Product Description

Boredom matters, writes Michael Raposa, because it represents a threat to spiritual life. Boredom can undermine prayer and meditation and signal the failure of religious imagination. If you engage it seriously, however, it can also be the starting point for philosophical reflection and spiritual insight. It can serve as a prelude to the discovery or rebirth of religious meaning.

Boredom, then, is a paradox, surprisingly complex and ambiguous. Being bored with someone or something can represent a trivial matter--being bored with one's clothes or a magazine article--or a matter of significant consequence--being bored with one's marriage or the music one loves to play. Boredom can signify a moral failure or the presence of virtue. Appreciating the value of boredom does not require that one welcome, much less celebrate, its occurrence. Raposa simply invites us to pay attention to boredom's many possible lessons.

The principal methods Raposa employs are philosophical. Drawing on Peirce's idea that all experience is interpreted experience, Raposa sees boredom as a failure of interpretation, an inability to read signs in life as religiously meaningful. The Gospel of Mark depicts a prayerful and passionate Jesus juxtaposed with his drowsy disciples in Gethsemane. Their failure to discern what is happening in their midst, Raposa suggests, is a powerful example of what medieval Christian theologians called acedia, their term for boredom with the rituals of spiritual devotion. But these descriptions of acedia bear a striking resemblance to mystical accounts of the "dark night," a terrifying but necessary stage in the mystic's spiritual journey.

Drawing on this notion and others from eastern and western religious traditions, Raposa asks us to see boredom playing an ambivalent role in spiritual life, often serving as a metaphorical midwife for the birth of religious knowledge. His subject, he admits, seems tongue-in-cheek at first, but a stunning depth is quickly revealed. His lucid, witty, and intelligent discussion offers a path to the kind of meaning that is a fundamental desideratum in human experience.

Product Description
Romancing the Difference examines the rhetoric of fundamentalism as seen through the lens of Bob Jones University. Highlighting the romantic language used by religious separatists, Lewis argues that fundamentalism is not the angry cry of an outsider, nor is it the mocking of secular culture. Instead, it is an attempt to embody and articulate things that are lovely in order to woo others to an entirely different kind of life. ... Read more

Product Description
How should we view religions that are different from our own? In a world where misunderstandings and disagreements between cultures and faiths are commonplace, this fascinating book, the first in a new series called Studies in Comparative Religion, helps us put other faiths in context and addresses the problem of encountering conflicting religious forms. Featuring 23 fascinating articles from religious scholars and the personal accounts of the remarkable individuals who have lived theses encounters first hand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Towards a new humanism
This insightful book features a central element of Eliade's work as a whole: a humanistic impulse which envisions the study of symbols as the best possible way to overcome close-mindedness and provincialism, and which holds that a liberation from the traps of historicism is necessary in order to reach the archetypes that somehow inform the multiple 'symbolic incarnations' throughout the ages and peoples. Eliade here considers symbols of centre, time, binding (relying a lot on Dumezil on that topic), waters and shells. The relationship between symbol and history is constantly examined in the book: Eliade suggests that each new meaning ascribed by history to a symbol does not alter the latter's fundamental structure, since the symbol can properly be considered 'transhistorical'. This is as good a work as any to start reading Eliade; many quintessential Eliadian themes are treated here. ... Read more

Product Description
This text gives students a framework for their comparative study of religion that includes full, in-depth descriptions of each 'way of being religious.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Empathetic...generic...somewhat dull
I majored in Compartive Religion and Cannon's book was useful to a point...but be wary Cannon can be a bit on the dry side.His writing is not here to entertain so I would not recommend this book to a anyone who was not serious in the study of religion.
He presents good ideas, but the way he writes them overall is lacking.The book is generic...a fact revealed through Cannon's love for being empathetically objective.No its not cold and detached, it's more along the lines of post civil rights area ideals: justice, truth and everyone gets their due.
...Except the outsiders.This is the major flaw of his work in my opinion.Cannon likes to present his theory as pro-insider.The insider being the person who is actually apart of the religion mentioned.Some, I think would agree with this view.I however do not.Seeing religion from one angle only makes it lopsided.Cannon disregards the affects of society and culture on religion and vice versa.And to say that a scientist or philosopher knows nothing about religion simply because they are not in it is a fallacy.
Once again, this might be someones cup of tea, but it is not mine.

Comparative Religion
This book encourages readers to exhibit the intellectual fortitude and cultural sensitivity for comparing the world's diverse religions in a meaningful way. Dale adopts a neutral, non-judgmental approach to the study of comparative religions.Although the book is not presented from a Christian perspective, it is perfectly consistent with such a perspective.The reader is not asked to question his or her own faith.Rather, the book provides a framework that can be used to appreciate different ways of being religious.

