Architecture and asceticism : cultural interaction between Syria and Georgia in late antiquity /
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In Architecture and Asceticism Loosley Leeming presents the first interdisciplinary exploration of Late Antique Syrian-Georgian relations available in English. The author takes an inter-disciplinary approach and examines the question from archaeological, art historical, historical, literary and theological viewpoints to try and explore the relationship as thoroughly as possible. Taking the Georgian belief that 'Thirteen Syrian Fathers' introduced monasticism to the country in the sixth century as a starting point, this volume explores the evidence for trade, cultural and religious relations between Syria and the Kingdom of Kartli (what is now eastern Georgia) between the fourth and seventh centuries CE. It considers whether there is any evidence to support the medieval texts and tries to place this posited relationship within a wider regional context.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004375314 :
2213-0039 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The Red Monastery Church : Beauty and asceticism in Upper Egypt /
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"The Red Monastery church is the most important extant early Christian monument in Egypt's Nile Valley, and one of the most significant of its period in the Mediterranean region. A decade-long conservation project has revealed some of the best surviving and most remarkable early Byzantine paintings known to date. The church was painted four times during the 5th and 6th centuries, and significant portions of each iconographic program are preserved. Extensive painted ornament also covers the church's elaborate architectural sculpture, echoing the aesthetics found at San Vitale in Ravenna and the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Distinguished contributors from a wide range of disciplines, including art and architectural history, ancient religion, history, and conservation, discuss the church's importance. Topics include late antique aesthetics, early monastic concepts of beauty and ascetic identity, and connections between the center and the periphery in the early Byzantine world. Beautifully illustrated with more than 300 images, this landmark publication introduces the remarkable history and magnificence of the church and its art to the public for the first time"--Publisher's website.
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xxxix, 390 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), maps (some color), plans ; 32 cm. :
Includes bibliographical references (pages 350-376) and index. :
9780300212303
The Manichaeans of the Roman East : Manichaeism in Greek anti-Manichaica & Roman Imperial Legislation /
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The Manichaeans of the Roman East is the first monograph that synthesizes an enormous body of primary material to reconstruct the history of East-Roman Manichaeans, from the time their first missionaries arrived in the territory of the Roman East until the disappearance of Manichaeism from the Eastern Roman Empire. Through her systematically comparative and intertextual investigation of the sources, Matsangou provides a number of original approaches to issues such as the classification of Manichaeism, the socio-religious profile and lifestyle of East Roman Manichaeans, the triggers of the severe anti-Manichaean persecutions. She thoroughly analyses the relationship between Manichaean and Christian ascetics for the first time, suggesting a possible Manichaean impact on the rise of ascetic manifestations among Christian ascetics, monks, and individuals in society. By considering the dimensions of the phenomenon of crypto-Manichaeism and using the concept of "entryism"-borrowed from politics-as a theoretical model, Matsangou makes intriguing hypotheses suggesting an alternative explanation for the disappearance of Manichaeism from the Roman East.
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1 online resource (550 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004544222
History of the Chaitanya Faith in Orissa /
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Vishambhar Misra, famously known as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (c.1486-1534), led one of the most pioneering movements within the Vaishnava tradition in medieval India, which influenced many of the famous modern Hindu mystics, including Ramakrishna Paramahansa, and certain modern-day world famous Hindu mystical organizations like ISCKON. This book deals with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's life and his version of Vaishnavaite mysticism in Orissa (presently Odisha). The author in the first part deals with the sources attributed to the Vaishnava saint written in Bengali, Odia, and Sanskrit during medieval and early modern periods. These include his biographies and mystical compositions dedicated to Lord Krishna composed by his followers. The second part deals with the religiosity and asceticism of the said saint, and how it is different from the traditional Vaishnavism practiced in medieval Orissa. The final part of this book deals with the impact of Mahaprabhu on the history of medieval Orissa and his movement prevalent in modern times. This book is highly recommended to those, who are interested in researching the history of Vaishnavism in medieval times, the history of Eastern India, and the study of Hinduism, in general.
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1 online resource (140 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004753419
Islamic mysticism : a short history.
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The book provides a general survey of the history of Islamic mysticism (Sufism) since its inception up to the modern time. It combines chronological and personality-based approaches to the subject with a thematic discussion of principal Sufi notions and institutions. Sufism is examined from a variety of different perspectives: as a vibrant social institution, a specific form of artistic expression (mainly poetic), an ascetic and contemplative practice, and a distinctive intellectual tradition that derived its vitality from a dialogue with other strands of Islamic thought. The book emphasizes the wide variety of Sufism's interactions with the society and its institutions from an ascetic withdrawal from the world to an active involvement in its affairs by individual Sufi masters and organizations. Islamic Mysticism by Knysh is a comprehensive survey of the interesting and fascinating world of Islamic Mysticism.
