Product Description

Identifying the major trends and telling moments within both major denominations and other less formal religious movements, Allitt asks how these religious groups have shaped, and been shaped by, some of the most important and divisive political issues and events of the last half century, including the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, feminism and the sexual revolution, abortion rights, and the antinuclear and environmentalist movements.

Customer Reviews (3)

Extensive overview
Patrick Allit gives a thorough history of the way that religion has taken place in The United States since the second world war. Allit divides the text into different eras such as by time and theme. He makes sure to include different perspectives as it does not simply address majority religion. People of different ranges of life are represented. Allit keeps different religions and ethnic groups in his history of religion.

Through the text Allit traces a history of the American people. It is interesting to see a history of a people through their religious activities. Rather than watching political, social , and cultural history in a vacuum here we see the interaction of people and their religion. Another thing I liked is that it brings into focus people and events that normally are not present. Allit supports his story with a lot of evidence from different areas.

Religion in Americaa Since 1945: A History
This book has a lot of information that is important while looking at a history of America since 1945. This book describes in detail the events and movements that have taken place since 1945 and describe religions involvement and thoughts on the events and movements. What I found the most interesting about this book is it explains why religion is so important to America in every aspect. After reading this, it was hard for me to understand why religion has been left out of many history books, even though this book proves why religion is so important. I find it so interesting that state and church are supposed to be separate, but in America it is almost impossible to do. This book is great for people who want to show the importance of religion to America.

From Columbia University Press:
Of late, religion seems to be everywhere, suffusing United States politics and popular culture and acting as both a unifying and a divisive force. This collection of manifestos, Supreme Court decisions, congressional testimonies, speeches, articles, book excerpts, pastoral letters, interviews, song lyrics, memoirs, and poems reflects the vitality, diversity, and changing nature of religious belief and practice in American public and private life over the last half century. Encompassing a range of perspectives, this book illustrates the ways in which individuals from all along the religious and political spectrum have engaged religion and viewed it as a crucial aspect of society. The anthology begins with documents that reflect the close relationship of religion, especially mainline Protestantism, to essential ideas undergirding Cold War America. Covering both the center and the margins of American religious life, this volume devotes extended attention to how issues of politics, race, gender, and sexuality have influenced the religious mainstream. A series of documents reflects the role of religion and theology in the civil rights, feminist, and gay rights movements as well as in conservative responses. Issues regarding religion and contemporary American culture are explored in documents about the rise of the evangelical movement and the religious right; the impact of "new" (post-1965) immigrant communities on the religious landscape; the popularity of alternative, New Age, and non-Western beliefs; and the relationship between religion and popular culture. The editors conclude with selections exploring major themes of American religious life at the millennium, including both conservative and New Age millennialism, as well as excerpts that speculate on the future of religion in the United States.

... Read more

Product Description
J. Samuel Preus traces the development and articulation of a modern "naturalistic" approach to the study of religion by examining ideas about the origin of religion in the works of nine western thinkers: Jean Bodin, Herbert of Cherbury, Bernard Fontenelle, Giambattista Vico, David Hume, Auguste Comte, Edward Brunett Tylor, Emile Durkheim, and Sigmund Freud. He argues that beginning in the sixteenth century increasing critical detachment from theological presuppositions and commitments made it possible for the question of origins to be posed from an altogether non-religious point of view. This new modernist paradigm was characterized by the conviction that religion could be explained in scientific terms, like any other object of critical investigation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Model of Careful Reading
Preuss sets out in this book to describe a tradition of explaining religion, in naturalistic terms, beginning with the late Renaissance thinker Jean Bodin, he elegantly sets up a "symposium" of nine thinkers including representatives of from all corners of modern western thought.What is strongest about this book is Preuss ability to give a solid and accessible overview of each thinker, while attending to the depth and nuance of their texts.His operating thesis is that the explanation of religion begins with the criticism of religion, with the confrontation of religion as a "problem" to be explained.Any reader interested in the rise of secularism within the West would benefit from this book.Even more so, through the backdrop of religion, it highlights many of the key issues of Modernity and how thinkers have sought to confront the basic issues that occur in the breakdown of Christendom as a overarching narrative in the West. ... Read more

Product Description

Historian Edward Grant illuminates how today's scientific culture originated with the religious thinkers of the Middle Ages. In the early centuries of Christianity, Christians studied science and natural philosophy only to the extent that these subjects proved useful for a better understanding of the Christian faith, not to acquire knowledge for its own sake. However, with the influx of Greco-Arabic science and natural philosophy into Western Europe during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the Christian attitude toward science changed dramatically. Despite some tensions in the thirteenth century, the Church and its theologians became favorably disposed toward science and natural philosophy and used them extensively in their theological deliberations.

Customer Reviews (2)

