Offering a vital, critical contribution to discussions on current perspectives, practices and assumptions on Islamic education, this book explores the topic through a wide range of diverse perspectives and experiences. This volume challenges current assumptions around what is known as Islamic education and examines issues around educational leadership based on Islamic principles to confront xenophobia and Islamophobia in educational systems, policies and practices. Arguing for a new term to enter the discourse - 'Islamic-based' educational leadership - chapters approach the issue through critical reflexivity and diverse perspectives, addressing issues such as the higher education of immigrant students around the globe and the rising tensions in Muslim and non-Muslim populations. Exploring topics ranging from the leverage of leadership to religious education, this text brings together a wide range of case studies, experiences and examinations to shed light to the different approaches of Islamic-based educational leadership, administration and management. This book will support researchers, doctoral students and scholars involved with multicultural education, school leadership and management studies, and education policy and politics more widely to explore new theories and practices that pave the way for future educational systems to meet faith-based demand in the school choice era.

This collaboration between two scholars from different fields of religious studies draws on three comparative data sets to develop a new theory of purity and pollution in religion, arguing that a culture's beliefs about cosmological realms shapes its pollution ideas and its purification practices. The authors of this study refine Mary Douglas' foundational theory of pollution as "matter out of place," using a comparative approach to make the case that a culture's cosmology designates which materials in which places constitute pollution. By bringing together a historical comparison of Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean religions, an ethnographic study of indigenous shamanism on Jeju Island, Korea, and the reception history of biblical rhetoric about pollution in Jewish and Christian cultures, the authors show that a cosmological account of purity works effectively across multiple disparate religious and cultural contexts. They conclude that cosmologies reinforce fears of pollution, and also that embodied experiences of purification help generate cosmological ideas. Providing an innovative insight into a key topic of ritual studies, this book will be of vital interest to scholars and graduate students in religion, biblical studies, and anthropology.

Offers an in-depth and focused exploration of the relationship between psychoanalysis and Chinese and Japanese culture based on their ancient traditions rather than a cross-cultural approach that refers to Asian cultures in terms of contemporary generalities and cultural stereotypes. Provides a close reading of how Lacan mobilizes concepts from Zen Buddhist philosophy, culture and practice in his later teachings.

This book engages in a dialogue with Krishnachandra Bhattacharyya (K.C. Bhattacharyya, KCB, 1875-1949) and opens a vista to contemporary Indian philosophy. KCB is one of the founding fathers of contemporary Indian philosophy, a distinct genre of philosophy that draws both on classical Indian philosophical sources and on Western materials, old and new. His work offers both a new and different reading of classical Indian texts, and a unique commentary of Kant and Hegel. The book (re)introduces KCB's philosophy, identifies the novelty of his thinking, and highlights different dimensions of his oeuvre, with special emphasis on freedom as a concept and striving, extending from the metaphysical to the political or the postcolonial. Our contributors aim to decipher KCB's distinct vocabulary (demand, feeling, alternation). They revisit his discussion of Rasa aesthetics, spotlight the place of the body in his phenomenological inquiry toward "the subject as freedom", situate him between classics (Abhinavagupta) and thinkers inspired by his thought (Daya Krishna), and discuss his lectures on Samkhya and Yoga rather than projecting KCB as usual solely as a Vedanta scholar. Finally, the contributors seek to clarify if and how KCB's philosophical work is relevant to the discourse today, from the problem of other minds to freedoms in the social and political spheres. This book will be of interest to academics studying Indian and comparative philosophy, philosophy of language and mind, phenomenology without borders, and political and postcolonial philosophy.

This book reconstructs the connection between religion and migration, drawing on post-colonial perspectives to shed light on what religion can contribute to migrant encounters. Examining the resources and motives for hospitality as lived in Christian contexts in the Nordic region, it addresses the content of talk about "religion" in public discourse, the concept having become something of an empty signifier in debates surrounding migration. Multidisciplinary in approach, this volume demonstrates that "religion" is not, in fact, an empty signifier, but gains substance through practice and interpretation. Considering the undeveloped potentiality of religion and the manner in which the unseen religious perspective in secularity becomes manifest in practice, this volume will appeal to social scientists and scholars of religion with interests in migration, refugee studies, theology, and Christian practice.