Part 1 defines the main concepts and discusses what it means to be objective.To be objective in a detached, cold and impersonal way would be a disaster in trying to truly understand religious phenomena.Dale discusses the need to be empathic if one is to succeed in understanding the various ways of being religious.Being empathic about another religion or another denomination does not mean that one has to abandon or question ones own faith.

Empathy is essential if one is to appreciate the different ways people draw closer to God.Any attempt to understand another religion or a different denomination would surely be superficial if one approached it without empathy or from a self-righteous perspective.As Dale says, "This approach involves a disciplined empathy, seeking to make accessible to the outsider what is understood and experienced by persons on the inside...."

After establishing the philosophic underpinnings of the book, part one then identifies and explores the six generic ways of being religious.These are Sacred Rite, Right Action, Devotion, Shamanic Mediation, Mystical Quest and Reasoned Inquiry.Each way of being religious is a different way of drawing near to what Dale calls °Ultimate Reality.

The second part of the book applies this framework to the whole of Buddhism (Chapter 7) and to the whole of Christianity (Chapter 8).I found Chapter 8 especially helpful in understanding the differences between Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism and the diversity within Protestantism.

Part 3 takes each of the six ways of being religious and uses them to compare and contrast Buddhism and Christianity.It juxtaposes an example of the same way of being religious from each of Buddhism and Christianity.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in deepening their understanding of their own religion or other religions.The book excels in pointing out similarities between disparate religions, but yet never glosses over important differences.The book is extremely well organized.Dale ends each chapter with a convenient summary, so if the going gets tough, try reading the summary first.Each chapter has a good bibliography that can be used for further reading on that topic.

Great book, worth the work
This book is a one of the books that has changed how I think about the world. As I study how religion and people interact, this book gives aframework to work within. At times the material is clearly written forother professors and professionals. But dispite the work it takes to getthru some of the material, the content is veryvaluable. This book ishaving the same kind ofimpact for me that "Diffusion ofInnovation" had. ... Read more

Product Description
Anthony Pinn's engrossing survey highlights the rich diversity of black religious life in America, revealing manifestations of an ever-changing black religious quest in four non-Christian indigenous movements. Based on extensive interviews, travel, and research---embellished with ample photos, bibliographies, and case studies---Pinn provides an insider look at Voodoo, Orisha devotion, Santeria, the Nation of Islam, and Black Humanism in the U.S. Focusing less on institutional and doctrinal history and more on the varied popular religious practices and sites, his volume highlights the influence of Caribbean religions in the U.S., practices of divination and healing, the surge of black Muslim religion, the emergence of black humanism, religious influences on the ethical practices of black women, and the import of previously overlooked religious settings (e.g. church women's clubs, local politics, Pentecostal religion, private religious practices). The emergent picture, more subtle, varied, and vibrant than traditional black Christian denominational history, marks a new era in African American religious studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

african american religious cultures of today
I agree with the authors research of the different religious cultures. ... Read more

Product Description

Theory for Performance Studies: A Student's Guide is a clear and concise handbook to the key connections between performance studies and critical theory since the 1960s. Philip Auslander looks at the way the concept of performance has been engaged across a number of disciplines.

Beginning with four foundational figures – Freud, Marz, Nietzsche and Saussure – Auslander goes on to provide guided introductions to the major theoretical thinkers of the past century, from Althusser to Zizek. Each entry offers biographical, theoretical, and bibliographical information along with a discussion of each figure's relevance to theatre and performance studies and suggestions for future research.

Brisk, thoughtful, and engaging, this is an essential first volume for anyone at work in theatre and performance studies today.

Adapted from Theory for Religious Studies, by William E. Deal and Timothy K. Beal.

Customer Reviews (1)

2 Authors Say Routledge Recycled Their Work Without Credit
See the article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (Tuesday August 5, 2008) by Thomas Bartlett. http://chronicle.com/temp/email2.php?id=rxm56spWpttNRpgcmcfRbRVfcp6Rh6dx

"When William E. Deal casually flipped through Theory for Performance Studies: A Student's Guide, published this year by Routledge, he noticed a few familiar sentences. After taking a closer look, Mr. Deal, a professor of religious studies at Case Western Reserve University, discovered whole paragraphs and even entire pages that had been lifted directly from a book he co-wrote, Theory for Religious Studies, published by Routledge in 2004.

"My jaw dropped," he recalls. "My stomach turned flip-flops."

