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Understanding Religious Experience: From Conviction to Life's Meaning
by Paul K. MoserIn this book, Paul K. Moser offers a new approach to religious experience and the kind of evidence it provides. Here, he explains the nature of theistic and non-theistic experience in relation to the meaning of human life and its underlying evidence, with special attention given to the perspectives of Tolstoy, Buddha, Confucius, Krishna, Moses, the apostle Paul, and Muhammad. Among the many topics explored in this timely volume are: religious experience characterized in a unifying conception; religious experience naturalized relative to science; religious experience psychologized in merely psychological phenomena; and religious experience cognized relative to potential defeaters from evil, divine hiddenness, and religious diversity. Understanding Religious Experience will benefit those interested in the nature of religion and can be used in relevant courses in religious studies, philosophy, theology, Biblical studies, and the history of religion.
Understanding Religious Fundamentalists: An Introduction (Routledge Focus on Religion)
by Peter HerriotThis book introduces the prominent role that fundamentalists play in religious, cultural, and political arenas.It begins by investigating religious fundamentalist groups and their psychological motivations for this counter-cultural adherence. Their extremely varied actions, argues the author, are based on two fundamental beliefs: that God speaks to them personally through his Word; and that they are involved in a cosmic war between God and Satan.. Subsequent chapters explore how fundamentalisms meet universal psychological needs for meaning, identity, agency, and self-esteem. Moving from individual psychology to social context, the latter half of the book explores how fundamentalist movements derive and exercise their authority and how leaders may strategise to appeal to external societies. The closing chapters seek to place the growth of fundamentalisms and their continued popularity in the social context of modernity and populism.With engaging discussion questions and suggestions for further reading, this book is ideal for students of social science and religion, as well as readers interested in the psychological roots of fundamentalism.
Understanding Religious Ritual: Theoretical approaches and innovations (Routledge Advances in Sociology)
by Gadi WolfsfeldAlthough numerous studies of religious rituals have been conducted by religious studies scholars, anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists, it is rare to find a work that brings scholars from different disciplines together to discuss the similarities and differences in their research. This book represents contributions by leading scholars from several disciplines that show the diversity of approaches to religious rituals, while also providing cross-disciplinary perspectives on this topic. The goals of the chapters are to consider where the field currently stands in understanding religious rituals and what novel ideas can improve our knowledge about these practices; and furnish innovative applications of theory by discussing particular examples which are drawn from the authors’ fieldwork. The chapters cover Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and Islamic rituals, thus providing a view of how ritual practices vary across the globe, but also how they share some important characteristics.
Understanding Religious Violence: Radicalism and Terrorism in Religion Explored via Six Case Studies
by James Dingley Marcello MollicaThis book addresses the problem of religiously based conflict and violence via six case studies. It stresses particularly the structural and relational aspects of religion as providing a sense of order and a networked structure that enables people to pursue quite prosaic and earthly concerns. The book examines how such concerns link material and spiritual salvation into a holy alliance. As such, whilst the religions concerned may be different, they address the same problems and provide similar explanations for meaning, success, and failure in life. Each author has conducted their own field-work in the religiously based conflict regions they discuss, and together the collection offers perspectives from a variety of different national backgrounds and disciplines.