An important book but with limitations
Edward Grant is one of the leading historians of science and so this overview of western science to 1550 is welcome. Grant surveys the three main contributors, the Greeks, Islam and the Middle Ages. Each had an important contribution to make. This book is particularly important in stressing the vital contribution the Greeks made to medieval thought.
On his first page Grant makes the point that the dialogue between religion and science goes back to Plato and Aristotle with their very different ways of finding certainty. Do you concentrate on finding empirical evidence from which to understand the material world or is there an immaterial world which can be grasped by reason? It is important to start here as often such debates get fixated on Christianity, Galileo and Darwin. If one starts with the two opposing stands of Aristotle and Plato one has a much more far ranging and satisfying debate whih goes beyond the relatively narrow perspectives of the Christians versus Dawkins.
There is a good chapter on Aristotle, in Grant's view ` probably the most significant figure in the history of Western thought up to the end of the sixteenth century' (P. 37). Despite errors in his observations ( and this has been the case with most scientists throughout history) Grant shows us that the ways in which we understand what nature is and how to appreciate and study it is due to Aristotle. It is a massive legacy. In his Chapter Three Grant shows how the Greek tradition of empirical thought spread through a variety of disciplines and was still powerful in the second century AD. Galen and Ptolemy are two giants to whom he gives appropriate accolades. He looks at the ambivalent attitudes to `science' in the early Christian world and later in Islam, which, of course, made impressive contributions of its own which Grant details ( pp.230-43)
With the fall of the Roman empire, Grant notes the nadir of western European thought until its revival in the twelfth century. He also notes the contrast between the vitality of Greek intellectual life in the second century AD and then its gradual decline in the Byzantine theocracy so that despite some intellectual renaissances ` no significant works were composed that had any detectable influence' in the empire (p. 229). I suspect that Byzantine scholars might disagree with Grant here.
As Grant makes clear (p.24) ` Science in the late ancient and medieval periods was radically different from modern science'. It would be interesting to know how far western rationalism would have progressed from its tentative reappearance in the twelfth century without the coming of Aristotle to the rescue. Inevitably the rediscovery of Aristotle got everyone shaken up, even if his thought was often subordinated to Christian dogmatism. Grant is good at how his impact infused western thought and was successfully integrated into Christian theology by Thomas Aquinas.
In Paris theology continued to rule as supreme but this did not prevent natural philosophers. in the arts faculties, doing interesting work in areas that did not concern the church. Yet, as one of the more talented natural philosophers, John Buridan, put it when he came up against a contradiction between God's power and reason ` I yield the determination of these questions to the lord theologians ,and I wish to acquiesce in their determination `. ( p. 211). Grant is excellent on the way that angels became to natural philosophy what fruitflies are to modern genetic research. Although no medieval discussion apparently discussed angels on pinheads, natural philosophers did discuss whether God could create an infinite multitude of angels within an hour. Yes, he could, argued Gregory of Rimini ( p. 210) There were wonderfully convoluted debates on how angels, as immaterial objects, could move. Do they move instantaneously or is there a period of transition between them being in one place and another, a mid-point of their progress (pp. 213-5)? What kind of space does an angel, which is, apparently indivisible, occupy? Despite this bizarre way of doing 'science', Grant argues that it did lead to some form of progress. It is hard to say how much and whether it would ever have freed itself from the entanglements of theology. Fashions come and go and it is now fashionable to decry those who are critical of scholasticism but there were some pretty odd pathways ( divine embryology - the science of the conception of Jesus is one of them) which needed to be closed off and be replaced with mainstream thinking on the real world ( e.g. following the tradition of Aristotle) before genuine progress could be made. Too much natural philosophy was concerned with meeting the challenges of Christian dogma.
There are three areas I would have liked to see more on.
1) Robert Bartlett (The Natural and the Supernatural in the Middle Ages) has shown how the popes' determination to control the authentication of miracles led to a debate on where the boundaries between the natural and supernatural lay. This led to much more thought about the natural world. How far benign (angels) and malign ( Satan and the devils)forces affected the course of nature was another religious issue which led to more discussion on the natural world- perhaps as a bizarre way of doing science as using angels as models but least it got people thinking about the natural world. (The revival of interest in the natural wrld gathered pace in the sixteenth century, not the medieval world)
2). Grant says virtually nothing about the specific contributions of the Italian universities. Philip Jones in his monumental study of the Italian City-State (see my review on Amazon co.uk)has destroyed the myth of the church founding the first universities. They were under the control of the local communes and were very much more vocational than universities in the north. That is why medical studies developed faster in Italy as medicine was highlighted as a prestige vocation. So was law with equally important results. James Franklin in his absorbing The Science of Conjecture notes that 'the essential idea that one applies reasoning to texts to understand them had been developed by the school of commentators on Lombard law in Pavia by about 1050' e.g. in Italy outside a university- he sees this as leading directly into the university of Bologna with its famous law faculty (p.15-16). Civic humanism not only gave greater confidence to the individual (look at the arrogance of Brunelleschi in thinking he could put a dome on Florence cathedral- he showed he could!) but encouraged cities to smarten themselves up and exploit economic opportunities. Jones identifies the practical results in statistics, mathematics, cadastral surveying and map making. The first mass production of spectacles was in Florence. Here is the application of scientific thought to everyday lives which , contra Grant, could be seen as the foundation of modern science. ( Of course, nowadays we can see how the Aristoteleian approach has won out over the Platonic by adding immense value to human life - it was not so clear in this earlier period just how massive a contribution science would make to human well-being - one more reason for sharing Grant's view on Aristotle and perhaps extending it later than the sixteenth century.) Sixty per cent of books on science imported into 15th century England came from Venice, a city given only a bare mention by Grant.
3) Grant mentions Copernicus as the end point of his study but does not discuss his contribution. Was he the heir of medieval thought or, as Michael Hoskin and Owen Gingerich argue in the Cambridge History of Astronomy, maker ` of one the greatest intellectual leaps known to the history of science'.I would have appreciated Grant's thoughts as it remains unclear to me exactly important the Paris and Oxford natural philosophers were even in the relatively narrow fields of 'science' that were their concern. Were they simply supplanted by a great intellectual leap ( by someone who had studied first in Italy, if not in astronomy- as had Albert the Great and Aquinas, of course, before they went to Paris).
So there is a great deal of interest in this book and some absorbing discussions but I can never understand why historians of medieval science spend so much time on Paris and Oxford and virtually none on the practical advances made by science in the Italian peninsula during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. There is never any discussion of how and why the commune governments of the Italian city states were much more conducive to scientific advance 'on the ground' than the monarchical states of northern Europe ( not least,perhaps, because they were able to avoid being dominated so much by the church).I would argue that a comparison of the two, with at least as much space given to Italy, should be the central theme of any book on science in the later Middle Ages. The tragedy is that Philip Jones' The Italian City-State is so impossibly expensive despite being recognised as the 'bible' on the period before 1300 where he shows just how much advanced thinking was under way.

brilliant and clear
One does not find too often within a single book such combination of precise scholarship, objectivity, sense of perspective and clarity of exposition. Its price is modest, but beware, it might well compel you to refresh some of your ideas and knowledge on the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Across America and the world dangerous New Age cults andreligious groups are growing in strength and numbers. As many as 50million Americans are now New Age cultists while millions of othersare unwittingly dabbling and experimenting in the occult throughdirect or indirect involvement with New Age religious and politicalorganizations.

