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Warrior Princess: Fighting for Life with Courage and Hope
by Princess Kasune ZuluPrincess Kasune Zulu grew up in an Africa trying to make sense of the mystery illness claiming its people. As a child, she could not know the disease that claimed the lives of her parents and baby sister would go on to infect more than 100 million people. Left alone to care for her siblings, Princess later discovered she herself was HIV positive. But she heard a calling to become an advocate and ambassador for those affected by disease and poverty. From talking to truck drivers about AIDS to her providential work as a radio broadcaster, Princess has boldly stepped up to speak on behalf of the voiceless and forgotten. Princess's journey has taken her from the dusty villages of Zambia to the offices of world leaders from the White House to the United Nations. Her message is that we can now become the first generation to end extreme poverty, if only we have the will to do so. Her story shows that even though life is uncertain and our time may be short, we each have a role to play in bringing healing and hope to our world. A percentage of proceeds from the sale of this book will support children affected by AIDS.
10 True Tales: Crime Scene Investigators (Ten True Tales)
by Allan ZulloTen true stories of real-life crime scene investigators! A gold ring has been discovered at a murder scene, but police have little else to go on. Can State Patrol Investigator Richard Havel use that clue to track down the killers? A bomber is terrorizing a western community. What forensic clues can Investigator Jack Charles gather to stop and solve the bombings? Enter the secret world of crime scene investigators who use the latest forensic techniques to solve mysteries and bring criminals to justice. You will never forget these incredible true stories.
Survivors: True Stories of Children in the Holocaust (Survivors)
by Allan ZulloGripping and inspiring, these true stories of bravery, terror, and hope chronicle nine different children's experiences during the Holocaust. These are the true-life accounts of nine Jewish boys and girls whose lives spiraled into danger and fear as the Holocaust overtook Europe. In a time of great horror, these children each found a way to make it through the nightmare of war. Some made daring escapes into the unknown, others disguised their true identities, and many witnessed unimaginable horrors. But what they all shared was the unshakable belief in-- and hope for-- survival. Their legacy of courage in the face of hatred will move you, captivate you, and, ultimately, inspire you.
Islamic Monetary Economics and Institutions: Theory and Practice
by Muhamed Zulkhibri Turkhan Ali Abdul Manap Aishath MuneezaThis edited volume explores theoretical and empirical issues related to monetary economics and policy in the Islamic financial system. Derived from the Conference on Islamic Monetary Economics and Institutions: Theory and Practice 2017 held in Malé, Maldives, the enclosed papers highlights several option for authorities and regulatory bodies regarding monetary policy and regulation, as well as discussing how Islamic monetary policy effects growth, financial stability and resilience to shocks in practice. The inter-linkage between Islamic monetary policy and other markets are also explored. The subject of Islamic economics has gained considerable attention in the last four decades with the emergence of Islamic financial institutions around the world. This phenomenon has motivated economists to develop a comprehensive theoretical framework of modern monetary economics for Islamic economic system. An important characteristic of the Islamic economic system is the abolition of interest from the financial system. Islamic monetary economics is distinguished from conventional monetary economics due to the absence of interest. Therefore, under the Islamic economic system, monetary policy has to depend on other tools. In the early theoretical literature on Islamic monetary economics, many have discussed the role of money in Islamic economics system, while the number of empirical studies on Islamic monetary economics is a relatively new phenomenon. According to Islamic scholars, there are three main goals of Islamic monetary policy: a) economic well-being with full employment and optimum rate of economic growth; b) socioeconomic justice and equitable distribution of income and wealth and c) stability in the value of money. Hence, the Islamic monetary policy has several socioeconomic and ethical implications. Featuring regional case studies, this book serves as a valuable resource for academics, scholars, practitioners and policy makers in the areas of Islamic economics and finance.
Islamic Finance, Risk-Sharing and Macroeconomic Stability
by Muhamed Zulkhibri Turkhan Ali Abdul ManapThe concept of risk-sharing in financial and social contracts is one of the unique features of Islamic finance. Many theoretical studies generally claim superiority of an Islamic financial system based on pure equity and participatory modes of financing, while empirical studies provide mixed results. Studies and discussions are needed to fully understand how Islamic finance could contribute to the ongoing discussion of financial stability. Against this background, this book addresses various aspects of Islamic finance and the risk-sharing mechanism contributions to the overall macroeconomic and financial stability. Undoubtedly, the findings and recommendation from this book should be of great interest not only to future academic researchers in the field of macroeconomic stability and Islamic finance, but also to policy makers and regulators who are keen on drawing lessons from Islamic finance experiences to prevent similar crisis in the future.