Understanding Religious and Spiritual Aspects of Human Service Practice
by F. Ellen Netting James Ellor Jane M. ThibaultContending that despite current efforts to make social workers sensitive to differences of race, ethnicity, and gender, the diversity and impact of religious beliefs has often been overlooked, three professors of social work/human services offer a guide to direct practice concerns. Spiritual assessment, positive and pathological uses of religious practice, and the need for spiritual self-awareness among human-service workers are explored, as are issues related to community, congregation, and making of public policy. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Understanding Risk-Taking (Critical Studies in Risk and Uncertainty)
by Jens O. ZinnThis book outlines and systematises findings from a growing body of research that examines the different rationales, dimensions and dynamics of risk-taking in current societies; providing insight into the different motivations and social roots of risk-taking to advance scholarly debates and improve social regulation. Conceptually, the book goes beyond common approaches which problematise socially undesirable risk-taking, or highlight the alluring character of risk-taking. Instead, it follows a broadly interpretivist approach and engages in examining motives, control, routinisation, reflexivity, skills, resources, the role of identity in risk-taking and how these are rooted in and framed by different social forces. Zinn draws on qualitative studies from different theoretical and conceptual backgrounds such as phenomenology, hermeneutics, pragmatism, feminism, class analysis, theory of practice and discourse analysis among others, to outline key distinctions and concepts central to the understanding of risk-taking. It will be a key resource for everyone who is concerned with the understanding and management of risk-taking in all kinds of social domains, such as immigration, youth, leisure sports, crime, health, finance, and social policy.
Understanding Salafism: Seeking the Path of the Pious Predecessors
by Yasir QadhiA comprehensive overview of the most misunderstood movement in modern Islam: Salafism.The Salafi movement invokes fear and dread in outsiders who treat Salafism as synonymous with religious extremism. For Salafis themselves, it&’s a jealously guarded title, always in danger of dilution. Salafism has changed the face of Islam; its ideas reach far outside its own ranks. Yet popular portrayals never go beyond hackneyed stereotypes. In Understanding Salafism, Dr Yasir Qadhi delves into the origins of the movement, from the earliest debates in Islam to Salafism today, in both the Western and Islamic worlds. In an analysis covering Salafism in the Middle East, Europe, the United States and Africa, he illuminates Salafism&’s theological ideas, the debates within Salafism about political participation, and its relationship to other schools in Sunni Islam.----- Yasir Qadhi is a resident scholar of the East Plano Islamic Center in Texas, and dean of the Islamic Seminary of America. He is one of the few people who has combined a traditional Eastern Islamic seminary education with Western academic training in the study of Islam. ----- Table of ContentsList of Figures Preface Conventions 1 Introduction: A Bird&’s Eye View of Salafism 2 A Comprehensive History of Salafi Thought: From its Origins to Modernity 3 Wahhabism and Salafism 4 Salafism and Islamism: A Case Study of the Muslim Brotherhood 5 The Phenomenon of Jihadi-Salafism 6 Global Salafism in the Contemporary World Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index
Understanding Scientific Theories of Origins: Cosmology, Geology, and Biology in Christian Perspective (BioLogos Books on Science and Christianity)
by John H. Walton Robert C. Bishop Larry L. Funck Stephen O. Moshier Raymond J. LewisThe question of origins remains a stumbling block for many. But just as the Psalmist gained insight into God's character through the observation of nature, modern scientific study can deepen and enrich our vision of the Creator and our place in his creation. In this often contentious field Bishop, Funck, Lewis, Moshier, and Walton serve as our able guides. Based on over two decades of teaching origins together in the classroom, the authors present a textbook exploring mainstream scientific theories of origins in astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, geology, biology, physical anthropology, and genetics. While many authors engage origins from a Christian perspective, this is the first work offering a full-fledged discussion of the scientific narrative of origins from the Big Bang through humankind, from biblical and theological perspectives accessible to a lay audience. Topics include Principles of biblical interpretation Close readings of relevant Genesis texts A comprehensive Trinitarian doctrine of creation Cosmic origins The geologic history of Earth The origin of life on Earth The origin of species and diversity of life Human origins New creation and creation care Science education Rather than the familiar scenario where science and faith compete, this book seeks to diffuse tensions by taking the inspiration and authority of the Bible seriously while respecting and honoring God's revelation through creation. Understanding Scientific Theories of Origins gives the reader a detailed picture of the sciences of origins along with how they fit into the story of God's creative and redemptive action.
