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Un-Veiling Dichotomies: European Secularism and Women’s Veiling (Boundaries of Religious Freedom: Regulating Religion in Diverse Societies)
by Giorgia BaldiThis book analyzes the implication of secular/liberal values in Western and human rights law and its impact on Muslim women. It offers an innovative reading of the tension between the religious and secular spheres. The author does not view the two as binary opposites. Rather, she believes they are twin categories that define specific forms of lives as well as a specific notion of womanhood. This divergence from the usual dichotomy opens the doors for a reinterpretation of secularism in contemporary Europe. This method also helps readers to view the study of religion vs. secularism in a new light. It allows for a better understanding of the challenges that contemporary Europe now faces regarding the accommodation of different religious identities. For instance, one entire section of the book concerns the practice of veiling and explores the contentious headscarf debate. It features case studies from Germany, France, and the UK. In addition, the analysis combines a wide range of disciplines and employs an integrated, comparative, and inter-disciplinary approach. The author successfully brings together arguments from different fields with a comparative legal and political analysis of Western and Islamic law and politics. This innovative study appeals to students and researchers while offering an important contribution to the debate over the role of religion in contemporary secular Europe and its impact on women’s rights and gender equality.
Ancient Religions of the Austronesian World: From Australasia to Taiwan (International Library of Ethnicity, Identity and Culture)
by Julian BaldickAustronesia is the vast oceanic region which stretches from Madagascar to Taiwan to New Zealand. Encompassing both scattered archipelagos and major landmasses, Austronesia – derived from the Latin australis, 'southern', and Greek nesos, 'island' – is used primarily as a linguistic term, designating a family of languages spoken by peoples with a shared heritage. Julian Baldick, a celebrated historian of ancient religion, here argues that the diverse inhabitants of the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, New Guinea and Oceania show a common inheritance that extends beyond language. This commonality is found above all in mythology and ritual, which reach back to an ancient, prehistoric past. From around 1250 BCE the original proto-Oceanic speakers migrated eastwards from southeast Asia. Navigating by the sun, the stars, bird flight, the swells of the sea and cloud-swathed mountain islands, Austronesian voyagers used canoes and outriggers to settle on new territories. They developed a unified pattern of religion characterised by mortuary rites, headhunting and agrarian rituals of the annual calendar, culminating in a post-harvest festival often sexual in nature. This unique overview of Austronesian belief and tradition will be essential reading for students of religion, prehistory and anthropology.
Animal and Shaman: Ancient Religions of Central Asia
by Julian BaldickWhat common features can be found in the ancient customs and native religions of the vast Eurasian landmass? In this unique and invaluable survey of the indigenous pre-Christian and pre-Muslim religions of Central Asia, Julian Baldick - one of the foremost authorities on global comparative religion - describes a common inheritance among the beliefs of the various peoples who have lived in central Asia or have migrated from there: Scythians, Mongols, Manchus, Finns and Hungarians. Shamans - holy men and healers among the pagan faiths - relied heavily on animal sacrifices to create spiritual purity and to nourish the soul. As a result, animals and spirituality were locked in a mutually dependent embrace. The author demonstrates that in pagan times worship and spiritual expression evinced remarkable common features: and that these similarities were largely based on the roles of animals in the different cultures of Central Asia. He shows that these roles have not only survived in the myths and legends of the region, but have also found their way into the mythologies of the West. Now with a fresh postscript, this classic work will find an appreciative interdisciplinary readership.
Mystical Islam: An Introduction to Sufism
by Julian BaldickSufism is Islam's principal mystical tradition. To its followers it provides the inner, esoteric or purely spiritual dimension of the faith. It is a centuries old path to spirituality with devotees throughout the Islamic world, fundamentally influencing Muslim belief. To non-Muslim observers it remains exotic, mysterious and little-understood. Mystical Islam is an accessible introduction that encompasses the history of the Sufi spiritual tradition, ranging from the great Mughal and Safavid empires of India and Persia to the Whirling Dervishes of Ottoman Turkey. Julian Baldick reveals the continuing relevance of the Sufi spiritual experience and introduces some of the great figures of Sufism: al-Ghazali, Ibn Arabi, Hafiz of Shiraz and Rumi. It is the writings of such masters that reveal the inner beauty of Sufism, while offering followers the most profound insights in their quest for delivery from the narrow confines of the material world. At the same time, the author's reflections on recent Sufi scholarship, and his fresh perspectives on this tradition of belief and devotion, will prove essential for students and highly stimulating for general readers.
The Essence of Rumi
by John BaldockGet drunk on Love, for Love is all that exists. Unless you make Love your business, you will not be admitted to the Beloved.' (Divan-i Shams-i Tabriz 455:A1:54)The thirteenth-century saint Jalaluddin Rumi has been called the greatest mystical poet of any age, and his work compared to that of Dante and Shakespeare. Over a period of 25 years he composed over 70,000 verses of poetry on the subjects of divine love, mystic passion and ecstatic illumination.Rumi was also a master story-teller, as this comprehensive exploration of his work so rewardingly reveals. Primarily an introduction to Rumi and the path of self-surrender, it is arranged in such a way that it guides the reader from the poet's outer, historical world to the inner, spiritual essence of his teaching.The Essence of Rumi offers us the opportunity to overcome the limitations of our human view of the world and transform our sensory eye into the poet's all-seeing Ocean of Reality.