Macroprudential Regulation and Policy for the Islamic Financial Industry
by Muhamed Zulkhibri Abdul Ghafar Ismail Sutan Emir HidayatThis volume aims to discuss thecurrent research, theory, methodology and applications of macropreudentialregulation and policy for the Islamic financial industry. Published incooperation with the Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI), this book featurescontributions from a workshop presented in collaboration with the UniversityCollege of Bahrain (UCB) in Manama, Bahrain, aimed to bring together experts inIslamic banking and regulation and financial economics. This resulting booksheds light on how macroprudential policy may be implemented in the Islamicfinancial system, and indicates current challenges and their effects oneconomic growth, financial stability and monetary regulation. Macroprudential policyis increasingly seen as a way of dealing with the different dimensions ofsystemic risk. But many central banks, bank supervisors and regulators havelimited experience with macroprudential tools, particularly in the Islamicfinancial industry. Given the complementarities between monetary policy andfinancial stability, it appears that central banks would always play animportant role in macroprudential policy. But how should macroprudential policybest interact with monetary policy? It is becoming more pressing for the centralbanks to conduct monetary policy in which its conventional banking systemoperates side by side with Islamic banking system. This question has receivedincreasing attention in the research literature but there is much we still needto learn. This is why new insights from research on macroprudential policy -which has gained important impetus in recent years - are so valuable. Featuringcontributions on topics such as macroprudential regulation, policy, tools andinstruments; governance, systematic risk, monetary policy, and bank leverage,the editors provide a collection of comprehensive research covering the mostimportant issues on macroprudential policy and regulation for the Islamicfinancial industry. This volume is expected to be a significant contribution tothe literature in the field of Islamic finance and evaluation of publicpolicies to promote the development for Islamic financial industry. It is alsoserved as a key text for students, academics, researchers, policy-makers in thefield of Islamic finance.
Financial Inclusion and Poverty Alleviation: Perspectives from Islamic Institutions and Instruments (Palgrave Studies in Islamic Banking, Finance, and Economics)
by Muhamed Zulkhibri Abdul Ghafar IsmailThis book explores the relationships between financial inclusion, poverty and inclusive development from Islamic perspectives. Financial inclusion has become an important global agenda and priority for policymakers and regulators in many Muslim countries for sustainable long-term economic growth. It has also become an integral part of many development institutions and multilateral development banks in efforts to promote inclusive growth. Many studies in economic development and poverty reduction suggest that financial inclusion matters. Financial inclusion, within the broader context of inclusive development, is viewed as an important means to tackle poverty and inequality and to address the sustainable development goals (SDGs). This book contributes to the literature on these topics and will be of interest to researchers and academics interested in Islamic finance and financial inclusion.
The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness
by Gary Zukav Linda FrancisNew York Times mega-bestselling author of The Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav takes a giant leap forward in his message, with this guide to the next level of spiritual growth."THE LONGEST JOURNEY YOU WILL MAKE IN YOUR LIFE IS FROM YOUR HEAD TO YOUR HEART." With the rare combination of profound psychological insight and deep spirituality that has already drawn millions of readers to his two great national bestsellers, The Seat of the Soul and Soul Stories, prizewinning author Gary Zukav now joins with his spiritual partner Linda Francis to help us develop a new emotional awareness that is central to our spiritual development. In The Seat of the Soul, Zukav brilliantly set forth his fundamental concepts, explaining how the expansion of human perception beyond the five senses leads to a new understanding of power as the alignment of the personality with the soul -- "authentic power." In Soul Stories, he showed how such concepts as harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life express themselves in other people's lives. Now, in The Heart of the Soul, he and Francis take the next major step forward in showing us the importance of emotional awareness in applying these concepts to our own daily lives.