This is the first authoritative guide to the New Age cults andreligions infecting and threatening our society. This outstanding workcarefully analyzes these groups, revealing substantial, detailedinformation to convincingly answer the questions most asked. Itclearly contrasts the false--sometimes bizarre--and unorthodoxteachings and practices of the New Cults with the Living Truthscontained in the Holy Bible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

atta boy...strangers in the boo-goo land of religions...
it may be
the most important book
ever written...
unparalleled...
stunning expose
that is what
Texe Marrs says
about
New Age Bible Versions
of G.A.Riplinger

and that's how
i came to say
the same
for his own work
giving a kick
into my Christian butt
lest i forget
the God The Father
the Lord The Saviour
and Holy Ghost The Paraclete

just to remember
satan is lower case
backdoor man
nice person
like commie
before the season
of making friends
is over
and shoot
to kill is on

Mr Marrs view
on total disregard
of threat of the unknown
invisible by practitioners
to be so and so
and letting our beings
be invaded and pass on others
the unholy
as we are being forewarned
by prophets and our Saviour

Lacking
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2HJPG4QWOXZ5E A 5minute video review concerning Texe Marrs Book of New Age Cults & Religions. The purpose of this video is to illustrate some weaknesses in the book which are important for the reader to know. One thing which was forgotten to mention was internal inconsistency concerning Krishnamurti: "Dejected and embarrased Krishnamurti sailed back to India where, in 1929, he broke away from his sponsors in Theosophy and, in fact, repudiated all connections with organized religions and ideologies." (233) and "Finally, in 1931,a dejected Krishnamurti himself abruptly renounced his title of "Christ" and became an independent guru..." (317).

Welcome to a Land of Make-Believe
My brother received this book, along with L.U.C.I.D., Marrs' crackpot exposé of the satanic mind-control conspiracy controlling the world, from a deranged lunatic calling himself "Christ."This in itself should speak volumes about the type of individual who would take this stuff seriously and at face value.

I'm amazed that a university actually let this guy teach.Contrary to what some of these other reviews would have you believe, "New Age Cults and Religions" is in no way a scholarly work.Texe literally just makes things up and states them as researched facts.He frequently quotes people out of context and then makes outrageous assertions about what these folks are talking about; such as when he quotes Christopher Hyatt saying that the world seems to want more blood and violence before it changes, then rhetorically suggests that faithful Christians will be the target of this violence perpetrated at the hands of the Order of the Golden Dawn.He uncritically states that Buddhism is a violent unholy New Age cult.Nowhere does he offer any support of these sorts of claims.

His writing should remind you of a paranoid pothead teenager surfing the internet and keeping notes on every corny conspiracy theory he finds without checking the sources.The fact that he calls himself a Christian and quotes the Bible should give actual Christians pause to consider who is the real wolf in sheep's clothing.

Currently this book is sitting next to my toilet, where it can give me some laughs to ease my more difficult bowel movements.

The absolute best book written by T. Marrs, before he went off the deep end...
Former Christian Preacher Texe Marrs,
now a Patriot-for-Prophet [see: Bo
Gritz authored 'My Brothers Keeper'],
did an outstanding job here of iden-
tifying the Cults and Secret Societies
that plague our Western Civilization &
thus the world. Most of the other Texe
Marrs futurist 'Prophet of Doom' books
are all of the furturist 'gloom-and-
doom' "The end is coming soon" variety.
Here he sticks to facts and denotes a
good and careful synopsis of the groups
who seek to pervert our posterity, reli-
giously; Mormons, Jehovah's Sicknesses,
Sixth (not Seventh) Day Adventures, et, al.
I suggest that despite Marrs recent 21st
Century faux puas, get this book! Keep it
on the shelf with Mike Hoffman's 'Secret
Societies and Psychological Warfare' and
'Judiaism's Strange Gods'. Pick Up On It!

Classic Marrs
His critics dismiss Texe Marrs with the label "Fundamentalist Christian."So be it.But at least he takes a stand.At least he reads the Bible of his faith.At least he applies it to the world around him.

I like Marrs' books.They have the excitement of conspiracy theory.But grounded in Bible study.If you don't believe in the Bible (or are afraid your friends will think you're a nut if you do) you probably won't like his books.But if you're into Bible prophecy, and use the Christian Bible to guide your life, then I think you'll appreciate Marrs' perspective.

I'll admit, I try not to put any Christian writer on a pedestal.God is still the definitive Author.But there's a place for writers who use the Bible to comment on current events.I appreciate the work they do.Especially when it prompts me to go back and read Bible passages they've pointed out.

So, Mr. Marrs: I thank you for taking so much flak, yet still keeping the faith.And I eagerly await your next book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subtitle: Illustrated in a Course of Serious and Practical Addresses, Suited to Persons of Every Character and Circumstance With a Devout Meditation, or Prayer, Subjoined to Each Chapter; Original Published by: H.W. Derby in 1861 in 482 pages; Subjects: Religion / Christian Life / General; Religion / Prayerbooks / General; Religion / Prayerbooks / Christian; Religion / Christian Theology / Soteriology; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Momentious Decisions to be made considering Eternity
This book is a full, complete and honest examination of the human heart as it exists apart from God, lost in it's self-idolatry, rationalizations, and pretensious preferences. It is a straight on look at mankinds rebellion toward God exibited bya lifetime of non-nutritious indulgences at the preferred fleshly "slop" trough of our self-centered and entitled arrogant efforts and dawdlings.It is a compassionate and provacative appeal from one man saved by grace to the unsaved...to accept this unfathomable and precious gift of salvation which God offers through faith in Christ. An offer that He makes in tender compassionate love to all who will recieve it. The author extends to both the nominal professing believer and the most rabid sinner an opportunity to put aside pretense and take an honest look at oneself in the light of our holy and righteous God and Creator.He describes the gift of salvation as an exchange of abundant relational life in God, and that eternally, for the acceptace of the gift and repentance and turning away from sin.It is a look at the gift, the character of the Giver, and the choices to be made in our short pilgrimage on earth which will have direct affect the grace of our life now, the attitude of our dying and the way in which we each will enter into eternal life. in dying and in our eternal life. Eternity will be a comforting and joyfilled existence as worshippers and friends of God or it will be a terrible encounter with a righteous Judge and executioner who will not let the wicked and rebellious sinner go unpunished.He has observed our thoughts, motives and actions throughout our lifetime and cannot be decieved by our excuses and lies.He has given us freely every ability we have, and every good gift we have recieved and forborn with us in hope that we would turn to him. The book takes the reader through a rational consideration of the pro's and con's of this decision to be made
with an attitude of hope and words of truth and grace. Excellent in every way. ... Read more

Product Description
Primary Source Readings in World Religions provides your students with the opportunity to read foundational texts from the major world religions. Throughunderstanding other religions we can create an atmosphere of genuine respect and honest discussion. In doing this we can respond to the invitation Pope Benedict XVI extended to all of us when he said, "I encourage all religious groups in America to persevere in their collaboration and thus enrich public life with the spiritual values that motivate your action in the world" (from Benedict XVI; Meeting with Representatives of Other Religions).