Understanding Scripture: How To Read and Study the Bible
by A. Berkeley Mickelsen Alvera M. MickelsenWithout question, studying the Bible can be one of the most rewarding experiences of the Christian life. Unfortunately, if you are ill-equipped, studying the Bible can also be intensely frustrating. For example, how do we know when the Bible is being literal and when it's being figurative-and how can we tell the difference without a degree in theology? What do history and culture have to do with studying the Bible? Are there principles for interpreting parables, allegories, prophecies? Is Revelation different? Because questions like these are inescapable, Understanding Scripture: How to read and Study the Bible is a must for the individual interested in maximizing his or her time in Bible study. This book arose out of Alvera and Berkeley Mickelsen's life-long passion for helping people understand the Bible and its significance for their lives. Now in a thorough revision of the 1978 edition co-authored with her husband, Alvera Mickelsen once again shows how principles of interpreting God's word can make Scripture come alive in an unprecedented way.
Understanding Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism
by Lawrence H. SchiffmanUNDERSTANDING SECOND TEMPLE AND RABBINIC JUDAISM examines the history of Judaism as it developed from the religion of biblical Israel to the Judaism of the talmudic rabbis. Each step in this process is discussed from historical, literary, and religious points of view in the context of the political history of the Jews. The book starts with an overview of the biblical heritage and moves into the Persian period followed by the confrontation of Judaism with Hellenism. It discusses the writings of Second Temple times including the apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, and Dead Sea Scrolls, the sects of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, the rise of Christianity, the Jewish revolts against Rome, and the consolidation of rabbinic Judaism in the Mishnah and Talmud. One of the book's major theses is that the various approaches to Judaism shared sufficient common ground as to be classified as one, albeit variegated, religious tradition. Diverging trends are traced during this period, as is the question of therole of interpretation, the impact of external influences, and the process by which the competing approaches were eventually supplanted by the rabbinic tradition, which became the basis for medieval and modern Judaism. In this way, Judaism is shown to have traveled the long road from the textual heritage of the Hebrew Bible to the oral tradition of the rabbis. It is highly readable, illustrated with maps and photographs, and each chapter concludes with a selection of primary source material in English translation to elucidate the narrative.
Understanding Sexual Abuse: A Guide For Ministry Leaders And Survivors
by Debra Hirsch Tim Hein“It is said that the true test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.” As many as one in four girls and one in six boys experience sexual abuse during childhood, and it’s estimated that as many as half of the incidents are never reported. This means that countless millions in our societies, both children and adults, carry this complex, often hidden pain. What does the path to healing look like for survivors? And how can ministry leaders, pastors, and counselors best help them as they walk this difficult road? Drawing on both his own experience and his wife's experience as survivors of childhood sexual abuse, minister and lecturer Tim Hein offers his expertise, practical guidance, and empathy—both for ministry leaders and for survivors themselves. How can we best respond when a survivor shares their secret with us? Where can survivors turn for encouragement when the road to recovery seems so long and lonely? Hein presents clinical data and resources alongside pastoral wisdom and care, addressing both psychological and spiritual aspects of sexual abuse. Both for those who have suffered sexual abuse and those in a position to help them, this book is a rich resource. Filled with both sober truths and the hope of Christ, it calls survivors to take courage and walk unafraid down the road of healing.
Understanding Sexual Identity: A Resource for Youth Ministry
by Mark A. Yarhouse Wesley HillToday’s youth struggle with difficult questions of sexual identity. How can a youth worker offer wise care and counsel on such a controversial and confusing subject? Mark Yarhouse, Director of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity, writes to equip youth ministers so they can faithfully navigate the topic of sexual identity in a way that is honest, compassionate, and accessible. Reframing the focus away from the culture wars, Yarhouse introduces readers to the conversation beginning with the developmental considerations in the formation of sexual identity—all of which occurs in the teen years. He offers practical and helpful ways to think about people who experience same-sex attraction. Sections of the book are also dedicated to helping parents respond to their children and teens who struggle with questions of sexual idenity, as well as how youth ministry can become more relevant in the lives of youth who are navigating these issues.