The Mind of the Soul: Responsible Choice
by Gary Zukav Linda Francis"This book can dramatically change your life by showing you how to take responsibility for the choices you make and break free from the illusion that you are a victim of your circumstances." So begins one of the most significant works you will ever encounter. People make hundreds of choices every day -- both large and small -- yet most individuals feel they have little control over their own lives. Now Gary Zukav, author of the monumental bestseller The Seat of the Soul, joins his spiritual partner, Linda Francis, in a revolutionary look at the power of choice and how to use it wisely. They explain how changing our decision-making can help us avoid self-defeating patterns of thought and action -- and help us take control of our lives by creating authentic, positive power. The Mind of the Soul describes how each moment in life is a moment of decision: wheth- er to persist in the old, limited patterns of life or to choose instead to experiment with the unbounded, liberating potential ahead of us. Using the same pragmatic terms that made The Heart of the Soul so meaningful, Zukav and Francis allow readers to develop, step by step, the ability to break free of unconscious choices that hold them back and limit their fulfillment in life. Whether your choices are large ones -- concerning work, marriage, parenting, or divorce -- or smaller day-to-day choices, such as shouting or showing annoyance when you are angry, they carry consequences for which you must assume responsibility. You will discover that in any situation one choice among the many that present themselves to you is the optimal choice -- to create harmony, cooperation, sharing, or reverence for Life. When you make this choice, you gain the freedom to experiment with your life, see what does or does not work for you, learn to change yourself instead of blaming others, open your heart, and develop authentic power. The Mind of the Soul is a book to be used, not merely read. It is packed with specific, practical exercises, diagrams, and meaningful illustrations that make you a participant in the process of responsible choice. To accompany this book, the authors have created a special Self-Empowerment Journal with additional material to help you focus your thoughts and emotions as you read and to invite you to record your insights after each exercise. The discoveries you make in both the book and the Journal will become a permanent part of your life long after you have turned the last page.
Thoughts from the Heart of the Soul: Meditations on Emotional Awareness
by Gary Zukav Linda FrancisFind encouragement and wisdom in this collection of passages carefully chosen by Gary Zukav, bestselling author of The Seat of the Soul.
The Seat of the Soul: An Inspiring Vision Of Humanity's Spiritual Destiny
by Gary ZukavThe twenty-fifth anniversary of this beloved bestseller is celebrated in Prefaces by Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou and contains a new Foreword by the author, website links, and a new Study Guide to help readers find even deeper meaning and fulfillment.The Seat of the Soul encourages you become the authority in your own life. It will change the way you see the world, interact with other people, and understand your own actions and motivations. Beginning with evolution, Gary Zukav takes you on a penetrating exploration of the new phase humanity has entered: we are evolving from a species that understands power as the ability to manipulate and control--external power--into a species that understands power as the alignment of the personality with the soul--authentic power. Our evolution requires each of us to make the values of the soul our own: harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. Using his scientist's eye and philosopher's heart, Zukav shows us how to participate fully in this evolution, enlivening our everyday activities and all of our relationships with meaning and purpose. The Seat of the Soul has sold millions of copies around the globe, and as it changes lives, more and more people begin to live by the values of the spirit. Indeed, a new world is emerging, and this book brings its message to you.
Soul to Soul Meditations: Daily Reflections for Spiritual Growth
by Gary ZukavInSoul to Soul, Gary Zukav addressed some of the most fundamental questions about the human spirit -- from "Why is life so difficult?" to "How can I learn to trust?" -- with meaningful answers of universal and enduring value. Now, withSoul to Soul Meditations, Zukav provides 365 inspirational excerpts, one for each day of the year, with each page offering penetrating spiritual and psychological insights for reflection and enrichment. These meditations serve as passageways through which soul-to-soul communications can enter your life and transform it. Wise, often poetic, and profound in its simplicity, this empowering collection invites us to look within ourselves to discover how to make these insights our own. Small enough to fit into a bag or purse, it is a book to take with you and read whenever you wish. It makes an ideal gift for a friend, someone you love, or simply for yourself -- a book to cherish and return to again and again. Among his many bestselling books,GARY ZUKAVis best known for his celebrated #1New York Timesbestseller,The Seat of the Soul, as well as forThe Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics, which won The American Book Award for Science. His books have sold well over 5 million copies and have been published in 24 languages. A graduate of Harvard University and a former U. S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) officer in Vietnam, he lives in southern Oregon with his spiritual partner, Linda Francis.
Thoughts from the seat of the soul: Meditations for Souls in Process
by Gary ZukavThe Journey Toward Authentic Power. Thoughts from the Seat of the Soul is a beautiful collection of carefully chosen excerpts from Gary Zukav's celebrated bestseller The Seat of the Soul. Slip this lovely little book into your purse or bag and take it with you wherever you go. Turn the pages as you are drawn -- you can be inspired every day or once an hour, or you can meditate on your favorite thought all month. Use it as an oracle, or to stimulate deeper insight, joy, and appreciation of your life and the lives of others. This powerful volume is for those who are growing in consciousness and for those who want to. It is the perfect gift for someone you love or for yourself.
