessarily interdisciplinary endeavor. In this collection of original essays, Jon R. Stone has brought together the intellectual autobiographies of fourteen senior scholars--all with national or international reputations in their respective fields--each of whom reflects upon his or her own theoretical assumptions and methodological approaches to the study of religion. Taken together, these essays represent the variety of research methods and interpretive rigor mature scholars bring to the task of examining religious phenomena, religious actions, religious movements, and religious ideas.
... Read more

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AQA Religious Studies Ethics is the only set of resources to have been developed with, and exclusively endorsed by AQA, making them the first choice to support AQA's 2008/2009 specification for AS and A2 Units 1A and 1B. ... Read more

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In this revolutionary new book, scholars Janet R. Jakobsen and Ann Pellegrini confront the issue of sexual regulation head-on by supporting the idea of having sexual freedom just as we have religious freedom in this country. In their carefully constructed argument, they fight the idea of loving the sinner but hating the sin, suggesting we should, in the case of sex, love the sin. Turning from sex to religion, the authors question why in the United States the principle of religious freedom is so rarely realized in practice. They end by providing a new way of considering freedom for both sexuality and religion, after laying out precisely how the two are intertwined.

"Surprising . . . startling . . . a fresh way to argue for gay rights and sexual freedom."
—Michael Bronski, Boston Phoenix

"A tightly packed analysis of the fallacy of sexual tolerance in American society . . . This book serves its purpose by giving the GLBT community a new focus and even a renewed idealism."
—Gayle R. Baldwin, Gay & Lesbian Review

"[The authors"] powerful arguments might help feminists to explain pro-sex values to Christians who, knowing their own denominations" struggles against established churches, understand the value of religious freedom."
—Gail Bederman, Women"s Review of Books ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Truly a captivating read.
This one is not just for the ivory tower. Topics discussed give a historical perspective on the issues we face today. I found concise useful information and thoroughly enjoyed the read.I give the authors a great deal of credit for giving me a greater insight into sexuality and religion, topics I thought I had rather a good grasp of.
Three Cheers form a fellow sinner!

Interesting read
Though some of the reasoning behind the viewpoints seems weird the book is still good. It take an interesting look at the religious right and how they perceive sex, as well as homosexuality. A read for any uber religious fanatic who thinks that sex is good, as long as it's Christian sex.

Love the Book
In their co-written book, Jakobsen and Pellegrini have presented a compelling account of the enduring role of "sin" in contemporary political discourse, from the Clinton impeachment proceedings to the Christian Coalition's attack on homosexuals.

They point out, among other compelling insights, that the concept of religious tolerance, long viewed as a progressive Enlightenment value, has often justified the very kinds of repression it is intended to prevent by positing an authoritative norm (in the United States, the Judeo-Christian tradition) from which other religious, sexual and political minorities are "permitted" to deviate.

The two authors also draw an extended analogy between freedom of religious and sexual expression, and argue that the Supreme Court, especially in its pivotal 1986 Bower v. Hardwick ruling, has essentially ignored the Constitution on the matter of church-state separation by invoking a general notion of "morality"--thereby reinforcing the dominance of Christian values in America.

Jakobsen and Pellegrini envision a more pluralistic society in which disestablishment of religion and state is pushed to its logical conclusion, and extended to the realm of sexuality. This is an excellent, intelligent book--a must for the scholar and general reader alike interested in religion, politics, and the law. ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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"Pope's overriding concern is with the role of the church in social affairs ...he contributes insights into many related issues, including the distinction between church and sect, the relation between social class and religion, the impact of economic development and technological change on the community ...and the causes and consequences of mob behavior."-from the new Introduction "This reprinting in paperback form of Pope's classic study in the sociology of religion is a true joy."-Concordia Theological Monthly ... Read more

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This book examines the history and significance of religious freedom claims by minority, unorthodox faith groups and the contribution their challenges have made to the development of rights discourse and practice in North America.

"Religious Conscience, the State, and the Law raises interesting questions and sheds new light on the issues of toleration. The case studies that are its main focus are absolutely fascinating, and they provide a range of situations with which anyone thinking about the complex issues of toleration and multiculturalism must deal. For that reason alone, this volume is invaluable. Even the more familiar cases are put in their historical contexts in such a way that they take on new meanings. Anyone interested in issues of religious toleration should want to understand the cases discussed here, and they will find the discussions extraordinarily useful." -- Richard H. Dees, Saint Louis University ... Read more

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After discussing the nature of religion, mythic and scientific modes of thinking and the general character of creation myths, Charles Long interprets five major types of such myths: creation from nothing, emergence myths, world-parent myths, creation from Chaos and from the cosmic egg, and earth-diver myths. Original texts of creation myths from a wide range of cultures offer insights into the authentic ways of mythic thinking and expression. ... Read more

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Although the doctrine of karma is one of the best known aspects of Buddhist thought, Buddhist texts present other, less systematic, ways of speaking about the effects of good and bad actions. This book draws attention to one of these neglected discourses by showing that the interpretation of religious giving as acts of sacrifice directed toward the Buddha or Buddhist monastics has been an important theme in Theravda Buddhism. Sacrifice and karma differ significantly: whereas karma can be analysed as an inward, psychological process in which one's volition purifies or defiles one's mind, discussions of giving as sacrifice stress that the qualities of the recipient as well as the intentions of the donor affect the merit produced by a gift. Sacrificial and karmic discourses also present very different understandings of the dedication of the effects of a gift (i.e. a merit transfer). ... Read more

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