The definitive dictionary of the world's religions, compiled by two of the 20th century's most distinguished religion scholars. This highly accessible resource distils Mircea Eliade's lifework of detailing and comparing humanity's entire religious heritage, providing fascinating insights into the character and worldview of the 33 principal religions. Including Buddhism, Christianity, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Shinto, Shamanism, Taoism, South American religions, Baltic and Slavic religions, Confucianism, and the religions of Africa and Oceania, The HarperCollins Concise Guide to World Religions covers all kinds of religious figures, histories, sacred texts, mythologies, and mystical techniques.
A comprehensive guide to the thirty-three major religions includes information about their origins, founders, sacred teachings, and spiritual traditions.
Why are there so many religions? Do they basically teach the same thing? Bruce and Stan address these questions and more as they take a close look at some of the world's major religions and belief systems. From Islam to Jehovah's Witnesses and from New Age Spirituality to Atheism, Darwinism, and Naturalism, World Religions and Cults 101 features— key teachings of each religion quick-glance belief charts brief biographies of leaders study questions for group or individual use suggested reading Readers will also discover why spiritual searching is universal, how each religion compares to Christianity, the characteristics of cults, and what makes Christianity unique. Formerly titled Bruce & Stan's® Guide to Cults, Religions, and Spiritual Beliefs
It is a widespread prejudice of modern, scientific society that "magic" is merely a ludicrous amalgam of recipes and methods derived from primitive and erroneous notions about nature. Eros and Magic in the Renaissance challenges this view, providing an in-depth scholarly explanation of the workings of magic and showing that magic continues to exist in an altered form even today. Renaissance magic, according to Ioan Couliano, was a scientifically plausible attempt to manipulate individuals and groups based on a knowledge of motivations, particularly erotic motivations. Its key principle was that everyone (and in a sense everything) could be influenced by appeal to sexual desire. In addition, the magician relied on a profound knowledge of the art of memory to manipulate the imaginations of his subjects. In these respects, Couliano suggests, magic is the precursor of the modern psychological and sociological sciences, and the magician is the distant ancestor of the psychoanalyst and the advertising and publicity agent. In the course of his study, Couliano examines in detail the ideas of such writers as Giordano Bruno, Marsilio Ficino, and Pico della Mirandola and illuminates many aspects of Renaissance culture, including heresy, medicine, astrology, alchemy, courtly love, the influence of classical mythology, and even the role of fashion in clothing. Just as science gives the present age its ruling myth, so magic gave a ruling myth to the Renaissance. Because magic relied upon the use of images, and images were repressed and banned in the Reformation and subsequent history, magic was replaced by exact science and modern technology and eventually forgotten. Couliano's remarkable scholarship helps us to recover much of its original significance and will interest a wide audience in the humanities and social sciences.
An award-winning sociologist’s “fascinating and excellent” history of the origins of the great religions from the Stone Age to the Modern Age (Newsweek). In Discovering God, Rodney Stark surveys the birth and growth of religions around the world—from the prehistoric era of primal beliefs; the history of the pyramids found in Iraq, Egypt, Mexico, and Cambodia; and the great “Axial Age” of Plato, Zoroaster, Confucius, and the Buddha, to the modern Christian missions and the global spread of Islam. He argues for a free-market theory of religion and for the controversial thesis that under the best, unimpeded conditions, the true, most authentic religions will survive and thrive. Many modern biologists and psychologists claim that religion is a primitive survival mechanism that should have been discarded as humans evolved—that in modern societies, faith is a misleading crutch and an impediment to reason. Stark responds to this position, arguing that it is our capacity to understand God that has evolved—that humans now know much more about God than they did in ancient times. Winner of the 2008 Christianity Today Award of Merit in Theology/Ethics
A presentation of the world's predominant religions includes the essential elements and teachings of each, and a description of their similarities and differences
In this book, John Bowman helps novice and out-of-practice classifiers to understand how to use Dewey to classify works. He outlines the content of the scheme and its structure and then, through worked examples based on real and imaginary titles, teaches readers how to use the scheme. Fully worked out answers and notes are provided. The book's contents include: introduction and background outline and description of the schedules how to classify simple subjects number-building, 1: standard subdivisions number-building, 2: other methods preference order exceptions special subjects how to cope with difficult items WebDewey. Readership: Written in an engaging and direct style and as a sister publication to the best-selling Essential Cataloguing, this text is ideal for library students, public, school and solo librarians and classifiers who are just starting to use Dewey and want some simple examples.
From the earliest evidence of humankind in Palestine to the establishment of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, the ministry of Jesus, and the rise of the Christian Church, the richly illustrated HarperCollins Atlas of Bible History brings the Bible to life in all its geographical context. Detailed biblical references, timelines, and suggestions for further reading accompany each period of biblical history, conveying a tangible sense of the land, events, and people portrayed in the world's most famous book. With more than 100 full-color maps, timelines, and expert explanations, this superlative reference work will enable readers to more fully appreciate and understand the Bible and its stories. The HarperCollins Atlas of Bible History features: Over 100 full-color geographical and topographical maps The latest archaeological information, floor plans, city plans, illustrations, and artistic recreations of ancient life Charts, graphs, statistics, informative sidebars, and more Detailed biblical references Timelines that place each section of the Bible in its historical context Web site recommendations for further interactive study