Understanding Shiite Leadership
by Shaul Mishal Ori Goldberg"In this book, Shaul Mishal and Ori Goldberg explore the ways in which Shiite leaderships in Iran and Lebanon approach themselves and their world. Contrary to the violent and radical image of religious leaderships in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Lebanese Hizballah, the political vision and practice of these leaderships view the world as a middle ground, shying away from absolutist and extremist tendencies. The political leadership assumed by Shiite religious scholars in Iran and Lebanon has transformed Shiite Islam from a marginalized minority to a highly politicized avant garde of Muslim presence, revitalized the practice and causes of political Islam in its struggle for legitimacy and authority, and reshaped the politics of the Middle East and the globe in its image. Utilizing approaches from social theory, history, theology, and literary criticism, the book presents these leaderships as pragmatic, interpretative entities with the potential to form fruitful relationships between Shiite leadership and the non-Shiite world"--
Understanding Spiritual Gifts (40-Minute Bible Studies)
by Kay Arthur David Lawson Bj LawsonWhat Are Spiritual Gifts?The subject of spiritual gifts can seem complicated: Who has spiritual gifts--""spiritual people" or everybody? What are spiritual gifts anyway?Understanding Spiritual Gifts takes you straight to God's Word to discover answers from the Gift-Giver Himself. As you dig into Bible passages about God's design for each of us, you'll find out that spiritual gifts aren't complicated--but they are life-changing. Here you will uncover what spiritual gifts are, where they come from, who has them, how they are received, and how they work within the church. As you study, you will have a new vision for how you can use your God-given gifts to bring hope to your home, your church, and a hurting world. 40 Minutes a Week Could Change Your Life!The 40-Minute Bible Studies series from the teaching team at Precept Ministries International tackles the topics that matter to you. These inductive study guides, designed to be completed in just six 40-minute lessons with no homework required, help you discover for yourself what God says and how it applies to your life today. With the leader's notes and Bible passages included right in the book, each self-contained study is a powerful resource for personal growth and small-group discussion.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide
by Sam StormsWhat are spiritual gifts?Storms has spent several decades teaching on the topic of the spiritual gifts and equipping believers in the faithful practice of God's gifts. Yet there remains a great deal of confusion about the nature of the gifts and how they best function in the body of Christ.In this comprehensive guide to the spiritual gifts, Storms addresses the many bizarre and misleading interpretations while confronting the tendency to downplay the urgency of spiritual gifts for Christian living and ministry. He explains how spiritual gifts--both the more miraculous and the everyday--are given to build up the body of Christ.God has graciously provided these "manifestations of the Spirit" so that believers might encourage, edify, strengthen, instruct, and console one another, all with a view to an ever-increasing, incremental transformation into the image of Jesus Christ. Throughout this guide, Sam Storms unpacks the glorious truth that there is a supernatural and divine energy or power that fills and indwells the body and soul of every Christian believer.Understanding Spiritual Gifts is useful as a reference to address common questions about the gifts, but it also serves as a training manual for using and exercising the gifts in ministry. It is perfect for any individual or group who wants to grow in their understanding of spiritual gifts for today.
Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide
by Sam StormsA comprehensive, theological guide to everything the Bible has to say about spiritual warfare.Many Christians today are unaware or skeptical of the reality of Satan and the role he and his demonic hordes seek to exert on our lives. But if we're to take Scripture seriously, we can't overlook the biblical assertions about the spiritual battles between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil.The truth is that believers in Jesus are certain to encounter men and women of all ages who are oppressed, tormented, and tempted by demonic powers. In Understanding Spiritual Warfare, theologian and professor Sam Storms confronts the reality of the spiritual conflict in our midst, the threat of the demonic, and how we, as Christians, can respond to such a threat in our own lives and in the lives of others.Storms explains the biblical teaching on spiritual warfare and shares numerous personal accounts of victories over the demonic, answering question like:Who is Satan and his demons, and how do they act?Can a Christian be demonized?How does the authority of Christ defeat the devil and the demonic?What is &“warfare prayer&” and how can we wield it?Perfect for any individual or group who wants to grow in their understanding of spiritual warfare, Understanding Spiritual Warfare also serves as a training manual for a ministry of deliverance and inner healing.