In Primary Source Readings in World Religions you willfind portions of the foundational texts and teachings of a wide variety of world religions, including

Customer Reviews (1)

A solid introduction to understanding the religions of the world
Understanding the faiths of the world is a key to understanding why the world is the way it is today. "Primary Source Readings in World Religions" was created in response to the recent call by Pope Benedict for all religions to work together and embrace one another to make the world a better place. Brodd takes pieces from the sacred texts of several major world religions to explain their nature and values, and how they came to be. "Primary Source Readings in World Religions" is a solid introduction to understanding the religions of the world.
... Read more

Product Description

This latest book by notable scholar and author Mary Pat Fisher reflects the growing interest in women in religion. Every chapter begins with a brief history of a religious tradition and women's roles in the development of that religion, giving students historical context. Biographical feature boxes and interviews are peppered throughout each chapter to provide insight into the personal experiences of key figures and practitioners. Extracts from holy texts, diaries, and articles, together with shorter quotations woven throughout the text, support and illustrate the main text discussion and enable critical issues to be raised and considered.   This accessible text makes women's religious experiences and actions come to life in all their richness and variety.

Customer Reviews (3)

Why Women in Religion falls short of being a good text.
This text makes no attempt at objectivity or neutrality with regards to religion and its claims. Healthy skepticism is thrown completely out the window, as the author seems to present the claims of every religion as if they are fact, as opposed to just an aspect of culture. The Abrahamic mythology in this book is presented as history (despite glaring historical inaccuracies), and far too much credit is given to spiritual healers and mysticism. There are several cases where supernatural explanations for strange anecdotes are presented as the only possible explanations for the phenomena, despite the lack of a full pictures being presented. There is no distinction made between science and pseudoscience in this text. The text also seems to beg the question in terms of the existence of a deity (that is, it assumes that there is a god), which is poor practice when writing about religion, which generally should be done either from an agnostic point of view in religious studies, or from an anthropological point of view (that is, the answer to the philosophical question is unimportant to the anthropological study). Much of the text says very little while still using many words.

In short, this text fails at maintaining objectivity and presenting accurate historical accounts, or, as some academics would say, "complete BS."

Wonderful
the book came just in time for class. the book gives personal accounts in the lives of women, gives a clear background of the five major religions (and more, such as New Thought, Shamanism, etc.), and has more sources than i can count. excellent book and it was sent right on time!

A Fairly Good Introductory Text
This is a fairly comprehensive book, covering in introductory fashion the major world religions and women's roles in them.Fisher successfully introduces each religious tradition, as well as the significant part that many women have played in it.As with Fisher's Living Religion text, the overview can sacrifice some depth for breadth of coverage, but I think Fisher has done a fairly good job balancing both, and neither paints too rosy nor too bleak a picture of women in religion; a role that could sometimes be liberating, and sometimes oppressive as a lived experience.Overall recommended as an introductory text book. ... Read more

Product Description
Since its first publication in 1981, AMERICA: RELIGIONS AND RELIGION has become the standard introduction to the study of American religious traditions. Written by one of the foremost scholars in the field of American religions, this textbook has introduced thousands of students to the rich religious diversity that has always been a hallmark of the American religious experience. Beginning with native American religious traditions and following the course of America's religious history up to the present day, this text gives students the benefit of the author's extensive, influential scholarship in a clear manner that has proven to be readily accessible for today's undergraduates. This long-awaited new edition explores a variety recent events and developments, including increasing religious pluralism, the growth of postpluralism and the culture of religious combinations, recent religious change among Native Americans, renewed interest in the Kabbalah among Jews and others, present-day concerns in Catholicism and among Protestants, the Christian Right, new spirituality, religion and sexuality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Utterly confusing and BORING
I've never read a book where I had to read a paragraph 5 times and still don't even know what the heck it's trying to say. Author needs to make it easier to read for those who have no religious background whatsoever at all, especially for those who have no interest in religion.

I'm only reading it b/c it's a req'd text for a class. The professor who teaches this class is also just as BORING! No wonder he chose this book.

Case study in the academic textbook racket
I imagine that if you're looking to buy this book it's because it's required for a course. It's a passable survey of religion in America. The course I bought it for was supplemented by a great deal of primary source material, which was much more helpful than this textbook. My biggest beef with the book was the price: it was nearly 80 dollars for a book that is incredibly slim on pages and very, very general. This to me highlights the problem in the textbook market: pricing is done by letting guinea pigs loose in a room with numbers on the floor. The number they poop on is the price assigned.

Pompous Blather
I had to purchase this book for an American Religion Class.You can tell where the updated editions are written by the more-cogent writing.In general, the writting seems verbose and the author seems to be showcasing an extensive vocabulary rather than an exercise in transfering information. The information is disjointed; a difficult read.

This is NOT a book you will read for casual reading.I love to read, but this is a cure for insomnia.I went so far as to post that I knew what I'de be doing in the afterlife in the 7th ring of hell(Reading this book over and over again#.

If possible and time permits, take a different religion class if this is required reading #This is not sour grapes, I read the entire book and received an 'A' for the course).

thumbs up
I used this book for an undergraduate course.The prose is easy to read.Sometimes sections seem disjointed,, but overall a good textbook.If you want to know how American religion came to be where it is today, this book will explain it all.