Universal Human: Creating Authentic Power and the New Consciousness
by Gary ZukavThe author of the legendary #1 New York Times bestseller The Seat of the Soul shows us step-by-fascinating-step how to create a life of love and where that will lead for humanity in this &“unique and transformative book&” (Ellen Burstyn, Academy Award–winning actress). Internationally acclaimed author and teacher, Gary Zukav, shares a new vision of power and hope in this time of extraordinary transformation. Universal Human gives us fresh tools to grow spiritually and shows us how to transform everyday experiences of hopelessness, emptiness, and pain into fulfillment, meaning, and joy. With his accessible and life-changing prose, he points us toward a startling new destination—a species that is beyond culture, religion, nation, ethnic group, and gender, a species whose allegiance is to Life first and all else second—and shows us how to get there. Universal Human examines our disintegrating social structures and the new ones that are replacing them. It shows us a new creation story—our new creation story—as we create it with our choices, our deeds, and our words.Authentic power—the alignment of the personality with soul—is replacing external power, the ability to manipulate and control. Zukav explains that the potential of a new era of humanity based on love instead of fear is upon us, but only we can bring it into being. Universal Human shows us how and &“offers a ray of hope&” (Booklist) for us all.
Religion, Truth, and Social Transformation: Essays in Reformational Philosophy
by Lambert ZuidervaartReformational philosophy rests on the ideas of nineteenth-century educator, church leader, and politician Abraham Kuyper, and it emerged in the early twentieth century among Reformed Protestant thinkers in the Netherlands. Combining comprehensive criticisms of Western philosophy with robust proposals for a just society, it calls on members of religious communities to transform harmful cultural practices, social institutions, and societal structures.<P><P> Well known for his work in aesthetics and critical theory, Lambert Zuidervaart is a leading figure in contemporary reformational philosophy. In Religion, Truth, and Social Transformation – the first of two volumes of original essays from the past thirty years – he forges new interpretations of art, politics, rationality, religion, science, and truth. In dialogue with modern and contemporary philosophers, among them Immanuel Kant, G.F.H Hegel, Martin Heidegger, Theodor Adorno, Jürgen Habermas, and reformational thinkers such as Herman Dooyeweerd, Dirk Vollenhoven, and Hendrik Hart, Zuidervaart explains and expands on reformational philosophy’s central themes. This interdisciplinary collection offers a normative critique of societal evil, a holistic and pluralist conception of truth, and a call for both religion and science to serve the common good. <P> Illustrating the connections between philosophy, religion, and culture, and daring to think outside the box, Religion, Truth, and Social Transformation gives a voice to hope in a climate of despair.
Early French Reform: The Theology and Spirituality of Guillaume Farel (St Andrews Studies In Reformation History Ser.)
by Jason Zuidema Theodore Van RaalteReminding us that the Genevan Reformation does not begin and end with John Calvin, this book provides an introduction to Guillaume Farel (1489-1565), one of several important yet often overlooked French-speaking reformers. Born in 1489 near Gap, France, Farel was an important first-generation French-speaking Reformer and one of the most influential early leaders of the Reform movement in what is now French-speaking Switzerland. Educated in Paris, he slowly began to question Catholic orthodoxy, and by the 1520s was an active protestant preacher, resulting in his exile to Switzerland. Part of Farel's aggressive work in this area brought him to Geneva several times, where in 1535 and 1536 he secured votes in favour of the Reform, and later in 1536 persuaded the young theologian John Calvin to stay. Farel also penned Geneva's confession of faith of that year and their ecclesiastical articles of the next. As such, this volume underlines the fact that Calvin entered the reform movement in Geneva in a situation in which Farel had been already deeply involved. To better understand that situation, the book is divided into two parts. The first provides a rich and nuanced portrait of Farel's early thought by way of interpretive essays; the second section offers translations of a number of Farel's key texts. These translations include some of the first widely-accessible full-length translations of Farel's work into English. Offering both a scholarly overview of Farel and his life, and access to his own words, this book demonstrates the importance of Farel to the Reformation. It will be welcomed not only by scholars engaged in research on French reform movements, but also by students of history, theology, or literature wishing to read some of the earliest theological texts originally written in French.
