Sikh : Forms and Symbols /
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Distinguished by their typical headgear- uncut beard, robust health and enterprising spirit, the Sikhs are a virile and colourful small community. Though mainly concentrated in Panjab after the Partition of India in 1947, they are found in almost all parts of the country, and in different parts of the world. They have done very well for themselves both at home and abroad and have proven to be an adventurous and hard working migrant group. Their anxiety to maintain forms and symbols of their religious and cultural heritage in foreign lands has often resulted in serious debates and occasional conflicts with the host cultures. With the support of some friendly groups in the host countries, they have fought and won battles for preserving their symbols through peaceful and legal means. The issue of preserving hair and other symbols became a matter of serious concern when a Sikh friend from the United States addressed a letter to the Sikh intelligentsia in India. They responded with their scholarly essays which along with some later articles on the subject have been published in this volume for the benefit of the Sikh diaspora. It is a matter of happiness that the history of Sikh immigrants to North America has taken a full circle-from being disallowed to land on the Canadian soil in 1914, a century later they have become partners in running the government with their forms and symbols intact.
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1 online resource (200 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004752993
Self, Soul and Body in Religious Experience /
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The papers in this volume were delivered at the first international colloquium by the Jacob Taubes Minerva Center for Religious Anthropology at Bar Ilan University, held in February 1995. Concepts of Self, Soul and Body are so close to the physiological layers of life that we may imagine them to be biological as well; but in fact, they are social constructs, and a source of fundamental metaphors for the classification of experience. They thus help organize the world, at the same time as they express basic human identity. They vary from culture to culture and can productively be compared and contrasted from one setting to another. We intend these papers to be a test case of the benefit to be gained from attention to Religious Anthropology.
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Papers presented at the first international colloquium sponsored by the Jacob Taubes Minerva Center for Religious Anthropology at Bar Ilan University, held in Feb. 1995. :
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004379008 :
0169-8834 ;
Religion and society - on the present-day religious situation /
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Religion is today mainly present in the consciousness of people through keywords like fundamentalism, global conflict or violence. But as what is religion understood and how does it affect the society are questions that need to be examined separately. The contributions in this volume will examine the sub-questions that pose themselves in this light: 1) What influence does religion exercise on our social life forms? 2) What are the religious societal prerequisites? And how is visible religion affected by these? 3) How do these questions present themselves both externally and internally in the contemporary perception?
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1 online resource (269 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references at the end of each chapters. :
9789401212106 :
1879-6109 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Minority religions under Irish law : Islam in national and international context /
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Minority Religions under Irish Law focuses the spotlight specifically on the legal protections afforded in Ireland to minority religions, generally, and to the Muslim community, in particular. Although predominantly focused on the Irish context, the book also boasts contributions from leading international academics, considering questions of broader global importance such as how to create an inclusive environment for minority religions and how to regulate religious tribunals best. Reflecting on issues as diverse as the right to education, marriage recognition, Islamic finance and employment equality, Minority Religions under Irish Law provides a comprehensive and fresh look at the legal space occupied by many rapidly growing minority religions in Ireland, with a special focus on the Muslim community.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004398252
Bridge or Barrier : Religion, Violence and Visions for Peace /
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The book discusses the transformative role of religion in situations of violent conflict. It considers both the constructive and destructive sides of religious belief and particularly explores ways in which religion(s) may contribute to transforming conflict into peace. This volume analyses the role of religion in its current manifestations and provides alternative views of it. It is concerned with the role of religion as a source of conflict that often takes violent forms, thus contributing significantly to current problems. Attention also focuses on questions of peace from the perspective of the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A number of essays actualize a vision for peace based on religion and situate visions for peace in the wider context of human security. All chapters consider the policy implications of the theoretical and practical perspectives offered on questions of conflict and peace. The most important documents that have emerged from a variety of religious groups, notably those represented in the book, outlining their view on issues of peace and human rights are collected here, showing how religious believers have engaged with questions similar to those suggested by the principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047405733
9789004139435
Muslims in the Enlarged Europe : Religion and Society /
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This volume describes the main characteristics of contemporary European Islam. Following an outline of the historical background and some statistics related to the presence of Islam in Europe, the process of growth/ the development of Islam is analysed through religious instruction in educational systems, organisational structures and the forms of political participation by Muslims. In addition to a description of the relationship between European states and Islam in judicial terms, the different types of the inclusion/integration of Islam in European society is studied by looking at the media, the relations between religions, economic and international dimensions, and the manner in which views have changed following the events of September 11. Based on extensive bibliographal research, field studies and specific contributions of scholars, this book provides a rare and useful overall review for a wide public. Muslims in the Enlarged Europe has been selected by Choice as Outstanding Academic Title (2005).