Ugh
I had to read this for a class, and I found it atrocious.Everyone in my class seriously wanted to send a letter to Catherine Albanese to let her know how offensive and ridiculous this book was.I had to restrain myself.The information she gives is occasionally helpful, but usually skewed.She covers a vast array of topics without really doing a good job with any of them.I wish she had reorganized the book a lot and provided better information and less of her own opinions.This was a waste of my time and money, and as soon as I was done with it, I sold it online.I hope none of you bought it. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume provides Werner Pluhar's masterful rendering of Kant's major work on religion, an illuminating introduction by Stephen Palmquist, a selected bibliography, notes, glossary and a detailed index. ... Read more

Product Description
This book compares Judaism, Christianity, and Islamusing seven common themes, which are equally relevant to each tradition. Provoking criticalthinking, this book addresses the cultural framework of religious meanings. It exploressimilarities and differences among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as it explains the ongoing process of interpretation in each religion.A comparative view of monotheistic religions showing the manor in which each has influenced and responded to the others. Provides readers with an opportunity to appreciate how religious change takes place and how traditions are shaped and reshaped including popular religion. Combines a focus onspecific themes (scripture, ritual, ethics) with a strong narrative about the historical developments of these themes. Lets the reader see the enduring aspects of eachtradition alongside of the changes. A discussion of material culture is presented.. Including ananalysis of art and architecture, food, dress, and the organization of space. Written in crisp, clear prose, with a non-technical, casual approach. Includes illustrations, maps, timelines, and glossary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A layman reads about monotheism
A worthwhile book for those seeking information on this subject. The best sections by far are those on Christianity. They are written with an honesty not shown in most of the Muslim parts, and with style and humor missing from the rest.

Excellent place to start
Several years ago I was introduced to this book in a college course on Judaism.I was very impressed with how helpful the book was in terms of providing articulate and insightful overviews of the subject matter.Finding the book so helpful in expanding my understanding of Judaism, I returned to it a few years later to learn more about Islam; I was not disappointed.Overall, the book is very good at providing the student with a solid foundation of knowledge on a wide variety of issues germane to studying each of the Western traditions - issues like how each tradition articulates its unique form of Monotheism, how each views its scripture,and how each approaches issues like ethics, religious law, authority, religious politics etc.In sum, the book is a great place to begin one's study of Western traditions because its very organization makes the unique contributions of each tradition, and its relation to the others, easier to comprehend.

Some books are not hight quality when they say they are.
Most of the books I have purchased from Amazon are of high quality but one of them in particular was rated high and said it was in great condition and it is terrible. The book is missing it's cover and losing pages when I open it. I is of terrible quality and I was very disappointed about being tricked and thinking I was buying a good book when it's of very poor quality.

Agenda-driven bantha fodder
This book sucks.It's poor writing.The authors think they are novelists.They write in circles and make far-fetched claims about religions.They come in not only with presuppositions, but also with biased agendas.They want to talk poorly about the religions they write on; they're not respectful at all.There is next to no valuable information in this book since one cannot distinguish fact from opinion.

A gem of a book
A tour de force. Corrigan manages to provide literary, historical, mythological themes and contexts that illuminate current practice and belief.I found the details of this book enlarged my understanding of whyand how these religions have many common strains and where they depart fromone another.It also explains how the traditions of each,along with thepractice,ethics and politics keep each vital enough in different countriesand changing times to keep them going. A very weighty and multidimensionalsubject written with much grace. It's not only excellent as a referencebook, it also holds up as a fascinating read. ... Read more

Product Description
This accessible supplementary text examines how worshipers within the context of the world's dominant religions pursue personal transformation. Spirituality and World Religions consists of eight chapters that pursue insight into spirituality generally, as well as the respective spiritualities of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Spirituality Without Jargon
Dr.Saint-Laurent covers an enormous territory in remarkably few words (less than 300 pages).He accomplishes this not by reduction but with intelligent economy of language: this is a jargon-free book.Saint-Laurentcrosses major religous boundries without stepping on toes, and reveals inclear language the theme and variations of human spirituality. Spirituality and World Religions functions as an enjoyable read,a collegetext,an outline,a reference,and a source of enlightenment.This book is atrue example of the fact that the intellect and the soul are highlycompatible.

Comparing spiritualities
George Saint-Laurent has written a poneering study on the inner meaning of the world's major religions.The author explores how beievers may find in each of them a guide to enhance their lives, so long as they are totallycommitted to the tenets of their faith.There is a great deal ofinformation in these chapters that will enable a reader in one community tocome into contact with less familiar traditions of other religions. Thebook is at its best when it presents insights into the relationship betweenGod and humans, which the great religious traditions promote in theirseveral ways. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is now firmly established as the standard treatment of its subject. The history of comparative religion is traced in detail from its beginnings in the nineteenth century, in the work of scholars such as Max Muller and anthropologists such as Tylor, Lang, Robertson-Smith and Frazer, through the American psychologists of religion (Starbuck, Leuba, William James), to the period after the First World War, when the evolutionary approach was seriously called into question. Also considered are the relevance of religion to Freud and Jung, the 'phenomenology of religion', the tensions between comparative religion and theology, and the work of such outstanding personalities as Nathan Söderblom and Rudolf Otto. The last two chapters review the main issues raised since the Second World War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a superb book
Sharpe is remarkable for his breath of knowledge -- his footnotes and references are in a half dozen or more languages -- and he writes clearly and interestingly.This is not only a very fine introduction to the development of comparative religion, but one sees in the background the development of modern thought more generally.

The 19th century belief in the science of this and that -- anthropology was "the science of man," comparative religion was "the science of religion," and so forth.And theysaw, not just biology, but everything through the lense of evolution.As he writes, evolution became not just a theory but a mind-set.Hence, the meaning of religion was sought in its origins and it was assumed to go through a sequence of upward phases, just as the meaning of government was sought in its origin and stages and so for other fields.

Then there is a period in which psychology and subjective experience become central -- in a reductionist and unlearned way in Freud, in a high minded way in Otto's Idea of the Holy.

These are turns in the culture at large that are reflected in how people try to understand religion and religious phenomena.

Sharpe is himself an open-minded and sensitive student of religion, and brings an honest, respectful tone to his narrative.I was sad to learn that he died a few years ago.I have read one other of his books -- he left an excellent legacy behind.

Magisterial and judicious.
This is one of those books that, the more you know about the subject coming in, the more you learn.I had read or at least recognized a large enough minority of the figures Sharpe describes so that all the new names didn't quite overwhelm me.(It would help if he wouldn't assume his readers know all the European languages, though -- how would he like having Japanese and Chinese thrown at him in important footnotes and even the text?)