The Essence of Sufism
by John BaldockInsight into Life is the real religion, which alone can help man to understand Life.' Hazrat Inayat KhanThe Sufis have been using carefully constructed stories for teaching purposes for thousands of years. Though on the surface these often appear to be little more than fairy or folk tales, the Sufis hold that they enshrine - in their characters, plots and imagery - patterns and relationships that nurture a part of the mind not reachable in more conventional ways, thus increasing our understanding, flexibility and breadth of vision. Familiarization with this body of material can eventually provide answers to questions about our origins and our destiny.In this book John Baldock explores the rich body of literature the Sufis have produced to guide spiritual travellers. While explaining the significant teachings and emphasizing their significance for us, he sheds a timely light on the Sufis' fascinating perception of life, revealing it to be a process of the heart and not of the head, and offers intriguing pathways to further study and reflection.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
by John BaldockSaid to have its origins in the 'treasure texts' that were supposedly hidden away by Padmasambhava, the Lotus Guru, in Tibet in the 8th century, The Tibetan Book of the Dead was traditionally read aloud to the dying or recently deceased as a guide to the afterlife.It explains how to recognize the true nature of the mind so that after death it will be possible to attain enlightenment and liberation from the suffering associated with the endless cycle of death and rebirth.For many, reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead has been a revelatory experience on the path to finding a sense of spirituality and self-knowledge.
Women in the Bible
by John BaldockThere are few women in the Bible that are treated with as much reverence as their more famous male counterparts. This dismal state of affairs mirrors the position of women generally in Western society over the last two thousand years. And yet closer study of the Bible reveals that women were once regarded as equals of men rather than subject to them. John Baldock is at pains to rescue the reputation of women in the Bible, exploring the ancient priestesses, prophets and heroines who used their courage and spiritual strength to lead the people. Working chronologically through the Old and New Testaments, Woman in the Bible includes fascinating stories of true love, incest, adultery, polygamy, exploitation and abuse by men. This accessible and well-argued book is essential reading for anyone interested in the role of women in religion and society.
Royal Prayer: A Surprising History
by David BaldwinWhy did Bonnie Prince Charlie turn down the throne of America? How were Napoleon and Wellington related? Was the Tay Bridge disaster the result of a failed attempt to assassinate Karl Marx? David Baldwin uncovers some startling and fascinating facts in this survey of royal prayer through the ages, which ranges from Queen Hatchepsut of Ancient Egypt to Diana, Princess of Wales via George Washington and the ill-fated Russian Imperial Family. Culminating in the contributions made by The Queen and the Royal Family today, the author demonstrates that royal prayers can have immense consequence for the psyche of the nation as well as the individual.
Avenge the Dead (DI Frank Farrell #3)
by Jackie BaldwinSometimes murder is the only way to get even… The gripping new Scottish crime thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of L J Ross and Val McDermid.
Dead Man’s Prayer: A Gripping Detective Thriller With A Killer Twist (DI Frank Farrell #1)
by Jackie Baldwin‘Gripping … a compelling and authentic page-turner’ Sunday Mail ‘A must read!’ Reader review ‘A sparkling debut!’ Reader review The first in an exciting new Scottish crime thriller series. Perfect for fans of L J Ross, Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves.
Perfect Dead (DI Frank Farrell #2)
by Jackie BaldwinSometimes perfection is worth killing for… The second gripping crime novel in an exciting new series. Ex-priest DI Frank Farrell finds himself on the trail of a vicious killer in rural Scotland. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, James Oswald and Val McDermid.