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047402466
9789004132016
Contours of Coherence in Rabbinic Judaism : Volume 1 /
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This book shows that the disputes that characterize Rabbinic writings in the formative age underscore the coherence of Rabbinic Judaism. It is in three separate monographs. The first shows that disagreements concern secondary and tertiary issues. They therefore reinforce the primary norm by identifying as moot only trivial details. The second demonstrates, alternatively, that Halakhic disputes articulate unresolved conflict over generative principles. Sometimes, in the presentation of topics of the law, disputes not only indicate the range of consensus but bring to expression conflicting alternatives, theories that claim equal validity but contradict one another. Third, in some presentations of the law and in all presentations of theology where disputes occur, disputes simply gloss details in the application of accepted principles. They form a part of the exercise of legal or theological exegesis, filling in gaps with alternative facts. The print edition is available as a set of two volumes (9789004142312).
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1 online resource :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004144361
9789004531567
Religion, globalization and culture /
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This volume brings together over 25 articles by many of the most important authors who have worked on issues directly related to the theme of religion and globalization. An additional emphasis on culture flags the inclusion of the relation of religion to its wider social context and also permits questioning the boundaries of religion so as to avoid a strong bias in favour of the analysis of institutionalized religion. The key emphasis of the book, however, is the focus specifically on religion, a topic that is still largely ignored in the burgeoning literature on globalization. The articles are divided into five subthemes: theoretical issues; historical approaches to religion and globalization; forms and boundaries of religion; key issues (such as ecology and gender); and regional perspectives. Contributors: Afe Adogame, Elisabeth Arweck, Lori Beaman, Peter Beyer, John Boli, Gary Bouma, Dave Brewington, George Van Campbell, José Casanova, Paul Freston, Nobutaka Inoue, Laurel Kearns, Otto Maduro, Vasilios Makrides, Meredith McGuire, Vincenzo Pace, Rubina Ramji, James T. Richardson, Ole Riis, Roland Robertson, Marie-Andrée Roy, Shandip Saha, John H. Simpson, James V. Spickard, William Stahl, George Thomas, Bryan Turner, Margit Warburg, Michael Wilkinson.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047422716 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
An Unmanaged World: A Philosophical Study of Global Dynamics /
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This book is devoted to the philosophical analysis of key problems of world development and prospects for global management. Based on both rich factual material and a holistic understanding of the world, the author shows how modern globalization has shifted the arena of interaction from individual territories and regions to the entire space of the Earth. The global problems resulting from this shift have led to a weakly regulated and unmanaged world, one that gives rise to acute contradictions for the world community. How can we improve this situation? According to the author, we must learn to "think globally and act together." This study argues that humanity needs a global civilizational revolution aimed at forming a planetary civil society and initiating a shift within international relations, from the "right of power" to the "power of law."
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1 online resource (254 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004746060
The Public significance of religion
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This book reflects on the idea that religion represents a force in the public realms of society. The empirical evidence reveals a regained relevance for and commitment to religion re-emerging in secularized countries, but also that it does so in a new form: unexpected, foreign, and maybe even dangerous. If religion regains public significance in social debates, what are its characteristics in terms of topics and interests, actors and parties? How is this experienced and evaluated by different groups in society? What are the motives of religious groups and churches to re-enter the public domain and are they effective? What is the importance of religious groups claiming participation (consulting, steering, and dominating) in public debates? How do different religious and nonreligious groups evaluate the impact of religion on the public environment, and under which conditions can it be regarded to be functional or dysfunctional? Scholars who address these questions do so from a theological or a religious studies' perspective. They reflect on the phrase 'public significance' of a religion in its political, cultural, and typical religious dimension. The book points out what tendencies can be observed when different religions profile themselves competitively in public debate, and to what extent ethnic and national identities intervene in this interreligious interaction.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. :
9789004207646 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Judaism and Christianity : new directions for dialogue and understanding /
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This volume treats the interrelationship between Judaism and Christianity from the first centuries and into modern times, paying particular attention to these faiths' social, cultural, and theological interactions. The issues covered range from the formation of Jewish and Christian ideology in the context of Roman paganism to the ways in which Christian culture and theology of the medieval and modern periods form a backdrop to the creation of Jewish identity. While the historical periods and issues discussed are diverse, the result is to suggest the importance of our recognizing the close development of Judaism and Christianity. Written by top scholars in Judaic and Christian studies, these essays reflect on how the two faiths related to and were shaped by each other as they evolved in shared historical and cultural contexts, even as each maintained its own distinctive ideologies and beliefs.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. :
9789047441731 :
1571-5000 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Interreligious dialogue from religion to geopolitics /
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Interreligious Dialogue: From Religion to Geopolitics discusses how interreligious dialogue takes place within, and is influenced by, important sociological categories and theories, such as modernity, secularization, deprivatization, social movements, and pluralism. Starting from the study of interreligious coexistence, sacred spaces, and multi-religious rituals, the book explores the patterns of interreligious governance and politics and forms of interreligious social action in European, North American, and West and South Asian contexts. The contributors to this volume apply broader theories of organizational change and planning, communication, urban neighborhood and community studies, functionalist perspectives, and symbolic interactionism, thus presenting a wide range of possibilities for sociological engagement with studies on interreligious dialogue.