Mr. Deal and his co-author, Timothy K. Beal, a professor of religion at Case Western, estimated that roughly 80 percent of their book had been copied, word for word, without credit of any kind. Their names did not appear in the new book." ... Read more

Product Description
The third volume in the Studies in Rhetoric & Religion series, Preaching Politics traces the surprising and lasting influence of one of American history's most fascinating and enigmatic figures--George Whitefield. Jerome Mahaffey explores George Whitefield's role in creating a "rhetoric of community" that successfully established a common worldview among the many colonial cultures. Using a rigorous method of rhetorical analysis, Mahaffey cogently argues that George Whitefield directed the evolution of an American collective religious identity that lay underneath the emerging political ideology that fueled the American Revolution. ... Read more

Product Description

Why do people study religion? How have they studied it in the past? How do we study religion today? Is the academic study of religion the same as religious education? These and many other questions are addressed in this engaging introduction to the discipline of religious studies, written by two experienced university teachers. The authors have crafted this book to familiarize novice students with key concepts and terminology in the study of religion. More advanced students will find a varied array of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches to the field. Topics include:

• definitions of religion
• perspectives in the study and teaching of religion
• how religion began to be studied: traditional perspectives – philosophical and theological
• how people experience religion: perspectives in the study of religious consciousness and perception – phenomenological and psychological
• studying religion within communities: Social and cultural perspectives – anthropological, sociological, political and economic
• judging religion: critical perspectives –feminist approaches, the interaction of popular literature and religion
• contextual perspectives – historical and comparative

The book encourages students to think critically about the theories and methods presented. Students will find arguments for the strengths and limitations of these approaches, understand connections among religious studies and other intellectual movements, and develop their own ideas of how they might want to go about the study of religion. Summary boxes, a timeline, a glossary and other pedagogic aids help students grasp key concepts, along with a companion website at www.sastor.com.

Product Description
Gregory Shushan challenges post-modern scholarly attitudes concerning cross-cultural comparisons in the study of religions. In an original and innovative piece of comparative research, he analyses afterlife conceptions in five ancient civilisations (Old and Middle Kingdom Egypt, Sumerian and Old Babylonian Mesopotamia, Vedic India, pre-Buddhist China, and pre-Columbian Mesoamerica).These are considered in light of historical and contemporary reports of near-death experiences, and shamanic afterlife 'journeys'. "Conceptions of the Afterlife in Early Civilizations" is a significant study, for it presents a comprehensive new comparative framework for the cross-cultural study of myth and religion, while at the same time providing a fascinating exploration of the interface between belief and experience.This groundbreaking new series offers original reflections on theory and method in the study of religions, and demonstrates new approaches to the way religious traditions are studied and presented.Studies published under its auspices look to clarify the role and place of Religious Studies in the academy, but not in a purely theoretical manner.Each study will demonstrate its theoretical aspects by applying them to the actual study of religions, often in the form of frontier research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

NDEs basis for ancient afterlife beliefs
BOOK REVIEW
by Dr. Ken R. Vincent

Conceptions of Afterlife in Early Civilizations is a very well-written book by a consummate scholar.Each of Gregory Shushan's sentences is pregnant with facts.The book does pre-suppose a working knowledge of comparative religion, but it should be accessible to most readers because of its clarity.

Shushan begins with an attack on the excesses of post-modernism.In his defense of comparative religion and the quest for universalism within religions, he makes 3 points:

1)There is a remarkable consistency among largely unconnected cultures and times regarding belief in life after death.

2)The core elements of these religious beliefs are largely similar to the core elements of the near-death experience (NDE).

3)These consistent beliefs in life after death contrast with the widely divergent creation myths of different religions.

Next, he makes the case for independence of the ancient cultures included in his study, namely, 1) Ancient Egypt (Old and Middle Kingdoms) before the Hyksos invasion, 2) Mesopotamia prior to the foreign invasion by the Kassites, 3) China prior to Buddhism, 4) Vedic India before Buddha, 5) Mesoamerica prior to the Spanish conquest.Zoroastrianism is excluded because of its relationship to pre-Hindu religion; Judaism is excluded because of its relationship to the old Canaanite religion.

Shushan then makes the case for the universality of the NDE from ancient times to the present.He notes the cultural variance ofNDE accounts but defends the idea that there is a common core in NDEs across cultures and times.

The author then proceeds to look at the afterlife accounts in each of the five civilizations listed above.He analyzes their universal similarities, as well as their differences in relation to the NDE; he concludes that the differences between the afterlife experiences in ancient texts and the NDE accounts are predominately on the symbolic, culture-specific level but that, "the NDE itself appears to be a collection of subjectively experienced universal phenomena."Shushan then lists 9 key elements in the NDE that form the basis for afterlife conceptions in the early civilizations that he has analyzed.They are:1) OBE / Assent, 2) Corpse Encounters, 3) Darkness / Tunnel, 4) Deceased Relatives / Ancestors, 5) Presence or Being of Light, 6) Conduct Evaluation / Life Review, 7) Barriers / Obstacles, 8) Divinization / Oneness / Enlightenment, and 9) Other Realms / Origin Point.