In some ways, this is a very straight-forward history of comparative religion.Sharpe begins with a few ancients, a few missionaries, and Enlightenment precursors, then plunges into early theories about fetishes, totems, animism, and the "evolution of religions" schools of the late 19th Century.His discussion of The Golden Bough, of Fraser, and all the rest of that era, is excellent.I also appreciate his fair and judicious take on Andrew Lang and the "high god" phenomena -- which confuses a lot of moderns. [...].He takes a chapter out to describe the early psychology of religions school, centered around James and a few other Americans.

In later chapters, Sharpe veers off to discuss Freud's zany horror-flick theory of the origins of religion, and (with deservedly more respect) Jung's interest in and influence on comparative religion.He talks a bit about structuralism, diffusion of cultures, and more about phenomenology.In each case, he tells the history of the movement -- and almost always offers reasonable and temperate evaluations. He has, perhaps, learned from John Farquhar, because in some ways his approach is very like Farquhar's in The Crown of Hinduism -- he finds something of value even in conflicting takes on religion.

Sharpe knew the subject deeply.I am sure I will find this book invaluable as I continue a research project I am conducting on the relationship between Chinese philosophy and Christianity.

I do have a few criticisms.Like many autobiographies, the book sort of dies towards the end, spreading out like a river into its delta.His description of the Tokyo conference is confusing -- who said what, exactly?

I disagree with Sharpe's view that the Bible uniformly views other religions as "the work of fallen angels or other evil spirits;" and am developing a response to that view.

I also missed a few names.Where was James Legge, the single greatest Western sinologist of all times?In general, Sharpe was weak on East Asia -- he plays to his strength usually, which was India.And where were Girard or Stark?Maybe they were just acquiring fame when Sharpe wrote this book -- discussion of their ideas would have been more interesting than the in-house politics that Sharpe ends with.

All in all, though, I strongly recommend this book.Sharpe is sympathetic, kind, and wise, and I'm sure this magisterial treatment will be of help to people in many different fields. ... Read more

Product Description

Does God exist? What about evil and suffering? How does faith relate to science? Is there life after death? These questions fascinate everyone and lie at the heart of philosophy of religion. Chad Meister offers an up-to-date introduction to the field, focussing not only on traditional debates but also on contemporary concepts such as the intelligent creator. Key topics, such as divine reality and the self and religious experience, are discussed in relation to different faiths.

Introducing Philosophy of Religion:

• offers a lucid overview of contemporary philosophy of religion
• introduces the key figures in the history of philosophy of religion
• explores the impact of religious diversity and pluralism
• examines the main arguments for and against the existence of God and the nature of the divine
• looks at science and issues of faith and reason
• explores how the different religions approach the concept of life after death.

The wealth of textbook features, including tables of essential information, questions for reflection, summaries, glossary and recommendations for further reading make the book ideal for student use. Along with its accompanying Reader, this is the perfect introductory package for undergraduate philosophy of religion courses.

Visit the book's companion website at www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415403276. Features include:

• An interactive glossary
• A timeline
• Powerpoint slides on all the chapters
• Chapter outlines
• Lists of objectives for study
  

Product Description
Paul Kurtz is one of America's foremost expositors of humanist philosophy. In "Living without Religion", he has introduced a new word to describe humanism - eupraxsophy. Derived from the Greek roots eu (good), praxis (practice), and sophia (philosophical and scientific wisdom), eupraxophy means literally "good conduct and wisdom in living". Eupraxophy draws upon the disciplines of the sciences, philosophy, and ethics - yet it is more than these. Not simply an intellectual position, eupraxophy expresses convictions about the nature of the universe and how to live one's life with commitment and dedication. It, thus, combines both a cosmic outlook and a life stance. Kurtz maintains that the eupraxsopher can lead a meaningful life and help create a just society, and he offers concrete recommendations for the development of the humanism of the future. An entire section of the book is devoted to the careful definition of religion, which clearly demonstrates than an authentic moral life is possible without religious belief. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Necessary coinage
Kurtz coined the word "eupraxophy" to distinguish Secular Humanism from belief systems usually considered "religions."Eupraxophy accepts the best ethical principles of historical philosophies and religions, but disentangles them from the superstitions of theism (e.g., Christianity), while combining them with the pursuit of rigorous philosophical and scientific inquiry, which is missing in Eastern ethical systems like Confucianism and Buddhism.

Critics have complained that "eupraxophy" is hard to pronounce, and in his later writings Kurtz has been spelling it with an extra "s," as in "eupraxsophy."But I don't see why its pronounciation with the original spelling is any harder than pronouncing "saxophone."This book is a significant contribution to our understanding and classification of worldviews, though it could benefit from a discussion of more recent eupraxophies like Objectivism and Transhumanism.

Logical, accurate, but unpleasant for theists
You think this book is harsh on theists? Attend a conference where Kurtz is speaking. I guarantee you'll find Eupraxophy a pleasant and considerate view against theism! Kurtz tends to verge on believer -- believing there isno god, instead of simply not believing in one. This is a thin line, butmany non-theists find themselves stepping over it inadvertently. This bookis pretty centered and deals more in line with reasonable assumptions,though not exactly. There is a good deal of philosophical and religioushistory that I found quite interesting. Kurtz and I are like-minded when heavoids absolutism, but he can be very ornery sometimes. Theists beware: youwill probably either not understand these concepts, or just get really,really angry.

Liberating!
Living Without Religion is a book that sincerely made me look at a lot of misbeliefs I was raised to believe as a child. A lot of people think that if human beings do not believe in some phantom deity to keep us in line, society will drift into anarchy and chaos. This simply is not true (Look at Western Europe & Australia today!). You really can live a great life without religion,Which many people do, and Paul Kurtz explains exactly how to do so.

Ineresting
I have to admit something right now.Paul Kurtz is a smart man, but he seems to leave his logic at the door.His words strike a different chord.It is a chord in which many Americans have seemed to enjoy contemplateingupon.Something I don't understand is that they seem to leave their logicat the door.How is Evolution even able to be grasped.I urge you to lookinto it, and all of you will find the complete error in the whole thing. It is all made up by an artist, or someone hungry for money."Oh yeathis is great.I found this bone here and the other bone I found fivemiles from here."Very intriguing to see what an artist can come upon. It takes more faith to believe in what Paul Kurtz says than to believein the pure creation that surrounds us all.Look around!There is nosudden change that just popped everything into place.Take a look at theintracate parts in your life.Nope...... Not you, not anyone.We are notresponsible for any of this.It is from something higher.It is fromsomething bigger than the selfish human.It is from a Creator...I urgeyou to see what Paul says... But don't let it be the only thing that youcheck into...... If you do check into Evolution....... Check it to itsfullest....... Check for Artists.......

