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Books > Christianity > Protestantism & Protestant Churches > Other Protestant & Nonconformist Churches
'Secularization' has been hotly debated since it was first
subjected to critical attention in the mid-sixties by David Martin,
before he sketched a 'General Theory' in 1969. 'On Secularization'
presents David Martin's reassessment of the key issues: with
particular regard to the special situation of religion in Western
Europe, and questions in the global context including
Pentecostalism in Latin America and Africa. Concluding with
examinations of Pluralism, Christian Language, and Christianity and
Politics, this book offers students and other readers of social
theory and sociology of religion an invaluable reappraisal of
Christianity and Secularization. It represents the most
comprehensive sociology of contemporary Christianity, set in
historical depth.
The purpose of this book is to provide valuable anthropological
data on the identity construction of a rapidly growing Chinese
Christian population in the United States. As more and more Chinese
of different generations and varying cultural backgrounds practice
evangelical Christianity, the meaning of Chinese American will
change accordingly. The book provides significant linguistic data
for a nascent but important area of anthropological research. The
scope of the book encompasses Asian American homiletics, discourse
analysis and prosody, types of sermons and roles of men and women
in a diverse, multilingual church. Parallels between Confucianism
and Christianity and the role of "gradual evangelism" in identity
construction are discussed. These elements are contextualized
within current sociocultural and economic spheres and address the
implications of the "model minority" and Asian patriarchy. The book
provides original linguistic data of sermons in Mandarin, Cantonese
and English. The book posits that the Chinese of the Boston church
have developed an ethno-Christian identity and this identity
demonstrated through ethnically marked prosodic cues, unites the
congregation in the ethnic church. This position challenges some
current approaches to identity construction and the role of
religion in immigrant communities.
Are you ready for a revolutionary year with Heidi & Rolland?
Whether stopping for the one in a dusty village in Mozambique or
reaching out to the world, Heidi and Rolland model--and invite
everyone into--the radical love that thrills God's heart. Energized
by their work on the frontlines of ministry, the Bakers weave
together miraculous stories, Scriptures, encouraging devotional
thoughts and prayer to take you through the year. Every day is a
fresh invitation to live fully devoted to God. When you surrender
to Him and allow His presence to grow in you, you will find, like
the Bakers, that you don't become less of yourself; you actually
become more fully the person He has always intended you to be. Join
Heidi and Rolland for an unforgettable year of sold-out,
passionate, reckless devotion to the One who loves you more than
you can imagine. "All God wants is my laid-down love, my reckless
devotion. He is asking the same from you."--Heidi Baker
The author defines Yesterday's Radicals as nineteenth-century
Anglican Broad Churchmen and Unitarians, and aims in his book to
demonstrate the affinities between them and the manners in which
they influenced each other. The Broad Churchmen constituted the
progressive wing of the Anglican Church, who were interested in
science, Biblical criticism, a rational approach to religion, and
who were leaders in the attempt to relate the Church's teaching to
the new thoughts and conditions of the nineteenth century. But they
were not alone. The Unitarians were possessed of a similar spirit,
and came to regard reason and conscience as the criteria of belief
and practice. This book demonstrates the growing respect between
them, as they tried to grapple with the problems of their day. It
lucidly takes the reader through the ramifications and complexities
of Biblical criticism, and discusses the answers given to the
problems of Biblical inspiration and miracles, amongst others. It
demonstrates how Unitarians and Broad Churchmen affected each
other, and that much of which is now taken for granted in
enlightened theological circles was developed by Yesterday's
Radicals. The author traverses territory not previously opened up
in this way, for the affinity between these groups has hitherto not
been the subject of analysis. This pioneering study was awarded the
Earl Morse Wilbur Prize for Historical Research.
A study of the early history of the Evangelical Movement in the
Church of England in the 18th century, showing how evangelicalism
was distinct from the Methodist revival under Wesley and
Whitefield. The author calls it "a religious and social study",
placing the movement in its historical setting and taking note
especially of the influences which affected it.
The Pentecostal World provides a comprehensive and critical
introduction to one of the most vibrant and diverse expressions of
contemporary Christianity. Unlike many books on Pentecostalism,
this collection of essays from all continents does not attempt to
synthesize and simplify the movement's inherent diversity and
fragmented dispersion. Instead, the global flows of Pentecostalism
are firmly grounded in local histories and expressions as well as
the various modes of their worldwide reproduction. The book thus
argues for a new understanding of Pentecostal and Charismatic
movements that accounts for the simultaneous processes of
pluralization and homogenization in contemporary World
Christianity. Written by a distinguished team of international
contributors across various disciplines, the volume is comprised of
six sections, with each offering a critical perspective on
classical themes in the study of Pentecostalism. Led by a
programmatic introduction, the thirty-six chapters within these
sections explore a variety of themes: history and historiography,
conversion, spirit beliefs and exorcism, prosperity, politics,
gender relations, sexual identities, racism, development,
migration, pilgrimage, inter-religious relations, media, ecumenism,
and academic research. The Pentecostal World is essential reading
for students and researchers in anthropology, history, political
science, religious studies, sociology, and theology. The Handbook
will also be very useful for those in related fields, such as
culture studies, Black studies, ethnic studies, and gender studies.