Shushan reasserts that others have maintained that mystical experiences are the basis of religion and that the ancient texts of the five independent civilizations discussed and the NDE all share William James' core aspects of religious experience.He goes on to state that the NDE and the texts not only share a phenomenological consistency, but also a common metaphysical meaning and that they point to a, "single experiential `reality' which may or may not indicate a single transcendental reality."

While Shushan's case regarding darkness and negative NDEs could have been bolstered by Nancy Evans Bush's masterful analysis of 21 studies of distressing NDEs (covering 1829 cases) presented at the 2006 International Association of Near-Death Studies Conference at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, his conclusions are entirely consistent with its content.

In conclusion, Shushan's book is a major contribution to the field of comparative religion and near-death studies.It is a "must-read" for students of religious experience.

(This book review previously appeared in DE NUMINE, a publication of the Alister Hardy Society)



... Read more

Product Description
In this book James D. G. Dunn explores the nature of the religious experiences that were at the forefront of emerging Christianity. Dunn first looks at the religious experience of Jesus, focusing especially on his experience of God in terms of his sense of sonship and his consciousness of the Spirit. He also considers the question of whether Jesus was a charismatic. Next Dunn examines the religious experiences of the earliest Christian communities, especially the resurrection appearances, Pentecost, and the signs and wonders recounted by Luke. Finally Dunn explores the religious experiences that made Paul so influential and that subsequently shaped Pauline Christianity and the religious life of his churches. The result is a thorough and stimulating study that not only recovers the religious experiences of Jesus and the early church but also has important implications for our experience of the Spirit today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE EXPERIENTIAL DIMENSION OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY
In understanding early Christianity (i.e. Jesus and the first Christians), the N.T. materials can be analyzed in their various dimensions (e.g., historical, theological, experiential, etc.).What N.T. Wright hasprovided for us by way of his treatment of the second-temple Jewish,historical background of Jesus and the first Christians, Dunn has done forus via his treatment of the experiential dimension.This is not to"reduce" their faith to subjective experiences, but to show howtheir relation to God was reflected in their various experiences of God'sSpirit.This helps us to discover in what ways Jesus' own experiences weredistinctive (or unique), and, at the same time, like those of the firstbelievers.

One of the major points Dunn brings out is, that both Jesus'and the first Christian's experience of the Spirit was"eschatological" in nature:they experienced an outpouring ofthe Spirit and understood themselves to be living, now, in the new age tocome.This awareness, on Jesus' part, led him to understand himself as theone who was bringing in the kingdom of God, as his Son, and manifesteditself in the first believers as a full and diversified experience of theSpirit, which was determinative for every aspect of their lives, not leastin their worship.Dunn discusses the various charismata and admonitions byPaul, in responding to the disruptions in the Corinthian church, tosafeguard against their misuse.

One of the major claims in his book is,that in the resurrection appearances to the apostles, the experienceincluded a commission to proclaim the gospel--this, he maintains, was oneof the "distinctive" features of the resurrection appearances. In this interpretation, of course, Dunn is trying to explain theexperiential basis for the apostolic authority.

Dunn also stresses the"not yet" side of the Christian experience, and interprets Paul'scomments in Romans 7 in these terms:the Christian experiences the tensioncaused by still living within the present age (a point Gordon Fee haschallenged in his writings).In this regard, Dunn has an excellentdiscussion of Paul's stress on sharing (and glorying) in the suffering ofChrist--it is precisely through sharing in his (Jesus') death that we maybe conformed to his life.This, for Paul, was the basis of his gospel andin what he gloried.

Dunn displays an obvious appreciation of thecharismatic nature of the life of the first Christains, and on severaloccasions cautions against simply "reading off" or dismissing theSpirit phenomena witnessed in the N.T.While he does not argue foraccepting each particular incident of a "miracle" story,nevertheless, he maintains that we need to remain objective in ourevaluation of such phenomena and not arbitrarily dismiss them on the basisof a supposed more enlightened modern view.