The Spirit of Religion and the Spirit of Liberty: The Tocqueville Thesis Revisited
by Michael ZuckertTocqueville’s thesis on the relation between religion and liberty could hardly be timelier. From events in the Middle East and the spread of Islamist violence in the name of religion to the mandated coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the interaction between religion and politics has once again become central to political life. Tocqueville, facing the coming of a new social and political order within the traditional society that was France, faced this relation between politics and religion with freshness and relevance. He was particularly interested in reporting to his French compatriots on how the Americans had successfully resolved what, to many Frenchmen, looked to be an insuperable conflict. His surprising thesis was that the right kind of arrangement—a certain kind of separation of church and state that was not also a complete separation of religion and politics—could be seen in nineteenth century America to be beneficial to both liberty and religion. This volume investigates whether Tocqueville’s depiction was valid for the America he investigated in the 1830s and whether it remains valid today.
A Surplus of Memory: Chronicle of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
by Yitzhak ("Antek") ZuckermanIn 1943, against utterly hopeless odds, the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto rose up to defy the Nazi horror machine that had set out to exterminate them. One of the leaders of the Jewish Fighting Organization, which led the uprisings, was Yitzhak Zuckerman, known by his underground pseudonym, Antek. Decades later, living in Israel, Antek dictated his memoirs. The Hebrew publication of Those Seven Years: 1939-1946 was a major event in the historiography of the Holocaust, and now Antek's memoirs are available in English.Unlike Holocaust books that focus on the annihilation of European Jews, Antek's account is of the daily struggle to maintain human dignity under the most dreadful conditions. His passionate, involved testimony, which combines detail, authenticity, and gripping immediacy, has unique historical importance. The memoirs situate the ghetto and the resistance in the social and political context that preceded them, when prewar Zionist and Socialist youth movements were gradually forged into what became the first significant armed resistance against the Nazis in all of occupied Europe. Antek also describes the activities of the resistance after the destruction of the ghetto, when 20,000 Jews hid in "Aryan" Warsaw and then participated in illegal immigration to Palestine after the war.The only extensive document by any Jewish resistance leader in Europe, Antek's book is central to understanding ghetto life and underground activities, Jewish resistance under the Nazis, and Polish-Jewish relations during and after the war. This extraordinary work is a fitting monument to the heroism of a people.
Studying Religion and Society: Sociological Self-Portraits
by Phil Zuckerman Titus HjelmHow do you study religion and society? In this fascinating book, some of the most famous names in the field explain how they go about their everyday work of studying religions in the field. They explain how the ideas for their projects and books have come together, how their understanding of religion has changed over the years, and how their own beliefs have affected their work. They also comment on the changing nature of the field, the ideas which they regard as most important, and those which have not stood the test of time. Lastly they offer advice to young scholars, and suggest what needs to be done to enable the field to grow and develop further.
Invitation to the Sociology of Religion
by Phil ZuckermanThis book intends to serve as a conversational, colorful, engaging, and provocative introduction to the sociology of religion for undergraduates. Written in lively prose, this volume aims to introduce students to the major themes, problems and goals of the sociological study of religion while also summoning the sense of wonder and curiosity for the enterprise itself.
