Religion in World History: The Persistence of Imperial Communion

ISBN-13: 9780415314572 / Angielski / Twarda / 2005 / 192 str.

John C. Super; Briane K. Turley

Opis

In Religion and World History, distinguished authors John C. Super and Briane K. Turley examine the value of religion for interpreting the human experience in the past and present. They explore the elements of religion which best connect it to the cultural and political dynamics that have influenced history. Working within this framework, Super and Turley present three unifying themes: * the relationship between formal and informal religious beliefs, how these change through time, and how they are reflected in different cultures * the relationship between church and state, from theocracies to the repression of religion * the ongoing search for spiritual certainty, and the consequent splintering of core religious beliefs and the development of new ones. One of the few recent books to examine religion s role in geo-political affairs, its unique approach enables the reader to grasp the many and complex ways in which religion acts upon and reacts to broader global processes."

Spis treści

Preface  1. The Language of Religion  2. Many Paths to the Summit  3. Sacred Writings and Oral Traditions  4. Sacred Places  5. The Course of Empire  6. Repression and Revolt  7. Religion, War and Peace  8. Social Questions  9. Saints and Sinners  10. Artistic Expression  11. Past as Prologue  Bibliography