Elie Wiesel: Humanist Messenger for Peace is part biography and part moral history of the intellectual and spiritual journey of Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, human rights activist, author, university professor, and Nobel Peace Prize winner. In this concise text, Alan L. Berger portrays Wiesel's transformation from a pre-Holocaust, deeply God-fearing youth to a survivor of the Shoah who was left with questions for both God and man. An advisor to American presidents of both political parties, his nearly 60 books voiced an activism on behalf of oppressed people everywhere. The book illuminates Wiesel's contributions in the areas of religion, human rights, literature, and Jewish thought to show the impact that he has had on American life. Supported by primary documents about and from Wiesel, the volume gives students a gateway to explore Wiesel's incredible life. This book will make a great addition to courses on American religious or intellectual thought.

This book is about contemporary senses of life after death in the United States, Japan, and China. By collecting and examining hundreds of interviews with people from all walks of life in these three societies, the book presents and compares personally held beliefs, experiences, and interactions with the concept of life after death. Three major aspects covered by the book Include, but are certainly not limited to, the enduring tradition of Japanese ancestor veneration, China's transition from state-sponsored materialism to the increasing belief in some form of afterlife, as well as the diversity in senses of, or disbelief in, life after death in the United States. Through these diverse first-hand testimonies the book reveals that underlying these changes in each society there is a shift from collective to individual belief, with people developing their own visions of what may, or may not, happen after death. This book will be valuable reading for students of Anthropology as well as Religious, Cultural, Asian and American Studies. It will also be an impactful resource for professionals such as doctors, nurses, and hospice workers.

Mobile Saints examines the central medieval (ca. 950-1150 CE) practice of removing saints' relics from rural monasteries in order to take them on out-and-back journeys, particularly within northern France and the Low Countries. Though the permanent displacements of relics-translations- have long been understood as politically and culturally significant activities, these temporary circulations have received relatively little attention. Yet the act of taking a medieval relic from its "home," even for a short time, had the power to transform the object, the people it encountered, and the landscape it traveled through. Using hagiographical and liturgical texts, this study reveals both the opportunities and tensions associated with these movements: circulating relics extended the power of the saint into the wider world, but could also provoke public displays of competition, mockery, and resistance. By contextualizing these effects within the discourses and practices that surrounded traveling relics, Mobile Saints emphasizes the complexities of the central medieval cult of relics and its participants, while speaking to broader questions about the role of movement in negotiating the relationships between sacred objects, space, and people.

An increasingly popular area of religious studies, theology and biblical studies. Comprehensive coverage for a textbook for courses on Bible and Film. This new edition includes new pedagogy including key words, a bibliography of movies and revision questions.

- This book integrates compassionate-based approaches with current theories and practices in loss, grief, and bereavement to provide readers with new insights and understanding on supporting patients, families, and healthcare workers facing the many challenges associated with loss and grief. - This book provides a holistic overview on the theoretical foundations of compassion, with in-depth discussions on the essential components of compassion training, as well as practical examples on how compassionate-based approaches can be applied in situations of loss, grief, and bereavement. - This book consolidates and presents the most innovative and cutting-edge research, interventions, and techniques on compassionate-based approaches from international leaders in the field to offer diverse perspectives on the applications of compassion based approaches to a variety of settings relevant to loss and grief. -This book draws upon current practices in compassion that are readily applicable to both clinicians and their clients alike, helping to develop greater capacity and insight into the loss and grief that we experience in our lives.

Pierri clearly links modern psychoanalytic practice with Freud's interests in the occult using primary sources, some of which have never before been published in English. Assesses the origins of key psychoanalytic ideas.

International contributors provide insight into Freud's last book. Discusses themes including tradition, anti-Semitism, historical truth and memory. Each author elaborates a contemporary perspective of elements in Freud's volume.

Early modern Protestant scholars closely engaged with Islamic thought in more ways than is usually recognized. Among Protestants, Lutheran scholars distinguished themselves as the most invested in the study of Islam and Muslim culture. Mehmet Karabela brings the neglected voices of post-Reformation theologians, primarily German Lutherans, into focus and reveals their rigorous engagement with Islamic thought. Inspired by a global history approach to religious thought, Islamic Thought Through Protestant Eyes offers new sources to broaden the conventional interpretation of the Reformation beyond a solely European Christian phenomenon. Based on previously unstudied dissertations, disputations, and academic works written in Latin in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Karabela analyzes three themes: Islam as theology and religion; Islamic philosophy and liberal arts; and Muslim sects (Sunni and Shi'a). This book provides analyses and translations of the Latin texts as well as brief biographies of the authors. These texts offer insight into the Protestant perception of Islamic thought for scholars of religious studies and Islamic studies as well as for general readers. Examining the influence of Islamic thought on the construction of the Protestant identity after the Reformation helps us to understand the role of Islam in the evolution of Christianity.