Living the Secular Life
by Phil Zuckerman"A humane and sensible guide to and for the many kinds of Americans leading secular lives in what remains one of the most religious nations in the developed world." --The New York Times Book Review Over the last twenty-five years, "no religion" has become the fastest-growing religious preference in the United States. Around the world, hundreds of millions of people have turned away from the traditional faiths of the past and embraced a moral yet nonreligious--or secular--life, generating societies vastly less religious than at any other time in human history. Revealing the inspiring beliefs that empower secular culture--alongside real stories of nonreligious men and women based on extensive in-depth interviews from across the country--Living the Secular Life will be indispensable for millions of secular Americans.Drawing on innovative sociological research, Living the Secular Life illuminates this demographic shift with the moral convictions that govern secular individuals, offering crucial information for the religious and nonreligious alike. Living the Secular Life reveals that, despite opinions to the contrary, nonreligious Americans possess a unique moral code that allows them to effectively navigate the complexities of modern life. Spiritual self-reliance, clear-eyed pragmatism, and an abiding faith in the Golden Rule to adjudicate moral decisions: these common principles are shared across secular society. Living the Secular Life demonstrates these principles in action and points to their usage throughout daily life.Phil Zuckerman is a sociology professor at Pitzer College, where he studied the lives of the nonreligious for years before founding a Department of Secular Studies, the first academic program in the nation dedicated to exclusively studying secular culture and the sociological consequences of America's fastest-growing "faith." Zuckerman discovered that despite the entrenched negative beliefs about nonreligious people, American secular culture is grounded in deep morality and proactive citizenship--indeed, some of the very best that the country has to offer.Living the Secular Life journeys through some of the most essential components of human existence--child rearing and morality, death and ritual, community and beauty--and offers secular readers inspiration for leading their own lives. Zuckerman shares eye-opening research that reveals the enduring moral strength of children raised without religion, as well as the hardships experienced by secular mothers in the rural South, where church attendance defines the public space. Despite the real sorrows of mortality, Zuckerman conveys the deep psychological health of secular individuals in their attitudes toward illness, death, and dying. Tracking the efforts of nonreligious groups to construct their own communities, Zuckerman shows how Americans are building institutions and cultivating relationships without religious influence. Most of all, Living the Secular Life infuses the sociological data and groundbreaking research with the moral convictions that govern secular individuals and demonstrates how readers can integrate these beliefs into their own lives.A manifesto for a booming social movement--and a revelatory survey of this overlooked community--Living the Secular Life offers essential and long-awaited information for anyone building a life based on his or her own principles. an interest in Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, et al., you certainly need to pick this book up and find out where things are headed." Bart Campolo, author Things We Wish We Had Said "Since coming out as a post-Christian minister, I've discovered all kinds of people sincerely pursuing goodness without the nurture, encouragement, and mutual support most church folks take for granted. These folks are hungry for fellowship and pastoral care, but even hungrier for a thoughtful, positive way to communicate their values and commitments to friends and family members instinctively distrustful of anyone who doesn't believe in God. For them--and for me--Phil Zuckerman is a genuine hero, and Li...
Living the Secular Life
by Phil ZuckermanA Best Book of 2014, Publishers Weekly "Zuckerman is a sociologist who in this groundbreaking book writes clearly, offers unobtrusive statistical support, and provides a persuasive and comprehensive look at the growing contemporary phenomenon of people who choose to live without religion, but with ethics and meaning in their lives." Over the last twenty-five years, "no religion" has become the fastest-growing religion in the United States. Around the world, hundreds of millions of people have turned away from the traditional faiths of the past and embraced a moral yet nonreligious--or secular--life, generating societies vastly less religious than at any other time in human history. Revealing the inspiring beliefs that empower secular culture--alongside real stories of nonreligious men and women based on extensive in-depth interviews from across the country--Living the Secular Life will be indispensable for millions of secular Americans. Drawing on innovative sociological research, Living the Secular Life illuminates this demographic shift with the moral convictions that govern secular individuals, offering crucial information for the religious and nonreligious alike. Living the Secular Life reveals that, despite opinions to the contrary, nonreligious Americans possess a unique moral code that allows them to effectively navigate the complexities of modern life. Spiritual self-reliance, clear-eyed pragmatism, and an abiding faith in the Golden Rule to adjudicate moral decisions: these common principlesare shared across secular society. Living the Secular Life demonstrates these principles in action and points to their usage throughout daily life. Phil Zuckerman is a sociology professor at Pitzer College, where he studied the lives of the nonreligious for years before founding a Department of Secular Studies, the first academic program in the nation dedicated to exclusively studying secular culture and the sociological consequences of America's fastest-growing "faith." Zuckerman discovered that despite the entrenched negative beliefs about nonreligious people, American secular culture is grounded in deep morality and proactive citizenship--indeed, some of the very best that the country has to offer. Living the Secular Life journeys through some of the most essential components of human existence--child rearing and morality, death and ritual, community and beauty--and offers secular readers inspiration for leading their own lives. Zuckerman shares eye-opening research that reveals the enduring moral strength of children raised without religion, as well as the hardships experienced by secular mothers in the rural South where church attendance defines the public space. Despite the real sorrows of mortality, Zuckerman conveys the deep psychological health of secular individuals in their attitudes toward illness, death, and dying. Tracking the efforts of nonreligious groups to construct their own communities, Zuckerman shows how Americans are building institutions and cultivating relationships without religious influence. Most of all, Living the Secular Life infuses the sociological data and groundbreaking research with the moral convictions that govern secular individuals, and demonstrates how readers can integrate these beliefs into their own lives. A manifesto for a booming social movement--and a revelatory survey of this overlooked community--Living the Secular Life offers essential and long-awaited information for anyone building a life based on his or her own principles. an interest in Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, et al., you certainly need to pick this book up and find out where things are headed." Bart Campolo, author Things We Wish We Had Said "Since coming out as a post-Christian minister, I've discovered all kinds of people sincerely pursuing goodness without the nurture, encouragement, and mutual support most church folks take for granted. These folks are hungry for fellowship and pastoral care, but even hungrier for a thoughtful, positive way to communicate their values and commitments to friends and family...