This work is one of the fewof its kind, and provides another important interpretative dimension tohelp us understand the origin of Christian faith and actual experiences ofJesus and the first Christians.It is a very sensitive and objectivetreatment, and has direct relevance to Christological study in particular. ... Read more

Product Description
Religious Therapeutics explores the relationship between psychophysical health and spiritual health and presents a model for interpreting connections between religion and medicine in world traditions. This model emerges from the work's investigation of health and religiousness in classical Yoga, A÷yurveda, and Tantra--three Hindu traditions noteworthy for the central role they accord the body. Author Gregory P. Fields compares Anglo-European and Indian philosophies of body and health and uses fifteen determinants of health excavated from texts of ancient Hindu medicine to show that health concerns the person, not the body or body/mind alone. This book elucidates multifaceted views of health, and--in the context of spirituality and healing--explores themes such as mental health, meditation, and music. ... Read more

Product Description
Since its inception around 1970, the study of New Religious Movements (NRMs) has evolved into an established multidisciplinary field. At the same time, both the movements and the scholars who study them have been the subjects of intense controversy. In this volume, a group of senior NRM scholars who have been instrumental in the development of the field will offer pivotal essays that present the basics of NRM scholarship along with guidance for teachers on classroom use.

The book is organized topically around subjects that are both central to the study of NRMs and likely to be useful to non-specialists.Part I contains examinations of the definitional boundaries of the area of study, varying disciplinary perspectives on NRMs, unique methodological/ethical problems encountered in the study of NRMs, and the controversies that have confronted scholars studying NRMs and the movements themselves. Part II examines a series of topics central to teaching about NRMs: the larger sociocultural significance of the movements, their distinctive symbolic and organizational features, the interrelated processes of joining and leaving NRMs, the organization of gender roles in NRMs, media and popular culture portrayals of the movements, the occurrence of corruption and abuse within movements, and violence by and against NRMs. Part III provides informational resources for teaching about NRMs, which are particularly important in a field where knowing the biases of sources is crucial.

With its interdisciplinary approach, the volume provides comprehensive, accessible information and perspectives on NRMs. It is an invaluable guide for instructors navigating this scholarly minefield. ... Read more

Product Description
Completely revised and updated, this new edition of Terror in the Mind of God incorporates the events of September 11, 2001 into Mark Juergensmeyer's landmark study of religious terrorism. Juergensmeyer explores the 1993 World Trade Center explosion, Hamas suicide bombings, the Tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic doctors in the United States. His personal interviews with 1993 World Trade Center bomber Mahmud Abouhalima, Christian Right activist Mike Bray, Hamas leaders Sheik Yassin and Abdul Azis Rantisi, and Sikh political leader Simranjit Singh Mann, among others, take us into the mindset of those who perpetrate and support violence in the name of religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Excellent insight into the terrorist mind.
Excellent insight into the minds of a 'self-martyrs' and how religious and political forces influence their view of society and hence their behavior.Explores a variety of radicals in different societies, cultures and religious beliefs in our contemporary world.

'RELIGIOUS' THINKING BEHIND TERRORISM
Mark Juergensmeyer
Terror in the Mind of God:
The Global Rise of Religious Violence

(Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2000) 316 pages
(ISBN: 0-520-22301-2; hardcover)
(Library of Congress call number: BL65.V55J84 2000)

Sociologist and scholar of religion Mark Juergensmeyer
compares and contrasts several very different forms of religious terrorism:
(1) violence against abortion clinics;
(2) 'Christian' militia groups;
(3) 'Catholics' vs. 'Protestants' in Northern Ireland;
(4) Arabs vs. Jews in Palestine;
(5) 'Islamic' terror against the non-Islamic world;
(6) Sikhs vs. Hindus in India;
(7) Aum Shinrikyo in Japan.

This book is based on extensive reading
and on personal interviews with some of the prime movers
of religiously-motivated violence.

The author does not have a personal stake in any of these conflicts,
which allows him to be an objective observer of all the violence.
And the fact that he covers so many different tribes
means that they cast light on each other.

All violence in the name of God is based on rather special world-views,
which are usually shared only by a minority of the believers
in any particular religion in whose name the violence is being committed.

More research is needed before the world will be able to prevent
terrorism in the name of religion.
But this book lays a firm foundation for further such investigations.

This book was published before the September 11, 2001
attack on the World Trade Center in New York City
and the Pentagon near Washington DC,
but it does deal with the earlier attack on the Twin Towers, in 1993.
If we had learned from that attack,
we might have been better prepared
when the same terrorist movement tried again in 2001.

The better we understand the thinking of religious terrorists,
the better we will be able to protect ourselves from future attacks.

Worth reading, some major flaws
Although I have studied terrorism pretty extensively, most of what I've read has been written from political scientists.Similarily, although I've read about other religious movements written in this book, my main focus has been towards Islamic terrorists under the Salafist banner.This was the first book I've read on the subject of religious violence from a sociologist perspective.It was bascially what you'd expect from that perspective, which has positive and negatives to it.

In the first part of the book, the author does case studies of terrorists from all the major religions.Nothing extensive here, the gist of which you can get from other sources.The best aspect of this first section is the author's use of interviews, which he is very good at inserting to demonstrate his larger points.

