How can we order the world while accepting its enduring ambiguities? Rethinking Pluralism suggests a new approach to the problem of ambiguity and social order, which goes beyond the default modern position of 'notation' (resort to rules and categories to disambiguate). The book argues that alternative, more particularistic modes of dealing with ambiguity through ritual and shared experience better attune to contemporary problems of living with difference. It retrieves key aspects of earlier discussions of ambiguity evident in rabbinic commentaries, Chinese texts, and Greek philosophical and dramatic works, and applies those texts to modern problems. The book is a work of recuperation that challenges contemporary constructions of tradition and modernity. In this, it draws on the tradition of pragmatism in American philosophy, especially John Dewey's injunctions to heed the particular, the contingent and experienced as opposed to the abstract, general and disembodied. Only in this way can new forms of empathy emerge congruent with the deeply plural nature of our present experience. While we cannot avoid the ambiguities inherent to the categories through which we construct our world, the book urges us to reconceptualize the ways in which we think about boundaries - not just the solid line of notation, but also the permeable membrane of ritualization and the fractal complexity of shared experience.

Good luck getting through an entire day without experiencing the impact of Catholicism. Woken up by an alarm or checked the time? The mechanical clock was invented in the tenth century by a monk who became pope. A bowl of cereal for breakfast? Your milk is safe thanks to Louis Pasteur, a devout Catholic whose research was driven by a love of God and humanity. Knock on wood? It's actually an ancient Catholic practice invoking the power of the Cross when facing trouble or danger.

This unique book is an essential resource for interdisciplinary research and scholarship on the phenomenon of feeling called to a life path or vocation at the interface of science and religion. According to Gallup polls, more than 40 percent of Americans report having had a profound religious experience or awakening that changed the direction of their life. What are the potential mental, spiritual, and even physical benefits of following the calling to take a particular path in life? This standout book addresses the full range of calling experiences, from the "A-ha!" moments of special insight, to pondering what one is meant to do in life, to intense spiritual experiences like Saint Paul on the road to Damascus. Drawing upon the collective knowledge and insight of expert authors from Australia, China, Eastern Europe, Italy, the UK, and the United States, the work provides a comprehensive examination of the topic of callings suitable for collegiate students, professors, and professional scholars interested in topics at the interface of science and religion. It will also benefit general readers seeking the expertise of psychologists, neuroscientists, and theologians from various backgrounds and worldviews who explain why it is important to "do what you were meant to do." Offers religious, spiritual, scientific, and secular avenues of understanding experiences of calling Creates an opening for a new dialogue between psychology and spirituality Provides readers with sound, practical advice on how to find one's own calling or ideal direction in life in the modern world Includes contributions by well-known scholars and scientists such as Dr. Martin Seligman, who discovered learned helplessness and founded positive psychology; Dr. Andrew Newberg, who pioneered the neuroscience of spiritual experiences; and Dr. Ralph Hood, a renowned expert on mystical experiences

15 Steps to Effective Prayers a " Knowing how to Pray with Results! will teach you how you can pray effectively and get results by doing so. Our walk and spiritual growth depends on our prayer life! This book aims to show every Christian the importance of such a prayer life from the viewpoint of an experienced Prayer Intercessor, Sharon Downer. The author will teach you the importance of praying continually, praying for others, praying for miracles and communicating with the Lord, which will help you build a closer relationship with Him through prayer. Ita s a must read for every Christian as prayer moves mountains.

In 1969, the writer and her husband set off for what is intended to be a short holiday in Ibiza and end up taking the so-called hippie route to Katmandu in Nepal. It is the true account, written first as a journal and then daily, by a woman who takes this journey without preparation, planning or travel agent and before the instant communication of mobiles, tablets and email. In this fresh and engrossing account of a journey taken nearly 50 years ago from Europe to Asia, Carol Carlton vividly describes a world which has changed dramatically in the decades since; as she travels, an inner journey emerges as the landscape, people and the journey itself have their effect upon the writer. This book is a must-read for readers who are interested in travel and also for those who see life as an adventure, not only through what we do, but how we view the world, who we are and who we become. What emerges from this wonderfully described travel account is an approach to the unknown in the widest sense through life's journey. While their wanderings lead them into many kinds of hardships and dangers, it seems as if their spirit of open-heartedness itself keeps them safe from the unexpected risks that present themselves. At the same time, it reveals how this spirit of innocent curiosity allows people from many countries, religions and ways of life to reveal their innermost convictions and feelings to her. Nowhere is this more poignant than in Syria.