In Christ......

Ineresting
I have to admit something right now.Paul Kurtz is a smart man, but he seems to leave his logic at the door.His words strike a different chord.It is a chord in which many Americans have seemed to enjoy contemplateingupon.Something I don't understand is that they seem to leave their logicat the door.How is Evolution even able to be grasped.I urge you to lookinto it, and all of you will find the complete error in the whole thing. It is all made up by an artist, or someone hungry for money."Oh yeathis is great.I found this bone here and the other bone I found fivemiles from here."Very intriguing to see what an artist can come upon. It takes more faith to believe in what Paul Kurtz says than to believein the pure creation that surrounds us all.Look around!There is nosudden change that just popped everything into place.Take a look at theintracate parts in your life.Nope...... Not you, not anyone.We are notresponsible for any of this.It is from something higher.It is fromsomething bigger than the selfish human.It is from a Creator...I urgeyou to see what Paul says... But don't let it be the only thing that youcheck into...... If you do check into Evolution....... Check it to itsfullest....... Check for Artists.......

In Christ...... ... Read more

Product Description
In his first book, The Birth of Tragedy, Nietzsche observes that Greek tragedy gathered people together as a community in the sight of their gods, and argues that modernity can be rescued from 'nihilism' only through the revival of such a festival. This is commonly thought to be a view which did not survive the termination of Nietzsche's early Wagnerianism, but Julian Young argues, on the basis of an examination of all of Nietzsche's published works, that his religious communitarianism in fact persists through all his writings. What follows, it is argued, is that the mature Nietzsche is neither an 'atheist', an 'individualist', nor an 'immoralist': he is a German philosopher belonging to a German tradition of conservative communitarianism - though to claim him as a proto-Nazi is radically mistaken. This important reassessment will be of interest to all Nietzsche scholars and to a wide range of readers in German philosophy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Well Done!
It covered the major religions and was accurate.I looked very closely at the Christian section, because I am one, to see how close to the truth that section was and I was amazed at the accuracy of it, considering how many denominations there are.That way I could breath a little easier when I read the rest of it.As a whole it seemed unbiased and was fairly easy to read.I think it's a good book for anybody for the person who know nothing about different religions to someone how needs a refresher coarse to the vet how needs to solidify his knowledge from another source.

Great overview of the many world religions, good photos/illustrations
This is an excellent book for someone interested in world religion, historical and modern.Well illustrated with good commentary.

I came to the conclusion long ago that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them."-Mahatma Gandhi
This book is one of the few books (along with calculus and other basic professional books) that I used in college and still use today.
The three main three religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam, along with other philosophical and religious traditions are explained in a clear unbiased way.I, specifically, learned a lot about Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism.Books of this sort help people understand each others' customs and motives and make tolerance an achievable task instead of an impossible one.

First time user & extremely satisfied!!
What a great deal!! Paid less than $10 for this hard cover, great condition, with shipping!! I will be ordering books in used condition from now on! Thank you...
Rosie from Wisconsin

Religions of the World
When I purchased this I believed it was another book that I had seen which was quite outstanding.This had some interesting information, but was not what I thought it was and didn't impart the sort of detail I was looking for. ... Read more

Product Description

Introducing Chinese Religions is the ideal starting point for students exploring the fascinating religious traditions of China. This introduction covers the whole spectrum of Chinese religious history, from the multi-faceted religious heritage of pre-modern China, to the practice of different religions in China today, as well as the spread and influence of Chinese religions throughout the world.

Mario Poceski, an experienced teacher of Chinese religions, explores the three main traditions of Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism, as well as the development of Western and popular religions in the region, such as Christianity and Islam. The book introduces students to the richness and diversity of Chinese religious life, pointing out mutual influences and intersections of the religions of the region, and how they interact with other elements of Chinese culture and society, including politics, literature and art.

Illustrated throughout, the book also includes text boxes, summary charts, a glossary and a list of further reading to aid students’ understanding and revision. The accompanying website for this book can be found at www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415434065.

Product Description

Introducing American Religion provides a lively and concise overview of the historical development of religion in the USA. In four parts, Charles Lippy traces the history of American religion from Europe, Native American and African life, through to the age of independence, and on to the late twentieth century up to the present day.

The narrative lays particular stress on the development of diversity and pluralism in American religious life. It explores the African American experience through slavery, Roman Catholic and Jewish immigration, political and economic factors, the impact of Latino culture, and the growth of Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as the concept of American civil religion. Introducing American Religion is ideal reading for students wishing to develop a broad understanding of American religious history. Illustrated throughout and featuring quotations from original sources, it includes text boxes, summary charts, study questions, a glossary and lists of further reading and weblinks to aid students with revision.

The accompanying website for this book can be found at www/routledge.com/textbooks/9780415448598. Features of the website include a hyperlinked and annotated primary source bibliography (of primary sources named in the book and accompanying page numbers), a list of online audiovisual resources, test questions, a study skills section, PowerPoints on key chapters, additional images, tables and charts of statistics on American religion, links to online libraries and archives, a regularly updated blog.

Customer Reviews (1)

Good condition, got it fast
I ordered this for a class this fall and it came very quickly, and was in very good condition! ... Read more

Product Description
Exploring the Religions of Our World builds on teens understanding and experience of their own Catholic Christian faith to study different religious traditions. The text begins with a study of Judeo-Christian history, practice, and tradition before expanding to the study of other ancient religions including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shintoism. The text uncovers a variety of religious traditions that sprang from America s Protestant roots including Mormonism, Jehovah s Witnesses, and the Church of Christ, Scientist. Each chapter begins with an introduction that connects the religion to a contemporary person, practice, or teaching. A brief history follows, including information on the founder and other major figures. Other sections include those on scripture or major writings, beliefs and practices, and sacred places and sacred times. Additionally, each chapter ends with a Catholic apologetic focus including ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and the particular religion while pointing out differences and similarities in doctrine, tradition, and practice. Besides being unique in its comparisons of major religions beginning with the experience and knowledge most common among Catholic high school students, each section of the text that specifically refers to Christianity and Catholicism have been granted a Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur. Author: Nancy Clemmons Format: 240 pages, paperback Publisher: Ave Maria Press ISBN: 9781594711251 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

new book
I recieved this book very quickly and in good shape just like it was described.I would definity buy from this seller again ... Read more

Product Description

Religions of Tibet in Practice is a landmark work, the first major anthology on the topic ever produced. It presents a stunning array of works (hagiographies, pilgrimage guides, prayers, accounts of visits to hell, epics, consecration manuals, sermons, and exorcism texts) that together offer an unparalleled view of the realities of those who have inhabited the Tibetan cultural domain over the centuries. The volume provides a wealth of voices that together lead to a new and more nuanced understanding of the religions of Tibet.

