This new edition of "Byzantium and the Crusades" provides a fully-revised and updated version of Jonathan Harris's landmark text in the field of Byzantine and crusader history.The book offers a chronological exploration of Byzantium and the outlook of its rulers during the time of the Crusades. It argues that one of the main keys to Byzantine interaction with Western Europe, the Crusades and the crusader states can be found in the nature of the Byzantine Empire and the ideology which underpinned it, rather than in any generalised hostility between the peoples.Taking recent scholarship into account, this new edition includes an updated notes section and bibliography, as well as significant new additions to the text: - New material on the role of religious differences after 1100- A detailed discussion of economic, social and religious changes that took place in 12th-century Byzantine relations with the west- In-depth coverage of Byzantium and the Crusades during the 13th century- New maps, illustrations, genealogical tables and a timeline of key dates"Byzantium and the Crusades" is an important contribution to the historiography by a major scholar in the field that should be read by anyone interested in Byzantine and crusader history.

Church, nation and race compares the worldviews and factors that promoted or, indeed, opposed antisemitism amongst Catholics in Germany and England after the First World War. As a prequel to books on Hitler, fascism and genocide, the book turns towards ideas and attitudes that preceded and shaped the ideologies of the 1920s and 1940s. Apart from the long tradition of Catholic anti-Jewish prejudices, the book discusses new and old alternatives to European modernity offered by Catholics in Germany and England. This book is a political history of ideas that introduces Catholic views of modern society, race, nation and the 'Jewish question'. It shows to what extent these views were able to inform political and social activity. Church, nation and race will interest academics and students of antisemitism, European history, German and British history. -- .

This illuminating, in-depth studypresents a wealth of case material, demonstrating the many manifestations of religious violence-not just war and terrorism, which are the focus of so many discussions of religiously motivated violence-but also more prevalent forms. The author, an anthropologist, devotes separate chapters to: * sacrifice (both animal and human); * self-mortification (including self-injury, asceticism, and martyrdom); * religious persecution (from anti-Semitic pogroms to witchhunts); * ethno-religious conflict (including such hotspots as Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland, and the former Yugoslavia); * religious wars (from the ancient Hebrews' wars and the Christian Crusades to Islamic jihad and Hindu righteous wars); * and religious homicide and abuse (spousal abuse, genital mutilation, and "dowry death," among other manifestations). In the final chapter, "Religion and Nonviolence," the author examines nonviolent and low-conflict societies and considers various methods of managing conflict. This book goes a long way toward helping us understand the nature of violence generally, its complicated connections with religion, and how society in the future might avoid being blindsided by the worst aspects of human nature.

As corporate and governmental agencies march us towards global conflict, racism, and imperialism, this book contends that teachers must have the tools with which to combat unilateral politicization of Arabic and Muslim peoples. Teaching Against Islamophobia creates a pedagogical space for educators to engage with necessary issues and knowledges regarding the alienation of Islamic culture, religion, knowledge, and peoples. Edited by a WASP, a Jew, and an Iranian, this book confronts the fears, challenges, and institutional problems facing today's teachers. Taking its cue from critical pedagogy, this book is a collection of essays by artists, writers, performers, and educators committed to naming the insidious racism and hatred of those who would isolate and vilify Islam.

Changing and disseminating one's religion have become even more controversial and problematic than they were when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights took form in 1948. Many religious groups decry proselytizing activity, yet arguably still engage in it. Some see the "war for souls" as an aggressive act of political domination in a postcolonial, multicultural world. Others view it more positively as healthy cultural exchange in our rights-oriented world. The current volume updates and expands earlier studies of proselytism, and explores more thoroughly the theoretical and practical implications of proselytization and anti-proselytization, particularly within the current phase of democratization and globalization. Several authors offer analyses of newer movements and territories now associated with the proselytic impulse, demonstrating its global significance. A particular emphasis of the book is on the diverse conversionist strategies being deployed by various religious organizations to contest, accommodate, or circumvent changing patterns of state regulation. Modern media technologies feature prominently in many of the studies. To complement this, some contributors examine the histories of those contexts where the entanglements of colonialism, missionization, and nationalism have shaped current environments of hostility or hospitality with regard to religious activism. The cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary orientation of this edited work provides a new perspective on this increasingly salient and controversial topic.

The Seventh Crusade, led by King Louis IX of France, was the last major expedition for the recovery of the Holy Land actually to reach the Near East. The failure of his invasion of Egypt (1249-50), followed by his four-year stay in Palestine in order to retrieve the disaster, had a profound impact on the Latin West. In addition, Louis's operations in the Nile delta indirectly precipitated the Mamluk coup d'etat, which ended the rule of the Ayyubids, Saladin's dynasty, in Egypt and began the transfer of power there to a military elite that would prove to be a far more formidable enemy to the Franks of Syria and Palestine. This volume comprises translations of the principal documents and of extracts from narrative sources - both Muslim and Christian - relating to the crusade, and includes many texts, notably the account of Ibn Wasil, not previously available in English. The themes covered include: the preparations and search for allies; the campaign in the Nile delta; the impact on recruitment of the simultaneous crusade against the emperor Frederick II; the Mamluk coup and its immediate consequences in the Near East; Western reactions to the failure in Egypt; and the popular 'crusade' of the Pastoureaux in France (1251), which aimed originally to help the absent king, but which degenerated into violence against the clergy and the Jews and had to be suppressed by force.