'The limits of radicalism are those which end not in chaos but in
the breaking of fresh ground.' Howard E. Root Previously
unpublished--and only recently rediscovered by Dr Christopher R.
Brewer in an uncatalogued box in the archives of Lambeth Palace
Library--Canon Howard E. Root's 1972 Bampton Lectures, 'The Limits
of Radicalism', have to do with nothing less than 'what theology
is', a topic no less relevant today than it was in 1972. Against
the radical reductionism of his time, Root defended the integrity
of theology and 'theological truth'. Advocating a
'backward-looking' radicalism, he thought that tradition should
display 'recognisable continuity', and yet at the same
time--against reductionistic tendencies--that it might be enriched
and enlarged via a wide variety of 'additive imagery' including,
though not limited to, poetry and pop art, music and even
television. We must 'begin where we are', said Root, for we cannot,
in the manner of Leonard Hodgson, 'think ourselves into the minds
and feelings of men 2000 years ago.' In this volume, which begins
with a substantial, mostly biographical introduction, Dr Brewer
argues that Root--a backward-looking radical who defended
metaphysics and natural theology, and insisted that theologians
look to the arts as theological resources--anticipates the work of
David Brown and others concerned with tradition and imagination,
relevance and truth. A fascinating glimpse into the recent history
of British Christianity, Root's lectures, as well as the related
appendices, are essential reading for theologians interested in the
dynamics of a developing tradition and the theme of openness, as
well as those with a particular interest in 1960s Cambridge
radicalism and the British reception of the Second Vatican Council.
This is the first major study of the enigmatic religious society. By examining the Jehovah's Witnesses' dramatic recent expansion, Andrew Holden reveals the dependency of their quasi-totalitarian movement on the physical and cultural resources which have brought about the privatisation of religion, the erosion of community and the separation of 'fact' from faith.
This is the first major study of the enigmatic religious society. By examining the Jehovah's Witnesses' dramatic recent expansion, Andrew Holden reveals the dependency of their quasi-totalitarian movement on the physical and cultural resources which have brought about the privatisation of religion, the erosion of community and the separation of 'fact' from faith.
Unique, Powerful Call to the Front Lines of Prayer From bestselling
author James W. Goll, a strategic prophetic leader in global
intercessory prayer, comes an in-depth journey into the heart of
what it means to be a "watchman on the wall." Designed for serious
worshipers and intercessors, this unique 21-day journey will help
you move to the front lines of prayer--becoming more alert to the
presence of God and praying his will with confidence. With
reflection questions, devotional prayers, and practical
application, this book will help you * discern the specific
spiritual atmosphere around you * discover the strategies of God
for certain times * pray more effectively for others * understand
how to intercede for current events Walking in the lifestyle of a
watchman means that you can be the sentinel that God is calling his
mature intercessors to be. Learn to partner with the strategies of
heaven and step boldly into your calling.
Popular Evangelicalism in American Culture explores the
controversies, complexities, and historical development of the
evangelical movement in America and its impact on American culture.
Evangelicalism is one of the most dynamic and growing religious
movements in America and has been both a major force in shaping
American society and likewise a group which has resisted aspects of
the modern world. Organised thematically this book demonstrates the
impact of American culture on popular evangelicalism by exploring
the following topics: politics; economics; salvation;
millennialism; the megachurch and electronic churches; and popular
culture. This accessible and thought-provoking volume will interest
anyone concerned with the modern-day success of the Evangelical
movement in America.
Transcripts of the Sacred in Nigeria explores how the sacred plays
itself out in contemporary Africa. It offers a creative analysis of
the logics and dynamics of the sacred (understood as the
constellation of im/possibility available to a given community) in
religion, politics, epistemology, economic development, and
reactionary violence. Using the tools of philosophy, postcolonial
criticism, political theory, African studies, religious studies,
and cultural studies, Wariboko reveals the intricate connections
between the sacred and the existential conditions that characterize
disorder, terror, trauma, despair, and hope in the postcolonial
Africa. The sacred, Wariboko argues, is not about religion or
divinity but the set of possibilities opened to a people or denied
them, the sum total of possibilities conceivable given their level
of social, technological, and economic development. These
possibilities profoundly speak to the present political moment in
sub-Saharan Africa.
With notes that expound on ideas or share insights, and key
concepts before each chapter, this book is a useful tool for
students of all ages. Quickly and easily gain a better grasp on the
stories, timelines, and relationships within "the keystone of our
religion" with this book that's perfect for the whole family.
On September 11, 1857, a band of Mormon militia, under a flag of
truce, lured unarmed members of a party of emigrants from their
fortified encampment and, with their Paiute allies, killed them.
More than 120 men, women, and children perished in the slaughter.