The paradox of religion is that it is at once responsible for both the highest achievements and the cruellest inhumanity in human history. How can we understand this enigma? Divisive religion separates person from person, and sometimes people from God. On the other hand, unitive religion has produced unparalleled heights of love, compassion, and forgiveness. This book is dedicated to encouraging and advancing dialogue among people of diverse and sometimes seemingly incompatible belief systems. If we can do this, we can improve the lives of all people and bring greater peace to the planet.

Investigating the appeal of the group Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT), the study expands on why non-violent radical forms of Islam still attract segments of Muslim communities in the West. Being one of the few comprehensive studies on HT, this book discusses how this Islamist group advocate for the caliphate and for the implementation of shari'a but also reject violence as a tool to achieve these goals. Through interviews with current HT members, observation at HT-sponsored events and social media analysis, this book leads the reader into the world of vocal radical Islamist groups, exploring their goals and activities in Western states, with a special focus on the UK and Australia. In fact, as many other non-violent Islamist groups, HT represent the choice of all those individuals who might share Islamist arguments but who reject the use of violence. Given their non-violent nature, vocal radicals are mostly free to operate in the Western world, attracting new members, conducting a relentless campaign against the "West as a system" and representing a serious source of concern not only for national authorities but for the broader Muslim community. This book stands as an original publication and paves the way to a new area of study crossing sociology, Islamic studies and political sciences. This book is one of the few contributions on vocal and radical Islamism to date.

It has been argued that the mystical Sufi form of Islam is the most sensitive to other cultures, being accommodative to other traditions and generally tolerant to peoples of other faiths. It readily becomes integrated into local cultures and they are similarly often infused into Sufism. Examples of this reciprocity are commonly reflected in Sufi poetry, music, hagiographic genres, memoires, and in the ritualistic practices of Sufi traditions. This volume shows how this often-side-lined tradition functions in the societies in which it is found, and demonstrates how it relates to mainstream Islam. The focus of this book ranges from reflecting Sufi themes in the Qur'anic calligraphy to movies, from ideals to everyday practices, from legends to actual history, from gender segregation to gender transgression, and from legalism to spiritualism. Consequently, the international panel of contributors to this volume are trained in a range of disciplines that include religious studies, history, comparative literature, anthropology, and ethnography. Covering Southeast Asia to West Africa as well as South Asia and the West, they address both historical and contemporary issues, shedding light on Sufism's adaptability. This book sets aside conventional methods of understanding Islam, such as theological, juridical, and philosophical, in favour of analysing its cultural impact. As such, it will be of great interest to all scholars of Islamic Studies, the Sociology of Religion, Religion and Media, as well as Religious Studies and Area Studies more generally.

God's Works Revealed presents a compelling, challenging, and joyful vision for living as a lesbian, gay, or bisexual Catholic today by accepting the divine gift of our sexuality and seeking to live the promises of our baptism. It draws from the deep well of traditional theology, Catholic teaching, and Sacred Scripture while also challenging assumptions that exclude LGB Catholics from the possibility of sexual expression, married life, and participation in the life of the Church. "Informed by theology and formed by the worship of the Church, Albano...engages in serious study and draws on some of the best thought on scripture and natural law theology that has formed his Church's teaching on homosexuality and homosexual actions. He presents not so much a dismissal of what the Church teaches as a critical engagement with that teaching that will point out its insufficiencies and calls for further refinement and reflection. He insists that his experience and that of other gay and lesbian Catholics be taken seriously." -from the foreword "After more than fifty years of ministry on behalf of LGBT Catholics, I have seen considerable developments in Christian understandings about sexuality and gender, which are challenging topics for politicians and Catholics alike. Written from the heart of a faith-filled Catholic gay man who is not a politician, these pages push sexual politics aside and speak to our heads and hearts in a sensible and compelling way. We'll see with new eyes the gifts that persons of various sexual orientations bring to the Church. I recommend this book for all the people of God who are walking the path of synodality with Pope Francis." -Jeannine Gramick, SL, author, and cofounder of New Ways Ministry for LGBT Catholics "God's Works Revealed offers a respectful, well-argued critique of official teachings on homosexuality and the impact on the physical and spiritual lives of LGBTQI people. It is a deeply loving, thoughtful, and ultimately, hopeful dialogue between a gay Catholic and the Church that could open pathways to needed change. Here, you will find truths that speak to your soul." -Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA Sam Albano is a writer, educator, and member of the LGBTQI Catholic community. He currently serves as the national secretary of DignityUSA, the oldest and largest organization of LGBTQI Catholics.