Go Tell it on the Mountain (Penguin Modern Classics)
by James Baldwin Andrew O'HaganThe electrifying first novel from James Baldwin, whose life and words are immortalized in the Oscar-nominated film I Am Not Your Negro'I had to deal with what hurt me most. I had to deal with my father.'Drawing on James Baldwin's own boyhood in a religious community in 1930s Harlem, his first novel tells the story of young Johnny Grimes. Johnny is destined to become a preacher like his father, Gabriel, at the Temple of the Fire Baptized, where the church swells with song and it is as if 'the Holy Ghost were riding on the air'. But he feels only scalding hatred for Gabriel, whose fear and fanaticism lead him to abuse his family. Johnny vows that, for him, things will be different. This blazing tale is full of passion and guilt, of secret sinners and prayers singing on the wind. 'A beautiful, enduring, spirtual song of a novel' Andrew O'Hagan'With vivid imagery, with lavish attention to details, Mr. Baldwin has told his feverish story' The New York Times
Embracing the Ivory Tower and Stained Glass Windows: A Festschrift in Honor of Archbishop Antje Jackelén (Issues in Science and Religion: Publications of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology #2)
by Jennifer BaldwinThis book brings together contributions from scholars from Europe and the United States to honor the theological work of Antje Jackelén, the first female Archbishop of the Church of Sweden. In Archbishop Antje Jackelén’s installation homily, she identifies the strength of the Church as a “global network of prayer threads.” This book is an honorary and celebratory volume providing a “global network of prayerful essays” by contributors from a variety of academic disciplines to creatively engage, reflect, and illuminate the theological work of Archbishop Jackelén. Prior to her tenure in the Church of Sweden as Bishop of the Diocese of Lund and now the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, Jackelén served as professor of Systematic Theology, Director of the Zygon Center and President of European Society for the Study of Science and Religion (ESSSAT). While each essay intentionally embraces the theological and ministerial work of Jackelén during her academic tenure, they also venture into areas as diverse as climate change, media studies, human uniqueness, hermeneutics, time, ethics, Christian theological tradition and history, traumatology, politics and society. As the first diverse explication of the theological thinking of Archbishop Jackelén by her theological colleagues, this text provides scholars with an expansion of the scope of Archbishop Jackelén’s theological thinking and initiates laity into the impact of Jackelén thinking that combines with grace and precision the traditions of the Church, the challenges and gifts of the sciences, and the needs and longings of society and the world.
Christianity Through the Thirteenth Century: (pdf) (Document History of Western Civilization)
by Marshall W. Baldwin
The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips: A Novel
by Stephen BaldwinWhen Officer Andy Myers met Loraine Phillips, he had no interest in her son. And he certainly never dreamed he'd respond to a call, finding that same boy in a pool of blood. Even more alarming was the father standing watch over his son's body. Myers had never seen a man respond to death-particularly the death of a child-in such a way. When the father is charged with murder and sentenced to death, he chooses not to fight but embrace it as God's will. Myers becomes consumed with curiosity for these strange beliefs. What follows is the story of the bond these two men share as they come to terms with the tragedy and the difficult choices each one must make.
The Unusual Suspect: My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith
by Stephen Baldwin Mark TabbStephen Baldwin reveals his unbelievable change from a hardcore party boy to a hardcore follower of Jesus Christ. The core of his message: "You must be willing to try faith God's way, not yours, and when you do you will find a life beyond anything you could have dreamed."
Genre and Narrative Coherence in the Acts of the Apostles (The Library of New Testament Studies #514)
by Alan BaleFocusing specifically on the issue of genre methodology in Acts, Bale' work will have clear ramifications for the study of biblical texts in general. The first part of the work surveys the state of genre theory in Acts scholarship and demonstrates its inadequacy for both classifying and interpreting Acts. Bale constructs a new genre model rooted in contemporary genre theory, tackling the problematic issue in Biblical scholarship of the relationship between history and fiction in literature. From this theoretical analysis Bale presents a new, pragmatic model for genre which is non-exclusive and heavily intertextual.In part two Bale utilises the model in three original readings which draw heavily upon parallels from ancient literature. The first reading shows how a specific device at the beginning of Acts dictates interpretation. The second looks at the problem of Paul's status as apostle in Acts from a narrative rather than a propositional perspective. The final reading explores several passages in Acts which may instructively be read as incorporating themes and techniques from ancient comedy and related genres.
A Doctor For The Nanny: A Doctor For The Nanny The Christmas Family Her Christmas Hero (Lone Star Cowboy League #2)
by Leigh BaleA Season for Healing
Falling for the Forest Ranger (Mills And Boon Love Inspired Ser.)
by Leigh BaleA MAN WHO TAKES RISKS Working for the Forest Service, Tanner Bohlman knows the dangers of Idaho’s untamed lands and rivers. It’s certainly no place for a dainty woman like widowed mother Zoe Lawton, even if she is a capable marine biologist. But Zoe is new in town and could use a guide.
The Forest Ranger's Child (Mills And Boon Love Inspired Ser.)
by Leigh BaleInspiring and enriching romances about faith, hope and the healing power of love. NOWHERE TO GO BUT HOME
The Forest Ranger's Christmas: Alaskan Sweethearts The Forest Ranger's Christmas A Home For Her Family (Mills And Boon Love Inspired Ser.)
by Leigh BaleA Small-Town Christmas
The Forest Ranger's Husband (Mills And Boon Love Inspired Ser.)
by Leigh BaleA Father's Return Standing before Fire Control Officer Matt Cutter is a five-year-old replica of himself—the son he never knew he had. All Matt wants to do is hug little Davie and make up for the lost years. But forest ranger Andie Foster, the boy’s mother whom Matt left behind, is understandably afraid.
The Forest Ranger's Promise (Mills And Boon Love Inspired Ser.)
by Leigh BaleManaging a Wyoming sheep ranch and a feisty little girl isn't easy for widow Melanie MacAllister. The last thing she needs is yet another forest ranger to stir up trouble for the ranchers.