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Includes index. :
1 online resource. :
9789004401266 :
1877-5233 ;
The Transformation of Tĕhôm : From Deified Power to Demonized Abyss /
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Tehom, the Hebrew Bible's primeval deep, is a powerful concept often overlooked outside of creation and conflict contexts. Primeval waters mark the boundary between life and death in the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East, representing the duality of both deliverance and judgment. This book examines all contexts of Tehom to explain its conceptual forms and use as a proper noun. Comparative methodology combined with affect and spatial theories provide new ways to understand how religious communities repurposed Tehom. These interpretations of Tehom empower resilience in times of suffering and oppression.
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1 online resource (210 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004708037
Mercy and Justice : A Challenge for Contemporary Theology /
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The term mercy is currently omnipresent in Catholic debates. It dominates at events such as the recent Family Synods and the Jubilee Years. At the same time, it poses a significant problem for cases dealing with sexual abuse. Mercy calls to consider an individual's needs and this conflicts with justice necessitating equal treatment for everyone. Mercy applies to the fallible individual deserving of punishment, but who is saved by grace. This is most apparent in the Sacrament of Penance and other forms of penitence, forgiveness, and reconciliation where mercy both transcends and undermines justice. This problem, widely ignored in church teaching, is addressed by Dirk Ansorge, James Dallen, Judith Hahn, Atria A. Larson, Sandra Lassak, Michael A. Nobel, Rosel Oehmen-Vieregge, Heike Springhart, and Gunda Werner.
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1 online resource. :
9789004432529
9789004426856
Dialogue in the Book of signs : a polyvalent analysis of John 1:19-12:50 /
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Dialogue in the Book of Signs offers a polyvalent analysis of John 1:19-12:50 at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. With the help of several synchronic methods, including genre, narrative, rhetorical, and dramatic studies, the author analyzes the content, form, and function of John's dialogue. Thus, the divine-human dialogue, which is interwoven within the text, provides a key to the understanding of the dialogue between the narrator and the reader. In this volume, after setting a background and a theoretical framework, an extensive exploration of dialogue at the exchange, episode, and narrative levels is offered. The connection of dialogue with other literary aspects such as monologues, signs, I AM sayings, and metaphors is also established. Thus, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of dialogue in John 1-12.
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1 online resource (xviii, 542 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004301610 :
0928-0731 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
History of Medieaval Hindu India : Volume 3: Downfall of Hindu India /
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This book is the last part of the three-volume series of History of Medieaval Hindu India. This book focuses largely on the impact of Hindu Kingdoms with the advent of Turkish invasions in the Indian subcontinent under Mahmud Ghazni. The Mohyal Brahmins, popularly known as Hussaini Brahmins, the rule of Raja Jaipal, the Hindu Shahi kingdom of Kabul, which is the last Hindu kingdom in Afghanistan, and its decline are some of the interesting histories are covered in this book. Raids under the Turkish Sultans at Mathura, Multan, Kangra, Kannauj, Somnath, and Thanesar, and the conquest of Punjab and Kabul under Ghaznavids forms a significant part of the volume. Profiles of the major kingdoms of North and South India like Palas, Gurjara-Pratiharas, Cholas, Gangas, Kakatiyas, Hoysalas, Yadavas, Himalayan kingdoms, and so forth are covered in great detail. The latter part of book covers the ruling elites, the decline of Rajput states, caste stratifications, religious history, and changes in the politics, administration, language, and literature arenas.
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1 online resource (500 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004752818
The Sistani cycle of epics and Iran's national history : on the margins of historiography /
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This work examines the entire corpus of the Sistani Cycle of Epics , both parts included in Ferdowsi's Shāhnāmeh and those appearing in separate manuscripts. It argues that the so-called "epic literature" of Iran constitutes a kind of historiography, encapsulating reflections of watershed events of Iran's antiquity. By examining the symbiotic relationship of the texts' content and form, the underpinning discourse of the various stories is revealed to have been shaped by polemics of political legitimacy and religious conflict. This discourse, however, is not abstract. The stories narrate, within their generic constraint, some of the affairs of the Sistani kingdom and its relationship to the Parthian throne, mainly from the first century BCE to the end of the second century CE.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004282964 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.