Understanding Spirituality and the Sacred in Social Work Practice: Spirited Conversations
by Jioji Ravulo Joel Hollier Mary Jo McVeighSocial work is constantly epistemically evolving and embracing diverse bodies of knowledge to inform its ontology and practice frameworks.Over the years, the impact of feminist, post-colonial, and queer theory, for example, has broadened the social work lens and invited a welcome departure from dominant Westernised, patriarchal, and positivist paradigms. However, the separation of the spiritual realm from casework, clinical, community, and group work traditions of social work remained steadfast. The last decade or so has seen forages into the issues of social work and spirituality. This examination into spirituality and social work has shown that for many service users, spiritual practices (be they religious or non-religious) are important in their lives and their way out of difficulties. Concurrently, relationships between socio-political movements and global religions have grown increasingly complex. To create a truly holistic approach to the needs of service users it is important that social work policy and practice give voice to these complexities and understand the place of spirituality within service delivery. This book critically reflects upon and discusses the intersecting role of spirituality in the lives of people who access social work services.By gathering contributions from people with lived experience, practitioners, and academics, this book will explore a comprehensive range of issues, opening the area of spirituality to current critical, socio-political, and cultural thought. It will be of interest to all social work scholars, students, and practitioners.
Understanding Terror Networks
by Marc SagemanFor decades, a new type of terrorism has been quietly gathering ranks in the world. America's ability to remain oblivious to these new movements ended on September 11, 2001. The Islamist fanatics in the global Salafi jihad (the violent, revivalist social movement of which al Qaeda is a part) target the West, but their operations mercilessly slaughter thousands of people of all races and religions throughout the world. Marc Sageman challenges conventional wisdom about terrorism, observing that the key to mounting an effective defense against future attacks is a thorough understanding of the networks that allow these new terrorists to proliferate. Based on intensive study of biographical data on 172 participants in the jihad,Understanding Terror Networksgives us the first social explanation of the global wave of activity. Sageman traces its roots in Egypt, gestation in Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan war, exile in the Sudan, and growth of branches worldwide, including detailed accounts of life within the Hamburg and Montreal cells that planned attacks on the United States. U. S. government strategies to combat the jihad are based on the traditional reasons an individual was thought to turn to terrorism: poverty, trauma, madness, and ignorance. Sageman refutes all these notions, showing that, for the vast majority of the mujahedin, social bonds predated ideological commitment, and it was these social networks that inspired alienated young Muslims to join the jihad. These men, isolated from the rest of society, were transformed into fanatics yearning for martyrdom and eager to kill. The tight bonds of family and friendship, paradoxically enhanced by the tenuous links between the cell groups (making it difficult for authorities to trace connections), contributed to the jihad movement's flexibility and longevity. And although Sageman's systematic analysis highlights the crucial role the networks played in the terrorists' success, he states unequivocally that the level of commitment and choice to embrace violence were entirely their own. Understanding Terror Networkscombines Sageman's scrutiny of sources, personal acquaintance with Islamic fundamentalists, deep appreciation of history, and effective application of network theory, modeling, and forensic psychology. Sageman's unique research allows him to go beyond available academic studies, which are light on facts, and journalistic narratives, which are devoid of theory. The result is a profound contribution to our understanding of the perpetrators of 9/11 that has practical implications for the war on terror.
Understanding The Basic Principles of Islam
by Omer A. ErgiThis book describes and explains the meaning of the essential articles of faith and basic forms of worship in Islam. The narration is enriched with relevant essays from prominent scholars. in addition to the answers given to the frequently asked questions, the author uses different allegories and metaphors in order to clarify his points. Perfect for young readers, the book presents the basic framework of understanding and reasoning of the Islamic faith.