In this collection of studies by James M. Powell, two related centres of attention can be seen. One is the campaigns undertaken by western Europeans in the eastern Mediterranean, chiefly in the late twelfth and thirteenth centuries - the Crusades - the reasons for them and manner in which they were organized and promoted. The other is the Kingdom of Sicily under Frederick II, himself a Crusader, and its society and economy, including its Muslim population. A characteristic feature is the author's interest in ordinary participants and the attempt to get behind the generalizations of macro-historians to the extent that may be possible.

There is a long-standing fear of that which is not understood. Since September 11, 2001 the fear surrounding the violent elements of religion has led to heightened tensions. Research is thus essential to counteract the effects of 'religious xenophobia'. In this compelling book J.P. Larsson investigates religious violence, terrorism and armed conflict in order to deliver the understanding required for a more peaceful world and to allow for a framework of conflict transformation. This multi-disciplinary text will greatly interest those in the fields of international relations, theology and sociology.

Donna M. Lanclos writes about children on the school playgrounds of working-class Belfast, Northern Ireland, using their own words to show how they shape their social identities. The notion that children's voices and perspectives must be included in a work about childhood is central to the book. Lanclos explores children's folklore, including skipping rhymes, clapping games, and "dirty" jokes, from five Belfast primary schools (two Protestant, two Catholic, and one mixed). She listens for what she can learn about gender, family, adult-child interactions, and Protestant/Catholic tensions. Lanclos frequently notes violent themes in the folklore and conversations that indicate children are aware of the reality in which they live. But at the same time, children resist being marginalized by adults who try to shield them from this reality. For Lanclos, children's experiences stimulate discussions about culture and society. In her words, "Children's everyday lives are more than just preparation for their futures, but are life itself." A volume in the Rutgers Series in Childhood Studies edited by Myra Bluebond-Langner

This latest volume by Jean Richard is concerned with the evolution of the crusading movement and with the interaction between crusaders and indigenous peoples of the Near East. The articles look at changes in the concept of crusading, means of financing it, and forms of indulgence; at how the adoption of maritime transport created a need to control the sea, and how contacts with the Muslims could lead to peaceful means of resolving conflict and dealing with prisoners. In their lands in the east, the Latins accommodated the feudal structures they brought with them to local conditions, especially in the mountains. Both in this and in the religious sphere compromises were made, and in this co-existence each community preserved its individuality. The final section then considers roles played by eastern Christians in the contacts between Europeans and Mongols. Si les origines de la croisade retiennent l'attention, son evolution merite elle aussi interAt. La conception de la croisade, les modalites du financement, la forme d'indulgence, se sont modifiees; l'adoption du transport par bateau a necessite la prise du contrAle de la mer. Les affrontements avec les Musulmans ont provoquee des contacts, ainsi pour regler le sort des prisonniers; on a cheche des solutions pacifiques au conflit. Dans leurs possessions orientales, les Francs ont adapte le regime seigneurial aux conditions locales et, tout en gardant intacte leur structure feodale, reserve, surtout dans les montagnes, leur place aux chefs indigenes, Les contacts de civilisation sont reels, mais chaque communaute garde some individualite. Il en est de mAme dans le domaine religieux, oA(1) il a fallu adopter des compromis pout permettre une reelle coexistence. Et finalement les chretiens orientaux ont ete les agents du rapprochement entre Francs and Mongols.

This is a book that will never die--one of the great Christian classics. Written with passion and tenderness, it tells the dramatic, true stories of men, women, and children who, in the face of indescribable persecution, gave their lives for the sake of Christ. Covering the broad sweep of church history from the early church to the beginning of American foreign missions in the early 1800s, Fox s Book of Martyrs continues to inspire and strengthen countless Christians with a vision of faith that, both in life and in death, commits itself utterly to the Lord of Life. Presented here in its most complete form, this book brings to life days when 'a noble army, men and boys, the matron and the maid . . . climbed the steep ascent of heaven amid peril, toil, and pain.'"

The jihadist group ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has been wreaking havoc in northern Iraq and Syria. But its reign of terror is not confined to the Middle East.

Its 2014 beheadings of American journalist James Foley and Israeli–American journalist Steven Sotloff have shocked the world and instilled fear in the hearts of many Westerners. ISIS is the most funded, technologically advanced, and powerful terrorist organization in history. Its members are extremely diverse, having been recruited from countries all over the globe, including Canada, Britain, and the U.S. Now that ISIS has the world's attention, what's next?