Massacre at Mountain Meadows offers the most thoroughly researched
account of the massacre ever written. Drawn from documents
previously not available to scholars and a careful re-reading of
traditional sources, this gripping narrative offers fascinating new
insight into why Mormons settlers in isolated southern Utah
deceived the emigrant party with a promise of safety and then
killed the adults and all but seventeen of the youngest children.
The book sheds light on factors contributing to the tragic event,
including the war hysteria that overcame the Mormons after
President James Buchanan dispatched federal troops to Utah
Territory to put down a supposed rebellion, the suspicion and
conflicts that polarized the perpetrators and victims, and the
reminders of attacks on Mormons in earlier settlements in Missouri
and Illinois. It also analyzes the influence of Brigham Young's
rhetoric and military strategy during the infamous "Utah War" and
the role of local Mormon militia leaders in enticing Paiute Indians
to join in the attack. Throughout the book, the authors paint
finely drawn portraits of the key players in the drama, their
backgrounds, personalities, and roles in the unfolding story of
misunderstanding, misinformation, indecision, and personal
vendettas.
The Mountain Meadows Massacre stands as one of the darkest events
in Mormon history. Neither a whitewash nor an expose, Massacre at
Mountain Meadows provides the clearest and most accurate account of
a key event in American religious history."
At the core of African American religion's response to social
inequalities has been a symbiotic relationship between
socio-political activism and spiritual restoration. Drawing on
archival material and ethnographic fieldwork with African American
Spiritual Churches in the USA, this book examines how their
spiritual and social work can shed light on the interplay between
corporate activism and individual spirituality. This book traces
the development of this "politico-spiritual" approach to injustice
from the beginning of the twentieth century through the opening
decade of the twenty-first century, using the work of African
American Spiritual Churches as a lens through which to observe its
progression. Addressing subjects such as spiritual healing, support
of the homeless, gender equality and the aftermath of hurricane
Katrina, it demonstrates that these communities are clearly
motivated by the dual concerns of the soul and the community. This
study diversifies our understanding of the African American
religious landscape, highlighting an approach to social injustice
that conjoins both political and spiritual transformations. As
such, it will be of significant interest to scholars of religious
studies, African American studies and politics.
This new study explores the role the Unitarians played in female
emancipation. Many leading figures of the late eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries were Unitarian, or were heavily influenced by
Unitarian ideas, including: Mary Wollstonecraft, Elizabeth Gaskell,
George Eliot, and Florence Nightingale. Ruth Watts examines how far
they were successful in challenging the ideas and social
conventions affecting women. In the process she reveals the complex
relationship between religion, gender, class and education and her
study will be essential reading for those studying the origins of
the feminist movement, nineteenth-century gender history, religious
history or the history of education.
Shortlisted for the Herskovits Award, this book throws light on
secrecy and violence in Uganda, Rwanda and the Great Lakes area of
East Africa. On 17 March 2000 several hundred members of a
charismatic Christian sect, the Movement for the Restoration of the
Ten Commandments of God (MRTC), burnt to death in the group's
headquarters in the Southwest Ugandan village of Kanungu. Days
later the Ugandan police discovered a series of mass graves
containing over 400 bodies on various other properties belonging to
the sect. Was this mass suicide or mass murder? Based on eight
years of historical andethnographic research, Ghosts of Kanungu
provides a comprehensive and scholarly account of the MRTC and of
the events leading up to the inferno. It argues that none of these
events can be understood without reference to abroader social
history of Southwestern Uganda during the twentieth century, in
which anti-colonial movements, Catholic White Fathers missionaries,
colonial relocation schemes, the breakdown of the Ugandan state,
post-war reconstruction, the onset of HIV/AIDS, and the
transformation of the regional Nyabingi fertility cult into a
Marian church with worldwide connections, all played their part.
RICHARD VOKES is Senior Lecturer in Anthropology and Development
Studies at the University of Adelaide, Australia Uganda: Fountain
Publishers (PB)
Hans Mol was born in the Netherlands during the 1920s. His
imprisonment by the Gestapo during World War II began a long
intellectual journey, exploring the role of religion in society.
His work on the sociology of religion throughout the 20th and 21st
Century is distinctive in its quest for both methodological and
existential balance Part One of this book includes a brief outline
of Mol's most influential theory as originally explicated in
Identity and the Sacred (1976). This is followed by a look at the
initial reception of that theory in relation to the competing
concepts of Mol's contemporaries. Part Two is comprised of four
previously-unpublished essays written by Mol during the 70s and
80s. Covering topics from evolution to evangelicalism, the papers
display the sweeping ambition of this sociologist as well as the
tone and contours of his intellectual articulation. In the
Postscript this volume concludes with select transcripts of
interviews conducted between Adam Powell and Hans Mol during the
Spring of 2012. This volume of Mol's work will be of keen interest
to academics and students with an interest in the sociology of
religion post-World War II and the development of contemporary
Christian theology.
Believers were meant to live free of the cares of this world. This
book reveals ways to overcome the worry habit and walk in faith by
obeying God's Word.
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