The thirty-six chapters are testimony to the vast scope of religious practice in the Tibetan world, past and present, offering works heretofore unknown. The chapters are organized thematically under five headings: Accounts of Time and Place, Remarkable Lives, Rites and Techniques, Prayers and Sermons, and Dealing with Death and Other Demons. They juxtapose materials from different sects, historical periods, and geographical regions in an attempt to broaden the range of what we understand the religious practices of Tibet to encompass. Each chapter contains a translation and a substantial yet accessible introduction by a leading scholar of Tibetan religions. Religions of Tibet in Practice represents the largest sourcebook on Tibetan religions ever assembled, a work of great value to scholars, students, and general readers.Amazon.com Review
Tibetan Buddhism is most well known for its Bookof the Dead and its tantric practices. In Religions ofTibet in Practice, an anthology of religious texts from Tibet,both of these elements are well represented, along with many moreselections of prayers, sermons, biographies, and epics. Translated bythe top scholars in the field, these pieces provide an excellentintroduction to the varied and wide-ranging aspects of TibetanBuddhism, such as the epic of King Gesar (the "Iliad ofTibet"), the meditative states of the boddhisattvas, thehorseback consecration ritual, and the life story of tantric masterLorepa. Not only do the selections allow direct contact with theTibetan religious tradition, but the introductions to each selectiontogether provide a history of Tibetan religion that exceeds in scopeand quality anything in print today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent contributors of Tibetan Buddhism
This book is a collection of articles from excellent contributors of Tibetan Buddhism.Read books by contributors like David Germano,Yael Bentor and Richard Kohn.

A splendid, varied collection of translations from Tibetan.
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.'s newest volume in the Princeton Series is Religions of Tibet in Practice.Itincludes translations of allsorts of interesting texts in the Tibetan tradition from bits of Gesar of Ling to aGelug vinaya-type text.Contributions are byvarious scholars includingShambhala's Nalanda Translation Committee, and others such as MatthewKapstein, Per Kvaerne,Toni Huber and Janet Gyatso.Theintroductions byLopez, Norma E. Levine, Francoise Pommaret and others from aroundtheworld, provide a clear context for all readers ranging from the merelycurious to students of history, religion and thehumanities, and, ofcourse, to inquiring Buddhists.These introductory essays serve to explainthe purpose or use of eachselected text and so do much to dispel theprevalent notion that the religious practices of Tibetans, educated or not,Buddhist ornot, are a confused, though gorgeously exotic mish-mash ofanimism/shamanism lightly touched with sexual imagery from Tantricyogaand incursions from the Graeco-Roman, even Christian,West.

I found thisvolume to be like a walk through a scented market.There are booths andstalls to appeal to every taste, yet theyare not laid out in randomfashion.Lopez has carefully arranged the selections around variousthemes.There are items toplease the connoisseur as well as the tourist. The stroll, itself, is delightful whether one intends to buy or not.There are tastysamples here and there: The introduction makes a goodargument against the prevalent contemporary notion that the Bontraditionis but a mere reaction to Buddhism derived from ancient"primitive" beliefs. Since the selections range over a thousand years,I was reminded of the changing fortunes of the various sects, asthis or that monastery found favour in the eyes of theMongolian orChinese, Indian or local Tibetan kings and princes.

One can enjoy Tibetanculture and daily life seen as the life-journey as we all experience it,the bodhisattva's path, the mysticalexperience, the lama-studentrelationship or the worship of and devotion to specific deities.In fact,it ends splendidly with anew translation of the 21 Praises to Tara.

A splendid, varied collection of translations from Tibetan.
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.'s newest volume in the Princeton Series is Religions of Tibet in Practice.Itincludes translations of allsorts of interesting texts in the Tibetan tradition from bits of Gesar of Ling to aGelug vinaya-type text.Contributions are byvarious scholars includingShambhala's Nalanda Translation Committee, and others such as MatthewKapstein, Per Kvaerne,Toni Huber and Janet Gyatso.Theintroductions byLopez, Norma E. Levine, Francoise Pommaret and others from aroundtheworld, provide a clear context for all readers ranging from the merelycurious to students of history, religion and thehumanities, and, ofcourse, to inquiring Buddhists.These introductory essays serve to explainthe purpose or use of eachselected text and so do much to dispel theprevalent notion that the religious practices of Tibetans, educated or not,Buddhist ornot, are a confused, though gorgeously exotic mish-mash ofanimism/shamanism lightly touched with sexual imagery from Tantricyogaand incursions from the Graeco-Roman, even Christian,West.

I found thisvolume to be like a walk through a scented market.There are booths andstalls to appeal to every taste, yet theyare not laid out in randomfashion.Lopez has carefully arranged the selections around variousthemes.There are items toplease the connoisseur as well as the tourist. The stroll, itself, is delightful whether one intends to buy or not.There are tastysamples here and there: The introduction makes a goodargument against the prevalent contemporary notion that the Bontraditionis but a mere reaction to Buddhism derived from ancient"primitive" beliefs. Since the selections range over a thousand years,I was reminded of the changing fortunes of the various sects, asthis or that monastery found favour in the eyes of theMongolian orChinese, Indian or local Tibetan kings and princes.

One can enjoy Tibetanculture and daily life seen as the life-journey as we all experience it,the bodhisattva's path, the mysticalexperience, the lama-studentrelationship or the worship of and devotion to specific deities.In fact,it ends splendidly with anew translation of the 21 Praises to Tara. ... Read more