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1 online resource (358 pages) :
9789004215764 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Mapping religion and spirituality in a postsecular world /
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Individualization of believing and the logic of pluralism today inevitably bring a redefinition of the role of religion in the lives of individuals as well as societies themselves. New concepts and new theories are necessary to try to describe and understand how such processes work: this is without doubt the most problematic and intriguing aspect of the processes of change that characterize our era. This is a difficulty that makes us use only partially, and often with much caution, words, concepts and theories that until not long ago had a convincing heuristic and explanatory power and were, at least apparently, indisputable. Once it is established that under the sacred vaults of religion nothing is created and nothing is destroyed, but everything is preserved and transformed, what are the connections that are now being established with the sacred in society? The concepts "spirituality" and "post-secular" give important insights into the new religious landscape.
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Description based upon print version of record. :
1 online resource. :
9789004230231 :
1061-5210 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Translating catechisms, translating cultures : the expansion of Catholicism in the early modern world /
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Translating Catechisms, Translating Cultures explores the dimensions of early modern transcultural Christianities; the leeway of religious negotiation in and outside of Europe by comparing catechisms and their translation in the context of several Jesuit missionary strategies. The volume challenges the often assumed paramount Europeanness of Western Christianity. In the early modern period the idea of Tridentine Catholicism was translated into many different regions where it was appropriated and adopted to local conditions. Missionary work always entails translation, linguistic as well as cultural, which results in a modification of the content. Catechisms were central instruments to communicate Christian belief and, therefore, they are central media for all kinds of translation processes. The comparative approach (including China, India, Japan, Ethiopia, Northern America and England) enables the evaluation of different factors like power relations, social differentiation, cultural patterns, gender roles et cetera Contributors are: Takao Abé, Anand Amaladass, Leonhard Cohen, Renate Dürr, Antje Flüchter, Ana Hosne, Giulia Nardini, John Ødemark, John Steckley, Alexandra Walsham, Rouven Wirbser.
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"The present volume is the proceedings of the Conference "Comparing Catechisms - Entangling Christian History" (14-16 May 2014) organized by Antje Fluchter" --ECIP galley.
Includes index. :
1 online resource. :
9789004353060 :
0924-9389 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Theory and Practice of Yoga, Essays in Honour of Gerald James Larson.
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This collection of original essays provides fascinating insights into yoga as a historical and pluralistic phenomenon flourishing in a variety of religious and philosophical contexts. They cover a wide variety of traditions and topics related to Yoga: Classical Yoga, Sāṃkhya, Tantric Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, the Guru, Indic Islamic traditions of Yoga, Yoga and asceticism in contemporary India, and the reception of Yoga in the West. The essays are written by eighteen professors in the field of the history of religions, most of them former graduate students of Gerald James Larson, Larson is Rabindranath Tagore Professor Emeritus, Indiana University, Bloomington, Professor Emeritus, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, an internationally acclaimed scholar on the history of religions and philosophies of India, and one of the world's foremost authorities on the Samkhya and Yoga traditions. The publication is in honour of him.
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1 online resource. :
9789047416333
Ascetic Passions : Emotions in Early Christian Egypt /
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Ascetic Passions: Emotions in Early Christian Egypt reveals the role of emotions in shaping early Christian theology, community, and monastic practices in Egypt. Drawing from biblical interpretation, theological treatises, and Coptic monastic and apocryphal literature, Crislip explores how emotions such as envy, anger, sadness, and joy influenced Christian life and thought. The book highlights how early Christians saw emotions as both spiritual challenges and tools for moral growth. Discussions of figures like Evagrius of Pontus and Shenoute showcase how emotional regulation, community, and identity were central to monastic life. The volume offers new insights into the emotional landscape of late antiquity.