Understanding The Bible
by John BuehrensA thoughtful, warm, and witty introduction Understanding the Bibleis designed to help empower skeptics, seekers, nonbelievers, and those of a liberal and progressive outlook to reclaim the Bible from literalists. In making accessible some of the best contemporary historical, literary, political, and feminist readings of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, it encourages all who would find in the biblical heritage an ally and not an enemy in the quest for a more just and humane world. Brief and to the point, it can easily be used to stimulate group discussions and personal reading of the biblical texts themselves, and is an excellent introduction to the Judeo-Christian tradition for those of other faiths.Understanding the Bible includes four preliminary chapters on the why, who, which, and how of biblical understanding, followed by eight brief thematic chapters covering the core of the Hebrew Bible and six covering the Christian scriptures, plus chronologies, maps, and helpful suggestions for further reading.
Understanding The Bible (Eighth Edition)
by Stephen L. HarrisThis best-selling nonsectarian guide is designed for students undertaking their first systematic study of the Bible. Placing each book of the Old Testament, Apocrypha, and the New Testament fully in its historical and cultural context, Understanding the Bible acquaints readers with the content as well as the major themes of each biblical book, and familiarizes them with the goals and methods of important scholarship.
Understanding The Fivefold Ministry: How do these five leadership gifts work together
by Jack Hayford Matthew D. GreenThe ministry gifts are alive and well today! When Jesus ascended to heaven, He left gifts behind: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. But their operation has often been surrounded by neglect, confusion, and outright controversy. Jack Hayford, Cindy Jacobs, Reinhard Bonnke, C. Peter Wagner, Fuchsia Pickett, Tommy Barnett, and many others combine decades of experience, reflection, and biblical study to uncover the true purpose for the fivefold ministry. Find answers to these questions regarding the release and shepherding of the fivefold minstry: •Who are the modern-day apostles, and why does the church still need them? •What are the marks of an authentic prophet, and how should we judge prophecy? •How do you know if you're called to be an evangelist, and what's the most effective method for leading an unbeliever to Christ? •Why are teachers so influential, and how do we discern false doctrine? •What is the role of the pastor in the twenty-first century, and how is it changing? •How do the five ministry gifts cooperate in thelocal church, and who's in charge when all five are active?God is building His body around the world in the most unexpected ways through the most unexpected people. Take a self-test to find out where your gifts lie and what area of ministry God may have custom-designed you for.
Understanding The Qur'an: Themes And Style (London Qur'an Studies)
by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem Muhammad Abdel HaleemThe tenets of Islam cannot be grasped without a proper understanding of the Qur'an. In this important new introduction, Muhammad Haleem examines its recurrent themes - life and eternity, marriage and divorce, peace and war, water and nourishment - and for the first time sets these in the context of the Qur'an's linguistic style. Professor Haleem examines the background to the development of the surahs (chapters) and the ayahs (verses) and the construction of the Qur'an itself. He shows that popular conceptions of Islamic attitudes to women, marriage and divorce, war and society, differ radically from the true teachings of the Qur'an.
Understanding The Scriptures (Semester Edition)
by Scott HahnPart of the Didache series. Presenting a Catholic approach to Scripture and highlighting the theme of covenant, Understanding the Scriptures: Semester Edition will provide an understanding of Sacred Scripture so critical to the Catholic Faith.
Understanding The Times Student Manual
by David Noebel Jeff Myers Amanda Bridger Stephen Sutherland Katelyn BrantleyThe Understanding the Times Student Manual provides the student work to be completed alongside the book Understanding The Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews (not-included and sold-separately). Each chapter includes learning objectives, discussion questions, a reading selection from an original work or author discussed in that chapter, reading selection discussion questions, a link to watch a video online, a fill-in-the-blank video outline, video discussion questions, chapter key points, and a final chapter assignment. A syllabus at the beginning of the book organizes assignments by weeks and days for easy scheduling. 36 weeks of assignments (5 days per week) are included. 365 pages, softcover. Consumable and non-reproducible. Scripture taken from the ESV.