The second part of the book is dedicated to looking at some of the larger ideas that connect all these different religions.This is the part that is the frankly more interesting yet also the part with the bigger flaws (in my opinion).Since this was my first sociologist perspective, I thought the analysis was different and at times broadened my perspective on the topic.At the very least, it made me think of it from a different angle.At the same time, I thought his analysis often showed the authors weaknesses.First, his arguments were often incoherent and not well structured.He'd seem to say well this aspect might signal this is the root of the problem or it might signal that is the root or that and then at the end he'd try to tie it all together like it had all been one coherent argument when really he had not come to a conclusive argument just considered a bunch of different ones.Also, on the subjects where I am more knowledge in (the political parts and the Islamic terrorism) I found the author had a limited grasp on the topic, making me suspect this was the case with the other parts too.This is probably to be expected since he is covering such a large topic.For instance, at the beginning of the book he said he was going to argue that the violence couldn't really be considered strategic, which I noted since most politcal analyst argue the opposite.In the first chapter in the second section, he indeed did try to argue this, very poorly. Like he said since the tactics they used didn't really have a chance of immediately accomplishing their strategic goals the violence couldn't be considered strategic which is just plain wrong.Most of the time, one attack or one tactic isn't going to accomplish the strategic goal.This is especially true in guerilla warfare and terrorism because the groups aren't powerful enough.Even in WWII, for instance, the allies knew that the quickest way to defeat Hitler (after U.S. entered war) was to invade Europe through the Atlantic channel.After FDR, Churchville, and their commanders considered this in depth, they decided that they weren't powerful enough to do so at the time and went after North Africa.Thsi was strategic thinking even if it wasn't the quickest tactic.In fact, most of this chapter, such as what buildings they attacked, at what time, and their use of the media, seemed to demonstrate that the terrorists did use violence strategically.There were many other examples, for instance he said that Osama (and the other groups) didn't have a coherent political vision for if they suceeded; and this meant they probably didn't think they would succeed or didn't want too.Osama and AQ do have a vision for how they would rule, it is the Calphite that existed since the 7th century-WWII and the use of Sharia Law.Also, as any student of Marx would tell you, any lack of coherent political vision really shows that they just assume that it will be utopia and is inevitable so they don't need to dwell on this aspect as much as they wish to discredit the current one.Finally, when he's discussing the European enlightment, he talks about Rousseau's idea when Rousseau is anti-englightment and his government in the Social Contract would be similar to those envisoned by these groups,in the dictatorship but everyone agrees with it, minus the religious aspects.

With all this said,despite that most my review focused on negative parts of the book, I do recommend it especially for people looking new to the subject.It is a good introductory overview to the large topic of religious terrorism, just beware of some of his analysis and conclusions; especially that terrorism isn't strategic.If you want an introductory to the subject of terrorism generally, not religion, you should look elsewhere, my money is on Bruce Hoffman's "Inside Terrorism" 2nd edition.

Important perspectives
I came to this book with negative expectations but ended up quite impressed with it. (I give it 4 stars not for any problems, but because I try to reserve 5 stars for my very favorites.) The case studies are quite good and so is most of the discussion on roots and commonalities of religious terrorism. Though some of the main arguments seem rather speculative (such as the underlying one that religion exists largely to channel violence through symbolism: the Christian Eucharist is a transformed violent act), there is plenty of material for thought and directions for future analysis.

One limitation is that the author does not seem to make a clear distinction between terrorism and violence in general. For example, the Muslim conquests, Crusades, religious riots in Nigeria where I live, and recent Taliban movements don't qualify as terrorism, but were religiously-related violence. Partly as a result of this, the author largely considers the extreme ends of the different religious movements, but nowhere discusses whether the mainstream of Buddhism, for example, is as congenial toward warfare as Islam or Christianity, and why there may be differences. Instead, he treats all religions as more-or-less equal--basically good but prone to misuse.

Disturbing
Although history is replete with Crusades, Jihads, Holy Wars, etc. it still stymies me how, otherwise intelligent people can slaughter each other and bring chaos to thousands, over religion. Even if any of it were true, it would seem sane to avoid it simply because it is so divisive, violent and irrational. ... Read more

Product Description
This book explores the experience of religious communities that have migrated from South Asia (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) to live in Britain, Canada, and the United States, three countries sharing a common language (English) and an interwoven history. The work introduces the migration history of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs along with the cultural nuances of these traditions. The contributors discuss the various communities' experiences that grow out of or are related to religion. The book shows how traditions are reformed or reinvented and how they are passed on, both through the family and through institutions. Issues related to public policy and minority status are also addressed. While the main focus is on the Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities, specific sections also cover South Asian Christians, the Zoroastrian diaspora, and new religious movements in the West led by South Asians. The book strikes a balance between stories and statistics in order to emphasize the narrative of the immigrants' experience. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides philosophical grounds for an emerging area of scholarship:the study of religion and dance.

