This book provides a cross-cultural analysis of how religious symbols function from a theological and philosophical perspective. Showing how religious symbols can be true in various qualified senses, Neville presents a theory of religious symbolism in the American pragmatic tradition extending and elaborating Tillich's claim that religious symbols participate in the divine realities to which they refer and yet must be broken in order not to be idolatrous or demonic. The Truth of Broken Symbols offers a theory of religious symbolism treating reference, meaning, and interpretation, and discussing different functions of religious symbols in theological, practical, and devotional contexts. It shows that religious symbols are to be properly understood as true or false and that symbol-systems such as myths, theologies, or liturgical symbols are to be used to engage divine realities while internally exhibiting semiotic structures of reference, meaning, and interpretation.
An award-winning debut novel from a stellar new voice in middle grade fiction.Matt Pin would like to forget: war torn Vietnam, bombs that fell like dead crows, and the terrible secret he left behind. But now that he is living with a caring adoptive family in the United States, he finds himself forced to confront his past. And that means choosing between silence and candor, blame and forgiveness, fear and freedom.By turns harrowing, dreamlike, sad, and triumphant, this searing debut novel, written in lucid verse, reveals an unforgettable perspective on the lasting impact of war and the healing power of love.
Symbolic representation is a crucial subject for and a potent heuristic instrument of diaspora studies. This special focus inquires into the forms and functions of symbols of diaspora both in aesthetic practice and in critical discourse, analyzing and theorizing symbols from Shakespeare to Bollywood as well as in critical writings of theorists of diaspora. What kinds of symbols and symbolic practices, contributors ask, are germane to the representation, both emic and etic, of diasporics and diasporas? How are specific symbols and symbolic practices analyzed across the academic fields contributing to diaspora studies? Which symbols and symbolic practices inform the academic study of diasporas, sometimes unconsciously or without being remarked on? To study these phenomena is to engage in a dialogue that aims at refining the theoretical and methodological vocabulary and practice of truly transdisciplinary diaspora studies while attending to the imperative of specificity that inheres in this emerging field. The volume collects a range of analyses from social anthropology, history and ethnography to literary and film studies, all combining readings of individual symbolic practices with meta-theoretical reflections.
Two destinies intersect in this novel -- that of Gjorg, a young mountaineer who has just killed a man in order to avenge the death of his older brother, and who expects to be killed himself in keeping with the code of the highlands; and that of a young couple who have come to study the age-old customs, including the blood feud.
Mankind is “the symbol-using animal,” American philosopher Charles Peirce famously wrote. It’s vital—literally—that we grasp our relation to symbols. God himself thinks in symbols. Since we are made in God’s image, everything we think and do is symbolic as well. Moses failed to follow God’s symbolism and was harshly punished, forbidden to enter the Promised Land. Keeping or breaking symbolism will decide how each of us fares on Judgment Day. Understand symbolism, or suffer the consequences. PRAISE FOR HOW GOD THINKS · Winner of the Pacific Book Award for Best Spirituality · Finalist of the Pacific Book Award for Best Philosophy · Thorough and thought-provoking, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Bible, its history, and its society-shaping role. -US Review of Books · Discussing the symbolic illustration in a Christian marriage between one man and woman versus homosexuality, divorce, polygamy, and polyandry, [Vancelette dives] deeper into what it means to be a man and a woman in the eyes of God. -San Francisco Book Review · It reads like top-shelf philosophy with pragmatic commentary and poetic sensibilities. -Seattle Book Review · David Vancelette’s HOW GOD THINKS is a fascinating and original attempt to do what no theologian has ever accomplished: to get inside the mind of God. -IndieReader QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY UNDERSTANDING SYMBOLISM: · How has Satan made himself equal to God through broken symbolism? · Why do hardened feminists and the LGBTQ community reject the symbolism God designed into human sexuality? · What alternative was Jesus actually praying for in the garden when he prayed “let this cup [of crucifixion] pass from me?” · Why do many Jews see Jesus as broken symbolism, not as the Messiah? · This gripping, ambitious book will answer these and much more! ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Vancelette holds a degree in computer science and has worked some four decades as a computer systems analyst at Fortune 500 companies. He has attended both the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Biblical University. He also studied philosophy at American Public University. David vitally believes that sound analysis, logic, and reliance upon the Holy Spirit must be brought together to properly interpret the Bible. “David Vancelette is an amazing author….” -Pacific Book Review
The use of symbolism is an art, not a science. Different people use symbols in a variety of ways and each symbol can have diverse meanings, even within the same culture. Not surprisingly, determining the meaning of symbols can be difficult. This valuable reference defines the general symbolism of more than 15,000 terms, from ancient to modern, as well as specialized meanings in mythology, religion, art, literature, folklore, flower language, astrology, heraldry, numerology, and cultures the world over. From "0" to "Zu," each entry catalogs all possible connotations, listed by culture when appropriate, creating the most comprehensive symbolism dictionary available.
The only dictionary of its kind, this greatly expanded second edition lists objects, concepts, traits and situations ancient and modern and gives their appropriate symbols. A companion to Symbolism: A Comprehensive Dictionary (2012), this volume presents symbols and their referents in reverse association (but is not simply a reconfiguring of information). Examples: a symbol for "hell" is descending stairs; an attribute of Saint Benedict is a raven; joy after sorrow is signified by the gemstone amber. Ethnic, literary, artistic, religious, heraldic, numerological, folkloric, occult and psychological usages are included.
