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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian sacred works & liturgy > Sacred texts > General
There is no question that the Torah is one of the most influential
documents in Western civilization. It is the source of widely known
characters like Joseph, Moses, and Noah, and timeless stories such
as the Garden of Eden and the Exodus. Jointly authored by
professors of Judaism and Christianity, The Torah: A Beginner's
Guide takes a unique approach, exploring the interplay and dynamics
of how these two religions share this common scripture. Drawing on
both scholarly and popular sources, Kaminsky and Lohr examine the
key debates, while simultaneously illustrating the importance of
the Torah in western jurisprudence, ethics, and contemporary
conceptions of the family, morality, and even politics.
Since its appearance in China in the third century, "The Lotus
Sutra" has been regarded as one of the most illustrious scriptures
in the Mahayana Buddhist canon. The object of intense veneration
among generations of Buddhists in China, Korea, Japan, and other
parts of the world, it has had a profound impact on the great works
of Japanese and Chinese literature, attracting more commentary than
any other Buddhist scripture.
As Watson notes in the introduction to his remarkable
translation, " "The Lotus Sutra" is not so much an integral work as
a collection of religious texts, an anthology of sermons, stories,
and devotional manuals, some speaking with particular force to
persons of one type or in one set of circumstances, some to those
of another type or in other circumstances. This is no doubt why it
has had such broad and lasting appeal over the ages and has
permeated so deeply into the cultures that have been exposed to
it."
Tabari's Tafsir or "Comprehensive Exposition of the Interpretation
of the Verses of the Qur'an" is one of the great monuments of
classical Arabic and Islamic scholarship which, over a millennium,
has been a fundamental reference work for scholars engaged in the
tradition of Quranic commentary and exegesis. This two-volume
translation focuses on thirty selected verses and Suras, or
Chapters, associated with special merits and blessings and also
includes Tabari's own introduction to the Tafsir. Volume I
contains: Tabari's introduction; The Opening; the Throne Verse and
the final three verses from The Cow (2:255 & 284-286); The
Family of Imran (3:7 & 18); Repentance (9:38-40 & 128-129);
the story of Moses and Khadir from The Cave (18:60-82); the Verse
of Light from The Light (24:35-42); Prostration; Ya' Sin. Volume II
contains: The Companies (39:53-55); The Smoke; The Beneficent; The
Inevitable Occasion; Iron; The Gathering (59:18-24); Sovereignty;
The Resurrection; The Most High; The Sun; The Night; The
Earthquake; The Chargers; Rivalry; The Disbelievers; Aid;
Sincerity; Daybreak; People.
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