In the first part, LaMothe investigates why scholars in religious studies have tended to overlook dance, or rhythmic bodily movement, in favor of textual expressions of religious life. In close readings of Descartes, Kant, Schleiermacher, Hegel, and Kierkegaard, LaMothe traces this attitude to formative moments of the field in which philosophers relied upon the practice of writing to mediate between the study of "religion," on the one hand, and "theology," on the other.

In the second part, LaMothe revives the work of theologian, phenomenologist, and historian of religion Gerardus van der Leeuw for help in interpreting how dancing can serve as a medium of religious experience and expression. In so doing, LaMothe opens new perspectives on the role of bodily being in religious life, and on the place of theology in the study of religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Finally, the wait is over!
I cannot wait to read this book, I have been waiting for it since I first found out she was writing it. As an undergrad in religion at Harvard, LaMothe was by far the best lecturer I had. She takes the most complicated texts and unravels and explains them in a way that those of us who are not possessed of the philosopher's mind can understand. Hopefully this will be the first in a long line of books from her. ... 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. Original Published by: The Modern library in 1902 in 559 pages; Description: "The Varieties of Religious Experienceis certainly the most notable of all books in the field of the psychology of religion and probably destined to be the most influential [one] written on religion in the twentieth century," said Walter Houston Clark inPsychology Today.  The book was an immediate bestseller upon its publication in June 1902.  Reflecting the pluralistic views of psychologist-turned-philosopher William James, it posits that individual religious experiences, rather than the tenets of organized religions, form the backbone of religious life.  James's discussion of conversion, repentance, mysticism, and hope of reward and fears of punishment in the hereafter--as well as his observations on the religious experiences of such diverse thinkers as Voltaire, Whitman, Emerson, Luther, Tolstoy, and others--all support his thesis.  "James's characteristic humor, his ability to put down the pretentious and to be unpretentious, and his willingness to take some risks in his choices of ancedotal data or provocative theories are all apparent in the book," noted Professor Martin E. Marty.  "A reader will come away with more reasons to raise new questions than to feel that old ones have been resolved."; Subjects: Experience (Religion); Psychology, Religious; Religion; Conversion; Philosophy and religion; Experience (Religion; Religion / General; Religion / Psychology of Religion; Philosophy / Religious; Religion / Spirituality; Philosophy / Religious; Religion / Comparative Religion; Religion / Philosophy; Religion / Psychology of Religion;Amazon.com Review
"I am neither a theologian, nor a scholar learned in thehistory of religions, nor an anthropologist. Psychology is the onlybranch of learning in which I am particularly versed. To thepsychologist the religious propensities of man must be at least asinteresting as any other of the facts pertaining to his mentalconstitution. It would seem, therefore, as a psychologist, the naturalthing for me would be to invite you to a descriptive survey of thosereligious propensities."

When William James went to the University of Edinburgh in 1901 todeliver a series of lectures on "natural religion," he definedreligion as "the feelings, acts, and experiences of individual men intheir solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand inrelation to whatever they may consider the divine." Consideringreligion, then, not as it is defined by--or takes place in--thechurches, but as it is felt in everyday life, he undertook a projectthat, upon completion, stands not only as one of the most importanttexts on psychology ever written, not only as a vitally seriouscontemplation of spirituality, but for many critics one of the bestworks of nonfiction written in the 20th century. Reading TheVarieties of Religious Experience, it is easy to see why. Applyinghis analytic clarity to religious accounts from a variety of sources,James elaborates a pluralistic framework in which "the divine can meanno single quality, it must mean a group of qualities, by beingchampions of which in alternation, different men may all find worthymissions." It's an intellectual call for serious religioustolerance--indeed, respect--the vitality of which has not diminishedthrough the subsequent decades. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (62)

Truly absorbing discussion about the psychology of religion
I wanted to read this book because I heard it discussed by Mervyn Bragg and a panel of academics on BBC radio4. Although written at the beginning of the 20th century, the series of lectures which make up the book, seem to address some of the preoccupations routinely highlighted today among scientists who dispute the validity of religious experience, and its enduring importance in all human cultures. James did not set out to prove the existence of God when he took up the appointment of Gifford Lecturer on Natural Religion at the University of Edinburgh in 1902. As a psychologist his main focus of interest was to be 'the religious propensities of man' which he considered to be just as interesting as any other human mental experience.James describes the nature of religious conversion, with special emphasis on its startling suddenness, especially in relation to former sinners. In another lecture he considers the experiences of mysticism, and in others he looks at the characteristics of sanitliness, devotion and asceticism. In all these deliberations James combines a scientific detachment with a keen absorbtion in his subject matter.This attitude is what makes the book so interesting, despite the fact that it is written in a discursive and extended style characteristic of that period in history.