This book chronicles individual perspectives and specific iterations of Muslim community, practice, and experience in the Himalayan region to bring into scholarly conversation the presence of varying Muslim cultures in the Himalaya. The Himalaya provide a site of both geographic and cultural crossroads, where Muslim community is simultaneously constituted at multiple social levels, and to that end the essays in this book document a wide range of local, national, and global interests while maintaining a focus on individual perspectives, moments in time, and localized experiences. It presents research that contributes to a broadly conceived notion of the Himalaya that enriches readers' understandings of both the region and concepts of Muslim community and highlights the interconnections between multiple experiences of Muslim community at local levels. Drawing attention to the cultural, social, artistic, and political diversity of the Himalaya beyond the better understood and frequently documented religio-cultural expressions of the region, this book will be of interest to academics in the fields of Anthropology, Geography, History, Religious Atudies, Asian Studies, and Islamic Studies.

Provides an overview of the fundamental history, diverse approaches, and ideas associated with this exciting and relatively new field of study. Each chapter features engaging case studies and ends with summaries and recommendations for further study with suggested readings. Written by leading academics in the field, this will be the go-to introduction to digital religion.

Top professional speaker and sales trainer Brian Tracy found that his most important breakthrough was the discovery that it is the "psychology of selling" that is more important than the techniques and methods of selling. Learn how to double and triple your sales in any market. It's a promise of prosperity that sales guru Brian Tracy has seen fulfilled again and again. More salespeople have become millionaires by listening to and applying his ideas than from any other sales training process ever developed. In Psychology of Selling, Tracy teaches you: "The inner game of sales and selling" How to eliminate the fear of rejection How to build unshakeable confidence Tracy shows how salespeople must learn to control their thoughts, feelings and actions to make themselves more effective. Psychology of Selling gives you a series of ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques that you can use immediately to make more sales, faster and easier than ever before.

Through analysis of the Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad, which pledge protection to diverse faith communities, this book makes a profoundly important contribution to research on early Islam by determining the Covenants' historicity and textual accuracy. The authors focus on the Prophet Muhammad's relationship with other faith communities by conducting detailed textual and linguistic analysis of documents which have received little scholarly consideration before. This not only includes decrees of the Prophet Muhammad, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, but also of important Muslim rulers. They present their findings in relation to contemporaneous historical writings, historic testimonies, official recognition, archaeological evidence, historic scribal conventions, date-matching calculations, textual parallelisms, and references in Muslim and non-Muslim sources. They also provide new and revised translations of various Covenants issued by the Prophet Muhammad which were attested by Muslim authorities after him. The authors argue that the claim of forgery is no longer tenable following the application of rigorous textual and historical analysis. This book is essential reading for Muslims, Christians, Jews, Samaritans, and Zoroastrians, as well as anyone interested in interfaith relations, Islamophobia, extremist ideologies, security studies, and the relationship between Orthodox and Oriental Christianity with Islam.

This book is an ethnographic case study of Sufi ritual practice and embodied experience amongst female members of the Naqshbandi community. Drawing on fieldwork in Cape Town, South Africa, and Lefke, Cyprus (2013/2014), the author examines women's experiences within a particular performance of Sufi tradition. The focus is on the ritual named hadra, involving the recital of sacred texts, music, and body movement, where the goal is for the individual to reach a state of intimacy with God. The volume considers Sufi practice as a form of embodied cultural behavior, religious identity, and selfhood construction. It explains how Muslim women's participation in hadra ritual life reflects religious and cultural ideas about the body, the body's movement, and embodied selfhood expression within the ritual experience. Sufi Women, Ritual Embodiment and the 'Self' engages with studies in Sufism, symbolic anthropology, ethnography, dance, and somatic studies. Contributing to discussions of religion, gender, and the body, the book will be of interest to scholars from anthropology, sociology, religious ritual studies, Sufism and gender studies, and performance studies.