Society without God
by Phil Zuckerman"Silver" Winner of the 2008 Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award, Religion CategoryBefore he began his recent travels, it seemed to Phil Zuckerman as if humans all over the globe were "getting religion"--praising deities, performing holy rites, and soberly defending the world from sin. But most residents of Denmark and Sweden, he found, don't worship any god at all, don't pray, and don't give much credence to religious dogma of any kind. Instead of being bastions of sin and corruption, however, as the Christian Right has suggested a godless society would be, these countries are filled with residents who score at the very top of the "happiness index" and enjoy their healthy societies, which boast some of the lowest rates of violent crime in the world (along with some of the lowest levels of corruption), excellent educational systems, strong economies, well-supported arts, free health care, egalitarian social policies, outstanding bike paths, and great beer.Zuckerman formally interviewed nearly 150 Danes and Swedes of all ages and educational backgrounds over the course of fourteen months. He was particularly interested in the worldviews of people who live their lives without religious orientation. How do they think about and cope with death? Are they worried about an afterlife? What he found is that nearly all of his interviewees live their lives without much fear of the Grim Reaper or worries about the hereafter. This led him to wonder how and why it is that certain societies are non-religious in a world that seems to be marked by increasing religiosity. Drawing on prominent sociological theories and his own extensive research, Zuckerman ventures some interesting answers.This fascinating approach directly counters the claims of outspoken, conservative American Christians who argue that a society without God would be hell on earth. It is crucial, Zuckerman believes, for Americans to know that "society without God is not only possible, but it can be quite civil and pleasant."
Society without God, Second Edition: What the Least Religious Nations Can Tell Us about Contentment
by Phil ZuckermanAn updated edition showcasing the social health of the least religious nations in the worldReligious conservatives around the world often claim that a society without a strong foundation of faith would necessarily be an immoral one, bereft of ethics, values, and meaning. Indeed, the Christian Right in the United States has argued that a society without God would be hell on earth.In Society without God, Second Edition sociologist Phil Zuckerman challenges these claims. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews with more than 150 citizens of Denmark and Sweden, among the least religious countries in the world, he shows that, far from being inhumane, crime-infested, and dysfunctional, highly secular societies are healthier, safer, greener, less violent, and more democratic and egalitarian than highly religious ones.Society without God provides a rich portrait of life in a secular society, exploring how a culture without faith copes with death, grapples with the meaning of life, and remains content through everyday ups and downs. This updated edition incorporates new data from recent studies, updated statistics, and a revised Introduction, as well as framing around the now more highly developed field of secular studies. It addresses the dramatic surge of irreligion in the United States and the rise of the “nones,” and adds data on societal health in specific US states, along with fascinating context regarding which are the most religious and which the most secular.
What It Means to Be Moral: Why Religion Is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life
by Phil Zuckerman“A thoughtful perspective on humans' capacity for moral behavior.” —Kirkus Reviews“A comprehensive introduction to religious skepticism.” —Publishers WeeklyIn What It Means to Be Moral: Why Religion Is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life, Phil Zuckerman argues that morality does not come from God. Rather, it comes from us: our brains, our evolutionary past, our ongoing cultural development, our social experiences, and our ability to reason, reflect, and be sensitive to the suffering of others.By deconstructing religious arguments for God–based morality and guiding readers through the premises and promises of secular morality, Zuckerman argues that the major challenges facing the world today—from global warming and growing inequality to religious support for unethical political policies to gun violence and terrorism—are best approached from a nonreligious ethical framework. In short, we need to look to our fellow humans and within ourselves for moral progress and ethical action.“In this brilliant, provocative, and timely book, Phil Zuckerman breaks down the myth that our morality comes from religion—compellingly making the case that when it comes to the biggest challenges we face today, a secular approach is the only truly moral one.” —Ali A. Rizvi, author of The Atheist Muslim