Classic
If you are a student of theology, this book is a must have classic.It is cited by almost all serious studies. Don't settle for someone else's excerpts, read the whole treatise.If you are simply seeking a work to inspire you to a world view, however, don't get it.It is a book to examine the subject, to explore the psychology of different aspects of theology, not to inspire the reader.But for the serious student, it is a must read in the subject.

A great book
This one book has done more to change the way I look at religion than any other work I have ever read.What I truly love about this book is the way that William James looks at the micro instead of focusing on the macro.He looks at the individual experiences with religion instead of looking at the group.This gives the reader the much more personalized view of religion, and how it interacts with the individual.His interviews with a broad range of people with an equal range of differing religious experiences gives the reader a rich assortment of the varieties of religious experience.

The most important aspect of this book, though, is the method of analysis used by James.Looking at religious experiences through psychology allows the reader to not only look at the personalized religious experience, but also lets us see that experience broken down by one of the world's foremost experts of his time and one of the greatest minds in U.S. history.This is the strength of this work.

The only criticism I will offer is that some of the material can become redundant.After James describes a particular religious experience he then provides numerous personal examples of this experience.This allows the reader to see the similarities along with the subtle deviations as well between individual experiences of religious phenomenon.The problem is that sometimes he provides more of these personal experiences than needed which makes certain sections seem a bit tedious and redundant.This problem is easily remedied by the reader if he/she will simply read enough of these experiences to get a good understanding then skip the rest of these when they start to become redundant.

This book was an invaluable contribution to my own understanding of religion.This greater understanding has enriched my life, and helped me to become much more understanding of the people around me.While I am not religious, this book has helped me understand those who are in a whole new way, and it has also informed my own agnosticism.I would recommend this book for anyone even remotely interested in religion.

Varieties of Religious Experience
The book is presented in a difficult form to read because of large pages, many small type quotations, and a book that will not lie flat when opened.As to the contents, they are fine, especially since the book was written over 100 years ago.

Varieties...
It took me sometime to finish this book, when I did I felt like I truly knew different perceptions of how others view religion...anyone who wants to see anothers view should read this and anyone who is trying to understand their own view should as well. I feel that we all have different views, and no one can judge another..for all our paths seem to go toward the same place...this not only gives facts and truths to this but enlightens anyone who picks it up...
blessings~ ... Read more

Product Description
Despite the importance of Islam in global affairs and the role of Islamic Studies in Religious Studies, little attention has been given to the basic questions of how Islam should be taught. This volume brings together a number of leading scholars of Islamic Studies with rich experience in teaching Islam in a diversity of undergraduate settings, from large public universities to small private colleges. Topics addressed include Islamic law, the Quran, Sufism, women in Islam, Islam in America, and teaching about Islam through Arabic literature and the use of new information technology. Along with providing practical information about structuring courses and assignments, the contributors examine the place of Islamic Studies in the larger theoretical framework of Religious Studies and liberal arts curricula. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Pretty Good
The person who wrote the "Sexual License for Men Slavery for Women" review is a complete jackass. Why don't you leave your Bible thumping for foxnews.com. Amazon really needs to get some quality control around these parts.
To the book: I am half-way through and can say that I've learned a great amount from these professors, though the essays are hit or miss. Wheeler, Reinhart, and Brockopp's essays are great; Lewinstein's is terrible and not worth even a cursory perusal.

Sexual License for Men Slavery for Women
The author of this book fails to mention the Bukhari Hadith in which Mohammed states that "women are deficient in intellect."Bukhari was a scholar who collected the sayings and teachings of Mohammed, a separate documents from the Koran.The Hadith are considered to be of nearly equal authority to the Koran.Mohammed was asked about the fact that the testimony of one man is equal to the testimony of two women, his explanation being that "women are deficient in intellect."Under classical Islam men may marry up to four women, divorce them at will, and have sex with all the slave women he owns.There is no effective check on male sexuality only women's.Someone this information never made it into the book

Lots of good information for the professional
This book is really intended to help college level instructors of religionwho lack a thorough grasp of Islam. And the book does a pretty good job at that. However, some of the book is rather esoteric for most undergraduate survey classes. It is not intended for casual reading on the topic of Islam. The AAR is a great group and this book should be helpful to the college instructor who is more of a generalist and finds him/herself teaching a class in which Islam is a major theme.
So, good book for the intended purpose. ... Read more