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1 online resource (340 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004744752
Severus of Antioch : his life and times /
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Severus of Antioch: His Life and Times offers many fresh insights into the life, theology, reception history, exegetical approach, and asceticism of Severus, a key figure in the Oriental Orthodox Church, and central to the current discussions on Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox reunion. It includes articles from established Syriac scholars and theologians including well-known international authors Pauline Allen, Sebastian Brock, Rifaat Ebied and Ken Parry. The topics covered have immense theological and historical significance for the churches of the Middle East and the history of Late Antiquity, and explore new understandings of Severus' exegetical context, the theological and political impact of his sermons, and his relation to the many ideological currents of his time.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004307995 :
2213-0039 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
God in early Christian thought : essays in memory of Lloyd G. Patterson /
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While the diversity of early Christian thought and practice is now generally assumed, and the experiences and beliefs of Christians beyond the works of great theologians increasingly valued, the question of God is perennial and fundamental. These essays, individually modest in scope, seek to address that largest of questions using particular issues and problems, or single thinkers and distinct texts. They include studies of doctrine and theology as traditionally conceived, but also of understandings of God among the early Christians that emerge from study of liturgy, art, and asceticism, and in relation to the social order and to nature itself.
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1 online resource (vi, 407 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 361-373) and index. :
9789047427582 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The impact of scripture in early Christianity /
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One of the most conspicuous innovations of early Christianity within Greco-Roman culture is its reliance upon a collection of authoritative texts. The ultimate author of Scripture was thought to be God Himself, whose will could and should be sought and found in these holy writings. For this reason it is not surprising that very soon these texts not only became the object of careful attention and scholarly study, but also put their stamp on the various forms and manifestations of early Christian life, such as martyrdom, asceticism, liturgy, art, and literature. This multifarious influence of Scripture is the subject of The Impact of Scripture in Early Christianity . It contains fourteen contributions, predominantly in English, by Belgian and Dutch scholars which have been gathered in a thematically ordered collection.
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1 online resource (xiii, 278 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004313118 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The Gospel of Thomas and Christian origins : essays on the Fifth Gospel /
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The essays collected in The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Origins offer a series new chapters in the history of Christianity's first century. Stephen J. Patterson, whose work on the Gospel of Thomas has circulated widely for more than two decades, argues that taking this new source seriously will require rethinking a number of basic issues, including the assumed apocalyptic origins of early Christian faith, the supposed centrality of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the role of Platonism in formulation of both orthodox and heterodox Christian theology.
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A collection of previously published essays; dates of original publication range from 1991 to 2013. :
1 online resource (xiv, 311 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. :
9789004256217 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Les martyrs Maccabées : de l'histoire juive au culte chrétien : les homélies de Grégoire de Nazianze et de Jean Chrysostome /
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The Maccabean Martyrs, Jewish heroes from the era of the persecution of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, were incorporated into the IVth century Christian martyrology. Two Church Fathers, Gregory Nazianzen and John Chrysostom wrote panegyrics in their honour, which are studied and translated in this book. The first part shows how, since the beginning, the Church referred to these martyrs as biblical examples known through 2 and 4 Maccabees. The second part describes, through the eulogies of Gregory and John, the circumstances surrounding the creation of the Christian Feast. The third part analyzes the preaching built around the story of the Maccabean martyrs, where, following the 4 M model, Eleazar, the seven brothers and their mother are established as examples of virtue and asceticism for the edification of all Christians. The book investigates an original aspect of the cult of martyrs : the christianisation of jewish martyrs killed defending the Law, and sheds light on the sometimes contradictory preaching choices of Gregory and John to respond to the jewish roots of this cult. *** Les martyrs Maccabées, héros juifs de la persécution d'Antiochus IV Epiphane, furent intégrés dans le martyrologe chrétien au IVè siècle. À la même époque, en Orient, deux Pères de l'Eglise, Grégoire de Nazianze et Jean Chrysostome, ont prononcé des discours panégyriques en leur honneur, étudiés et traduits dans ce livre. La première partie montre comment, depuis l'origine, l'Eglise citait comme exemples bibliques ces martyrs connus par le Deuxième et le Quatrième livre des Maccabées . La deuxième partie décrit, au travers des panégyriques de Grégoire et de Jean, les circonstances qui ont marqué l'instauration de la fête chrétienne dédiée à ces martyrs. La troisième partie analyse la prédication adressée aux fidèles à partir de l'épisode maccabéen, Eléazar, les sept frères et leur Mère devenant, sur le modèle de 4 M, des exemples de vertus et d'ascèse proposés à l'imitation de tous. Le livre explore ainsi un aspect original du culte des martyrs, la christianisation de martyrs juifs morts pour la défense de la Loi, et met en lumière les choix de prédication, parfois opposés, de Grégoire et de Jean face à l'enracinement juif de ce culte.
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Includes French translations of one sermon by Gregory of Nazianzus (In Machabaeorum laudem) and 3 sermons by John Chrysostom (De Macabeis 1-2; De Eleazaro et septem pueris)--P. 301-344. :
1 online resource (x, 392 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 351-379) and index. :
9789047410942 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.