Governments around the world have spent billions of dollars employing military strategies, and they are still convinced that ISIS is mainly a political problem that must have a political answer. But what if the solution isn't political or military? What if the real solution is spiritual in nature? Missionaries from the underground church of China—represented by Brother Yun, "the Heavenly Man"—are launching a spiritual offensive. They are not armed with a sentence of death but with a message of life, and ISIS jihadists are in their crosshairs.

In ISIS, the Heart of Terror, you will learn about the organization Back to Jerusalem and its unique method of responding to ISIS by evangelizing Muslim militants. Learn how Chinese missionaries are fulfilling the Great Commission by sharing the gospel with some of the most unreachable people groups in the world, and discover how Christians everywhere can take part in a powerful evangelization of the Middle East.

"An important new book."
--Newsweek
"Mr. Barber is. . . the first to put Jihad and McWorld together in an inescapable
dialectic . . . . [It] stands as a bold invitation to debate the broad contours and future of society."
--Barbara Ehrenreich
The New York Times Book Review

"COMPELLING. . . IMPRESSIVE. . . A thorough, engaging look at the current state of world affairs."
--The American Reporter
Jihad vs. McWorld is a groundbreaking work, an elegant and illuminating analysis of the central conflict of our times: consumerist capitalism versus religious and tribal fundamentalism. These diametrically opposed but strangely intertwined forces are tearing apart--and bringing together--the world as we know it, undermining democracy and the nation-state on which it depends. On the one hand, consumer capitalism on the global level is rapidly dissolving the social and economic barriers between nations, transforming the world's diverse populations into a blandly uniform market. On the other hand, ethnic, religious, and racial hatreds are fragmenting the political landscape into smaller and smaller tribal units. Jihad vs. McWorld is the term that distinguished writer and political scientist Benjamin R. Barber has coined to describe the powerful and paradoxical interdependence of these forces. In this important new book, he explores the alarming repercussions of this potent dialectic for democracy.
A work of persuasive originality and penetrating insight, Jihad vs. McWorld holds up a sharp, clear lens to the dangerous chaos of the post-Cold War world. Critics and political leaders have already heralded Benjamin R. Barber's work for its bold vision and moral courage. Jihad vs. McWorld is an essential text for anyone who wants to understand our troubled present and the crisis threatening our future.
"CHALLENGING AND INSTRUCTIVE."
--San Francisco Chronicle
"BARBER IS WELL WORTH READING. . . FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO THE REAL WORLD, LOOK AT JIHAD vs. McWORLD."
--The Nation
"STIMULATING, TARTLY WRITTEN."
--Publishers Weekly

Sunni and Shia in Iran, Iraq, or Syria. Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. Afrikaners and black churches in South Africa. The rising tide of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia across Europe. Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land. The fear of immigrants and those who are different. The surge of nationalism. Violence, religious violence, violence done in the name of religion. Religious violence must be understood-its history, its relationship to sacred texts and communities, and its consequences. Religious violence must also be confronted. Another story must be told, a different story, a counternarrative other than the one that grips the world today. In 'Confronting Religious Violence', twelve international experts from a variety of theological, philosophical, and scientific fields address the issue of religious violence in today's world. The first part of the book focuses on the historical rise of religious conflict, beginning with the question of whether the New Testament leads to supersessionism, and looks at the growth of anti-Semitism in the later Roman Empire. The second part comprises field-report studies of xenophobia, radicalism, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia surrounding the conflicts in the Middle East. The third part reflects on moral, philosophical, legal, and evolutionary influences on religious freedom and how they harm or help the advancement of peace. The final part of the volume turns to theological reflections, discussing monotheism, nationalism, the perpetuation of violence, the role of mercy laws and freedom in combating hate, and practical approaches to dealing with pluralism in theological education. Edited by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and Richard Burridge, 'Confronting Religious Violence' contains insights from international experts that form essential reading for politicians, diplomats, business leaders, academics, theologians, church and faith leaders, commentators, and military strategists-anyone concerned with a harmonious future for human life together on this planet.

Since the 1980s, relationships between secular and religious Israelis have gone from bad to worse. What was formerly a politics of accommodation, one whose main objective was the avoidance of strife through "arrangements" and compromises, has become a winner-take-all, zero-sum game. The conflict is not over who gets what. Rather, it is a conflict over the very character of the polity, a struggle to define Israel's collective character.

In "Israel and the Politics of Jewish Identity" Asher Cohen and Bernard Susser show how this transformation has been caused by structural changes in Israel's public sphere. Surveying many different levels of public life, they explore the change of Israel's politics from a dominant-party system to a balanced two-camp system. They trace the rise of the Haredi parties and the growing consonance of religiosity with right-wing politics. Other topics include the new Basic Laws on Freedom, Dignity, and Occupation; the effects of massive immigration of secular Jews from the former Soviet Union; the greater emphasis on liberal "good government"; and the rise of an aggressive investigative press and electronic media.